Are you ready for some high school football? Rhinebeck and Pine Plains will have a merged varsity football team for the 2024 season that kicks off in Pine Plains on Friday night against Pawling.
“I think we have the strength and the numbers to win a championship,” said junior offensive and defensive lineman Nate Mastroeni. “We know how to play football and what to do.”
This is the first of six regular season games, the first four being on Friday nights. The team will host Sullivan West on Sept. 27 and Onteora on Oct. 4, and will travel to Ellenville on Sept. 20. All home games are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts at Pine Plains.
“I really like how dedicated we are to the sport and the determination and work we’re putting in,” said senior wide receiver and cornerback Joseph Ramirez. “I like the way we look. We are doing well on offense, defense and special teams. We’re more confident and have more desire to win than I feel we have had in previous years.”
Junior offensive and defensive lineman Liam Spellman added, “I think we’re really working hard this year. We have had many practices; getting up early; the commutes are hard. We are working through it. I think we’re going to have a pretty good season.”
Rhinebeck and Pine Plains will field a team in Section IX’s eight-man football league. There are nine eight-man football teams in Section IX. Rhinebeck and Pine Plains are a Class C program and compete in Division 2 with Ellenville, Onteora, Millbrook/Webutuck and Pawling. Division 1 has four Class D teams – Sullivan West, Tri-Valley, Eldred and Livingston Manor/Roscoe.
Rhinebeck and Pine Plains have fielded a merged program now for several seasons with success. The Bombers finished 7-2 in both 2018 and 2019, losing in the Section IX final in 2018 and in a Section IX semifinal in 2019.
In 2023, Pine Plains/Rhinebeck finished with a 4-4 record, losing to Pawling in a Section IX semifinal. The Bombers beat Onteora in a quarterfinal.
The 2024 regular season will conclude with road games at Millbrook, Oct. 10, and at Tri-Valley, Oct. 26. The team is scheduled to have a bye week between the final two games.
“I like the looks we’re going to give opponents on offense and defense. We have a younger team, but overall I think we should be a solid team and I would like to see the outcome that we have,” said junior fullback and linebacker Jack Melious.
The top three teams in each division will advance to the playoffs.
“The team is looking good. I think we can go far in the playoffs,” said Greg Reed, junior offensive and defensive lineman.