GIRLS’ BASKETBALL — After going 3-18 last season, the Blue Devils look to start anew under first-year Coach Charles Martinez. The team lost seven seniors to graduation; this year’s squad has only nine players on the roster, including two seniors, Camilla McDaniel and Ruby Poses.
The Blue Devils began the season Nov. 30 with a win in a tournament in Rye Neck over Keio Academy, 59-28, behind 23 points and seven steals from Kayla Ruggiero. Marisa Peters added 13 points and five steals and McDaniel scored 11 points.
Video by Jeff McDaniel
Against host Rye Neck, the Blue Devils fell, 47-40. McDaniel led the way with 18 points and Peters had 11 points, five rebounds, five steals and four assists. Ruggiero contributed nine points.
On Tuesday (Dec. 5), Haldane hosted Woodlands; Peters and McDaniel hit three-pointers to start the game with a 6-0 lead before the Falcons went on a 9-0 run behind a swarming defense. The first quarter ended in a 16-16 tie and Woodlands took a 27-20 lead into halftime.
Thanks to three-pointers by McDaniel and Peters, the Blue Devils claimed a 39-38 lead in the fourth quarter before Woodlands went on another run to secure a 59-48 win.
Video by Jeff McDaniel
Peters ended with a career-high 19 points, and McDaniel had 15. Poses added six points and eight rebounds.
“They kept fighting,” Martinez said of his team. “They kept playing well, they found their rhythm, they started running our offense. We did a better job in the second half of boxing out” on rebounds.
Haldane (1-2) travels today (Dec. 8) and tomorrow to Carmel for a tournament before hosting Briarcliff on Tuesday and taking on Rye Neck again in a tournament at Croton-Harmon on Thursday.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL — Coming off a 21-5 season in which they reached the state Class C title game, the Blue Devils return with a team that is battle-tested and experienced. Ten of the 13 players on the roster are seniors, and seven are 6 feet or taller, including 6-foot-6 senior Matt Nachamkin, who will play next year for Williams College.
The season began on Thursday (Dec. 7) when Haldane defeated Pleasantville, 62-51, at home. The Blue Devils host Blind Brook at 6:15 p.m. on Monday and travel to Briarcliff on Wednesday.
Video by Jeff McDaniel
FOOTBALL — After a stellar season that ended in the state Class D semifinals, seniors Ryan Van Tassel and Evan Giachinta were named to the Section I team and Coach Ryan McConville was named the Section I, Class D coach of the year. Giachinta was also named the best defensive player in Class C/D. The position awards for Class C/D went to Giachinta at defensive back and senior Erik Stubblefield at linebacker.
Stubblefield and senior Jack Hartman received all-conference honors.
Haldane had nine players named to the all-league team: Van Tassel, Giachinta, Stubblefield, Hartman, Brody Corless, Michael Murray, Dylan Rucker, Fallou Faye and Luca DiLello.
On Nov. 30, Van Tassel was named the New York Jets High School Player of the Week for his performance in the state quarterfinals, when he had 248 total offensive yards and two touchdowns in a win over Burke Catholic. Van Tassel will be recognized at the Jets’ game on Sunday (Dec. 10).
