"I want to hear pops!" says Coach Jim Wright as he sends the Pine Bush Varsity offensive linemen into two-man tackle drills.

"Pops!" he bellows a minute later. "I'm not hearing pops!"

It's another long afternoon under a hot sun for the Bushmen, out behind the high school. Drills, up-downs, sprints, and sessions with the lollipop — a giant padded football dummy the Bushmen try to tackle into oblivion — have got everybody sweating. Now they're tackling, and Coach Wright knows they're tired, and he wants them to fight through it and make the hits hard enough to count. When another minute goes by without satisfactory pops, Wright does what a coach has to do sometimes. His voice echoes off the walls of the high school as he reminds everyone that those who don't want to work hard will not be playing on his team.

The tirade does the job. Almost immediately, the tackles are coming in twice as hard and there are definite pops from shoulder pads and helmets. Truth is, a football team is only as good as the work that gets done in practice, and there's no escaping the need for all that work, no matter how hot and sunny it is.

Behind the sweat and the drama, the Pine Bush Football coaching staff knows what they've got and what they're up against, especially in league play.

"We will be competitive," vows Wright, "but we're in the toughest division in the whole state."

And there's a grain of truth about as heavy as a division one AA linebacker in that remark. Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders, state champions in 2005, finalists in 2006 and 2007, are the Bushmen's first league game, September 12, at Monroe. Containing star QB Danny Scalo (national Top 50 Junior) will be the big item on the agenda for the Bushmen defense on that occasion. And after the Crusaders in that division come Kingston and NFA, both tough prospects. Even Middletown will not be an easy game on their newly refurbished home field. Kingston will be the first home game as well, taking place on September 19 at 7:30 pm. NFA will visit October 3, at 7:30 p.m.

"Last season we lost two games by a single point. I know we can do better," says Coach Wright.

In their favor, the Bushmen have QB Mitch Pryzbocki back, as well as Running Backs, Kyni Scott, Carlos Guzman, Adrian Kot, and Matt Santos.

The defensive line will be anchored by Esteban Ortiz, Will McGillicuddy and Bart Kot, while Joe Skrobola and Dan Flanick are listed for linebackers

. Cornerbacks and receivers include Derrick Jean, AJ Latte and Joe Terpstra.

Outside of league play, the Bushmen face Washingtonville (Sept 5, Away), Valley Central (Sept 26, 7:30 Home) Rondout (Oct 18, 1:30pm Away), and Warwick (Oct 31, 7:30 Home).

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