Crusaders crush raiders in first season win
Central Valley. The final score was 21-14.
| 10 Sep 2024 | 07:09
The Crusaders’ defense shows its strength as they hold the Raiders in check. (
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Nate Coulanges, #5, had 162 yards on 28 carries and 1one touchdown during the game. (
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Noah Flores, #42, scored on a three-yard run in the third quarter. (
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The Crusaders celebrate their opening day 21-14 victory. (
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On a beautiful Friday night, Sept. 6, the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders’ varsity football team traveled to the Haverstraw Sports Complex to face the North Rockland Raiders. The Crusaders, led by Head Coach James Sciarra, finished last season with a 5-4 record after losing to Newburgh in the playoffs. The Raiders finished last year with a 7-3 record and are led by first-year Head Coach Tom Lynch.
The Raiders scored on their first possession when quarterback Chase Perini hit Jaquan Johnson with a quick swing pass and he raced 55 yards to score. With the PAT, the Raiders were up 7-0 at the end of the first. After the teams exchanged several possessions, the Crusaders drove down to the Raiders one-yard line, but with time running out in the half, they were stopped. The Crusaders tied the score on the opening drive of the second half when quarterback Ethan Maldonado pushed his way into the end zone behind a motivated offensive line.
The Crusaders scored on their next possession when Noah Flores, who had 79 yards on 15 carries in the game, muscled his way into the end zone from three yards out. After Michael Magnate got the PAT, the Crusaders had a 14-7 lead in the third quarter. Half way through the fourth quarter, the Raiders tied the score at 14 when Johnson broke through the Crusaders’ defense for an 18-yard touchdown run. Late in the fourth quarter, the Crusaders took the lead when Nate Coulanges, who had 162 yards on 28 carries in the game, pushed his way into the end zone.
After the PAT, the Crusaders were up 21-14 late in the game. The Raiders responded quickly and moved the ball down the field, but the Crusaders’ defense stopped them when they recovered a fumble with 13 seconds left in the game. The Crusader 21-14 victory brings their record to 1-0 for the season. They will host the Green Dragons of Cornwall next Friday night.