Tyrone Searight and his Peekskill varsity boys basketball team are through to the semifinals of sectionals.
Last night, the Red Devils punched their ticket to the Westchester County Center after beating Poughkeepsie, 54-43, in the quarterfinals. Peekskill High School (PHS) fans packed the school gymnasium, and the Red Devils did not disappoint.
The game featured tons of action on both sides of the court. For Peekskill, both Isaiah Crawford and Jaden Chavis led the team in points with 16 each. Behind them was Marquette Webster, who marked his return from a lengthy injury with 14 points. For the Poughkeepsie Pioneers, Victor Nelson got 22 points and Kaiden Birdsong got 10.
While the season is not yet over, last night’s game was the last time Peekskill seniors got to play on their home court. Emotions were high, said senior Jaden Chavis when reached by the Peekskill Herald.
“This was my last time ever playing on the Peekskill court,” said Chavis. “You could see the emotion in the building. I’ve been through so much adversity throughout my four years, so it really felt good.”
Teammate Isaiah Crawford echoed the same message to the Herald: “It felt amazing to see everyone come out and show support. They brought the energy and we put on a show.” Peekskill has not lost a game in seven matches. Their last loss came against Suffern on Jan. 25, 2025.
Up next for reigning Class AA champions Peekskill will be Tappan Zee (No.1) in the semifinals at the Westchester County Center on Tuesday, March 4. A time for the game has not yet been announced.
Tappan Zee will be the toughest team Peekskill has faced this season. On their road to the semifinals, Tappan Zee dismantled Harrison, 61- 44. Tappan Zee, led by coach George Gaine, has lost only two games this season (Rye and Byram Hills). They finished the regular season with 18 wins and two losses. Tappan Zee is 2022/23 Class A State champion.
In Peekskill’s season opener, the Red Devils fell to Tappan Zee, 66-44. Isaiah Crawford tells the Herald he is confident his team will not fall short again.
“As a team, we are confident we can overcome any challenges we face. We’re going into that game with a chip on our shoulder.”
The winner of this match will face either Yorktown (No.2) or Rye (No.3) in the finals next weekend. For fans who wish to attend the semifinal or watch at home, the Peekskill City School District is expected to announce information about the game over the weekend.
Check here over the weekend for a Peekskill Herald photo gallery of the Red Devils’ Feb. 27 quarterfinals victory.
