High School Football 2009

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2009

A special supplement to The Daily Star and the Cooperstown Crier on Thursday, September 10, 2009

OHS looking to take next step in Class B

Can Walton make it three straight?

Star photo by Julie Lewis

Cory Hunter punts during Friday’s game against Maine-Endwell at Lloyd F. Baker Field. Despite being shut out, 28-0, in their opener, the Yellowjackets seek a spot in the Section Four playoffs. OHS preview, Page 2

More Football Previews Inside B-G

Page 6 ---

Cooperstown Page 8 ---

Delhi

Page 10 ---

Sidney

Page 12 ---

UV/E

Page 14 ---

Unatego Page 16

Star photo by P.J. Harmer

Walton’s Phil Hanley rushed for 1,278 yards last season as Walton won its second straight Section Four Class D championship. The Warriors are back in Class C and will have to get through a brutal Division V schedule to win a third consecutive crown. See Walton preview on Page 18.

2

ONEONTA HIGH YELLOWJACKETS

Time for next generation to step up Oneonta High must rebound from graduations of several key players The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

By P.J. Harmer Staff Writer It’s time to see where the next generation of football players can take Oneonta High. OHS finished 4-5 last season but earned big victories over Chenango Forks and rival Norwich. The Yellowjackets have lost some key parts, however, in Daily Star Player of the Year Brendan Pidgeon and First Team AllStars Jon Lancto (offensive line), Dalton Smith (defensive line) and Matt Marcewicz (defensive back). Daily Star secondteamers Ian Kelley (defensive line) and Phil Wright (linebacker) also are gone. Pidgeon, a two-way starter who served as Oneonta’s go-to running back, rushed for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns on 161 carries in 2008. Now playing at the University of Rochester, Pidgeon also formed a hard-hitting tandem with Wright at linebacker last season and led OHS with 115 tackles. The big names may be history, but fourth-year OHS coach Adam Hoover said this year’s squad might be more wellrounded than last year’s team. That’s because the majority of this group has been in his system from the start. “It’s rare to get a guy with the size, speed and athleticism with what Brendan brought to the table last year,” Hoover said. “(The other backs) don’t have all the parts he had, but put them together and they stack up pretty well.” The line is crucial here, though, because those backs will need enough time to get things

Photo by Cheryl Clough

Senior Dan Broe returns at quarterback after leading Oneonta High to a 4-5 record last season. Broe completed 30 of 86 passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns last season, but he was intercepted nine times. going on offense. The same holds true for senior quarterback Dan Broe (5foot-11, 151 pounds), who completed 30 of 86 passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns last year. Broe, who was intercepted nine times in 2008, will have his top target back this season. Senior Kasey Hogan (6-4, 163) caught six passes for 167 yards last year, but he may have more chances this time around as Hoover

said the Jackets plan to go to the air a little more. “We think (Broe) can add a little to our offense, not only with his arm but with his ability to run,” Hoover said. “We think we can get some guys the ball out in space. We think we can cause some problems for teams. “We want to throw more,” he continued. “We have three guys, who if we can get the ball to them, they can go. If we get Broe

some time, I think we can throw it around a little bit. ... Ideally, if we’re able to do it, I could see us throwing 15-20 times a game. That’s pending we can have the protection.” Broe threw 20 times Friday night but completed six for 95 yards in a 280 loss to visiting MaineEndwell that opened the Section Four Football Conference season for both teams. The offensive line had an up-and-down

night as Broe had lots of time or hardly any at all to throw. “They did a good job pressuring us, but we also made some mental mistakes on the protection where we were sliding and one guy forgot,” Hoover said. “He noticed it right away, but by the time you take your step, it’s too late. We also had some passes I think we’ll normally catch.” Oneonta has some time

to get ready for its Division III schedule, which features Chenango Valley, Norwich, Susquehanna Valley and Windsor. And last year’s wins over perennial power Chenango Forks and longtime rival Norwich only improved the team’s outlook for 2009, Hoover said. “It gives us confidence, but at the same time, we have to know we have See NEXT on Page 3

3

ONEONTA HIGH YELLOWJACKETS

Next ‘We want to throw more. ... I think we can throw it around a little bit. ... Ideally, if we’re able to do it, I could see us throwing 15-20 times a game. That’s pending we can have the protection.’ — Fourth-year Oneonta High football coach Adam Hoover

Star photo by Brit Worgan

Oneonta High center Jesse Wolf-Gould gets ready to snap the ball to Dan Broe during an August practice at Oneonta High. The relatively new offensive line should make or break Oneonta this season. 206) will be in the mix. “We don’t have that leadership at linebacker,” Hoover said. “But we have guys who are confident. ... They are a little tentative when it comes to making defensive calls. That will come with experience. They’ll gain the confidence.” Schulte, Borggreen and

Jeffries will be at either end. Hoover said he’s hoping to rotate the three in the two defensive end spots to keep them fresh. Junior Dakota Smith (6-1, 195) will be at left tackle. Senior Thomas Neapolitano (6-1, 206), Vaccaro and junior Dave Johnson (5-11, 256) could all see

time at right tackle. Oneonta’s outside linebackers will be Gilmore and Hunter. DiMartin and Pondolfino will play cornerback, with Clemons also seeing time. Hogan is at safety. “Defensively, we have experience all around except the two middle linebackers,”

Hoover said. “If those guys play the way they can and take care of their responsibilities, they’ll do a nice job. There will probably be some growing pains, but you’ll have that.” ——— P.J. Harmer can be reached at [email protected] or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

Continued from Page 2 to work hard,” Hoover said. “Those wins didn’t come easy and we have to be prepared to work to get those types of wins. That showed us we can compete with anybody out there, which is a good thing. “The step we have to take is we have to play the full 48 minutes,” he said. “Last year we played well for a half or three quarters, and once for even 46 minutes. We have to play all of them. ... We’ve been talking about finishing games. If we do that, it’s not a stretch to see us in the playoffs. If we don’t do that, we could have not-so-good of a year.” Division play begins in Week Four for the Jackets, which gives their offensive line time to mature. Senior David Schulte (62, 189), a Daily Star secondteamer last year, anchors the offensive line at right guard. Jesse Wolf-Gould (6-5, 275), who started at tackle last year, takes over at center and senior Pat Jeffries (5-10, 164) will be at left guard. Senior Buddy Bemis (6-2, 232) and senior Derek Wright (61, 191) are battling for the lefttackle spot, but senior Kenny Smith (5-10, 241) seems to have right tackle all to himself. Senior halfbacks Doug DiMartin (5-10, 153) and Cory Hunter (6-0, 169) will start in the backfield, and senior Justin Borggreen (5-9, 170) and junior Logan Pondolfino (5-9, 152) should see plenty of time at halfback. Sophomore Bryce Wooden (6-2, 196), senior Ian Clemons (59, 144) and junior Zach Vaccaro (5-8, 183) are also options to run the ball. Junior Michael Gilmore (6-4, 194), who caught three passes for 71 yards last season, also is back and will join Hogan as a tight end. Hoover said sophomore Anthony Delgado (6-0, 175) also will see time as a tight end. “They can catch and if they can get in space, they can run pretty well,” Hoover said. Wooden and Delgado will take over for Pidgeon and Wright at inside linebacker, where junior Dan Hodne (6-0,

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

4

5 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

6

BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD BOBCATS

Pepper looks to shake things up for B-G The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

QB should be in spotlight all season By P.J. Harmer Staff Writer Justin Pepper’s job got a little bigger this year for Bainbridge-Guilford. A senior quarterback, Pepper will be in the backfield with some new faces as speedy running back Dustin Ross and fullback Brad Hurlburt _ both Daily Star First Team All-Stars last year _ have graduated. But Pepper seems to have entered the season ready to accept the challenge, fourth-year B-G coach Tim Mattingly said. Pepper, who stands at 6-foot2, came into practice this year at 205 pounds. Mattingly said that’s 15 pounds heavier than last season. “He runs the show on offense, and on defense, he’s our middle linebacker,” Mattingly said of Pepper, who earned Daily Star second-team honors for his defense last season. “He has shown great leadership and he’s the main cog in our machine. We need him to be successful. ... He’s a stud.” The Bobcats, 5-4 a season ago, are looking to build off the success of a Section Four Football Conference Class D playoff appearance. The semifinal berth didn’t go too well, however, as

‘He runs the show on offense, and on defense, he’s our middle linebacker. He has shown great leadership and he’s the main cog in our machine. We need him to be successful. ... He’s a stud.’ — B-G coach Tim Mattingly on senior quarterback Justin Pepper B-G was on the losing end of a 38-0 thumping by eventual state semifinalist Walton. Still, reaching the postseason had positive effects on the team. “Our goal is to get to the playoffs,” Mattingly said. “I think they got a taste of it last year and they want to get back again this year. We’ve had two great weeks Pepper of practice. I’ve been happy with the leadership.” Reaching the playoffs won’t be a given for B-G, which is in Division VII with Delhi, Deposit, Hancock, Harpursville, Oxford and Seton Catholic Central. “Delhi is the team to beat with what they have returning,” Mattingly said. “But Oxford is better and Hancock is better. I think it will be a pretty competitive division.”

Mattingly’s first concern has to start with his backfield. Ross, whose breakaway speed was unmatched by most in the area, finished with 1,012 yards rushing. Hurlburt, a hard-hitting fullback, had 499 yards. Pepper also rushed for 276 yards. All together, then, the three combined for 1,787 of B-G’s 1,849 rushing Gormley yards. Pepper will be expected to carry a bunch of the offensive load, but running backs Jake Taylor (senior) and Dakota Vandermark (junior) also have looked good early on, Mattingly said. Sophomore Billy Holden (62, 230) will take over at fullback. Mattingly said even without the experience, he likes the look of this year’s team. “We have to get them acclimated to the varsity level and get them to come together,”

he said. “If we have them fill the holes we need and we can jell, I think we can be a pretty good football team this year. Of course, we have to stay injury free. We have more depth than in the past, but we can’t have any major (injuries).” Pepper, who completed 21 of 61 passes for 467 yards and four touchdowns last year _ he was intercepted eight Mattingly times _ has his top target back in senior flanker James Banta (10 catches, 312 yards). But for Pepper to have success, the line has to come together, Mattingly said. Senior guards Ethan Mazzarella (5-9, 190), a Daily Star second-teamer last year, and Russell Darling (6-0, 150) will anchor a line that includes junior center Jimmy Wells (62, 165), junior left tackle Eric Oefelein (6-1, 230), senior right

tackle Jordan Boudreau (6-2, 260) and freshman tight end Austin Bauerle (6-1, 170). Sophomore split end Ryan Porter (6-4, 190) fills out the offense. “We had some holes to fill on the offensive line and we feel we have some good kids in there,” Mattingly said. “We’re filling holes with some young kids. Overall, I think we have some pretty good athletes.” Mazzarella will lead the defense as well as the starter at nose guard. Darling will be at right end and junior Robert Ireland (5-11, 180) will be at right tackle. Holden is at left tackle and Taylor is at left end. Pepper and junior Danny Gormley (5-6, 140), a three-time Section Four Division II wrestling champion, will be the inside linebackers. Junior Gordie Shields (5-8, 140) and senior Brandon Harrington (5-4, 130) will be the cornerbacks and Banta and Vandermark will be the safeties. “We have some athletes who have come out this year that haven’t played in a couple of years,” Mattingly said. “That’s boosted our program a little,” he continued. “This group I have seems to be more athletic than what I’ve had in the past. It’s a nice group of kids.” ——— P.J. Harmer can be reached at [email protected] or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.

2008 DAILY STAR FOOTBALL ALL-STAR TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Brendan Pidgeon RB/LB, Sr., Oneonta COACH OF THE YEAR: Jim Hoover, Walton FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB _ Luke Burns, Sr., Delhi RB _ Dustin Ross, Sr., B-G RB _ Phil Hanley, Jr., Walton RB _ Bryant Mead, Jr., Walton FB _ Jack Fletcher, Soph., Delhi WR _ Brad Ashford, Sr., Cooperstown OL _ Jon Lancto, Sr., Oneonta OL _ Glenn Innes, Sr., Unatego OL _ Chris Skovira, Sr., Delhi OL _ Kenny Reynolds, Sr.,

Walton K _ Mike Guerriere, Sr., Sidney FIRST TEAM DEFENSE DL _ Marty Cole, Jr., Delhi DL _ Kyle Ray, Sr., Unatego DL _ Chet Davis, Sr., Unatego DL _ Dalton Smith, Sr., Oneonta DL _ Chris Mead, Sr., Walton LB _ Cody Reed, Sr., Walton LB _ Tyler Newman, Sr., Unatego LB _ Brad Hurlburt, Sr., B-G DB _ Dylan Umbra, Soph., Sidney DB _ Matt Marcewicz, Sr., Oneonta

DB _ Chad Gardepe, Sr., Walton SECOND TEAM OFFENSE QB _ Cody Renwick, Sr., Unatego RB _ Evan Kiss, Jr., Unatego RB _ Aaron Wood, Jr., Sidney RB _ Jay Lloyd, Sr., UV/E TE _ Cody Endress, Sr., Walton C _ Austin Boice, Jr., Walton OL _ Dustin Babcock, Sr., Sidney OL _ David Schulte, Jr., Oneonta OL _ Adam Finch, Sr., Walton OL _ Tyler Mason, Sr., Sidney OL _ Patrick Wright, Jr., Sidney

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE DL _ Jed Rowley, Jr., Cooperstown DL _ Ian Kelley, Sr., Oneonta DL _ Rich Ennist, Jr., Delhi DL _ Tommy Harris, Jr., Sidney DL _ Ethan Mazzarella, Jr., B-G LB _ Tanner Niedzialkowski, Jr., Cooperstown LB _ Andrew Auriemma, Sr., Cooperstown LB _ Phil Wright, Sr., Oneonta LB _ Justin Borggreen, Jr., Oneonta LB _ Justin Pepper, Jr., B-G DB _ Davionne Price, Sr., Delhi

7 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

8

COOPERSTOWN REDSKINS

Veteran Redskins look to stay grounded The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

Running backs Niedzialkowski, Silvera get Cooperstown off to strong start in ’09 By Eric Ahlqvist Cooperstown Crier Are you ready for some football? The Cooperstown football team seemed to be Friday night, when it opened the season with a 13-0 victory at Section Three rival Ilion. “I wish we were starting with a non-league game, but we’re not, so we’re going to have to be sharp and ready right from the start,” Cooperstown coach Steve Pugliese said before Friday’s game, which marked the Redskins second straight shutout against Ilion (20-0 in 2008). “Ilion is a talented offensive football team and they’ve got some big kids. It will be a good football game.” It was for the Redskins, who got 1-yard touchdown runs from quarterback Tyler Hoke and fellow senior Tanner Niedzialkowski in the second and third quarters, respectively. Those two are part of a Silvera core of veterans who are playing together for the third straight season. Hoke led the Redskins to a 5-3 record last season, when he completed 31 passes for 606 yards and 11 touchdowns. Pugliese said Hoke, who went 0-for-3 Friday but had 88 rushing yards, may look to pass a lot to first-year player Jeremiah Ford throughout the season. Niedzialkowski and junior Alec Silvera each rushed for more than 100 yards in the opener. Niedzialkowski finished with a team-high 131 yards on 18 carries and track standout Silvera had 127 on 10 carries. Chad Parshall contributed 9 yards on two rushes, helping the Redskins to 355 ground yards Friday. Niedzialkowski also led Cooperstown’s defense, with 14 tackles and an interception. Teammate Chris Wehner finished with 11 tackles and recovered a fumble. “Tanner may be my best overall player,” Pugliese said of Niedzialkowki, who starts at linebacker

‘My primary focus is winning the league. If we go to sectionals, that would just be gravy.’ — Cooperstown coach Steve Pugliese and finished second on the team in tackles last season with 99. Pugliese also said running back Luke Folts should have an impact this season, although he had no offensive or defensive statistics Friday. “He’s back and better than ever,” Pugliese said of Folts, who returns after an injury-riddled sophomore year that included a broken leg. “He loves the game and he plays hard all the time. He’ll be a big addition.” Linemen Chris Michaels, Eddie O’Brien and Jed Rowley also are back. “Offensively, I think we’ll be fine, but we have to have some of the new guys step up on the defensive side of the ball,” Pugliese said. “I think we have the players who can do it.” Cooperstown will play in the Class C East Division of the realigned Section Three Conference. Its division foes this year are Ilion, Holland Patent, Frankfort-Schuyler and Herkimer. “We might have the best league in all of Class C,” Pugliese said. “Every team _ with the possible exception of Frankfort _ has the potential to win it. My primary focus is winning the league. If we go to sectionals, that would just be gravy.’’ Cooperstown hosts Little Falls at 2 p.m. Saturday, then travels to Richfield Springs to play Mohawk on Sept. 19. The Redskins follow with a game at Holland Patent on Sept. 25 before closing their regular season with back-to-back home games _ at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 against FS (homecoming) and home against Herkimer at 2 p.m. Oct. 10.

Photo by Cheryl Clough

Cooperstown running back Tanner Niedzialkowski opened his senior season with 131 yards and a touchdown in a 13-0 win at Ilion on Friday.

9 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

10

DELHI BULLDOGS

Bulldogs look to run wild in Division VII Success of 44th-year head coach Kelly will hinge on aggressiveness of offensive line

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

By P.J. Harmer Staff Writer Though some are pointing fingers at Delhi as one of the favorites among Class D teams in the Section Four Football Conference, coach Dave Kelly said he wasn’t ready to start planning a trip to the sectional final. The Bulldogs finished 5-4 and won Division VIII last season, reaching the Section Four Class D semifinals before falling, 33-14, to Groton. Delhi has been placed in the new-look Division VII with Bainbridge-Guilford, Deposit, Hancock, Harpursville, Oxford and Seton Catholic Central. Each team in the division seems to have key losses, but each also has decent returning players. “I think you’re going to see a very competitive group,” Kelly said. “I can’t designate anybody as a bottom-feeder. “I think we’re in contention,” he continued. “We have basically 11 kids back who started at one time or another. We just have to make sure we can put 11 on the field who can do the job.” Section Four’s Division VIII _ the other division in Class D _ consists of Candor, Groton, Moravia, Newfield, OdessaMontour, Spencer-Van Etten, Thomas A. Edison and Tioga. The Bulldogs have their share of big losses in Daily Star First Team All-Stars Luke Burns (quarterback/defensive back) and offensive lineman Chris Skovira. Second-teamer Davionne Price (defensive back) also graduated. Burns completed 47 of 98 passes for 674 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions last season. He ranked second in the area in passing yards (Sidney’s Dylan Umbra was first with 685). Junior Anthony Salerno (5foot-7, 140 pounds), who saw some time at quarterback last year, will take over for Burns. “You have to look at different people’s strengths,” Kelly said. “Anthony is very quick and is hard to get a hold of. Obviously he won’t see as much as

‘If you can’t stop the other team on the pass rush you aren’t going to move the ball on the ground. It’s a team effort. You are as good as your weakest link.’ — Delhi coach Dave Kelly

Star photo by P.J. Harmer

Delhi’s J.J. Darling slips the tackle of a Liberty defender during Saturday’s non-conference victory at Dave Kelly Field. Darling had 45 yards for the Bulldogs, who opened the season with a 16-0 triumph. Luke (who is 6-2). We feel he can do some other things. We might be able to run the option a little better because he’s quick. Each one has a strength.” Kelly said one of his earlyseason concerns is getting the offensive line to continually improve. “We have to become a lot more aggressive on our offensive line,” said Kelly, whose team opened with a 16-0 victory over Liberty. “We were just a

little bit soft the other day (during a scrimmage with Chenango Forks, Vestal and Oxford). We had a very hard time moving the ball on Chenango Forks.” Senior right tackle Marty Cole (6-2, 295) anchors an offensive line that also includes senior right guard Nick Shaw (5-11, 200). Juniors Mike Thomas (5-7, 225) or Will Effner (6-3, 270) will be at center and senior Kurt Beall (6-1, 190) will play left guard.

Thomas or junior Jacob Sackett (6-1, 190) will play at left tackle and junior Jacob Haynes (6-2, 190) and senior Zach Newkerk (6-3, 185) will be at tight end. When Delhi uses a wide receiver, it likely will be senior Tyler McAteer (5-9, 140). Joining Salerno in the backfield is senior running back J.J. Darling (5-10, 160) and junior fullback Jack Fletcher (5-11, 210). Senior Rich Ennist, who rushed for 119 yards and two

touchdowns against Liberty, will also get carries. Fletcher was a Daily Star First Team All-Star last season, when he rushed for 988 yards and 14 touchdowns on 161 carries. Darling had 249 yards on 45 carries. Kelly said Delhi’s rushing could be strong, depending on how the line comes together. “If you can’t stop the other team on the pass rush you aren’t going to move the ball on the ground,” Kelly said. “It’s a team effort. You are as good as your weakest link.” Defensively, the Bulldogs should be equally strong. Cole is at nose guard and Ennist (6-1, 215), a Daily Star second-teamer last year, is at left end. Sackett is at right end and Newkerk and senior Shawn Neumann (5-9, 150) will be at outside linebacker. The inside linebackers are Fletcher and junior Mike Thomas (5-7, 225). Senior Garrett Ellis (5-8, 130) is back at cornerback and will be joined by senior Chris Payne (510, 155). Darling returns at safety, where junior Kevin O’Connell (6-1, 140) also will play. “The way it’s evolved, there were a lot of question marks early,” Kelly said. “At this time, they seemed to have sorted themselves out.” Kelly, in his 44th season and ranked second in Section Four victories behind Walton’s Jim Hoover, said running the ball will be key this season. “We have to run the ball like we do when we’re good,” he said. “If we have ideas about winning our division, and we do, we have to pick it up a little bit in terms of our offensiveline play.” Depth also should be a plus for the Bulldogs. “It depends on the position,” Kelly said. “We do have some depth, but not all across the board. ... Injuries at about half of the positions will create a problem. Injuries at the other half won’t be so drastic.” ——— P.J. Harmer can be reached at [email protected] or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.

11 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

12

SIDNEY WARRIORS

Experienced Warriors have brutal schedule Quarterback Umbra, running back Wood among top returners for Sidney in Section Four’s Division V

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

By Rob Centorani Staff Writer With 18 of 27 players back from last season’s 5-4 squad, including a third-year starting quarterback, it would appear Sidney’s football team has the makings for something special in 2009. It won’t take the Warriors long to find out if that’s the case. Sidney is sure to know where it falls in the Division V pecking order of the Section Four Football Conference over the next two weeks. They’re home against Walton on Friday and travel to Chenango Forks the following Saturday. That’s the same Walton program that has won two Section Four Class C titles (2000, 2004), two Section Four Class D championships (2007, 2008) and a Class D state championship (2007) this decade. Over the same period, Chenango Forks has seven Section Four Class B titles to its credit, including state championships in 2003 and 2004. Sure, Sidney has had some recent success as well, winning back-to-back Section Four Class C titles in 2005 and 2006, the former resulting in a state championship. But since going 21-3 in those seasons, the Warriors are 8-10 over the last two campaigns. Though it would seem the Warriors might put a better product on the field this season, it’s probably a stretch to

‘Everybody has a tough league schedule. Nobody can complain. Everybody is in the same boat. Every year is a new opportunity to see where you’re at. We would like to be competitive in every game we play.’ — Sidney football coach Jeff Matthews say they’re in the same league as Walton and Forks. “Everybody has a tough league schedule,” Sidney coach Jeff Matthews said. “Nobody can complain. Everybody is in the same boat. Every year is a new opportunity to see where you’re at. We would like to be competitive in every game we play.” Last season, Walton placed a 66-7 hurting on Sidney. “Walton has Umbra always been the measuring stick,” Matthews said of a team that opened with a 20-19 victory over Windsor on Saturday. “It’s good to get a chance to play them in a meaningful game. Last year, we got beat up pretty good, but we always look forward to playing a well-coached team like Walton.” Talk of this year’s edition of the Warriors has to start with junior quarterback Dylan Umbra. Last season, he completed 42 of 100 passes for 685 yards and seven touchdowns. He also earned Daily Star First Team

All-Star honors as a defensive back. “He understands the offense and what we’re trying to do,” Matthews said of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Umbra. “If I send in the wrong formation, he can decipher it and get the right play called. When he was a freshman and that happened, we were just in a bad play. It’s nice to have a coach right on the field for us.” Will Umbra’s Wood experience translate into more passing this season? “We’ll see,” Matthews said. “Having a good quarterback really helps, but what really dictates that are the people who’ll catch it. We have some kids with really good hands, but it comes down to situations.” In Sidney’s 20-14 Week 1 victory over Bainbridge-Guilford, Umbra went 3-for-8 for 29 yards. But with Aaron Wood running for 125 yards and a pair of scores on 20 carries last Friday, the Warriors didn’t need

to throw much. Wood, a senior, gained 470 yards and scored seven TDs on the ground last season _ numbers second on the team to Mike Guerriere, who graduated after gaining 864 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns a year ago en route to third-team allstate honors. Wood, a Second Team Daily Star All-Star in 2008, also caught a team-high 12 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. “I’m looking Matthews forward to big things out of Aaron,” Matthews said. Seniors Andy Searles (14 carries for 71 yards last season) and Tyler Moffitt (26-152) should also get touches in the Warriors’ double-wing attack on the opposite side of Wood, as will juniors Corbin Curley and Anthony Masi. The fullback is senior Nick Burpoe. All of Sidney’s linemen played last season. Senior Pat Wright (5-9, 270) is the center. He’ll be flanked closely _ Sidney’s linemen

traditionally have the tightest splits in the section _ by left guard Brian Robertson (5-9, 190) and Tyler Pixley (5-11, 200) or Matt Rodriguez (5-11, 180) at right guard. The right tackle is third-year starter Kyle Baldwin (6-2, 260) and Tom Harris (6-2, 220) is the left tackle. The ends will be Alex Heil, who had nine catches for 94 yards last season as a sophomore, and junior Tanner Westcott. Defensively, Harris will play nose tackle, with Baldwin and Robertson as the ends. Masi and junior Tanner Koza, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, are the outside linebackers. Heil and Burpoe will man in the inside linebacker positions. Curley and Umbra are the safeties, and junior Josh Wilce and Searles are the corners. “We don’t have a lot of team speed, but we have some quickness,” Matthews said. “If we can get an initial surge, we can have some success. We’re not real big and that concerns me when we face a team that wants to pound it.” Added Matthews: “I think we’re going to be as good a football team as last year, if not better, but with the addition of two premier football teams from our section (Walton and Forks), improving will be a tough task. We don’t want to settle for anything. It’s important to have high goals.” ——— Rob Centorani can be reached at [email protected] or 607-432-1000, ext. 209.

THE DAILY STAR SPORTS DEPARTMENT

THE DAILY STAR SPORTS DEPARTMENT

THE DAILY STAR SPORTS DEPARTMENT

HHHHH SPORTS EDITOR DEAN RUSSIN [email protected]

HHHHH SPORTS WRITER P.J. HARMER [email protected]

HHHHH SPORTS WRITER ROB CENTORANI [email protected]

432-1000 or (800) 721-1000 Ext. 215

432-1000 or (800) 721-1000 Ext. 229

432-1000 or (800) 721-1000 Ext. 209

www.thedailystar.com

www.thedailystar.com

www.thedailystar.com

13 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

14

UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON STORM

U/VE stressing quality over quantity Small roster, schedule are big obstacles

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

By Rob Centorani Staff Writer

Star photo by Dean Russin

Unadilla Valley/Edmeston coach Jack Loeffler talks to quarterback Ryan Harrington between plays during the first quarter of last Friday’s Section Four Football Conference season opener against Newfield. The visiting Trojans won, 20-0.

It’s not like Unadilla Valley/ Edmeston was hopelessly out of every football game it played in 2008. But the Storm did lose every game they played a year ago in making the transition from an independent schedule to Division V of the Section Four Football Conference. Five of their losses were by 16 points or fewer, including a 22-20 loss to Oxford, a 14-7 setback to Bainbridge-Guilford, and a 21-14 decision to Deposit. “We didn’t know how to finish off a game (last season),” fourthyear UV/E coach Jack Loeffler said. “We were in a position to win, but we just didn’t know how to go about it. We’d have a turnover or a costly penalty, or something like that and it would take us out of the game.” And there’s no guarantee UV/ E’s record will improve in 2009. The Storm have a meager 20 boys on their roster and with the addition of perennial state powers Walton and Chenango Forks in Division V, the schedule has become considerably more difficult. “We’re calling ourselves the few but the mighty because we don’t have great numbers, but every kid that we have is a quality player,” Loeffler said before his team’s season-opening, 20-0 loss at home to Newfield on Friday. “It’s not like we have three or four weak kids where we have to worry if every kid we put in the game can do the job.” Still, in division games against Unatego, Sidney and Greene last season, UV/E was outscored, 1266. And now, Walton and Forks are on the schedule. “(Our schedule) is (a bear), especially after what we went through last year, but we’ve come up with the philosophy that you only get better by playing better teams and we have the mind-set right now that we don’t care who we’re playing,” Loeffler said. “We’re going to bring everything we’ve got. “Wins and losses aren’t as important as how much we de-

velop,” he continued. “Of course, we want the wins, but right now we’re just trying to build a program here.” Perhaps the key returner is senior quarterback Ryan Harrington, who stepped in as the starter in the fourth game last season and completed 13 of 47 passes for 235 yards, with two touchdowns and five interceptions. “That’s absolutely essential,” Loeffler said of Harrington’s experience, “because we have enough young guys and I tell him he doesn’t just have to know one position, he has to know all 11 of them to make sure everyone is position on every play.” Senior running back Ian Davis exceeded his offensive output from a year ago in the opener, rushing for a game-high 138 yards on 16 carries against Newfield. Davis had 83 yards on 24 carries in 2008. Also returning in the backfield is Tyler Foulds, a 6-foot3, 250-pounder who gained 115 yards on 30 rushes last season. Foulds rushed for 52 yards on 10 attempts against Newfield. Senior John Lopez, and juniors Brett Gage, Eli Conklin, Derek Collins, Dan Schwab, Matt Gould and David Wehrenberg, also should get carries. The all-underclassmen offensive line features juniors Mitch MacDuff (6-4, 208), Randy Olsen (6-2, 222), Calvin Rifanberg (6-0, 210) and Will Westbrook (5-10, 232), along with sophomore Jason Rous (5-11, 242). The starting tight end is junior Travis Clark (6-0, 175). Defensively, Rous plays at nose tackle and is flanked by Rifanberg and senior Tom Fellrath. Clark and Conklin man the end positions, with Foulds and Westbrook at inside linebacker. Gage and Davis are the corners, and Lopez and Collins are the safeties. Juniors Evin Bodie (6-0, 183) and Jake Eiholzer (6-1, 260) provide depth on the lines, as does junior Austin Glidden in the backfield. ——— Rob Centorani can be reached at [email protected] or 607-432-1000, ext. 209.

15 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

16

UNATEGO SPARTANS

Unatego has plenty of holes to fill this season

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

Spartans lost 17 starters after 5-4 finish last year By Courtney A. Erickson Contributing Writer If Unatego football intends to win its second Section Four Class C title in the past three seasons, it will do so with a mostly new cast of players. In his third year as head coach, Art Rigas needs to replace 17 starters from a team that finished 5-4 overall and 1-2 in Division V last season. “Our challenge is inexperience,” former Oneonta High coach Rigas said. “We have a lot of players who have never played varsity football and we have athletic kids. They have performed everything we’ve asked of them.” Senior quarterback Cody Komenda will take over for 2009 graduate Cody Renwick, who completed 43 of 96 passes for 688 yards and six touchdowns last season. “He is a great athlete who has taken command of the offense and knows where everyone is supposed to be,” Rigas said of the 5-foot-11, 150-pound Komenda. “He is ahead of where we expected him to be. He has been a pleasant surprise.” Unatego’s backfield will consist of returner Evan Kiss, a senior fullback, and halfbacks Conner Miller, Jacob Jones and Josh Lambrecht. Kiss had 631 yards and five TDs on 92 carries last season. “(Kiss) is one of the fastest guys on the team,” Rigas said. “He is reading blocks better and had five or six runs of 50 or more yards last year.” The foursome will attempt to fill a void left by the graduation of Tyler Newman, who had 588 yards on 94 touches last season. “We will spread out our offense and put the ball into different hands,” Rigas said. “We have more depth (in the ground game) than last year.” Unatego’s top receiver in 2008, Chet Davis, graduated after scoring four times and amassing 393 yards on 21 catches. Komenda’s top targets, then, should be senior Dale Rifenbark and newcomer David Carman, who are sophomores. “(Rifenbark and Carman) are willing to come out and work hard every day,” Rigas said. The offensive line has to find a suitable replacement for 2008 Daily Star First Team pick Glenn Innes. Juniors Travis Carr, Dylan Joyce and Dylan Barber will try to pick up the void left by Innes.

‘Our challenge is inexperience. We have a lot of players who have never played varsity football and we have athletic kids.’ — Unatego coach Art Rigas “(Innes) was our leader,” Rigas said of the three-year starter. “Carr, Joyce and Barber earned starting spots early.” The defensive line took a big hit with the graduations of Davis and Kyle Ray, an all-state and Daily Star first-team selection. Rifenbark and Kiss will line up at defensive end, and junior Jerry Pacchiano will play nose guard. Joyce, who earned a starting spot by the end of last season, and Miller are the team’s top linebackers. “(Miller) is a pretty well-rounded player,” Rigas said of the sophomore. “He runs around and loves the game.” The secondary features newcomers in junior safeties Will May and Ryan Thompson, with Carman and Komenda starting at cornerback. May also will handle all of the kicking duties. “(May) has never played football before but is a really smart kid,” Rigas said. “He is booming the ball and is a really pleasant surprise.” After scoring six points in last season’s first two games _ against Oneonta and eventual Class D state semifinalist Walton _ Unatego doesn’t appear to have it much easier at the beginning of this fall. The Spartans opened Saturday with an 8-7 loss at Harpursville and are headed to perennial Section Four power Chenango Forks this Saturday. Rigas said he’s counting on preseason work ethic to get the team through the difficult opening stretch. “I think we have good leadership,” Rigas said. “They are leading by example and working hard every day. We’re having fun out there.”

2008 AREA FOOTBALL STATISTICS BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD (5-4, 2-1 Division VIII) Sept. 5: B-G 14, UV/E 7 Sept. 12: B-G 36, Oxford 15 Sept. 20: B-G 26, Deposit 14 Sept. 26: Sidney 32, B-G 26 Oct. 3: B-G 32, Hancock 16 Oct. 10: Delhi 41, B-G 8 Oct. 17: Unatego 17, B-G 0 Oct. 25: Walton 38, B-G 0 Oct. 31: B-G 24, Seton Catholic 0 B-G Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Dustin Ross 10 2 - 64 Justin Pepper 5 8 - 46 James Banta 4 3 - 30 Brad Hurlburt 5 - - 30 Dustin Rutz - 1 1 Jake Taylor - 1 1 B-G Statistics Rushing: Dustin Ross 140-1,012, Brad Hurlburt 90-499, Justin Pepper 75-276, Dustin Rutz 2-22, Russell Ross 3-15, Daren Terpstra 5-14, Bill Holden 1-10, Shane Cornish 2-3, Dustin Steigerwald 1-(-2). Passing: Justin Pepper 21-for-61, 467 yards, 4 TD, 8 int. Receiving: James Banta 10-312, Shane Cornish 5-66, Justin Miller 3-51, Dustin Rutz 3-38. DELHI (5-4, 3-0 Division VIII) Sept. 6: Delhi 24, Liberty 0 Sept 13: Sidney 30, Delhi 14 Sept 20: Westmoreland 21, Delhi 14 Sept 27: Walton 30, Delhi 8 Oct. 4: Delhi 30, Deposit 20 Oct. 10: Delhi 41, B-G 8 Oct. 18: Delhi 47, Hancock 8 Oct. 25: Delhi 44, Seton Catholic 0 Nov. 1: Groton 33, Delhi 14 Delhi Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Jack Fletcher 15 3 – 96 Rich Ennist 6 2 - 40 Anthony Salerno 2 3 - 18 39 Davionne Price 3 1 – 20 Luke Burns 2 2 – 16 Jacob Cipperly 2 - - 12 Kyle Bishop 1 - - 6 Delhi Statistics Rushing: Jack Fletcher 161-988, Davionne Price 72-454, J.J. Darling 45249, Rich Ennist 35-165, Luke Burns 45-155, Anthony Salerno 13-86, Shawn Neumann 2-15, Jacob Mason 1-8, Tyler McAteer 1-8, Kyle Bishop 4-6, Chris Payne 1-0. Passing: Luke Burns 47-for-98, 674 yards, 7 TD, 5 int.; Anthony Salerno 3for-7, 13 yards, 3 int. Receiving: Anthony Salerno 10-179, Jacob Haynes 9-101, Davionne Price 10-90, Jack Fletcher 4-72, Rich Ennist 4-69, Zach Newkerk 2-64, Jacob Cipperly 5-55, Ethan Sackett 1-34, J.J. Darling 3-32, Luke Burns 2-11. ONEONTA (4-5, 2-2 Division III) Sept. 28: Oneonta 28, Unatego 6 Sept 12: Dryden 27, Oneonta 20, OT Sept. 19: John. City 34, Oneonta 17 Sept. 27: Oneonta 18, Chen. Forks 15 Oct. 4: Oneonta 33, VVS 14 Oct. 10: Chen. Valley 25, Oneonta 8 Oct. 17: Windsor 15, Oneonta 8 Oct. 24: Oneonta 32, Norwich 12 Oct. 31: Vestal 21, Oneonta 14 Oneonta Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Brendan Pidgeon 13 1 - 80 Matt Marcewicz 6 1 - 6 44 Doug DiMartin 3 - - 18 Dalton Smith 2 1 - 14 Kasey Hogan 1 - - 6 Pat Jeffries 1 - - 6 Cory Hunter - 5 5 Dan Broe 1 - 2 Nate Armstrong 1 - 2 Oneonta Statistics Rushing: Brendan Pidgeon 161-936, Matt Marcewicz 85-513, Dalton Smith 78-247, Doug DiMartin 21-129, Cory Hunter 10-51, Philip Wright 4-34, Ryan Sullivan 3-32, Justin Borggreen 3-6, Ian Clemons 1-1, David Schulte 1-(-1), Dan Broe 19-(-12), Passing: Dan Broe 30-for-86, 508 yards, 3 TD, 9 int.

Receiving: Kasey Hogan 6-167, Michael Gilmore 3-71, Brendan Pidgeon 5-56, Eric Scheer 2-49, Matt Marcewicz 4-48, Nate Armstrong 2-35, Doug DiMartin 3-35, Cory Hunter 1-24, Garrett Barrett 1-23. SIDNEY (5-4, 2-1 Division V) Sept. 5: Sidney 33, Mount Markham 7 Sept. 13: Sidney 30, Delhi 14 Sept. 19: Greene 51, Sidney 12 Sept. 26: Sidney 32, B-G 26 Oct. 3: Walton 66, Sidney 7 Oct. 11: Sidney 61, UV/E 0 Oct. 18: Sus Valley 29, Sidney 28 Oct. 24: Sidney 33, Unatego 27 Nov. 1: Elmira N.D. 44, Sidney 27 Sidney Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Mike Guerriere 12 3 - 22 103 Aaron Wood 10 - - 60 Zach Finch 4 1 - 26 John Mercurio 3 2 - 22 Dylan Umbra 2 2 - 16 Quinn Dorsey 1 - - 6 Tyler Moffitt 1 - - 6 Alex Heil 1 - - 6 Tyler Kane 1 - - 6 Sidney Statistics Rushing: Mike Guerriere 95-864, Aaron Wood 78-470, Dylan Umbra 70202, Zach Finch 35-188, Tyler Moffitt 26-152, John Mercurio 35-133, Andrew Searles 14-71, Paul Ferrante 23-68, Andy Kozak 5-21, Tanner Koza 2-14, Tyler Kane 1-0. Passing: Dylan Umbra 42-for-100, 685 yards, 7 TD, 8 int.; Tyler Kane 1-for-1, 12 yards; Aaron Wood 0-for-1. Receiving: Aaron Wood 12-313, Mike Guerriere 7-116, Alex Heil 9-94, Quinn Dorsey 6-69, Tyler Kane 3-53, Andy Kozak 5-40, John Mercurio 1-12, UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON (0-9, 0-3 Division V) Sept. 5: B-G 14, UV/E 7 Sept. 12: S-E 20, UV/E 6 Sept. 19: Harpursville 38, UV/E 22 Sept. 26: Deposit 21, UV/E 14 Oct. 3: Unatego 26, UV/E 6 Oct. 11: Sidney 61, UV/E 0 Oct. 17: Greene 39, UV/E 0 Oct. 23: Sauquoit Valley 21, UV/E 8 Oct. 30: Oxford 22, UV/E 20 UV/E Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Jay Lloyd 7 2 - 46 Anthony Monk 2 1 - 14 Jordan Williams 1 - 1 7 Eric Bennett 1 - - 6 Mike Schowe 1 - 2 Tyler Foulds 1 - 2 UV/E Statistics Rushing: Jay Lloyd 99-421, Eric Bennett 84-313, Anthony Monk 43176, Tyler Foulds 30-115, Jordan Williams 25-88, Ian Davis 24-83, Ryan Harrington 30-27. Passing: Ryan Harrington13-for-47, 285 yards, 2 TD, 5 int.; Jordan Williams 5-for-14, 41 yards, 2 int.; Jay Lloyd 0for-4, int. Receiving: Jay Lloyd 10-236, Justin Peek 3-48, Eric Bennett 2-22, Mike Schowe 2-16. UNATEGO (5-4, 1-2 Division V) Sept. 5: Oneonta 28, Unatego 6 Sept. 13: Walton 22, Unatego 0 Sept. 19: Unatego 25, Whitney Point 6 Sept. 27: Unatego 18, Clinton 12 (OT) Oct. 3: Unatego 26, UV/E 6 Oct. 11: Greene 38, Unatego 13 Oct. 17: Unatego 17, B-G 0 Oct. 24: Sidney 33, Unatego 27 Nov. 1: Unatego 19, Newark Valley 0 Unatego Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Tyler Newman 8 1 - 6 56 Evan Kiss 5 - - 30 Chet Davis 4 1 - 26 Cody Renwick 3 - - 18 Dale Rifenbark 2 - - 12 Erik Barber 1 - - 6 Cody Komenda 1 - 2 Unatego Statistics Rushing: Evan Kiss 92-631, Tyler Newman 94-588, Erik Barber 35-282, David Carman 6-37, Jeff Jones 4-16, Kyle Ray 3-9, Cody Renwick 51-6,

Cody Chambers 4-6, Cody Komenda 7-4, Shawn Hanrahan 2-3. Passing: Cody Renwick 43-for-96, 688 yards, 6 TD, 3 int.; Cody Komenda 1-for-8, 5 yards, TD; Tyler Newman 1for-1, 10 yards; Jeff Jones 0-for-1, int. Receiving: Chet Davis 21-393, Dale Rifenbark 8-115, Tyler Newman 7-106, Evan Kiss 3-39, Erik Barber 3-28, Cody Renwick 1-10, Kyle Ray 1-7, David Carman 1-5. WALTON (11-1, 3-0 Division VII) Sept. 6: Walton 46, Tri-Valley 0 Sept. 13: Walton 22, Unatego 0 Sept. 20: Walton 30, Seton Catholic 0 Sept 27: Walton 30, Delhi 8 Oct. 3: Walton 66, Sidney 7 Oct 11: Walton 68, Oxford 12 Oct. 18: Walton 72, Harpursville 0 Oct. 25: Walton 38, B-G 0 Oct. 31: Walton 60, Candor 0 Nov. 8: Walton 32, Groton 7 Nov. 14: Walton 44, Dolgeville 21 Nov. 21: Maple Grove 49, Walton 14 Walton Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Phil Hanley 21 8 - 142 Bryant Mead 15 2 - 108 Eddie Dickson 7 6 - 54 Cody Reed 6 6 - 50 Robbie Rigas 6 3 - 42 Jim MacDonald 4 5 - 34 Evan Boyd 4 4 - 32 Chad Gardepe 4 2 - 28 Aaron Holdosi 2 1 - 14 Chris Mills 1 - - 6 Cody Endress 1 - - 6 Dan Gehl 1 - 2 Phil Gladstone 1 - 2 Walton Statistics Rushing: Phil Hanley 121-1,278, Bryant Mead 83-791, Cody Reed 62-502, Robbie Rigas 74-395, Eddie Dickson 36295, Evan Boyd 53-303, Jim MacDonald 24-163, Chad Gardepe 26-52, Aaron Holdosi 14-49, Dylan Hornbeck 5-37, Brent Layton 5-17, Cody Endress 0-8, Dan Gehl 21-3, Chris Mead 1-1. Passing: Chad Gardepe 11-for-36, 262 yards, 2 TD, 3 int.; Dan Gehl 1-for1, 53 yards, TD. Receiving: Cody Endress 6-127, Chris Mills 2-116, Eddie Dickson 1-36, Phil Hanley 2-21, Bryant Mead 1-15. COOPERSTOWN (6-2, 3-2 Class C East) Sept. 5: Cooperstown 18, Herkimer 0 Sept. 13: Cooperstown 20, Ilion 0 Sept. 19: Cooperstown 16, Sau. Val. 9 Sept. 26: Cooperstown 14, MM 0 Oct. 4: Adirondack 28, Cooperstown 14 Oct. 10: F-S 28, Cooperstown 20 Oct. 18: Cooperstown 40, L. Falls 21 Oct. 25: Cooperstown 27, S-E 0 Cooperstown Scoring Player TD FG 2pt XP Tot Brad Ashford 8 - - 48 R.J. Alton 4 - - 24 Tanner Niedzialkowski 4 - 24 Ryan Parshall 1 1 - 11 20 Andrew Auriemma 3 - - 18 Alec Silvera 1 - 2 8 Chad Parshall 1 - - 6 Luke Folts 1 - - 6 Scott Millea 1 - - 6 Cooperstown Statistics Rushing: R.J. Alton 92-416, Tanner Niedzialkowski 48-266, Alec Silvera 46250, Chad Parshall 7-19, Luke Folts 416, Tyler Hoke 37-7, Ryan Parshall 7-7, Jeremiah Ford 2-7, Noble Mattson 3-5, Kevin Faller 2-3, Jeremiah Faller 2-1, Jarrett Hotaling 3-0, Chris Wehner 2-0. Passing: Tyler Hoke 31-for-64, 606 yards, 11 TD, 6 int.; Alec Silvera 1-for2, 26 yards. Receiving: Brad Ashford 22-443, Andrew Auriemma 5-115, Tanner Niedzialkowski 3-35, Alec Silvera 1-27, Scott Millea 1-19, R.J. Alton 2-2. .

———

Note: Statistics are based on games reported to The Daily Star as of Nov. 7. Corrections: Only coaches may report corrections or games that have not appeared in The Daily Star by calling 607-432-1000 after 4 p.m. weekdays or by e-mailing [email protected].

17 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

18

WALTON WARRIORS

Walton fits right into strong Division V Warriors’ bump up to Class C renews old rivalries for Section Four’s top coach Hoover

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

By P.J. Harmer Staff Writer Walton coach Jim Hoover is going to have to dust off some of his old scouting tapes. Hoover’s Warriors, who won their second straight Section Four Class D championship last season, have moved up to Class C this season and will get reacquainted with some old but familiar faces. The Warriors, who finished 11-1 last season, are in Division V of the Section Four Football Conference, which is arguably the toughest in the section this year. Besides Walton, the division also features Chenango Forks, Greene, Sidney, Unadilla Valley/Edmeston, Unatego and Whitney Point. “It’s just unbelievable the teams that are there,” said Hoover, whose team opened with a 20-19 victory over Class B power Windsor. “You are going to have a couple of teams sitting around and not going any place. Every league game is important. Then the non-league games are, too. If it comes to a tiebreaker, those are important.” Here’s a brief look at just how tough this division will be:  Walton won the Class D state title two seasons ago and reached the state semifinals last year;  Chenango Forks won seven straight Section Four Class B titles before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Waverly last year;  Unatego won the Class C sectional title two years ago;  Sidney reached the Class C playoffs last year;  Greene lost in the Class C sectional final to Elmira Notre Dame last season. “My memory isn’t as good as it used to be, but it has to be one of the best divisions,” said Hoover, the section’s all-time winningest coach at 266-62-1. “I could be forgetting some other year, but it’s a tough division, no doubt about it. The first five games we play are against teams that were in the playoffs last year.

Star photo by P.J. Harmer

Walton’s Bryant Mead helped the Warriors to the Class D state semifinals last season. Mead returns for his senior season after rushing for 791 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. “Our two non-league games (against Windsor and rival Delhi) are against two top-notch football teams,” he continued. “It’s going to be tough.” The schedule isn’t even the biggest concern for Hoover, who needs to work on replacing a slew of All-Stars from last year’s team. At the top of that list are four Daily Star First Team All-Stars in defensive lineman Chris Mead, linebacker/running back Cody Reed, offensive lineman Kenny Reynolds and quarterback/defensive back Chad Gardepe. “We have the same problem every year,” Hoover said. “It’s very seldom we have a lot of kids back. We’re usually seniororiented. The underclassmen worked against them the year before. It’s nothing different.

... You try and get better every day.” But Walton isn’t replacing everybody. Daily Star First Team running backs Phil Hanley and Bryant Mead return, as well as center Austin Boice, who is shifting to left guard this season. Senior Hanley (5-foot-9, 171 pounds) led the Warriors with 1,278 yards and 21 touchdowns on 121 carries in 2008, when classmate Mead (6-1, 180) had 791 yards and 14 touchdowns on 83 carries. Senior Evan Boyd (6-1, 190) also returns after rushing for 303 yards and four touchdowns on 53 carries. He’ll start at fullback. “We have good kids coming back,” Hoover said. “It’s nice to have (Hanley and Mead) back. They seem quicker than

last year. We’ll have to get the ball in their hands an awful lot. We have to have some offensive linemen who can open the holes. You can have the best backs in the world, but if you don’t have the blockers, it’s going to be a long year.” Should the younger group on the line come together early and open the ground game, Walton could throw a kink into its traditional run-heavy offense. Senior quarterback Dan Gehl (6-5, 192) might have the opportunity to pass a little this year, though Hoover said he wouldn’t promise more passing than usual. “He throws well,” Hoover said. “For a 6-5 guy, he’s quicker than you think he is. He’s doing a great job for us. He has a few kids who can catch the ball this year. If we have to throw, we’re

capable of throwing.” Senior Jim MacDonald (5-11, 160), who rushed for 163 yards on 24 carries last year, also will see time in the backfield. Sophomore Justin DiJiulio (6-2, 250) takes over at center and will be joined on the line by Boice (left guard), senior right guard Travis Rathmell (61, 214), senior right tackle Derrick Cetta (5-11, 229), junior left tackle Dan Bowker (6-2, 273) and senior tight ends Phil Gladstone (6-4, 202) and Steve Kaminsky (6-2, 190). When Walton opts to use split ends, senior Kyle Baxley (5-10, 142) or senior Justin Gardepe (6-1, 155) will see time there. For the Warriors to be successful, Hoover said, the line must get its act together. “We’re very inconsistent,” he said. “In our scrimmage (Aug. 29), we looked OK for a while, then we stunk up the place for a while. The key is getting more consistent and getting stronger, technique-wise. Right now, I don’t know if (the line) will be a strength or a weakness. I think we’ll be able to score points, but again, we’re fighting the consistency part of it.” Defensively, Hoover said, the Warriors have several players who can work as tackles and ends, including Boice, Rathmell, Bowker, Cetta, junior Dylan Hornbeck (6-2, 180), DiJiulio and junior Patrick Smith (5-8, 260). Mead and Justin Gardepe will be at the cornerback spots, along with Kaminsky on occasion. Boyd and junior Chris Calabrese (6-1, 168) are the linebackers. Hanley, MacDonald and Baxter are the main defensive halfbacks, along with Gehl. “Some of our inexperienced kids haven’t been tested as starters,” Hoover said. “It’s how we’re going to perform under pressure. For a lot of years, our kids step up under pressure and hopefully, that will continue.” ——— P.J. Harmer can be reached at [email protected] or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.

19 The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

20

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2008 ROSTERS

The Daily Star and The Cooperstown Crier, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD BOBCATS

No. Player Gr Pos Ht 88 Austin Bauerle 9 TE/DE 6-1 27 Cory Burnett 10 RB/DB 5-9 5 Aaron Coon 11 FL/DB 5-8 70 Zane Foott 12 OT/DT 6-3 51 Ray Frederick 10 OT/DE 6-1 10 Brandon Harrington 12 FL/DB 5-4 31 Billy Holden 10 FB/DT 6-2 9 Brandon Lamont 10 QB/LB 6-0 79 Eric Oefelein 11 OT/DT 6-2 12 Tyler Ouimet 9 TE/S 6-0 7 Justin Pepper 12 QB/LB 6-2 87 Ryan Porter 10 SN/DN 6-4 23 Gordie Shields 11 SE/CB 5-8 12 Dustin Steigerwald 12 TE/S 6-0 22 Jake Taylor 12 RB/DE 6-1 78 James Wells 11 C/DT 6-2 51 Austin Wheeler 10 G/DE 5-9 81 Jesse Woods 10 SE/CB 5-11 45 Ryan Burt 11 FB/LB 5-9 3 Danny Gormley 11 FL/CB 5-6 74 Robert Ireland 11 G/DT 5-11 54 Ethan Mazzarella 12 G/NG 5-9 31 J.J. Banta 12 FL/S 6-3 76 Russell Darling 12 G/LB 6-0 32 Dakota Vandermark 11 RB/CB 5-9 68 Jordan Boudreau 12 OT/DT 6-2 83 Clayton Audette 11 TE/DE 5-11 56 Jeremy Bullis 11 G/DT 5-9 42 Darren Terpstra 11 FB/LB 5-9 Head Coach: Tim Mattingly ---

Wt 170 135 140 190 165 130 230 175 230 155 205 190 140 160 175 165 178 140 200 140 180 190 170 150 160 260 160 180 170

No. Player Gr Pos 3 Noble Mattson 11 RB/DB 5 Tyler Hoke 12 QB/DB 7 Austin Terrell 10 RB/LB 11 Jacob Miller 9 RB/DB 12 Chris Wehner 11 LB 14 Keith Bronson 12 DE 16 Ryon Bennett 10 RB/DB 17 Sawyer Haney 9 QB/DB 20 Ryan Parshall 12 RB/DB 23 Jeremiah Ford 10 DB 24 James McArdle 11 LB 26 Tanner Niedzialkowski 12 RB/LB 29 Chad Parshall 12 RB/LB 33 Alec Silvera 11 RB/DB 41 Luke Folts 12 RB/LB 44 Devin Gaviria 11 DB 50 Tim Clapper 10 OL/LB 51 Jeff Flynn 10 C/DE 52 Ryan Goodspeed 12 OL/DT 53 Derek Liner 9 OL/DT 56 Eddie O’Brien 12 OL/DE 58 Boone Rose 9 OL/DT 60 Derek Slaga 11 OL/DT 65 Chris Michaels 12 OL/DT 67 Joe Kevlin 11 OL/DT 71 Brandon Daniels 11 OL/DT 72 Pat Claudy 12 OL/DE 75 R.J. Shute 11 OL/DT 76 Andrew Bogart 12 OL/DT 77 Jed Rowley 12 OL/DT 80 Ethan Telfer 10 DE 86 Scott Millea 12 LB 88 Anthony Pacherille 10 QB/DB 89 Kevin Segit 9 RB/LB Head Coach: Steve Pugliese ---

Wt 145 175 145 140 160 155 145 130 165 155 185 200 180 165 175 140 160 180 165 240 175 175 225 230 170 200 200 265 200 180 195 160

COOPERSTOWN REDSKINS

DELHI BULLDOGS

No. Player 10 Anthony Salerno 11 Shawn Neumann 14 Rune Tybirk 20 Ethan Sackett

Gr 11 12 12 12

Ht 5-7 5-10 5-7 5-7 5-10 5-11 5-10 5-7 5-10 6-3 5-11 6-3 5-10 6-0 6-2 5-9 5-9 6-0 5-7 5-9 6-0 5-9 5-8 5-10 5-9 6-0 6-3 5-8 6-1 6-2 6-3 5-11 5-9 5-9

160

Pos Ht Wt QB 5-7 140 RB/DB 5-9 170 K 5-10 150 WR/DB 5-8 140

21 Chris Bracci 11 23 Kevin O’Connell 11 24 Garrett Ellis 12 25 J.J. Darling 12 26 Chris Payne 12 28 Marcus Robinson 12 30 Ben Cairns 11 32 Jack Fletcher 11 34 Rich Ennist 12 40 Zach Newkerk 12 42 Nick DeDominicus 11 50 Sean Desantis 12 60 Josh Crandell 11 62 Nick Shaw 12 64 Kurt Beall 12 66 Kyle Ammerman 12 68 Mike Thomas 11 70 Will Effner 11 72/88 Jacob Sackett 11 74 Andrew Kreger 11 75 Trevor Doring 12 76 Kunzang Gyasto 12 77 Martin Cole 12 80 John MacNaught 11 82 Tyler McAteeer 12 84 Jacob Haynes 11 Head Coach: Dave Kelly ---

RB/DB 5-9 155 WR/DB 6-1 140 WR/DB 5-8 130 RB/DB 5-10 160 WR/DB 5-10 155 LB 5-7 130 RB/LB 5-10 180 RB/LB 5-11 210 RB/DE 6-1 215 TE/LB 6-3 185 WR/LB 5-8 145 OT/DE 6-2 180 OG/DE 5-9 180 OG/LB 5-11 200 OG/LB 6-1 190 C/LB 5-10 180 OT/LB 5-7 225 C/DT 6-3 270 OT/DE 6-1 190 OT/DE 6-2 225 DL 5-10 130 OT/DB 6-2 255 OT/DT 6-2 295 WR/DB 5-10 140 WR/DB 5-9 140 TE/DE 6-2 190

ONEONTA YELLOWJACKETS

No. Player Gr Pos Ht 2 Doug DiMartin 12 RB/DB 5-10 3 Cory Hunter 12 RB/DB 6-0 6 Keegan Trombley 11 QB/DB 6-4 7 Dan Broe 12 QB/DB 5-11 8 Ian Clemons 12 RB/DB 5-9 9 Edwin Milette 12 RB/DB 5-9 11 Logan Pondolfino 11 RB/DB 5-9 12 Miguel Vega 11 RB/DB 5-9 15 Nathan Lowe 11 RB/DB 5-10 17 Alfred Quick 11 RB/DB 5-6 18 Albert Quick 11 E/DB 5-10 20 Kasey Hogan 12 E/DB 6-4 21 Justin Borggreen 12 RB/LB 5-9 24 Cody Osborn 12 E/DB 5-8 31 Bryce Wooden 10 RB/LB 6-2 33 Zach Vaccaro 11 RB/LB 5-8 34 Dan Hodne 11 E/LB 6-0 42 Patrick Stevens 12 E/LB 5-11 43 Kota Aranda 11 RB/LB 5-8 44 Michael Gilmore 11 E/LB 6-4 53 Buddy Bemis 12 OL/DL 6-2 54 Dave Johnson 11 OL/DL 5-11 55 Pat Jeffries 12 OL/DL 5-10 56 Dakota Smith 11 OL/DL 6-1 57 David Schulte 12 OL/DL 6-2 59 Brett Howard 11 OL/DL 6-2 60 Derek Wright 12 OL/DL 6-1 61 Ben Coe 11 OL/LB 5-9 62 Thomas Neapolitano12 OL/DL 6-1 64 Spencer Soulliere 12 OL/DL 5-9 65 Mario Villarini 11 OL/DL 5-10 66 Alex Soulliere 12 OL/DL 5-10 67 Patrick Brindley 11 OL/DL 5-7 68 Jesse Wolf-Gould 11 OL/DL 6-5 74 Kenny Smith 12 OL/DL 5-10 75 Lucas Smith 11 OL/DL 5-11 77 Ryan Ouimet 11 OL/DL 6-1 80 Matt Pidgeon 12 E/DL 6-4 82 Anthony Delgado 10 E/DB 6-0 Head Coach: Adam Hoover ---

Wt 153 169 176 151 144 132 152 128 148 134 142 163 170 131 196 183 206 193 221 194 232 256 164 195 189 192 191 168 206 302 193 250 290 275 241 281 298 180 175

No. Player 4 Josh Wilce 5 Dylan Umbra 9 Alex Heil 14 Matt Vogel

Wt 140 200 200 130

SIDNEY WARRIORS Gr 11 11 11 11

Pos RB/DB QB/S TE/LB QB/DB

Ht 5-8 6-1 6-1 5-7

20 Aaron Wood 12 RB/CB 5-8 22 Tyler Moffitt 12 RB/LB 5-8 23 Corbin Curley 11 RB/LB 5-11 24 Mike Neil 12 TE/S 6-2 26 Andy Searles 12 RB/CB 5-11 32 Aaron Charles 11 RB/S 5-8 33 Anthony Masi 12 RB/LB 5-9 36 Trevor MacPherson 11 RB/CB 5-8 39 Tanner Koza 11 FB/LB 5-8 42 Nick Burpoe 12 FB/LB 5-10 45 Tanner Westcott 11 TE/LB 6-2 46 Anthony Halbert 11 FB/DE 5-8 50 Ryan Robertson 12 LG/DE 5-9 51 Sam Tessora 11 T/DT 5-5 54 Tom Harris 12 FB/DT 6-2 56 Tyler Pixley 12 T/DT 5-11 57 Matt Rodriguez 11 LG/LB 5-11 58 Logan Raymond 11 T/DL 6-1 66 Pat Wright 12 C/DT 5-9 70 Randy Twiss 11 T/DT 6-2 72 Kyle Baldwin 12 T/DT 6-2 73 Jesse Hornbeck 11 G/DE 6-2 75 Peter McChesney 12 T/DT 6-2 84 Brandon Cole 12 TE/DE 6-2 Head Coach: Jeff Matthews ---

150 150 185 180 155 140 160 140 150 180 210 145 190 250 220 200 180 210 275 265 260 175 250 180

No. Player Gr. Pos Ht 8 Derek Rollins 11 RB/DB 5-10 12 Ryan Harrington 12 QB/DB 6-2 20 Tyler Foulds 12 RB/LB 6-3 21 John Lopez 12 RB/DB 5-8 22 Matt Gould 11 RB/DB 5-10 25 Ian Davis 12 RB/LB 6-0 31 David Wehrenberg 11 RB/DB 5-8 32 Dan Schwab 11 RB/DL 5-11 33 Brett Gage 11 RB/DB 5-11 44 Eli Conklin 11 E/LB 6-0 55 Mitch MacDuff 11 OL/DL 6-4 56 Evin Bodie 11 OL/DL 6-0 61 Randy Olsen 11 OL/DL 6-2 62 Calvin Rifanberg 11 OL/DL 6-0 65 Will Westbrook 11 OL/DL 5-10 66 Jason Rous 10 OL/DL 5-11 72 Tom Fellrath 12 OL/DL 6-1 73 Jake Eiholzer 11 OL/DL 6-1 80 Austin Glidden 11 QB/DB5-11 82 Travis Clark 11 E/DE 6-0 Head Coach: Jack Loeffler ---

Wt 155 151 250 160 189 165 152 190 165 167 208 183 222 210 232 242 247 260 150 175

No. Player 1 Will May 2 Ryan Loveland 6 David Carman 9 Cody Komenda 12 Brian Mugford 15 Mike Rous 21 Josh Lambrecht 24 Evan Kiss 28 Jacob Jones 29 Robert Fuller 32 Tanner Carley 45 Conner Miller 51 Jesse Brown 53 Chris Bomba 54 Carter Carey 55 Jerry Pacchiano 56 Ryan Sullivan 57 Tighe Corban 61 Dylan Joyce 62 Briana McKee 65 Chris Brown 66 Travis Carr 67 Dylan Barber 68 Russel Young 72 Aaron Foster

Wt 170 145 150 150 165 155 160 160 165 160 190 190 200 165 175 200 190 185 155 185 195 230 185 200 225

UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON STORM

UNATEGO SPARTANS Gr 11 11 12 12 11 11 11 12 10 11 10 10 12 12 11 11 12 11 11 11 12 11 11 11 12

Pos Ht K 6-0 QB/S 5-11 RB/DB 5-8 QB/DB 5-11 WR/S 6-0 RB/S 6-0 HB/CB 5-11 FB/NG 5-9 RB/DE 5-6 G/LB 5-9 FB/LB 5-11 TE/LB 6-1 C/LB 6-2 G/DT 5-7 G/LB 5-11 G/NG 5-10 T/NG 5-5 G/LB 5-11 G/LB 5-10 WR/DT 5-6 DT 6-2 T/DT 5-10 G/T 5-9 T 6-0 T 6-3

75 Aaron Bunt 10 80 Dale Rifenbark 12 81 Ryan Thompson 11 88 Dustin VanWhy 11 Head Coach: Art Rigas ---

T 5-8 260 TE/SS 5-10 170 WR/S 6-0 155 6-2 190

WALTON WARRIORS

No. Player Gr. Pos Ht 12 Kyle Baxley 12 SE/DB 5-10 14 Dan Gehl 12 QB/DB 6-5 16 Phil Hanley 12 RB/DB 5-9 18 Phillip Gladstone 12 TE/DB 6-4 22 Nate Glerum 11 RB/DB 5-6 23 Steve Kaminsky 12 TE/LB 6-2 24 Jim MacDonald 12 RB/DB 5-11 25 Bryant Mead 12 RB/C 6-1 27 Dylan Hornbeck 11 FB/DL 6-2 29 Nick Shiels 10 RB/DB 5-8 31 Chris Calabrese 11 RB/LB 6-1 36 Evan Boyd 12 RB/LB 6-1 40 Justin Gardepe 12 SE/DB 6-1 50 Korey Bowker 12 T/T 6-0 51 Zack Wildenstein 11 G/DL 5-9 52 Isaac Wacha 11 G/DL 5-10 54 Justin DiJiulio 10 C/DL 6-2 57 Devon Constable 11 T/DL 5-11 60 Patrick Smith 11 G/DL 5-8 63 Karl Hansen 12 T/DL 5-10 68 Derrick Cetta 12 T/DL 5-11 70 Derrick Mullineaux 11 T/DL 5-10 72 Travis Rathmell 12 G/DL 6-1 73 Austin Boice 12 G/DL 6-0 76 Jeremy Johnson 11 T/DL 5-11 80 Nick Tetor 11 TE/C 5-9 83 Dan Bowker 11 TE/DL 6-2 Head Coach: Jim Hoover ---

SECTION FOUR DIVISIONAL ALIGNMENT

Wt 142 192 171 202 150 190 160 180 180 141 168 190 155 224 179 167 250 180 260 189 229 198 214 205 210 147 273

The divisional alignment for the Section Four Football Conference in 2009. Division I - Class AA Binghamton, Horseheads, Ithaca, UnionEndicott Division II - Class A Corning East, Corning West, Elmira Free Academy, Elmira Southside, Vestal Division III - Class B Chenango Valley, Norwich, Oneonta, Susquehanna Valley, Windsor Division IV - Class B Dryden, Johnson City, Maine-Endwell, Owego Division V - Class C Chenango Forks, Greene, Sidney, Unadilla Valley/Edmeston, Unatego, Walton, Whitney Point Division VI - Class C Lansing, Newark Valley, Notre Dame, Southern Springs, Trumansburg, Watkins Glen, Waverly Division VII - Class D Bainbridge-Guilford, Delhi, Deposit, Hancock, Harpursville, Oxford, Seton Catholic Central Division VIII - Class D Candor, Groton, Moravia, Newfield, Odessa-Montour, Spencer-Van Etten, Thomas A. Edison, Tioga