NYSPHSAA semifinals: Pleasantville gets back to Syracuse, where another rematch awaits

MIDDLETOWN - Since the season ended in heartbreak last December, Pleasantville had known its mission: Win the section, advance in states and get back to the state final.

"That's what I've been playing for ever since that last game," junior Ryan Horigan said. "That score has been stuck in my head."

Pleasantville remained unbeaten after defeating the Section 2 champ 14-6 in their Class B state semifinal rematch Saturday at Middletown High School. That earned the Panthers a rematch with state power Maine-Endwell, which romped past Batavia 61-20 on Saturday.

Maine-Endwell, a six-time state champion, came from behind to win last year's state final 21-12.

"The group we took up to Syracuse last year was totally different than in 2017," Pleasantville coach Tony Becerra said. "This year we have some guys who have obviously been there before. Hopefully we can treat it more like a business trip and get after it."

It was the defense that was all business for the Panthers on Saturday for the Panthers. They built a 14-6 halftime lead on touchdowns by Erik Coleman and Louis Sdao, but were stopped three times inside the Ravena 25 in the second half and then missed a field goal late in the fourth quarter that would've given them a two-score advantage.

Ravena, after forcing another stop, regained possession at its 5 with 1:08 remaining. Pleasantville's Emmet McDermott intercepted Luke Misetich to seal the win.

Coleman, who had caught a touchdown pass from Aidan Picart, and Sdao, a sophomore who returned a punt for a 55-yard score, were among those who produced while star Daniel Picart was kept out of the end zone for the first time all season.

"Our coaches are always stressing that people need to step up. Daniel can't do it all," Sdao said. "This game, a lot of people stood up. Erik Coleman scored, I scored, our defense played really well, and, of course, Daniel still had a great game."

More:Football: Pleasantville holds off Ravena in 15-7 win to advance to NYSPHSAA Class B finals

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What it means

Just like it has the last two weeks, Pleasantville will be no stranger to its next opponent. The Panthers will once again play Section 4 champion Maine-Endwell — the defending champ and six-time state title winner — at 12 p.m. Sunday at Syracuse University's JMA Wireless Dome. It is the Panthers' third straight rematch.

This will also mark Pleasantville's third trip to the state final in the last five tournaments. The Panthers won in 2017, then were the runners-up last year.

Player of the game

Ryan Horigan, Pleasantville. The junior linebacker, who started as a sophomore and has become a leader of the Panthers' defense this season, was at the heart of this week's standout effort. The unit held Ravena scoreless in the second half and allowed just 185 yards for the game.

"Our defense was like a hockey goalie tonight: They stood on their heads," Becerra said. "They bailed us out big time."

"It wasn't pretty," Horigan added, "but we got it done."

By the numbers

Pleasantville (12-0) - Aidan Picart went 12 of 19 for 149 yards, a touchdown and an interception. McDermott caught a team-best five passes for 51 yards while Coleman finished with three catches for 73 yards. ... Daniel Picart ran for 95 yards on 26 carries and caught four passes for 27 yards.

Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk (10-3) - Aidan Lochner ran 26 times for 159 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown to give his team a 6-0 lead with 33 seconds left in the first quarter. Outside of Lochner, the Indians had just 26 yards as a team.

They said it

The Sdao touchdown came after a bad punt snap. Ravena tracked down the loose ball and the punter, Jack McFerran, escaped the rush to get a punt off. However, Sdao grabbed the line drive on the hop and escaped up the Pleasantville sideline.

"Everyone did a great job putting pressure on him," Sdao said. "I just saw the ball coming to me — right place right time. The blocks were set up right. All I had to do was run."

Josh Thomson is the Sports Editor for The Journal News, Poughkeepsie Journal and Middletown Times Herald-Record. He can be reached by e-mail at jthomson@lohud.com, on Twitter at @lohudinsider, and on Instagram at @lohudinsider.

Horigan's teammates no doubt share that emotion, that hunger, that motivation, but now, after winning one rematch over Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, they know the revenge tour must go through another familiar opponent.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Pleasantville football tops Ravena NYSPHSAA Class B state semifinals