Sectionals

Legends of the fall

Many teams exit season but a few live on as heroic sectional tales unfold

By RICHARD A. ROSS

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Time moves inexorably on, unfazed by a mere autumnal adjustment of the clock. In the span of a week, so much has happened in local sports that it would take volumes to describe it all with due reverence.

Sectionals offer the allure of a championship trophy. But only one team from each class of schools can hold such an honor and that means all others fall along the way. That said, with great effort, ardor and spirit, Sullivan County teams in sectionals evinced class and skill in the soccer, football and cross-country quests that are now history. Every athlete who took part in these fall rites of passage gained something enduring, regardless of the outcome. So here’s the skinny on what took place so far and what still lies ahead.

In Class C football playoffs, Liberty marshaled a stunning and timely defense to defeat Sullivan West 17-13 to move onto the championship game against reigning champ Ellenville on November 7 at Dietz Stadium. Liberty got a trio of interceptions from senior safety Mike McLean and shut out the Bulldogs in the second half. Sullivan West got a pair of touchdowns on runs by Latti Rabii. Liberty benefited from a pair of safeties wrought by errant Sullivan West snaps. Brandon Tompkins and Marshon Williams each had a touchdown run for Liberty (5-4). Sullivan West finished its season at 7-2. It had beaten Liberty 32-8 back on September 11.

In girls soccer, 7th-seeded Class B Sullivan West endured two rain postponements before losing 2-0 to 2nd-seeded nemesis John S. Burke Catholic. The teams were tied at the half but the Westies, diminished by injuries, couldn’t stop Burke’s continued attack. The Lady Bulldogs finished their fine season at 8-6-3. Burke went on to lose to O’Neill that now plays Highland for the title. Meanwhile, number 8 Liberty lost 5-2 on the road to number 1 Spackenkill. In Class C, number 4 Tri-Valley bested number 5 Chester 4-0 at home before losing a heartbreaker 2-1 on the road to number 1 Millbrook. Jakki Pugh got the game’s first score but Millbrook answered back with a pair for the win. Tri-Valley ended its stellar season at 12-5-1. Millbrook plays S.S. Seward for the title. Seward won the Class D state crown a year ago. In Class D, number 2 Eldred defeated number 3 Roscoe 4-0 before losing 3-1 to Livingston Manor in the title game. Manor won the “D” title two years ago as well. Marissa Diescher scored all three goals for the Lady Wildcats.

In boys soccer, 6th-seeded Class C Fallsburg stunned number 3 Tuxedo 1-0 in an overtime shootout on a penalty kick by Andrew Juarez. The Comets then lost 5-0 to top-ranked S.S. Seward that plays Rhinebeck for the title. Fallsburg ended its season at 9-7. In Class D, The Family School won the title by downing Chapel Field 3-1. Liberty lost to O’Neill 3-2. Down 3-0 at the half, the Indians stormed back but fell short. Liberty ended its season at 7-7.

At the OCIAA Cross-Country Championships, Monticello’s Dave Wilbur was the top county finisher for the second straight year. Wilbur (16:16.66) took 10th place, improving from his time of 16:28.30 a year ago when he finished 18th. Eldred sophomore Hunter Proscia finished 17th in 16:33.34. Also in the top 50 runners of the field that included all of the schools large and small from the Orange County League was Eldred’s Alex Campanella (17:02.16) in 31st place. In the girls race, Sullivan West’s Rianne Erlwein fought through an ongoing calf strain to emerge as the county’s top girl runner in 25th place with a time of 20:00.13. Tri-Valley’s Caroline Bertholf took 27th in 20:07.94. Other Sullivan County girls in the top 50 included Tri-Valley’s Sarah Heikkenin (20:12.12) in 29th place, Sullivan West’s Danielle Myers (20:15.36) in 31st place, Monticello’s Ana Loor (20:44.12) in 40th place, Sullivan West’s Rachel Deppa (21:00.38) in 42nd place and Monticello’s Kristin Harrington (21:01.97) in 43rd place.

Eldred girds for Class D football title game with Chester

On November 6, the much-anticipated rematch of last year’s Class D football title game will be played at Dietz Stadium between Eldred and Chester. Eldred suffered its first loss of the season, losing a non-league game 7-6 on a late score and PAT. Eldred hopes to reclaim the “D” title it lost a year ago and give retiring coach Frank Kean a win for the ages in the process. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Cross-country sectionals loom large as teams/individuals look to punch tickets to states

On November 6 at Bear Mountain, Tri-Valley, Sullivan West and Liberty will vie for Class C titles. Eldred will try its case in Class D and Monticello will go up against the Class A schools.

Monticello and Sullivan West enter volleyball sectional frays

Class A Monticello will host Saugerties on November 4 to play for the right to take on defending champion Cornwall on the road in the semifinals on November 6. Meanwhile, Class C Sullivan West will take to the road on November 6 for a semifinal clash with Pine Plains. Finals will be played at SUNY New Paltz on November 8.

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