Eli Ruiz | Democrat Roscoe’s Brad Dreher (28) runs over Chester’s Justin Feldman (44) for some tough yardage during Friday’s Section IX Class D championship game.

With all due respect

Story by Eli Ruiz
KINGSTON — November 12, 2013 — Having lost their regular season contest with Chester 64-0, Roscoe - Livingston Manor - Downsville coach Fred Ahart was trying to avoid a similar outcome in this Section IX Class D championship game.
"It was on our minds," said Ahart. "I told my guys to play their hearts out and that's what they did today. I'm really proud of my guys."
And Ahart should be proud as his Blue Devils held Chester – the state's third ranked Class D team – to 13 first half points and 27 for the game – well below their 51 points per game seasonal average.
Moral victories aside, Roscoe was not able to score any points of its own and lost to Chester in the Class D final Friday night at Dietz Stadium.
"I think all the credit has to go to Roscoe [Livingston Manor-Downsville]," said Chester coach Ron Stover. "They came to play this time around and ended up playing a heck of a game. I tip my hat to their players and coaches today."
Meanwhile Chester, (8-1), scored its fourth straight Class D title behind 93 yards on 10 carries from senior four-year starter Lawrence Young.
It was all Young in the first half for Chester, as the speedster provided all of the scoring to that point with a 5-yard-dive in the first quarter, followed by a 2-yard run in the second frame. Blue Devil rusher Brad Dreher carried the load for Roscoe with 46 first half yards; finishing with 70 yards on 17 carries for the game.
"We played our hearts out," offered Dreher. "That's all we asked for in the locker room. I think we earned our respect today. We came to play."
Having come out for the second half up 13-0, Chester traded a few stalled drives with the Blue Devils. But at the 4:55 mark of the third quarter, Chester quarterback Vincent Aloi handed the ball off to tailback Matt Perry who took it the distance, 56-yards, to paydirt.
"I didn't tell them anything at the half," said Stover. "We knew we didn't play all that well in the first half. It's a senior team. We've got 14 seniors, so if they can't just figure it out...well.”
“That was a big one," said Aloi. "We were playing a bit anemic up until that point."
Mike Volkmer added a four-yard touchdown run late in the fourth to give the Hambletonians a 25-0 lead. A successful 2-point-conversion dive by Perry provided the final 27-0 tally.
"I'm very proud of these guys," said Ahart. "We played good D and we played ball control on offense. We kept the ball away from them as much as possible. We were going for the win and we were in this game. Chester's an outstanding team and I give their players and coaches all the credit in the world."
Continued Ahart, "You know, this is the first year we've got the three schools together. That's a lot of different personalities that may never have known each other to have to mesh together. We continued to work hard week in and week out and we've gotten better. I think we earned Chester's respect today."
Chester will face Section 1 champ Tuckahoe (5-4) in the state quarterfinals on November 16 in Mahopac.
The Blue Devils finished the season 5-4.