When the O’Neill Raider modified football team – made up of seventh, eighth and ninth graders – took to the field for their first game of the season, Coach Ryan Erbe had no idea what to expect.

What he quickly learned is that his team is pretty good!

The final score in the September 23 game against the Pine Plains-Rhinebeck Bombers was 48-8. Gideon Post (#5) scored three touchdowns, Jayden Davis (#13) scored two, and Parker Romero (#3) scored one. The Raiders led 20-8 at the end of the first half.

Modified football is slightly different than JV or varsity in that there are five ten-minute quarters – the ‘A’ team plays first, third and fifth, and the ‘B’ team plays second and fourth. The players are broken into those two groups by their skill level.
Erbe had praise for both of his groups of players.

“I definitely didn’t know what to expect from Pine Plains,” he said after the game, “but in a very short period of time my guys have come together as a team. We played well on both sides of the ball today; we didn’t really give up much offense and our defense really executed very well. And no matter which periods they played, we’re one team, one family.”

The stands at the Debbi Crowe Field were full for the game, with fans from this community and the visitors’ hometowns. On the sidelines with the modified players were the Raiders varsity players and coaches, including head coach Adam DeBenedetto.

“That meant a lot to me and my players, Erbe said.

The varsity Raiders did not play again this past week. Scheduled to take on Poughkeepsie, that team forfeited the game. Next up the Raiders varsity team will face Rondout Valley at home at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. The Raiders go into that game with a 2-2 record if you count their forfeit to Burke and Poughkeepsie’s forfeit to O’Neill.