Prediction: Somers (N.Y.) wins fourth straight title

The 2025 high school football season will be getting underway in a few short weeks, which means it’s officially preview season. Rivals is breaking down the nation’s top teams from coast-to-coast, and today we make our way back north to the Empire State and check out the four-time state champion Somers Tuskers. The Tuskers are winners of the last three New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class A state championships and now take aim at a fourth this fall. Can Somers pull off the 4-peat this season?

Player Spotlight: ATH Dean Palazzolo

No matter where you put Palazzolo on the field for the Tuskers, he’s bound to perform and make a play. The Class of 2026 athlete is coming off a superb season for Somers in which he was named first-team all-state after helping lift the Tuskers to the Class A state title. Whether Palazzolo is asked to play out at wide receiver or out of the backfield as a running back and even on special teams as a returner, the senior is the team’s most dynamic playmaker this 2025 season.

Others to watch: OL Randolph Peterson, TE/DE Chris Decker, RB/DE Nate Mitchell, K/P Daniel Hershfield

Season Prediction: 7-1

When you’re someone like Somers head coach Anthony DeMatteo, whose father, Tony, is second all-time on New York’s coaching wins with 360, it’s in the bloodline to just won. The younger DeMatteo has done plenty of that lately by winning three straight state championships, including going 14-0 last year. With the kind of 8-game schedule that’s lined up for the Tuskers this season, a trip to the NYSPHSAA Class A state championship and winning a fourth straight title this fall. We don’t see anything less than an one-loss season and a championship to go along with it.

Game-By-Game Predictions

Sep. 6 – Iona Preparatory School (N.Y.) Gaels – L
We preface these predictions and have Somers taking a loss in the opening week, snapping a 27-game winning streak. No worries, Tuskers fans, as we see Somers bouncing back.

Sept. 12 – at Rye (N.Y.) Garnets – W
Needing to avoid an 0-2 start to the season, Somers notches a resounding 34-14 road victory over Rye.

Sept. 19 – at Yorktown (N.Y.) Huskers – W
Huskers versus Tuskers. Nice sound to it, but it’s Somers that rolls to win No. 2 on the season.

Sept. 26 – Mahopac (N.Y.) Wolf Pac – W
Somers wins this meeting running away in a 40-7 decision and pushes their winning streak to three.

Oct. 3 – at Harrison (N.Y.) Huskies – W
The Huskies are not match for the Tuskers in a rout on the road.

Oct. 10 – Carmel (N.Y.) Rams – W
Another week for the Tuskers and another blowout win in the books.

Oct. 17 – Brewster (N.Y.) Bears – W
Somers’ winning streak is pushed to six in a row as they roll over Brewster ahead of the regular season finale.

Oct. 24 – at Lakeland (N.Y.) Hornets – W
The Tuskers close the regular season with a blowout victory over the Hornets and are now on a 7-game winning streak.