Girls Basketball
Hen Hud faced its first hurdle in more than a month this past week, dropping back-to-back games in its bid to reach the postseason mecca, the Westchester County Center.
On Jan. 30, playing without starter Maria Ribeiro — who sustained a concussion against Croton the previous week — the Sailors fell to Somers in a 56-48 upset loss. Elyse Smith led the effort with 15 points, while Kate Stratton added 13.
Hen Hud then traveled to face No. 1 Class A powerhouse Tappan Zee on Feb. 2. Despite the Sailors entering ranked No. 2, the matchup proved one-sided, as the Dutchmen showcased their talent and sharp shooting in a 72-38 victory. Smith paced Hen Hud with 11 points, while Stratton and Carleigh Ortiz each scored 10. Tappan Zee’s Emma McHugh recorded a game-high 22 points.
The Sailors rebounded two days later, cruising past Ardsley on the road, 51-27, on Feb. 4. Smith once again led the charge with 16 points, while Avery Motko added 11, including three shots from beyond the arc.
Now 12-4 on the season, Hen Hud will next host Pleasantville on Friday, Feb. 6, at 4:30 p.m., looking to secure its second win over the Panthers this season. The Sailors will also host Bronxville on Monday, Feb. 9, at 5 p.m., and Westlake on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 4:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball
The Sailors’ winless drought continued as they dropped two games during a four-game stretch. On Jan. 30, Hen Hud fell to Pearl River at home, 69-51, despite a 17-point performance from Justin Parkes. Hunter Kennedy-Brown added 11 points, while Kane Wamack chipped in 10.
Then, on Feb. 2, the Sailors suffered a tough 65-35 road loss to Bronxville. Wamack and Chris Barreiros led Hen Hud with eight points apiece.
Hen Hud snapped its losing streak on Feb. 5 with a 75-64 victory over Haldane on the road. Kennedy-Brown and Wamack each scored 23 points to lead the way, while DJ McCarthy contributed 12.
Coach Stephen Purcigliotti and the Sailors will look to build on that momentum as they enter a busy stretch. Hen Hud (5-11) travels to Carmel on Friday, Feb. 6, at 6:15 p.m., before returning home to face John Jay Cross River on Monday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. The Sailors will then host Peekskill on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6:15 p.m., followed by Irvington on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 5 p.m.
Indoor Track
Hen Hud’s Oona McManus competing in the pentathlon on Jan. 31 at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. (Supplied)
A number of Hendrick Hudson athletes competed at the 11th Annual Ocean Breeze Invitational in Staten Island on Jan. 31. Oona McManus finished ninth in the girls pentathlon with a score of 2,534, while Taiten Robinson placed 18th in the boys pentathlon with 2,530 points. Competing in the red (elite) division, Perry Quaye placed fourth in the high jump, clearing 6 feet, 4 inches.
On Feb. 1, senior standout Victor Delgado competed in the prestigious Millrose Games at The Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory in New York City. Delgado ran the second-fastest mile of his career, clocking a 4:17.88 to finish 13th in the junior boys one-mile run.
“It was such an honor for him to be selected to run at this level,” said Hen Hud head coach Maria Bailey.
Hen Hud’s track & field team returns to action Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Purple Champions Invitational at The Armory, beginning at 5 p.m.
Ice Hockey
Cortlandt Rebels ice hockey team huddle from a January game. (Sheyla Cortorreal)
The Cortlandt Rebels honored their seniors — Matthew Lennox, Stephen Kjartansson, Sean Foley, Carmine Cusma, Mackinley Smith, Aiden Dzubak and Joseph Recuppio — with a 3-1 Senior Night victory over Fox Lane at Brewster Ice Arena on Feb. 1.
After a scoreless first period, Hudson Tarkington put Cortlandt on the board in the second at 14:13 with assists from Hen Hud’s Foley and Nate Herbert. Fox Lane responded when Mark Chen scored at 4:55, but the Rebels regained the lead with just 26 seconds remaining in the period as Foley finished off assists from Tarkington and Lennox. Foley added an insurance goal in the third at 13:42, assisted by Kjartansson and Herbert. Goaltender Brandon DiBenedetto recorded 27 saves in the win.
Cortlandt followed with another victory on Feb. 4, defeating Mahopac 6-4 at Brewster Ice Arena for its second win over the Wolf Pac this season. Dzubak led the way with four goals, while Tarkington contributed two goals and two assists. Foley added three assists, Anthony Costa had two assists, and Herbert and Lennox each recorded one assist.
Up next, the Rebels (7-9) face Pawling on Friday, Feb. 6, at 8:30 p.m., followed by Carmel on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 3:30 p.m. Both games will be played at Brewster Ice Arena.
Skiing
Hen Hud’s ski team at their slalom race on Feb. 4. (Supplied)
Fotini Schattman won the girls division at a giant slalom race held at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area on Feb. 2, while sophomore Rachel Budde finished third.
Two days later, on Feb. 4, Budde placed first, Schattman finished fourth and Mia Goodenow came in 11th at a slalom race at Thunder Ridge Ski Area.
Schattman, Budde and Goodenow will all compete at the Section 1 championships on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Hunter Mountain, beginning at 9 a.m.
Gymnastics
Hen Hud’s Maggie Johannsen, who competes with the merged Somers gymnastics team, finished tied for third on vault with a score of 9.1, tied for second on uneven bars with a 9.3, fourth on floor exercise with a 9.55, and sixth in the all-around with a total score of 36.55 at the Division 2 championships on Feb. 2 at Eclipse Gymnastics in Mahopac.
Johannsen followed that performance with a fourth-place finish on balance beam (9.5) and sixth-place finishes on vault and uneven bars (9.15) at the Section 1 championships on Feb. 5, also held at Eclipse Gymnastics. She received the Sportsmanship Award for her team.
Johannsen was also selected as one of 15 athletes named to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) team for uneven bars and will compete at the state championships Feb. 28 at Valley Gymnastics in Utica.
Other Results and Upcoming Games
Bowling Both Hen Hud’s boys (7-6) and girls (10-2) bowling teams have qualified for the postseason. The Sailors girls will compete in the sectional championships on Monday, Feb. 9, while the boys take the lanes Tuesday, Feb. 10. Both events will be held at Fishkill Bowl, with competition beginning at 9 a.m.
Winter Cheer Hen Hud finished third at the Dragon’s Den Cheerleading Competition on Jan. 31 at Dover High School. The Sailors will travel this weekend to compete at the Wolf Pack Palooza at Colonie Central High School in Albany on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 9 a.m., before heading to Tappan Zee High School on Wednesday, Feb. 11, for a League B competition at 6 p.m.
Wrestling The Sailors wrestling team will compete in the Section 1 Small Schools (Division II) Championships on Friday, Feb. 6, at the Westchester County Center, beginning at 2:15 p.m. Senior Shawn O’Mara Jr. enters as the No. 1 seed at 175 pounds and is expected to contend for the title, potentially facing No. 2 Ethan Mitev (Ardsley) in a rematch of last year’s 160-pound final. Rocco Carbone, the No. 2 seed at 118 pounds, is also considered a strong contender.
College Watch
Le Moyne’s Demetrius Wells. (Le Moyne College Athletics).
Track & Field – Division I: Demetrius Wells (Hen Hud Class of 2024), a member of the Le Moyne men’s indoor track & field team, was named Athlete of the Week on Feb. 5 for the second time this season after debuting in January, following strong performances the previous week.
On Jan. 31, Wells placed third overall in the men’s triple jump at the Harvard Invitational with a mark of 13.31 meters. The following day, he finished ninth overall in the triple jump at the John Thomas Terrier Classic, recording a season-best jump of 13.92 meters (45’8”).
Track & Field – Division III: Karli Martin (Hen Hud Class of 2023) finished fifth in the weight throw (13.98 meters) for Vermont State University Castleton at the USM Husky Invitational, hosted by Southern Maine on Jan. 31.