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Published: 04 February 2013

Created: 04 February 2013

Last Updated: 11 February 2013

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Coming off a tough loss to rival White Plains, Scarsdale hoped to continue its otherwise strong season with an upset against perennial powerhouse Mt. Vernon this past Thursday. Though its program is not as strong as in past years, the back-to-back state federation champion Knights came in with a 12-1 record and were ranked 2nd in the state. Additionally, the team was hoping to earn its legendary coach, Bob Cimmino, his 400th win.

The Raiders, however, were playing with confidence that had not been present in the past few years. Having already won more games (12) this season than in the past two combined, the Scarsdale team seemed capable of beating Mt. Vernon for the first time in Coach Jon Feld's tenure as coach.

For much of the first quarter, Scarsdale seemed to have a chance at ending the streak. The some 200 fans in attendance became increasingly excited as senior Jack Hewitt scored Scarsdale's first two baskets and seniors Tyler Nathan and Jonathan Cohen each tacked on a three-pointer. But in what would set the tone for the rest of the game, Mt. Vernon quickly responded to each Scarsdale score with a graceful, efficient offensive possession.

With a few minutes to play in the 1st quarter, Mt. Vernon was leading by only a slim margin, 13-12. The tight score did not last long as the Knights began a 13-point run that continued into the 2nd quarter. The Raiders were slow to respond, making offensive errors and not scoring again until the final minutes of of the half.

Although the home team never threatened again to tie the score, they proved resilient in the face of a strong opponent. Hewitt continued to make impressive plays all over the court, eventually notching 23 points. In the 3rd quarter, Nathan hit two three-pointers in a row from the same spot, exciting the large crowd still in attendance. Together, he and Cohen made seven-three pointers. The team also benefitted from strong play by Senior point guard Alex Squadron, whose quick passes and impressive ball-handling managed to avoid too many offensive turnovers.

The Raiders offense, however, could not match Mt. Vernon's. Spectators were silenced after Scarsdale scores by the speed and precision of the Knights. "Wows" could be heard in the stands as Senior Josh Doughty nailed three-pointer after three-pointer early in the game, and as a Mt. Vernon player on a breakaway lept up above the rim before gently placing the ball in the basket. It was evident to everyone in attendance how Mt. Vernon had won the past two state championships.

Though Scarsdale will not beat Mt. Vernon this year, the team has an opportunity to end its two-game skid Monday against Eastchester on Senior Night.

This article was contributed by Brian Solender, a senior at Scarsdale High School, and a former reporter, assistant editor and sports editor for the Maroon.

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Published: 31 January 2013

Created: 31 January 2013

Last Updated: 31 January 2013

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Backyard Sports Cares is partnering with the New York Knicks organization to host the inaugural Adult Three-on-Three Basketball Tournament. The tournament will be held at the MSG Training Center in Greenburgh NY on March 17th, 2013 from 9am – 3pm. Teams will be divided into three divisions: Open (most competitive), 35 years and older, and Recreation (all ages). Beloved Knicks alumni players and the Knicks City Dancers will be on hand to cheer on the participants.

"We are honored to work in collaboration with the Knicks on this unique opportunity for basketball enthusiasts to experience playing at the state of the art Knicks facility, and at the same time help raise funds for children in our area who do not have traditional access to sports programming," said Danny Bernstein, "head coach" and founder of Backyard Sports Cares (BYSC). "Sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball and tennis are a great tool to teach all children life lessons that will help them lead better lives in our community."

There are a limited number of teams. Each $1500 team registration includes three- five players, individual jerseys and food & beverage. To learn more or register a team for the event, please visit http://byardsportscares.org/event-registration.html.

Founded in 2007, BYSC has touched the lives of over 4,000 children in Westchester neighborhoods including Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle, Port Chester, White Plains and Yonkers. Backyard Sports Plus, a unique program that provides one-on-one peer mentors serves special needs children to maximize their sports potential for greater success. Established in 2005, Backyard Sports is committed to replacing today's "win at all costs" mentality of youth sports with an approach that promotes increased self confidence and a lifetime love of sports while maximizing the athletic potential of each participant. Backyard Sports Cares was created to bring these ideals to children who have limited access to traditional youth sports programs, including children with special needs. Learn more at www.byardsportscares.org.

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Published: 24 January 2013

Created: 24 January 2013

Last Updated: 24 January 2013

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Both local teams fared well at the 31st annual Edgemont Wrestling Tournament on Saturday January 19, with Edgemont taking first and Scarsdale fifth out of the 19 teams competing that day. The day featured 250 wrestlers from 19 teams and provided competitive and exciting matches leading up to the sectional tournaments in two weeks.

Each individual wrestler on the Edgemont Panthers displayed competitiveness and determination resulting in a first place victory. This is exactly the kind of wrestling that will put the Panther's on the list of top teams in the section

To prepare for sectionals, Panther's coach Manny Alayon stated, "We're doing a lot more drilling and more individual coaching which will give each wrestler the attention while fine tuning their skills so they can get a good taste of sectionals." Among the standouts for the day for the Edgemont Panthers were the Aslanian brothers who both easily made their way into the final round. A top section competitor from Pearl River decisioned younger brother Kyle Aslanian, while Trey Aslanian edged his opponent from New Fairfield. Now a senior, Trey has finished at the top in the New York State tournament in the past couple of years and aspires to cap off his high school career with another state title. Another one of Edgemont's standouts was junior Will Graybeal who pinned his opponent from Yonkers and came away with a bronze medal for the day.

Scarsdale Raider's Head Coach Barney Foltman focused on correcting the mistakes of the more -experienced wrestlers while providing support their younger teammates. Foltman reports that, "We have a very well rounded team, and the more competitive matches we face, the more we'll grow as a team." Among the team standouts was Sophomore Robbie Keltz. After failing to place in the last tournament, Keltz was determined to step up his game and this Saturday went 3-1 for the day, finishing in third place. In his final match he put on a stellar performance and triumphed over his opponent from Dobbs Ferry. Another star was Scarsdale's Daniel Baruch who fought his way into the finals of the last tournament but fell short of first place. Correcting his mistakes and improving his mindset, he made it into the finals yet again, this time taking the gold. In perhaps his best match to date, he came away with a close 9-7 victory over his opponent from Pearl River.

Senior captain Michael Hodges has been wrestling at the state-level all season, easily capturing the gold at the Scarsdale tournament and coasting his way to the finals in Edgemont by pinning his opponent from Salesian in his final match. This marks two gold medals in a row for Hodges and expectations remain high for the senior in the upcoming sectional tournaments.

Senior captain Joe Kashakow displayed a high level of technical and composed wrestling this weekend when he faced some challenges. In the semifinal, Kashakow was matched against Oliver Oks of Edgemont. Up until the final periods, Oks had almost full control until Koshakow caught Oks off guard to secure a 4:31 pin. Koshakow then faced his most evenly matched opponent, Ben Miller of Mamaroneck, for his final match. Kashakow had edged a victory over Miller earlier in the season but knew that this match could go either way. With an even score throughout the entire six minutes, the two battled for the gold medal in a thrilling overtime match won by Miller in a 4-3 victory. With both Miller and Kashakow ranked among the top three in the section, the two are likely to meet again this season.

The Raiders and Edgemont Panthers will compete again on Saturday January 25 when they will battle for the Bronx River Cup at Scarsdale High School. The cup has gone back and forth between the two rivals for the past five years, with Scarsdale taking it in 2012. Edgemont hopes to reclaim it this year and will certainly put up a tough fight.

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Published: 14 January 2013

Created: 14 January 2013

Last Updated: 17 January 2013

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(Updated1-17) On Tuesday January 15, the Scarsdale Raiders varsity boys basketball team faced off against the Huguenots of New Rochelle. The last time the Raiders had beaten the Huguenots was in 2009, before any members of the current team were even in high school. Many sports-writers around Westchester expected New Rochelle to win because of their up-tempo style, and perhaps the best player in Section 1 on their roster, Joe Clarke.

The Raiders were able to head into halftime with a 39-23 lead, after an extraordinary buzzer beating lay-up by Robert Plummer. That first half was undoubtedly their best sixteen minutes of basketball of the season, and it looked as if Scarsdale was going to continue to build off their lead in the second half.
In the third quarter the Huguenots came out with a newfound energy and went on a 22-7 run, leaving Scarsdale's lead to only 46-45. Ultimately the Raiders were able to win in a nail biting 4th quarter, 57-55. Senior captain Jack Hewitt led the team with 23 points, and senior Tyler Nathan was able to contribute 17 (5 3pts).

The Raiders are now 9-2, and are in fourth place in Section 1. They play at Pelham at 4:30 on Friday, at Mamaroneck at 4:15 on 1-25, at Clarkstown South at 5 pm on 1-26, at White Plains at 4:15 on January 29, host Mount Vernon on January 31 at 4:15, host Eastchester at 4:15 on the February 4 and they round out their season going into New Rochelle on February 8 at 4:15.

Raiders V. White Plains Tigers January 9

On Wednesday the ninth of January, Scarsdale High Schoolʼs boys' varsity basketball team played the White Plains Tigers at Scarsdale. The game ended with a complete defeat for the Tigers, with the final score tallying 61-34 for Scarsdale. Scarsdale claimed their lead as early as the tip off, and scored up until the last seven seconds where Grant Goodman landed two foul shots.

Coming into the game Scarsdale was optimistic, boasting a 7-1 record. However, the Tigers were 2-5, and really needed a win to bring them up. They hoped star players Mike DeMello, Chris Jordan and Justin Tackler could bring home a victory. The starting lineup for Scarsdale was an all-senior team consisting of Robert Plummer, Peter Simon, Jon Cohen, and co-captains Jack Hewitt and Alex Squadron. This team contrasted with an all-junior staring lineup for White Plains, who desperately tried to keep up with the smooth, calm, and fast-paced Scarsdale boys. The game started quickly when Plummer sunk a foul shot only seconds into the game. Scarsdale continued to rise, however the Tigers remained close behind, barely sneaking one in before the first quarter buzzer bringing the score to 14-7. The game continued in this manner, with Scarsdale slowly sneaking higher and higher on White Plains, who struggled to keep up.

One of the key points of the game was a lapse of White Plains action from the time Thomas scored at 1:59 in the second quarter until Jordan scored at 4:54 in the third quarter, with only one basket in between. During this period of the three White Plains shots, Scarsdale continued to swish basket after basket, brining them another eleven points in the lead. At this point, it was an almost sure game for Scarsdale, as the score was 37-22. This resulted in a White Plains timeout, and many missed baskets. Thereafter, whatever attempts made by White Plains were offset by the continuous scoring of Scarsdale, which never ceased their action despite their large lead. Needless to say, White Plains lost hope for the game, and Scarsdale celebrated a clear victory.

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There were a few memorable moments of the game. One of those included a disputed call that resulted in a foul and no basket for Robert Plummer. Another was numerous falls by both teams that resulted in confusion and a Scarsdale foul. The last, and rather strategic move, was a Scarsdale timeout to save the teamʼs ball possession at the end of the third quarter. In addition, some of the amazing athletic plays including Squadron acrobatic move to save the ball at 6:33 in the third quarter, and a high-arching throw across the court to a receiving Plummer. The top scorers of the game for Scarsdale included Jon Cohen - 19 points, Jack Hewitt - 16 points, Dylan Lobue - 10 points, and Bobby Plummer - 8 points. The next home game scheduled for Scarsdale is Tuesday the 15th.

Article written by Marie Ceske with photos by Carly Glickenhaus: Marie Ceske is a freshman at Scarsdale High School who loves writing, especially creative writing, and softball. Also a freshman at SHS, Carly Glickenhaus loves soccer and photography because a picture is worth a thousand words! These two close friends are both athletes and debaters who are passionate about cheering on their fellow Raiders.