Fresh off its win against Wallkill, the Saugerties High School football team gets ready for its toughest test yet against cross-river rivals the Red Hook Raiders. The annual Mum Bowl is always a tight game, with the Raiders being the Sawyers’ number-one rival. This year, the Sawyers enter Saturday’s game in Saugerties with a 5-0 record, while the Raiders’ record stands at 4-1.
Saugerties has relied this year on a powerful ground game led by its trio of running backs, Jim Ball, Jack Hindes and Rob Trincellito, and by standout sophomore quarterback Matt Bucci. While mainly a running quarterback, Bucci has shown a strong arm with long passes to cousins Keith and Zach Hartrum, and Jacob Bowe.
The offensive line, which is now being called the Road Crew for the way it clears the road for the running backs, has done an outstanding job. Against Red Hook, they will again be called upon to open paths for the run game.
In the Wallkill game, which Saugerties won 30-23, Bucci again led the Sawyers, with gains of 128 yards on the ground. He ran for one touchdown and threw to Zach Hartrum for another.
Nick Dennis broke off a 25-yard run for a TD, and had a key interception.
The Mum Bowl begins at 1:30 this Saturday afternoon at Saugerties High School.