Make no mistake about it, the Sleepy Hollow High School varsity football team is a confident bunch, starting with head coach Steve Borys.

“We want to win the section and win the state,” said Borys, starting his eighth year heading the Headless Horsemen. “Every game will be a bloodbath. We’re looking forward to a lot of exciting games that will come down to the wire. We’re looking to get over the hump.”

For the third time in seven years, Sleepy Hollow made it to the title game of the Sectionals in 2009, only to fall short, last year to Nanuet. The team got off to a slow 1-3 start but reeled off victories in four of its last five games.

“We have a good group of kids who are meshing well,” Borys said. “We have a very strong core but we have to avoid injuries.”

With most of its defense back intact, especially in the secondary and the linebackers, coupled with a good running attack on offense, Borys is ready to go to war with his team. Leading the offense is junior quarterback Nick Vallo, along with senior running back Kayzon Stoval and junior running back L.J. Garrant.

“I think we’ll do well. We have the talent. We just have to execute on the field,” Garrant said.

Anchoring the defense is senior linebacker John Randazzo, who knows Sleepy Hollow faces a tough test right out of the gate with a season opener September 11 at home against perennial powerhouse Rye.

“We feel like we have something to prove and I’m confident we’ll do it,” he said. “I believe that we’re going to win the section. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.”

Borys likes the chances of his team making a statement against Rye.

“We’ve been able to play with them and we’re confident we are better,” he said. “Every game is huge.”

Other homes games for the Headless Horsemen are September 25 against Roosevelt and October 2 against Eastchester.