SLEEPY HOLLOW - Jeremiah Bowen has a lot more on his plate now, given the structure of this roster. The quarterback is being relied upon more and, with a far less experienced group than last fall, he's being looked to for leadership.
As the Sleepy Hollow football team opened preseason practice, senior Abel Perez Rosario said he trusts Bowen's decision-making and discernment… Kinda.
"Pretty decent; not exactly what I'd choose, but it's solid," the lineman said on Aug. 17. "I'm kind of old-school with it, so I listen more to the older heads."
He was talking about the music blaring from the speakers during the session. Bowen compiled a playlist that was an eclectic mix of contemporary rap and early 2000s hip hop. But, according to Rosario, even the throwbacks
didn't go back enough decades.
"I'm talking Big L, Biggie and Eazy-E," he said of his tastes, his ear captured by 1990s rap. "It's not the same anymore. I wish they still made music like that."
Coincidentally, his team would also love to recapture the rhythm of yesteryear. Well, last year to be exact.
Following a breakthrough season in which Sleepy Hollow won its first Section 1 championship and reached the Class B state final, the Horsemen graduated several standouts. This team now carries the weight of high standards and outside expectations along with the challenge of rebuilding and developing newcomers.
"It's not easy to lose the players that we did from last year and that's the elephant in the room," coach Anthony Giuliano said, referring to superstars like Brayden Richardson, Gilbert Onwe and Thaddeus Kromelis. "But we also returned some guys who are difference-makers and we've got a big group of underclassmen coming up. I think once that young talent catches up to what we have, we'll have something special."
Names to know
Abel Perez Rosario, Sr., OL/DL; Jeremiah Bowen, Sr., QB/DB; Jack Marvin, Sr., TE/LB; Michael Variano, Sr., RB/DL; Luca Waldman, Sr., WR/CB; Olin Keough, Sr., RB/DB; Jacob Cabrera, So., OL/LB
Schedule
Sept. 3 vs. Byram HillsSept. 10 vs. Hen HudSept. 18 at WestlakeSept. 26 vs. HastingsOct. 2 at Tappan ZeeOct. 10 at Pearl RiverOct. 16 vs. PelhamOct. 23 vs Briarcliff/Hamilton
Takeaways
With the graduation of 15 seniors after that remarkable run last fall, the Horseman will now have plenty of new names to get familiar with, and players will have new roles to adjust to.
"We've been working throughout the summer, running drills and throwing routes with these guys and getting used to each other," Bowen said of integrating the new skill-position players. "We still have a lot of weapons. They haven't had a chance to show it yet, but we've got talent here."
Bowen, a converted receiver, started 14 games at quarterback last season and that experience, particularly in the playoffs, will benefit him.
Sleepy Hollow averaged 38.7 points per game en route to the state final, their explosive playmakers sometimes putting the scoreboard and scorekeepers in hyperdrive. Their games often featured a panoply of long touchdowns - the offensive line buying time for Bowen to attack downfield or creating space for Richardson, whose record-setting season got the running back a scholarship to Rhode Island.
Now, there could be greater emphasis on ball control and pace, and maybe some low-scoring games in which each possession is crucial.
"We're gonna have to work harder," Rosario said. "There's going to be games where we might not get those 80-yard touchdowns, and we might not have someone like Brayden, where you can expect five extra yards on every play. We're gonna have to grind and work a little harder for those gains, but it's something we're prepared to do."
Giuliano was enthused about the potential of the linemen up from the junior varsity, insisting that some of them could become dominant once they mature and build chemistry. Rosario, an outstanding guard, will lead the unit and Marvin is a stout blocker at tight end.
"Replacing a line like that is tough," the coach said, "but we've got size and their bodies are ready for varsity."
Talking points
"It took about a day to get over it and start thinking about how I can get better for this year," Bowen said, referring to their 34-0 loss to Monroe in the state final. "We have to set the bar high for ourselves again and give our full effort to reach it."
"The pressure I feel, and our coaches, to get back to that level is immense," Giuliano said of wanting to duplicate their 2025 success. "But if you're under pressure, it means they're expectations and you're doing something right. The best part about that run is the kids in the town seeing that it's possible, that it can happen. Success is attainable for us, and that's a motivator."
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Sleepy Hollow football has high standards after dream championship run
