Winter sports have begun, which sadly marks the official end of fall sports. One team in particular had an incredibly tough finale to their season: The Dobbs Ferry football team. This past fall, the team surpassed all expectations set for them this year, making it to the Section 1 championship. Unfortunately, they would not bring home the gold with a tragic loss to Valhalla.
The Dobbs Ferry Eagles finished with a record of 5-3 this past season, including an exhilarating 4-game winning streak. They were leading Section 1 Class C football at one point and looked like a team that could easily compete for a section title, however, two rough losses to Valhalla and Putnam Valley brought the Eagles back down to earth. They were able to bounce back from those losses with a dominant 27-0 win against Haldane to finish the season. Their first opponent of the playoffs was Putnam Valley, a team they had lost to 62-35 just two weeks prior. Defying the odds, the Eagles beat Putnam Valley in this playoff matchup with an impressive 54-13 win. Senior Kevin Harnett had 133 yards rushing on 12 carries with two rushing touchdowns. Junior Nastiek Smith had 41 rushing yards on four carries, scoring one rushing touchdown, and junior Dylan Ravage had a receiving touchdown for 60 yards. Surprisingly, it was the sophomores who came through and led the way for the Eagles. Killian O’Connor had 101 yards rushing on 18 carries, scoring one touchdown. Jackson Kearns had 114 rushing yards on 10 carries with two rushing TDs as well as a 60-yard pass to Dylan Ravage off of a halfback option.
The surprising win against Putnam Valley set Dobbs Ferry up in the Section 1 Class C championship against Valhalla, a team they had lost to earlier this season 35-7. Sadly the final result of this game would be similar to the first. While the Eagles did score more and let up fewer points, Valhalla still took home the gold ball in a 27-14 win. While they were unable to bring home gold, this was still an incredible season for the Eagles.
In an interview with player James Pessin, the junior remarked on what this past season was like, the importance of playing in the section championship, and the team’s goals for next season: “We faced some challenges this season, and what got to us were the little details. Tiny mistakes turned the tide in games that would have been much closer.” Clearly, these mistakes were not too costly as the Eagles would find themselves in the Section Championship. Pessin remarked on the importance of that game and what he believes next year holds. “Making it to the section championship was unreal because it was the culmination of everybody’s hard work and everything we put in. Losing the section chip is a devastating feeling because it’s not just the end of a very promising season, but it’s the last time you’ll play with some of those guys on our team. The brotherhood we build is incredibly important. Next year we will be focused, and we will hopefully win that gold ball.” Those inspiring words from the junior encapsulate the team’s mentality for next year. A mindset that will be crucial in helping them secure a gold ball next season.