CENTRAL VALLEY — Halfback Anthony Scancarello, wearing No. 48, took the handoff from Crusader quarterback Ryan O’Malley and scampered 40 yards for a touchdown last Friday evening.
The Monroe-Woodbury crowd, already ramped for homecoming, stood and cheered for the fourth-grader's effort.
Anthony is nine. When he was six, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Today, he faces another 14 months of chemotherapy.
Before that, though, the Monroe-Woodbury Athletic Department and School District, in cooperation with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, arranged for Anthony to have his dream of scoring a touchdown for the Crusaders come true during halftime at Friday's homecoming game against Warwick Valley.
Anthony and his family also have reached out to Make-A-Wish Foundation because he wants an ultimate tree house, including a rec room. The foundation is searching for a builder to make that dream come true.
One down, one to go.
Good luck, Anthony.