By Rob Potter
JEFFERSONVILLE — December 21, 2004 – Like the lyrics of the classic song “Let it Snow,” the weather on Sunday evening was frightful as Sullivan County was dealing with a low pressure system that brought with it extremely cold temperatures, wind and snow.
But things inside the cafeteria at the Jeffersonville-Youngsville campus of the Sullivan West Central School District were delightful. Dozens of parents and family members joined the members and coaches of the Bulldogs’ varsity football team for an awards dinner.
Coach Ron Bauer joined Assistant Coaches Kurt Buddenhagen, Chris Reichmann and Keith Travers in announcing several individual postseason awards and accolades the Bulldogs had earned following a season in which they posted a 9-1 record, captured both the Section IX Class B Division II Championship and Section IX Class B Championship and were ranked sixth among Class B football teams in the final poll of the New York State Sportswriters Association that was released on November 28.
Bauer noted that the Section IX Football Coaches’ Association had recently named nine SW players Class B First-Team All-Stars or Honorable Mention selections.
The First Team All-Stars were: Steve Daley (Junior, FB/LB) Jimmy Erlwein (Jr. RB/LB), John Glassel (Senior, OG/LB), Joe Meyer (Sr., QB/CB/P), Steve Musso (Sr., OG/LB), Scott Peters (Sr., RB/CB) and Andre Trujillo (Sr., TE/DT).
Orion Darder (Sr., RB/S) and Marc DeCristofaro (Sr., OT/DT) were named Honorable Mention.
In addition, Musso was named the Class B Lineman of the Year by the Coaches’ Association.
Bauer was chosen as the Section IX Coach of the Year by the Coaches’ Association.
Glassel, Musso and Peters were further honored by being named to the All-Section IX Football Team. That all-star squad includes players from the largest schools (Class AA) to the smallest schools (Class D) in the section, which includes dozens of high school football teams in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties and a handful in Dutchess County.
During the SW fall sports awards ceremony held on Nov. 16 in the auditorium of SWHS in Lake Huntington, Peters was named the team’s Best Offensive Player and Musso was chosen as the team’s Best Defensive Player.
At Sunday night’s ceremony, Bauer presented the Bulldogs’ Most Improved Player Award to Erlwein.
Travers then presented a special award to Justin Polizzi, a SW senior who has served as the team’s manager for the past several seasons.
“We had a great team effort this season,” Bauer told the assembled group of fellow coaches, players and family members. “These kids worked well together.”
Travers noted that he had been away from coaching for a couple of years, but was pleased to return to the gridiron and help guide the Bulldogs this autumn.
“I thank you guys for all of the hard work and effort you put into this season,” he said.
Reichmann noted that the 2004 Bulldogs were “a real team” in the way that they put individual accomplishments behind the team’s goals. He noted that a great example of that was the way five players – Daley, Darder, Erlwein, Corey Hornicek and Peters – shared time at the running back position.
“It was that unselfish, team effort that made us winners,” Reichmann said.
“You guys did a great job this season,” Buddenhagen added.
Nina Verdeber, who along with Tara Brey served as a Co-Coach of the SW cheerleaders this autumn, thanked the players and their families for supporting the cheerleaders.
“This was probably the best year the cheerleaders had in terms of getting the support they needed,” Verdeber said. “They stood behind you guys week after week.”
Each member of the SW football team received a nice plaque engraved with his name and the words “Sullivan West Bulldogs 2004 Football: Class B Section 9 Champs, Class B Division II Champs.”
Those players included: Alan Ackermann, Justin Alsdorf, Jared Carlew, Ben Creegan, Daley, Darder, DeCristofaro, Eric Delaurenco, Erlwein, Jonathan Figueroa, Glassel, Hornicek, Brian Hubbert, John Kitson, Patrick Knack, Charlie Kreitlow, Jonah Lagrutta, Jason Leewe, Bryan Lopez, Thomas Lynch, Meyer, Jim Moloney, Joe Murray, Musso, Mike Peck, Peters, Paul Pitz, Ryan Redmond, Brett Reimer, Andy Rosenberger, Will Schlott, Bryan Schmidt, Matt Swendsen, Ben Tonjes, Luke Tonjes, Trujillo and Brett Youmans.