Silverbacks will debut Saturday at Holley

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Thomas Roote takes a handoff from Aidan Mescall as Drew Sandolfini blocks during a Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville practice session earlier this week.

Their inaugural season was set to be last fall but like all other high school football teams across New York State the fledgling Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville Silverbacks 8 man squad was unable to take to the field due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

However, those restrictions have now been eased enough for high school football to resume across the state, be it with an abbreviated spring season, so the Silverbacks will now play their debut game at Holley this Saturday afternoon at 1:30.

“It’s been a whirl-wind year in getting the team organized,” said Head coach Joey Suhr. “We’ve got a good group of hard working kids and though they are from three different schools  they have really embraced the idea of coming together as one group.”

The Silverbacks have good numbers (30 on the varsity) but lack experience playing the 8 man game.

“We’ve got kids who have played 11 man but not 8 man so that will be a huge advantage for Holley having played 8 man for three years now,” added Suhr. “We’re going to see if it is as wide open a game as they say. We know it will come down to a lot of one on one tackling.”

Freshman Aidan Mescall looks to open at quarterback for the Silverbacks whose other key players include seniors Rodney Davis (RB/LB), Carson Dusett (OL/LB) and Aidan Crosby (WR/RB/DB); juniors Andy Hill (OL/DL), Zach Hill (OL/DL), Thomas Roote (WR/DB) and Drew Sandolfini (RB/LB) and sophomore Sam Doolan (OL/DL).

The Silverbacks home opener will be against Perry on April 2 at Middleport at 7 p.m.