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OSSINING, N.Y. The Ossining High School football team fell to its bitter rival Sleepy Hollow, 34-21, at home Friday night.
Sleepy Hollow (6-1) quarterback Devin Lopez rushed for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns in the Horsemens victory, including a 54-yard touchdown run in the final minute that put the game out of reach.
Their defense was locked down in passing so we took to my legs and my line did a great job blocking, Lopez said. My wideouts did a great job. I found the seams and I ran for it.
Ossining coach Dan Ricci said the loss of quarterback Justin Davidov, among other injuries, hurt the team. The Pride trailed, 28-21, with less than five minutes remaining and had four chances to get in the end zone from inside the Sleepy Hollow 20 but could not do it.
We got Justin there, theyre not stopping us. Hes the option threat. Ricci said. So I got what I could out of everybody I had.
Ossining finished the regular season at 2-5, Ricci said the Pride is far better than its record.
This has been our season: Were 2-5 and every game were winning, Ricci said. Were right there against Somers, against Poughkeepsie, against Sleepy. Were just as good as all of these teams. We just dont finish. Thats what its been all year. We just havent been able to put things away.
Sleepy Hollow had not defeated Ossining since 1984, well before any of the players in the game were even born.
Horsemen head coach Steve Borys said the win was huge for the program.
Last year we had a real heartbreaker against them, Borys said. We lost one that we really felt we should have won. This was just, it feels great. Its what you sign up for.
Ossining pulled out every trick in its bag for this game but it still was not enough. Borys expected the Pride to throw everything it had at the Horsemen and credited Ricci for his creative mind.
They threw at least three halfback passes. I was expecting a flea flicker. We were expecting everything, Borys said. I thought an air strike, a spaceship was going to land. We didnt know what the hell was going to happen.
The game was a back-and-forth affair that had two ties and multiple lead changes, but Sleepy Hollow pulled away with two rushing touchdowns by Lopez after the score was tied at 21 in the third quarter.
The two teams did not meet from 1991 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2010. But Borys said the rivalry has picked up steam again despite the limited number of games in the last few decades.
The communities, it doesnt sound like they missed a beat, Borys said. Theyve been going bananas about this. Weve got old-timers dragging themselves out with their canes. Theyre coming out of the woodwork.
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