Girls Basketball

The Hen Hud Sailors continued to cement themselves as Class A contenders with a dominant 59-25 win over rival Croton on Senior Day, Jan. 24. Prior to tipoff, seniors Elyse Smith and Kate Stratton were honored, and the duo led the way in front of the home crowd.

Hen Hud set the tone early, opening the game on a 24-1 run behind suffocating defense and hot shooting. Maria Ribeiro knocked down an early three, while Smith and Stratton added baskets throughout the quarter. Smith capped the opening period with a buzzer-beater, sending the Sailors into the second quarter firmly in control.

The Sailors maintained their momentum in the second, with Stratton answering a Croton three with one of her own as Hen Hud took a commanding 40-7 lead into halftime. Any hopes of a Croton comeback were quickly erased in the third quarter, as Smith and Stratton continued to attack the basket and Hen Hud extended its lead to 50-19 heading into the final frame.

Hen Hud calmly closed out the game in the fourth, with Charlotte Gaspar sealing the win from the free-throw line. Stratton finished with a team-high 20 points, Smith added 19 points along with seven steals and four assists, and Ribeiro chipped in 12.

Following the win, the Sailors earned recognition across multiple platforms. Carleigh Ortiz was named one of Lohud’s Unsung Heroes in girls basketball, while Smith won Lohud’s Girls Basketball Player of the Week online poll. 

Earlier this week, Kevin Devaney Jr. of Gamedayone released his midseason report, naming Stratton as one of his five Class A standouts. “Her numbers are solid—double-double every game—and really just the way she’s managed to get Motko, Elyse Smith, Ribeiro, just the whole team involved,” Devaney Jr. said. “The balance this Hen Hud team has—it kind of all starts with Kate Stratton in the middle.”

Devaney Jr. also predicted Hen Hud would reach the sectional semifinals at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, though he favored Tappan Zee and Pleasantville to reach the final. The Sailors and head coach Megan Boyle will look to prove him wrong, especially after Boyle insisted in a preseason interview with the Peekskill Herald that this season would not be a rebuilding year despite the graduation of standout Kaitlyn Raguso.

Hen Hud (11-2) will next travel to Somers on Friday, Jan. 30, at 4:30 p.m., before visiting Class A powerhouse Tappan Zee on Monday, Feb. 2, at 4:30 p.m. The Sailors remain on the road to face Ardsley on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 4:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball

Hen Hud dropped three games this past week against tough competition, extending its winless skid to six games. The Sailors’ last victory came on Jan. 5 against Croton.

On Jan. 23, Hen Hud hosted Blind Brook in a fast-paced, back-and-forth contest that ended in a 69-61 loss. Isaiah Byers opened the scoring with a three-pointer at 7:48 of the first quarter, but Blind Brook quickly answered and the two teams traded baskets throughout the period. Kane Wamack and Hunter Kennedy-Brown provided early scoring for Hen Hud, while Blind Brook’s Tyler Taerstein established himself as a dominant presence in the paint.

The Sailors closed the opening quarter tied at 16, but Taerstein scored in the final seconds to give Blind Brook an 18-16 edge after one.

The second quarter featured multiple lead changes. Justin Parkes converted an and-one early to briefly put Hen Hud back in front, while Wamack and DJ McCarthy contributed timely baskets. Blind Brook, however, caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down three consecutive three-pointers midway through the quarter to open up a lead. McCarthy’s late three helped keep the Sailors within striking distance, but Blind Brook carried a 33-30 advantage into halftime.

Hen Hud opened the second half strong. Jack Hiltsley, returning after missing several games due to injury, drilled a three-pointer—his first points of the night—to give the Sailors a brief lead. Wamack followed with a steal and layup to make it 40-38. Blind Brook responded behind Taerstein, who repeatedly attacked the lane and converted second-chance opportunities. Despite another three from McCarthy, Blind Brook pulled ahead 50-43 by the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, Parkes cut the deficit with a three, but Blind Brook maintained control down the stretch. Joel Rivera-Ojeda connected from deep to pull Hen Hud within six, and Kennedy-Brown added a late layup, but Blind Brook closed the game at the free-throw line to seal the 69-61 win.

Wamack led Hen Hud with 15 points, while McCarthy added 13 and Parkes finished with 12. Taerstein recorded a game-high 35 points.

Less than 24 hours later, Hen Hud returned to Donovan Gym to host Rye Neck on Senior Night, falling in another close contest, 59-53. Prior to tipoff, seniors Jack Hiltsley and Justin Parkes were honored for their contributions to the program. Wamack led the Sailors with 14 points, while Hiltsley added 12. (A Peekskill Herald highlight video of Sailor Senior Day is available here.)

A scheduled matchup against John Jay-Cross River on Jan. 26 was canceled due to snow.

Hen Hud returned to action on Jan. 28, falling on the road to Briarcliff, 60-45. Kennedy-Brown led the Sailors with 17 points, while Wamack added 13.

Now 4-9 on the season, Hen Hud will look to rebound when it hosts Pearl River on Friday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m. The Sailors will then travel to Bronxville on Monday, Feb. 2, at 5 p.m., followed by a road game at Haldane on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 5 p.m.

Wrestling 

On Jan. 24, Hen Hud athletes competed in the 11th Annual Westchester Championships at Sleepy Hollow High School. The Sailors finished 23rd out of 28 teams, highlighted by a strong performance from ninth grader Rocco Carbone, who placed fifth at 118 pounds.

Hen Hud then hosted a multi-team meet on Jan. 28 against Dobbs Ferry, East Ramapo, Hastings, John Jay–East Fishkill, Mahopac, and Tappan Zee. The Sailors recorded 19 wins while dropping 11 matches.

The following day, Jan. 29, Hen Hud hosted Ardsley in a dual meet but fell 51-25. The match also served as Senior Night, honoring team captains Shawn O’Mara Jr. and Benjamin Kushnir for their contributions to the program. Despite the loss, Hen Hud earned several notable victories, as Antonio Carbone (126 pounds), Andherson Clark (138), and Bernard Calabro (190) each won by pin. Sebastian Willkehr (144) secured a 14-2 major decision, while Rocco Carbone (118) added an 8-2 decision victory.

Hen Hud will now turn its attention to a week of practice ahead of the sectional tournament, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6, at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, with competition beginning at 2:15 p.m.

Indoor Track 

Hen Hud’s indoor track teams delivered a strong performance at the Westchester County Championships on Jan. 24 at the Armory in New York City. Both squads earned third-place finishes, with the boys scoring 50 points and the girls close behind with 48. In addition, four Sailor athletes were crowned county champions.

On the girls side, Chloe Howard dominated the 1,500-meter race walk, winning easily in 7:36.70, more than 55 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Sophia Savatgy captured two county titles, winning the 55-meter dash in 7.27 and the 300-meter dash in 39.91—a new school record and the eighth-fastest time in New York State. Oona McManus placed second in the 600-meter run with a personal-best time of 1:40.82. Harleigh Corcoran finished fifth in the weight throw at 8.89 meters and eighth in the shot put at 7.75 meters. The 4×400-meter relay team of Savatgy, McManus, Ava Schembari, and Abby Mazzoni earned second place in 4:16.68.

For the boys, Perry Quaye claimed the county title in the high jump with a leap of 1.83 meters. He also placed third in the 55-meter dash in 6.74 and fourth in the triple jump at 11.98 meters. Victor Delgado was a double standout, winning the 1,600-meter run in 4:26.17 and finishing second in the 1,000-meter run in 2:32.19, a new school record. Olivier Birotte placed fourth in the 55-meter hurdles in 8.32, while the 4×400-meter relay team of Birotte, Taiten Robinson, Kenny Mora, and Juan Espinoza finished third in 3:40.44. William McKinley added a fifth-place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 11.76 meters.

Following her standout performance, Howard was named Con Edison Athlete of the Week. She is currently ranked No. 1 in Section 1 and Westchester County in the race walk and has committed to continue her academic and athletic career at Ursinus College. According to the Hendrick Hudson School District, Howard maintains a 94.3 grade-point average while enrolled in AP and college-level courses. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Art Honor Society, and Science Honor Society, serves as secretary of the Spanish Honor Society, and is active as a community volunteer.

A novice meet scheduled for Jan. 26 at the Armory was canceled due to snow.

Up next, the Sailors will host a weight throw meet on Friday, Jan. 30, at 4:30 p.m., before competing in an invitational Jan. 31–Feb. 1 at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island.

Bowling

The regular season has come to a close, and postseason play is up next.

The Hen Hud girls bowling team capped off league competition in dominant fashion, defeating Ossining 7-0 on Jan. 28 to secure first place. Antonia Cooper led the way with games of 164, 165, and 147 for a 476 series. Mariella Mills rolled a high game of 153 to claim the opening match, while Peyton Gilleo added a high game of 139. Emma Barbelet anchored the lineup with a team-best 160 high game and a 447 series.

On the boys’ side, Hen Hud fell to Walter Panas, 5-2. Jet Caracapa recorded a high game of 198, while Aiden Lawless rolled a 144 and Kyle Cooper added a 167. The standout performance of the night came from Lucas Tangredi, who posted an impressive 675 series with games of 189, 186, and a perfect 300. According to head coach Kristine Abel, it marked just the second 300 game in Hendrick Hudson program history.

The Hen Hud girls finish the regular season with a 10-2 record, while the boys conclude at 7-6. The Sailors will host their awards ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at Hudson Lanes and Games, and will continue practicing ahead of sectionals the following week.

Skiing

Rachel Budde recorded a second-place finish for the Hen Hud ski team in a slalom race on Jan. 27 at Thunder Ridge Ski Area. Fotini Schattman placed third, while Mia Goodenow finished 10th.

The team returned to action on Jan. 29 in a giant slalom race at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area, where Schattman led Hen Hud with a second-place performance. Budde followed in fifth place, and Goodenow again placed 10th.

Up next, Hen Hud will compete in a giant slalom race on Monday, Feb. 2, at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area at 4:30 p.m., followed by a slalom race on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Thunder Ridge Ski Area at 4:30 p.m.

Other results

Winter Cheer Hen Hud placed fourth at the Putnam Valley competition on Jan. 24. The Sailors will next compete in the Dover competition at Dover High School on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1:20 p.m.

Ice Hockey Cortlandt Rebels fell 9-7 to Pearl River on Jan. 23. The Rebels will face Mahopac next on Friday, Jan. 30, at Brewster Ice Arena at 4 p.m. Cortlandt will also play Fox Lane on Sunday, Feb. 1, at Brewster Ice Arena at 7:45 p.m. The game will also serve as Senior Night.