OSSINING AND SLEEPY HOLLOW TEAMS MEET

The rivalry between Ossining High School and Sleepy Hollow High School football teams dates back to the 1950s but today’s students say there’s no reason for bad blood.

To foster good sportsmanship on and off the field, the captains of both teams along with the high school principals, athletic directors and head coaches met Tuesday night at the Horseman Diner in Sleepy Hollow. The meeting was designed to set an example of good behavior for both high schools before Saturday’s game at Sleepy Hollow.

“The dinner was great; we had a lot of fun,” said Justin Davidov, one of the Ossining team captains. “We have a lot of similarities. The schools are similar. The teams are similar. We have similar kids. We wanted to show that we can have a good rivalry but it doesn’t have to be a violent one.”

Last year, there was a violent incident after the game between the two teams. While it did not take place on school grounds or involve any team members, it was a sign to some that the rivalry had gone too far. Ossining High School Principal Josh Mandel said the adults wanted to bring the two teams together to foster a positive attitude going into the game.

“Our hope was to communicate that we are two great communities and to support positive sportsmanship,” Mandel said. “We have to show people what we want to happen.”