Sleepy Hollow Upsets Nanuet in Round One of Sectionals

In an exciting display of perseverance and determination, the Sleepy Hollow boys lacrosse team beat Nanuet's Golden Knights yesterday, 7-5, in the first round of the Class C sectionals. 

On paper, Sleepy Hollow, the 12-seed going into the tournament, were facing a tough match against a solid Knights team that went 10-5 this year, earning a five-seed in the sectionals. 

"It was definitely an upset," Sleepy Hollow coach Gary DiVico said. "It was one of those days when everything worked out."

The Headless Horsemen were the first to score when John Bucci ran into the thick of the Nanuet defense and fired a shot into the net. Sleepy Hollow kept up the offensive pressure, attacking Nanuet's goalie and forcing two turnovers that were nearly converted into goals. 

However, the Knights responded when Nanuet's T.J. Dertinger, who scored three goals on the day, fired a low ball from about 15 yards out to get the home team on the board.

Sleepy Hollow answered with a connection from Jorge Berenguer to Dennis Maloy for the go-ahead point. The Knights would score once more in the first period to tie the game, which stayed 2-2 going into the half. 

The second period was a defensive tour de force as both teams held the other in check. Sleepy's defense, led by seniors Pete DelMonaco and Joseph Scarpati, were able to push turnovers and breakup Nanuet's plays. Horsemen goalie Jay Ramirez was unflinching, he ended the game with 11 saves racked up. 

"We knew that if we wanted to win today we had to shut them down on offense," Scarpati said. "And we did, we kept them to five points and that is how you win lacrosse games."

The rollercoaster ride began after the break. The Horsemen came out fired up and scored when Bucci assisted Tim Rachlin. However, the Knights would then go on an unanswered, three-point streak that would take them up 5-3 in the opening minutes of the final period. 

Despite the setback, Sleepy never gave up. 

"I told them in the beginning of the fourth that one team was going to win the game, and it was going to be us," Scarpati said. "I felt the way we came in and the way we practiced yesterday, I just knew we were going to win."

Just when it seemed like the momentum for Nanuet would be insurmountable, Sleepy Hollow's Berenguer took the ball, ran into the attack area, dodged three Nanuet defenders and scored on an over-the-top shot to bring the score to 5-4.

A Knights player would be called for a slashing penalty a minute later. Sleepy Hollow would capitalize on the resulting 30-second power play when Berenguer assisted Maloy to tie the game.

The go-ahead point occurred when Sleepy Hollow's Frank Curanj broke up a loose ball scramble in front of Nanuet's goal, that allowed Rachlin to hit a grounder past the Knights' goalie to put the Horsemen up 6-5. Rachlin would score his third and final goal off of a steal and fast break in the final minute. 

"We had to work it around the offense and work for our shots," Berenguer said. "And then Tim came up big, got us the goal and we coasted from there."

Despite going into a game as the lower-seeded team, Sleepy Hollow coach DiVico said the statistics didn't take into account Sleepy's spirit. 

"It was about ground balls, possession and a lot of heart," he said. "We don't have a lot of guys and we don't go very deep into the lineup, but they play their hearts out today."

Sleepy Hollow will next play the four-seed Putnam Valley Tigers (13-4) , in Putnam Valley on Tuesday. The Tigers beat Hastings yesterday 15-5.