Season Preview: Sleepy Hollow Baseball

Last year the Sleepy Hollow baseball team recorded a 4-13 mark. That record, though, doesn't mean there isn't great enthusiasm in the program.

Headless Horsemen coach Ray Farrell has part of the team for 10 years. This will be his third year as the head coach (previously he was an assistant for seven years). He said that the program is in far better shape than when he first arrived at Sleepy Hollow.

"When I first got into the program, it was pretty much at rock bottom," Farrell said. "We were a 1, 2, 3 wins a year team. We didn't have much talent and there weren't a lot of kids coming out for the program. We didn't make cuts for the first five, six years I was in the program. If you came out for the team, you were pretty much on the team. Since year one, I have seen a gradual increase in the number of kids coming out to play and the participation of parents in the program."

Helping Farrell keep the enthusiasm in Headless Horsemen baseball high are his assistant coach Rob Spirelli and JV coach Chris Lopez, who have put in a lot of time along with the parents, the players and those in the town's youth program.

"A lot of the people working with the youth program have become one tight unit and are all working hard together in building Sleepy Hollow baseball back up," Farrell said.

Those players looking to build the Headless Horsemen back up include Aydan Ellman, a junior who is a three-year starter. Ellman is a solid defensive catcher and is Sleepy Hollow's best offensive player.

Two of the pitchers throwing to him are returnees, seniors Jose Rivera and Daniel Kaplan. Another top returnee for Sleep Hollow is sophomore center fielder Armando Cabrera, who is a solid all-around player.

Giving the infield speed and defense are top newcomers, sophomore shortstop Ronny Rodriguez and junior second baseman Chris Lopez.

Sleepy Hollow's  goal is to make the sectionals and finish with a winning record this spring.

"As a whole, we are really trying to build a program at Sleepy Hollow not only the players but also with our facilities and our equipment as well," Farrell said. "Our parent-booster club has really been involved in the help in getting us our fence, we fenced in our whole field now and our pitching machines have arrived. On the field and off the field we are really trying to build a program. We are really trying to put up wins now, win enough games to get over .500 to justify the work that we are all putting into this."

Sleepy Hollow will open the season April 3 in a tournament at Spring Valley. The Headless Horsemen will be in a new league that includes rivals Hastings and Irvington plus teams they haven't played before according to Farrell in Dobbs Ferry and Solomon Schechter.

"I like the new league," Farrell said. "I think it's nice to play your neighbors. A lot of the kids know each other from summer baseball and I feel it is a league that we can be competitive in."