It’s not every day that high school sports teams are asked to play a game in pounding rain or driving snow, but on Friday afternoon, the Tuckahoe football team was treated to a little bit of both.
On Nov. 15, the Section 1 champion Tigers hosted Section 9 champ Burke Catholic in the regional finals at Lakeland High School, contending against both the Eagles and sloppy conditions in a low-scoring postseason game that saw just one scoring play—and a lot of unsure footing—as Burke Catholic ended Tuckahoe’s season, topping the Tigers 3-0.
The game was initially scheduled to played nearly 45 minutes further north at Arlington High School, was moved to Lakeland after the Admirals’ facilities—and Mahopac’s—were deemed unplayable.
The weather was little better at Lakeland, however, as neither team was able to establish any sustained offense, but Burke Catholic found a few more big plays, including a 19-yard FG in the third quarter that would stand as the game-winner.
Tuckahoe coach John D’Arco Jr. said that the inclement weather acted as something of an equalizer on Friday night.
“We wanted to use our speed a little more, throw the ball, get to the outside and obviously that didn’t work which meant we had to adjust; that’s what football is,” said D’Arco. “We knew we’d have to run the ball, we played GREAT defense, but we just didn’t get that one play when we needed it.”
With the win, Burke Catholic moved on to the Class D state semifinals, where they will play against Section 2 champion Greenwich on Nov. 29 at Middletown High School
D’Arco’s team finished 5-4 on the year—despite playing seven games without star quarterback Connor Brice—and reclaimed the Section 1 crown after falling short against Haldane a year ago.
“One game doesn’t define a season,” said the head coach. “That’s something I want them to remember.”
As for the team’s finale, which played out in the rain and snow? D’Arco said that although his players might not recognize it now, he believes that one day they will likely look back on Friday’s tilt with Burke Catholic fondly.
“Every day, this is going to hurt less and less,” said D’Arco. “But to be playing in the state playoffs, in a snow game, with so much on the line, I think that they’re going to remember what a unique experience this was to have.”
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