BOYS’ BASKETBALL — After losing to Beacon on Feb. 7, Haldane bounced back with a 53-50 win at Pawling on Monday (Feb. 10). The Blue Devils led by 11 points in the second quarter before Pawling cut the deficit to two. But 3-pointers from Ryder Griffin and Zane Del Pozo in the last 1:14, and a layup at the buzzer by Fallou Faye, brought the lead back to 10.
Down by 12 at the end of the third quarter, Pawling ripped off a 10-2 run to trail by one with 3:14 to go. With 1:56 left, Del Pozo made one of two free throws to make it a two-point game, but Pawling tied it on a layup. Del Pozo stormed down the court for a layup of his own and, with 19.6 seconds left, hit another free throw for the final margin.
“We did just enough to sneak out with the win,” said Coach Joe Virgadamo. Luke Bozsik led the Blue Devils with 15 points, followed by Faye with 14 and Griffin with 11. “Ryder played well, he rebounded, he shot it, he’s going to the basket, he’s playing confident,” Virgadamo said. “We need that out of him, especially without Nate [Stickle],” a senior who is out with an ankle injury.
On Wednesday (Feb. 12), Haldane lost, 58-46, at Putnam Valley. “We just couldn’t get anything going,” said Virgadamo, or slow down the Tigers’ James Apostolico, who scored 31 points. The Blue Devils travel today (Feb. 14) to league rival Croton-Harmon for their final game before the Section I, Class B tournament. The Blue Devils (11-7) are ranked sixth among 11 teams.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL — Although Haldane kept its Feb. 8 home game against Lakeland close early, the Hornets went on a 14-0 run to end the half and take a 20-point lead. The final was 52-30. The Blue Devils put together a better effort on Monday (Feb. 10) against visiting Briarcliff but came up short, 54-51. Haldane trailed 50-37 in the fourth quarter but went on a 14-4 run to get it close. Marisa Peters scored 22 points, followed by Kayla Ruggiero (12) and Miley Pena-Rider (10).
The Blue Devils lost at home against Putnam Valley on Wednesday, 46-37. Haldane (4-14) finishes the season hosting Croton-Harmon on Thursday and Blind Brook at noon on Saturday before the Section I tournament begins. Haldane is No. 2 among four Class C teams; Tuckahoe (12-7) is No. 1 and North Salem (3-17) and Keio Academy (0-16) are at No. 3 and No. 4.
WINTER TRACK — The Blue Devils participated in the Section I Novice Invitational at The Armory in New York City on Feb. 5. For the boys, Eli Hudson was 28th in the 1,600 meters (5:25.92) and, for the girls, Tyler Schacht was 37th in the 1,000 meters (5:48.87). Haldane returns to The Armory on Sunday (Feb. 16) for the Section I, Class C championship.
