Wallkill Valley football finishes season strong

When considering the recently concluded highly successful season, a few games stand out to Wallkill Valley football coach Jim Hamill.

The first was a 14-3 win over Hasbrouck Heights and a 13-7 win over Boonton on Oct. 17.

“Oddly enough both wins occurred in overtime and were the first time in school history that we have beaten both Hasbrouck Heights and Boonton,” Hamill said. “Hasbrouck Heights was memorable in our Week 0 game as it was part of the DelCalzo Kickoff Classic and no one gave us a shot to win.”

The Rangers also lost five starters during the week leading up the game, including two starting running backs and three starting linebackers.

“Our kids found a way to fight through adversity to pull off one of the biggest upsets in school history,” Hamill said. “Boonton was a game that we had to win on the road to clinch home playoff advantage.’’

Leadership started with the senior class that Hamill said didn’t falter in the face of adversity, while younger players followed their example.

”The culture of EAT (Effort, Attitude and Trust) was on full display each and every game,” Hamill said.

He already knew what to expect from seniors, including Ethan Alfonso, Connor Hoebee, Jack Carr, Will Pallay, Luke Bolich, Travis Snyder and Zack Bonard, proven returning starters that helped the Rangers enter the preseason with enthusiasm.

“However, we had many first-time varsity starters injected into our starting lineup some of which were sophomores that were unproven,” Hamill said. “Some of those athletes not only became consistent players, but became team leaders in the way they play and conduct themselves on the field.

The Rangers posted an overall record of 7-3 with a mark of 4-1 in the Super Football Conference National Blue Division. They advanced to the NJSIAA North 1 Group 1 Sectional Tournament this fall as well.

“Optimism for next season comes from three different areas,” Hamill said. “First is the off season culture. Our team last year bought into the weight room and it proved to be a difference maker in our program regarding injury prevention, physicality in the way that we play and our overall size. I know this group will continue the same culture. The second source of optimism is our returning players. We had a multitude of players make incremental progress on an individual level that contributed in major ways to this year’s team and they will be returning. The third source of optimism is that our program as a whole is fully in place and the players understand the standard set by the senior class.’’