Section Nine Football: Section Nine History
A List of Section Nine Champs 1989-2011
Compiled by Phil Dusenbury
The 1989-1992 seasons saw Section Nine prepare itself for the inevitable state tournament that in 1993 encompassed all of "upstate" New York. New York City and Long Island have still yet to participate in the "state" tournament.
1989
Class A - Monroe-Woodbury*
Class B - Onteora
Class C - Red Hook
Class D - Roscoe
* M-W beat Class B Port Jervis; the Orange County League Championship also earned the Class A crown. The OCL game pitted the American Conference champs (larger school) v. the National champs (smaller schools).
1990
A - Warwick*
B - Saugerties
C - James I. O'Neill
D - Roscoe
*Class B Warwick beat Class A Kingston
1991: the first year of sectional division alignment; the first year of state tournament regional play
A - Pine Bush
B - Warwick*
C - Highland
D - Delaware Valley
*B had two divisions; Warwick beat Wallkill
1992: state regional & semi-finals were played
A - Monroe-Woodbury
B - Onteora
C - Highland
D - Delaware Valley
1993: the complete state tournament is held with finals determining state champs in each class
A - Middletown
B - Saugerties
C - Ellenville
D - Delaware Valley
1994
A - Middletown
B - Goshen
C - Highland
D - Delaware Valley
1995
A - Pine Bush
B - Port Jervis
C - Highland
D - Delaware Valley
1996: the state adds a fifth class
AA - Kingston
A - Port Jervis
B - Rondout Valley
C - Highland
D - Tri-Valley
1997
AA - Newburgh
A - Port Jervis
B - Rondout Valley
C - Red Hook
D - Delaware Valley
1998
AA - Monroe-Woodbury
A - Port Jervis
B - Rondout Valley
C - Highland
D - Delaware Valley
1999
AA - Newburgh
A - Minisink Valley
B - Red Hook
C - Liberty
D - Tri-Valley
2000
AA - Monroe-Woodbury
A - Warwick
B - Rondout Valley*
C - Sullivan West
D - Millbrook
*Rondout won the state title
2001
AA - Newburgh
A - Port Jervis
B - Red Hook
C - James I. O'Neill
D - Millbrook
2002
AA - Newburgh
A - Rondout Valley
B - New Paltz
C - Liberty*
D - Livingston Manor
* by default since Liberty was the only C school
2003
AA - Newburgh
A - Cornwall
B - James I. O'Neill
C - Tri-Valley
D - Chester
2004
AA - Monroe-Woodbury
A - Wallkill*
B - Sullivan West
C - Tri-Valley
D - Chester
*Wallkill was a state finalist
2005
AA - Monroe-Woodbury*
A - Cornwall
B - Burke Catholic
C - Sullivan West
D - Eldred
*Monroe-Woodbury won the state title
2006
AA - Monroe-Woodbury*
A - Cornwall*
B - Red Hook
C - Sullivan West
D - Chester
*Monroe-Woodbury & Cornwall were state finalists
2007
AA - Monroe-Woodbury*
A - Cornwall
B - New Paltz
C - Tri-Valley
D - Eldred
*Monroe-Woodbury was a state finalist
2008
AA - Monroe-Woodbury*
A - Cornwall
B - Highland
C - Ellenville
D - Chester
*Monroe-Woodbury was a state finalist
2009
AA - Monroe-Woodbury
A - Cornwall
B - James I. O'Neill
C - Ellenville
D - Eldred
2010
AA - Monroe-Woodbury, A - Wallkill, B - New Paltz, C - Millbrook, D - Chester
2011
AA - Newburgh*, A - Cornwall, B - Marlboro, C - J.I. O'Neill, D - Chester*
* Newburgh and Chester were state finalists
How Section Nine Teams Have Fared in State Play
By RICH MICHAELIS
Official Section Nine & State Tournament Statistician
And Phil Dusenbury, SNF Website Editor & Historian
WON-LOST RECORDS OF SECTION 9 TEAMS IN THE PLAYOFFS:
1989-2011 (COMPLETE STATE PLAY STARTED 1993)
SECT. REGION SEMI FINAL
MONROE-WOOD A 1-0 0-1 0-0 0-0
AA 10-3 3-5 4-1 1-3
NEWBURGH A 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0
AA 6-5 0-3 1-2 0-1
KINGSTON A 0-3 0-0 0-0 0-0
AA 1-3 0-0 0-1 0-0
PINE BUSH A 2-1 0-2 0-0 0-0
MIDDLETOWN A 2-1 0-2 0-0 0-0
AA 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0
PORT JERVIS A 4-4 1-3 0-1 0-0
B 1-0 0-1 0-0 0-0
SAUGERTIES B 2-1 0-2 0-0 0-0
WARWICK AA 0-3 0-0 0-0 0-0
A 2-2 0-2 0-0 0-0
B 1-1 1-0 0-0 0-0
MINISINK A 1-3 0-1 0-0 0-0
AA 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-0
ONTEORA B 2-0 1-1 0-0 0-0
RED HOOK B 3-1 0-3 0-0 0-0
C 2-2 0-2 0-0 0-0
RONDOUT A 1-1 0-1 0-0 0-0
B 4-3 1-3 1-0 1-0
CORNWALL A 7-2 2-6 1-1 0-1
ELLENVILLE C 3-2 0-3 0-0 0-0
MARLBORO B 2-3 0-2 0-0 0-0
C 0-5 0-0 0-0 0-0
WALLKILL A 3-6 1-2 1-0 0-1
B 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0
GOSHEN B 1-3 0-1 0-0 0-0
A 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0
NEW PALTZ B 4-4 1-3 0-0 0-0
O'NEILL B 2-0 0-2 0-0 0-0
C 3-1 0-3 0-0 0-0
HIGHLAND C 6-0 2-4 0-2 0-0
B 1-2 0-1 0-0 0-0
LIBERTY C 1-2 0-1 0-0 0-0
SPACKENKILL C 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-0
B 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0
SULL.WEST B 2-0 0-2 0-0 0-0
C 2-2 0-2 0-0 0-0
PINE PLAINS C 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-0
ROSCOE D 2-4 1-1 0-0 0-0
DEL.VALL D 7-0 2-5 0-2 0-0
ELDRED D 3-3 1-2 0-1 0-0
JEFF/YOUNG D 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0
TRI VALLEY C 2-2 0-2 0-0 0-0
D 2-4 0-2 0-0 0-0
LIV. MANOR D 1-2 0-1 0-0 0-0
MILLBROOK D 2-2 0-2 0-0 0-0
C 2-0 0-2 0-0 0-0
CHESTER D 7-3 1-6 1-0 0-1
BURKE B 1-1 0-1 0-0 0-0
C 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-0
LM/ROSCOE D 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-0
TEAMS THAT HAVE NEVER APPEARED IN STATE PLAYOFFS (COMMENCING WITH SECTIONAL FINALS):
VALLEY CENTRAL
WASHINGTONVILLE
FDR
WEBUTUCK
STATE TOURNAMENT PLAY:
1989-1991 SECTIONAL & REGIONAL PLAY ONLY
1992 SECTIONS,REGIONALS & SEMIS
1993-Present SECTION, REGIONALS, SEMIS, & FINALS
The UCAL and MHAL List of Champions
By FEARLESS PHIL
Rising from the aftermath of World War II, organized high school football in Ulster County solidified itself in the form of the Ulster County Athletic League (UCAL).
Researcher and Section Nine stat man Rich Michaelis of New Paltz says that the Huguenots were playing touch football back in 1946 against the likes of Kerhonkson (later Rondout Valley) and Maybrook (later a part of Valley Central). From 1947 to 1953 the teams played one another in six-man football.
After a year of playing both six-man and 11-man, 1955 saw New Paltz involved in an all 11-man schedule. Two years later (1957) saw a loosely confederated, five-team "Ulster County League" which included New Paltz, Kerhonkson (which would soon be Rondout), Onteora, Wallkill and Marlboro. Apparently there were no official league standings that first year.
In 1957 the first of 34 years of champions would be proclaimed. Liberty, Ellenville, Pine Bush, Highland, Red Hook and Saugerties would also join the league. In 1980 the league changed its name to the Mid-Hudson Athletic League (MHAL).
Here are the champs:
UCAL
1957 - Onteora
1958 - Onteora & New Paltz (tie)
1959 - New Paltz
1960 - New Paltz/Rondout Valley/Onteora (tie)
1961 - New Paltz
1962 - Liberty
1963 - Liberty
1964 - Onteora
1965 - Highland
1966 - Highland
1967 - Rondout
1968 - Rondout
1969 - Pine Bush
1970 - Highland
1971 - Highland
1972 - Ellenville
1973 - Wallkill
1974 - Red Hook
1975 - Wallkill/Rondout/Pine Bush (tie)
1976 - Wallkill
1977 - New Paltz
1978 - Rondout
1979 - Marlboro
MHAL
1980 - New Paltz
1981 - Ellenville
1982 - Ellenville
1983 - Marlboro
1984 - Marlboro
1985 - Marlboro
1986 - Rondout
1987 - Rondout
1988 - Red Hook/Onteora (tie)
1989 - Onteora
1990 - Saugerties
In 1991 the section set up five divisions: Division I (Class A); II and III (Class B); IV (Class C); V (Class D). The MHAL teams went into divisions III and IV.
The Western Sullivan League List of Champions
By FEARLESS PHIL
Like the UCAL, the Western Sullivan League (WSL) teams started out playing six and eight-man football. Jim Wilson remembers playing for Roscoe in the mid-50's before going on to be a Little All-American at Ithaca College. In 1962 he returned to Sullivan County to coach Livingston Manor for two seasons before moving on to the OCL to lead Minisink Valley to its only two OCL titles.
Delaware Valley, Eldred, Jeffersonville-Youngsville, Livingston Manor and Roscoe were the original members. NYMA joined in 1982 before moving to the OCL in 1989. Liberty was a member between 1984-1988.
Here are the WSL Champs:
1958 - Roscoe/Jefferson-Youngsville (tie)
1959 - Roscoe
1960 - Livingston Manor
1961 - Roscoe
1962 - Roscoe
1963 - Roscoe
1964 - Tri-Valley
1965 - Tri-Valley
1966 - Delaware Valley
1967 - Jeff-Youngsville
1968 - Delaware Valley
1969 - Jeff-Youngsville
1970 - Delaware Valley
1971 - Delaware Valley
1972 - Jeff-Youngsville
1973 - Jeff-Youngsville
1974 - Jeff-Youngsville
1975 - Roscoe/Livingston Manor//Jeff-Youngsville (tie)
1976 - Livingston Manor
1977 - Jeff-Youngsville/Livingston Manor (tie)
1978 - Tri-Valley
1979 - Livingston Manor
1980 - Tri-Valley
1981 - Jeff-Youngsville
1982 - Jeff-Youngsville (beat NYMA for a sectional C-D title)
1983 - Jeff-Youngsville
1984 - Tri-Valley
1985 - Tri-Valley/Jeff-Youngsville (tie)
1986 - Liberty
1987 - Jeff-Youngsville
1988 - Liberty
1989 - Roscoe (Class D champ)
1990 - Roscoe (Class D champ)
The Orange County League List of Champions
By FEARLESS PHIL
While the old DUSO league was celebrating its 30th anniversary and the Port Jervis-Middletown rivalry was getting ready to play the premier "Battle for the Erie Bell", the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association was introducing its "Village High School League" for the smaller schools with 11-man teams. The original league members were Highland Falls, Warwick, Goshen, Monroe-Woodbury, Cornwall and Walden.
It took a few years for the Orange County League to catch on. Warwick, Goshen and Walden were far more concerned with their "Little Three" title, for example.
The Goshen-Warwick rivalry dates back to 1896 and is the oldest in the section... At the turn of the last century (1900-02), Chester, which is now re-entering varsity football play, was considered an area powerhouse... Cornwall fielded a team way back in 1905... The "Little Three" competition started in 1927... Warwick football historian George St. Lawrence reported that the Wildcats played Monticello in 1928, a year after the Sullivan school had left the DUSO. No wonder. In 1927 the Monties had lost to Port Jervis, 101-0! Highland Falls had played back in the late 20's; Liberty and NYMA in the 30's.
Of course several teams came and went from 1953-90. Pine Bush joined in '58 only to leave in '61 to join the UCAL where it won a title in '69. In '80 the Bushmen rejoined the OCL, but won no titles until sectional play in '95... In '58 Walden was replaced by Montgomery - probably just a different name for the same school since in '60, Walden-Montgomery & Maybrook combined to form Valley Central... So in 1961 the league consisted of Warwick, Goshen, Valley Central, Highland Falls, Monroe-Woodbury and Cornwall.
Newborn Minisink Valley, with students drawn from the rural parts of the Port Jervis, Middletown, Goshen and Warwick school districts, started football in 1960. In '64 the Warriors entered the OCL only to withdraw in '67 and '68. In '69 Jim Wilson led them back into the OCL to win an immediate title. '69 also saw soccer power Washingtonville field its first varsity football team as a new OCL member.
When the lack of teams started causing the DUSO to break up, Port Jervis headed to the OCL in 1970. Middletown came in 1973 while Newburgh and Kingston headed to Dutchess County and Section One until '87 when they joined the OCL.
Around '75 Highland Falls started to go by its new name, James I. O'Neill.
In 1981 Rockland County's Pearl River became the OCL's twelfth team. Remember, Rockland had been an important part of Section Nine until it moved over to Section One in the late 70's. But Rockland schools never were a part of any football alliances with Orange, Ulster and Sullivan. Pearl River played here for just two seasons.
With 12 OCL members and a 10 game schedule allowed by the state, 1981 saw the OCL split into two conferences, the large school American Conference and the small school National Conference, after much debate.
NYMA (New York Military Academy in Cornwall-on-Hudson) joined the National Conference in 1989 and played there for two seasons. The section then went to divisional alignment.
Here are the OCL champs:
1953 - Highland Falls
1954 - Highland Falls
1955 - Goshen
1956 - Goshen
1957 - Walden
1958 - Warwick
1959 - Monroe-Woodbury
1960 - Highland Falls
1961 - Cornwall
1962 - Warwick
1963 - Warwick
1964 - Warwick
1965 - Cornwall
1966 - Warwick
1967 - Warwick
1968 - Valley Central
1969 - Minisink Valley
1970 - Goshen/Port Jervis (tie)
1971 - Port Jervis
1972 - Minisink Valley/Goshen (tie)
1973 - Goshen/Port Jervis (tie)
1974 - Monroe-Woodbury
1975 - Port Jervis
1976 - Monroe-Woodbury/Port Jervis (tie)
1977 - Goshen
1978 - Cornwall
1979 - Port Jervis
1980 - Port Jervis
1981 - Washingtonville (d. Port Jervis, NC Champ)
1982 - Monroe-Woodbury (d. Goshen, NC Champ)
1983 - Port Jervis (d. Monroe-Woodbury, AC Champ)
1984 - Warwick (d. Pine Bush, AC Champ)
1985 - Goshen (d. Monroe-Woodbury, AC Champ)
1986 - Port Jervis (d. Pine Bush, AC Champ)
1987 - Port Jervis (d. Kingston, AC Champ)
1988 - Monroe-Woodbury (d. Port Jervis, NC Champ)
1989 - Monroe-Woodbury (d. Port Jervis, NC Champ)
1990 - Warwick (d. Kingston, AC Champ)
*AC = American Conference; NC = National Conference
The DUSO List of Champions
By FEARLESS PHIL
The old DUSO (Dutchess-Ulster-Sullivan-Orange)"city" football league made its debut in 1923 with the five teams that basically comprised it: Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Newburgh, Middletown and Port Jervis. Monticello, a DUSO member in other sports, gave the football league a try in 1926 and 1927 but found the level of play way over its head.
Poughkeepsie dropped out after the 1928 season when, after a 13-0 home loss to Port Jervis, some angry Pokip fans went after a Port Jervis man whom they accused of spying on their team during the week. Since the man had driven some of the Port players to the game, fans and players from both schools got into a melee. Police had to give the Port folks a police escort out of town. The result was an "athletic break" between the two schools. Poughkeepsie chose to leave the DUSO, earning them a lot of criticism even in their hometown.
Eight years later (1936) Poughkeepsie returned to the DUSO. The Pioneers' next hiatus from the league lasted from 1945 through 1950. Then, winning four titles along the way, they stayed put in the DUSO for 15 straight years. After getting pounded in '64 and '65, however, the Pioneers again rounded up their covered wagons and left for good. With the DUSO a four team league again, the first murmurings of shutting down the league could be heard. With only three league games, the DUSO quartet was finding it increasingly difficult to fill out an eight game schedule.
After the 1969 season Port Jervis left the DUSO for the OCL where the Raiders immediately found an eight-game schedule. Newburgh, Middletown and Kingston kept the DUSO alive for one final season in 1970. Middletown then went independent before joining the OCL in '73. Meanwhile Kingston and Newburgh headed for the eastern side of the Hudson to play Section One ball until they each headed for the OCL in '87 once the talk of a state tournament started turning into reality.
Here are the DUSO champions:
1923 - Poughkeepsie
1924 - Port Jervis
1925 - Port Jervis
1926 - Poughkeepsie
1927 - Poughkeepsie
1928 - Port Jervis
1929 - Newburgh
1930 - Middletown
1931 - Middletown/Newburgh (tie)
1932 - Newburgh
1933 - Kingston
1934 - Port Jervis
1935 - Middletown
1936 - Kingston
1937 - Middletown/Newburgh/Port Jervis (tie)
1938 - Port Jervis
1939 - Newburgh
1940 - Middletown/Kingston (tie)
1941 - Newburgh
1942 - Middletown
1943 - Newburgh
1944 - Middletown/Newburgh (tie)
1945 - Newburgh
1946 - Kingston
1947 - Port Jervis
1948 - Kingston
1949 - Newburgh/Kingston (tie)
1950 - Kingston
1951 - Newburgh
1952 - Newburgh
1953 - Poughkeepsie
1954 - Middletown/Kingston (tie)
1955 - Poughkeepsie
1956 - Kingston
1957 - Kingston
1958 - Kingston
1959 - Poughkeepsie
1960 - Poughkeepsie
1961 - Middletown
1962 - Middletown
1963 - Newburgh/Port Jervis (tie)
1964 - Middletown/Newburgh/Port Jervis (tie)
1965 - Middletown/Port Jervis (tie)
1966 - Middletown
1967 - Middletown
1968 - Newburgh/Kingston (tie)
1969 - Newburgh
1970 - Newburgh