Fire trucks, a police escort, hundreds of cheering fans––and not for the Yankees, but for the Cobleskill-Richmondville Bulldog football team.
That was the scene on Friday, when the 10-1 Bulldogs left the high school and headed to Plattsburgh for their regional playoff game against Peru.
Fans, parents and kids crowded around the team bus at the high school before the caravan wound its way along Route 7 and into Cobleskill, where fans rang cowbells and hung banners to wish the Bulldogs good luck.
And although the Bulldogs lost to Peru, the defeat didn’t diminish the community’s support for the most successful football team in school history.
But winning alone may not explain the team’s unusual popularity. According to those close to the football program, the character of the Bulldog coaches and players has much to do with their connection to the community.
“Any time you put good coaches together with great kids and a good system you will have a successful and quality program,” said Richmondville Mayor Kevin Neary, who’s followed the team for years.
Mayor Neary was one of several who helped put together Friday’s send-off. Fire trucks and a police escort led the special team bus from the high school through Cobleskill to start the three-hour trip to Plattsburgh, where the Bulldogs faced Peru Friday night.
“I think the people of this community respect and appreciate the hard work and dedication of these student athletes,” Mayor Neary said. “It was our way to thank and recognize this team’s accomplishment.”
Donna Lavigne of the Donna Lavigne Agency in Cobleskill agreed with Mayor Neary. Ms. Lavigne supported the team because she had a son who played years ago and that this year’s Bulldogs did better than any other past team.
“Plus, these kids busted their butts,” said Ms. Lavigne, who went door to door in Cobleskill to drum up support for Friday’s parade. “They learned so much from their coaches and each other. They grew so much this season, and that will serve them the rest of their lives.”
The team’s motto this year likened the Bulldogs to a chain, strongly linked together. Rose Keller, mother of quarterback Josh Keller, said those links formed with the community, too.
“People coming together like that. . .I think it was everybody realizing they had a link to this football team,” she said.
“Boy did that bring the town together. It gave me chills. There is a wonderful community out there.”
Businesses donated signs, and many contributed to pay for the team’s bus to Plattsburgh, she said.
Ms. Keller credited Mayor Neary with coordinating Frdiay’s celebration, and he in turn pointed to others––Bill Farley, Bob Frase and parents of players.
“I didn’t do much; people just responded,” Mayor Neary said. “It just shows the type of team they have.”
Bulldog Coach Ed Hantho pointed to cheerleaders and the school band as “making games fun events to be at” and also noted the strong support from Li’l Dawgs.
“We got huge throngs of them at away games, and a lot of them made the long trip to Plattsburgh. They were there,” Coach Hantho said.
Agreeing, Mayor Neary noted that Li’l Dawgs––fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders––showed up at the team dinner Thursday night to wish the team good luck.
“They turned out to recognize their high school heroes,” Mayor Neary said. “That’s something!”
But this group of players was also special, Coach Hantho added, from players rising above injuries to the team playing as a unit to beat opponents they weren’t supposed to.
“They’re good guys with great heart, and they’re good students,” Coach Hantho said.
“They were a great example of playing the game the way it should be played, and they didn’t get wrapped up in their own success.”