LIVINGSTON MANOR –– The Blue Devils, like many of the football teams around the county, are getting ready for the opening weekend of the season. The pre-season has marked one of significant change for the combined team of Roscoe and Livingston Manor. Aside from losing 11 seniors to graduation, the Blue Devils have also lost out on the additional players provided by their merger with Downsville. The loss of the third school has led to an early dip in numbers, though with the dwindling days of summer, new players have trickled in. 

The players are also practicing in a new venue, opting to get their offseason work in at LMCS rather than Roscoe.

Though there have been many changes this year, not all of them have been bad. Transportation issues, which the team struggled with last year, have been significantly alleviated this season, allowing the team to have more efficient practices rather than extra downtime.

Originally scheduled to scrimmage at Sullivan West this weekend, the Blue Devils made the decision to step back from that, meaning that their first game action will be week one against the defending champions at home against Spackenkill.

“We’ll have to get up to speed in a hurry,” coach Mike Hill said. “We’ll get an extra week to prepare for Spackenkill, but we’re looking forward to it, the guys are ready.”

After their season opener with Spackenkill, the Blue Devils will play under the lights at Pine Plains. In week three, they will host Fallsburg under the lights. Then they play Tri-Valley, Eldred, Sullivan West and Ellenville in that order to round out their schedule.

The Blue Devils will be hard at work, focusing on fundamentals and getting up to speed for the start of the season. The Spackenkill game is scheduled for September 10 at 1:00 p.m.