Pleasantville High School held an assembly on Monday, November 4, to celebrate its two Section I championships, won by the Boys’ Cross Country and Football teams.
The Boys’ Cross Country team, which last won a sectional title in 1967, competes for the state title on Saturday, November 9, at Queensbury High School (north of Albany). The team is seeded fourth, based on a merge of all eleven section results and the speed ratings for each race. Coach Tom Patterson noted, “If each of our runners improve on that rating by 15 seconds, it puts us in a virtual tie” for the state championship.
Dick Rote, who was recently inducted into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame, was head coach when the Football team won its last section title in 1991. The team, which has a bye in the first round of state play, will go against the Section 9 title holder in a quarterfinal match on Saturday, November 16, at Mahopac High School. Head coach Tony Becerra praised the dedication and hard work of his players and noted that the team, underestimated by its competition for much of this season, is now “two wins away from the Carrier Dome.”
