How the EHS Football Team Overcame Injuries

With the football season one game away from coming to a close, coach Fred DiCarlo’s team holds a record of 3-5, beating Sleepy Hollow HS twice and Horace Greeley HS once. The team came into the season with one of the hardest schedules in the section, facing large teams such as Clarkstown South and Rye. Eastchester’s first five games ended in losses with a combination of blowouts, close games, and one overtime heartbreak against Harrison. They spent the month of October winning their next three, and will close out the season at Walter Panas HS on November 2nd.

The team’s common theme over the past two months was one you never want to see; injuries. The number of injuries to Eastchester players was in the double digits, with multiple torn ACLs and lateral meniscuses. Key members of the team went down and were forced to miss the rest of the season. It seemed as if there was a new injury every game, as almost every week there were players down on the field.

The trainer for all Eagles sports teams is Mr. Patrick Kilcarr. Kilcarr has done an exceptional job for the fall season, tending to injured players as soon as they get hurt. When asked for his protocol for injured players, Kilcarr responded with the following;

“My initial reaction is to assess the scene of where the injured athlete is. How many athletes are down? Is the athlete lying motionless? Are emergency services required? What body part are they grabbing? Next, I recall the mechanism or cause of the injury. Was the athlete hit by another player? Did they roll their ankle? I look to have a general idea of what happened and of possible injuries before I enter onto the field”.

This professional way of preparation makes Eastchester extremely lucky to have Mr. Kilcarr on their staff.

In what was one of the first blows of the season, Eastchester lost team captain and leader Paul Torre to an ACL and lateral meniscus tear in the very first game.

“I knew instantly I was done for the season. I heard a pop in my knee, which was followed by a flow of emotions. I was upset because I was thinking all my hard work through these 4 years was for nothing” stated Torre.

As a team captain, Torre stayed involved with team all season, whether it be taking pictures, hyping up the crowd, or helping out the team in various ways. His dedication to the team highlights his traits as a leader and a captain.

Torre expressed, “If I knew I was going to get hurt this season, I still would have played. It sucks that I couldn’t play, but I don’t regret stepping on that field. Football is so much more than just hitting each other on a field. It’s a brotherhood. We have so much fun as a team, on and off the playing field”.

Torre is one of many on the team with an extreme level of commitment. Going into the season, the Eagles had high hopes despite their tough schedule because of the work the team put in over the summer.

“My expectations for this season were to be a top section team with all of the hardworking players we had during the offseason. Due to injuries, that idea deteriorated, but did not stop us from being the best team we could’ve been. Playing with the same teammates since we were younger brought us to all have a special bond that allowed us to accomplish more than we thought” stated junior QB Angelo Sperandio.

The dedication to the team is shared amongst the entire roster, as it seems as every player has the same allegiance to the brotherhood.

One would think the spirits of the team would be down after the start to the season they had. After all, losing the first five games and many starters isn’t exactly something that normally provides motivation. However, the Eagles never gave up.

“We have a spirit around the team that keeps us going. Every game we’ve gone into, we’ve thought we had a fighting shot” stated junior RB Frank Capasso.

The spirit surrounding this team is nothing short of incredible. Despite constant setbacks and the loss of numerous players, the connection and relationship this team has is stronger than almost all of the teams in the section.

As for next year, leaders such as Torre and the rest of the seniors will not be returning. However, the team is still confident in their ability to stay connected and win games.

“Our expectations for next year are high. We have a lot of juniors, a couple are injured. I’m confident that they are gonna come back just as good, and with the incoming sophomores, we should have a damn good team” stated Capasso.

It will be hard to replicate the bond made by the players this year. However, if there’s one thing the Eagles have proved this year, it’s that the last thing you should do is count them out. By persevering through mistakes, losses, and a whole lot of injuries, the Eastchester High School football team has shown their team bond and their love for the game of football can go a long way.