Each area football team will experience a change this year.

Two teams – Wallkill and Pine Bush – will have new coaches this season. However, that’s not the only change the Wallkill Panthers will see this season.

As Joe Pillitteri takes the reigns from Brian Vegliando, the Panthers, who went 6-3 and won Class A Division 2 last season, will move to Division 1 in this year’s Class A realignment.

It will also give the annual Battle of the Valley game between the Panthers and Valley Central Vikings an added dimension, as both teams will play in the same division, Class A Division 1. The Vikings were in Class A Division 1 last season. The division was won by Minisink Valley, who eliminated the Panthers from the sectional playoffs.

The Panthers will head into Pillitteri’s first season without quarterback Mat Shea, wide receivers Jack Rauschenbach and Ty Crowley, offensive and defensive linemen Kareem Dilworth, running back and linebacker Eric Blackshear, safety Kaden Campbell, wide receiver Jeremy Figueroa and defensive lineman Cianan Reiter.

Even though the Panthers lost plenty of players from last year’s division championship team, they return plenty of talent in running back and corner back Sean Perrin, offensive and defensive lineman Erik Mikesh, wide receiver and safety Mason Ondreyko, wide receiver, linebacker and cornerback Richie Martinez, linebacker and running back Chase Hermance. Chase Hermance and Gabe Crespi will return at linebacker, and Joe Guillotin will return to the defensive line. Michel Cullen, Cooper Shuart, Jayden Falk and Matt Starr will return to the offensive line, while Alec Petroccelli-Henry returns to the defensive line and Dylan Shuart returns at linebacker.

Junior quarterback Chris Bartolone will join the team, as does Aidan Kozireski (WR/CB), Ryan Rauschenbach (WR/QB), Jose Martine (LB), Brad Shuart (SS), Jayden Boafo (RB) and Danilo Distefano.

Right now, the Panthers are only focused on getting Pillitteri’s first win when they open the season on the road against Section 2’s Schuylerville.

“I’m very lucky to have such a hardworking, dedicated group of kids in my first year as head varsity football coach,” Pillitteri said. “We have a good mix of returning and new talent who have meshed well together. This group is focused on reaching their fullest potential and competition in every practice/game they play in. We are looking forward to being a very competitive football team.”

The Valley Central Vikings are entering their third season under coach Andrew LaVallie. They finished with a 3-5 record despite struggling for much of the early part of the season.

After getting off to a 1-5 start, the Vikings won two straight games to finish their season. They beat the FDR Presidents, 20-0, in Week 7 and then defeated the Kingston Tigers.

The Vikings are looking to build off those last two games as they head into a loaded Class A Division 1. They’ll enter the season without running back Elijah Bellinger, defensive end Jabari Jones and quarterback Bryce DeRonda.

Returning are linebacker and running back Danny Latimer, defensive back and wide receiver Ashton Sledzianowski and linebacker Ryan Charouf. Upcoming running back Julian Montrevil and tight end Aiden White will join them.

“The team had a good first week of practice and is beginning to click on both sides of the ball,” LaVallie said. “We are looking forward to our first test next Friday against Clarkstown North.”

It’s been a rough go for the Pine Bush Bushmen since they won the Section 9 Class AA championship in 2019, winning only one game since. They went 0-4 during the Spring 2021 COVID-19 season and then went 1-7 last fall.

After losing their first seven games of the season, the Bushmen finished the season with a 32-14 win over the Goshen Gladiators to end their season on a positive note.

The Bushmen started preseason with over a hundred student-athletes in coach Rich Ormsby’s first season competing for positions on the team and are working to improve each day while preparing for their first game, Sept. 9 against the Vikings.

The Bushmen lost linebacker/tight end Devin Greer, but return plenty of key players, including quarterback Danny DeGroodt, tight end/defensive end Mason Miranowicz, defensive and offensive lineman Tyler Ostrom, linebacker/offensive lineman Sevren Kinney, linebacker/tight end Donovan Jackson, center/defensive tackle Elijah Cruz, linebacker/wide receiver Michael Weed, senior running back/cornerback Alex Bucolo, junior Manny Hannon, wide receiver/safety Matt Boffalo and running back/cornerback Marc Cancelliere.

They’ll be joined by new running back Mike DeSena, wide receiver Connor Stacklum, running back/linebacker Adam Beers, offensive lineman/linebacker Jake Slovitsky and wide receiver/cornerback Logan Hawley.

“We’re all eager to get to work and excited for the start of the 2022 season,” Ormsby said.