The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

LIBERTY – The story of Saturday afternoon’s varsity league football game between the home team Indians of Liberty (1-4) and the Ellenville Blue Devils (5-0) went far beyond the scoreboard, as it featured a player turned coach taking to the field against his former gridiron boss.

Ellenville’s top gun Doug Lewis closes in on Liberty QB Marshon Williams.

Games won and lost don’t really matter when it comes to experience and wisdom gained on the field of endless lines, rules of life that coaches pass on to the young men under their watch.

In a real sense, it’s a tradition of sportsmanship and the spirit competition passed from one generation to the next. Win, lose or draw, where the meat meets the turf it’s always about how you play the game.

Back when Tony Borriello came to Ellenville as coach of the Blue Devils varsity football team, Liberty’s head coach John Wilhelm was in high school, and played for Borriello for three years (1985-87).

A couple of seasons ago, the Blue Devils came to Liberty and the Indians defeated Wilhelm’s former coach. But on Saturday, it was a different team and a different story, as the Blue Devils pounded Liberty 36-6.

Doug Lewis headed for his 3rd TD of the afternoon.

“Johnny was defensive back, he was a hard-nosed kind of kid that came to play, very soft spoken, and it might have been a year before I actually heard him say anything,” recalled Borriello of his former player. “Back then we were doing five defensive backs before anybody else was doing it.”

Ellenville’s coach said his fondest memory of Wilhelm was in a game against Saugerties “they were throwing the ball all over the place,” and after the Blue Devils switched gears to five defensive backs, Johnny picked off a pass and ran it into the end zone for a touchdown to help his team to a 12-6 victory.

Liberty’s Brandon “The Beast” Tompkins adds his weight to tackling.

What’s it like to coach against a former player? “It’s tough because one of the things about coaching is philosophies,” said Borriello. “If you know a coach’s philosophy, you kind of get into his head…You know and respect each other, they know how to counter you, and do the right things when you play each other.”

What’s it like to take to the field as a coach against your former helmsman? “It’s a privilege,” replied Wilhelm. “He’s a very good coach, pretty mild-mannered…he’s a gentle giant. I learned a lot from Tony…discipline, respect and toughness…It’s always interesting when we play each other.”

Liberty’s Brandon Tompkins and Chris Lewis gang up on Doug Lewis.

Cutting to the quick, what did Liberty’s coach learn about the sport that he passes along to his team?
“Being accountable for what you do, being respectful on and off the field, and discipline and mental toughness,” said Wilhelm.

Early in Saturday’s gridiron matchup, Ellenville’s Doug Lewis scored a couple of TDs (55 yards and 23 yards) and the Blue Devils picked up two more points on a safety. Lewis scored his third TD of the afternoon by returning a kickoff 65 yards to put Ellenville up 22-0.

In the second frame, Liberty QB Marshon Williams attempted a pass to Michael McLean in the end zone, but it was broken up. Facing a goal line situation, Williams scored on a QB keeper, but the two-point conversion failed. McLean broke up a pass intended for Jordan Smith, and on the next snap Liberty’s sacked Ellenville QB Robert Borriello, the first time he had his bells rung this season.

With about a minute left on the half time clock, Liberty’s Brandon “The Beast” Tompkins intercepted a Blue Devils’ pass, and then, in an ensuing reverse option, was tackled for a loss.

Ellenville’s Jose Aldarondo end zone bound.

Late in the third quarter, Ellenville faced a fourth and one situation at the goal line. Andrew Platt scored and then took it across the line again for a two-point conversion to put the Blue Devils up 30-6.

One of the Indians few bright spots came when Ellenville was knocking at Liberty’s door only to have McLean snatch a pick. It looked like he was headed for a TD, but then darkness descended as he was brought down by the Blue Devils Aldarondo.

In a last ditch effort to get on the scoreboard Liberty’s Travis Johnson and Jovaughen Clark doubled up as wide right receivers, and the strategy worked except Clark hauled in out-of-bounds in the end zone.

With about three minutes left on the game clock, Ellenville got possession deep in Indians territory and, at the 10-second mark, Amel Maerling scored the final TD of the game.

Ellenville’s Doug Lewis goes air born to pick up yardage.

“Take the 22 points off the board in the first quarter, and the first two plays from scrimmage where nobody touched him…after that we showed up and played a good football game,” said Wilhelm. “We dug ourselves a deep hole, and it’s hard to come back from that….Our goal is to make it to sectionals. We have three games left and we have to get it done.”

Borriello summed up the game, “We scored quick. They took away what we do best, so we had to go more simple and run inside. Liberty is a good team. Even though they lost [four games this year], it was to state ranked teams…they haven’t lost to a nobody.”

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