Every team gets the chance to play a game that is so special, so rewarding, that they remember it forever. It�s the landmark game of their career, a watershed moment. It�s a contest that makes all the practicing, all the hard work, seem so worth it. That moment came for the Ellenville Varsity Boy�s Soccer team last Saturday night in a bucolic community 90 minutes northwest of home when the Blue Devils pulled off a major upset to defeat host Margaretville 2-0 and claim the championship of the 19th Annual Margaretville Invitational Tournament.

You could see it on their faces. Blue Devils defender Devon Craft was grinning ear to ear as he hugged fellow seniors Alberto Sepulveda and Mike Walsh. Craft and his teammates had just pulled off an unlikely win, defeating Margaretville in a wild championship game.

The night started out well for the Blue Devils. The 90-minute trip from home had begun several hours earlier. Leaving Ellenville at 5:15 p.m., the Blue Devils would be playing soccer on a beautiful autumn evening. The fact that the team, which had only won one game last year, was in the championship made the day seem all that much nicer. Winding through back roads that included majestic views of the mountains in all their fall glory, the team arrived at Fleischman Town Park around 6:45 p.m., an hour before game time.

The people of Margaretville not only take their soccer seriously (there is no football team), they strongly support their athletes. Pulling into the town park, the Blue Devils were greeted by several hundred Margaretville fans, sitting in lawn chairs, all around the soccer field. The concession stand had smoke rising from the roof as parents cooked hot dogs and hamburgers. The Margaretville fans milled about, talking to friends and neighbors, anticipating the start of the game.

For a moment, it seemed as if you went back in time to some earlier era. The setting was nothing short of �Americana�. There was no mistake about it, this soccer game was the biggest thing happening in Margaretville, Arkville, and Fleischmanns, and it seemed as if everyone who lived in these communities was there.

They all showed up to support the home team in what was expected to be a fairly easy win. After all, Margaretville had come to Ellenville last year and handily defeated the Blue Devils. The Margaretville players were skilled, fast and physical, and every one of the hometown fans, including the Margaretville girl�s soccer team, who showed up wearing face paint and their soccer jerseys, was expecting a victory.

Second year Ellenville coach Maxwell Mead was not surprised by all the hoopla, he had grown up in Margaretville and played soccer in front of all those loyal fans. Mead knew the Blue Devils would need to play their best game if they hoped to win. Mead seemed more animated than usual at the start of the game as he loudly exhorted his team to hustle. No doubt Coach Mead was thinking how nice it would be to bring his team back home and show the people of Margaretville that the favorite son was building a program down in Ellenville. The Devils appeared up to the task, and even a five minute heavy downpour that coincided with the start of the game could not dampen the spirits of the Blue Devils or the roughly 35 fans who made the trip to support them.

When the first half ended with no score, the Ellenville faithful rose and loudly cheered the efforts of the team. If it is possible for 35 fans to out-shout and out-cheer two or three hundred people, the Ellenville supporters were clearly being louder than the larger, almost polite Margaretville crowd. The Margaretville team proved to be every bit as skilled as was advertised. But each time it looked as if they would score, a Blue Devil player blocked a shot, or stole the ball, or broke up a pass. The Blue Devils even had a few scoring chances themselves.

The soaked Ellenville faithful were rewarded in the second half when John Paulsen bent a free kick into the upper right hand of the goal from 28 yards out, giving the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. The goal appeared to wake up the Margaretville team and they put heavy pressure on Ellenville. The Blue Devils� defense was up to the task and with about seven minutes left in the game, Nick Vanderhoff headed in a corner kick from Mike Walsh and the Devils were up 2-0. All the Blue Devils had to do was hold off the powerful Margaretville offense for what seemed like a very long six or seven minutes.

When the buzzer went off, the Blue Devils celebrated, wildly jumping up and down, hugging teammates and high-fiving fans and parents. This was a big win for an up and coming program and the celebration was spontaneous and well deserved. The Blue Devils gathered themselves to congratulate the Margaretville team on a well-played game and then went over to shake the hands of the two officials, a sign of the sportsmanship and the leadership that Mead has brought to the program.

The soccer team not only claimed the Margaretville tourney title, but the very same team that won only a single game last season is currently 4-3. There are many tough games ahead � two with perennial power Spackenkill, as well as games against Class A schools like F.D.R, Wallkill, and Saugerties. But the Blue Devils are winners and when they play their next few home games they are worthy of the same type of support from the Ellenville fans that they saw the Margaretville fans offer their team.

Next up is the home football game this Friday against Spackenkill. The Blue Devils are 3-1 and very few people could have predicted that our team would have three wins at this point in the season. The team showed tremendous toughness in fighting off O�Neill last week after dropping a tough game at Tappan Zee the week before. With a victory against Spackenkill, the Blue Devils would tie their season win total (the team won four games in 2002 and 2006) and equal their best record in the last 13 years. The Blue Devils would then have three contests left in which to finish with a winning record and make the section playoffs.

If you�re an Ellenville fan you must get down to the field for Friday�s game and support the team. It�s a great time to be a Blue Devil!

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