Twenty picks. Eighteen wins. Two misses.
I went 2–0 Thursday, 12–1 Friday and 4–1 Saturday. Ellenville over Millbrook and Marlboro over Highland were the two that went against me. My season record is now 95–28 overall, including 85–19 in matchups between Section IX teams.
The record is the scorecard. The useful part is going back through what I expected, what the results showed and what changes heading into Week 6.
Read my original picks and reasoning →
Thursday: 2–0
Saugerties at Beacon
My pick: Beacon · Correct · Final: Saugerties 6, Beacon 49
Beacon did exactly what I needed to see before Port Jervis: it paired its offense with a defensive response. After allowing 34 first-half points to New Paltz a week earlier, the Bulldogs allowed six for the entire game against Saugerties. Across those last six quarters, Beacon surrendered six points. That is progress worth recognizing, although Port presents a different test. At 6–0, Beacon has earned this opportunity; now it has to show that the improvement travels against a stronger, more balanced opponent.
Tri-Valley at Pine Plains/Rhinebeck
My pick: Tri-Valley · Correct · Final: Tri-Valley 46, Pine Plains/Rhinebeck 32
Pine Plains made Tri-Valley earn this one. The Bombers led 26–22 at halftime, so the Bears had to recover rather than simply protect an early advantage. Tri-Valley outscored them 24–6 after the break to reach 4–1. I am learning more about eight-man every week, and this game reinforced how quickly a lead can change. The result supports my pick, but allowing 32 also gives Tri-Valley something to address before facing another 4–1 team in Sullivan West.
Friday: 12–1
Kingston at Monroe-Woodbury
My pick: Monroe-Woodbury · Correct · Final: Kingston 22, Monroe-Woodbury 31
I am happy to see Monroe finally put a win together, but this result gives both programs something to discuss. The Crusaders built a 17–0 halftime lead; Kingston won the second half 22–14. Monroe’s early cushion proved decisive, while the Tigers showed they could respond instead of folding. For Monroe, the next step is carrying that offense through four quarters. For Kingston, the second-half production is something to build on. Monroe is 1–5, but the divisional race still gives this team a meaningful path forward.
Valley Central at Middletown
My pick: Middletown · Correct · Final: Valley Central 7, Middletown 29
Valley Central took its best swing, and Middletown’s defense answered again. The Middies have allowed 48 points across six games—eight per game—with two shutouts. Their last three opponents have scored seven, 13 and seven. Those numbers explain why I keep backing that unit. Newburgh’s offense is the next challenge, and reputation alone will not stop it. Middletown enters 6–0 with a consistent defensive foundation; Friday tests how well that foundation holds against the Goldbacks’ scoring ability.
Newburgh Free Academy at Pine Bush
My pick: Newburgh Free Academy · Correct · Final: Newburgh Free Academy 48, Pine Bush 13
Newburgh’s response after trailing 7–0 through one quarter was the story. From there, the Goldbacks outscored Pine Bush 48–6. That is the second gear I am talking about: the opening deficit did not become the direction of the game. Newburgh has scored 31, 38 and 48 in its last three wins while allowing 20 combined. The Goldbacks arrive at Middletown 5–1, with an offense building momentum against a defense that has been consistent all season. That is why this feels like the game of the year.
Goshen at FDR
My pick: Goshen · Correct · Final: Goshen 44, FDR 21
FDR took a better swing than I expected, and I think the Presidents surprised Goshen early. Still, Goshen finished with 44 points and a 23-point win. The distinction matters: FDR made the Gladiators work, but Goshen ultimately got the separation it needed. At 5–1, Goshen has responded to the Washingtonville loss without letting it become a second straight setback. Wallkill is next, and the Gladiators will want a more controlled start rather than relying on their ability to recover.
Monticello at Poughkeepsie
My pick: Monticello · Correct · Final: Monticello 22, Poughkeepsie 8
Two consecutive wins matter for Monticello because the kids finally have results to show for their work. The Panthers have scored 46 points in those wins after getting their first touchdowns of the season against Liberty. That is progress, not evidence that they should suddenly move into a different classification or leave independent play. Poughkeepsie also reached a smaller but meaningful milestone with its first touchdown. I would say the Pioneers won that part of the week. The loss still counts, but getting on the board gives them something concrete to build on.
Wallkill at Washingtonville
My pick: Washingtonville · Correct · Final: Wallkill 7, Washingtonville 35
Washingtonville took care of business, as expected. What makes this useful beyond the pick is the consistency: the Wizards beat Goshen 37–7 and followed with a 35–7 win over Wallkill. That is 72 points scored and 14 allowed across two games against Class A opponents. At 5–1, Washingtonville is maintaining the standard that put it near the top of our rankings. Minisink is next. The Wizards have earned confidence, but they still need to carry the same level of execution into that matchup.
Red Hook at Port Jervis
My pick: Port Jervis · Correct · Final: Red Hook 7, Port Jervis 56
Port handled Red Hook, and Austin Mack’s return adds another layer before Beacon. Port has outscored Saugerties and Red Hook 89–7 across its last two games. Mack scoring in his first game back gives the passing game an established receiver for Beacon to account for, complementing the run game led by Amato Natale. Natale is another passing target, too. I expect a serious matchup because Beacon cannot concentrate only on the ground game, and Port now has another way to make a defense pay for doing that.
James I. O’Neill at Spackenkill
My pick: James I. O’Neill · Correct · Final: James I. O’Neill 35, Spackenkill 14
O’Neill’s 35–14 win secured its playoff place and ended Spackenkill’s Class C playoff chances. The Raiders have won two straight played games since returning to action, scoring 58 points and allowing 22 against Rondout and Spackenkill. That is a useful foundation before Dover. Spackenkill’s difficult season now has a different objective: finish well and make the remaining opponents earn their wins. Playing spoiler will not erase the disappointment, but it gives the Spartans a competitive purpose over the final stretch.
Sullivan West at Fallsburg
My pick: Sullivan West · Correct · Final: Sullivan West 30, Fallsburg 0
Sullivan West got the comfortable win I expected, and the shutout is worth recognizing. The Bulldogs move to 4–1 before hosting 4–1 Tri-Valley. Beating a winless Fallsburg team keeps the season moving, but the next matchup gives us a stronger measure of where Sullivan West stands. Tri-Valley just showed it could recover from a halftime deficit. Sullivan West needs to make that recovery harder by sustaining its defense against a team that scored 46 this week.
Warwick at Cornwall
My pick: Cornwall · Correct · Final: Warwick 6, Cornwall 50
Cornwall took care of Warwick and reached 3–3. The Dragons have scored 99 points across their last two games after being shut out by Newburgh. That is a substantial response, but Lourdes brings another level of difficulty. Lucas Pascale’s preseason callout has more weight now that Lourdes has won five straight. Cornwall’s recent scoring makes the matchup compelling; the question is whether the Dragons can keep producing while also slowing the offense coming to town.
Minisink Valley at Our Lady of Lourdes
My pick: Our Lady of Lourdes · Correct · Final: Minisink Valley 14, Our Lady of Lourdes 47
I expected Lourdes to win; I did not expect the Warriors to lead 40–0 at halftime. The final was 47–14, with Lourdes turning the first half into the decisive stretch of the game. After allowing 35 to Warwick the previous week, holding Minisink to 14 gives the defense something positive to carry forward, too. Lourdes has scored 99 points across its last two games, matching Cornwall’s total over the same stretch. That makes the next matchup about more than who can score: which defense can disrupt the other team’s rhythm?
Rondout Valley at Dover
My pick: Dover · Correct · Final: Rondout Valley 12, Dover 28
Dover gave the response I expected after losing to Highland. The 28–12 win secured a playoff place and eliminated Rondout Valley from Class C contention. Dover and O’Neill now meet with their places secured and seeding still to resolve. For the Dragons, the next step is turning a bounce-back result into momentum against another qualified team. Rondout’s season is not over, but its playoff path is. The remaining games still matter to the players finishing that season.
Millbrook at Ellenville
My pick: Millbrook · Miss · Final: Millbrook 8, Ellenville 28
Ellenville proved me wrong, and the defense is the biggest reason this result deserves attention. Millbrook entered 3–1 with its only loss against Taconic Hills, a Section II opponent. The Blue Devils became the first Section IX team to beat the Blazers this season and held them to eight points, one week after Ellenville lost 28–26 to Onteora. Doing that on senior night and homecoming made it even bigger. James Horvath’s Spotlight week ended with a team statement. At 3–3, Ellenville now takes that confidence into unbeaten Pawling.
Saturday: 4–1
New Paltz at Liberty
My pick: New Paltz · Correct · Final: New Paltz 34, Liberty 22
Liberty put up more of a fight than I expected, but New Paltz finally got its first win. The Huguenots led 20–7 at halftime, and Liberty outscored them 15–14 after the break. New Paltz scored 34 to win this game after scoring the same 34 in one half against Beacon and losing the week before. Football can be strange, but the explanation is also practical: the Huguenots allowed 22 here instead of 63. At 1–5, they have a result to build on, while Liberty’s second-half response shows it kept competing.
Highland at Marlboro
My pick: Highland · Miss · Final: Highland 7, Marlboro 14
I took a risk on Highland, and Marlboro made me pay for it. But this was a competitive game: Highland led 7–6 at halftime and lost by one score despite four interceptions. Shawn DeLaigle was central to the outcome, rushing for both Marlboro touchdowns and intercepting two passes. Dylan McKenzie and Bruce Laboy added one pick each. Back-to-back seven-point finals show these games have been close, but they do not establish that Highland has solved the rivalry. Marlboro has won 18 consecutive meetings, including playoff games. The Dukes keep finding the plays that decide it.
Pawling at Onteora
My pick: Pawling · Correct · Final: Pawling 40, Onteora 12
I still expect Pawling to run the table, and the Tigers keep supporting that pick. They have scored 220 points across five wins—44 per game—and allowed 68. The 40–12 result at Onteora maintained that separation. But Ellenville just held Millbrook to eight, so the next opponent arrives with a defensive performance worth respecting. Pawling is 5–0 and has earned its position. Remaining unbeaten still requires meeting each new test, and this one has become more interesting.
Eldred at Rockland Central
My pick: Eldred · Correct · Final: Eldred 40, Rockland Central 6
Eldred won 40–6, as expected, and moved to 3–2. The Yellowjackets have now won two straight, scoring 68 and allowing 18 against Fallsburg and Rockland. That is useful momentum after the Sullivan West loss, although it comes against teams below .500. Taconic Hills is next, so the value of this stretch is getting Eldred back into a winning rhythm before another opponent tests it. The defending champions handled the assignment in front of them.
John S. Burke Catholic at Chester Academy
My pick: John S. Burke Catholic · Correct · Final: John S. Burke Catholic 35, Chester Academy 15
Burke won the first direct Class D comparison convincingly. Chester’s late first-half score made it 14–7, but Burke outscored the Hambletonians 21–8 after the break. Daniel Benzinger and Lucas Rodriguez each rushed for two touchdowns, while Rodriguez and Diego DeJesus intercepted passes. Dylan Lally scored both Chester touchdowns. Burke is 6–0, including its earlier forfeit win, and has outscored opponents 246–27 in its five played games. That supports my view that the Eagles had earned the top Class D spot. A championship rematch would still require Burke to prepare to beat Chester a second time.
What I’m taking into Week 6
Ellenville was a complete miss by us, and Highland was the risk that did not pay off. The Blue Devils earned a great win. The Huskies stayed within one score, but Marlboro kept the rivalry streak going.
The next slate gives us three major comparisons: Newburgh–Middletown, Beacon–Port Jervis and Lourdes–Cornwall. We have spent weeks talking about these teams. Now they get to put those arguments on the field.
Every Week 6 kickoff and Game Center → · Complete Week 5 wrap →
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