Empire Football League

Published June 27, 2009 12:25 am - The Plattsburgh North Stars will host the Vermont Ravens tonight at Plattsburgh High School for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff in their home opener and final preseason game.

Stars to host Ravens in final preseason test

PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh North Stars host the Vermont Ravens tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Plattsburgh High School in their final preseason test before kicking off the Empire Football League season in mid-July.

It will be the second consecutive year Plattsburgh faces the young Ravens organization.

The Stars cruised to a 40-13 victory over Vermont in last year's meeting, but Plattsburgh captain and center Nick Moore insists his team isn't taking the visitors lightly tonight.

"We beat the Ravens handily last year, but the word out there is that they picked up some good, new guys and will be a stronger team," Moore said.

The Ravens finished their 2008 New England Football League A Division regular season at 3-5, losing to the eventual League champions, the Tri-City Charge, in the playoffs.

North Stars head coach Pat Keleher said he's taking the same approach in the game as he did last weekend in the team's 13-7 victory over the Southern Vermont Storm.

"We're playing to win the game, but it is still an opportunity to get everyone in and rotate people through positions," he said.

He added that if the team gets in a "crunch time" situation near the end of the game, the personnel whom he thinks gives the team the best chance to win will see the field.