Crusaders smother Kingston Tigers 49-21 to keep playoff hopes viable
Kingston /
| 15 Oct 2019 | 12:53
Crusader defense swarm over a Kingston running back. (
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Sean Neely had four receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown in the game.
Nick Scancarello turns on the jets as he scores on a 84-yard kick return in the fourth quarter.
CJ Graham closes the door on the Tigers with his pick six in the fourth quarter.
Last Friday night, Oct. 11, the Crusaders traveled to Dietz Stadium in Kingston to face the Tigers in a OCIAA Division 1 game.
The Monroe-Woodbury Varsity Football team entered the game with a 1-4 record, having lost to Newburgh last Saturday 21-3. Meanwhile, Kingston stood at 2-3 on the season.
Nick Scancarello got the Crusaders scoring started with a nifty 12-yard TD scamper in the first quarter. When Eddie Fennessy hit the PAT, the Crusaders were up 7-0.
Early in the second quarter, QB Anthony Campione muscled his way into the Tigers' end zone and the Crusaders were up 14-0.
On the Tigers next possession, Daiveyon Jackson took a quick screen pass, picked up a nice block and took off down the side line for a 75-yard touchdown, thereby cutting the Crusaders' lead in half.
With 21 second remaining in the half, Campione hit a diving Sean Neely with a four-yard TD pass.
Justin Gumbs stopped the Tigers first drive of the second half with a leaping interception of a Tiger pass in the Crusader end zone.
Scancarello powered his way into the Tigers end zone from four years out near the end of the third quarter to increase the Crusaders' lead to 28-7.
The Tigers still had life in them and scored on their first possession of the fourth quarter with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Shacorey Jones, again cutting the Crusaders lead in half.
Scancarello then provided the play of the day. After bobbling the kickoff, he broke toward the middle of the field, shed a tackle, broke back to the outside, then turned on the jets and flew down the far sideline for the 84-yard touchdown return to give the Crusaders back a 21-point cushion.
Crusader defensive back CJ Graham then scored a 24-yard pass interception on the Tigers' next possession to make the score 42-14.
The Tigers took to the air again and with 6:05 left in the game found Jones behind the Crusaders' defense again and he scored on a 60-yard touchdown pass.
Finally, though, with time running out, Crusader Ryan DeLapaz took a hand-off and scored from 10 yards out to cap the scoring.
The Crusaders' 49-21 victory over the Tigers kept their playoffs hopes alive with two weeks left in the regular season.
Their next game will be on Friday night when they host the Wildcats of Warwick Valley.
- William Dimmit