SHFC Has Record-Setting Season, Becomes Independent Soccer Club

With a successful spring season on the field, continued growth and strong community support, Sleepy Hollow Football Club (SHFC) was approved to become an independent club in the Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL).

This Spring Season has been exciting for SHFC with five teams winning division championships. The Legends accomplished a first in SHFC history by winning the top division in their age group and thus holding the honor of top U13 (under the age of 13) travel team for Westchester County. Twenty-nine teams have won their division in SHFC history but only the Legends have won the top division. The Legends ran away with Division 1 going 8-1-1 and leading the league in scoring and defense.

“Nikhil Weltig scored 9 out of 28 goals for our offense while Robert Disney and Randall Nugra marshaled an excellent defense conceding only 8 goals,” said Coach Fergus O’Sullivan. Coach Herbert Weltig added, “Rotating holding midfielders Hernan Quinde, Andy Pulla, and Bryan Jarama provided support for and linked the offense to the defense enabling their dominating productivity.”

Other division winners were the under age 9 boys Red Lions, the under age 10 boys River Sharks, under age 11 boys Dutchmen, and the under age 11 boys Dynamo. The Red Lions’ “impressive offense”, according to Coach Brad Sheller, “Averaged 6 goals a game led by Ralfy Rodrguez”. The Dutchmen season’s pivotal moment was against top rated Yonkers when “Nico Mayor hooked up with Conner Slattery to break a 3-3 tie with a rocket shot from 24 yards out,” stated proud coach Gary Fairley. Dynamo coach Howard Allen noted, “While all Dynamo players gave 100%, the success of the season can be largely attributed to the outstanding goal-keeping of Jack McCarthy. His fearless attitude kept the Dynamo in every game.” Meanwhile Coach Ed Greenberg found it difficult to single out any one team-member. “Each game a different player would make a surprising burst of athleticism and spark up the team to play harder.”

In another first, division 1 under age 11 girls Blaze won the Westchester Cup. Usually all-star premier teams compete in this tournament and not local travel teams. This is a yearlong tournament with matches starting in September and only high performing teams advance to an elimination tournament at the SUNY Purchase campus. The Blaze defeated the premier Eastchester dragons 2-0 in the finals with goals scored by Ellie Fox and Gabby Disney. “Ellie and Gabby put us ahead while keeper Emily Aridas and the defense kept Eastchester scoreless,” said Coach John Sutherland. The Blaze beat four all-star teams and a rival from Rye to win the Cup. They only allowed three goals and scored eleven.

“After 4 years of great partnership with Rivertowns United, SHFC is excited to stand on its own. We are thankful to the schools of the Tarrytowns, Pocantico Hills, and Hackley; as well as the villages of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow for the access of great fields; and to the numerous volunteers who coach and manage the club, talented players of all ages, and the families that support them,” said SHFC President Matt Evans.

Evans added, “We are pleased with our successes this spring season and hope to build upon them when we resume play this fall.”

While recreational soccer had been held through the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow for nearly 40 years, SHFC was formed in 2014. The new club joined the ranks of the WYSL, the largest regional soccer organization with 17,000 players and more than 650 teams, to offer higher levels of competition for our youth. SHFC fields boys and girls teams through open tryouts, and all of the players continue to be registered within AYSO and coached by trained AYSO volunteers committed to its philosophies. AYSO provides recreational soccer activities while SHFC is the competitive travel program of AYSO Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown.

SHFC has grown from 11 teams in 2014 to 20 teams in 2018, with close to 300 youth engaged in competitive club soccer.