Let’s take our first weekly look at some of the significant stats that we’ve gleaned from the various sources available to us. We’re making no claim that these are the only ones and apologize if your or your son’s stats aren’t mentioned.

We’ll start with rushing: Peter Keenan (Millbrook) 29 x 216 x 2 TD … Ian Halloran (Eldred) 8 x 191 x 3 TD … Dan Scalo (M-W) 19 x 181 x 3 TD … Darin Brown (Middletown) 17 x 177 … Mike Fallatik (Highland) 22 x 156 x 2 TD … Troy Correa (LMR) 12 x 149 x 2 TD … Nick Osenni (VC) 140 yards and 2 TD … Doug Lewis (Ellenville) 22 x 138 … Chris Murphy (Sully West) 135 yards … Ryan Alsdorf (Sully West) 12 x 125 x 2 TD … Tyler Lawler (Cornwall) 10 x 125 … James Schoonmaker (Wallkill) 100 yards and 3 TD … Josh Duggan (Highland) 3 TD … Overall Highland rushed for 327 yards.

Now for passing: Rian White (Warwick) 20 x 31 x 312 x 5 TD … Aaron Kilner (O’Neill) 15 x 32 x 271 x 2 TD … Dan Scalo (M-W) 8 x 9 x 247 x 4 TD … Mitch Przybocki (Pine Bush) 8 x 11 x 185 … Matt Relyea (Highland) 4 x 4 x 92 yards, 1 TD … Shane McNamara (VC) 160 x 3 TD … Tim Poll (Saugerties) 8 x 13 x 131 … Nick Contelmo (Spackenkill) 10 x 16 x 118 x 2 TD.

Let’s hear it for some receivers: John Babin (Warwick) 8 x 167 x 3 TD …Patrick Doty (O’Neill) 5 x 169 x 2 TD … Jared McFarlin (M-W) 4 x 122 x 2 TD … John Hindes (Saugerties) 4 x 67 …  Sam Carreccia (Warwick) 4 x 64 x 2 TD … Mike Marrone (Spackenkill) 4 x 35 ... Will Clark (Saugerties) 3 x 37 … Andrew Smith (Port Jervis) 3 x 31 … Mark Letus (Spackenkill) 2 TD … A.J. Latta (Pine Bush) 1 TD reception (and 1 TD run).

Being week one of the season, the defenses generally had the upper hand. Here are some notable performances on ‘D’: John Stephens (Goshen) 10 tackles, 6 assists … Nick Sorle (FDR) 12 tackles … Kwamel Anderson (Spackenkill) 3 sacks ... A.J. Borriello, Amiel Maerling and Andrew Platt (Ellenville) each had 2 sacks as the Devils chalked up 9 … Port Jervis registered 5 sacks - DE Andrew Smith and DT Connor Budbigkeit were each in on 2 of them. Smith’s were solo jobs … Matt Cahenzli (Red Hook) 2 sacks … Ryan Morgan (M-W) 45-yd TD on fumble recovery … Millbrook is stingy on crediting tackles, so junior LB Stephen Vitale’s six might not look like much on paper. But on the field his jersey was the dirtiest and his nose seemed to be in the middle of everything.

Now for kicking kudos: Patrick Laird (M-W) 9 x 9 PATs … Aidan Little (Millbrook) 37-yard FG … John Stephens (Goshen) 30-yard FG.

Rave Reviews: In addition to those routinely given to SNF’s number one citizen ("Dan the Man" Scalo), another player who received high praise this past weekend was Goshen’s John Stephens. Stephens played linebacker as well as fullback and did the Gladiator kicking. One of our veteran correspondents said of his Saturday’s defensive performance: “(He) was a menace on defense with some pulverizing hits.” … Liberty’s dazzling soph QB Marshon Williams also opened a few eyes this weekend … Then there’s Warwick QB Rian White. When Pine Bush was all over the ‘Cats' stellar receiver John Babin, White didn't panic.  He just zipped around and looked for other targets like Sam Careccia. Chasing White and those receivers of his will be a tough assignment for all of the Wildcats’ future opponents. … The Newburgh defense stepped up big time in outslugging a new-faced but still rugged Minisink. Coach Bill Bianco’s Goldbacks needed that big defensive effort as starting QB Brandon Clark was out of action with a broken collar bone. So kudos to veteran Fred Locklary who stepped in under center to do a commendable and clutch job.

As for week one leading rusher Peter Keenan’s tireless, superman-like, two-way performance at Burke Saturday, all we can say is - “unreal!” The young but tough Burke defense popped him from all angles but the big lanky kid kept going. Keenan (a 6-3, 210 junior) is the son of Blazer head coach Sean Keenan.

Stopping Millbrook’s tight double-wing was a brutal task for Burke Saturday. The offense was named “The Queensbury” by former PJ coach Bob Corvino after his talented team had gotten whipped by powerful Queensbury High.  Queensbury used that offense against him in a 90’s state tournament game. Jim Malak subsequently installed it at Rondout Valley.

Anyway, Keenan the younger got the lion’s share of carries Saturday, but he should have some additional help soon as big senior FB/DE Cory Bilyeu will be eligible for next weekend's big league game against Spackenkill.  The Spartans will have to play like Spartans.

Another Dutchess County note: Spackenkill’s shutout victory over Pine Plains was the team’s first home win since its emotional 2006 victory over Liberty that followed the death of Spartan player Mark Milano. … Pine Plains, which suffered its 16th consecutive loss, dressed only 17 players for the game.

THE ANNUAL FEARLESS RANT

It's the same old story:

Delhi had just scored the game’s first points four minutes into the fourth quarter Saturday. Leading 8-0, the Bulldogs were driving again. Then … well, here’s how the Delhi Website describes it: “The bottom nearly fell out here though, as Delhi’s Tyler McAteer was stripped by Liberty’s Brandon Tompkins, and Tompkins actually made a very strong run all the way for the apparent Indian touchdown. A yellow flag negated it all, however, as the officials ruled that there had been a 15 yard facemask before the fumble occurred, and Delhi retained possession inside the 15 yard line.” Tompkins’ return was for about 75 yards. Now I’m not saying that Liberty would have gone on to win the game, but Tompkins' return would have certainly changed the dynamics of the finish.

Compare that with an intersectional game played in Section Nine.  We read that “Visiting Ithaca (Section Four) returned two fumbles for touchdowns in the second half” to defeat Cornwall, 15-7. No yellow flags on those plays.

Now let’s go back up Route 17 to see what happened when LMR played in Hancock and lost, 28-21. Hmm. Troy Correa had an 80-yard TD run called back on a clip … Ross Abott and Adam Hendrix hooked up on a 90-yard TD pass play canceled by an illegal man downfield. And Hendrix’s 30-yard TD interception return was called back on a roughing the passer call. Bottom Line: Three LMR touchdowns were called back.  Devilcats lose. 

Based on my past first-hand observations, all this leads me to speculate that state superpower Monroe-Woodbury could have scored 84 points Friday night if Pat D’Aliso had so desired. It may also partially explain how the well-schooled Crusader defense could have "allowed" 34 points, 26 by halftime.

Now in all semi-fairness I must confess that homestanding Sullivan West did batter Deposit. I don’t know what happened there; but if our SNF officials were in charge, the visitors got a fair shake. And in more all-semi fairness, maybe the outside-our-section zebras were not guilty of homerism either.  But I have a hard time accepting that in light of the facts and history. I’ve been around too long and have seen too much intersectional play.

Rick Stone, who had once lived just south of the New York-Pennsylvania border up there near the Southern Tier, told me a few years back: “Phil, they’re really good people up there. It’s just that a few of them think anyone who’s from south of Roscoe is a city-slicker, a fool or both. Unfortunately, those who think that way are usually either football officials or cops.”

Rick then chuckled and winked as he hopped into his classic Camaro, sped off and left me standing there, my mouth agape. 

Well, I disagree with the Rickster in two respects.  (1) Make that “south and east of Broome county” instead of “Roscoe.” And (2) we love policemen - so long as they don’t moonlight as football officials in a certain section north and west of Roscoe.

We also appreciate our SNF officials' integrity (even when we might see a call or two differently).

Okay, no more on that topic - until, maybe, the state regionals in Mahopac where you can't trust those refs from ... 

--- Phil Dusenbury