Boys’ Basketball

After a heartbreaking loss to Suffern, Peekskill went into last week’s set of games with a point to prove. 

On Thursday, Jan. 30, Peekskill secured a strong victory over Ardsley at home, 58-52. Earlier this season,  Ardsley pulled off a 53-49 victory over Peekskill. This time around, the Panthers were unable to replicate their magic, falling short to a driven Peekskill team.

Isaiah Crawford stepped up for the Red Devils in this game, scoring 27 points. Trailing him was Justin Headly with 14 and Darius Smythe with 9. 

On Feb. 1, Peekskill hosted Poughkeepsie, in the final Saturday game of the district’s Black History Month Basketball Showcase. Cheers from the Red Devil fan base and Peekskill’s Cheer and Dance team helped the Peekskill boys overcome Poughkeepsie, 60-39. In this game, Isaiah Crawford dropped 23 points, followed by Jaden Chavis with 15.

Due to his impressive performances this past week, Crawford has been nominated for Lohud’s “Boys Basketball Player of the Week.” Vote for Crawford here. (The poll closes on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. The winner will be announced on Lohud’s social media pages.) 

Peekskill currently holds a record of 11 wins and six losses. Their next game will be against Hen Hud on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Hendrick Hudson High School at 4:30 p.m. 

Girls’ Basketball

The Peekskill Varsity Girls Basketball team fell short, 59-24, to Ardsley for the second time this month on Thursday, Jan. 30. In that game, Jealina Searight led the Peekskill girls in points with 14. 

The following day, on Jan. 31, Peekskill took on Sleepy Hollow in the final Friday game of the district’s Black History Month Basketball Showcase. Just like in their season opener, there was very little to separate the Peekskill Red Devils from the Sleepy Hollow Horsemen. Although they left it till late in the game to clinch it, Peekskill was able to walk away with a victory, thanks to a layup from Jealina Searight in the last five seconds of the game. The final score was Peekskill 28, Sleepy Hollow 26. 

After the match, Peekskill’s Sianna Salazar and Riley Jenkins were named All-Tournament players and Jealina Searight was named Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP).  

The Peekskill girls currently hold a record of six wins and 10 losses. Their next opponent will be Hendrick Hudson on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at home at 4:30 p.m. The girls will also play Edgemont on Friday, Feb. 7, at Edgemont High School at 5 p.m. 

Boys’ Swimming 

On Saturday, Feb. 1, swimmers on the Peekskill-Hen Hud-Haldane Varsity Swim team competed in the Section 1 Conference 3 Championships at Mount Vernon High School. According to head coach Alana Donabie, the whole team couldn’t place as a team in this meet because of new merged team rules in Section 1.

In the 500 freestyle, out of 22 swimmers, Emmett Kopeloff-Wilson placed ninth at 6:24.60.

In the 200 yard freestyle, out of 27 swimmers, Zachary Ninan placed fifth at 2:07.56 and Emmett Kopeloff-Wilson (Hen Hud) placed eighth at 2:21.49.  

In the 200 yard individual medley, out of 16 swimmers, Thomas Loctizer (Haldane) placed eighth at 2:34.48. 

In the 100 yard butterfly, out of 20 swimmers, Zachary Ninan (Peekskill) placed seventh at 1:07.52.

In the 100 yard freestyle, out of 30 swimmers, Marcus Pruitt placed 10th at 1:03.78.

In the 100 yard breaststroke, out of 18 swimmers, Thomas Loctizer placed fifth at 1:15.03. Full results are available here.

Thomas Loctizer, Zachary Ninan, Marcus Pruitt, and Brandon Rodriguez will continue on to sectionals on February 10 at Felix Festa Middle School. The boys will be swimming the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay.

Wrestling 

Peekskill’s Wrestling team hit the mats on Tuesday, Jan. 28, against Somers and North Salem at Somers High School.

Peekskill started off with a loss to Somers, 51-21. Tony Monchinski at 145 lbs (decision; 9-7) picked up points for the Red Devils, along with Danny Espinoza, Rocco D’Elia, and Ramses Perez, by forfeit.

Following those matches, Peekskill rebounded with a 45-9 victory over North Salem. In that match, Peekskill’s Wuane Alvarez secured a 14-8 decision victory, at 124 lbs. 

Over the weekend, Peekskill competed in the Peter Caruso Wrestling Tournament at Mahopac High School. The Red Devils finished 16th out of 19 teams. Kedwind Ramos placed fourth in the 190-pound class, and Ramses Perez placed fourth in the 285-pound class.

Up next for Peekskill is divisionals at Westchester County Center in White Plains on Saturday, Feb. 8. 

All photos are courtesy of Peekskill City School District.