Yorktown wins ‘Charlie Strong’ game

YORKTOWN, N.Y. —Hosting a game like Yorktown did against local and League I-A rival Mahopac on Friday, Feb. 7, that alone would’ve been enough to draw a packed gymnasium, which it did.  

Yorktown (13-4, 8-1) continued its incredible season, coming away with a 54-42 win against the Wolf Pac.  

As big as that win was, the main reason for the SRO crowd at Yorktown was that it was the Huskers’ Fourth Annual Charlie Strong Game, named after 2023 Yorktown graduate Charlie DeGennaro, a former captain for the Huskers.  

In February 2020, he was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, which attacked his spinal cord. He spent four months as an inpatient at Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla.  

“It means more than I can say to continue to see this event being held and to see that many people come out and support a cause for me,” DeGennaro said. “Whether it was buying a T-shirt, donating, or even just coming to the game and supporting, it means more than I can say. I’m beyond grateful for everything the Yorktown community and the Yorktown basketball program has done to support this event.” 

All money raised through the Charlie Strong Game will be donated to the hospital.  

“It’s great to see Charlie and the staff here that has really been into growing his recovery,” Yorktown coach Mark Pavella said. “We just like to give back for all the work the hospital does, not only for Charlie, but the entire community.” 

Before the game, DeGennaro spoke to the team.  

“It’s huge,” Yorktown’s Kaden Gonzalez said. “He came to the locker room, gave us a good message, about you never know if it’s going to be your last (game), so it really motivated us to play like it was our last game, and to always play 110 percent. To come out in front of the community and get a nice solid win against a rival like that was pretty special.” 

DeGennaro explained why he gave the message that he did.  

“I always try to relay the message of being grateful for everything that you have and to have perspective on that you never know when it’s your last time doing or having something and not knowing what’s around the corner for you,” DeGennaro said. “What’s there for you today, may not be there for you tomorrow. It’s a very real thing for me and I try to relay that message because I never understood how much I had and I took it for granted until it was taken away. All of the players genuinely were invested in what I was saying and were moved to have a perspective off that.” 

DeGennaro is now a sophomore majoring in communications at Pace University.  

“I love going there to commute just for the sole fact that I’m able to live at home and still have a college experience,” DeGennaro said. “Last year was definitely hard for me when I was living away (Sacred Heart University in Connecticut) and not being able to see my family as much. I also found out a lot about myself, where I did not like dorming away at college either.” 

Gonzalez ignites Huskers 

As for the game, Mahopac led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter, but Yorktown turned it around in the second quarter, to lead 31-19 at halftime. 

“In the second quarter, we just played freely, got into transition a little more, and we were getting stops,” Pavella said. “When we get stops and get out in transition, we play our best.” 

Keying that second-quarter surge were two field goals and a 3-pointer early in it by Gonzalez (11 points, 7 rebounds).   

“We needed a little bit of a spark and whenever I need to take over, I take over but also while getting our teammates involved,” Gonzalez said. “As a team, we kept our energy up, that’s why what happened (fast start in the second quarter), happened.” 

Gonzalez made another big hoop, that gave Yorktown a 44-32 lead at the end of the third quarter and it didn’t look back.  

“We know it’s big, late game, to kill clock, and limit their possessions to make sure they don’t get back in the game and to end the quarter on a bucket, to go into the fourth quarter with a lot of momentum, is pretty big,” Gonzalez said. 

Coming up clutch in the third quarter was Aidan Flynn (10 points, 9 rebounds) with 6 points, on three field goals, with Sander Stone leading the Huskers in the fourth quarter with 6 points, on a field goal, foul shot, and a 3-pointer.  

“Sander coming off the bench, definitely gave us a good spark, hitting those shots and Flynn on the offensive glass, has been a really been a big piece for us, just his physicality is tough to handle down low,” Pavella said. 

Brian Hansen (10 points), Ryan Duffy (8 points, 9 rebounds), Colin Worden (7 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), and David Marasevic (2 points) earned their way into the Huskers’ box score. 

Franklin Ringel, Jimmy Goff, Phil Harbolic, Ethan Bantug, Sean Davis and Gabe Scavello also made up the Huskers’ Charlie Strong game squad.  

Yorktown won another league game at Roy C. Ketcham 68-56 on Feb. 4, led by Worden (15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists), Gonzalez (12 points, 4 assists), Flynn (11 points, 10 rebounds), and Duffy (10 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists).