FOOTBALL — In their final regular-season game on Saturday (Oct. 28), the Blue Devils defeated winless Woodlands, 37-20, to move to 6-2.
Early on it was all Haldane, with Evan Giachinta scoring twice on runs from inside the 5-yard line. The defense also forced a safety, extending the lead to 16-0.
In the second quarter, Giachinta blocked a punt to give the Blue Devils terrific field position. Later in the drive, on a fourth down at the Falcons’ 17-yard line, quarterback Ryan Van Tassel scrambled and ran into the end zone for a 23-0 lead.
Later in the quarter, Coach Ryan McConville began making substitutions. Merrick Williams replaced Giachinta at running back and, after being stopped three times by Woodlands at the goal line, finally punched the ball in for a 30-0 lead.
Woodlands scored with 2:13 left in the half but the two-point conversion failed.
In the second half, David Powlis took over at quarterback for the Blue Devils, with Alex Gaugler and Williams as running backs. Woodlands scored on a 48-yard touchdown catch-and-run and added the two-point conversion to make it 30-14.
In the fourth, Gaugler ran for a TD from 10 yards out to extend the lead, and the Falcons closed the scoring with 2:52 left on a 27-yard touchdown pass.
Williams had 16 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown, and Giachinta had 10 carries for 74 yards and two scores.
The Blue Devils will meet Tuckahoe (4-3) on Friday (Nov. 10) at 3 p.m. at Arlington High School in the Section I championship game; the teams are the only two Class D schools in the section and play each year for the title. The winner will face the Section IX champion on Nov. 17 at Mahopac High School.
Haldane defeated Tuckahoe, 21-13, on Sept. 22. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 9 among Class D schools by the New York State Sportswriters Association.
CROSS-COUNTRY — Haldane raced against eight schools, including Putnam Valley, Brewster, Carmel, Arlington and Ketcham at the Section I Northern Counties Championship in Milton on Oct. 28.
The boys’ team finished eighth, just ahead of Carmel. Owen Powers was the top finisher for the Blue Devils, placing 21st among 61 runners in 17:51.50, followed by Silas Emig (40), Brendan Shanahan (50), James Frommer (54) and Emmett Homer (57).
For the girls, Kate Resi finished 30th of 58 runners in 27:13.3 and Penelope Andreou was 32nd. The other Blue Devil competitors were Hazel Berkley (44) and Tyler Schacht (51).
Haldane will compete Saturday (Nov. 4) in the Section I championship at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls.
