Somers Beats the Storm and Peekskill on Opening Night

Somers and Peekskill photos are at the end of the article

On Friday September 25, Somers picked the night before the big storm to play their home opener. Peekskill joined the Tuskers under a foreboding sky and won the right to send their offense out first. Unfortunately for the visiting team, that was the last time the Blue Devils came out on top.

After Cole Kennedy recovered a fumble on third down, Tristan Iglesias hit a wide open Cam Violante on the next play, and the Tuskers followed with 34 consecutive points in an easy 41-0 victory.

Peekskill did manage a first down on their next possession but small victories were the best they could do. Somers started 40 yards away on Luke Balancia’s return, and it didn’t take long to go the distance.

First Iglesias hit Dean Monachelli for a ten yard screen to the left, and after Balancia went up the middle for six more, the QB went left again.  He hit Violante for 12 more, and Balancia did the rest. Two runs and Somers led 12-0 with 4:33 left in the first quarter.

Danny Hershfield added one more on the extra point, and the defense was nearly infallible again. One first down yielded in the sequence, that was all, and no surprise, the offense made really quick work.

Iglesias struck Monachelli over the middle, he took off and getting close had the receiver fumble the ball. No problem, the Tusker recovered his own miscue and finished off the 60 yard play for a 20-0 game to open the second quarter.

Of course, the offense was back in play four downs later, and the field was really short this time. Peekskill opted to go on fourth down, and Somers took over at the 20. Eyes wide, Iglesias threw left to Jayden Abruzese, and the Tuskers were set up with a first and goal from the five yard line.

Two runs later, Somers was still five yards away. So Iglesias went arms and legs to finish the drive off. He rolled right and connected with John Seeger for a 27-0 lead. 

In the end zone at 7:25, the game remained on rewind. Peekskill lasted three plays, and a short punt had Monachelli returning the ball to the three. A play later, Dean Klatsky entered as QB, and the freshman scored his first varsity TD on the keeper.

All that was left was Klatsky getting a chance to play some more QB in the second half, and in the opening possession, the backup drove the team down the field. Completions to Justin Thomas and Seeger set up a second and goal, and Ewan Stancsuk received in the end zone to complete the score sheet.

There was no letting up over the next few weeks either. The Tuskers began by facing the team that beat them in the section one finals in 2025. A game expected, the notion didn't last long. Monachelli received the opening kick off and ran to the house for a 7-0 lead. Next Tristan Iglesias drove his team down the field for a 14-0 lead. Rye did score with 90 seconds left in the half to steal back the momentum. Not so fast, Somers back right back and Hershfield's 32 yard field did an about face on the game. Somers scored the next two touchdowns and took the game 31-13.

No such drama vs Lakeland, the final was 48-7.

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Click image for Peekskill Photos

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