By Skip Pearlman
After losing its season opener, the Haldane High School team picked up its fourth consecutive win on Saturday (Oct. 6), overcoming a sluggish first half to overwhelm Irvington, 26-7, on the road.
Haldane’s bread and butter — senior running back Sam Giachinta — again didn’t find much in the way of obstacles, rolling for 160 yards on the ground and accounting for three touchdowns.
Giachinta’s six-yard run in the first quarter accounted for the only points on the board at halftime, with Haldane holding a tenuous 6-0 lead.
But Giachinta opened the second half by returning the kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown. He scored again on a six-yard run later in the quarter, before quarterback Dan Santos and Jagger Beacham connected on an 18-yard pass in the fourth.
Santos completed 3-of-8 attempts for 24 yards and a touchdown, with one interception.
“They are a tough and physical team,” Coach Ryan McConville said. “They got us out of our rhythm in the first half.” The kickoff return in the second half “broke it open for us,” he said. “The return team did a great job getting some key blocks.”
“Sam really had a monster second half,“ McConville added. “Dan wasn’t throwing great in the first half, but in the second half he got going. Everyone played better, and we got the job done.”
The Blue Devils (4-1) are scheduled to visit Rye Neck on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
