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2 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Contents
CLASS PROFILES
Class AA: Pages 4-5
Class A: Pages 10-11
Class B: Pages 16-17
Class C: Pages 18-19
Class D: Pages 22-23
FEATURES
Gleason column: It’s time to start
making memories. Page 3
Top safety: Newburgh’s Williams
is a soft-spoken leader. Page 6
Ready to run: Pine Bush’s Martin
ready for a breakout year. Page 7
Tough openers: Class A
contenders thrown in the fire in
Week 1. Page 8
12 and counting: Port Jervis still
waiting for another championship
season. Page 14
‘Spidey sense:’ Khariff LaBoy
relies on his keen vision. Page 15
Experienced Highland: Coach
looking to break .500. Page 15
Defending the spread: Malik
Chambers is the key for O’Neill.
Page 20
Safety first: Burke trying out new
helmet technology. Page 21
Bulking up: Chester’s Perry
spends hours in weight room.
Page 22
COVER STORY
Two is better than one: Section
9 has its share of dynamic duos.
Pages 12-13
ON THE COVER
Cornwall quarterback Mike White
and receiver Chris Bauer share a
strong connection and are one of
the top tandems in Section 9.
Photo: Erik Gliedman
ON THE WEB
Check out recordonline.com for
video previews of the season
starting Monday with Class D.
Sports staff
Sports editor: Judy Connelly
Assistant sports editor: Doug
Mohart
Writers: Kevin Gleason, Sal
Interdonato, Ken McMillan, Will
Montgomery, Justin Rodriguez
Copy editors: Marc Davis, Phil
Colangelo, Rich Ryan
Special thanks: David Dann,
cover designer
Varsity 845 week-by-week schedule
WEEK 1
Friday, Sept. 6
Chester at James I. O’Neill, 6:30
p.m.
Pine Bush at Cornwall, 7 p.m.
Middletown at Washingtonville, 7
p.m.
Wallkill at Valley Central, 7 p.m.
Roosevelt at Port Jervis, 7 p.m.
Rondout Valley at Marlboro, 7 p.m.
Dover at Highland, 7 p.m.
Burke Catholic at Sullivan West, 7
p.m.
Pine Plains at Ellenville, 7 p.m.
Liberty at Eldred, 7 p.m.
Roscoe-Livingston-Manor-Downsville
at Deposit, 7 p.m.
Xavier at Minisink Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Iona Prep at Newburgh, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 7
New Paltz at Monticello, 1:30 p.m.
Warwick at Goshen, 1:30 p.m.
Saugerties at Red Hook, 1:30 p.m.
Millbrook at Spackenkill, 1:30 p.m.
Kingston at Holy Cross, 4 p.m. (at
Mitchel Field, Hempstead)
Monroe-Woodbury vs. St. Francis, 7
p.m. (at Mitchel Field, Hempstead)
Tri-Valley at Onteora, 7 p.m.
WEEK 2
Thursday Sept. 12
Cornwall at Monticello, 4 p.m.
Marlboro at Dover, 4 p.m.
New Paltz at Spackenkill, 4 p.m.
Onteora at Rondout Valley, 4 p.m.
O’Neill at Liberty, 4 p.m.
Ellenville at Burke Catholic, 4 p.m.
Minisink Valley at Newburgh, 7 p.m.
Washingtonville at Kingston, 7 p.m.
Valley Central at Pine Bush, 7 p.m.
Roosevelt at Middletown, 7 p.m.
Wallkill at Port Jervis, 7 p.m.
Millbrook at Pine Plains, 7 p.m.
Red Hook at Highland, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 13
Warwick at Monroe-Woodbury, 4
p.m.
Goshen at Saugerties, 4 p.m.
Eldred at Roscoe-LM-Down, 7:30
p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Chester at Tri-Valley, 1 p.m.
WEEK 3
Friday, Sept. 20
Newburgh at Monroe-Woodbury, 7
p.m.
Cornwall at Kingston, 7 p.m.
FOOTBALL 2013
Pine Bush at Warwick, 7 p.m.
Valley Central at Middletown, 7
p.m.
Washingtonville at Minisink Valley,
7 p.m.
Roosevelt at Wallkill, 7 p.m.
Saugerties at Port Jervis, 7 p.m.
New Paltz at Marlboro, 7 p.m.
O’Neill at Ellenville, 7 p.m.
Burke Catholic at Chester, 7 p.m.
Sullivan West at Eldred, 7 p.m.
Spackenkill at Red Hook, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 21
Delaware Valley (Pa.) at Abington
Heights (Pa.), 1 p.m.
Rondout Valley at Dover, 1 p.m.
Pine Plains at Onteora, 1 p.m.
Monticello at Goshen, 1:30 p.m.
WEEK 4
Friday, Sept. 27
Minisink Valley at Monroe-
Woodbury, 6:30 p.m.
Dover at New Paltz, 6:30 p.m.
Spackenkill at O’Neill, 6:30 p.m.
West Scranton (Pa.) at Delaware
Valley (Pa.), 7 p.m.
Middletown at Pine Bush, 7 p.m.
Goshen at Wallkill, 7 p.m.
Port Jervis at Cornwall, 7 p.m.
Saugerties at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.
Red Hook at Marlboro, 7 p.m.
Monticello at Valley Central, 7 p.m.
Sullivan West at Millbrook, 7 p.m.
Roscoe-LM-Down at Pine Plains, 7
p.m.
Eldred at Tri-Valley, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Newburgh at Washingtonville, 1
p.m.
Highland at Rondout Valley, 1 p.m.
Kingston at Warwick, 1:30 p.m.
Onteora at Burke Catholic, 1:30
p.m.
Liberty at Ellenville, 7 p.m.
WEEK 5
Friday, Oct. 4
Chester at Roscoe-LM-Down, 4
p.m.
Highland at New Paltz, 6:30 p.m.
Newburgh at Middletown, 7 p.m.
Pine Bush at Kingston, 7 p.m.
Monroe-Woodbury at Valley Central,
7 p.m.
Minisink Valley at Warwick, 7 p.m.
Monticello at Wallkill, 7 p.m.
Burke Catholic at Pine Plains, 7
p.m.
Liberty at Sullivan West, 7 p.m.
Roosevelt at Cornwall, 7 p.m.
O’Neill at Millbrook, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Washingtonville at Saugerties, 3
p.m.
Port Jervis at Goshen, 3 p.m.
Marlboro at Spackenkill, 3 p.m.
Dover at Red Hook, 3 p.m.
Rondout Valley at Tri-Valley, 3 p.m.
Ellenville at Onteora, 3 p.m.
WEEK 6
Friday, Oct. 11
Burke Catholic at O’Neill, 6:30 p.m.
Pine Bush at Newburgh, 7 p.m.
Warwick at Washingtonville, 7 p.m.
Valley Central at Minisink Valley, 7
p.m.
Monroe-Woodbury at Kingston, 7
p.m.
Wallkill at Cornwall, 7 p.m.
Ellenville at Marlboro, 7 p.m.
Sullivan West at Highland, 7 p.m.
Chester at Eldred, 7 p.m.
Tri-Valley at Albertus Magnus, 7
p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 12
Saugerties at Monticello, 1 p.m.
Pine Plains at Dover, 1 p.m.
Spackenkill at Rondout Valley, 1
p.m.
Millbrook at Liberty, 1 p.m.
Goshen at Roosevelt, 1:30 p.m.
New Paltz at Red Hook, 1:30 p.m.
Middletown at Port Jervis, 2 p.m.
Roscoe-LM-Down at Onteora, 2:30
p.m.
WEEK 7
Friday, Oct. 18
Ellenville at New Paltz, 5 p.m.
Newburgh at Warwick, 7 p.m.
Kingston at Middletown, 7 p.m.
Monroe-Woodbury at Pine Bush, 7
p.m.
Minisink Valley at Wallkill, 7 p.m.
Marlboro at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.
Onteora at Chester, 7 p.m.
Dover at Millbrook, 7 p.m.
Tri-Valley at Liberty, 7 p.m.
Eldred at Pine Plains, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19
Valley Central at Washingtonville,
1 p.m.
Port Jervis at Monticello, 1 p.m.
Red Hook at Rondout Valley, 1 p.m.
Cornwall at Saugerties, 1:30 p.m.
Goshen at Burke Catholic, 1:30
p.m.
Spackenkill at Highland, 1:30 p.m.
O’Neill at Sullivan West, 7 p.m.
WEEK 8
Friday, Oct. 25
Rondout Valley at New Paltz, 6:30
p.m.
Onteora at O’Neill, 6:30 p.m.
Kingston at Newburgh, 7 p.m.
Middletown at Monroe-Woodbury,
7 p.m.
Warwick at Valley Central, 7 p.m.
Port Jervis at Minisink Valley, 7
p.m.
Chester at Ellenville, 7 p.m.
Roscoe-LM-Down at Eldred, 7 p.m.
Monticello at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.
Marlboro at Highland, 7 p.m.
Red Hook at Millbrook, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26
Spackenkill at Dover, 1 p.m.
Sullivan West at Tri-Valley, 1 p.m.
Wallkill at Saugerties, 1:30 p.m.
Cornwall at Goshen, 1:30 p.m.
Liberty at Burke, 1:30 p.m.
Washingtonville at Pine Bush, 2
p.m.
WEEK 9
Friday, Nov. 1
Section 9 Class C Semifinals
(at Dietz Stadium, Kingston and
Middletown High), 4 p.m.
Section 9 Class A semifinals
(at Dietz Stadium, Kingston and
Middletown High), 8 p.m.
Pine Plains at Chester, 7 p.m,
Sussex Tech, N.J., at Eldred, 7
p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Section 9 Class B semifinals
(at Dietz Stadium, Kingston and
Faller Field at Middletown), 3 p.m.
Section 9 Class AA semifinals
(at Dietz Stadium, Kingston and
Faller Field), 7 p.m.
WEEK 10
Friday, Nov. 8
Section 9 Class D championship
at Dietz Stadium, 7 p.m.
Section 9 Class A championship
at Faller Field, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 9
Section 9 Class C championship
at Dietz Stadium, 3 p.m.
Section 9 Class AA championship
at Faller Field, 7 p.m.
Section 9 Class B championship
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 3
FOOTBALL 2013

Time to gear up for another season of football

High school football seems
to get better every year. The
games get better. The teams get
better. The players might be
getting better, as well.
When was the last time a
local kid threw for 500 yards
in a single game, as Cornwall
senior quarterback Mike White
did against Wallkill for the 2012
Section 9 Class
A title?
The answer is
never.
White threw
for 433 yards
Kevin the next week
to beat Som-
Gleason
ers in the state
quarterfinals.
It is an unprecedented era
in high school sports. Deep-
thinking coaches spend their
offseasons learning and refining
intricate schemes, turning once
mundane offenses into scoring
machines.
Watching White find assorted
receivers with such poise, his
arm strong and remarkably
accurate, and seeing those wide-
outs run pinpoint patterns with
sprinter speed, was a treat for
those not assigned the task of
defending Cornwall.
It is a credit to the players
who work year-round at their
craft. They attend camps, build PHILIP KAMRASS / For the Times Herald-Record
their bodies, study the game. Cornwall quarterback Mike White provided many thrills for fans last season, including a 500-yard passing effort in the Section 9 Class A
But a lot of others deserve championship game during a 53-0 win over Wallkill.
credit, too, starting with sup-
portive parents and youth season it was Pine Bush, which competition. They allowed just
coaches donating long hours in had never even qualified for 47 points themselves in league
virtual anonymity. I speak not as the Class AA playoffs and was play last year, while NFA, an-
a five-year youth coach, but in two seasons removed from a other perennial Class AA power,
tribute to head coaches putting 1-8 finish. Pine Bush survived allowed just 65.
in many more hours with, for the unforgiving large-school In the other division of Class
the most part, no motive other schedule to win its first Section AA, Minisink Valley yielded a
than helping young kids grow. 9 title. The Bushmen beat both measly 39 points in four league
O Section 9’s 35 teams open
They hand off kids to modified Monroe-Woodbury and New- games.
and jayvee coaches, another another high school football season burgh Free Academy for the So you can still win football
group easily forgotten by the on Sept. 6 and 7. first time in 17 years. games a few different ways,
glare of Friday night lights and And Pine Bush proved that which only adds to the attrac-
sun-splashed Saturday after- He saw White passing on the defense can still rule the day tion, the drama, of teens tire-
noons shining down on varsity side one day during a minicamp amid all these electric offenses. lessly chasing championship
showdowns. freshman year. Hughes decided The Bushmen allowed only 45 plaques.
And yes, we must salute White would be the jayvee points in four league games, a “This is a big deal,’’ Wallkill
the high school coaches who quarterback. White will be off shade more than 11 points per coach Brian Vegliando said
earn their stipends in a single to college next fall, and Jason game. before practice one day. “When
preseason while providing Bailey, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound Let’s never forget Monroe- you step on the practice field,
11-month bonus hours passion- sophomore, is expected to help Woodbury, which deserves we expect a lot.’’
ately building their programs. continue Cornwall’s run of tal- immense credit for raising the Great expectations bring EDWARD DILLER / For Times Herald-Record
“We have some great young ented quarterbacks. Section 9 bar. The Crusaders great achievements. We are Cornwall head coach Marcus
talent coming up,’’ Cornwall “You have to find the right won a state title and reached getting more and more of those Hughes is just one of the many
coach Marcus Hughes said in- kid,’’ Hughes said, “and develop four straight state finals from every year. Huddle up for an- Section 9 football coaches who
side his cramped office a couple them.’’ 2005-08. They forged an un- other classic season. devote a great deal of time over a
days before preseason practice Different powers have be- fathomable eight-year, 63-game kgleason@th-record.com 12-month period to prepare their
began. gun to regularly emerge. Last winning streak against local Twitter: @th_KevinGleason teams for the rigors of the season.
4 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Class AA
NFA looks to be the favorite
Division I
KINGSTON
Last season’s record: 4-5, 2-2
Coach: Jeramie Collins, fifth season
Returning starters: Sr. QB Pat
Dorrian; Sr. WR/S Shawn Marchant;
Jr. C/LB Jake Pesko; Sr. DL Darius
Broadhead; Sr. S Jake Ryan.
Key losses: WR Jerred Beniquez; RB
Dominick Marino; LB Wally Stephens;
LB Devan Shambo; S Will Spencer.
Outlook: Kingston returns not only
one of the best quarterbacks in
Section 9, but one of the top three-
sport athletes in the area – Pat
Dorrian. Dorrian led Kingston to the
Class AA state baseball title two
years ago, and helped the basketball
team to the Section 9 Class AA
championship last winter. He had
a breakout year under center for
the Tigers in 2012, throwing for
1,615 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Dorrian to standout wide receiver
Shawn Marchant could be a good
connection for Kingston.
But the question remains – who
will come out of the backfield for
the Tigers? Kingston could employ
a running back-by-committee attack
with fullback Chris Saitch getting
many reps.
Kingston, which last won a Section
9 title in 1996, also hopes to benefit
from a bigger line on both sides of
the ball. Jake Pesko and Jacob Davis
are potential players on offense,
and Darius Broadhead is expected
to make plays on the defensive line.
After reaching the Class AA playoffs
in consecutive years, Kingston
missed the postseason last fall.
MIDDLETOWN
Last season’s record: 3-6,
0-4
Coach: Bill Donohue,
second season
Returning starters: Jr.
DT Andrew Allwood; Jr.
QB/S Kashaun Curry;
Jr. OLB Robert Dean;
Jr. WR/DB Damon
Gillespie; Soph. WR/
DB Rachi Jordan;
Sr. WR/DB Francisco
Moreno; Jr. T/DT Draven
Nieves; Sr. FB/LB Marvin
St. Vil; Sr. T/DE Juan
Velasquez; Sr. ILB/FB Johnny
Grandson.
Key losses: QB Juan Rodriguez; OL/
DL Tim Wade; RB/LB Justin Bynum;
RB/DB C.J. Clark
Outlook: After starting last season
0-5, the Middies rallied, winning
three of their last four games,
finishing with a 30-0 win over rival
Port Jervis in the Erie Bell game.
Coach Bill Donohue, a Middletown
alum and former player, hopes to
build on that run. The Middies return
10 starters, compared to four last
year.
Junior quarterback Kashuan
Curry, who emerged as a starter
last season, has the potential to
be dynamic, and the program is
developing depth and not just on
the field. Former Warwick offensive
coordinator Aaron Hasbrouck and
defensive coordinator Joe Piascik
have joined Middletown’s staff as
assistants.
MONROE-WOODBURY
Last season’s record: 7-3, 3-1
Coach: Bernie Connolly, second
season
Returning starters: Sr. QB Kevin
Carr; Sr. C Nick Dillon; Sr. DB Ricky
Giraldo; Sr. DT Rob Kelly; Jr. LB Cole
Gennett; Sr. OL Kevin DeBold; Sr.
RB Michael Gavin; Sr. DE Jimmy
Chambers; Sr. LB Brandon Fee.
Key losses: DL/TE Ken Fee; WR
Justin Kaffenberger; DB Irvens Eristil;
DB John Mallon; RB Mark Tooma.
Outlook: Once again, Monroe-
Woodbury has the personnel to
compete for the Class AA title.
The Crusaders won the Class AA
championship every year from 2004-
10, before missing the playoffs in
2011. Monroe-Woodbury was the
Class AA runners-up last season.
Leading the way for the Crusaders
is its latest talented and durable
quarterback – Kevin Carr.
He rushed for 1,010
yards in his debut as a
junior last season.
Standout defensive
back Ricky
Giraldo
will add a
wrinkle to
the offense,
playing out
of the backfield
Kevin Carr
FOOTBALL 2013
DOMINICK FIORILLE/ Times Herald-Record
Newburgh Free Academy opened practice this summer with one goal in mind – to qualify for the Section
9 Class AA playoffs. In 2011, the Goldbacks made it to the state championship game, but last season
didn’t make the playoffs. With quarterback Donovan Fields and running back Anthony Dubose returning,
the offense appears primed for a big bounce-back season.
Outlook: Newburgh may have
graduated the best linebacking corps
in Section 9.
Not a problem.
Bianco will use running back
Anthony Dubose, a Division I
prospect, at linebacker along with
Aaron Jones. Both are big, athletic
and fast off the edge. Safety
Jalen Williams, who will play at the
University of Pittsburgh next year on
full scholarship, is the anchor of the
Goldbacks’ defense.
Two years ago, Newburgh reached
the Class AA state title game, losing
JEFF GOULDING/Times Herald-Record to Orchard Park. The Goldbacks, who
Valley Central opened camp with optimism following consecutive return speedy and elusive starting
one-win seasons. This year’s squad has the athleticism to get back quarterback Donovan Fields, missed
on the winning track. the postseason last year.
However, just like every other year,
and as a wide receiver. Powerful NEWBURGH
Newburgh will likely be in the playoff
linebacker Cole Gennett also is
Last season’s record: 6-3, 2-2 mix.
expected to be featured in the
backfield. Coach: Bill Bianco, fifth season PINE BUSH
For all of its offensive success Returning starters: Sr. DB Jalen
over the years, Monroe-Woodbury Williams; Sr. QB Donovan Fields; Last season’s record: 9-2, 3-1
has been smothering on defense. Jr. RB Anthony Dubose; Sr. C Mike Coach: Jim Wright, ninth season.
The Crusaders allowed just 14 Risio; Sr. G Anthourn Walden; Jr. OL/ Returning starters: Sr. RB/DB Mike
Martin; Jr. RB Dylan Eller; Sr. DL/TE
points per game last year. Gennett, DL Isaac Serrano; Jr. OL/DL Oliver
Scott Flanick; Sr. QB Dan McNamara;
Giraldo and defensive end Rob Kelly Janvier; RB/DB Jr. Aaron Forbes; Sr.
Sr. LB Matt Mallory; Sr. LB Ryan
lead Monroe-Woodbury’s defensive DB Luke Pena.
Duggan; Sr. DL Jason Caston; Sr. DB
unit. Key losses: LB Mike Cerisano; LB
Joey Wise; Sr. LB Zach Longden; Sr.
The Crusaders are 69-4 against Hardcor Coleman; OL Toussant DE John Lindeau.
local opponents since the start of Helm; RB Kam Malcolm; LB Shaheim
2004. Hill. See Class AA page 8
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 5
FOOTBALL 2013
By the numbers Players to watch
2: Interceptions thrown by Kingston quarterback Pat Dorrian last season.
Both came in September – against Warwick and Valley Central.
6: Division I schools that offered Newburgh DB Jalen Williams a full
scholarship. He chose the University of Pittsburgh in June. Other suitors
were Syracuse, Buffalo, UMass, Old Dominion and Temple.
12: Combined margin of defeat in Monroe-Woodbury’s three losses last
season – Minisink Valley 27-25, Newburgh 16-10, Pine Bush 20-16.
67-27: Warwick coach Greg Sirico’s record during his first stint as
Warwick’s coach from 1996-2005.
1996: Last year a team other than Newburgh or Monroe-Woodbury won KEVIN CARR BRAD GARCIA JALEN WILLIAMS MIKE MARTIN
the Class AA title, before Pine Bush won its first championship last fall.
School: M-W School: Warwick School: Newburgh School: Pine Bush
3,602: Rushing yards by Pine Bush last year, an average of 327.4 a game.
Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Senior

Order of finish Position: Quarterback

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 175
Position: Quarterback
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 200
Position: Defensive back
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185
Position: Running back
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 190
Notable: In his first year Notable: A two-time Notable: Over the last Notable: Martin rushed
1. Newburgh Free Academy: years. as a starter, Carr rushed Varsity845 all-star, Garcia two seasons, Williams for 874 yards and 12
Missed the playoffs last season, 4. Kingston: QB Pat Dorrian could for 1,010 yards and 14 moved into the backfield has made 106 tackles touchdowns last year. He
but two years ago played for the be the best slinger in Section 9 touchdowns. He also in the wildcat formation with nine interceptions. is also a dangerous DB
Class AA state title. The Goldbacks this side of Cornwall’s Mike White. threw for nine scores. rejuvenating the Wizards. He will play at Pitt. and return man.
have a strong cast coming back and Dorrian’s supporting cast will play a
are looking for another run to glory. role in how well the Tigers fair.
2. Pine Bush: Lost a lot to 5. Middletown: Expect the Middies
graduation, but might well still to improve again this year and will,
possess the best at the very least, put a scare into
smash-mouth one of the top four.
running game in Division II
Section 9. The
Bushmen have
1. Warwick: Seeking its first
outright Division II title since 2009.
talent sprinkled
on both 2. Minisink Valley: Will rely on the
sides of running game even more this year PAT DORRIAN ANTHONY DUBOSE A.J. SAKAC RICKY GIRALDO
the ball. with no frills – just a lot of power.
School: Kingston School: Newburgh School: Warwick School: M-W
3. 3. Washingtonville: Once again hit
hard by graduation, Washingtonville Year: Senior Year: Junior Year: Senior Year: Senior
Monroe-
Woodbury: hopes to find a way to be in playoff Position: Quarterback Position: Running back Position: Linebacker Position: Defensive back
Looking to contention. Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180 Ht: 6-1 Wt: 200 Ht: 6-1 Wt: 200 Ht: 5-10 Wt: 165
reach the 4. Valley Central: Doesn’t play Notable: After a breakout Notable: Entering his Notable: Sakac emerged Notable: Giraldo, one of
Class AA its first divisional game until Oct. junior year, Dorrian is only third year as a starter, as one of Section 9’s the section’s top DBs,
title game 11 at Minisink Valley, which kicks expected to be better Dubose has rushed for top linebackers last year. broke in as starter two
for the 15th off a pivotal three-game string. this fall. He had many 1,867 yards and 16 TDs He had 100 tackles last years ago and had 55
Dan McNamara time in 17 Washingtonville and Warwick follow. highlights last season. over the last two years. season. tackles as a junior.

Top five matchups

WARWICK VS. M-W
When: Sept. 13, 4 p.m.
Where: Monroe-Woodbury
Last season: Monroe-Woodbury
blew out Warwick 37-6 during the
regular season, but needed a
comeback late in the fourth quarter
to edge the Wildcats 14-13 in the
Section 9 playoff semifinals.
What to expect: This game has
plenty of intrigue. Not only did
Monroe-Woodbury and Warwick play
a classic in last year’s semifinals,
but former Warwick coach James
Sciarra is now an assistant with the
Crusaders. Sciarra was informed he
would not be retained by Warwick
during the offseason.
M-W VS. NEWBURGH
When: Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Where: Monroe-Woodbury
Last season: Newburgh defeated
Monroe-Woodbury 16-10 last year.
Despite the loss, the Crusaders
clinched the Class AA Division I
title that night.
What to expect: Thanks to two
straight wins by Newburgh, this
rivalry has seemingly heated up.
The Goldbacks beat Monroe-
Woodbury 7-0 in 2011, ending
Monroe-Woodbury’s 63-game
winning streak against local
opponents.
MINISINK VS. WARWICK
When: Oct. 4, 7 p.m.
Where: Warwick
Last season: After starting
the year 1-2, Minisink Valley
dismantled Warwick 29-0, en
route to winning the Division II
title. Just a week earlier, Minisink
Valley lost to Newburgh 32-2. The
Warwick win ignited a five-game
win streak.
What to expect: Don’t be
surprised if this showdown
decides the Division II champ.
Warwick and Minisink Valley
have won at least a share of
the title every year but one
(Washingtonville, 2011), since
2005.
PINE BUSH VS. M-W
When: Oct. 18, 7 p.m.
Where: at Pine Bush
Last season: On a wet and rainy
night, Monroe-Woodbury defeated
Pine Bush 24-7 last year. The
Crusaders led 10-7 at halftime. Pine
Bush came back to beat Monroe-
Woodbury 20-16 for the Section 9
title, which was its first win over the
Crusaders since 1995.
What to expect: Pine Bush wants
to prove that last year’s Section
9 championship win was no fluke.
Meanwhile, Monroe-Woodbury is
looking to assert itself as the team
to beat in Class AA. This game
certainly carries some weight.
KINGSTON VS. NEWBURGH
When: Oct. 25, 7 p.m.
Where: Newburgh
Last season: Kingston earned
its third straight win over
rival Newburgh, defeating the
Goldbacks 14-7 at Dietz Stadium.
What to expect: Another close
game with Class AA playoff
implications. Kingston has beaten
the Goldbacks by a combined 16
points over the last three years
and leads the all-time series
52-50-5.
6 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013
Newburgh’s Williams man of action
Soft-spoken leader gets full ride to Pitt
BY JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ
Times Herald-Record
TOWN OF NEWBURGH — On a
perfect August afternoon
– the temperature is com-
fortable, the sun shining –
Jalen Williams plays bas-
ketball in the driveway of
his home.
Two of Williams’ New-
burgh Free Academy foot-
ball teammates, Luke Pena
and Donovan Fields, and his
younger brother, Joshua,
11, throw up shots. There
is playful banter, especially
from the younger Williams,
a gregarious kid who seems
excited to be rolling with
Jalen and his pals.
Then there is Jalen, who
has already accepted a full
scholarship to play at the
University of Pittsburgh
and had offers from five
other Football Bowl Subdi-
vision schools and another
from a Football Champi-
onship Series school. Dur-
ing the action, he nods, he
smiles, he laughs. But he
doesn’t say much.
A silent confidence
This is Jalen Williams,
this has always been him.
A young man of few words.
Shy, but confident, espe-
cially on the football field.
He is a two-time Varsity845
first-team all-star and was
a first-team Class AA all-
state selection last year.
• TIMES HERALD-RECORD
O Number of Division I
scholarship offers Jalen
Williams received.
And an observer would
never know it.
“If you didn’t know him,
you would never know he
is a great football player,
that he has gotten a schol-
arship,” said Newburgh
coach Bill Bianco. “He just
carries himself the right
way, especially in this day
and age. With social media,
you have kids writing that
they are this and that. Jalen
is just cool and calm. He’s
humble and that’s one of
the reasons why I think he
got the scholarship.”
Since he burst on the
scene as a sophomore, help-
ing Newburgh to the Class
AA state championship
game, Williams has been a
player of few words.
He visited several
schools, including North
Carolina State, Connecticut
and Temple. He eventually
received offers from Tem-
ple, Syracuse, Buffalo, Old
Dominion and University
of Massachusetts, along
with Pittsburgh. He ver-
FOOTBALL 2013
bally committed to Pitt in
June.
Not one to brag
It’s rare for a Section 9
player to get an FBS offer,
let alone before their junior
year. Still, during his whirl-
wind tour with big-time
college coaches, Williams
played it close to the vest –
as he does everything.
“When he would come
home from those visits,
he wouldn’t tell me much.
I would have to ask him
things a couple of times,”
Joshua Williams said.
“Jalen is quiet and calm.
He doesn’t speak that much
at all. Around the house, he
doesn’t say much. Some-
times, I don’t even know
when he’s home. He’s just
there.”
Still, Williams com-
mands respect. He has
never missed a workout
at Newburgh and has de-
veloped into a leader. Wil-
liams does have a sense of
humor – Pena, Fields and Safety Jalen Williams
Bianco can attest to that. is the anchor of NFA’s
He cracks jokes when they defense.
hang out and provides mo-
tivation after big and bad DOMINICK FIORILLE/ Times Herald-Record
plays on the field.
“He’s smooth, but he’s him. Jalen isn’t walking
not soft,” Pena, a safety, around talking about Pitts- JALEN WILLIAMS FILE
said. “If you are messing burgh.”
High school: Newburgh Free Academy
up, he will tell you. He’s If Williams hadn’t picked
humble and gives out good Pitt, he likely would have College: Will attend University of Pittsburgh
advice. You have to respect had more offers. Schools Year: Senior Position: Safety
like him for a lot of reasons. Height/weight: 6-foot-2/185 pounds
He’s 6-foot-2, 185 pounds – Family: Parents Julius and Linda; brothers, Jamaal 20,
and still might grow – is Jaron, 20, Joshua 11.
lanky, can tackle and has
Career highlights: Williams is a two-time Varsity845
great hands.
first-team all-star defensive back. He was named
Just a ‘good kid’ first-team Class AA all-state last fall. In two seasons,
Williams has made 106 tackles with nine interceptions.
As for his humility, the
He helped Newburgh to the 2011 Class AA state
soft-spoken Williams gives
championship game.
credit to his hard-working
parents, Julius and Lin-
da, who both grew up in person,” Linda Williams Just a lot of big plays.
the Bronx. They moved to said. “He is grateful, he “Everyone says I’m qui-
Newburgh about 20 years is thankful. He is a good et,” Williams said. “That’s
ago. Julius Williams works kid.” just my personality. I just
for the Department of Don’t expect Williams to try to do what I have to do
Homeless Services in New change his approach this and stay humble. I want to
York, and Linda is a nurse fall, even though he may be go out there, play to what is
at Jacobi Medical Center in the biggest name in Section expected of me and be re-
the Bronx. 9. He’s going to keep it sim- spectful. That’s just who I
“Jalen is just a humble ple without any swagger. am.”

Pine Bush RB Martin
ready for breakout year
BY JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ
Times Herald-Record
PINE BUSH — With their
heads down, Pine Bush
players walked off the turf
at Dietz Stadium at half-
time of last year’s Section
9 Class AA championship
dazed, reeling.
It wasn’t so much that
they were down – 10-7 to
perennial power Monroe-
Woodbury – but how it
happened. On a Bushmen
punt midway through the
second quarter, the ball
grazed a Pine Bush player
and started rolling dead.
That’s when Monroe-Wood-
bury’s Ricky Giraldo alert-
ly scooped it up and ran it
35 yards for a touchdown.
Pine Bush protested the
score, but it was upheld.
Right there, the Bushmen
could have went away, fiz-
zled, just like many in Sec-
tion 9 thought they would
long before their historic
showdown with Monroe-
Woodbury.
Enter Mike Martin.
His 77-yard kickoff for
a touchdown to open the
second half put Pine Bush
up for good. Final score:
Pine Bush 20, Monroe-
Woodbury 16. It marked
the Bushmen’s first Class
AA title.
For Martin, 77 yards to
glory was the defining mo-
ment in a good career. This
season, however, could be
the running back’s break-
out year. We talked to
Martin and teammates
— quarterback Dan Mc-
Namara and running back
Dylan Eller — about its im-
plications.
McNamara on the feeling
of the team after Monroe-
Woodbury’s punt off the
touchdown: “You never want
to go into halftime after a play
like that. Your momentum is
down and it’s even harder to
get back.”
Eller on the pulse of Pine
Bush after Martin’s kickoff:
“It was really good because
it just gave us all the
JOHN MEORE/ForTimes Herald-Record
Pine Bush RB Mike Martin had a moment of glory last
year in the Section 9 Class AA championship game, and
he is expected to build on that this season.
O Mike Martin’s kick-off
return in Section 9 Class AA
championship
half. That was probably the
turning point of the whole
game.”
Who drew up the game-
changing kickoff: It actually
wasn’t Pine Bush coach
Jim Wright or one of his
assistants. Wide receiver
Nick Wise, now a freshman
at Mount Saint Mary scripted
the play. Instead of going
left with the ball, as Pine
Bush did in the first half,
they went right. With a good
blocking scheme in place, the
Bushmen wanted to protect
the sideline for Martin. They
did. He caught the ball on the
left, near Monroe-Woodbury’s
sideline.
Martin on the run: “Once they
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 7
FOOTBALL 2013
Why I picked my number
“My birthday is March 1st and
I’ve always worn that number since
I was little. I thought I would end
my career with that number.
ten. I’m very superstitious. I’m not
saying I couldn’t play with another
number, but it kind of would mess
with my head.”
LUKE PENA, NO. 31 DAN MCNAMARA, NO. 10
Newburgh Free Academy senior safety Pine Bush quarterback
O
O
O O
O
O
“My dad (Gary) wore it at Mi- “It’s the same as my baseball num-
nisink Valley. He ber and 44 is a good baseball num-
passed it down to ber, like Reggie Jackson. I couldn’t
my brother Zak, my have eight, so I went with two
brother Taylor and fours.”
Noah wore it. They SCOTT FLANICK, NO. 44
were all lineman and Pine Bush defensive end
went on to college
football. When I put O
O
O
on that jersey, it means a lot.”
NATE LAKE, NO. 70 “I just wanted a real low number
Minisink Valley defensive lineman and it looks pretty good. I like Trent
Richardson from Alabama who is
O
O
O number three. I kind of want to run
like him because he’s pretty good.
“I’ve always worn 10 since I start- DYLAN ELLER, NO. 3
ed playing football, since kindergar- Pine Bush running back
kicked it off, I knew I wanted
to take it to the house. I knew
I was good when I got around
the mosh pit and just took it
up the sideline.”
Martin on his defining
moment: “I would say that
is the biggest moment of my
career.”
Where Martin goes from
here: Martin, who also plays
defensive back, has received
interest from Fordham,
Wagner and UConn, among
other schools. He rushed
for 874 yards and 12
touchdowns last year. Martin
could make a bigger impact
on offense this fall and wants
to rush for at least 1,000
yards.
Where Pine Bush goes from
here: “Our goals are mostly
the same,” McNamara said.
“We want to build off last
season. We want to show
the young kids coming up the
expectations, to win sections
and go far. I do think teams
look at us different and we
put more worry into them. We
bring a lot more to the table.”
8 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
CLASS AA: Pine Bush returns talent
Continued from page 4
Key losses: RB/DB Matt Geisler;
DB C.J. Weston; K/TE John Thorn;
OL/DL Delano King; OL/DL Matt
McCaffrey; OL/DL Ryan Goode; OL/
DL Nate Langlitz; RB Brian Guzman;
LB Brendan Brown.
Outlook: Pine Bush graduated as
much talent last year as just about
any team in Section 9.
But here’s the thing – Pine Bush
still has plenty of prime-time players
returning from last year’s historic
Class AA championship team. That
run gave Pine Bush its first AA
championship and first Section 9
title since 1995.
Mike Martin and Dylan Eller could
combine to be the best backfield in
Section 9 this fall. Martin rushed
for 874 yards and 12 touchdowns
last year, while Eller put up 620
yards and five scores. Quarterback
Dan McNamara returns to run Pine
Bush’s hard-hitting Wing-T offense.
Pine Bush returns seven starters
on a defense that allowed only
8.5 points per game last season
against Section 9 opponents.
Division II
MINISINK VALLEY
Last season’s record: 6-3, 4-0
Coach: Kevin Gallagher, eighth
season
Returning starters: Sr. RB Kyle
Gainer; Sr. WR/S Shawn Talmadge;
Sr. OL Zach Paino; Sr. DE/RB Pat
Dawson; Jr. DE Nate Lake.
Key losses: QB Sean Tirelli; RB/
DB Austin Ferrier; DE/OL Josh
Bonneau; OL Colin Scott; DB Tyler
Tirelli; RB Frankie Iovino.
Outlook: Minisink Valley’s flexbone
offense won’t earn any style points.
That’s fine with the Warriors.
They’re just looking for lots of yards
a la 2012. Minisink Valley’s hard-
charging running attack helped the
Warriors win the Division II title last
year. The run was highlighted by a
five-game winning streak after a 1-2
start.
Kyle Gainer returns to Minisink
Valley’s backfield this season
and the rest of the committee will
include, Pat Dawson, Deonte Moore
and Shawn Talmadge. Dawson
also will play defensive end, and
Talmadge safety. Defensive end
Nate Lake is another defensive
headliner on a unit that likely will
come as hard as the offense.
VALLEY CENTRAL
Last season’s record: 1-8, 0-4
Minisink Valley coach Kevin Gallagher looks to lead his team into
the Section 9 playoffs for the second straight year.
Coach: Ron Introini, 14th season
Returning starters: Sr. LB/OL
Matt Deronda; Sr. LB/FB Jahrett
DeGroodt; Sr. RB Wanyae Reed;
Jr. DE Mike Kania; Sr. WR/RB/LB
Jarrett Orndorff; Sr. WR/DE Tyler
Fisher.
Key losses: QB Ishmeal Anderson;
WR Mike Majors; OL/DL Dan
Marvin.
Outlook: The Vikings are coming off
consecutive one-win seasons, but
there is optimism at Valley Central.
According to coach Ron Introini,
this is the most athletic Valley
Central team he’s had in five years.
Running back Wanyae Reed could
have a breakout year. He rushed
for more than 300 yards before
breaking his collarbone last year.
The Vikings return seven starters on
defense, including two playmakers
from a year ago, linebackers Jahrett
DeGroodt and Jarrett Orndorff.
Valley Central hasn’t qualified for
the Class AA playoffs since 2006.
WASHINGTONVILLE
Last season’s record: 5-4, 2-2
Coach: Don Clark, fifth season
Returning starters: Sr. S Anthony
Fasano; Jr. K Derek Deoul; Sr. QB/
LB Dan O’Connell; Sr. OL Sam
Weinger.
Key losses: DT Erick Mendoza;
QB Matt Poveromo; RB Francesco
Pichardo; LB Mark Milisci; FB Julian
Vergeli.
Outlook: Coach Don Clark might
have shed a tear at the last two
Washingtonville graduations.
After all, on that diploma line
were some good football players.
Washingtonville lost 17 starters
after 2011 and return just four
this fall. Still, last year’s edition of
the Wizards, once again, managed
to make a run at the playoffs.
FOOTBALL 2013
TIMES HERALD-RECORD/TOM BUSHEY
However, Washingtonville, the
Division II champ two years ago,
missed the postseason.
Washingtonville is loaded with
juniors with potential, but little
experience. Some to look out for
include running back Kendall Hicks,
safety Jakob Woods, linebacker/
quarterback Joe Tecklenburg and
Keith Leonard, a wide receiver/
defensive back.
WARWICK
Last season’s record: 6-3, 3-1
Coach: Greg Sirico, first season
– Sirico previously coached at
Warwick from 1996-05
Returning starters: Soph. K Davis
Brief; Sr. QB Brad Garcia; Sr. LB A.J.
Sakac; Sr. DL Francis Nnamani; Sr.
OL/DL Capen Burbank; Sr. OL Matt
Gesner; Sr. OL James Grennan;
Sr. WR Phil Goska; Sr. LB Michael
Houlihan.
Key losses: RB Matt Weaver; WR/
DB Jordan Totaro; WR/DB Nick
Calacanis; OL Joe Vandenbos; LB
John Leary.
Outlook: Warwick has a new look
and a new coach. Greg Sirico
returns to lead the ’Cats. During
his first stint with Warwick, he ran
the Wing-T. However, times change,
and the spread has become the
most popular offense in Section 9.
Sirico will run the spread with Brad
Garcia calling the signals. He had
played WR, moving to QB late last
season. Seniors Harley Rogers, Joe
Smith and Justin Giannino will serve
as the primary backs. Phil Goska,
Brendan Bauer and Marshall Garcia
make up the primary receivers.
Warwick’s defense improved
last season and the Wildcats hope
to build off that. Sirico and his
charges, of course, hope to once
again compete for the Division II
title.
Class A contenders
face tough openers
BY KEVIN GLEASON
Times Herald-Record
Cornwall and Wallkill have
been the class of Class A for
the past six seasons. But their
coaches have focused the teams
on something beside one another
during the preseason – their sea-
son openers.
Cornwall opens up against
defending Class AA champion
Pine Bush. Wallkill will try to
win its first sea-
son opener since
2010 when it
travels to Valley
O For the past Central.
six seasons, “ O b v i o u s l y,
Cornwall and we are going to
Wallkill have get thrown into
been the class the fire in Week
of Class A. 1,’’ said Cornwall
coach Marcus
Hughes. “Pine
Bush is big and strong.’’
Cornwall, however, is fast and
faster. Hughes said Cornwall’s
offense has better speed than
last season’s electric scoring ma-
chine led by quarterback Mike
White, now a senior.
And that team went 11-1, beat
Somers 34-13 in the state quar-
terfinals, and gave perennial
state powerhouse Burnt Hills a
major test before losing 28-13 in
the semifinals. Burnt Hills went
on to win the state title, 40-20
over Sweet Home.
“We have some great young
talent coming up,’’ Hughes said,
“some juniors that can play.
There will be some positives and
negatives early on. I think at the
end of the year, it will be mostly
positives.’’
On the other end of the rival-
ry, Wallkill coach Brian Vegli-
ando has delivered a constant
reminder to his team during the
preseason. The Cornwall rival-
ry is great and all, but let’s fo-
cus on the first game. Vegliando
knows the emotion, and perhaps
stress, connected with trying to
dethrone Cornwall. So Veglian-
do has downplayed the matchup,
at least for now. And Vegliando
has some motivational ammuni-
tion – Wallkill last won an opener
in 2010, beating Washingtonville
37-29.
Wallkill lost openers to Marl-
boro 38-31 last season, and 28-15
to Washingtonville in 2011.
“Cornwall, we aren’t even
CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record
Wallkill quarterback Joe Pillitteri
is focusing on the future and not
how last season ended.
thinking about them now,’’ Veg-
liando said.
“It’s a big goal of ours and it
could really set the tone for the
season,’’ Wallkill senior outside
linebacker Dave Baker said of
the opener. “We have to prove
ourselves this year.’’
Of course, it’s impossible to
break down the Class A football
season without discussing Corn-
wall and Wallkill in the same sen-
tence. They have met in the past
six sectional title games, with
Cornwall winning five. But their
regular season and sectional
showdowns have been general-
ly close contests – until last sea-
son’s sectional final. White threw
for a Section 9-record 500 yards
to lead Cornwall to a stunning
53-0 win. White had 319 yards to
give Cornwall a 39-0 lead at half-
time.
“I don’t think we came out
very strong and it just piled up,’’
Baker said. “We got too down on
ourselves to recover.’’
“The way it ended definitely
left a bad taste in my mouth,’’
said Wallkill’s returning starter
at quarterback, Joe Pillitteri. “I
want to get on the field and get
that taste out of my mouth.’’
Pillitteri said Wallkill had “the
worst day we could have.’’
“We were prepared,’’ he said.
“I think we just had a bad day. We
got out there and we just froze.’’
kgleason@th-record.com;
Twitter: @th_KevinGleason
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 9
10 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Class A
Cornwall tough to dethrone
CORNWALL
Last season’s record 11-1, 5-0
Section 9 Class A
Coach: Marcus Hughes, seventh
season
Returning starters: Sr. QB Mike
White; Sr. WR Chris Bauer; Jr. WR/
LB Matt Robinson; Jr. WR/DB Tyler
Peddie; Sr. OL/DL Brandon Lupo; Jr.
LB/RB Quinn Zsido; Jr. LB/RB John
Roth; Sr. OL/DL Moiset Santos.
Key losses: WR Alex Cruz; RB/LB
Luke Zsido; OL/DL Connor Staudle;
RB/LB Jeff Grygiel; K/P Damon Neil;
LB/G Pat Landro; FS James Faller.
Outlook: The Green Dragons have
a brand new offensive line that
includes just one senior. The team
is quite young overall, but athletic,
talented and super fast. Figure
on another season with Cornwall
favored to win the sectional title.
GOSHEN
Last season’s record: 3-6, 2-3
Section 9 Class A
Coach: Ed Killenberger, second
season
Returning starters: Sr. FB/LB Zack
Tonyes; Sr. RB/LB Lucas Graves;
Sr. G Nakeem Thorpe; Sr. T Patrick
O’Malley; Sr. WR Varick Ward; Sr.
WR Ian Schupp; Sr. DB Matt Suarez.
Key losses: QB Tyler Eisenbacher; T/
DE Evan Grenier.
Outlook: Goshen reached the
postseason for the first time
in six years last season, losing
to powerhouse Cornwall in the
Section 9 Class A semifinals.
Killenberger, a Goshen alum
and former two-way
player at the school,
hopes to build on
Wesley Schools
that performance. He will continue
to run a power offense and has
a nice combo in the backfield –
returnees Zack Tonyes and Lucas
Graves. Both players also play
linebacker. “I want to be in the
playoffs every year,” Killenberger
said. Goshen opens the season
against traditional rival Warwick on
Sept. 7 in the Spirit Trophy Game.
Goshen vs. Warwick is the second
oldest continuous rivalry in the
state, behind Rome Free Academy
and Utica Proctor, which began
playing in 1891.
MONTICELLO
Last season’s record: 2-7 record,
1-4 Section 9 Class A
Coach: Matt Buddenhagen, fourth
season
Returning starters: QB/DB John
Harned; WR/DB Terry Duncan; WR/
DB London Gandy; TE/LB CJ Forrest;
TE/DE LaJuan Drayton; C/LB Trevon
Rainey; OL/DL Brian Stickle; OL/DL
Isaih Mathis; DL Mike D’Abraccio.
Key losses: WR/DB Mike Rogers;
RB/DE Mistah Alli; TE/LB Jake
McLaughlin; Shane Jackson (injured
all of 2012).
Outlook: Monticello lost its best
player before last season, all-
everything quarterback Shane
Jackson, then lost seven straight
after opening the season with a win
over Saugerties. Monticello will try
to get back to its familiar spot in the
section playoffs.
PORT JERVIS
Last season’s record: 3-6, 2-3
Section 9 Class A
Coach: Matt Polanis, third season
Returning starters: Sr. FB/
DL Dan DeCarlo; Sr. HB/
LB Matt Crown; Sr. LB
Tanner Sexton; Sr. WR/
CB Gage Flieger; Sr. S
David Sicina; Jr. CB Justin
Drew.
Key losses: OL James Sullivan;
OL Mike Guerra; QB/S Matt
Smith; RB Josh Ramos; RB
Russell Williams; WR/S
Travis Edwards; DT Steven
White.
Outlook: Season
3 of head coach
Matt Polanis’
program includes
FOOTBALL 2013
Saugerties coach Lee Meisinger will need to coax significant production from newcomers to help
overcome the team’s lack of depth.
a talented group of skill-position
players, a young offense and
several contributing members from
the school’s successful jayvee team
last year. The Red Raiders have
grown familiar with Polanis’ system.
Now it’s a matter of them executing
the schemes and believing they can
return Port Jervis to its longtime
place as a title contender.
ROOSEVELT
Last season’s record: 2-7, 1-3
Section 9 Class AA – dropped down
from Class AA last year
Coach: Brian Bellino, fourth season
Returning starters: Sr. C/DE Carl
Schroeder; Sr. QB Matt DuPilka;
Sr. WR/DB Mike Bryan; Sr. SS/RB
Justin Hoskins; Sr. LB Dan Pelkey;
Sr. LB Mike Fauci; Sr. WR Ryan
Paul; Sr. G/NT Brian McFarlin; Jr.
RB Avery Strother; Jr. DB Christian
Cappillino.
Key losses: OL/DL Eric
Rosenzweig; C Alex Newman;
WR/DB Chris Osterman; DE/RB
Joe Ciampaglione; WR/DB Benny
Taylor.
Outlook: Coming from Class AA,
Roosevelt is a wild-card entry into
the Class A. Bellino called the AA
schedule “a grind’’ and “pretty
unforgiving’’ and thinks Roosevelt
can be competitive in Class A.
Fellow Class A coaches spoke highly
of Roosevelt. Enrollment could have
Roosevelt moving back to Class AA
next season.
PHILIP KAMRASS/ For the Times Herald-Record
SAUGERTIES
Last season’s record: 2-7, 1-4 Class
A
Coach: Lee Meisinger, third season
Returning starters: Sr. WR/DB
Lukas Gran; Sr. DE Jake Vickery;
Sr. C Austin Sarn; Sr. QB/DB Adam
Bacon; Sr. FB/LB Rob Schmadel; Jr.
QB/LB Randall Lewellyn.
Key losses: C/DL Eric Beresheim;
RB/DB Nick Koenig; G/DT Terrell
Lawrence; WR/LB Kaleb Kouhout;
WR/P/K J.T. Elmendorf.
Outlook: Meisinger calls Saugerties
a “solid group,” but the Sawyers
lack depth with several players
going both ways. As such, they will
need a few newcomers to learn
TOM BUSHEY/Times Herald-Record
quickly and step into key positions.
Saugerties also could use a little Port Jervis middle linebacker
luck after being hit hard by injuries Tanner Sexton is one of six
last season. returning starters.
Connors; DB/KR Isaiah Berrios-
WALLKILL Smith; DB Dylan Wellmon; DB Dylan
Atkins; WR/DB Kenny Atkins; OL/DL
Last season’s record: 6-4, 4-1
Christian Ruddy.
Section 9 Class A
Outlook: Vegliando labeled last
Coach: Brian Vegliando, fifth season
season a down year despite Wallkill
Returning starters: Sr. QB Joe appearing in its sixth straight
Pillitteri; Sr. RB/Slot Sean Puleo; sectional title game. But that is
Sr. LT Kieran Miller; Jr. WR Nick the type of bar Vegliando and his
Gomez; Sr. WR Brandon Purdy; Jr.
assistants have set. Quarterback
DL John Demy; Jr. DB Kyle Richichi; Joe Pillitteri, who completed 57
Sr. OLB/C David Baker; Sr. LB Tyler percent of his passes for 1,455
Owen; Sr. DE Robert Redner; Jr. DL
yards in 2012, will lead a strong
Riley O’Donnell.
crop of returning starters that could
Key losses: RB Josh Villafane; LB
result in its seventh straight title-
Brendan Connors; OL/DL Andrew
game showdown against Cornwall.
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 11
FOOTBALL 2013

Order of finish Players to watch

1. Cornwall: There appears to be a wider divide than usual between
Cornwall and the chasers.
2. Roosevelt: Keep an eye on quarterback Matt DuPilka, who threw a
99-yard touchdown pass against Middletown last season. Expect Class
A newbie Roosevelt, which lost to Cornwall 28-12 last season, to make
its presence felt.
3. Wallkill: Never count out the Panthers, but Roosevelt’s arrival adds
to Wallkill’s challenge of winning a sectional title.
4. Goshen: The Gladiators look to take another step toward eventually DAVID BAKER CHRIS BAUER DAN DECARLO JOHN HARNED
contending for a sectional title.
5. Port Jervis: The Red Raiders are young and hungry. Added depth School: Wallkill School: Cornwall School: Port Jervis School: Monticello
and an increased familiarity with third-year coach Matt Polanis’ system Position: Center/LB Position: wide receiver Position: fullback/DL Position: QB/DB
make them worth following. wHt: 5-10; Wt: 185 Ht.: 6-1; Wt. 185 Ht: 5-11; Wt: 175 Ht: 6-0; Wt: 170
6. Monticello: You can bet that head coach Matt Buddenhagen will Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Senior
have his team prepared each week. Outlook: Baker is one of Outlook: He should be Outlook: Coaches will Outlook: Harned’s ability
7. Saugerties: The Sawyers are in a similar boat as other Class A Wallkill’s most important Mike White’s No. 1 target be hard-pressed to to run and pass will add
teams trying to become title contenders while faced with grueling leaders ... had 40 tackles after catching 29 passes take DeCarlo off the a crucial element to
weekly schedules. with a sack last season. for 512 yards and eight field because he’s so Monticello’s offense.
He will also play center. touchdowns in 2012. valuable.

By the numbers
2: Years since Roosevelt won the 10: Streak of seasons Cornwall or
Section 9 Class AA regular-season Wallkill have won the A title. Cornwall
title, its first title of any kind since has won eight of them.
1975. Roosevelt will debut in Class 20: Years since Saugerties won a
A after moving down because of an section title, beating Goshen 28-14
enrollment decrease. in the 1993 Class B championship
6: Streak of seasons Cornwall-Wallkill game. JOE PILLITTERI SEAN PULEO MOISET SANTOS MIKE WHITE
have met for the Section 9 Class A 115-0: Combined score of Cornwall’s
School: Wallkill School: Wallkill School: Cornwall School: Cornwall
title. Cornwall has won five of them. wins over Goshen (62-0) and Wallkill
(53-0) in the sectional semifinals and Position: quarterback Position: running back Position: OL/DL Position: quarterback
8: Straight wins by Warwick over
Goshen, including a 49-20 defeat final. Ht: 6-0; Wt: 180 Ht: 5-5; Wt: 155 Ht: 6-3; Wt: 250 Ht.: 6-0; Wt: 185
last season. They will play for the 224: League-best points scored by Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Senior
101st time on Sept. 7 at Goshen Cornwall in five Class A games last Outlook: He completed Outlook: Puleo ran for six Outlook: Santos is “by Outlook: He threw for
for the Spirit Trophy. It’s the second season, a 44.8-point average. 57 percent of his passes touchdowns and caught a far’’ the strongest player 2,674 yards and 28 TDs.
oldest continuing rivalry in the state, 2,674: Passing yards put up by for 1,455 yards and 15 touchdown pass, totaling on the team, and has Don’t be surprised if
with Warwick holding a 50-46-4 White on the season. He threw 28 touchdowns against nine 533 yards rushing and been clocked in the 5.0- White puts up even better
edge. touchdowns and 10 interceptions. interceptions as a junior. receiving in 2012. 5.1 range for the 40. numbers this year.

Top five matchups

PINE BUSH VS. CORNWALL
When: Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Where: Cornwall Middle School
Last season: The defending
champions of Class AA from Pine
Bush collide with Class A champs
from Cornwall to open the season.
What to expect: This should be a
riveting matchup with both teams
expected to contend for sectional
titles once again. Pine Bush will try
to outmuscle Cornwall with its size
up front. Cornwall will try to keep
Pine Bush off balance with the
play of record-breaking quarterback
Mike White and big-time speed on
offense.
MONTICELLO VS. GOSHEN
When: Sept. 21, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Goshen
Last season: Tyler Eisenbacher
hit Lucas Graves with a 7-yard
touchdown pass with 22 seconds
left to give Goshen a 28-21 win. It
culminated an 80-yard drive.
What to expect: This game
could help decide one of the two
remaining playoff berths assuming
Cornwall and Wallkill return to the
postseason. Monticello coach Matt
Buddenhagen will try to lead the
Panthers to the playoffs following
a rough season in which they
lost seven straight after beating
Saugerties to open the campaign.
GOSHEN VS. WALLKILL
When: Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
Where: Wallkill
Last season: Goshen trailed 22-6
at halftime but got to 22-12 early in
the third quarter, and appeared to
make it 22-18 later in the quarter.
But the touchdown was called back
because of an ineligible player
downfield, and Wallkill scored the
final 20 points to win 42-12.
What to expect: Goshen made
strides last season by reaching
the playoffs for the first time in six
years. Its next logical step would
be competing with the big boys of
Class A, Cornwall and Wallkill.
WALLKILL VS. CORNWALL
When: Oct. 11, 7 p.m.
Where: Cornwall Middle School
Last season: Cornwall beat Wallkill
38-24 in the regular season before
thumping the Panthers 53-0 in the
Class A championship game.
What to expect: The game likely will
once again serve as the warm-up
for the Class A title game. Wallkill,
seeking to avenge its lopsided loss
to Cornwall for the championship
last year, faces a tall order against
one of the top teams in Section 9.
M-TOWN VS. PORT JERVIS
When: Oct. 12, 2 p.m.
Where: Glennette Field, Port Jervis
Last season: Middletown dominated
Port Jervis in one of the longest
running schoolboy rivalries in
the nation, 30-0, before about
3,000 fans at Faller Field. Once a
Thanksgiving Day staple, it was just
the second showdown since 1969
played on the holiday. The game is
back in the regular season.
What to expect: You can expect the
same thing you get every year from
Middletown-Port – an emotional,
hard-hitting, bruising game for the
Erie Bell trophy. Middletown leads
the series, 70-57-7.
12 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
FOOTBALL 2013

Special connections off field lead to

Section 9 has its share of dynamic duos
BY JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ
Times Herald-Record

O Players working well
together are truly better than
one.
SPORTS’ GREAT DUOS
O Joe Montana and Jerry
Rice, San Francisco 49ers:
Montana won four Super
Bowls, including two with Rice
– the 22nd and 24th. Rice
also won a Super Bowl with
Steve Young hitting him deep.
O
Magic Johnson and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los
Angeles Lakers: The duo
made the NBA Finals eight
times during a 10-year
stretch, winning five titles.
O
Michael Jordan and
Scottie Pippen, Chicago
Bulls: They won six NBA
championships together from
1991-98.
O
Wayne Gretzky and Mark
Messier, Edmonton Oliers:
Long before their Rangers’
days, the stars played for
Edmonton. “The Great One”
and Messier led the Oilers
to four Stanley Cups in five
years in the 1980s.
O
Mickey Mantle and Roger
Maris, Yankees: Both players
were home run kings, back
when the game was without
PEDs.
O
Peyton Manning
and Marvin Harrison,
Indianapolis Colts: During
their time together, Peyton
Manning and Marvin
Harrison set NFL records
for completions (971),
receiving yards (13,090), and
touchdowns (110).
O
Shaquille O’Neal and
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles
Lakers: Sure, they didn’t get
along too well. But they could
win – in the form of three
NBA titles.
B
ack in Mrs. Hertel’s kindergarten class at
Cornwall Elementary School more than a
decade ago, Mike White and Chris Bauer admit
they were rivals.
Put simply, they didn’t like each other. They exchanged
dirty looks in the classroom and didn’t mesh very well on
the playground, either.
Let’s just say they’ve come a
long way.
These days, White, the 2012
Varsity845 Player of the Year,
and Bauer are best friends.
They have a connection. Off
the field they are inseparable.
On the field?
Well, this season, that connec-
tion could be something spe-
cial. Quarterback Mike White
to wide receiver Chris Bauer
could serve as Section 9’s top
dynamic duo.
“I guess it’s cool that people
look at us like that,” said White,
who threw for 2,674 yards and
28 touchdowns last season. “We
will see how far we can take it.
I think it’s going to be a big year
for Chris and I.”
In sports, on any level, we
usually never forget the stars
of the game. It’s a rarity that
two play together and combine
to make a dynamic duo – often,
forever linked in history.
Think about the magic be-
tween Michael Jordan and
Scottie Pippen, Jerry Rice and
Joe Montana and Magic John-
son and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Their big games, their relation-
ships and their accomplish-
ments intrigued the masses.
Here in Section 9, we have
our own potential duos who
could be heroes of the fall. It
might not be on the same level
of Eli Manning to Victor Cruz,
but they are special. They can
take over games together.
Out of the backfield
That’s Mike Martin and Dy-
lan Eller’s plan. Both players
made names for themselves
last fall during Pine Bush’s his-
toric run to the Section 9 Class
AA championship. In a crowd-
ed backfield, Martin rushed for
874 yards and 12 touchdowns,
while Eller added 620 yards
and five scores.
Pine Bush graduated running
backs Matt Geisler (848 yards)
and Brian Guzman (557 yards),
setting the stage for the Martin
and Eller show in the Wing-T of-
fense. Martin is a combination
of speed and power. Meanwhile,
Eller runs like a tank, hard and
straight, with no fear.
Like Martin and Bauer, they
are close friends off the field.
When they aren’t playing foot-
ball, they work out at a frenetic
clip six days a week. That in-
cludes three two-a-day sessions
in the summer. Yes, the pair is
ready to bring it this fall.
“I think when you haven’t
had kids like that over in the
past, when you do, you really
appreciate them,” said Pine
Bush coach Jim Wright. “It’s
awesome when you have talent
like that because it makes up
for any coaching mistakes that
Warwick linemen James Grennan, left, and Carpen Burbank, are a
strong duo in the trenches.
Chester tackles Chris Wittekind and Nick Seabrook look to make a statement this ye
you might make. It also makes
blocks easier for the offensive
line because kids like that can
make things happen.”
In the trenches
At Warwick, its offensive line
JOHN MEORE/For The Times Herald-Record
could lead the way for the rest
of the unit. Linemen, the self-
less grunts who bloody their
hands in the trenches, don’t
get a lot of pop. Not a problem.
They just put their heads down
and keep battling.
However, this year in War-
wick, it will be hard to ignore
tackles Capen Burbank and
James Grennan. Burbank is
a bruiser, entering his fourth
year as a starter, who is 6-foot-
2, 300 pounds. In his first year
as a starter last season, Gren-
nan, who is 6-foot-6, 260 pounds,
established himself as a force.
He is only better this fall.
Keep in mind, Warwick returns
center Matt Gesner. Mean-
while, junior Nate Sander, who
is 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, came
back to the team when Greg
Sirico returned to coach War-
wick again.
“I think we have the poten-
tial to be the best line in the
whole section, possibly the en-
tire state,” Burbank said. “We
work great together and we
have great chemistry. I think
we are going to dominate any-

winning connections on field
ERIK GLIEDMAN/Times Herald-Record
year for the Class D favorite Hambletonians.
one that comes in our way.”
You have to love a lineman’s
fearless mentality. That’s the
approach Chester two-way
tackles Chris Wittekind and
Nick Seabrook are taking this
fall.
The Hambletonians are the
overwhelming favorites to win
the Section 9 Class D title for
the fourth season in a row.
That’s great and all, but Wit-
tekind and Seabrook, who have
played together for four years,
want to make a statement.
“We don’t want to play nas-
ty or dirty football,” Seabrook
Coaches create combinations that often evolve into something special
Gamebreaking combinations,
Friday Night heroes, often
evolve and develop together.
Sometimes, however, they
are formed. Newburgh Free
Academy coach Bill Bianco
made a personnel move for this
fall that he hopes to add up to
a knockout 1-2 linebacker com-
bination – juniors Anthony Du-
Pine Bush running backs Mike Martin and Dylan Eller will be difficult to stop.
said. “But we have to play
mean.”
Added Wittekind: “If we do
that, we will be tough to beat.”
Aerial attack
Cornwall QB White made
most of his magic last season
with wide receiver Alex Cruz,
who graduated and is now at
SUNY Cortland. The signal
caller threw for a Section 9-re-
cord 500 yards in a 53-0 win
over Wallkill in the Section 9
Class A championship.
He added 433 in a 34-13 win
against Somers in the quarter-
bose and Aaron Forbes.
Newburgh graduated its three
linebackers from last season –
Hardcor Coleman, Mike Ceri-
sano and Shaheim Hill. Coleman
and Cerisano were Varsity845
first-team all-stars.
Dubose, a running back, has
rushed for 1,867 yards and 16
touchdowns over the last two
FOOTBALL 2013
finals of the Class A state play-
offs. Cruz caught 11 passes for
a Section 9-record 285 yards
against Somers. He finished
with 1,141 yards – the second
most in Section 9 history – and
10 touchdowns.
Still, Bauer was in the ro-
tation and would have been
most other teams’ No. 1 tar-
get. Blessed with great hands,
Bauer is tough, and runs great
routes.
He caught 29 passes for 512
yards and eight touchdowns
last fall.
When they aren’t on the field,
seasons. Dubose had played
linebacker in lower levels of
Newburgh’s program and in
practice with the varsity squad.
However, Bianco didn’t want
to play him on both sides of
the ball. Dubose will play both
ways this fall.
Forbes moves from defen-
sive back to linebacker. Bian-
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013
ERIK GLIEDMAN/Times Herald-Record
White and Bauer are together,
hanging out pool side, ventur-
ing to their favorite taco stand
in Newburgh and playing video
games. The friendship has led
to a connection on the field.
That could be dynamic for
Cornwall this fall.
“I know Chris will always be
there for me,” White said. “He
will do what he can do to get the
ball, he will do what he needs to
get open. I know he will always
be there. We know each other
well and know what’s going to
happen on the field.”
jrodriguez@th-record.com
co made the move because of
their big-play potential.
“Both kids are really ath-
letic, really fast,” Bianco said.
“As far as making an impact,
neither kid has played the po-
sition, but I think they have ca-
pabilities. We are comfortable
with them.”
Justin Rodriguez
• TIMES HERALD-RECORD 13
QUOTABLE
“If Mike (Martin) and Dy-
lan (Eller) have a big year, we
will have a big year. They are
pretty good and they are the
hardest workers on the team.
They set the tone for the en-
tire team. ... I love coaching
them.”
JIM WRIGHT
Pine Bush coach
O
O
O
“Chris (Wittekind) and Nick
(Seabrook) are great. They
are the two best linemen I’ve
ever played with, to be honest.
They are experienced and not
afraid to get down and dirty.
They make the game so much
easier for me.”
LAWRENCE YOUNG
Chester running back
O
O
O
“Having guys like Capen
(Burbank) and James (Gren-
nan) on the line make things
much easier for me. They are
both big guys. Our offensive
line is great, I know they are
always going to protect me.
That gives me a lot more con-
fidence.”
BRAD GARCIA
Warwick quarterback
O
O
O
“Mike (White) and Chris
(Bauer) will be tough to stop,
but you have to worry about
the entire team. They have
talent all over the field, so
you can’t take away just one
guy. Plus, (Cornwall coach)
Marcus Hughes does a nice
job with new formations.
It’s always a challenge. With
Mike and Chris, you know
you won’t stop them all the
time. But you do what you
can.”
LEE MEISINGER
Saugerties coach
O
O
O
“Mike Martin is obviously
getting some looks from some
big schools. It will be the first
time we play him, but we re-
spect him as an athlete. We
aren’t afraid, but we respect
him. Eller is a hard downfield
runner, he’s a big dude, and
they make a great 1-2 punch
of size and speed.”
A.J. SAKAC
Warwick linebacker
14 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013
Why I picked
my number
“I wore 44 my whole ca-
reer. But I had to change
numbers because I’m also
playing center now. I chose
51 because it’s been a family
number,” having been worn
by his uncle Ralph Baker
and his brother Matt. “Both
were linebackers.’’
DAVE BAKER, NO. 51
Wallkill senior linebacker/center
O
O
O
It was Bauer’s baseball
number. When he was an
all-star in Little League, “I
was 17 and it kind of carried
over. When I was on jayvee
football, I was No. 3 because
17 was taken.” He finally got
it when he made the varsity
as a sophomore. “It was by
coincidence my grandpa’s
birthday, so I’ve stuck with
it and worn it in memory of
him.’’
CHRIS BAUER, NO. 17
Cornwall senior receiver
O
O
O
Crown’s dad, Brian, had it
at Port Jervis. “Ever since I
played Pee Wee, my second-
to-last year, I wore it. I wear
it in every sport.’’
MATT CROWN, NO. 33
Port Jervis senior halfback/linebacker
O
O
O
White’s brother Joe, a for-
mer Cornwall receiver, was
No. 11 the year before arriv-
ing on the varsity as a sopho-
more. “I had the choice to
pick a number I wanted, but
I figured I looked up to him,
so I thought, ‘Why not?’ And
ever since, I’ve loved it, and I
think it’s a pretty good fit.’’
MIKE WHITE, NO. 11
Cornwall senior quarterback
O
O
O
During Puleo’s freshman
year on the jayvee team,
“Dominick Calvanico was
No. 1 on the varsity. He was
a great running back. I was
playing running back at the
time and I just wanted to fol-
low in his footsteps.’’
SEAN PULEO, NO. 1
Wallkill senior RB/slotback
• TIMES HERALD-RECORD
FOOTBALL 2013
Port Jervis still waiting for title
It’s been 12
years since last
championship
BY KEVIN GLEASON
Times Herald-Record
PORT JERVIS — Twelve. Twelve
excruciatingly long years. Has
it really been 12 years since Port
Jervis won a sectional football
championship?
It has been that long since Port
Jervis beat Minisink Valley 9-0
for the Section 9 Class A title.
Twelve years since running back
Roadney Sepulveda broke to the
right side on Dietz Stadium’s turf,
saw some daylight, saw a trophy
staring at him from the end zone,
and outran a group of Minisink
Valley defenders for a 44-yard
touchdown run 1:19 into the sec-
ond half. Twelve years since J.D.
Gallo clinched it with a 31-yard
field goal with 6:21 left.
Twelve years since Port Jervis,
9-0 and not once trailing the en-
tire 2001 season, stepped off the
TOM BUSHEY /Times Herald-Record
field a champion.
Twelve years, which in this Port Jervis coach Matt Polanis thinks his team is closing the gap on the top teams in Class A.
railroad town of 9,000 people,
might as well be 12 decades. to reaching that football utopia captains Tanner Sexton and Dan
All these years later, on a where belief and talent explode DeCarlo talk of a different demo-
scorchingly humid day, coach onto the field? graphic these days. Kids are fo-
Matt Polanis gathers his team “We are pretty close,’’ says Po- cusing on other sports. If football
on its practice field behind the lanis, who married Erica Ropke, is religion here, as it’s often been
school. “You had a good day to- uniting two families a mere six- said, then kids and their families
day and you blew it,’’ Polanis plus decades deep in Port Jervis are missing a lot of Masses.
says. “We expect a lot out of football history. “My father played Port Jervis
O Number of years since Port
you.’’ Polanis ran around Port Jervis’ Jervis’ last championship. football,’’ Crown says. “That in-
The Red Raiders blew it by preseason camp as a 9-year-old, stilled in what I wanted to be. I
letting up just a bit late in prac- played QB before graduating in look at other kids in this town
tice, by giving in to the body and 1990. His dad, Ed, Port Jervis are pretty close. This is my third that are not playing football. It’s
the elements conspiring against Class of ’49, played quarterback year of putting in a system and kind of weird. Instead of going
them. It is the second day of pre- and running back here, coached you can see the players have got- out for football, they are going
season drills, one of those sticky here, was an athletic director ten better at it.’’ out for soccer. It’s harder to get
days that separate character here. Three of Matt’s brothers What happened? How did Port people to play football now.’’
from characters, and Polanis and several cousins also played. Jervis go from a perennial pow- Crown sees signs of a foot-
seizes a teachable moment. He You want tradition? Polanis is er to second-tier status? There is ball renaissance. About 80 kids
knows the Cornwall kids are cel- Port’s fourth varsity coach since never one factor, never a neat an- signed up for jayvee and varsity,
ebrating the day. He knows the 1957. He replaced another Port swer, to why and how Cornwall 16 more than last season. Num-
Wallkill kids are pounding the graduate, Mark Trotta, who re- and Wallkill caught up to the Red bers were so high during sum-
heat like it’s a tackling dummy. signed after going 10-16 in three Raiders and then sprinted past mer weight training that players
And he knows something else seasons. Before that, Bob Corvi- them. waited 20 minutes for an open
– he knows his relatively young no went 161-70-1 in 24 seasons, “I really think that it’s up to the bench.
team is starting to believe it be- and before that Joe Viglione built older kids,’’ says senior halfback/ Polanis explains the disappoint-
longs with the behemoths of Sec- a powerhouse as head coach linebacker Matt Crown, now one ing end to practice. “At the end
tion 9 Class A. from 1957-83. The Red Raiders of those kids. “That’s what I did of the day, they were cooked,’’ he
“They gotta believe they can have played their home games when I was younger. I looked up says. “But it’s just like the fourth
do it,’’ says Polanis. “They want at Glennette Field just shy of 100 to them. I got home from (youth) quarter. You gotta finish it.’’
to be the team that brings Port years. Port Jervis played its first practice and did not shower – I Port Jervis last finished things
Jervis back to where people game in 1897. Twenty-eight titles went straight to the game. We perfectly in 2001. Twelve years
fear coming over the mountain have followed. Zero since 2001. couldn’t wait to be them.’’ later, it tries to jump-start a foot-
again.’’ Peering through sunglasses Which means it’s also up to the ball tradition generations old.
How close are the Red Raiders on this day, Polanis repeats, “We younger kids. Crown and fellow kgleason@th-record.com
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 15
FOOTBALL 2013

LaBoy’s keen vision key to success

New Paltz running back dangerous in open field
BY KEN MCMILLAN
Times Herald-Record
NEW PALTZ — Khariff LaBoy is
at his most dangerous when he
finds a little open space in the
backfield and waits to make his
move with the football.
“I have great vision,’’ the New
Paltz senior running back said,
“so once I get to that outside and
the perimeter I am seeing holes
open up right away. I like to call
it my ‘Spidey’ sense. The game
kind of slows down for me. When
I see it, I take advantage and I am
gone.’’
Apparently, LaBoy and the
comic-book character Spider-
Man have a bit in common. Peter
Parker, too, was a teenage high
school student who dealt with in-
adequacy – in LaBoy’s case, it is
trying to be taken seriously as a
varsity running back in a 5-foot-
7 frame.
Of course, anyone who has seen
LaBoy play can spot the similari-
ties to the costumed crimefight-
er, with his tremendous agility
and super strength. Sprinter’s
speed, an uncanny understand-
ing of the game unfolding before
him and quick reaction time have
all helped LaBoy become a 1,000-
yard rusher for the past two sea-
sons and an all-state defensive
back as a junior.
That’s where the comparisons
to the troubled Peter Parker end.
In school, LaBoy is immensely
popular because he will talk with
just about anybody, from fresh-
men to seniors and from the prin-
O New Paltz running back
Khariff LaBoy has hit the
coveted rushing yards
plateau the past two years.
cipal to the janitorial staff.
“I am well-known,’’ LaBoy said.
“Some people would say it’s be-
cause of football, but me … I just
like to be social in school. I have
great relationships with all my
teachers. I like to talk to every-
body, it doesn’t matter who you
are.’’
By his own description, LaBoy
is a guy in love with football.
When he’s not working at his job
on weekends or hanging out with
his girlfriend, LaBoy is watching
football, whether it’s game film,
Saturday college action or Sun-
day NFL games. “It’s football, 24-
7,’’ LaBoy said. “It’s just me.’’
That passion goes all the way
back to when he first started play-
ing at the age of 6. It’s no wonder
LaBoy started to make an impact
when he was only a freshman in
high school, grabbing seven in-
terceptions.
“He’s had three huge seasons
in a row,’’ New Paltz coach Tom
Tegeler said.
Tegeler said LaBoy may have
relied solely on his talents in his
first couple of seasons, but he has
noticed a change in his new team
captain.
“Khariff has never worked
harder,’’ Tegeler said. “We had
workouts all year and he would
stay an hour extra. He is focused
100 percent on football.’’
By his sheer will and talent,
LaBoy has earned the respect of
some of his opposing coaches.
“I root for Khariff when he’s
not playing us,’’ Marlboro’s Rich
Ward said. “He’s a very respect-
ful kid with how he treats us.
We’re looking forward to playing
against him because he always
brings out the best in us. I can’t
say enough about him.’’
“That kid can run,’’ Highland’s
Carl Relyea said. “It’s one thing to
know about him, but you have to
stop him constantly. You let him
get out into the open field and you
are going to be watching him.’’
New Paltz has an entirely new
offensive line and that has caused New Paltz running
concern for both coach and run- back Khariff
ner, but LaBoy likes what he has LaBoy’s passion
seen so far. for football started
“Our line is not as deep as it was when he was 6 years
in the previous years,’’ LaBoy old.
said, “but I think everybody is big
enough and we will stay healthy.
I think the line will be set and we KELLY MARSH FOR THE TIMES HERALD
will get the job done up front.’’ es, LaBoy believes he is destined has slipped by.
A host of mid-major colleges for special teams play and per- “It just seems like the blink of
have expressed interest in LaBoy, haps a couple runs as a scat back. an eye,’’ he said. “... I am just go-
including Albany, Stony Brook “I am fine with that,’’ he said. ing out and enjoying it, living it
and others in Division I-AA, as LaBoy said it’s hard for him to up and enjoying time with my
well as Division II and III schools. fathom how far he has come in boys. We’re going to do it big this
After speaking to college coach- four years, and at how fast time year.’’

Coach thinks experience will push Highland over .500 mark

BY KEN MCMILLAN
Times Herald-Record
Carl Relyea has seen a lot of
ups and downs in his 29 seasons
as head coach at Highland, and
he’s hoping things are looking up
for his Huskies.
There was one win in 2011,
and a jump to four wins in 2012.
Relyea used very young lineups
the past two seasons and he
believes the team will mature into
a winner in 2013.
“We had gone young and
brought up four or five fresh-
men at one time,’’ Relyea said.
“Those players are now juniors
O Number of years Carl
Relyea has been head coach
at Highland.
with two years of experience. We
have some seniors to blend in
with them, and now it looks like
we have a strong junior class and
some other underclassmen to
help.’’
The Huskies may be looking
more to the passing game with a
cast of three quarterbacks who
can throw the ball long to a good
cast of receivers. Plus, Relyea is
open to running some Wildcat.
“I want to have a winning record
and I would like for us to get
involved in the playoffs,’’ Relyea
said. “Once you are in the playoffs,
anything can happen in that situa-
tion, and that’s where I want to be.’’
Dragon leap
Dover makes the jump from
Class C to Class B, with Ellen-
ville dropping in with the smaller
schools. Dover coach Chris
Lounsbury expects it will be “quite
a challenge,’’ but he is hope-
ful because the Dragons have a
senior-laden cast.
“I think the difference between
B and C is year in and year out
(the schools in Class B) fill spots a
little easier,’’ Lounsbury said. “We
do not have a junior varsity team,
we have a modified.’’
Gander Mountain
Rondout Valley took its lumps
last year (0-9) with a schedule that
featured three Class A schools.
The schedule makers were kinder
this season, with Onteora and
Tri-Valley as non-league foes, but
there’s a monster in the opener, a
road date against Class B champ
Marlboro on Sept. 6.
“I like that,’’ said Rondout Valley
coach George Iacobaccio. “Playing
them will be a great challenge for us
to see where we’re at. Just get the
kids out there playing great competi-
tion right away. It’s going to – hope-
fully – make them better.’’
kmcmillan@th-record.com;
Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
16 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Class B
Marlboro team to beat again
DOVER
Last season’s record: 6-3, 1-3
Coach: Chris Lounsbury, sixth
season
Returning starters: Sr. RB Anthony
Greco; Sr. QB Tye Hill; Sr. OT/DT
Mark Vinci; Sr. OL Sidney Ball; Jr. WR
Dustin Bowen.
Key losses: QB/DB Kyle Bradshaw;
RB/LB Greg Boettcher; WR/S Chase
Beebe; RB/DB Chris Easter; RB/DL
Shakim Futrell; TE/DE Tom Marston;
OL/LB Jake Wadroska.
Outlook: Experience on the front
lines should help the Dragons make
the transition from Class C to B.
Greco is a 295-pound running back
with mobility, and Hill takes over at
quarterback after three seasons at
split end.
HIGHLAND
Last season’s record: 4-5, 2-4
Coach: Carl Relyea, 29th season
Returning starters: Sr. DE/FB A.J.
Buchanan; Jr. DE/OLB Teddy Mapes;
Jr. QB Travis Marmell; Jr. QB Brandon
Mack; Jr. OT Alex Oliver; Jr. OG
Dominick Bellachicco.
Key losses: WR/DB C.J. Tozzi;
C Kevin Rivera; OT/DT Connor
McCutcheon; FB/LB Brandon
Bisaccia; QB Chris Ranalli; K Jake
Armstrong.
Outlook: Relyea used a young lineup
the past two seasons and now
believes this is the payoff year, with
roughly seven returning starters on
both sides of the ball. The Huskies
may use a handful of quarterbacks
because they have good arms.
Relyea believes the playoffs are a
realistic goal.
MARLBORO
Last season’s
record: 11-1,
6-0
Coach:
Rich Ward,
fourth
season
Returning
starters:
Sr. RB/
QB Ryan
Cary; Jr. OT/
DT Robert
Harrison Zraly
FOOTBALL 2013
Papuli; Sr. DE/LT Clinton Howell; Sr.
RB/S Ralph Votta; Jr. MLB/HB Ryan
Greaven
Key losses: RB/DB Devin Pierre; RB/
WR Matt Tamburri; K Adam Laubach;
RB Austin Beck; OL/DL Tyler
Mastranuono; OL/DL Angelo Curci
Outlook: Marlboro lost quite a bit of
talent from its state semifinal team,
but Ward is convinced the Dukes
will fill in the holes quite adequately.
The Dukes have good size, and until
someone can knock them off they
have to remain favorites.
NEW PALTZ
Last season’s record: 6-3, 4-2
Coach: Tom Tegeler, 13th season
Returning starters: Sr. RB/DB JEFF GOULDING/Times Herald-Record
Khariff LaBoy; Sr. OL/DL Troy Heading into his 36th season as a football coach, Highland’s Carl Relyea encourages a player during a
Grant; Jr. OL/DL Mike Hull; Jr. QB/S drill during preseason camp.
Harrison Zraly; Sr. WR/LB Austin
Hekking; Sr. LB Deron Dixon; Sr.
LB Nick DiMarco; Jr. DB/WR John
O’Donnell; Jr. LB/RB Nick Pisciotta. Why I picked
Key losses: OL/DL Anthony Tufano;
RB/LB Darryl Clark; OL Nick Morris;
OL/DT Terrence Patterson; Sr. DL
my number
Elijah Dones.
Outlook: LaBoy is coming off “Last year we had a
consecutive 1,000-yard rushing good defensive tackle
seasons, but this year he has to (Tyler Mastrantuono)
run behind a line that has zero and he is someone to look
experience. Tegeler believes he has up to. I hope he feels
the athletes to fill the line and let good about it.’’
LaBoy use his speed and vision to TYLER CARDINALE, NO. 70
Marlboro defensive tackle
break free. Harrison does give the
team some throwing options.
O
O
O
RED HOOK
CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record “It’s a dedication to my
Last season’s record: 4-5, 2-4 Marlboro quarterback Ryan Cary cools off during practice. brother (John Cosentino)
because he just passed
Coach: John Kravic, first season Red Hook needs junior Nick Carlson numbers and is sporting its most
Returning starters: Jr. TB Dustin away in December. … I
to learn quickly at quarterback. speed in years, so expect more
Ducey; Sr. C Teddy Ross; Sr. OG Ben
want to keep on his num-
of a spread attack. Iacobaccio
Zitz; Sr. S Brian Moore; Jr. MLB Tim RONDOUT VALLEY ber to represent him. I
expects to be in closer games this
Perry.
just met him three sum-
season.
Last season’s record: 0-9, 0-6 mers ago. We did bond a
Key losses: Graphics/Sports lot, we got really close.
Pix QB Lucas Brochetti; WR/ Coach: George Iacobaccio, fourth SPACKENKILL
season Out of nowhere he died
DE Brandon Coleman; OL/LB
Returning starters: Sr. QB Keith Last season’s record: 7-3, 5-1 in a car accident.’’
Tim Terry; LB Luis Garcia; RB KYLE COSENTINO, NO. 58
Brendeon Tator; WR Brandon Malak; Sr. WR/S Brett Steers; Sr. Coach: Clinton DeSouza, fourth
season Marlboro junior center
Coleman; WR Anthony WR Thomas Reardon; Sr. John
Depaoli; LB Shane Crittenden; Wildgruber. Returning starters: OT Victor Twal;
WR Brian Messmer. Key losses: RB/LB Jordan Gwynn; Sr. C/NT Quentin Bade; Jr. OL
Outlook: The Raiders are OT/LB George Lent; OG/DL Casey Antonio Pendleton; Sr. LB Ryan Mills; QB Evan Loughran
young with only seven Ligi; C/DT J.C. Ellsworth; OT/DE Jr. RB/LB Trevor Dolan. Outlook: The Spartans are
returning seniors. Kravic Carlton Legg; DT Brian Sickler. Key losses: TE/LB Josh Riley; RB/ inexperienced but athletic. A speedy
believes this team has Outlook: The Ganders failed to gain LB Wayne Bowden; FB/LB Nick lineup and strong line play will
many similarities to the any traction with a brutal schedule Celestino; OL/DL Dean Ruggieri; OT/ certainly help the green-and-white. A
2006 sectional champs. last year. Rondout has better DT Zach Short; WR/DB Tommy Fink; quick start would help.
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 17
FOOTBALL 2013

Order of finish By the numbers Players to watch

1. Marlboro: Even with
personnel losses, the Dukes
are primed to repeat.
2. New Paltz: The Huguenots
will go only as far as Khariff
LaBoy can take them.
3. Highland: The Huskies are
going to score more points
this year.
4. Red Hook: Young Raiders
need to grow up fast.
5. Spackenkill: The Spartans
may be a bit challenged on
offense.
6. Dover: Step up in class
will be a tough go for the
Dragons.
7. Rondout Valley: Ganders
will have success if they use
their speed.
0: Wins by Rondout Valley, matching
the section-low by Livingston Manor.
2: Consecutive sectional titles by
Marlboro.
2: Ellenville, moved down to Class C,
will play non-league games against
former foes Marlboro on Oct. 11,
and New Paltz on Oct. 18.
3: Wins improvement by Highland
(1-8 to 4-5) last season.
A.J. BUCHANAN RYAN CARY RYAN GREAVEN CLINTON HOWELL
4: Years since Highland last won the
regular-season title. School: Highland School: Marlboro School: Marlboro School: Marlboro
11: Wins by Marlboro and Class Position: Running back Position: Quarterback Position: Halfback, Position: Defensive end,
A’s Cornwall, the top marks in the linebacker left tackle
Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 190 Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 175
section.
Year: Senior Year: Senior Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 230 Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 185
70: Rondout Valley scored the Year: Junior Year: Senior
fewest points of any Section 9 team Outlook: Strength and Outlook: Ability to throw
in Classes AA, A, B or C. speed aid this workhorse. and run adds to his Outlook: Good feet allows Outlook: Returnee is
intelligent decisions. him to move quickly. tough to get around on
83: The total of Highland’s roster for ends.
varsity and jayvee.
295: The weight for 6-foot-4 Dover
running back Anthony Greco.

KEITH MALAK TRAVIS MARMELL ROBERT PAPULI HARRISON ZRALY

School: Rondout Valley School: Highland School: Marlboro School: New Paltz
Position: Quarterback Position: Quarterback, Position: Tackle, Position: Quarterback,
Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 180 wide receiver defensive line safety
Year: Senior Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 170 Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 260 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 160
Outlook: Strength work Year: Junior Year: Junior Year: Junior
should aid running, Outlook: Has ability to Outlook: He is tough Outlook: Smart, confident
throwing. run wildcat plays on to move and has a leader may open up
offense. great understanding of offense with his throwing.
schemes.
KELLY MARSH/For the Times Herald-Record
New Paltz will be relying on running back Khariff LaBoy.

Top five matchups

DOVER VS. HIGHLAND
When: Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Where: Highland
Last season: In season-ending
crossover on Oct. 27, Highland
rallied to send the game into
overtime, but Dover won 20-14
on Tye Mill’s 20-yard scoring
reception.
What to expect: Dover makes its
Section 9 Class B debut against
a Highland team bent on revenge
and sporting a lot of experience.
NEW PALTZ VS.
SPACKENKILL
When: Sept. 12, 4 p.m.
Where: Spackenkill, in the Town of
Poughkeepsie
Last season: Visiting Spackenkill
opened the campaign with a
thrilling 21-20, double-overtime
win. Khariff LaBoy rushed for 107
yards on his way to more than
1,000 for the season.
What to expect: Runner-up
position in Class B may be at
stake, just as it was last season.
Whichever team grows up the
quickest may prevail.
MARLBORO VS. NEW PALTZ
When: Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Where: New Paltz
Last season: Ryan Cary caught
a TD pass and threw for another
out of the wildcat to lead Marlboro
to a 28-7 win on a sloppy field in
New Paltz and the regular-season
title.
What to expect: New Paltz’s
Khariff LaBoy was held to 75
yards by Marlboro and the mud,
so he is going to want to do
something special against the
Dukes.
MARLBORO VS.
SPACKENKILL
When: Oct. 5, 3 p.m.
Where: Spackenkill
Last season: Marlboro squeaked
out two wins over Spackenkill,
21-14 on Sept. 28 and 10-7 in the
sectional finals on Nov. 4.
What to expect: Spackenkill
wouldn’t mind a little payback, but
Marlboro should be rolling into the
second month of the season by
then.
HIGHLAND VS.
SPACKENKILL
When: Oct. 19, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Spackenkill
Last season: Spackenkill posted a
huge road win at Highland, 27-6,
on Sept. 7.
What to expect: With a finale
against Marlboro looming,
Highland may be faced with a
must-win to secure a playoff spot.
Spackenkill should still be in the
hunt, as well.
18 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Class C
O’Neil, Liberty are favorites
Division I
ELLENVILLE
Last season’s record: 2-7, 2-4; Class
B defensive unit.
Coach: Tony Borriello, 13th season
Returning starters: Sr. RB-LB Gary
Gaeta; Sr. RG/DL Jason Lawrence;
Sr. QB/LB Connor McCarthy
Key losses: QB Kyle Conner; TE-LB
Justin Rose; OL/DL Jeff Nunez; RB/
DB Tyler Albert
Outlook: After spending 2012 in
Class B, the Blue Devils drop back
down to Class C because of a slight
decline in enrollment numbers.
Ellenville’s Gary Gaeta was one of
the area’s most prolific runners last
year and he’ll be back to wear down
opposing defenses yet again.
JAMES I. O’NEILL
Last season’s record: 9-3, 3-1; Class
C Division I
Coach: Anthony Finochio, fourth
season
Returning starters: Sr. QB Keegan
West; Sr. LB Kyle Kilner; Sr. RB/SS/
OLB Malik Chambers; Sr. OL/NG Rob
Scandel; Sr. OL Matt Newlin; Sr. CB
Geoffrey Stoker
Key losses: OL/DL Jordan
Baskerville; RB/DB Jerry Nasi; WR/
DB Chris Olave; LB/LB Zach Trainor;
DE Chris Van Skyock; G/LB Eric
Wallace
Outlook: After losing a 2,000-yard
rusher to graduation, the two-
time defending Section 9 Class C
John S. Burke’s Brandon Rawlins, left, works with Joe Grasso during
a drill at practice during preseason camp in Goshen.
champions will have some work to
do on offense. Malik Chambers,
who played tight end last season,
shifts to running back and he also
anchors what should still be a stout
JOHN S. BURKE CATHOLIC
Last season’s record: 5-4, 3-1; Class
C Division I
Coach: Ed Van Curen, Jr., fifth
season as head coach, 12th season
on Burke Catholic staff
Returning starters: Sr. Nick Nanakos
OL/LB; Jr. Joe Grasso OL/LB; Jr.
Brandon Rawlins OL/DL; Jr. Tom
Connolly TE/DL; Jr. Matt Przybocki
QB/DB; Jr. Stephen Cushing RB/LB;
Jr. Stephon Sander RB/LB
Key losses: WR/DB/KR, Patrick
Joyner; QB/FS, Bob Pezzullo
Outlook: Despite going 3-1 in
division games last season, Burke
Catholic found itself eliminated from
the playoffs on a tiebreaker. With
eight returning starters on offense
and nine on defense, the Eagles
have plenty of experience this year.
Expect Burke Catholic to be strong
on both sides of the ball and yet
again factor in the mix for a playoff
berth.
ONTEORA
Last season’s record: 2-7, 0-4; Class
C Division I
Coach: Justin Kight, fourth season
Returning starters: Sr. FB/LB Dustin
MacKenzie; Sr. RB/S Theo Beecroft;
Sr. TE/DE Pat Wortman; Sr. WR/
TOM BUSHEY/Times Herald-Record
FOOTBALL 2013
DB Dustin Bundy; Sr. OL/DL Noah
Magrane
Key losses: RB/DB Bernie Smith;
QB/LB Tim Shultis; LB Zac Viagas;
OL/DL Sean Krum; TE/DL Godfrey
Lucas; OL/DL Conor Harkin
Outlook: The Indians lost two huge
offensive players to graduation in QB
Tim Shultis and RB Bernie Smith,
but Dustin MacKenzie, who ran for
401 yards and three touchdowns
last year, returns for his senior
season. MacKenzie was also the
team’s leading tackler last year, but
the next five tacklers in 2012 were
all seniors. Onteora will have to fill
those spots on defense in order to
be successful in 2013.
Division II
LIBERTY
Last season’s record: 6-4, 3-1; Class
C Division I
Coach: John Wilhelm, fifth season
as head coach, 12th year in the
program
Returning starters: Sr. QB Quinn
Jackson; Sr. C Kevin Brannigan; Sr.
DT Julius Graves; Sr. RB/DB Jericho
Male; Soph. RB/LB Kevin Morgans;
Sr. TE Brenden Williams
Key losses: TE/ILB/K/P Ryan
Henry; RB/OLB Kenny Jaycox; OL/
LB Andrew Martinez; LT/DE Tony
Saravia; LB Ehat Shehi; RB/DB
Atwoun Ackerley
See Class C page 21
2,934: Rushing yards for James I. O’Neill in 2012. Jerry Nasi, who graduated in
June, gained 2,072 of those yards.
Order of finish
Division I
1. James I. O’Neill: The Raiders
have reloaded after winning a
second straight Section 9 title last
fall. With 3-year starter Keegan
West leading the offense, O’Neill
should have no problem putting up
points.
2. John S. Burke Catholic: The
Eagles have a large group of
talented juniors this year, so
the best may be yet to come in
Goshen.
3. Ellenville: The Blue Devils were
a playoff team in Class B a season
ago, but they won’t have it easy in
Class C in a division with O’Neill
and Burke Catholic.
4. Onteora: The Indians have plenty
of holes to fill, but they could
surprise if their newcomers step
EDWARD DILLER/For Times Herald-Record
up.
Division II O’Neill senior linebacker and
running back Kyle Kilner
1. Liberty: Fresh off an appearance practices handoff drills during
in the Section 9 championship preseason camp.
game, the Indians are hungry for a
return trip in 2013. running game.
2. Millbrook: The Blazers might not 3. Sullivan West: The Bulldogs lost
exactly live up to their nickname, a few key players to graduation, but
but they’ll certainly wear down should still contend for a playoff
opposing defenses with their power spot out of Division II.
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 19
FOOTBALL 2013

By the numbers Players to watch

JOHN MEORE/ForTimes Herald-Record
Liberty’s Kevin Brannigan, left,
does some heavy lifting during
a strenuous practice during
preseason camp. Brannigan,
a center, leads a host of key
players returning from last
season’s 6-4 team, including
quarterback Quinn Jackson.
2: Number of Class C schools
in 2012 that shifted to other
classifications in 2013. Dover
merged with Webutuck for
football and will now compete
in Class B. Pine Plains moved
to Class D with a drop in
enrollment. Fallsburg, which had
competed in Class C in recent STEPHEN CUSHING JULIUS GRAVES ALBERTO TAYLOR HUGHES
years, will not field a team this HERNANDEZ
season. School: John S. Burke School: Liberty School: James I. O’Neill
Position: FB/ILB Position: OL/DL School: Tri-Valley Position: RG/DT
15: Streak of consecutive
Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 165 Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 285 Position: C/NG Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 230
losses by Section 9 teams in
state tournament play that was Year: Junior Year: Senior Ht.: 5-7 Wt.: 195 Year: Senior
snapped by O’Neill’s victory over Outlook: Cushing led Outlook: Graves returns Year: Senior Outlook: Hughes missed
Woodlands last year. Highland’s Burke Catholic in tackles to anchor Liberty’s lines Outlook: Hernandez the 2012 season after
1996 victory over Dover, then (85) as a sophomore and on both sides of the ball. will be counted on to suffering a shoulder
a Section 1 team, had been he brings his punishing lead a large group of injury. He projects as a
Section 9’s last Class C state style of play back in 2013. underclassmen. two-way starter.
tournament victory.
62.5: Percent of total tackles
from 2012 that Liberty lost to
graduation. Tony Saravia, Ryan
Henry, Ehat Shehi, Andrew
Martinez, Ryan Boxberger and
Kenny Jaycox combined for 335
of Liberty’s 536 tackles last
season.
72.9: Percentage of all-purpose
yards that Tri-Valley lost to QUINN JACKSON JASON LAWRENCE BRANDON RAWLINS JUSTIN SWARTHOUT
graduation. Cody Exner, Brendan
Tierney and Shatik Smith School: Liberty School: Ellenville School: John S. Burke School: Tri-Valley
combined for 2,246 of the Position: QB Position: RG/DL Position: OL/DL Position: QB/S
3,082 yards gained passing, Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 185 Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 210 Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 245 Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 165
rushing and on returns in 2012. Year: Senior Year: Senior Year: Junior Year: Junior
450: Points scored by James I. Outlook: Jackson returns Outlook: The power Outlook: Rawlins will be a Outlook: Swarthout
O’Neill in 12 games in 2012. to run the potent spread rushing attack starts up force on the line on both takes over as the Bears’
Only one Section 9 team, option attack. He ran for front with blockers like side of the ball for the starting quarterback.
Cornwall (480), scored more 812 yards and passed for Lawrence, one of the top Eagles. He also play in the
points. 877 as a junior. linemen in Class C. secondary.

Top five matchups

SULLIVAN WEST VS.
MILLBROOK
When: Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
Where: at Millbrook
Last season: On Oct. 19, 2012,
the final week of the regular
season, Millbrook won a 30-15
decision with Henry Cardinal
rushing for 165 yards and two
touchdowns on 27 attempts.
What to expect: It certainly isn’t
a rivalry based on geography – the
schools are separated by about
100 miles – but Millbrook and
Sullivan West will battle for control
of Division II in this crucial early
season showdown.
O’NEILL VS. MILLBROOK
When: Oct. 4, 7 p.m.
Where: at Millbrook
Last season: The teams did not
play in 2012. O’Neill won the
most recent meeting, Sept. 10,
2011, 41-21.
What to expect: It’s a non-
division matchup, but it could
be a potential Section 9 playoff
preview. O’Neill is coming off two
straight Section 9 titles, but the
Raiders lost plenty of talent to
graduation. Millbrook was a young
team last year and returns a great
deal of experience.
ELLENVILLE VS. ONTEORA
When: Oct. 5, 3 p.m.
Where: at Onteora
Last season: The teams did not
play in 2012 or 2011. Ellenville
won the last meeting on Oct. 8,
2010, 37-0.
What to expect: Both of these
teams finished with 2-7 records
in 2012, with Ellenville playing
a Class B schedule. This year,
they’re in Division I along with
James I. O’Neill and Burke
Catholic, so the winner of this
game likely keeps pace in the race
for a division title.
JOHN S. BURKE VS. O’NEILL
When: Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m.
Where: at O’Neill
Last season: Burke Catholic was
one of only two teams to defeat
O’Neill during the regular season
last year, winning 26-21 on Sept.
29.
What to expect: Depending on
how the early part of the season
shakes out, this game could have
major implications in the Division
I standings and in the Section 9
playoff seedings. Burke Catholic
returns many players from last
year’s team, so they’ll know that
they can beat O’Neill if a few
breaks go their way.
TRI-VALLEY VS. LIBERTY
When: Oct. 18, 7 p.m.
Where: at Liberty
Last season: These teams haven’t
met since Sept. 25, 2009, a 41-6
victory for Liberty in Grahamsville.
What to expect: Liberty shifts
back to Division II after playing in
Division I last year, meaning the
Indians and Bears will meet again
for the first time in four years.
There will be local bragging rights
on the line and the division title
might be at stake as well at this
point in the season.
20 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Why I picked Chambers skills combat spread
my number BY WILLIAM MONTGOMERY
Times Herald-Record
HIGHLAND FALLS — Roll back the
“I’m a Giants fan and clock 10 years and almost every
one of my high school football team in our
favorite area ran some sort of ground at-
players is tack out of one of three basic sets
Zak DeO- – I-backs, splits backs or a Wing-
ssie, who T formation.
also wears Then came Urban Meyer’s
No. 51. I’m a spread option offense. It wasn’t
long snapper, too.” long before the spread caught on
KEVIN BRANNIGAN, NO. 51 at the high school level and be-
Liberty senior C/LB/LS came a headache for defensive
coordinators.
O
O
O Defenses have begun to adapt
to the spread with a variety of so-
“I wore No. 39 for a lutions. Some schools install mul-
while, but I think I might tiple defenses, using one set of
change it up this year. I players to beef up their run-stop-
think I might go with No. ping abilities by putting eight
21 for LaMichael James,” players in the box. They might
who wore No. 21 at the switch out a few players, empha-
University of Oregon. sizing speed over strength, leav-
GARY GAETA, NO. 21 ing just seven in the box to stop a
Ellenville senior running back more pass-happy team.
At James I. O’Neill, the solu-
O
O
O
tion has been much simpler. The
Raiders just needed to make one
“I wanted to get 52, but equal two – find someone who
that was tak- could play two positions at once.
en already
by Nick and Versatile Chambers
Nick’s older Malik Chambers, a 5-foot-
brother. I 11, 175-pound senior, is listed
kind of like on O’Neill’s roster as a running
Brian Ur- back and safety, but he’s not an
lacher, so I went with 54.” average strong safety.
JOE GRASSO, NO. 54 “If it’s a passing team that likes
Burke junior C/OLB to throw the ball a lot, I’ll drop
back in a Cover-2 as a strong
O
O
O
safety more,” Chambers said.
“If we’re going against more of
“This year I’m going to a running team, a power kind of
take 52 because my broth- team, I’ll come up in the box as a
er wore that for all four linebacker.”
years and I want to carry For O’Neill head coach Antho-
on that legacy.” ny Finochio, it’s all about simplic-
NICK NANAKOS, NO. 52 ity. He chats with other coaches
Burke senior guard during the offseason, many of
whom have mentioned trying to
O
O
O balance 3-man, 4-man and 5-man
defensive fronts.
“I wear No. 11. I’ve worn
The Raiders, two-time defend-
it ever since I was in sev- ing Section 9 Class C champi-
enth grade, ons, are able to excel on defense
ever since I because Chambers’ flexibil-
started play- ity allows the other 10 starters
ing organized to focus on their relatively un-
football. My changing responsibilities.
dad was No. “I like to treat our defense kind
11 all the of the same way we approach of-
way through his career. My fense,” Finochio said. “We don’t
grandfather wore No. 11 want to change our offense ev-
when he played, so it’s been ery week, because if we change
a big number in our family.” our offense every week, the kids
KEEGAN WEST, NO. 11 wouldn’t know what they’re do-
O’Neill senior QB/FS ing. ... We don’t feel comfortable
changing our defensive scheme
FOOTBALL 2013
EDWARD DILLER / For the Times He
The versatility of O’Neill's Malik Chambers allows head coach Anthony
Finochio to use him as a strong safety or an extra linebacker without
disrupting the assignments of the other players on defense.
lar season in Class C, as O’Neill
looks for Chambers to be a dif-
ference-maker and the other de-
fensive players to simply handle
their assignments.
“We can move him down in
the box and play him at outside
linebacker because he’s physi-
O Defensive positions that Malik
cal enough and he’ll get his nose
Chambers excels at playing. involved and he’ll make plays
as a linebacker,” Finochio said.
every week.” “At the same time, he’s athletic
That leaves four down line- enough to play strong safety.”
men, three linebackers, two cor-
nerbacks and one free safety Offensive standout, too
with more-or-less similar assign- Chambers’ versatility comes
ments week-to-week. Chambers, in handy on offense, as well. As
who played defensively against a junior, he was the team’s sec-
Woodland’s fastest receiver in ond-leading receiver with 16
the slot in a 2012 playoff game, catches for 451 yards as a tight
slid over to linebacker the next end.
week against run-heavy Hoosick This season, after the gradua-
Falls in the state semifinals. tion of 2,000-yard rusher Jerry
It’s the same during the regu- Nasi, Chambers will take over
as the Raiders’ top running
back.
“Malik is one of the most ath-
letic kids I’ve seen that has come
out here,” said O’Neill senior
quarterback Keegan West. “I’ve
been lucky to be able to play with
him the last three years. ... We
expect big things from him and
he expects big things from him-
self.”
“I’m used to it,” Chambers
said. “I’m kind of versatile, so I’ll
play anything coach wants me to
play.”
Hybrids change defenses
From the stands, a high school
football game might look chaotic
with 22 players running in all dif-
ferent directions, colliding and
then huddling up before doing it
all over again.
Yet for the coaches, every
movement is orchestrated
through hours spent in practice
and in breaking down game film.
As more and more schools shift
away from the “5 yards and a
cloud of dust” offense to a spread
look, it’s the safety-linebacker
hybrids that will play a bigger
role in the latest evolution of the
game.
“We always make sure that all
of our defensive schemes that
we use are very solid against the
power run, the option and the
zone read concepts that many
teams” are using today, said John
S. Burke Catholic head coach Ed
Van Curen, Jr. “As far as defens-
es evolving, I can speak only for
Burke Catholic when I say that
we clinic during the offseason
with college coaches as much
about our defense as we do about
our offense and special teams
and we clinic a lot.”
“Outside linebackers and
strong safeties have to be inter-
changeable,” Rusin said. “The
guy playing outside linebacker
for you has to be tough enough
to play the run, but he also has
to be quick enough to play back
in the flats against backs and re-
ceivers.”
As the game evolves, it’s going
to be players like Chambers who
play a role in slowing spread op-
tion offenses. If enough players
like Chambers thrive in that role,
who knows? Maybe they’ll force
offenses to adjust again and give
defensive coaches a whole new
set of problems with which to
deal.
wmontgomery@th-record.com

Burke pioneering new helmet technology
BY WILLIAM MONTGOMERY
Times Herald-Record
GOSHEN — More than the spread
option, more than offseason weight-
lifting, the biggest trend in high
school football these days is finding
ways to make the game safer.
At John S. Burke Catholic High
School, the Eagles are pioneering a
new helmet technology.
Burke Catholic’s football players
have been wearing the Guardian
protective helmet cover through their
summer schedule. On the first day
of practice, every varsity and jayvee
player had a Guardian cap over their
helmets.
“What it does is it reduces
impact,” said Burke Catholic coach
Ed Van Curen Jr. “If you’re getting
that head-to-head contact, it reduces
impact by up to 33 percent. Our
philosophy was, something is better
than nothing and if it doesn’t work,
it’s like not having them on. If it does
work, being a small school and with
every athlete being important to
us, it possibly helps keep athletes
on the field. If it protects a kid from
having problems down the road with
concussions or head injuries, it’s
well worth it.”
Guardian, an Atlanta-based
company, has supplied the helmet
caps to many high schools around
the country. A handful of SEC teams
have also worn them through their
spring and summer practices. Burke
Catholic is one of just five football
programs in the state to have pur-
chased at least 20 caps from Guard-
ian. Goshen Youth Football and Loyal
Roy-Hart Youth Football also wear
the caps.
The lightweight, soft foam cap
attaches to the helmet with loops
CLASS C: Liberty’s goal is to advance to the section playoffs
Continued from page 18
Outlook: The Indians played in
the Section 9 championship game
last year against O’Neill, but
they have lost a handful of very
talented players to graduation. That
means Liberty will be young and
inexperienced in spots, but Wilhelm
says the team’s goal is to “improve
each week and get back to the
playoffs.”
MILLBROOK
Last season’s record: 6-3, 4-0; Class
C Division II
John S. Burke Catholic football players wore protective Guardian Caps over their hemlets during
preseason practices.
O Protective helmet caps are said
to be 33 percent safer.
through the facemask and adjusts
to fit with a velcro strap in the back.
They look similar to the headgear
Coach: Sean Keenan, seventh
season
Returning starters: Sr. RB/DB Henry
Cardinal; Sr. FB/LB Brad Pitz; Sr.
RB/DB Joe Daley; Jr. OL/NG Jacob
Higgins; Sr. TE/LB Joe DiGregorio;
Sr. OL/DL Nick Raylor
Key losses: QB Jon Crane; RB/LB
Anthony Carolei; LB Andrew Richwine
Outlook: The Blazers have installed a
new synthetic playing surface, which
could help speed up an already
powerful offense. Millbrook plays
three Class B schools this season in
Spackenkill, Dover and Red Hook, all
of which should provide tough non-
FOOTBALL 2013
worn by rugby players and soccer
goalkeepers.
Tri-Valley small, but tough
Tri-Valley head coach John Rusin
barked some motivation at his play-
ers as they wrapped up practice with
a series of conditioning drills.
“We might not be the biggest
team, but we’re going to be the best-
conditioned!”
The Bears will be using players
along the line that would probably
be slotted at another position if they
league games. The defending Class
C Division II champions will yet again
be in the mix for a division title.
SULLIVAN WEST
Last season’s record: 6-3, 3-1; Class
C Division II
Coach: Ron Bauer, 14th season
since district merger in 1999 (has
been coaching in the area since
1966)
Returning starters: Sr. RB/LB Jared
Meola; Jr. RB/LB Andrew Stabbert;
Jr. RB/LB Richard Shevak; Jr. RB/
LB Bryan Stauch; Sr. OL/DL Devin
Mirch; Sr. Cody Franskevicz TE/DL
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013
TOM BUSHEY/Times Herald-Record
went to any other school. One such
player is 5-foot-7, 195-pound senior
center Alberto Hernandez.
“We knew we’re going up against
bigger guys, but we try to have our
toughness,” he said. “We’re small,
but we’re really strong. Our line-
men are pretty good this year. We
have toughness and they might be
stronger than us, yeah, but we have
technique. We’ll get to them. We’ll be
able to hold them off.
A big, hulking line isn’t exactly the
key to offensive success for Tri-Valley
Key losses: QB/LB Sawyer Erlwein;
WR/DB Brad Hemmer; OL/DL Scott
Erdman; OL/DL Scott Herbert; OL/
DL Blain Reddish
Outlook: The Bulldogs will look to
replace Erlwein, who led the team in
both total yards and total tackles in
2012. They’ll also miss Hemmer and
Erdman, but will have plenty of talent
returning on both sides of the ball.
TRI-VALLEY
Last season’s record: 4-5, 2-2; Class
C Division II
Coach: John Rusin, eighth season
Returning starters: Jr. QB/DB Justin
• TIMES HERALD-RECORD 21
anyway, as their triple-option attack
thrives with quicker blockers able to
get to the outside.
“We don’t need that. Definitely,
having smaller, agile linemen, it
helps them move quicker gets the
offense up-tempo and catches
teams off-guard,” said junior quar-
terback Justin Swarthout. “They’re
not seeing what we’re going to do.
It keeps them guessing and keeps
them on their heels, so we can take
advantage of that.”
Social media lessons
At the end of the second day of
practice, Liberty coach John Wilhelm
gathered his team around for a few
words of wisdom. He told his players
to drink plenty of fluids and to get a
good night’s sleep, but he also had a
very 2013 message.
Be careful what you post on social
media.
“You’re a coach, you’re every-
thing,” Wilhelm said. “You’re a
teacher, a coach, like a parent. There
are a lot of things you have to do.”
A decade ago, coaches couldn’t
have imagined the role social media
would play among their players.
Wilhelm stressed the importance
of avoiding trash talk on Twitter
and Facebook and how that could
motivate opponents. He also advised
against sending photos of postgame
parties, and other proof of things
they shouldn’t be doing off the field.
“I’m on Facebook and Instagram,
that’s it,” said senior center and
linebacker Kevin Brannigan. “I
never post anything. It’s just there.
I don’t use it too much. When I do
use it, it’s mostly about practices.
Things like, ‘Practice today at 4:30.
Be there.’”
Swarthout; Sr. RB/LB Jesus Lozada;
Jr. RB/DB Jared James; Jr. OL/DL
Donovan Flores
Key losses: OL/DT Aric Boyes; FB/
LB Brendan Tierney; RB/DB Cody
Exner; QB/DB Shatik Smith; OL/DL
John Anzano
Outlook: The Bears lost a number
of key players to graduation,
including all-Section lineman Aric
Boyes. Tri-Valley had plenty of
young players returning, including
juniors Justin Swarthout, Jared
James and Donovan Flores, all
of whom saw significant time as
sophomores.
22 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD
FOOTBALL 2013

Class D
Chester expected to dominate
CHESTER
Last season’s record: 7-4
Coach: Ron Stover, 15th season
Returning starters: Sr. RB-WR-CB
Lawrence Young; Jr. QB Vinny Aloi;
Sr. FB-DE Matt Perry; Sr. S Owen
Burke; Sr. T-DT Chris Wittekind;
Sr. T-DT Nick Seabrook; Jr. WR-S
Brandon Sadlier; Jr. RB-DE Mike
Volkmer.
Key losses: WR-DE Justin Delgado.
Outlook: Chester returns all but one
of its top players from its Section
9 Class D championship team. The
three-time defending section champs
have talent spread over the field
and have added depth on both lines
with the emergence of senior nose
tackle Jalen Logan (6-1, 215), and
sophomore Danny Wittekind (6-4,
275).
ELDRED
Last season’s record: 4-6
Coach: Mike Hoover, first season
Returning starters: Sr. WR-S Nik
Dilles; Sr. RB-LB Julian Gottlieb; Sr.
OL-DL Andrew Kougher; Sr. DL Dylan
Williams DL
Key losses: QB-LB Anthony
Margarum; RB-S Mike Donnelly; C-DT
Jesse Corcoran; TE-DE R.J. Thiele.
Outlook: Mike Hoover, a three-year
assistant, takes over for Pat Kean
as head coach. Eldred, which lost to
Chester 53-22 in the Class D title
game last season, is dedicated,
practicing two hours in the morning,
two hours at night and lifting for
Eldred’s Julian Gottlieb,
left, and Nik Dilles run
through a drill during
practice as coach Mike
Hoover, left, watches
during preseason football
camp.
two hours during the first week of
preseason. A young offensive line
must develop quickly and open holes
for Gottlieb and juniors Nick Warren,
Taylor Warren and Nick Banghart.
Junior Hunter Kolvenbach will start
at quarterback, replacing his cousin
Anthony Margarum, who is playing at
Division III Hartwick
ROSCOE/DOWNSVILLE/
LIVINGSTON MANOR
Last season’s record: 1-6 (as
Roscoe/Downsville)
Coach: Fred Ahart, 35th season
Returning starters: Sr. RB-LB Brad
Dreher; Sr. Liam Fogarty RB-DB-KR;
Sr. Joe Schwartz TE-DE; Sr. Rob
Taurino FL-DB; Sr. Ryan Wood OL-DL;
Jr. Dylan Murphy FL-DB; Jr. Josiah
Steele OL-DL; Jr. Collin Tallman
QB-LB; Soph. Kyle Hendrickson DB; TOM BUSHEY/Times Herald-Record
Soph. Logan May OL; Soph. Joey
Returning starters: Sr. Brett Hall
Gales K; Jr. Everett Kunz OL; Jr. Joe
RB-LB; Sr. Chris Kruzynski FB-LB; Sr.
McDoal OL.
Keith Hoffman FB-DE; Sr. WR-RB-FS
Key losses: OL-DL John Becker; Matt Moss; Sr. C-DE Nick Hedges;
OL-DL Steve Mootz; TE Karl Odell; Sr. TE-DL Tyler Wendover; Sr. WR-SS
WR-DB Marc Rosario Ryan Coons; Soph. T-DT Jarek Rudin
Outlook: Roscoe/Downsville adds Key losses: TB-LB Trevor Amato
three Livingston Manor players, (1,000-yard rusher); FB Jake Gomm
including senior linebacker Austin (700 yards); C-LB Joe Wendover.
Decker. Veteran coach Fred Ahart
Outlook: Pine Plains, which drops
likes his team’s experience. A
from Class C, had 26 varsity players,
successful season may come down
twice as many as it had last season.
to keeping the offensive line healthy.
Sophomore Kyle Barton, a jayvee
fullback and linebacker last season,
PINE PLAINS
takes over at quarterback. Senior
Last season’s record: 2-7 (in Class C) Matt Moss (6-foot-3, 170 pounds)
moves from quarterback to wide EDWARD DILLER / For the Times Herald-Record
Coach: Tom Povall, third year
receiver. Chester's Vinny Aloi is in his second season as starting quarterback.

By the numbers Weight room is Chester’s Perry’s second

3: Livingston Manor seniors
who are playing for Roscoe/
Downsville this season.
13: “Varsity” players on Pine
Plains’ 2012 roster. Pine Plains
has 26 this season.
19: Rushing touchdowns by
Chester senior Lawrence Young
in 2012.
21.4: Kick-return average of
Roscoe’s Liam Fogarty last
season.
379: Receiving yards by
Eldred’s Nik Dilles in 2012.
BY SAL INTERDONATO
Times Herald-Record
Matt Perry is known as “Brute”
among his Chester football team-
mates. If Perry had his choice,
he’d lift weights non-stop.
Unfortunately for Perry, his
gym, Straub Fitness in Goshen,
isn’t open 24 hours a day.
Perry has lived in the gym
since Chester’s 34-18 state Class
D quarterfinal loss to Tuckahoe.
“We have to drag him out of
the weight room or he would stay
there all day,” said senior run-
ning back Lawrence Young. “He
O Matt Perry’s max bench
press
just keeps going and going.”
Anticipating a move to defen-
sive end, Perry wanted to get big-
ger and stronger for his senior
season.
The results were a new Perry.
He gained 25 to 30 pounds of mus-
cle and now weighs 205 pounds.
Perry’s bench press jumped
from 245 to 315 pounds. He now
squats 495 pounds.
“I lift six days a week,” Perry
said. “I take Sunday off and do
cardio. ... I feel a lot stronger.”
Perry’s quest for power has
become contagious among his
Chester teammates. Perry has
convinced Young, quarterback
Vinny Aloi, lineman Nick Sea-
brook and running back Angel
Suarez to join his gym.
“I’ve gained 10 pounds since
going with him,” Young said.
Last year, Perry dropped 15
pounds and added speed. This off-
season, running 40-yard sprints
with Young has made Perry even
faster.
“He’s an animal,” said coach
Ron Stover, whose teams have
won seven of the last 10 Class D
titles. “He does everything at one
speed, all out.”
Perry’s addition to the defen-
sive line should make Chester’s
front one of Section 9’s best in
any class. Seniors Chris Wit-

Order of finish
1. Chester: The two-time
defending Class D champion’s
toughest tests come out of
division with three straight games
against Class C teams James
I. O’Neill, Tri-Valley and John
S. Burke Catholic to open the
season.
2. Pine Plains: Dropping down
from Class C to D should benefit
the Bombers. Senior Brett
Hall, Chris Kruzynski and Keith
Hoffman give coach Tom Povall a
solid three-back rotation.
Why I picked my number
As part of team tradition,
Chester graduating seniors
give their number to a young-
er player.
Shaun Stover
gave Sea-
brook No. 52.
The number
takes on an-
other meaning
for Seabrook.
“Ever since I started playing
football, I loved Ray Lewis.
The way he played, the leader
that he was. Shaun was a re-
ally good lineman for us and I
wanted to be as good or better
than him.”
NICK SEABROOK, NO. 52
Chester lineman
O
O
O
“Anthony Ognibene (a gradu-
ating senior) gave me his No. 4.
Matt Perry was given No. 5 by
Andrew Lakis. Ryan Cabrera
just liked the No. 8. Last year,
home
tekind (6-1, 240) and Nick Sea-
brook (6-2, 235) return at defen-
sive tackle. Mike Volkmer is a
195-pound physical defensive
end opposite Perry. Senior Jalen
Logan (6-1, 215) has good quick-
ness for a nose tackle.
“We are definitely stronger,”
Perry said. “But we can’t go out
there like a bunch of bulls and not
know what we are doing.
“I won’t know how much stron-
ger I am until I get on the field
and see if I’m as strong as I think
I am.”
sinterdonato@th-record.com
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD 23
FOOTBALL 2013
Players to watch
3. Eldred: With only 19 players in
the program, Eldred’s depth will
be tested. Team will rely on the
experience of four-year players Nik
Dilles and Julian Gottlieb.
4. Roscoe/Downsville/
Livingston Manor: Tough to
predict how players from the
three schools will mesh. The
team has some experienced VINNY ALOI NIK DILLES BRAD DREHER JULIAN GOTTLIEB
skilled players returning in
School: Chester School: Eldred School: Roscoe/ School: Eldred
running backs Brad Dreher and
Position: quarterback Position: WR/S Downsville/Livingston Position: RB-LB
Liam Fogarty and quarterback
Ht.: 6-4 Wt: 185 Ht.: 6-6 Wt: 195 Manor Ht.: 5-9 Wt: 175
Collin Tallman.
Year: junior Year: senior Position: RB-LB Year: senior
Outlook: Second-year Outlook: Sidelined for Ht.: 5-10 Wt: 234 Outlook: Rushed for
starter looks to build on
strong 2012 finish
half of 2012 the season
due to an injury, Eldred
Year: senior
Outlook: Four-year starter
499 yards and four TDs
as junior but bigger
needs a healthy Dilles to averaged 6.5 yards per contribution will come on
we were standing on the side- compete in the division. carry and 11.5 tackles. defense.
lines next to each other and
realized we were ‘845.’ We took
a picture of it and called our-
selves, ‘The 845 boys.’ ”
CHESTER’S RYAN CABRERA, NO. 8
LAWRENCE YOUNG, NO. 4
MATT PERRY, NO. 5
‘The Varsity 845 boys’
O
O
O
“In ninth grade, nobody had MATT PERRY BRANDON SADLIER CHRIS WITTEKIND LAWRENCE YOUNG
the number and I wanted to
School: Chester School: Chester School: Chester School: Chester
make a number mine.
JULIAN GOTTLIEB, NO. 20 Position: FB-DE Position: WR-S Position: T-DT Position: running back/
Eldred senior running back Ht.: 5-10 Wt: 205 Ht.: 5-11 Wt: 160 Ht.: 6-1 Wt: 240 wide receiver/cornerback
Year: senior Year: junior Year: senior Ht.: 5-8 Wt: 155
Outlook: An outside Outlook: One of team’s Outlook: One of Class Year: senior
O
O
O
linebacker last season, best athletes and a D’s most experienced Outlook: Speedster
Perry added 30 pounds ballhawk on defense, lineman, the three-year rushed for more than
“I’ve worn No. 12 since my of muscle to play starter looks for another 1,700 yards last season
freshman year. I wear No. 12 defensive end. consistent season.
in basketball. Dwight Howard
is No. 12 and he’s my favorite
basketball player.”
NIK DILLES, NO. 12
Eldred wide receiver
Top three matchups
CHESTER VS. O’NEILL
When: Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Where: James I. O’Neil High
ELDRED VS. PINE PLAINS
When: Oct. 18, 7 p.m.
Where: Pine Plains High School
SECTION 9 CLASS D
CHAMPIONSHIP
When: Nov. 8, 7 p.m.
School, Highland Falls Last season: Did not meet. Where: Dietz Stadium, Kingston
Last season: Did not meet. What to expect: Eldred takes the Last season: Chester defeated
What to expect: Chester gets two-hour, 116-mile bus ride for Eldred 53-22.
a strong test out of the gate a key divisional road game with What to expect: Chester, which
against the defending Class C a possible berth in the section has seven of the last 10 Class
champions. Chester’s secondary championship on the line. Pine D titles, is the favorite to win its
of Lawrence Young, Owen Burke Plains will pound the ball behind fourth in a row. Eldred, which has
and Brandon Sadlier could a good-sized offensive line led captured the three titles in the
potentially be tested by James by four-year player Nick Hedges 10-year span, Pine Plains and
I. O’Neill quarterback Keegan Eldred junior Hunter Kolvenbach, Roscoe/Downsville/Livingston
West. Chester looks to be more who enters his first season at Manor will battle for the second
balanced with Mike Volkmer and starting quarterback, will look spot. Pine Plains has never won a
Lawrence Young running the ball to veteran big-play wide receiver section crown. The Bombers last
EDWARD DILLER / For Times Herald-Record and junior Vinny Aloi passing. Nik Dilles, who caught four played for a title in 2004, losing
Chester's Matt Perry can squat touchdowns passes last season, to Tri-Valley in Class C.
495 pounds.
24 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 • TIMES HERALD-RECORD