Our Lady of Lourdes’s Kevin Townes (13) puts up a shot during their 70-67 win over Southampton in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A semifinal basketball game at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Saturday, March 18, 2017.

BINGHAMTON – Kevin Townes will skip to the center of the court, stand on the “Veterans Memorial Arena” decal, and perform a backflip.

That is, if the Our Lady of Lourdes High School boys basketball team wins on Sunday against Section 5’s Irondequoit. Thanks in part to his heroics in the state Class A semifinals on Saturday, the Warriors now have a chance to capture their first state championship.

The somersault wouldn’t be done only in celebration, but it would be the senior’s ode to his former self and a tribute to the decision he made that eventually led him to that court.

Townes used to be a gymnast. He began taking lessons as a small child, advanced to the point of performing in state competitions, and continued with acrobatics until middle school.

READ: Freshman delivers, helps send Lourdes to its first state final

READ: Derisive & dynamic: Townes siblings spark Lourdes teams

But five years ago, he decided he had his fill of that sport and sought something else to occupy his time… and to utilize his agility.

“Gymnastics takes so much dedication and it’s such a time-consuming thing,” he said. “After doing it for that long, I got tired of the commitment and wanted to try something different.”

So he picked up basketball. And what a boon that has been for Lourdes.

“I’m extremely thankful that happened,” Warriors coach Jim Santoro said. “Yeah, I think he made a good decision.”

Likewise for James Anozie, who at first was cajoled into playing basketball competitively in junior high. The sport, to him, was initially intended to be no more than a playground activity with friends. Science is his passion and he believes a career in that field will be his calling. In fact, despite all the basketball accolades accrued in high school — including being named the Journal’s Player of the Year last season — it was only recently the 6-foot-5 senior decided he wanted to play in college.

“James had always just played basketball as a hobby and everyone told him, ‘You’re big. You should play,’” Santoro said. “That’s why he played. But he’s come to realize that it’s a part of him.”

Our Lady of Lourdes’ James Anozie (54 and Southampton’s Avory Johnson (31) box out during the NYSPHSAA boys Class A semifinal basketball game at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Saturday, March 18, 2017.

And what a boon that has been for Lourdes.

“We’re in the state final now,” the center said while chuckling. “Not many people get to say that. I think it was a pretty good decision to join the team. I don’t regret it one bit.”

Anozie was punishing in the paint with 25 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday, leading the Warriors to a 70-67 win over Southampton in the semifinals. He shot 10 of 14 from the field.

Townes, a 6-foot guard, had 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. He also hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 2:09 remaining.

He flashed a bit of his fancy footwork on an acrobatic rebound with 20 seconds left. Townes corralled a missed layup and tossed the ball backwards to a teammate as he balanced on one leg before tumbling out of bounds. At the time, Lourdes clung to a 68-67 lead.

“Gymnastics gave me flexibility,” he said. “I can contort my body in some ways most other players can’t.”

He also does that in practice sometimes, Santoro said. The shooting guard will break out old tumbling routines to the entertainment of teammates. That, and the soaring dunks.

“We wouldn’t be where we are without those guys, obviously,” Santoro said. “We’re definitely lucky they chose basketball when they did.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Our Lady of Lourdes falls to Irondequoit 54-43 in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

BINGHAMTON – Corey Mullaly admitted it, that the frustration was difficult to cope with after another sparkling Our Lady of Lourdes season ended in heartbreak on the final day.

A silver medal adorning his neck and the state Class A boys basketball runner-up plaque in clutch, the senior said he was at first hesitant to accept those consolation ornaments. It’s painful, having done so twice.

“In the moment, it’s hard to appreciate it,” said Mullaly, who also starred for the Lourdes football team that lost a state final in 2015. “To finish second in the state means you accomplished a lot, and there’s a lot of wins in that. But it hurts right now.”

It will for a while. But, in time, there will come perspective and an appreciation of the accomplishment. He knows that as well as anyone.

This already had been the most successful season in program history. Never had Lourdes gone beyond the regional semifinals, but this group brought the team —  and Dutchess County — to the precipice of its goal.

But the Warriors’ historic run came to end on Sunday as Lourdes fell to Section 5’s Irondequoit, 54-43, in the Class A state final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

“We got here,” senior James Anozie said. “We wished he had won, of course, but we got here. And we put everything we had into this game. We leave the floor knowing we put everything into this season.”

READ: Santoro, Anozie created a riveting final chapter for Lourdes

READ: Freshman delivers, helps send Lourdes to its first state final

READ: Townes, Anozie almost didn’t play basketball for Lourdes

Lourdes, as a fifth seed, pulled a series of upsets in the playoffs to capture their first Section 1 championship since 2013, and earned wins over hometown rival Poughkeepsie in the regional final, then topped Long Island champion Southampton in the state Class A semifinals on Saturday.

“We’re all pretty emotional right now,” Warriors coach Jim Santoro said. “But my emotions aren’t of sadness. It was joy at what they accomplished this year, thinking back to what we were in October.”

Heck, as recently as three weeks ago, few would have dared predict Lourdes still would be playing on this date. The Warriors gave the region reason to believe they could become only the third boys basketball team from Dutchess County to win a state title, and the first since Millbrook in 1999.

That is why their fans, as that runner-up plaque was presented, serenaded the team with cheers loud enough to rival those of the roaring Irondequoit crowd.

“I heard it,” Anozie said. “It’s a blessing to get that kind of support. It’s good to know they appreciated what we’ve done.”

Anozie had 18 points, five rebounds and a block for the Warriors (20-7). Freshman Aidan Hilderbrand added 11 points, three assists and three rebounds, and Kevin Townes had eight points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Brady Hilderbrand, a junior, had six points, four rebounds and two assists.

“It’s something that most players don’t get to experience,” Mullaly said of reaching the final. “I’ve been to two state finals and both times it was the first in school history. It’s a great accomplishment. Both times, we went far beyond expectations.”

The teams went back and forth in the third quarter, but Irondequoit’s Ty’sean Sizer hit a short floater with 33 seconds left in the period to put the Eagles ahead for good, 37-35. Irondequoit opened the fourth with a surge and Sizer’s right-corner three gave them a 44-36 lead with 5:21 remaining.

Sizer’s free throws pushed the lead to 48-40 with 1:46 left. Lourdes still had life with a minute remaining, down 49-43, but Townes was whistled for a foul on what initially appeared to be a steal. The Eagles’ subsequent free throws iced the contest.

Sizer, who was named tournament MVP, scored 21 points and fit five three-pointers to lead the Eagles (25-1).

Irondequoit packed the paint, was physical and threw constant double teams at the 6-foot-5 Anozie. The Warriors at times seemed insistent on forcing the ball to him in the post, which contributed to 16 turnovers.

“We had a hard time getting the ball to James and that’s a credit to them,” Santoro said of his center, who was 8 for 12 from the field. “We had some good looks from the outside but didn’t convert down the stretch.”

There also were a number of debatable calls and non-calls that went against Lourdes, including some of the hits that Anozie absorbed in the post. This, of course, drew the ire of several Warriors fans who derided the officials during the fourth quarter.

“They got more calls than us, but that’s not why we lost,” Anozie said. “They were a better team than us today.”

Aidan Hilderbrand scored nine points and Townes had eight in the first half, which allowed Lourdes to enter intermission trailing only 25-23. Anozie’s free throw pulled the Warriors within 37-36 a few seconds into the fourth, but Alex Goldsberry answered immediately, sinking a layup after a spin move near the baseline. That started a 7-0 spurt for Irondequoit, capped by Sizer’s three with 5:47 remaining.

Lourdes will graduate six seniors, but only two starters. Granted, Townes and Anozie aren’t easily replaced. Still, Santoro said, there should be optimism for the future. Aidan Hilderbrand, a hero in the state semifinal, will be among the building blocks.

“This isn’t the end of our basketball lives, for the seniors or the program,” said Santoro, a head coach at Lourdes for 28 years. “This season was a big step, getting to this stage. This team grew and developed so much from October. How can I not be happy about that?”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Our Lady of Lourdes head coach James Santoro, right, talks to his players after their 54-43 loss to Irondequoit in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Our Lady of Lourdes falls to Irondequoit 54-43 in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Kevin Townes (13) puts in a layup from a loose ball in the first half in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final against Irondequoit at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Aidan Hilderbrand (5) puts up a three-point shot against Irondequoit’s Gerald Drungoole (4) in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Brady Hildebrand (0) reaches for a rebound during the first half of the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final against Irondequoit at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Kevin Townes (13) drives the paint during the first half of the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final against Irondequoit at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Our Lady of Lourdes head coach James Santoro, right, talks to his players after their 54-43 loss to Irondequoit in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

BINGHAMTON – The conversation was brief, though a tad awkward.

Jim Santoro approached a towering freshman and informed him that he would be playing for the varsity boys basketball team at Our Lady of Lourdes High School.

James Anozie said: “Umm, well, uhh… I thought I might be on junior varsity.”

Santoro replied: “Junior varsity? Pft. You might be starting for me on varsity.”

Anozie was left speechless and stared at the coach with a look of bewilderment.

That was during the autumn of 2013.

On Sunday, those two embraced as theirs were the last names called to receive the state Class A runner-up plaque and medals. Lourdes’ season had just ended, and so too an era, as the Warriors fell to Irondequoit in the state final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

READ: Lourdes ‘hurt’ but still prideful after state final loss

READ: Freshman delivers, helps send Lourdes to its first state final

READ: Townes, Anozie almost didn’t play basketball for Lourdes

Santoro and Anozie had led this team on a sparkling and surprising run that brought Lourdes well beyond where this program ever had gone. And they were showered with cheers from hundreds of fans who trekked from Poughkeepsie — feelings of gratitude and sentimentality, likely, wrestling with the disappointment in that moment.

“These four years went by really fast,” said Anozie, a senior. “I can’t believe that it’s over already. But I’m pretty proud of what we did.”

For Santoro, his 28 years as the Warriors head coach also have zipped by more quickly than expected. But these last four, with Anozie, have been fruitful. And this last one, certainly, will be memorable.

Lourdes’ James Anozie looks to attack the basket during the Class A state final against Irondequoit.

The 6-foot-5 center fought through constant double teams to get 18 points and five rebounds for Lourdes in the 54-43 loss on Sunday. He also was named to the all-tournament team. Another honor added to a lengthy list of achievements that includes being named the Journal’s Player of the Year as a junior, and setting the program scoring record and topping 1,500 career points last month.

And it was Santoro who guided this group, fifth-seeded underdogs in Section 1, all the way to the state’s grand stage on the season’s final day. The Warriors, who had last won a section title in 2013, had never before advanced beyond the regional semifinals.

“At least we got this for him,” said Anozie, who insisted all along that a motivational source was in wanting to deliver his coach a state title. “We wanted to win it for him, and we didn’t get it. But at least we made school history.”

Santoro first noticed Anozie as an eighth-grader playing CYO basketball. Then, when he enrolled at Lourdes for his freshman year and showed up to an open-gym tryout, Santoro said, he immediately whispered to his assistant coaches: “This kid is gonna be on varsity.”

He had the size and talent, and despite being 14 years old, could hold his own against juniors and seniors in practice. Three days after tryouts, Santoro broke the news to Anozie that he had not only earned a varsity roster spot, but would likely become the pillar around which the team was built in the coming years.

“He told me I had all this potential and I didn’t believe it,” Anozie said. “I couldn’t grasp it then. But he wasn’t lying. Look where we are now.”

Santoro, players said, is a diligent strategist who sifts through heaps of film and spends countless hours in preparation for games. He at times is jovial, but never has he been hesitant to snap at his team during practice. There is little tolerance for mental errors or shoddy play. That goes for Anozie, too.

“He’s a great coach and a great guy,” said Corey Mullaly, a senior who compared Santoro favorably to his football coach Brian Walsh, who had led that team to an unlikely state final run in 2015.

Lourdes’ James Anozie is doubled in the post against Irondequoit during the Class A state championship game.

In fact, Mullaly said, Santoro sought out Walsh for advice before Lourdes faced top-seeded Byram Hills in the Section 1 semifinals.

“Him and Walsh are very similar,” Mullaly said. “They’re great minds in their respective sports and have a lot of passion for teaching.”

Santoro said he never before had a roster he thought could make a push for a state title.

“I’d never had a player like James before,” the coach said. “From that perspective, I’d never had a team like this before.”

Some of those sentiments likely were expressed during that hug on the court, and there perhaps will be even more in the coming days.

There was no fairytale ending for the duo. But man, what a riveting final chapter they penned.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Poughkeepsie’s Corey Simmons chats with Beacon’s Alex Benson and Red Hook’s Nick Morrissey before the Exceptional Senior Game on March 20

The tragic death of Poughkeepsie’s Caval Haylett last year offered to the basketball community — the area as a whole — a brutal reminder of life’s sometimes harsh reality.

Haylett was shot on March 9, 2016, hours after a stellar performance in the Exceptional Senior all-star high school basketball game. Police believe he was an innocent bystander caught in a crossfire that erupted on Winnikee Avenue that night, and he died the following day.

Haylett’s memory, and the lesson learned that night, was at the forefront of players’ minds on Monday for this year’s Exceptional Senior game, an otherwise lighthearted affair that featured myriad highlight-worthy plays.

“You learn that nothing can be taken for granted,” said Poughkeepsie’s Mo’Quez Dickens. “You learn that tomorrow isn’t promised, and you have to appreciate everything and every moment.”

HAYLETT: Waiting for justice: Killing unsolved a year later

LOURDES: Santoro, Anozie created a riveting final chapter

Dickens and Corey Simmons, another of Haylett’s former teammates, took the court with a slew of senior standouts for this showcase, hosted at Our Lady of Lourdes High School. Typically, attention would be focused only on this being the last scholastic basketball game many of these young men will play. But that tragedy has added perspective.

“You definitely appreciate everything a little more,” said Simmons, who committed to play college football at Hobart & William Smith. “I still think back to that day, hearing the news, and it’s sad. But just thinking of Caval, it’s a reminder to persevere and keep fighting.”

In this Feb. 17, 2016 file photo, Poughkeepsie High School’s Caval Haylett looks for a teammate in a game against Red Hook.

Haylett, who died at age 18, had been named MVP of the game last season after scoring 21 points.

The basketball season ended for local teams on Sunday, when the Lourdes boys lost in the Class A state championship game. Poughkeepsie had fallen to Lourdes in a regional final, after capturing the Section 9 championship in an overtime thriller against Goshen.

The results of this exhibition mattered little. But moments like these, a semblance of normalcy, are what the community has longed for after enduring an emotional gamut.

“This was all about having fun and making sure everybody had a good time,” said Alex Benson, who will play football at Pace University. “It’s great to get on the court again with some of the guys I grew up playing with in (youth leagues). You get to be teammates with some of the guys you’re rivals with. It’s cool.”

Spackenkill’s Tom Bell was named Coach of the Year by the Dutchess County Basketball Coaches Association on Monday at the Exceptional Senior game at Our Lady of Lourdes High School.

For all intents and purposes, the game was a glorified full-court slam dunk contest. But it’s what the players wanted, and it was to the spectators’ delight.

‘Everybody wanted to show out’

The game opened with Lourdes’ 6-foot-5 center James Anozie draining a 3-pointer from the left wing and laughing as he jogged back up court. The public-address announcer then quipped, “That’s the first time the big man has been allowed to shoot a 3 in the presence of (Lourdes head coach) Jim Santoro.”

The 5-foot-11 Benson threw down a tomahawk dunk that brought the crowd to its feet, then later attempted a between-the-legs slam. Arlington’s Zac Dingee shot a backwards half-court three at the halftime buzzer, and the shot just rolled off the rim. Spackenkill’s Ezequiel De La Cruz had a number of highlight-worthy plays. And the audience exploded when Lourdes guard Kevin Townes threw down an alley-oop from Dickens.

Our Lady of Lourdes’ James Anozie was named Dutchess County Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year at Monday’s Exceptional Senior game at Lourdes.

Townes and Anozie showed no evidence of having suffered a crushing loss in the state final a day earlier. Instead, they focused only on entertaining themselves and drawing applause.

“We had the opportunity,” Benson said, “so everybody wanted to show out.”

Oh, and the score, if anyone was wondering: The Blue team, coached by Spackenkill’s Tom Bell, defeated the Orange team, 94-83. Stats weren’t kept for this contest, nor was there a game MVP named. Nobody seemed to mind.

Several players, coaches and teams were honored during a halftime ceremony that included an awards presentation. Anozie was voted the Dutchess County Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year. Zaahir Woody of Roy C. Ketcham was named large schools MVP, and Spackenkill’s Camron Abalos was the small schools MVP. Bell was voted Coach of the Year.

Rasheed Anderson of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School received the Duane Davis Coaches Scholarship award, which recognizes an athlete who “demonstrates sportsmanship, leadership and good character.”

MILLBROOK: Blazers top North Salem to advance in states

SPACKENKILL: Spartans march past Pleasantville to regional final

Representatives from Lourdes, Millbrook and Spackenkill, the boys basketball teams that won section titles, were brought to center court and recognized.

“This was great,” Santoro said. “Nights like this, it’s all about having a good time and celebrating the season. We all had fun.”

Well after the game ended, even with the lights turned off in the gym, several players (and spectators) remained, laughing and chatting. Some, even in street clothes, were attempting dunks in the dark.

The kind of merriment Poughkeepsie has yearned for.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with as a parent, seeing my son standing next to his friend’s casket,” said Shawn Simmons, Corey Simmons’ father. “These kids, this community, has been through so much, so we’re grateful for these good times.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Does SUNY Oneonta know?

Jacob Azukas is committed to play lacrosse there next year, but the program is likely of the belief that it’s acquiring a quality goalkeeper. Apparently, Azukas has been keeping secret some offensive skills.

To the delight of his teammates, the senior scored during the Arlington boys lacrosse team’s 16-2 win over Clarkstown South on Tuesday.

Riley Carroll had four goals and two assists, J.T. Flaherty added three goals and Matt Lopez scored twice to lead the host Admirals in their season opener, getting a win for first-time head coach Chad Jones.

Arlington’s defense, anchored by Frank Byrne, Tom Kelly and Liam Miller smothered the Vikings with their high pressure and forced several turnovers.

Oh, the keeper also made eight saves. But it was the goal Azukas scored, more so than the ones he prevented, that got everyone hollering.

After a second-quarter save, he had difficulty finding an open teammate to clear the ball. So Azukas continued jogging up field, weaving by a couple defenders, and eventually scored his first goal from point-blank.

“It was skillfully shot,” Jones said. “He did place it well.”

Defensive midfielders E.J. Escoto, Matt Chibbaro and James Bringman also contributed to the defensive effort and Garrett Zach dominated the faceoffs.

“We needed a big win to open the year,” Jones said. “The first win is a little confidence builder that I can do this as a head coach and we can succeed as a team.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Lacrosse stick and ball

Softball, softball glove and bat at home plate

Attn: Pawling High School faculty

Consider giving Olivia Zoeller extra credit — be it on an upcoming assignment or even just a shiny gold sticker as a memento.

Because minutes after completing the most superb performance of her sparkling softball career, the junior was far less concerned about celebrating her perfect game than she was completing the homework for her four advanced-placement classes.

“I’m enjoying this now because I won’t have time afterwards,” Zoeller said during the bus ride home Wednesday evening. “I’ve got so much work to do.”

She had already done quite a bit of work in the circle, fanning a career-high 18 and notching her first perfect game as Pawling cruised in its season opener, 12-0, over host Blind Brook High School.

“It was an amazing pitching performance,” Tigers coach John Hodge said. “Especially this early in the season, she had great command. She was amazingly sharp and just locked in.”

So locked in that Zoeller didn’t even realize her feat until being told afterward by her catcher, Shannon Ward, and the coaches.

“I had an inkling I had a no-hitter going, but I’d forgotten that nobody reached base,” said Zoeller, who had thrown a no-hitter before. “When they told me what happened, I was speechless.”

She made Blind Brook’s lineup look hapless. Zoeller’s diving changeup and high fastball were, well, a perfect combination. Only three batters put the ball in play, and two of those were bunts back to the circle. She had three-ball counts in only two at-bats.

“Shannon (Ward) did a great job behind the plate and called a good game,” Hodge said.

Zoeller struck out the first seven batters, then fielded a bunt. She fanned the next six before yielding a grounder to third in the fifth inning. The slow roller was scooped by third baseman Mikayla Ward, who threw easily to first.

“Everything was working for her,” said Hodge, whose team won the Section 1 Class B championship last season.

Zoeller also sparked the offense, going 4 for 5 with a homer, a triple, two doubles, and three RBI. Julia Krasinski went 2 for 4 with two RBI, and Ward was 3 for 4. Isabella Santiago hit a two-run double, Allison Parent had two doubles and two runs, and Kayla Chavarri hit a triple.

“Hopefully this game is a good sign of what’s to come,” said Zoeller, who is part of a young core that has made Pawling a contender. “I feel really confident and I think we can go farther than we did last year. This was a great way to open the season.”

A perfect way, really.

Pawling isn’t an upstart team, nor is Zoeller new to the spotlight. Opposing teams have done their homework on her … but the course remains difficult, to say the least.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Spackenkill High School’s Kyiev Bennermon fends off a James I. O’Neill defender during their Oct. 1 game.

Clinton DeSouza admits it now: When Kyiev Bennermon made the Spackenkill High School football team as a sophomore, the coach thought he could “have an impact,” but didn’t foresee the defensive tackle becoming a major Division I college recruit.

Funny, because even as Bennermon was on the sideline of a Boston College football scrimmage on Saturday, being wooed as a major Division I college recruit, the Eagles coaching staff didn’t know just how athletic he was.

That is, until an errant pass went humming toward the sideline, ticketed for the side of DeSouza’s head.

“I had my hands in my pockets at the time,” Bennermon said, “but I pulled them out fast, reached over and caught the ball just in time before it hit coach in the face.”

ALL-STAR: Bennermon was among the Journal’s football defensive all-stars

IMPACT: Unsung defensive forces making impact for area teams

The Spackenkill coach was relieved. The Boston College coaches were in awe. They hadn’t known the 6-foot-4, 275-pound junior had such reflexes and quick hands.

And few knew that Spackenkill, a small school with a small football program, would produce a prospect worthy of suitors from college football’s power conferences. Those opportunities seldom are afforded to kids in the Hudson Valley.

But Bennermon made it a reality on Wednesday evening, announcing his verbal commitment to Boston College.

“There’s no better feeling,” the Poughkeepsie native said. “This is a really exciting time for me and my family, and we couldn’t be happier.”

Bennermon joins a short list of locals who have made it onto the rosters of prominent Division I football programs in recent years. Millbrook’s Allan Rappleyea, an offensive tackle who attends Milton Academy in Massachusetts, signed a National Letter of Intent in February to play football at Wake Forest, a team Boston College will face next season. Others include John Jay graduate Bobby Henderson, who completed his senior season as a walk-on fullback at Michigan this past winter, and Arlington graduate Alex Starzyk, who will be a senior punter at Temple in the fall.

ON THE RISE: Locals enjoy football success

“I know it’s rare for people from around here,” Bennermon said. “That’s extra motivation to succeed. This is a big opportunity, so I don’t wanna let the area down.”

His player’s early commitment, DeSouza said, has brought excitement to the team and is a “relief” — emotionally and financially — for Bennermon’s family.

“I’m still kind of amazed that this is happening,” the coach said, “but I’m extremely happy and proud of him.”

Breaking out as a junior

Spackenkill’s Kyiev Bennermon chases Marlboro quarterback Sam Mongelli during a game on Sept. 2 at Marlboro High School.

Bennermon, 17, hadn’t played football in five years before joining Spackenkill’s varsity team as a sophomore. He had pushed that sport aside and focused on basketball. Spackenkill, in Class B, doesn’t have a junior varsity football program and ninth grade is the cutoff for its modified team. So Bennermon made varsity by default.

“In training camps, he was our most physically dominant player,” DeSouza said. “He was still raw as a sophomore, though. But everything clicked in his junior year. That’s when the assistant coaches and I were like, ‘This kid could be something special.’”

Bennermon earned Journal All-Star honors in the fall after posting 55 tackles, four sacks and two blocked kicks, helping lead the Spartans to the Section 9 quarterfinals. The lineman consistently pushed the pocket and stuffed the run, despite facing consistent double teams. His goal-line tackle against James I. O’Neill in October — knifing through pulling offensive linemen to stop a run off left tackle — snuffed a 2-point conversion attempt as time expired, giving Spackenkill a stunning 42-41 win.

He also contributed to Spackenkill’s offense. Not as a lineman, or even a tight end, but a slot receiver. Bennermon had 21 receptions for 352 yards and two touchdowns, and that included several spectacular and acrobatic catches. After convincing DeSouza in the off-season that he could catch, the big man proved capable of running post routes, slants, curls and comebacks.

Spackenkill’s Kyiev Bennermon is double teamed in the post against Pleasantville during the Class B State Regional semifinals on March 7.

Bennermon also helped the basketball team win a Section 9 Class B championship earlier this month, and is a member of the outdoor track and field team in the spring.

“It’s the athleticism for his size that makes him so attractive for colleges,” DeSouza said. “I think the fact that he’s a basketball player and a receiver helps. He’s got great footwork and hands, and he’s a competitor.”

College options

The college offers soon poured in, Bennermon said, and Boston College reached out in December. He visited the campus twice — after having never been to Massachusetts — and was soon smitten.

“Academically, it’s a great school,” he said. “And the way they treated me there was great.”

He was also impressed by the knowledge of Eagles head coach Steve Addazio and the intensity with which the team scrimmaged.

“It’s such a competitive atmosphere and everyone wants to succeed, so they go 100 miles per hour, even in practice,” Bennermon said. “That matches my style.”

Boston College, known for its academic acclaim, was ranked the 31st best school in the country this year by U.S. News & World Report. The football program, which competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, has produced several NFL standouts, including Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly.

“I want to major in business and they have one of the better business schools in the country,” Bennermon said. “If football doesn’t work out, I’ll have that.”

With another season of high school football upcoming, Bennermon knows he will be a focus of opposing teams — more than ever. Still, he expects much more of himself.

“I can be a way better pass-rusher than I showed last year,” he said. “I was disappointed in the number of sacks. I think I can get 10 or more next season.”

Him heading to Boston College is a boon for Spackenkill football and the Hudson Valley, DeSouza said.

“It ups the ante and brings some more eyes to the area,” he said. “We don’t get as much attention because we’re not Long Island or New York City, but we’ve got some good football up here and hopefully it’s starting to get noticed. It’s a blessing.”

As was Bennermon catching that ball on the sideline.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Spackenkill’s Kyiev Bennermon, center, goes for a layup during the Section 9 championship game against Rhinebeck at SUNY Orange in Middletown on March 4.

Hopewell Junction’s Rory Foley is among a group of American high school football players putting on an exhibition game in China.

How do you say “touchdown” in Chinese?

A group of local high school athletes will soon find out. Four kids from the area are among a team of sports ambassadors who will head to the Far East on Saturday, seeking to share American football with a Chinese audience.

“This is absolutely incredible,” said Rory Foley, a Hopewell Junction native who plays football at Trinity-Pawling School. “It’ll be a rare opportunity for us to experience another culture, and hopefully it’ll be fun for them to learn about football.”

Foley will be joined by his teammate, JJ Flaccavento of Wappingers Falls, and Rhinebeck brothers Nick and Michael Mastroeni.

COLLEGE COMMIT: Spackenkill’s Bennermon heads to Boston College

That quartet is part of a team of 22 high school players from across the country, assembled by Global Football to form its Stars & Stripes team. The organization, established in 1996, seeks to spread American football throughout the world by traveling to host exhibition games.

The group will be in China from April 1-10. Sandwiched around sightseeing and typical tourist activities, they will be putting on clinics in Beijing and Shanghai before facing the American Football Academy team in a friendly on April 8. Their opponent is a team of Chinese youngsters who have been taught the sport.

It will be a full-length contest with full-contact, giving the audience a real taste of the game.

“It’s a unique chance to do this, so I know I’m gonna play 100 percent,” said Foley, a tailback. “We’re assuming the Chinese team will think of it the same way and it’ll be competitive.”

The game will take place at Shanghai’s Yuanshen Sports Centre Stadium.

Flaccavento is a freshman lineman at Trinity-Pawling, a boarding school in Pawling that boasts a powerhouse football program. Nick Mastroeni, 17, and Michael Mastroeni, 15, both attend Rhinebeck High School and are running backs who play for the combined Pine Plains/Rhinebeck football team.

“Basketball is gigantic in China and they’re trying to do the same with football,” said Rob Scott, the Pine Plains/Rhinebeck football coach. “This is going to be a fantastic experience for all involved.”

Scott said Michael Mastroeni met Global Football representatives while competing in a winter league on Long Island and was told of the opportunity then.

Injuries are an obvious concern whenever football is played but, Scott said, “I’d rather have them doing this than sitting on the couch eating cookies.”

Foley, 17, said his Trinity-Pawling coach Nick LaFontaine was contacted by Global Football in December and pitched to his team the idea of joining the organization in this venture. He immediately jumped at the chance.

“I think it’s a wonderful thing the organization is doing,” said Ferg Foley, Rory’s father. “Both cultures get exposed to something new.”

The roster includes players from as far as California and the trip is being funded by the athletes’ parents. They will be chaperoned by four head coaches from some of the schools represented, and a few parents will be accompanying their kids.

The players have exchanged phone numbers and started a group text message chat. Those conversations, Rory said, give them an early jump on building camaraderie. And they at least won’t be total strangers when they meet this weekend.

“It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Ferg Foley said. “To get to go all the way over there and see another continent, as a young kid, that’s special in itself. Let alone bringing a big part of American culture over there.”

Rory Foley has never been to Asia before, but he has visited Ireland — his father’s native country — and went to Italy last year on a school trip. After moving to the United States at age 13, Ferg Foley said he quickly learned about football, and soccer eventually was pushed to the side. His son grew up passionate about football … the American kind.

“As someone who loves football, this whole opportunity is unbelievable,” Rory Foley said. “I’ve heard football is growing in popularity in China, so it’ll be great for us to help that along and show them what we can do.”

Oh, and “touchdown” in Chinese is: 接地. Easy enough, right?

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

For the opposing teams that have been victimized for years by Zeke Kopilak’s excellence and were, perhaps, thankful the Millbrook boys lacrosse standout was a graduating senior, there is some bad news…

They’ve got another one. And he might be just as good.

Sophomore Bazzy Kopilak almost matched his older brother’s offensive output on Friday, scoring four goals for the Blazers in a 14-3 win over host Franklin D. Roosevelt High School.

“He made the team in eighth grade and he’s got a brother he can learn a lot from in practice and at home,” Millbrook coach Rob Gehlhoff said. “He’s getting better and better, and I can’t wait to see what he’s going to become.”

BOYS LAX: Hegeman leads Highland to first win of the year

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PREVIEW: Wappingers lacrosse poised for winning campaign

Zeke Kopilak had four goals and an assist, and Ryan Olmstead had three goals and two assists to lead Millbrook (2-0). Mike Pasquale scored twice, Dylan Madison added a goal and Matt Castagnozzi made 11 saves.

Carson DeMan, Dimitri DiCintio and Michael Triglia anchored Millbrook’s defense, which dominated. Their outside pressure and aggressiveness forced several turnovers and errant passes.

Zeke Kopilak is a tireless two-way midfielder whose athleticism and lacrosse IQ greatly benefits the team, Gehlhoff said. He and his brother aren’t too alike, but the coach does see a few similarities — enough to get him excited about the future.

The present doesn’t look bad, either. An enrollment dip at the school dropped the Blazers this season to Section 9’s Class D, which includes just them, James I. O’Neill and John S. Burke Catholic. The potential path to a championship, if not cleared, certainly has become more direct.

“The possibilities are there for us,” Gehlhoff said. “I’m really confident in how far we can get.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Lacrosse stick and ball

Arlington’s Danielle DiLorenzo, right, looks for an open teammate during Saturday’s game against Monroe-Woodbury.

FREEDOM PLAINS – Who said Dani DiLorenzo can’t drive?

Um, the Arlington girls lacrosse team did, actually.

The junior got her license just two months ago and some teammates said they don’t feel comfortable with her behind the wheel. Another classmate even said he makes sure to park away from her vehicle.

And DiLorezno recently had a little snafu, adding credence to that. While reversing in the school parking lot after a practice, she backed her SUV into the coach’s car. And she hasn’t heard the end of it since.

“Nope,” Bianca Assenza said, “I wouldn’t trust her to drive me one block.”

PREVIEW: Arlington girls lacrosse, led by veterans, ready for season

Even her preference to recline the driver’s seat far back didn’t get by teammate Abby Carlin. It’s a motorist roast.

DiLorenzo seems to have no difficulty navigating through traffic on the lacrosse field, though.

She scored four goals, including the 100th of her career, as the Admirals beat visiting Monroe-Woodbury High School, 14-5, on Saturday.

“I’ve been playing behind the crease a lot,” DiLorenzo said of her scoring, “so I like to come around on crease rolls or catch-and-go off quick feeds.”

See, she has plenty of successful drives!

@ArlingtonGLax beat Monroe Woodbury, 14-5, Dani DiLorenzo scored her 100th girl and I can confirm she successfully… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
Stephen Haynes (@StephenHaynes4) April 01, 2017

Carlin starred for Arlington and excelled on both ends. The midfielder had four goals, three assists, two interceptions and won seven draws to lead the rout.

“Our first game was a little sloppy, so we had things to work on and we fixed most of them,” said Carlin, a senior. “We won most of the draws, executed in transition, and we trotted out our new defense.”

Arlington’s Abby Carlin, center, takes the ball down the field during Saturday’s game against Monroe-Woodbury.

Arlington, which became known for its backer zone last season, debuted a new exotic zone scheme that coach Dan Schmitt called “Joey.” The new wrinkle kept Monroe-Woodbury off balance. That is, when it had the ball.

The Admirals dominated from the outset and controlled possession, denying the Crusaders opportunities. Carlin scored 2:43 seconds into the contest, and Rebecca Campos added a goal a minute later. Rosie Debellis’ sidearm sling, off a one-timer from Carlin, put Arlington up 5-0 with 15:04 remaining in the first half.

“It’s good that we’re able to switch things up and we have two other sets we can use,” said Assenza, a senior who anchors the defense. “When teams are used to seeing the same thing, they can prepare for it and eventually beat it. Now, we can mix it up.”

Debellis had two goals, an assist and three groundballs, and Jordan Smith added a goal and an assist. Sam Simonetty and Maddie Minnow each made two saves for the Admirals (2-0).

Emily Mahon had three groundballs, forced two turnovers and had four draw controls. Kerriann Quinn had three groundballs, and Jackie Timm, Karli Leinweaver, Lauren Tarnowski and Julia Malkischer each scooped two groundballs. Those extra possessions, along with the draws, allowed the Admirals to essentially play keep-away until the game was out of reach.

DiLorenzo notched her milestone goal with 9:06 left in the second half, upping Arlington’s lead to 13-2. The attacker curled off the right, then switched gears. She dashed toward the left wing, dipped inside, took a feed from Smith and launched a lefty shot from about five yards.

“Dani’s job is to score goals and she’s really good at it,” said Carlin, who scored her 100th goal on Wednesday. “We’re thankful for that.”

Arlington’s Rosie Debellis, right, tries to get closer to the net during Saturday’s game against Monroe-Woodbury.

DiLorenzo, who has been a varsity starter since her freshman year, will likely become the program’s all-time leading scorer next season. Her career, it seems, has been in the fast lane.

“She’s tall, and she’s smooth with the left or right, and she’s a pure finisher,” Schmitt said of the junior, who had 69 goals last season. “We run a lot of offensive sets through her and she gets it done.”

Arlington lacrosse still is burgeoning, and the team has made considerable progress. DiLorenzo is among the standouts steering them in the right direction.

Speaking of steering, though…

“My backup camera was muddy,” she said, “then suddenly I heard a crunching sound. I felt so bad about it.”

The damage to Schmitt’s car was minor — just a scratched and dented fender. It’s “not the end of the world,” he said, but the team still likes to hang it over her head.

That’ll get better in time, we hope. After all, she has mastered driving with a stick.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Arlington’s Jordan Smith, right, looks for an open teammate during Saturday’s game against Monroe-Woodbury.

Roy C. Ketcham pitcher Ryan Murphy (15) gives his baseball team a pep talk during its loss to North Rockland on Monday.

WAPPINGERS FALLS – This loss, perhaps, was necessary.

Call it humble pie, or whatever perspective-painting pastry is preferred, but Roy C. Ketcham falling in its season opener certainly was a wake-up call for this baseball team.

“We’ve had a ton of success here in the past but that previous success doesn’t mean we can replicate what they did,” said Indians coach Pat Mealy, whose team reached the Class AA state semifinals last June. “Those teams would laugh at what we are now.”

The harsh words followed a bitter defeat in which Ketcham committed four errors, leading directly to each of North Rockland’s runs as the Raiders handed them a 3-1 defeat at home Monday.

“There are teams that we dominated last year, and they want to destroy us now,” senior Ryan Murphy said. “We have that ‘X’ on our backs and we have to be prepared for that.”

PREVIEW: Ketcham baseball has high hopes after run to state semis

HS ROUNDUP: Highland softball tops Onteora

The exact sentiments of North Rockland pitcher Gelse Mercedes, who said his team was “excited” to hand Ketcham a loss.

The Indians looked unbeatable at times en route to capturing a Section 1 championship last season. That, Mealy believes, might have made the group complacent.

“I think we’ve got a lot of spoiled kids who expect us to just show up and be something,” he said bluntly. “It’s on me, too. We’re a very bad baseball team.”

OK, that might be a little hyperbole. Ketcham is no worse than an 0-1 squad right now. But its performance gave cause for concern.

The Indians, protecting a one-run lead, sandwiched two errors around an infield single in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and none out, Felix Urena lined a two-run single to center that gave the Raiders a 2-1 lead.

Murphy struck out the next three batters to avoid further damage, but the rough inning ran the righthander’s pitch count up and he was relieved by Riley Wilson in the seventh.

“We started up playing well (defensively) and made some nice plays, then it fell apart late in the game,” Murphy said, alluding to a couple highlight-worthy defensive plays, including shortstop Nick Nevins ranging far to his left to steal a would-be single in the fourth.

The blunders spoiled what had been a stellar performance by Murphy. He allowed two unearned runs, five hits (two infield singles) and struck out 10. Mealy called him “a champ.” Murphy located his fastball well and successfully changed speeds with a slow curve and darting slider.

North Rockland added another unearned run in the seventh, when Alex Nicolosi led off with a single and came around to score on an errant throw with two outs.

“Half the game is about making the routine plays,” said Brandon Chavarria, who doubled in the first inning. “We have to get more focused and fix the stuff we’re messing up.”

The Indians got on the board in the fourth when David Henry, who reached on a two-base error, came home on Vincent Polini’s RBI groundout.

“It’s only the first game,” Murphy said. “I’m confident we can get that turned around. The talent is here.”

And now, an additional source of motivation.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Arlington High School junior varsity girls lacrosse coach Jaclyn Murphy cheers on her team during Saturday’s opening game at home against Monroe-Woodbury.

She stands only 4-foot-11, and wearing an “Arlington Lacrosse” parka, with blonde locks peeking from beneath her wool cap, she easily could be mistaken for a student.

Most of the girls just call her Jaclyn.

She takes an active role in demonstrating drills on the Arlington High School lacrosse field, during a jovial practice despite persistent rain. She naturally blends in with the crowd of athletes. But always visible is the lanyard around her neck, encasing an employee ID.

“I’m too short, so people might think I’m on the team,” Jaclyn Murphy joked. “I need this out to let them know I work here.”

This is the latest chapter in Murphy’s remarkable tale, one in which she has fought cancer and inspired millions by founding the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation with her family.

The 22-year-old has returned to her alma mater and is now the junior varsity girls lacrosse coach at Arlington.

Jaclyn Murphy, left, head coach for Arlington’s JV girls lacrosse team, demonstrates a technique for Emma Newman, right, before Saturday’s opening game at home against Monroe-Woodbury.

“I love this sport so much,” said Murphy, a Hopewell Junction native who graduated from Marist College last year. “I was passionate about lacrosse before I was diagnosed, while I was sick and I still am today.”

READ: John Jay team ‘adopts’ 5-year-old fighting cancer

READ: Yankees honor Jaclyn Murphy

The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that partners athletic teams with children battling childhood cancers. As of Tuesday, Murphy said Friends of Jaclyn has paired 752 kids with high school and college teams nationwide, as nearby as Marist and as far away as the UCLA.

The charity, which was inspired by Murphy’s own experience receiving support from the Northwestern University women’s lacrosse team after she was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 9, has been featured multiple times on HBO’s “Real Sports” and honored by the New York Yankees. In January, Murphy celebrated 13 years free of cancer.

The illness denied Murphy an opportunity to thoroughly participate in lacrosse as a child. But it was her connection to the sport — and eventually the connections made through it — that aided during her most trying times. Having an opportunity to be involved in it now, she said, is “everything coming full-circle” and she is “extremely thankful for this opportunity.”

In high school sports, junior varsity serves as a developmental level for athletes. The rosters often are comprised of underclassmen and kids new to the sport. Thus, a primary task of a junior varsity coach is teaching fundamentals and molding the youngsters before a potential promotion to varsity.

Murphy, who works with her foundation when not on the field, now manages a roster of 22 novices.  Patience is a must. As is her aforementioned passion.

“She’s got the attitude for it,” said Dan Schmitt, the girls varsity coach whose wife, Maeghan, coached Murphy in high school. “She’s focused and works hard, and she can get a little feisty when she needs to.”

Murphy won in her coaching debut on Saturday as the Admirals beat Monroe-Woodbury High School, 6-3, at home. The varsity team, which played later, arrived early to cheer on their understudies and support the new coach.

The Arlington High School junior varsity girls lacrosse team huddles around its new coach, Jaclyn Murphy.

She received hugs and handshakes from administrators afterwards, was presented a commemorative ball from the game, then was engulfed by her young team, screaming cheers and congratulations.

“She told us from the start what she sees in us and what she expects,” said Maggie Byrne, a freshman on junior varsity. “She’s gonna push us to reach our potential.”

Help from teammates

Murphy had begun taking lacrosse lessons not long before she was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. During her recovery, she was put in touch with the Northwestern University women’s lacrosse team, which made her an honorary teammate, and that eventually sparked the idea for her charity.

In this March 23, 2007 file photo, Jaclyn Murphy, center, walks out of the huddle as the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team prepares to take on UMass during the inaugural Friends of Jaclyn Brain Tumor Awareness Challenge at Yorktown High School.

Murphy has vivid memories of her days at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — a fourth-grader, frightened and frustrated. But the torrent of calls and letters she received from Northwestern, she said, often provided light in the dim hours.

Arlington is heavily involved in the Friends of Jaclyn charity and the school “adopted” Angelo Mastandrea, a 7-year-old who has battled a brain tumor. The school also hosts an annual FOJ Sports Carnival to raise funds for the organization.

Murphy, in high school, was a member of the Arlington lacrosse team. She played on junior varsity under coach Stephanie Tito, then as a junior was promoted to varsity by Maeghan Schmitt.

“I couldn’t play much and I was still weak then,” said Murphy, who was a defender, “but they still let me be a part of the team, which meant so much to me. I owe a lot to this program.”

In this file photo from April 11, 2011, Arlington High School’s Jaclyn Murphy is introduced before a lacrosse game against Putnam Valley.

Beyond allowing a feel-good narrative to play out, Arlington did hire a qualified coach.

Murphy was a communications major at Marist, but coaching had long intrigued her. The college offered a number of coaching courses and she enrolled in those from her sophomore year. She also served as the manager of the Red Foxes women’s lacrosse team, and has forged relationships with several schools through her foundation.

The coaching classes included sessions on preparing game plans, running practices, and even lessons on communicating with parents and administrators. Dan Schmitt contacted Murphy last October and asked her to assist him in coaching the Arlington girls during winter training sessions.

“There aren’t too many women in the area who’ve seen more lacrosse than her,” he said. “She jumped at the chance and did a good job.”

Soon thereafter, when the junior varsity position became available, he suggested she pursue it. Murphy completed her certification, applied and she was hired in January.

“It helps that the kids know her and she’s so closely connected with the school,” said Michael Cring, Arlington’s director of athletics. “Personality-wise, I think she’s a great fit. She’s also not that far removed from the kids in age, so she can relate to them. As she continues to hone her craft, she’ll get better with Xs and Os.”

From player to coach

There are some challenges in being such a young coach, of course.

“I think sometimes (the players) see me as a friend instead of an authority figure,” Murphy said. “I don’t want to be that really strict coach, but I also don’t want to be a pushover softie.”

Murphy does raise her voice at times in practice, and she was demonstrative and effervescent during Saturday’s game. She’s also serious about the kids not calling her “Jackie.” She prefers “Coach Murphy,” and has been lenient about letting “Jaclyn” slide. But those who take liberties and jump to the nickname, she warned, will have to run laps.

Jaclyn Murphy, head coach for Arlington High School’s junior varsity girls lacrosse team, gives a pep talk during a break in Saturday’s opening game at home against Monroe-Woodbury.

“She loves to have fun, but if you (get out of line), she makes you run,” Byrne said. “That’s good, because we need discipline. When it’s crunch time she’s going get things done.”

The Admirals responded well in crunch time on Saturday. With the score tied at 2, Andre Torres scored the go-ahead goal with 22 minutes left. Bryn Thompson then scored twice in the second half and Julia Jastrzembski added a goal.

Murphy said she will lean on Dan Schmitt as a mentor and she also has borrowed ideas from some college coaches. One such is her friend Shannon Smith, a former standout at Northwestern who was hired as the head coach of Hofstra University immediately after graduating. Smith, despite her youth, has been successful.

“It’s lacrosse,” Murphy said. “I’m excited to see the growth of the game in the Hudson Valley and I’m happy to be a part of that. I always thought coaching could be a possibility, but I didn’t know it would happen so soon.”

Murphy has already immersed herself in coaching. There are late sessions reviewing plays and strategies, texts and calls after practice to keep in touch with her players, and the back-and-forth with Schmitt reviewing footage and absorbing knowledge.

“Thinking about what she’s been through is a reminder to shake it off if you’re having a bad day,” Byrne said. “She’s been through much worse. Just having her here is an inspiration. We love her.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Jaclyn Murphy, left, head coach for Arlington’s JV girls lacrosse team, waits for Saturday’s opening game at home against Monroe-Woodbury to start.

Jaclyn Murphy, right, head coach for Arlington’s JV girls lacrosse team, surveys practice before Saturday’s opening game at home against Monroe-Woodbury.

Marlboro’s Nicholas Rabe, center, congratulates teammate Austin Casey, left, after he scores during Wednesday’s game against Red Hook.

Tristan Ceriello and Hayden Toussaint can regale their teammates with all the stories of championship lore from a year ago, impart knowledge and even preach to the crew about what it takes to succeed.

As two of the key holdovers from Marlboro’s state championship baseball team, that’s part of their duty now in leading a rebuilding squad.

But that confidence doesn’t just get wished or told into existence. In that chicken : egg scenario, it’s success that breeds swagger. But the Iron Dukes have taken the first two steps.

Austin Casey allowed three hits and struck out four in six innings to lead Marlboro in a 5-1 win over visiting Red Hook High School on Wednesday.

Marlboro’s Cade Cabrera, bottom, collides with Red Hook’s Zack Schott, top, while trying to slide into second base during Wednesday’s game.

Phil Janeiro and Sam Mongelli each went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Cade Cabrera drew two walks and scored a run for the Iron Dukes (2-0).

“Our guys are confident, but at the same time, they know they’ve got big shoes to fill,” said John Morrissey, Marlboro’s first-year coach. “It’s tough, but they’re ready for that challenge.”

Casey mixed his cutter with an array of off-speed pitches and worked down in the strike zone to keep the Raiders off balance. Janeiro’s single to left drove in Mike Paolo and Casey to give Marlboro a 3-1 lead in the fourth.

Nick Hunziker’s RBI double put Red Hook on the board in the fourth. Austin Cole struck out six in five innings for the Raiders (0-1).

Red Hook’s Austin Cole, left, winds up a pitch during Wednesday’s game against Marlboro.

Red Hook was initially scheduled to host this game, but rain made the field unplayable and school administrators agreed to switch the location.

“We’re grateful to them for being able to get to us in short notice,” Morrissey said.

Marlboro hosts Rondout Valley at 4:15 p.m. Thursday.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Marlboro’s Hayden Toussaint bunts during Wednesday’s game against Red Hook.

Our Lady of Lourdes’s Kevin Townes (13) puts up a shot during their 70-67 win over Southampton in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A semifinal basketball game at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Saturday, March 18, 2017.

BINGHAMTON – Kevin Townes will skip to the center of the court, stand on the “Veterans Memorial Arena” decal, and perform a backflip.

That is, if the Our Lady of Lourdes High School boys basketball team wins on Sunday against Section 5’s Irondequoit. Thanks in part to his heroics in the state Class A semifinals on Saturday, the Warriors now have a chance to capture their first state championship.

The somersault wouldn’t be done only in celebration, but it would be the senior’s ode to his former self and a tribute to the decision he made that eventually led him to that court.

Townes used to be a gymnast. He began taking lessons as a small child, advanced to the point of performing in state competitions, and continued with acrobatics until middle school.

READ: Freshman delivers, helps send Lourdes to its first state final

READ: Derisive & dynamic: Townes siblings spark Lourdes teams

But five years ago, he decided he had his fill of that sport and sought something else to occupy his time… and to utilize his agility.

“Gymnastics takes so much dedication and it’s such a time-consuming thing,” he said. “After doing it for that long, I got tired of the commitment and wanted to try something different.”

So he picked up basketball. And what a boon that has been for Lourdes.

“I’m extremely thankful that happened,” Warriors coach Jim Santoro said. “Yeah, I think he made a good decision.”

Likewise for James Anozie, who at first was cajoled into playing basketball competitively in junior high. The sport, to him, was initially intended to be no more than a playground activity with friends. Science is his passion and he believes a career in that field will be his calling. In fact, despite all the basketball accolades accrued in high school — including being named the Journal’s Player of the Year last season — it was only recently the 6-foot-5 senior decided he wanted to play in college.

“James had always just played basketball as a hobby and everyone told him, ‘You’re big. You should play,’” Santoro said. “That’s why he played. But he’s come to realize that it’s a part of him.”

Our Lady of Lourdes’ James Anozie (54 and Southampton’s Avory Johnson (31) box out during the NYSPHSAA boys Class A semifinal basketball game at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Saturday, March 18, 2017.

And what a boon that has been for Lourdes.

“We’re in the state final now,” the center said while chuckling. “Not many people get to say that. I think it was a pretty good decision to join the team. I don’t regret it one bit.”

Anozie was punishing in the paint with 25 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday, leading the Warriors to a 70-67 win over Southampton in the semifinals. He shot 10 of 14 from the field.

Townes, a 6-foot guard, had 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. He also hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 2:09 remaining.

He flashed a bit of his fancy footwork on an acrobatic rebound with 20 seconds left. Townes corralled a missed layup and tossed the ball backwards to a teammate as he balanced on one leg before tumbling out of bounds. At the time, Lourdes clung to a 68-67 lead.

“Gymnastics gave me flexibility,” he said. “I can contort my body in some ways most other players can’t.”

He also does that in practice sometimes, Santoro said. The shooting guard will break out old tumbling routines to the entertainment of teammates. That, and the soaring dunks.

“We wouldn’t be where we are without those guys, obviously,” Santoro said. “We’re definitely lucky they chose basketball when they did.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Our Lady of Lourdes falls to Irondequoit 54-43 in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

BINGHAMTON – Corey Mullaly admitted it, that the frustration was difficult to cope with after another sparkling Our Lady of Lourdes season ended in heartbreak on the final day.

A silver medal adorning his neck and the state Class A boys basketball runner-up plaque in clutch, the senior said he was at first hesitant to accept those consolation ornaments. It’s painful, having done so twice.

“In the moment, it’s hard to appreciate it,” said Mullaly, who also starred for the Lourdes football team that lost a state final in 2015. “To finish second in the state means you accomplished a lot, and there’s a lot of wins in that. But it hurts right now.”

It will for a while. But, in time, there will come perspective and an appreciation of the accomplishment. He knows that as well as anyone.

This already had been the most successful season in program history. Never had Lourdes gone beyond the regional semifinals, but this group brought the team —  and Dutchess County — to the precipice of its goal.

But the Warriors’ historic run came to end on Sunday as Lourdes fell to Section 5’s Irondequoit, 54-43, in the Class A state final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

“We got here,” senior James Anozie said. “We wished he had won, of course, but we got here. And we put everything we had into this game. We leave the floor knowing we put everything into this season.”

READ: Santoro, Anozie created a riveting final chapter for Lourdes

READ: Freshman delivers, helps send Lourdes to its first state final

READ: Townes, Anozie almost didn’t play basketball for Lourdes

Lourdes, as a fifth seed, pulled a series of upsets in the playoffs to capture their first Section 1 championship since 2013, and earned wins over hometown rival Poughkeepsie in the regional final, then topped Long Island champion Southampton in the state Class A semifinals on Saturday.

“We’re all pretty emotional right now,” Warriors coach Jim Santoro said. “But my emotions aren’t of sadness. It was joy at what they accomplished this year, thinking back to what we were in October.”

Heck, as recently as three weeks ago, few would have dared predict Lourdes still would be playing on this date. The Warriors gave the region reason to believe they could become only the third boys basketball team from Dutchess County to win a state title, and the first since Millbrook in 1999.

That is why their fans, as that runner-up plaque was presented, serenaded the team with cheers loud enough to rival those of the roaring Irondequoit crowd.

“I heard it,” Anozie said. “It’s a blessing to get that kind of support. It’s good to know they appreciated what we’ve done.”

Anozie had 18 points, five rebounds and a block for the Warriors (20-7). Freshman Aidan Hilderbrand added 11 points, three assists and three rebounds, and Kevin Townes had eight points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Brady Hilderbrand, a junior, had six points, four rebounds and two assists.

“It’s something that most players don’t get to experience,” Mullaly said of reaching the final. “I’ve been to two state finals and both times it was the first in school history. It’s a great accomplishment. Both times, we went far beyond expectations.”

The teams went back and forth in the third quarter, but Irondequoit’s Ty’sean Sizer hit a short floater with 33 seconds left in the period to put the Eagles ahead for good, 37-35. Irondequoit opened the fourth with a surge and Sizer’s right-corner three gave them a 44-36 lead with 5:21 remaining.

Sizer’s free throws pushed the lead to 48-40 with 1:46 left. Lourdes still had life with a minute remaining, down 49-43, but Townes was whistled for a foul on what initially appeared to be a steal. The Eagles’ subsequent free throws iced the contest.

Sizer, who was named tournament MVP, scored 21 points and fit five three-pointers to lead the Eagles (25-1).

Irondequoit packed the paint, was physical and threw constant double teams at the 6-foot-5 Anozie. The Warriors at times seemed insistent on forcing the ball to him in the post, which contributed to 16 turnovers.

“We had a hard time getting the ball to James and that’s a credit to them,” Santoro said of his center, who was 8 for 12 from the field. “We had some good looks from the outside but didn’t convert down the stretch.”

There also were a number of debatable calls and non-calls that went against Lourdes, including some of the hits that Anozie absorbed in the post. This, of course, drew the ire of several Warriors fans who derided the officials during the fourth quarter.

“They got more calls than us, but that’s not why we lost,” Anozie said. “They were a better team than us today.”

Aidan Hilderbrand scored nine points and Townes had eight in the first half, which allowed Lourdes to enter intermission trailing only 25-23. Anozie’s free throw pulled the Warriors within 37-36 a few seconds into the fourth, but Alex Goldsberry answered immediately, sinking a layup after a spin move near the baseline. That started a 7-0 spurt for Irondequoit, capped by Sizer’s three with 5:47 remaining.

Lourdes will graduate six seniors, but only two starters. Granted, Townes and Anozie aren’t easily replaced. Still, Santoro said, there should be optimism for the future. Aidan Hilderbrand, a hero in the state semifinal, will be among the building blocks.

“This isn’t the end of our basketball lives, for the seniors or the program,” said Santoro, a head coach at Lourdes for 28 years. “This season was a big step, getting to this stage. This team grew and developed so much from October. How can I not be happy about that?”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Our Lady of Lourdes head coach James Santoro, right, talks to his players after their 54-43 loss to Irondequoit in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Our Lady of Lourdes falls to Irondequoit 54-43 in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Kevin Townes (13) puts in a layup from a loose ball in the first half in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final against Irondequoit at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Aidan Hilderbrand (5) puts up a three-point shot against Irondequoit’s Gerald Drungoole (4) in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Brady Hildebrand (0) reaches for a rebound during the first half of the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final against Irondequoit at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Lourdes’ Kevin Townes (13) drives the paint during the first half of the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final against Irondequoit at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

Our Lady of Lourdes head coach James Santoro, right, talks to his players after their 54-43 loss to Irondequoit in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

BINGHAMTON – The conversation was brief, though a tad awkward.

Jim Santoro approached a towering freshman and informed him that he would be playing for the varsity boys basketball team at Our Lady of Lourdes High School.

James Anozie said: “Umm, well, uhh… I thought I might be on junior varsity.”

Santoro replied: “Junior varsity? Pft. You might be starting for me on varsity.”

Anozie was left speechless and stared at the coach with a look of bewilderment.

That was during the autumn of 2013.

On Sunday, those two embraced as theirs were the last names called to receive the state Class A runner-up plaque and medals. Lourdes’ season had just ended, and so too an era, as the Warriors fell to Irondequoit in the state final at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

READ: Lourdes ‘hurt’ but still prideful after state final loss

READ: Freshman delivers, helps send Lourdes to its first state final

READ: Townes, Anozie almost didn’t play basketball for Lourdes

Santoro and Anozie had led this team on a sparkling and surprising run that brought Lourdes well beyond where this program ever had gone. And they were showered with cheers from hundreds of fans who trekked from Poughkeepsie — feelings of gratitude and sentimentality, likely, wrestling with the disappointment in that moment.

“These four years went by really fast,” said Anozie, a senior. “I can’t believe that it’s over already. But I’m pretty proud of what we did.”

For Santoro, his 28 years as the Warriors head coach also have zipped by more quickly than expected. But these last four, with Anozie, have been fruitful. And this last one, certainly, will be memorable.

Lourdes’ James Anozie looks to attack the basket during the Class A state final against Irondequoit.

The 6-foot-5 center fought through constant double teams to get 18 points and five rebounds for Lourdes in the 54-43 loss on Sunday. He also was named to the all-tournament team. Another honor added to a lengthy list of achievements that includes being named the Journal’s Player of the Year as a junior, and setting the program scoring record and topping 1,500 career points last month.

And it was Santoro who guided this group, fifth-seeded underdogs in Section 1, all the way to the state’s grand stage on the season’s final day. The Warriors, who had last won a section title in 2013, had never before advanced beyond the regional semifinals.

“At least we got this for him,” said Anozie, who insisted all along that a motivational source was in wanting to deliver his coach a state title. “We wanted to win it for him, and we didn’t get it. But at least we made school history.”

Santoro first noticed Anozie as an eighth-grader playing CYO basketball. Then, when he enrolled at Lourdes for his freshman year and showed up to an open-gym tryout, Santoro said, he immediately whispered to his assistant coaches: “This kid is gonna be on varsity.”

He had the size and talent, and despite being 14 years old, could hold his own against juniors and seniors in practice. Three days after tryouts, Santoro broke the news to Anozie that he had not only earned a varsity roster spot, but would likely become the pillar around which the team was built in the coming years.

“He told me I had all this potential and I didn’t believe it,” Anozie said. “I couldn’t grasp it then. But he wasn’t lying. Look where we are now.”

Santoro, players said, is a diligent strategist who sifts through heaps of film and spends countless hours in preparation for games. He at times is jovial, but never has he been hesitant to snap at his team during practice. There is little tolerance for mental errors or shoddy play. That goes for Anozie, too.

“He’s a great coach and a great guy,” said Corey Mullaly, a senior who compared Santoro favorably to his football coach Brian Walsh, who had led that team to an unlikely state final run in 2015.

Lourdes’ James Anozie is doubled in the post against Irondequoit during the Class A state championship game.

In fact, Mullaly said, Santoro sought out Walsh for advice before Lourdes faced top-seeded Byram Hills in the Section 1 semifinals.

“Him and Walsh are very similar,” Mullaly said. “They’re great minds in their respective sports and have a lot of passion for teaching.”

Santoro said he never before had a roster he thought could make a push for a state title.

“I’d never had a player like James before,” the coach said. “From that perspective, I’d never had a team like this before.”

Some of those sentiments likely were expressed during that hug on the court, and there perhaps will be even more in the coming days.

There was no fairytale ending for the duo. But man, what a riveting final chapter they penned.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4