Boys Basketball

The Peekskill Red Devils fell 85-58 to a strong Mahopac squad on Feb. 4 in a road matchup.

Peekskill opened well, trading early baskets as Darius Smythe’s jump shot and a coast-to-coast layup from Joseph Walker helped the Red Devils keep pace. AJ Jenkins knocked down a three-pointer, and Walker added another from beyond the arc as Peekskill remained within striking distance early. Mahopac responded with balanced scoring, highlighted by strong inside play from Drew Lichtenberger and Ethan Dedvukaj, and held a narrow 16-14 lead after the opening stretch.

Mahopac began to take control midway through the game, capitalizing on turnovers, second-chance opportunities, and transition offense to create separation. Despite defensive pressure from Peekskill that led to steals and baskets by Walker and Jah Williams, Mahopac extended its advantage to 35-26 by halftime.

In the second half, Mahopac continued to push the tempo, with Justin Beberman connecting from three-point range and Matt Reilly providing a spark in transition, highlighted by a fast-break dunk. Peekskill received contributions from Titus Matthias, Smythe, and Williams but struggled to slow Mahopac’s offensive rhythm as the lead grew in the closing minutes. Mahopac maintained control down the stretch, limiting Peekskill’s scoring chances and securing an 85-58 victory.

Peekskill rebounded on Feb. 6, edging Walter Panas 37-34 in a tightly contested road game that remained close throughout all four quarters.

The teams traded baskets in the first quarter, which ended 7-6 in Peekskill’s favor. Walter Panas briefly moved ahead in the second quarter before Peekskill responded behind Jenkins, Williams, and Smythe. A late three-pointer by Smythe extended the lead, sending Peekskill into halftime with a 21-16 advantage.

Walter Panas rallied in the third quarter behind Mike Salaberrios and Kaydin Terralavoro, briefly taking the lead before Smythe and Walker responded to give Peekskill a slim 28-25 edge entering the final period.

The fourth quarter featured multiple lead changes and clutch moments. Terralavoro and Salaberrios fueled a Panas comeback, tying the game at 34 with under a minute remaining after a key three-pointer by Salaberrios. Peekskill answered quickly, as Williams finished inside following a missed attempt by Smythe to reclaim the lead. Walker added a late free throw to seal the 37-34 victory.

Smythe paced Peekskill with 13 points, while Walker and Williams added eight each. Salaberrios led all scorers with 14 points for Panas, and Terralavoro contributed 10.

The following night, Feb. 7, Peekskill hosted White Plains as part of its Black History Month basketball showcase. The tightly contested matchup ended in a 44-37 loss for the Red Devils. Matthias led Peekskill with 10 points, while Walker added seven. Smythe, Walker, and Matthias were all named All-Showcase after the loss. 

Now 4-11 on the season, Peekskill enters the final stretch of the regular season. The Red Devils travel to neighboring Hendrick Hudson on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 4:30 p.m., before returning home to host Brewster on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 4:45 p.m. Peekskill closes the regular season with a road game at Poughkeepsie on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6:15 p.m.

Girls Basketball

On Feb. 4, Peekskill fell to Poughkeepsie at home, 56-42. The Pioneers were led by Mahogany Felix with 20 points, while Nai’lah Smalls paced Peekskill with 16 points and seventh grader Alani Jacobs added 12.

The Red Devils bounced back two days later (Feb. 6) with a 46-40 home win over East Ramapo during Peekskill’s Black History Month showcase.

Peekskill jumped out to an early lead, sparked by Kimberly Martinez’s opening basket and strong rebounding from Smalls. Riley Jenkins added energy on both ends of the floor, using her speed and court awareness to help extend the advantage. Jacobs knocked down a three-pointer late in the second quarter, and Smalls capped the half with a driving basket as Peekskill took a 21–9 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, Jacobs and Asani Brickhouse each connected from beyond the arc, while Trinity Hardy added key second-chance points to keep momentum on Peekskill’s side. Despite a late push from East Ramapo, the Red Devils maintained control, entering the fourth quarter ahead 35-19.

Ramapo mounted a strong comeback in the final period, but Peekskill responded with timely baskets from Jacobs, Smalls, and Brickhouse to secure the 46-40 victory.

Jacobs led the Red Devils with 13 points (4 three-pointers), followed by Smalls with 12. Hardy, Kimberly Martinez, and Jacobs were named to the All-Showcase team, with Jacobs earning Player of the Game honors.

Peekskill now stands at 6-8 overall and will close the season with a home game against Carmel on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m., followed by an away matchup at Keio Academy in Purchase on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 4:45 p.m.

Wrestling

Junior captain Stephen Cordero delivered a strong performance at the Section 1 Division 1 (large schools) Championships on Feb. 7 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, finishing sixth at 175 pounds. Cordero earned wins over East Ramapo’s Fabricio Flores-Garcia (9–5 decision), Yonkers’ Joseph Goldfeder (7–0 decision), and Mahopac’s Sean Coronel (14–4 major decision), entering the tournament with a 20–8 record.

On Feb. 8, the Red Devils girls competed in the Section 1 Girls Freestyle Tournament, where Daelyn Alarcon (114 pounds), Arianna Jones (126), Anaia Jones (132), Milan Smith (165), and Jachely Fernandez (185) each placed fourth in their respective weight classes.

Other News

Peekskill Legend Dethroned from Section 1 Record

History was made on Friday, Feb. 6 as Dobbs Ferry’s Anthony Ficarrotta surpassed the all-time Section 1 scoring record of 2,055 points — a 43-year-old mark previously held by Peekskill great Todd Scott.

Ficarrotta, who has committed to play at the Division II level at St. Thomas Aquinas, reached the 2,000-point milestone in a 80-34 victory over Ardsley on Feb. 4. The achievement made the senior guard just the fifth player in Section 1 history to reach the benchmark, and the first since Peekskill legend and NBA All-Star Elton Brand did so in 1997.

Although Ficarrotta has now dethroned a Peekskill player from the top spot, three Peekskill standouts still rank among the all-time top 10 scorers: Todd Scott at No. 2 (1983; 2,055 points), Elton Brand at No. 4 (1997; 2,027 points), and Mookie Jones at No. 5 (2008; 1,878 points).

(Pictured is a jersey honoring Todd Scott that lists at bottom his career total as 2,057 points; however, official state record books credit Scott with 2,055 points.)

College Watch

Track & Field – Division III Isaiah Ritter (Peekskill Class of 2023) placed second in the long jump with a mark of 6.92 meters at the Blue and Orange Invitational & Multi, hosted by Utica on Feb. 7.

Men’s Basketball – NJCAA Region 15 Rockland Community College defeated Lackawanna College, 89-86, on Feb. 5 behind a team-high 24 points from Jaden Chavis (Peekskill Class of 2025). Rockland currently holds a 17-7 overall record, including a 3-1 mark in conference play.