Fred Stabbert III | Democrat Tri-Valley defensive back Chris Moshier deflects a pass intended for Sullivan West receiver Zach O’Connor during Saturday’s game in Grahamsville. O’Connor would grab one pass on the day for 32 yards.

Improving SW rolls over Tri-Valley 

Story by Fred Stabbert III
GRAHAMSVILLE — October 29, 2013 — The “most improved team in Section 9” used their high powered “tech” offense to perfection, rolling up nine touchdowns en route to a 61-21 win over Tri-Valley.
In its  final Class C, Division 2 league game, Sullivan West (1-3 Class C, 3-4) put an exclamation point on a season in which they improved nearly every game.
Sullivan West will actually play an extra game against Onteora this Friday at Lake Huntington at 5 p.m. 
“You are the most improved team in Section 9,” Sullivan West head coach Ron Bauer said following the game as his team sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
“You worked hard and improved a lot this season,” he said. “We are getting better as a team all the time. We finally put it all together.”
Tri-Valley (0-3 Class C, 0-7) meanwhile, one of the youngest teams in Section 9 with only one senior on the roster, has a lot to look forward to.
“We played with a lot of heart,” Tri-Valley head coach John Rusin said. “We were a little undermanned this season but we turned a lot of heads with our determination.
“We leave it all on the field every game and for that, I’m very proud,” Rusin said.
Sullivan West took the opening kickoff back to the 44-yard line and started out with a 25-yard swing pass from QB Richard Shevak to Andrew Stabbert.
Shevak then ran up the middle 22 yards to the three-yard line and senior flanker Jared Meola ran it in from there for a 7-0 lead.
But Tri-Valley had an answer. After being held on their first three plays from scrimmage, Tri-Valley set up a fake punt to perfection, hitting running back Jared James out of the backfield with a perfect pass for a 55-yard touchdown to knot the score at 7-7 midway through the first quarter. 
Following a pair of punts, Sullivan West again drove  deep into Tri-Valley territory, setting up a nine-yard touchdown pass from Shevak to tight end Cody Franskevicz for a 14-7 lead as the first quarter ended.
Shevak scampered five  yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter and wing back Brian Stauch ran an eight-yard sweep just before halftime to give the Bulldogs a 28-7 lead at intermission.
In the second half, Andrew Stabbert started things off for Sullivan West with a 20-yard burst up the middle for paydirt.
Shevak then scored on an eight-yard run and the score was 41-7.
Tri-Valley’s junior QB Justin Swarthout then made a beautiful fake in the backfield and kept the ball up the right sidelines for a 77-yard touchdown run.
Swarthout added another seven-yard touchdown run late in the game.
Sullivan West senior running back Travis Roeder also added a one-yard touchdown blast to make it 48-21.
A 35-yard sweep by Stabbert into the endzone and a 11-yard run by Meola ended the scoring for Sullivan West.
On the statistic side, Stabbert led the Bulldogs in rushing with 89 yards rushing on 10 carries, 26 receiving yards on one reception and two touchdowns.
Shevak was 5-9 passing for 109 yards and 1 touchdown and had 72 rushing yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns.
Meola had 71 yards on 6 carries and two touchdowns and one reception for 17 yards.
Brian Stauch had 28 yards rushing on two carries and one touchdown and one reception for 25 yards.
Todd Roeder also had 8 yards on 2 carries and one touchdown.
Michael Sedlack was 7-9 on extra points.
Tri-Valley’s Swarthout was 3 for 9 passing for 72 yards and one touchdown and had 155 rushing yards on 18 carries.
James had three catches for 72 yards and one touchdown and 11 carries for 18 yards. 
John Killian had 23 yards on 7 carries for Tri-Valley.
On the defensive side of the ball, Zach O’Connor and Jacob Murphy led the Bulldogs with 7 tackles each and Sean Hart, Stabbert and Stauch had six tackles apiece.