Football team has strong heart, light bench

Despite losing six of last year’s starters, who have decided to work on other sports and other interests, Saugerties football’s head coach Lee Meisinger is looking forward to a good season.

“I’m disappointed the six didn’t come back out for the team, but the guys we have here want to be here,” said the second-year coach.

With the loss, the Sawyers’ team is a little undermanned, with only 42 students that will play varsity and junior varsity.

“Our numbers may not be there, but we will still be competitive,” Meisinger said.

Lack of numbers for sports teams seems to be endemic at Saugerties with the boys’ baseball team and boys’ lacrosse team having a difficult time fielding players last spring.

Meisinger said because of the low turnout some of his players will have “to play iron man football” and play on both offense and defense.

Some of the players that Meisinger expects to step up this year, are seniors “Muggsy” Beresheim, who will be the offense’s anchor at center, and will play some defensive line as well; Tyrrell Lawrence, who plays offense line and is a monster on the defense; Nick Koenig, who is the team’s running back and safety on defense; and Kaleb Kouhout, who dislocated his shoulder last year but is coming back strong, and will be a disruptive force at linebacker.

The quarterback position is a little unsettled, said Meisinger, with junior Russell Megaline, who played some QB last year and is a “physical kind of guy” and Randel Llewellyn, a sophomore he calls the “hardest worker on the team” both in the mix.

A number of players have been hitting the weight room to bulk up and increase their strength, and 11 members of the team attended a recent football camp at Dietz Stadium to help increase their skill level.

“We have some decent size on this year’s team, and shouldn’t get pushed around by anyone,” Meisinger said.

The season opener is Sept. 1 against Monticello.