Central Valley. North Rockland Raiders defeat Crusaders 21-15 in football season opener
| 04 Sep 2023 | 04:20
The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders bust through the banner to start the 2023 football season. Photos by William Dimmit.
Nate Coulanges races 63 yards for a Crusader touchdown in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against North Rockland.
The Crusader defense stops Raider running back Gamie Sauveur on this play.
Quarterback David Fennessy completed 11 of 19 passes for 100 yards in the game.
On a hot and humid Saturday afternoon, Sept. 2, the Crusaders kicked off their 2023 football season when they hosted the North Rockland High School Raiders.
The Crusaders beat the Raiders 36-14 in Thiells last year to start the 2022 season.
On this Saturday, the Crusaders took the opening kickoff and drove down the field with Nate Coulanges breaking a 35-yard run to move the ball up to midfield.
The Crusaders moved the ball down inside the five-yard line where a missed quarterback-center exchange resulted in a 20-yard loss.
On the next play the Raiders stopped the Crusaders with an interception at their four-yard line.
But the Crusaders defense held the Raiders right there and on fourth down a bad snap by the Raider center sailed through the end zone, giving the Crusaders a 2-0 lead.
In the second quarter, the Crusaders capped off another drive when QB David Fennessy faked a hand off and ran around end to score from nine yards out. When Quincy Banker added the extra point, the Crusaders were up 9-0.
The Crusaders added to their lead when Coulanges took the ball and raced down the far sideline for a spectacular 63-yard run to put the Crusaders up 15-0 with 3:37 left in the half.
The Raiders offense came alive as time was running out in the half and Gamie Sauveur took a hand off on a misdirection play that fooled the Crusaders as he raced 70 yards to put the Raiders on the board.
The teams went into the half with the Crusaders up 15-7.
On the Raiders first play from scrimmage in the second half Sauveur took an off-tackle run, broke to the outside and 48 yards later the Crusaders lead was cut to 15-13.
With 4:37 left in the third quarter the Raiders scored again, this time Sauveur ran one in from four yards out. When he scored on the two-point try the Raiders had a 21-15 lead.
The Crusaders defense held the Raiders in check in the fourth quarter but when Fennessy’s pass on fourth and five from the Raiders’ 30-yard line fell incomplete, the Crusaders day was over.
The Crusaders’ 21-15 loss to the Raiders brings their record to 0-1 on the season.
The Crusaders have a bye this weekend but will take the field next week when they travel to Our Lady Of Lourdes in Poughkeepsie on Thursday night to face the Warriors.
- William Dimmit