BOYS’ BASKETBALL — The Blue Devils’ season came to an abrupt end on Wednesday (Feb. 26) when they lost badly in the Section I, Class B playoffs at Briarcliff, 59-29. Seeded No. 6 in the 10-team field, Haldane was looking to upset the No. 3 Bears but held the lead only once, at 4-3, early in the first quarter before Briarcliff went on an 18-0 run. The Blue Devils scored only 11 points before halftime, while the Bears hit seven 3-pointers.
Photos by Skip Pearlman
In his final game at Haldane, senior Fallou Faye led the team with 14 points. “We got a lot of new guys, and they all stepped up,” said Faye, reflecting on the season. The Blue Devils finished 13-8 in their first year playing at the Class B level.
“If 13-8 is a down year, I’m excited,” said Coach Joe Virgadamo. His team will lose four seniors — Faye, Nate Stickle, Andalou Frezza and Brody Corless — to graduation but return juniors Zane Del Pozo and Luke Bozsik, who this week was named by the Lower Hudson Basketball Coaches Association to its all-star team for Conference III.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL — The Blue Devils, seeded No. 3 in the four-team Section I, Class C tournament, face No. 2 North Salem at 5 p.m. on Monday (March 3) at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Haldane (4-14) lost twice to North Salem (4-16) during the regular season by scores of 49-42 and 62-14.
WINTER TRACK — Haldane was at the Section I state qualifier on Feb. 23 at The Armory in New York City. For the boys, the 4×200 relay team of Milo Pearsall, Jake Thomas, Merrick Williams and Rhys Williams finished second in 1:33.78, qualifying for states and the Adidas Nationals in Virginia.
Other top performers included Owen Powers, who qualified for states with a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 meters (4:26.37); Merrick Williams, who was ninth in the high jump (5-6); and Pearsall, who was 12th in the 55-meter dash (6.78). For the girls, senior Ashley Sousa finished 21st in the 1,500-meter run (5:35.76) and the 4×200 relay team was fifth (1:56.05). On Tuesday (March 4), the Blue Devils travel to Staten Island for a meet with the Section I state entrants.
