Week Nine ended the regular season with non-league games for non-playoff teams while sectional playoffs were held in Classes AA, A, B and C. Let’s take a look at the significant stats (SIGSTATS) that we’ve ferreted out from the 16 games played last Thursday through Saturday.

RUSHING: John Stephens (Gos) 23 x 262 x 2 TD … Travis Mann (Chest) 20 x 186 x 2 TD … Pete Dimilia (TV) 19 x 149 x 1 TD … Kairi Alston (High) 24 x 148 x 3 TD … Mike Ross (RH) 26 x 133 x 1 TD … Tim Crown (PJ) 21 x 130 x 2 TD … Dan Scalo (MW) 20 x 126 x 3 TD … Ryan Alsdorf (SW) 17 x 122 … Barry Surrett (NFA) 23 x 118 … James Schoonmaker (Wall) 16 x 111 x 1 TD … Rian White (War) 17 x 109 x 1 TD … Doug Lewis (Ell) 20 x 105 x 1 TD … Scott Bolstad (High) 8 x 103 x 2 TD … Chris Van Buskirk (PP) 101 yards x 1 TD … Church Pfeil (O’N) 20 x 93 x 1 TD … Shane McNamara (VC) 3 TD … Ryan Toledo (VC) 3 TD … Latti Rabii (SW) 2 TD … Amiel Maerling (Ell) 2 TD … Andrew Harcher (Wall) 2 TD … Carlos Guzman (PB) 2 TD.

PASSING: Vincent Mortellaro (Mid) 24 x 39 x 317 x 2 TD … Matt Balzano (Chest) 9 x 14 x 172 x 4 TD … Rian White (War) 14 x 24 x 164 x 1 TD … Aaron Kilner (O’N) 7 x 16 x 159 x 1 TD … Shane McNamara (VC) 8 x 14 x 151 … Dan Shannon (Burke) 7 x 19 x 129 x 1 TD … Vinny Porcelli (Marl) 12 x 32 x 116 x 1 TD … Robert Borriello (Ell) 4 x 8 x 93 … Andrew Harcher (Wall) 2 TD.

RECEIVING: Brian Andujar (Mid) 8 x 148 … Eric Bryant (Mid) 7 x 103 x 1 TD … Blake Hasbrouck (Mid) 6 x 67 x 1 TD … John Babin (War) 6 x 116 x 1 TD … Pat Doty (O’N) 4 x 105 x 1 TD … Zach Adler (VC) 4 x 101 … Jesse Valenti (MV) 3 x 41 x 1 TD … Victor Cruz (Chest) 3 x 82 x 3 TD … Art Norden (SW) 3 x 28 … Joey Maillet (PJ) 3 x 27.

DEFENSE: Pete Dimilia (TV) 25 tackles … Brandon Tompkins (Lib) 22 tackles ... Mike McLean (Lib) 3 INT … Ryan Morgan (MW) 9 tackles, 2 assts … Andrew Treschitta (War) 10.5 tackles … Dylan Babcock (Corn) 3 sacks … Joe Cappuccilli (Wall) 8 tackles … Geno Jones (Eld) 7 tackles & a sack …Jared McFarlin (MW) 2 INT … John Ferrante (NP) 2 INT … Mike McGriff (Ell) 2 INT … Tom Covino (NP) 9 tackles … Anthony Nicollet (SW) INT, Blocked Punt ... Mike Forte (High) 20-yard INT return for TD.

SPECIALS: Dan Marggraff (War) 95-yard TD KO return … Tyree Smallwood (Corn) 85-yard TD KO return … Rashard Wroten (Corn) 52-yard TD punt return.

KICKING:  Ken Kirshner (Corn) 5 x 5 PAT, 38-yard FG, Punts of 71 & 54 yards ... Kyle Cazzetta (MV) 75-yard punt … Scott Bolstad (High) 6 x 6 PAT.

NOW FOR MORE QUOTES YOU LOVE FROM THE FOLKS YOU LOVE, gathered from the media, our own sources and elsewhere:

“I think the intent was for us to come out in the second half and get a lot of people involved. I thought we could come out and get going again. But I give all the credit to Washingtonville. That’s what they have to do with their program.” -- Kingston coach Jeramie Collins after a 27-6 Tiger halftime lead turned into a hairy 34-32 win over Washingtonville.

"I write all my goals down at the start of the year - 1,000 yards was a goal. To win the championship was a goal … I just want to win." -- Cornwall junior RB Tyree Smallwood.

“He works hard in practice. He runs hard. What you see on the game field, you see in practice. He's a great teammate and he runs hard every day. It makes it easy when you have a self-motivated player." --- Cornwall coach Marcus Hughes on Smallwood.

"That was the game-turning point, right there. We got momentum on our side, and we were just rolling from there, rolling throughout the rest of the game." -- Wallkill linebacker and defensive MVP Joe Cappuccilli on Port Jervis’s second quarter misfortunes.

"We played really poorly for two straight weeks and had gotten away from things that got us on our five-game win streak. If we get back to that kind of football, we can play with anybody." -- Wallkill coach Brian Vegliando.

"Our line was amazing today. Last time we played (Port Jervis), they kept pushing us back, pushing us back. We knew we had to do something." -- Wallkill QB Andrew Harcher.

“Other games we might have lost hope. But this game we came out hard and wouldn’t let go.” --Liberty QB Marshon Williams.

“We were happy that we went into halftime ahead. I think if we had fallen behind, there might have been some room for concern.” -- Liberty coach John Wilhelm.

“Liberty is now a different team. I’m ecstatic for John (Wilhelm). He’s waited his turn and this is an old rivalry from way back. It’s going to be good. This is a new scene with Sullivan West not being around.” -- Ellenville coach Tony Borriello who coached Wilhem back in the late 80’s.

“I am happy, but (Millbrook) did something to us that good teams have done. What they did frustrated our kids, especially the linemen. They hid well with the linebackers and stuffed us when they could.” -- Borriello.

“I’m proud of the way we played. Maybe it’s a different story if we can prevent the touchdown right before halftime, but I couldn’t be happier losing a game than I am right now and couldn’t be prouder of these kids.” -- Millbrook coach Sean Keenan.

"We know from here on we're going to have to play better defense because we'll be playing better teams the rest of the way." -- MW DB Jared McFarlin.

“We just do our best. But we still have work to do. We're going to have to step it up." -- MW safety Ryan Morgan on the Cru D.

"Our defense gets the job done. It might not seem that way when you're watching the game, but when you look up at the scoreboard, you know they're doing their job." -- MW coach Pat D’Aliso.

“Didn’t the Monroe-Woodbury defense just limit Minisink to one touchdown? So what’s the problem!?” -- The SNF Website’s Rick Stone.

"One of my defensive linemen, Pierre Soloman has blocked 8 PAT's and 1 Field Goal. I don't know if it is a record, but he has done the best job I have seen in my 28 years at MW. He's a great kid, works hard and wants to block every kick he can." -- MW line and special teams coach Jim Hintze.

“(Our loss) could be a wakeup call for us going into the sectional finals versus Chester. Sometimes you win every game and you get too cocky for the following week. We will have to see if this helps.” -- Eldred coach Frank Kean.

“We wanted to come out and make a statement and then finish things off. (Our offense) didn’t do it, but our defense did.” -- O’Neill coach Tim Hendershot.

“(The touchdown pass on the opening play) didn’t break our backs, but it did set the tone. It showed (O’Neill) could score some points which they haven’t done in the past.” -- New Paltz coach Tom Tegeler.

“I would describe my game as straight power and running it down their throats. I’m fast and elusive … Our plan was to play straight power football. That’s our game.” -- Highland RB Kairi Alston.

“Our offense just stepped it up in the second half. I don’t think anyone around here can stay with us if we play our game.” -- Highland coach Carl Relyea.

“It would be awesome to see what this group would look like at full strength. Our depth saved us … We are actually going to go through the entire season with never having our best team on the field once.” -- Relyea on losing his top two all-star performers (Josh Duggan and Mike Fallatik) in mid-season to knee injuries.

“Newburgh’s got a great athletic defense. They stuck on our receivers pretty well. We couldn’t get anything going until the end.” -- Warwick QB Rian White.

“For the first time this season, we were led by our defense. Our staff put together a great defensive game plan.” -- Warwick coach James Sciarra.

MEANWHILE DOWN IN SECTION ONE, here are the matchups in this weekend’s Section One sectional championship games:

Class AA -- New Rochelle v. North Rockland - Ranked #2 in the state behind Monroe-Woodbury, New Rochelle is again favored here.

Class A -- With Rye having been upset by Poughkeepsie, it’s Pokip v. Yonkers Roosevelt (7-1). Poughkeepsie (6-2) will try to register its second consecutive upset here.

Class B -- Nanuet v. Sleepy Hollow. Unbeaten and state-ranked #6 Nanuet will be the heavy favorite.

Class C -- Bronxville v. Croton-Harmon. Unbeaten B’ville is ranked #3 in the state while defending champ C-H (#9) is 7-1.

Class D -- Tuchahoe v. Haldane. They’re the only two D teams in that section while we have all of three. Chester beat Haldane by 14 and lost to defending regional champ Tuckahoe by 20 in weeks two and three.

As you all know, the Section Nine champs will meet the Section One champs in the regional quarterfinals at Dietz and Mahopac (Nov. 13-14) with the winners moving on to the Eastern state semi-finals at Dietz (Nov. 20-21) to face the teams from Sections Two, Seven and Ten that win that regional.

--- FEARLESS PHIL