Football

Contact!

Sullivan County’s five varsity gridiron teams use scrimmages to tune up for 2008 campaigns

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LIBERTY and PORT JERVIS, NY — The air crackles with the sounds of cadenced shouts as football players go through their calisthenics and stretches. The reverberating clack of pad-on-pad contact is a sure sign that fall is upon us and the unmatched excitement of another football season is about to begin.

In the variorum of high school sports, football holds a unique place. With the possible exception of a big winter basketball match up, no sport draws the legions of fans that will likely flock to see how their football teams get out of the chute.

For Sullivan County’s five varsity football teams, the looming approach of week-one action means there’s much still to be done on timing, blocking, tackling, passing, running, kicking, pass coverage and other defensive assignments. And live contact is the best preparation at this juncture, especially scrimmages played under the watchful eyes of coaches.

To that end, Liberty hosted Tri-Valley and Livingston Manor/Roscoe (LMR) on August 30, offering each the opportunity to work on offense, defense, red-zone offense and defense and two-minute drills, starting from the 35-yard line with two minutes on the clock.

That same evening, Sullivan West and Eldred reported to the Port Jervis Middle School field for a multi-team scrimmage that included Class A Goshen and Port Jervis and Class B James I. O’Neill.

For each team, the scrimmages offered ample opportunities to work on every aspect of the game, including place kicking and kick-off receptions. As the players went through their sequences, teams hoped to build on last year’s campaigns to reach the next level in 2008.

A year ago, Tri-Valley and Eldred claimed Section Nine titles in Class C and D respectively. Eldred’s stunning 26-7 record over the past four years, coupled with the fact that it has only Chester and Livingston Manor/Roscoe (LMR) in its division, makes the prospect of the Yellow Jackets nailing their third Section Nine title in the past four years a distinct possibility.

A powerful offensive and defensive line, coupled with new wrinkles on both sides of the ball, should make Eldred a strong contender. Returning quarterback Bryan Henry’s ability to scramble and throw gives Eldred a powerful weapon. More damage can be wrought on opponents from running backs Christian Martinez, Ian Halloran and Joey Counts.

Brandon Startup made a couple of nice receptions during the scrimmage and could be a target for some of Henry’s passes. Eldred will get a strong kicking game from Bobby Warden. Eldred opens its season at home on September 6 against perennial rival Hancock of Section Four. Eldred is coached by Frank Kean, now entering his 35th season. His able defensive assistant is John LiGreci. Assistant coaches Patrick Kean and Dave Thompson return to lend their help.

For Tri-Valley, a return to the mountaintop could be more daunting. Not only did the Bears lose a host of talented players to graduation, but they now have to contend with the likes of Ellenville, Liberty and Spackenkill, who all dropped down to Class C, fierce rival Sullivan West and old foe Pine Plains. The good news is that in Class C, four of the seven teams will make the playoffs.

Nevertheless, Tri-Valley players seem up to the challenge. A great work ethic, superb coaching by John Rusin and his assistants, Joe Porcaro, Mike March and Scott Grey, and the strength and skill of a strong nucleus of players will make the Bears a strong contender.

Andrew Yager, Sean McNamara, Logan Ackerley, Eric Raymond, Kyle Denman, Frank Delozia, Kirk Daroci, Ross Bonnell, Brent McKeon and Bob Fiedler will be integral parts of Tri-Valley’s line.

The return of Dustin VanLieu from Liberty to the Bears’ quarterback spot enhances the equation. Expect to see some fine receiving from Dan Killian, Brendan Moore, Bobby Beale and Nick Corigliano and strong running from Jesse Boncek, Dan Byrne, Matt Bogorad and Peter DeMilia.

Ryan VanLieu still serves as a powerful running back for the Indians, making for an interesting challenge when the two teams meet at Liberty on September 26 for a division fray.

In the meanwhile, the Bears will face a tough task in week one as they travel to Walton to take on the defending NYS Class D champs. For more about other Tri-Valley, Eldred and Sullivan West players see the article entitled “Sneak Peak,” in the August 28 edition of The River Reporter or on www.riverreportersports.com.

This season, Tri-Valley unveils its youth football program headed up by Greg Botsford. Watch for an upcoming article on youth football. On the morning of September 6, the talented youthful gridders from Tri-Valley, LMR and Liberty will vie against each other at a scrimmage.

While still a bit light on numbers, LMR, under the sage coaching of Fred Ahart and Kevin Clifford, looks to marshal past experience to turn the corner in 2008. The team will be led by the strong running of senior Mike Hendrickson, who doubles as a linebacker, Ethan Darbee, who is a major presence on both the offensive and defensive lines, and Deon Mendez, who is another experienced line presence. Justin Hare and Claude Davis are seniors as well. Hare is a lineman and Davis will serve as an end and linebacker.

LMR will return junior Troy Edwards to call the signals. Other juniors include Ross Abbott, who can play at flanker or quarterback. He is a safety on defense. Nathan Brock plays cornerback; Rich Kiakis will play on the line as will Ronald Mapes, Stephen Rogers and Brett Youngblood. Sophomore William Browne adds to the line presence, while Adam Hendrix will enter the frays as a running back and play corner on defense. Rodney McDoal may see time as a safety, while Ruben Mutt will be on the line along with William Parker. Tyler Shaver plays tight end and is a linebacker and Brandon Smith is an end and a safety.

Six freshman join the ranks this season giving the team a young corps of players who hope to get valuable experience. They include Troy Correa and Joe Fredenburg at running back and corner and Mike Mills at quarterback and corner, Chad Rosario at running back, Jordan Tallman at end and linebacker and Sean Wegener on offensive and defensive line.

LMR raised some eyebrows in the scrimmage with Liberty and Tri-Valley as it recorded some hard hits and showed its ability to move the ball. LMR will travel to Harpursville on September 6 for its opener. The game hearkens memories of past decades when Roscoe played Harpursville annually. Forty years ago, a game against Harpursville marked Ahart’s debut as a Roscoe coach.

LMR has a strong youth program for students in grades two through six, which is now in its second year. Coupled with an ongoing emphasis at the modified and junior varsity level, LMR seeks to do what other successful programs have done, including Eldred and Chester, namely build a pipeline of football talent and experience that will pay off in dividends in years hence.

As for Liberty, a 6-2 season in 2007 went a long way toward reversing a culture of frustration marked by a record of 1-17 over the prior three years. Liberty’s success in ’07 brought memories of bygone years when the Indians were a force to be reckoned with. Dropping down to Class C this year may be helpful in Liberty’s bid to keep that success going. But, like every other team about to face the challenges of a new season with new personnel onboard, there are many questions to be answered.

With Chris Lake calling the signals, the Indians showed their ability to move the ball well. A strong line on both sides of the ball will continue to develop its chemistry. The return of tackle Nelson Saravia, after a one-year hiatus, will help greatly as he joins other veterans, including Connor Hinton, Kris Merklin and Tyler Bossert and others on the line. Tough and speedy Brandon Tompkins in the backfield, along with the rumbling explosiveness of Ryan VanLieu and the fiery speed of Steve Hewlitt, add to Liberty’s strike ability, as does the quickness and athleticism of wideout Ivan Rivera. Rivera showed his flair, pulling in an option touchdown pass from Lake against LMR early in the scrimmage.

Liberty will host Section Four’s Delhi on September 6 in a good litmus test of its current state. They beat Delhi last year but can expect a reloaded and aggressive host of Bulldogs, who will attempt repayment in the season opener. Liberty is coached by Jim O’Connor. John Wilhelm, Matt Stoddard and Derek Adams are assistant coaches.

Sullivan West reloads this year, anxious and hungry to return to its position of dominance that yielded three consecutive Section Nine titles, including a Class B crown in 2004 and two in Class C in 2005 and 2006. The Bulldogs will have to get out of the chute well, as their first three games are against division opponents Ellenville, Liberty and Millbrook.

Eldred and Sullivan West will play a non-league game in week four with county bragging rights on the line. The Bulldogs will also play a non-league game against Chester this season. Although quarterback Brad Reimer was missing from the scrimmage on August 30, his fine throwing and running ability should prove to be a huge asset for the team. Backup Ryan Alsdorf handled the lion’s share of the quarterbacking during the scrimmage and did an admirable job.

With running backs Nick Mootz, Dan Figueroa and Latti Rabbi getting ample share of touches and the steady reception of Artie Norden and Mike Schmidt, the Bulldogs will be able to score in a variety of ways. Norden is the team’s talented kicker.

A powerful line now coached by Norm Bauer, who graduated from Lehigh and plays for the Albany Conquest in the Arena Football League, should make Sullivan West an even stronger foe for its six-league competitors.

The Bulldogs are strengthened up front by John Whittaker, Vaughn Schlott, Tyler Wagner, Mark Tesseyman, Chris Wagner, Mike Pomes, Shawn Taylor, Gabe Lagrutta and others. Ron Bauer is the head coach. JP Lang, Kurt Buddenhagen and Anthony Durkin serve as assistant coaches.

The Bulldogs begin their quest on Friday, September 5 against Ellenville under the lights in Lake Huntington. No doubt, many of the division opponents of both teams will be keeping a watchful eye on that game.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of scrimmage pictures.