Kingston High 0-2 after loss to O’Neill

At Poughkeepsie, Pine Plains/Rhinebeck edges Spackenkill, 20-18, in season opener

HIGHLAND FALLS, N.Y. » James I. O’Neill pulled away in the second half Friday, handing Kingston High its second straight Section 9 football loss, 47-22.

Defense and special teams led the way early for the (0-2) Tigers. After falling behind 7-0, linebacker Dylan Noble cut the margin to 7-6 on an interception return for a touchdown. Kingston went ahead 8-6 on a safety scored by defensive lineman Shameer Peters.

After O’Neill scored to make it 21-8, but a Myles Gordon return got the Tigers right back into the game in the third quarter.

Unfortunately for Kingston, O’Neill wore it down in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 26-8 the rest of the way.

It was O’Neill’s season opener. After consecutive road trips, Kingston is home to play its final four games. The Tigers take on Monticello at 7 p.m. Friday, March 26, at Dietz Stadium.

Pine Plains 20, Spackenkill 18

At Poughkeepsie, Sid Stracher scored on a 32-yard run with 1:58 remaining to lift Pine Plains/ Rhinebeck over Spackenkill in the teams’ 8-Man Football opener.

In a back-and-forth game, the Bombers led 14-12 in the third quarter, but Dan Collins’ 20-yard TD run put Spackenkill ahead 2814 with seven minutes left. Pine Plains, however, responded with the go-ahead score, then held off the Spartans at the end.

“Spackenkill is an excellent team and this was an absolute war tonight,” Bombers coach Rob Scott said. “I am very proud of this team. We were gamers tonight.”

Behind the offensive line of Devon Hurst, Jason Michetti, Dalton Burns and Ryan Martin, the Bombers wore down the Spartan defense and rushed for more than 260 yards.

Andrew Speedling rushed for 144 yards plus a two-point conversion, Sebastian Burmester had 52 yards and two TDs and Stracher had 68 yards to lead Pine Plains.

Burmester had 10 tackles, Stracher and Speedling each had eight and Hurst six to lead the defense.

Minisink Valley 28, Wallkill 0

At Wallkill, the Panthers honored teammate Miguel Lugo before the game. Lugo had died after the first day of practice on March 1.

Minisink (2-0) dominated the contest, jumping out to a 21-0 advantage in the first half.

Ethan Gallo ran for two touchdowns, Kyle Killenberger raced for one and Ernest DePolito threw a TD pass to Jake Romano to lead Minisink.

Eric Blackshear made 10 tackles for Wallkill in its season opener. The Panthers are at Marlboro next Friday.