BASEBALL
After pulling off a stunning comeback in the Section I, Class C semifinals to upset top-ranked Leffell, Haldane fell in two games to Tuckahoe this week in the championship series, ending its season at 9-13-1.
On Monday (May 25), the Blue Devils, who were the No. 4 seed, were behind 3-1 against No. 2 Tuckahoe at the end of three innings. But after scoring on a wild pitch in the fourth to make it 3-2, the Blue Devils rallied.
Ryan Eng-Wong led off with a single, and Roy Smith reached on an error. Eng-Wong scored the tying run on another Tuckahoe error before Trajan McCarthy beat out an infield single to score Smith.
Haldane’s 4-3 lead didn’t last long, however, as Tuckahoe responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame against a number of Haldane relievers. John Kisslinger took the loss in relief of starter Jake Hotaling.
“We struck out 11 times; you won’t win a lot of games that way,” said Coach Simon Dudar. “We didn’t put the ball in play enough, and they also had six errors, so we should’ve been up more to begin with.
“We had beaten Tuckahoe 10-5 during the season, so maybe the guys anticipated an easier game,” he said. “Now we have a tough road ahead, but our whole season has been one obstacle in front of another.”
On Thursday, Tuckahoe won, 14-4, ending the three-game series and advancing to play the Section IX champ next week.
On May 19, in the deciding game of the series against Leffell, Haldane trailed 3-0 at the end of six innings before the Blue Devil offense came alive to plate four runs for a 4-3 win. Hotaling, the series MVP, capped the rally with a two-out, three-run home run. Julian Ambrose picked up the win on the mound.
After upsetting New Paltz on Monday, Beacon had a bad inning and fell, 17-2, to No. 1 Wallkill in Wednesday night’s Section IX, Class B semifinal. Walkill clinched it with 11 runs in the second.
Ronnie Anzovino and Jack Antalek each had an RBI for the Bulldogs, who finished 15-7. Ryan Landisi took the loss on the mound.
“It’s tough to finish like that, but we had a great season,” said Coach Robert Atwell. “We’ll miss our seniors,” Joey Vollaro, Julian Brown and Mateo Alvarado.
Earlier in the week, Beacon, the No. 5 seed, upset No. 4 New Paltz, 3-2, on a sixth-inning run scored by Mikey Fontaine on a Derrick Heaton sacrifice fly. Fontaine had hit a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Heaton threw a complete game, striking out five.
TRACK & FIELD
Henry Reinke and Javan Verdile had big days for Beacon at the regional championships in Goshen on May 20. Reinke set a school record in the 800 meters in 1:55.49 and came back a few hours later to win the 400 meters in 49:68.
Despite competing in a downpour, Verdile cleared 5-11 in the high jump and was the only competitor left at 6-1.
“We tell our kids that poor weather is either a challenge to overcome or an excuse,” said Coach Jim Henry. “Both Henry and Javan overcame sub-optimal conditions to do something special.”
Next up for Beacon is the Section IX, Class B championships at Goshen on Saturday (May 27). That same day, Haldane will compete in the Section I, Class C championships at Valhalla.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Haldane, the No. 2 seed in the Section I, Class D tournament, defeated No. 10 Irvington, 15-8, on Tuesday (May 23) to advance to the semifinals. The Blue Devils (13-4) will host No. 6 Briarcliff (8-10) at 4:45 p.m. today (May 26), with the winner advancing to the title game on Wednesday at Yorktown High School.
Jake Hotaling, shown here at bat against Tuckahoe, crushed a two-out, seventh-inning, three-run homer against Leffell on May 20 to put Haldane into the title series.
