Football: A surprising contribution sends Ardsley to the Section 1 Class B semifinals
ARDSLEY - When Joe Ferraro intercepted the pass, there was a moment of shock that soon became a celebration of pure joy. There was even a bit of confusion after Ferraro, who usually wears No. 2, popped up and held the football proudly in a lineman's No. 66.
The story behind the senior's unlikely star turn said everything about why his game-sealing interception was so popular. Ferraro had spent all day filling in at right tackle for a sick teammate while handling his duties at linebacker.
"That's 'Big Joe,'" teammate Ben Silverman raved. "He's a great guy on this team. Everyone wanted that for him."
Ferraro, who surprised Pearl River by dropping from the line of scrimmage into pass coverage on the play, ended the Pirates' late threat with about a minute remaining to seal Ardsley's 22-19 Class B quarterfinal win. Pearl River had threatened to tie or take the lead after Dagan McLaughlin intercepted a pass in the end zone with just over three minutes remaining and Ardsley trying to make it a two-score game.
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"The ball got picked off and we said, 'Hey, we have to turn the page. We're known for our defense so, hey, we had to close it out on defense,' " Ferraro said.
Silverman, a junior, gave his team the lead on a touchdown run just 7 seconds into the fourth quarter.
"At the end, it was just who wanted it more," Silverman said. "We wanted it more."
What it means
Ardsley, the No. 4 seed, advanced to the semifinals and will play No. 1 Pleasantville for the second straight year. They're scheduled to play at 6 p.m. Friday at Parkway Field in Pleasantville.
Player of the game
Ben Silverman, Ardsley. He scored twice, threw the two-point conversion pass and contributed a pair of turnovers in the second half. He recovered a fumble on the first play of the third quarter, then intercepted a tipped pass in the fourth.
By the numbers
Ardsley (5-3) - Mike Rende threw for 216 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown strike to Aiden Wels on the opening possession of the game. ... In addition to his two touchdown runs and two caused turnovers, Silverman caught two passes for 45 yards.
Pearl River (3-5) - Nicholas Espinal had 107 yards rushing and a touchdown, which handed the Pirates a 19-14 lead just before halftime. Evan Perez also ran for a score. ... Jack Whelan threw for 70 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Graziano. McLaughlin also caught six passes for 53 yards.
They said it
"We know that they ended our season last year," Ferraro said of Pleasantville. "They beat us during the regular season, but we want another shot. We think we can beat them."
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.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Football: Ardsley beat Pearl River in Section 1 Class B playoffs
