When it comes to scheduling, Yorktown has always taken on all comers—and this year’s slate is no different.
Yorktown will open this season at home in the first-ever Dan O’Connor Foundation game vs. Albany-area Niskayuna, at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, with a ceremony at 5:45 p.m.
The game is played to honor the memory of O’Connor, a former Husker player who tragically lost his life to suicide on Nov. 23, 2009 at the age of 16 and to promote mental health awareness.
“It’s a really important foundation,” said Yorktown coach Pantelis Ypsilantis. “Not only are you honoring Dan’s memory, who was a teammate of both coaches Brandon Trager and Brian Trainor, but it also raises awareness on a very important issue affecting many. Grace has worked hard to raise awareness in her brother’s honor and it’s important to stand together in unity as a community.”
‘Challenging opening stretch’
The Huskers then travel to Harrison, a sectional semifinalist last fall, at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, before hosting three-time defending state Class A champion Somers (14-0 in 2024) at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19.
Somers enters the season on a 26-game winning streak overall and a 38-game winning streak against state opponents.
“We have a challenging opening stretch, so the key to a fast start is to be assignment sound, limit mistakes and limit big plays from our opposition,” Ypsilantis said. “It is important to get the most out of practice time and do our best to prepare for top competition.”
Ypsilantis, who heads into his 19th season coaching varsity football, enters his sixth year as Huskers’ head coach and 12th overall coaching in the program. In 2024, Yorktown finished 6-4 and made it to the Section 1 Class A semifinals for the second straight year.
Top returnees coming into the season are seniors, Tyler Galante (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), Michael Desiderio (5-10, 205), Rocco Lore (5-10, 230), and junior Tyler Caricati (5-11, 175).
Galante, who is coming off an All-Section and All-League campaign last season, is slated to play wide receiver, running back and defensive back this fall. He is the 24th-ranked wide receiver in the state by Prep Redzone.
Galante finished last year with 11 touchdown receptions, a single-season school record, along with 52 receptions for 720 receiving yards—both team highs in 2024.
Galante showed game-breaking ability, with his longest reception going for 50 yards. He also ran well, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, garnering 138 yards on 24 carries.
Defensively, he registered 29 total tackles, fourth highest of the Husker returnees, 20 of them solo.
Desiderio, an All-Section and All-League player in 2024, plays on both the offensive and defensive lines. Last year, he recorded 31 total tackles, third highest of the returnees, including 20 solo tackles. He is a four-year starter at center and a returning captain.
Lore, an offensive and defensive lineman, was named All-Conference and All-League last fall. He brings a nose for the football defensively; his 56 total tackles, 44 of them solo, were team highs in 2024.
Caricati, a running back and linebacker, was the Huskers’ leading rusher as an All-League honoree in 2024, churning up 449 yards on 85 carries in eight games played.
He also made the most of his opportunities as a receiver, averaging 24.8 yards per catch, garnering 99 yards on 4 receptions.
All four will be asked to both lead and help fill the void left by the graduation of a very talented group of players, including All-League, All-Section and All-Conference, and Class A League North Offensive Back of the Year, three-year starting quarterback Kaden Gonzalez, who will play basketball at SUNY Oneonta.
“We are very excited about this team and hope to work to be competitive in a very tough Class A,” Ypsilantis said. “We lost a lot of great players and leadership, which opens up opportunities for returners and newcomers to step up. We have a nice group of returning players and a few newcomers who will help add depth and competition to the team.”
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