Posted by By Joshua Quinn, Staff Writer
It was October 13, and the crowd was electric with expectation as the New Paltz Huguenots homecoming game began. Yet, between the touchdowns, the cheers, and a near-victory for the team, the disappointment was palpable. However, as the team shook hands with Liberty, their heads were still held high.
“The biggest hardship we’ve had to face this year has been the injuries, and people not coming out to play,” Ben Gabriels, one of four team captains explained, “We expected 40 kids and we only have 27.”
An NFL team is allowed 53 players, and the minimum number of players needed for a New York state high school game is 16. Having only 11 more than the bare minimum meant that many players had to play nonstop. Because of this, Ben’s injury in September dramatically changed the team’s roster, losing one of their most talented wide receivers and safeties for the season.
Suffering an injury early in the season didn’t stop Ben from helping his team in every way possible. With the exception of the days following his surgery, Ben could be seen at every game, cheering for his teammates, and at every practice, helping coach them and encouraging them. It was clear Ben didn’t need to hold a ball to lead, and that his teammates’ respect for him ran deeper than bone.
“Every season you go in hoping for the best. That being said, I think it’ll be hard to replicate what happened last season, when we went to the section championship,” junior, Nick said nostalgically.
Unfortunately, Nick’s words rang true as the Huguenots’ season ended only one month after his interview. The team’s final record was 1-9, but to simplify their season to victories and losses would be an insult to every single player.
“It was easy to look at this year’s losses against last year’s success and see it as a failure,” Tight end Thomas Reinking said thoughtfully, “Although we didn’t get the results we wanted or even expected of ourselves, there were undeniable shining moments throughout the season.”
This feeling was shared by many of their teammates, ranging from lineman, Chris DelCotto, to cornerback, Marco Todaro.
“This was my first season of football and I had no clue how to play the game,” Marco earnestly explained.
Playing football for the first time in high school is never easy, from daily practices to complex memorization. But this didn’t stop Marco, joining without knowing what a first down was, he quickly learned and fell in love with the sport, finding his groove with the position of cornerback.
“Honestly, the team didn’t take the losses to heart,” Marco said, “We always battled it out and just moved onto the next game.”
While their season may have ended prematurely, the New Paltz Huguenots never stopped playing. Facing constant adversity they found themselves persevering.
“I remember in the game against Beacon, I was getting checked out by Brady and saw sophomore Phoenix Johnston making play after play in a game that was probably out of reach.” Thomas Reinking uttered candidly. “That’s the kind of stuff that reminds me that as a team, we worked hard.”
The Maroon 