Last week, scientists reported that 2010 was already the hottest year on record. It felt every bit that on the Sawyer practice field last week, as the varsity squad drilled for the upcoming season that almost wasn’t.

The rituals were much the same as training camps everywhere. Linemen were chugging through 40-yard dashes. Quarterbacks and receivers worked on timing patterns. No one was taking anything for granted. That’s because last spring, as nearly every Saugertiesian and certainly every sports fan knows, the athletics program was scrapped due to budget constraints. In just a few months, the community was able to raise $150,000 to match an anonymous donation and reinstate sports. “We can’t take this for granted,” said co-captain Mike Dodig, who spent the summer not knowing if he’d have the chance to suit up in Sawyer blue for his senior season. “We’re thankful to be able to playing at all and we’re going to grab it and make the most of this opportunity.”

The heat of the dog days and a few months of lazy summer lassitude can make it tough for a high school football coach to motivate his players. Not so this year.

“I feel very fortunate and that was the first thing I said them before practice started (at a joint meeting of the varsity and junior varsity),” said head coach Mike Melville. “Once we start playing in pads and doing contact it may be hard for them to get out of bed on some mornings. I told them that we need to think that there might not have been a team here at all.”

Although formal practices began just this week, team members began preparations for the season as far back as January. Players dutifully used the school weight room and the team held periodic minicamps and seven-on-seven scrimmages against other schools.

“Those are almost game-like conditions and I was happy with the results,” said Melville, as he noted the solid sprint times and bench scores that the players logged earlier in the morning.

SMALL ROSTER, OPEN OFFENSE

Conditioning is the key to Sawyer success in 2010. Being in shape is important for athletes in any sport, but the 2010 squad’s small roster of 29 gives Melville fewer substation options during games and when the inevitable injuries strike. Most players will log a considerable amount of minutes on both sides of the football.

Melville is working on implementing a new offense this year as well. Popular with professional and college teams, the “spread offense” employs as many four or five receivers in a set with the quarterback and a single blocking back in the backfield. Often the quarterback sets up in shotgun formation, giving him the ability scramble or buy time to find an open receiver.

This is definitely a change for Saugerties, whose previous teams have relied on a relentless, bruising, run-oriented attack. But powerhouse runners Willie Valk and Mike Riozzi have graduated and the offensive line is young and athletic but lacks size. A more pass-oriented strategy suits the talents of quarterback Pat Maloney and his stable of spry receivers. Although Maloney played defensive back last season, he is well versed at taking snaps under center having played quarterback on junior varsity and modified.

“This fits my style,” said Maloney. “There are a lot of open spaces down the field. I can throw down field or roll with the option. Sometimes I’ll have to throw deep and I can do that.”

Melville expressed complete confidence in his quarterback. He said the biggest adjustment for Maloney will be making correct reads under split-second pressure. The offensive line, though callow, is up to the challenge of carving space and time for Maloney.

Junior center and co-captain Ethan Stanley said the line must make up what it lacks in size with raw intensity.

“We have to be tough,” he said. “We cannot have any weak people. We had four seniors on last year’s team and two of them are playing in college, so we have to replace them and get better.”

There will be some big targets downfield for Maloney to spot. Most of the Sawyer wideouts are over six feet and all of them have speed. Having players like Jordan Garrett, Jim Zmiyarch and Dodig running routes should make for a pleasurable and hopefully productive style of play.

The Sawyers may be poised to light up the scoreboard this season but it will all be for naught if the defense cannot stifle the opposition. For this, the team will rely on a formidable corps of linebackers to ruthlessly apply pressure to the opposing quarterback. Nick Allen, Zmiyarch and Pat Mullen have talent and experience and Dodig, when necessary, has the ability to use his speed to maximum effect as he switches from safety.

GUNNING FOR THE PLAYOFFS

The Saugerties football program has had its share of success during the five-year tenure of Melville and his staff. The team has posted at least five wins in each of the past three seasons with playoff appearances the past two campaigns.

Melville isn’t making any predications the performance, apart from saying the team’s goal is to make the playoffs every year and this one is no exception. The team faces some stiff competition from division rivals Wallkill, Port Jervis and Goshen. Non-League foes include Roosevelt, Valley Central and Washingtonville.

“Week-to-week we want to get better and by the end of October we’ll see where were at,” said the coach. “We’re going to have our ups and downs and rough patches and we’ll just see how we react.”