The spring season has arrived, and with it comes an exciting season of coverage in our 2026 reports. Peekskill Herald readers can expect in-depth reporting on flag football, softball, baseball, and track and field.

To make sure you never miss our weekly Tuesday reports — featuring former Red Devils competing at the collegiate level — be sure to subscribe to our email list. 

Flag Football

Peekskill’s flag football team opened its 2026 spring season on Mar. 26 with a 22-12 loss to North Rockland at home, setting the tone for a week that showcased both promise and resilience.

The Red Devils came out strong. Eighth-grade quarterback Malaiya Farmer wasted little time, connecting with fellow eighth grader Tylah Grant for a touchdown pass that gave Peekskill a 6-0 lead with 8:13 on the clock in the first quarter. North Rockland answered late in the quarter with a safety following a mishandled snap, narrowing the gap to 6-2 with just 38 seconds left.

Momentum shifted in the second quarter when J’Nylah Pierre broke free for a 21-yard rushing touchdown at the 1:51 mark, putting North Rockland ahead 8-6. Pierre continued to make her presence felt after halftime, returning an interception for a touchdown early in the third quarter to extend the lead to 16-6.

With 2:26 left in the third, Farmer again found Grant — this time on a 32-yard strike — to pull the Red Devils within four, 16-12. But Pierre sealed the game in the fourth quarter with another rushing touchdown at 3:15, securing a 22-12 victory for North Rockland.

Peekskill quickly bounced back the very next day, Mar. 27, delivering a dominant performance in a 43-0 shutout win over Port Chester at home.

The Red Devils set the tone early. Farmer handed the ball off to Trinity Hardy for a 20-yard rushing touchdown, then added the extra point herself on a cleverly executed fake, twisting past a defender to make it 7-0 with 9:14 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Peekskill’s offense erupted. Just one minute in, Farmer launched a 30-yard touchdown pass to Grant, who finished the play near the goal line to extend the lead to 13-0. At 7:01, the duo connected again for a 15-yard score, with Grant fighting through multiple defenders to make it 19-0. Minutes later, Grant struck on defense, jumping a short pass and returning it 25 yards for a pick-six, pushing the halftime lead to 25-0.

Farmer continued to showcase her versatility in the third quarter. At 7:56, she took the snap and ran 23 yards for a touchdown, stretching the lead to 31-0. Later, she handed off to Hardy for another score — a 10-yard run that made it 37-0 heading into the final quarter. Peekskill added one more rushing touchdown with 7:13 remaining in the fourth to cap off the 43-0 shutout.

On Mar. 31, during an early morning spring break matchup, Peekskill hosted Putnam Valley in a tightly contested game that came down to the final play.

Putnam Valley struck first, taking a 6-0 lead with 6:03 left in the opening quarter on a short touchdown pass. The game remained close throughout, with defenses controlling much of the action. Peekskill broke through in the third quarter when Farmer tied the game at 6-6 with a six-yard rushing touchdown at the 8:51 mark.

In the fourth quarter, Putnam Valley regained the lead with a long rushing touchdown down the sideline with 2:16 remaining, then added the extra point conversion to go up 13-6. Peekskill mounted one final drive, and on the last play of regulation, Farmer connected with Grant on a five-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 13-12.

With the game on the line, Peekskill opted for a two-point conversion and the win. Farmer’s pass to Grant in the corner of the end zone was just out of reach, sealing a narrow victory for Putnam Valley in a game that remained competitive from start to finish.

Adding an extra layer of intrigue, Putnam Valley’s sideline featured familiar faces — head coach Mat Bruno and assistant coach Jenn Bruno, both Peekskill graduates.

Now 1-2 on the season, Peekskill is navigating a period of transition. Head coach Tyrone Searight, who has led the program since its inception in 2022 when Section 1 Athletics introduced flag football, returns alongside assistant coach Anthony Turner. Last season, the Red Devils finished 8-5-3 and exited in the first round of the Class B sectional tournament.

This year’s squad is younger and smaller, with just around 12 players following the graduation of 12 seniors, including key standouts Zinnia Quinlan, Mirian Bonilla, and All-Section quarterback Jealina Searight, the 2024-25 Peekskill Athlete of the Year. Replacing that experience will be a challenge, but early performances — particularly from Farmer, Grant, and Hardy — offer encouraging signs.

Peekskill will look to regroup this week before returning to action on Thursday, Apr. 9 at 4:45 p.m., when they travel to Poughkeepsie for their first road game of the season.

Softball

On Mar. 25, Peekskill dropped a 20-5 decision to Port Chester in its season opener on the road at Park Avenue School. For Port Chester, Ryan Onofrio-Fransichini earned the win, tossing five innings while allowing three walks and striking out 13. Sofia Greco went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, four runs scored, and three RBIs.

Two days later, Mar. 27, the Red Devils rebounded with a 14-5 victory over Alexander Hamilton, also on the road. Mikayla Gonzalez highlighted the effort with a solo home run in the sixth inning.

Peekskill is led by head coach Vernon Merriweather and assistant coach Jessica Van Galen, and competes in Class AA’s development league against other transitioning programs.

Up next, Peekskill (1-1) travels to Lincoln High School in Yonkers on Monday, April 6, with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Baseball

New faces are in the dugout this season for Peekskill. 

Replacing head coach Joshian Fernandez is Peekskill Class of 2011 alum Dontae Harris. Harris, who played varsity baseball for the Red Devils from 2008–11 and captained the team as a senior, brings a wealth of experience to the developing program.

After high school, Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from SUNY Cortland and a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism with a sports communications focus from Syracuse University. He has worked full-time as a Recreation Leader for the City of Peekskill since 2018, which he says “allows me to stay closely connected to the community and our student-athletes.” Since 2015, Harris has coached basketball and baseball across multiple levels and age groups.

In Apr. 2025, Peekskill’s Common Council recognized the city’s fifth- and sixth-grade Tri-County basketball teams, led by Harris, for their strong seasons. The fifth-grade team narrowly lost in the championship game, while the sixth-grade team went 12-2, moved up a division, and advanced to the quarterfinals.

While addressing council members, Harris emphasized a vision of building a feeder program for the varsity level—long-term planning that will be evident as he takes over the Peekskill varsity baseball program.

Harris is not the only new face joining the program this year. Assisting him is Joshua Gillison, a recent graduate of Manhattanville University and a 2021 Hendrick Hudson alum, who brings a youthful mindset to the staff and a lifelong passion for the sport.

Commenting on his collegiate career, Gillison said, “My experience there was incredibly rewarding, both competitively and personally, and it helped shape my understanding of the game. I’m excited to bring those lessons and passion into my role as a coach and to share them with the next generation of players.”

Harris is equally eager to get the ball rolling, setting clear goals for his debut season. “Our primary focus is on daily improvement, competing in every game, and continuing to build a strong foundation for the program.”

“We want to put ourselves in a position to compete within our league. For me, a successful first season is defined by growth, both in terms of player development and team culture. If we’re playing fundamentally sound baseball, competing consistently, and representing Peekskill the right way, that’s success,” Harris noted. Peekskill will compete this year in Class AA’s development league against other young programs.

Both Harris and Gillison are encouraged by the group’s mentality so far. “The team has shown strong commitment, energy, and a willingness to put in the work every day… there’s a clear mindset of wanting to improve and compete,” said Harris.

“We have a nice core of experienced upperclassmen who provide leadership, along with talented underclassmen who can make an immediate impact. There’s a great energy around the group, and we’re focused on continuing to develop overall,” said Gillison.

Returning players include Jayden Bradby, Elijah Resendes, Dillon Sniffen, and Rocco D’Elia, all of whom earned All-League honors last year, along with Carter Ojeda. Harris said he is also excited about several newcomers, including Christopher Badia, Elian Diaz, and Trevant McAllister. The Red Devils finished 3-8 in the 2025 season.

On Mar. 30, Peekskill opened the spring season with a 10-0 road loss to Halden. Bradby started on the mound, pitching three innings and allowing four runs while striking out four. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, a single, and a stolen base.

Peekskill (0-1) returns to action Monday, Apr. 6, in its home opener against Saunders at 5:30 p.m. at Torpy Field.

Track and Field

Peekskill’s varsity outdoor track and field team opened its spring season at the Tusker Twilight Invitational at Somers High School on Mar. 27.

On the girls’ side, Maria Chimbo earned a first-place finish in the novice 1,500-meter race walk with a time of 12:27.13. Luciana Bahr placed 12th in the freshman/sophomore 100-meter dash in 14.36 seconds, followed by Amanda Nelson in 20th at 14.61. Ashlee Ordonez finished 30th in the freshman/sophomore 400-meter dash, clocking 1:16.99.

For the boys, James Will took 27th in the 100-meter dash in 12.43, while Lamar Duncanson placed 32nd in 12.57. Gregory Tompkins III led the 400-meter dash performances with a 13th-place finish in 57.48, and Anderson Marin followed in 20th at 59.60. Oscar Curillo placed 15th in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:18.43. In the field events, Tamick Tompkins tied for sixth in the freshman/sophomore high jump, clearing 1.44 meters.

Up next, Peekskill will host a league meet against several schools on Wednesday, Apr. 8, at 4:30 p.m.

Other News

Peekskill Wrestler Earns Postseason Award

Peekskill’s Stephen Cordero has been selected by Section 1 coaches as an All-Section Division I wrestler.

The junior captain hit a major milestone this season, surpassing 20 wins for the first time in his career. He also placed sixth at the Section 1 large schools championships in February in the 175-pound weight class.