About a hundred people gathered at John Jay High School on Wednesday to watch the Horace Greeley Quakers take on John Jay Indians.
The battle began at 6:15 p.m., and from the tip off it was obvious that the Quakers meant business. The game was one-sided throughout all four quarters and ended with the Quakers defeating the Indians 80-43.
Although John Jay had the biggest kid on the court, Horace Greeley was bigger and taller overall than John Jay. That factor seemed to play an understandable role on the outcome of the game.
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Coming away from a two-point loss on Dec. 30 against Yorktown, the Quakers brought all the intensity and effort they could to the John Jay gymnasium. Great passing and rebounding won the game for Horace Greeley, and Captains Matt Townsend and Adam Honig were on the front line. They lead the team in goals, assists, rebounds and steals. At the end of the first period, the Quakers were already up 25-7.
Although the John Jay fans outnumbered the Horace Greeley fans, they did not have much to cheer for. At the half, the scoreboard read 47-16 and both Indians Coach Atkinson and his team seemed tired and frustrated.
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The Quakers have some great shooters, but most of Horace Greeley's goals came from great rebounding and second efforts. Coach Fernandes kept most of his starters in after halftime. Amazingly, Honig had four steals to begin the second half and by the end of the third period the score was 73-29. But the spirit of the John Jay fans and the Indians were lifted when one of their own sank a shot from half court in the final seconds of the third quarter.
But the swish from the half court line wasn't enough to get the Indians' momentum going. Even in the fourth quarter against Horace Greeley's secondary team, the Indians seemed fatigued and aggravated. The Quakers were faster, more determined and kept a 20-point lead for most of the game.
"That's the way we're supposed to play," said Quakers Head Coach Dave Fernandes, reflecting on the big win. "I got a great group of guys here and we work hard."
"We hope to keep up the intensity," Fernandes says, "and move the ball like we did when we play Narbonne come Friday." Narbonne High School is coming all the way from California to the Peekskill Showcase, which will begin at 5 p.m. on Jan. 8 at Peekskill High School.
