Due to inclement weather, various games were postponed this past week.
Boys’ Basketball
Tyrone Searight’s Varsity Boys Basketball team are on a three game winning streak after picking up two impressive victories this past week.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Peekskill boys outplayed Walter Panas in a thrilling game that ended in a 71-31 win for the Red Devils. Peekskill’s star Jaden Chavis scored 28 points in this game. In addition, Isaiah Crawford scored 18 and Darius Smythe scored 9.
Peekskill then played Barack Obama School for Social Justice on Thursday, Dec. 19. That game ended in a 61-44 victory for the Red Devils. In that game, Chavis once again led the boys in points with 25. Trailing him was Crawford with 21.
Jaden Chavis recently made Lohud’s “Super 7” list of boys basketball players in the lower Hudson Valley. “He’s a matchup problem who thrives when the level of competition and the magnitude of the moment are highest,” said Lohud of Chavis.
The Peekskill boys currently hold a record of three wins and one loss. This weekend, the Red Devils will participate in a tournament at Nyack High School. Their first game will be on Friday, Dec. 27 against Spring Valley at 4 p.m.
Girls’ Basketball
The Peekskill Varsity Girls Basketball team will enter their winter break with a boost of confidence after securing their second competitive win of the season.
The Peekskill girls traveled to Yonkers to face Yonkers High School on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Peekskill, coming off a victory against Montfort Academy, were determined to secure a win and they did just that. At the end of the game, the scoreboard read, Peekskill 55-42 Yonkers.
In that contest, Amari Murphy led the Peekskill girls in points with 25. Jayla Smith also scored 10 points for the Red Devils. Murphy is currently 16 points away from reaching 1,000 varsity points.
The Peekskill girls currently hold an overall record of three wins and three losses. Their next game will be a scrimmage against Lakeland on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Lakeland High School at 11 a.m.
Boys’ Swimming
The Peekskill-Hen Hud-Haldane Varsity Boys Swim team came up short twice this past week.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, Tappan Zee beat Peekskill, 85-78, at their home. During this meet, Aaden Wik of Haldane took first place in the 100 breaststroke with a personal best time of 1:23.74.
The following day, Peekskill fell to Lakeland/Panas/Putnam Valley in a non-conference meet, 94-60.
The Peekskill team will get a few practices in before their next meet against Woodlands on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at Peekskill Middle School at 4:30 p.m.
Wrestling
Last weekend, the Peekskill Varsity Wrestling team participated in the 2024 Tony Carlucci Duals at Port Chester High School. At this event, Peekskill fell to Edgemont (42-36), Harrison (36-27), Briarcliff-Byram Hills-Valhalla-Westlake (54-22), Port Chester (58-17), Tappan Zee (58-12), but beat Irvington (45-18).
Against Irvington, Peekskill’s Yamliel Casiano at 145 lbs (Dec 12-10), Wilfredo Linares at 152 lbs (pin at 3:36), Tony Monchinski at 160 lbs (pin at 0:57), and several other wrestlers by forfeit, were able to score for the Red Devils.
Captains Tommaso Sodano and Kedwind Ramos led the Peekskill wrestling team in wins at this event. Sodano, at 170 lbs, picked up victories against Edgemont (pin at 0:27), Harrison (decision 6-0), Briarcliff-Byram Hills-Valhalla-Westlake (major decision 15-1), Irvington (forfeit), and Tappan Zee (decision 7-4). Ramos, at 190 lbs, got victories against Edgemont (forfeit), Harrison (pin at 0:13), Briarcliff-Byram Hills-Valhalla-Westlake (win by pin), Irvington (forfeit), and Port Chester (pin at 1:04)
Up next for the Red Devils is Brewster on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at Brewster High School at 4:30 p.m.
Bowling
The Peekskill Varsity Bowling team endured two back-to-back losses against Briarcliff (Dec. 18) and Ossining (Dec. 19) this past week. In both games, both the Peekskill boys and girls were beaten by a score of 7-0.
The Red Devils will play again on Thursday, Jan. 9, against North Salem at 3:30 p.m. at Cortlandt Lanes.
Board of Education Recognition
Senior Umaru Conteh was recognized for being an exemplary scholar-athlete by Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Mauricio and the Board of Education at their Dec. 17 Board of Education meeting.
Conteh, who had a phenomenal season this year for the boys varsity soccer team, has maintained a 90 plus GPA for the first quarter of the year.
Coach Jonathan Iasillo said the following of Conteh during his speech, “Besides being a phenomenal soccer player, he’s a fine young man. Credit to his family for raising a well-behaved, determined, exceptional young man, as well as a fine example of what our school district represents.”
“Our boys varsity soccer team had a phenomenal season this year – one of the best records since I’ve been employed by the Peekskill City School District, and a major reason why was the role Umaru played for our team,” said Iasllo.
Conteh scored 25 goals this season and led his team to the semifinals of the Section 1 Class AA tournament. At the end of the season, Conteh received various honors from the Section 1 Boys Soccer Coaches Association, including All-League, All-Section, League MVP, and All-State. According to Iasillo, Conteh is the first player since 2016 to receive an All-State award.
Conteh was also a two time Lohud Player of the Week nominee, part of the LOHUD 2024 Westchester/Putnam Boys Soccer All Star second team, and Peekskill High School’s September “Athlete of the Month”.
Read more about Conteh here.
New turf field on the horizon
Superintendent Dr. David Maurico announced at the Dec. 17 Board of Education meeting that plans are in place to turn the gymnasium at the administration building into a turf field. The gymnasium is currently used for the school’s wrestling and baseball programs.
“We’re about sixty days away from this actually happening. We have put in the purchase order request, we’re just waiting for it to be delivered,” said Mauricio.
Mauricio says the district’s plans to let various athletic teams use the turf and physical education classes will be held there as well.
All photos courtesy of Peekskill City School District.
