Crusaders take down the Vikings
Central Valley. The final score was 42-13.
| 30 Oct 2024 | 12:00
Crusader kicker Matvii Butiuhin, #40, kicks one of his six PATs in the game. (
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The Crusaders’ defense played another outstanding game as they shut down the Vikings. (
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Quarterback Ethan Maldonado, #16, threw three touchdown passes in the game. (
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Crusader Joseph Severo, #10, scored on 38-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. (
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On October 25 at Valley Central High School, the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders varsity football team took on the Vikings as they tried to recover from last week’s upset loss to Kingston. The Crusaders entered the game with a 6-1 record after dropping a 12-10 decision to Kingston and the Vikings had a 3-3 record after losing their last game to Middletown 27-13.
The Crusaders came out on fire as Michael Stone recovered their squib kick off to give the team first down on the Viking 28-yard line. From there Nate Coulanges burst through the middle of the line and scored on a 23-yard scamper and when Matvii Butiuhin hit the first of his six PATs in the game, the Crusaders were up 7-0.
On the Crusaders’ next possession, quarterback Ethan Maldonado hit Louis Meade with a swing pass and he took it in from nine yards out, making the score 14-0. Next it was Noah Flores who muscled his way into the end zone from two yards out and the Crusaders had a 21-0 first quarter lead. Half way through the second quarter the Crusaders scored again, this time quarterback Maldonado hit Joseph Severo with a 38-yard scoring pass and the Crusaders’ lead was 28-0.
The Vikings finally got on the board when they scored on a one-yard run after a penalty-aided drive but missed the PAT. The score was 28-6. With just one minute left in the half, Maldonado threw his third passing touchdown of the game when he hit Meade with an eight-yard touchdown pass and the half time score was 35-6. Early in the third quarter, Coulanges took a handoff and burst through the Vikings’ defense and sprinted 68 yards for the score to make the score 42-6.
With time running out in the game the Vikings put together a drive and scored on a five-yard run and with the PAT the final score was 42-13 for the Crusaders. The Crusaders’ victory brings their record to 7-1 for the season. They will travel to Middletown on Friday night to take on the Middies.