Section Nine’s three-team mini Class D will feature a trio of returning all-star quarterbacks in 2009. You’ll hear a lot about Chester’s Matt Balzano and Bryan Henry, both seniors. You’ll also hear about LMR’s sensational soph Troy Correa.

Defending champ Chester has won four sectional titles in its six year football history. Coach Ron Stover has been in charge all along, and he hasn’t been afraid to challenge larger schools as exemplified by his and his team’s regular attendance at the summer Camp of Champions. This year the Hambletonians will be especially careful not to look past the two other sectional squads in their class.

That Chester has generally preferred to run the ball in the past makes Balzano’s aerials even more lethal. The QB stands 6-3 and weighs 165 pounds. He’s very apt to hand the ball to junior Ryan Crowe (6, 150) who played some tight end last year. Junior Sean Benison (5-11, 165), a RB in ‘08, also returns; but he’ll play more as a receiver this season.

All this leads one to believe that Chester may pass a lot more in ‘09. Junior Victor Cruz (5-11, 170) and senior Luis Quiles (5-9, 200 tight end) are other targets for Balzano.

The interior offensive line is led by senior guards Niko Wong (5-11, 220) and Benny Sanchez (5-10, 210) plus senior tackle James Goodson (6-3, 245). Sanchez and Goodson will also anchor the defensive front interior line at DT with Wong at DE. Cruz, Benison and Quiles are LB’s.

Continuing to play larger schools, Chester will open Friday night at Class B James I. O’Neill.

Chester’s nemesis the last few seasons has been Eldred, led by QB Henry (6-1, 170). A third-year starter and four-year varsity player for coach Frank Kean, Henry threw for 1,053 yards in 2008. He’s also just one of 16 returning players (10 of them starters last year). That’s a goodly number for the section’s team with the smallest student population.

Joining Henry in the Yellow Jacket backfield are senior RB’s Ian Halloran and Bobby Worden. Junior Charlie Wolff will also carry the ball in addition to playing WR. Dylan Kulik and Shawn Berger will also see time in the backfield. Brandon Startup and Matt Balcom are the tight ends.

The veteran-laden line looks very solid on both sides of the ball. Seniors Scott Hallock (OT/DT), Zak Tyler (OT/DT), Travis Hay (G/NG), David Mellan (G/LB), Startup (DE), Robert Morris (DE) and junior Geno Jones (G/LB) give Eldred plenty of depth. Senior Berger will play at LB.

Eldred opens at home Saturday against small Class C and Sullivan County rival Tri-Valley.

Now in their fifth season of football, things are finally starting to look up for LMR, coached by Fred Ahart and Kevin Clifford. It was 2005 when Livingston Manor and Roscoe merged their football programs. They won two games that first season, and then came a tortuous 20-game losing streak that finally ended last season when the Devilcats won two more games.

Entering the 2009 campaign, LMR has a trace of swagger after long last. Part of that comes from sophomore Troy Correa who played both QB and RB last season. Operating out of a spread, the all-star rushed for over 1,000 yards. There could be bigger things ahead for him and his team. Chester and Eldred will still be rugged opponents, but this year the two D big boys will have to take LMR very seriously.

Senior Troy Edwards will again join Correa in the backfield. This year he’ll primarily be a RB but he’s also a QB. Together they form a good one-two punch. Meanwhile senior Ross Abbot, who can also play QB, will be a flanker along with junior Adam Hendrix and RB/WR Chad Rosario.

Another soph, Brandon Smith, will be the TE. Also on the O-line will be veteran junior Will Parker and seniors Stephen Rogers and Russell Mootz. Parker will anchor the defense as the MLB where he’s joined by LB’s Smith and Mootz.

The Devilcats open their season Friday night up at Hancock.

SNF EXTRA POINT: Despite Rondout’s canceling its season, Goshen, originally scheduled to play the Ganders week one, will have a game. Goshen will play at Red Hook which had originally been slated to play Onteora. But Onteora, playing as an independent this year, doesn’t have enough eligible players to play this week. Coach Chris Kasprzyk says his Onteora varsity will be up to snuff for its second scheduled game at Pine Plains on September 11.

--- Phil Dusenbury