The Catskill Chronicle

Ellenville’s Doug Lewis headed for a TD early in the game. He had
three TDs.

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

GRAHAMSVILLE – On Saturday, the home team Tri-Valley Bears (0-2) football
team had a bruising afternoon as the visiting Blue Devils of Ellenville (2-0) mauled the local bruins 45-7 in a varsity league game.

Tri-Valley’s defensive linemen Nick Corigilano and Brian Edwards stop Doug Lewis.

The tone of the game set early on as the Bears coughed up the ball, and the Blue Devils capitalized on the fumble for their first score of the game at 9:11 in the opening frame.

At about the three minute mark, Ellenville faced a 4th and goal situation, and scored with a sweep around the left.

Early in the second quarter, the Blue Devils once again were confronted with a 4th down and short yardage at the Bears 15-yard line, and taking a risk scored at 8:02.

At 3:50, Ellenville’s QB Robert Borriello hooked up with Jose Aldarondo for a 56-yard TD, and although the PAT came up short, the Blue Devils led 31-0. On the ensuing kickoff return, Bears QB Brendan Moore pounded out some good yardage, and at 3:30 connected with a 46-yard TD pass to Bobby Beale
to put Tri-Valley on the score 31-7 at the half.

Tri-Valley’s football cheerleaders were out in force.

In the third quarter, facing a 4th and goal, the Bears failed to punch it
across the line, and Ellenville took over on downs at the line, in a play
that seemed to take the wind out of the Tri-Valley offense. Andrew Platt escaped around the left for a 30-yard gain, followed by Ellenville’s Ameer Maxwell’s romp into the end zone in a TD that was negated by a penalty call, but rewarded on the next snap as he romped in for a score.

With 1:52 remaining on the game clock Wernick scored, and Preston Bazemore hauled in a pop over pass for a two-point conversion to put the Blue Devils up for a 45-7 victory.

Donald Cooper is a familiar face on the local sports scene.

“I thought we played a very, big, strong physical football team, said Bears coach John Rusin of facing the reigning Section 9 Class C champs. “They did what they do well, run that Power I [offensive formation]…they outsized us across the board.”

“I’m very proud of my guys…I felt that we made them earn everything they
got today,” added Rusin.

Tony Borriello, coach of the Blue Devils, said he told his team before the game “this wasn’t going to be a walk-over”, and later said the turning point of the game was when the Bears failed to score at the goal line. “We stopped them down there when they were close…if you’re going in and somebody pulls the rug [out from under you], that’s tough.”

Ellenville’s Ameer Maxwell enroute to the end zone.

“We play hardball, tell the kids to get their nose in there, and not be afraid of contact,” said Borriello. “That’s what we do.”

Matt Bogorad, a 17-year old senior at Tri-Valley, said of the 2009-10 gridiron season, “A lot of people are saying this is a rebuilding year, but as seniors we don’t want to listen to that…we’d like to get a couple of wins.”

Peter DeMilia is the Bears 16-year old quarterback. “We have a lot of younger guys, [but] if we can pull it together and work hard, I think we’ll be fine.”

Ellenville’s Doug Lewis and Amiel Maerling close in on Bears QB Peter DiMilia.

Tri-Valley’s rushing stats: Matt Bogorad carried 16 times for 47 yards; Peter DeMilia 8/4. DeMilia was 1 for six passing, and completed a 46-yard TD pass to Bobby Beale. Ross Bonnell led in the tackle department with 12, Brendan Tierney 11 and DiMilia 10.

Ellenville’s rushing/scoring: Doug Lewis pounded out 105 yards including 3 TDs on 18 carries, AmeerMaxwell 9.64 and a TD, Ameil Maerling 8/86 and a TD, Michael Wernick 3/23 and a TD and Jose Aldarondo hauled in two passes for 75 yards including a TD.The Blue Devils pounded out 296 yards on the ground, and picked up 134 aerial yards. Tackles: Maerling 11, Wernick 9, Aldarondo 8.

Ellenville’s defensemen James Valdezand Amiel Maerling force a Tri-Valley fumble late in the game.

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