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Crusaders win Section 9 title

Central Valley. The football team will go on to varsity regionals this Saturday.

Central Valley /
| 18 Nov 2024 | 02:39
    Running back Noah Flores, #42, had 21 carries for 93 yards in the game.
    Running back Noah Flores, #42, had 21 carries for 93 yards in the game. ( Photo by William Dimmit)
    Sophomore quarterback Ethan Maldonado, #16, led the Crusaders to the Sectioncrown in his first year as starter.
    Sophomore quarterback Ethan Maldonado, #16, led the Crusaders to the Sectioncrown in his first year as starter. ( Photo by William Dimmit)
    Defensive back Jaden Medrano, #4, heads for the end zone with his pick six in the third quarter.
    Defensive back Jaden Medrano, #4, heads for the end zone with his pick six in the third quarter. ( Photo by William Dimmit)
    The Crusaders celebrate their Section 9 AA crown.
    The Crusaders celebrate their Section 9 AA crown. ( Photo by William Dimmit)

The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders varsity football team traveled to Dietz Stadium in Kingston on Nov. 15 to face the Middies for the Section 9 Class AA Championship. The Middies came into the game with a 4-7 season record and a 3-2 league mark. They were seeded #3 in the Section playoff brackets. They advanced to the final after Newburgh ended their season early due to discipline problems.

The Crusaders came into the Championship game with an impressive 10-1 record and a 4-1 in league play. They advanced to the final game by beating Pine Bush 24-7 in their semi-final game. The Crusaders beat the Middies two weeks ago 16-12 in their regular season match up.

Early in the first quarter the Middies took the lead with a 32-yard field goal. But with 2:16 left in quarter, the Crusaders scored on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Maldonado to Charlie Theokas. When Matvii Butiuhin kicked the extra point, the score was 7-3. As time ran out in the first quarter, Crusader Lucca Vanderhorst partially blocked a Middle punt and the Crusaders took over on the Middies’ 22-yard line.

After a change of possessions, Nate Coulanges scored on a one-yard touchdown run and the Crusaders were up 14-3. The Crusaders got the ball right back when Ronald Chambers recovered a fumble on their 27-yard line. From there the Crusaders drove down and quarterback Maldonado scored on a four-yard run, giving the team a 21-3 halftime lead.

Half way through the third quarter, Jaden Medrano picked off a Middie pass to the sidelines and ran it back for a touchdown, increasing the Crusaders’ lead 28-3. In the fourth quarter, Crusader kicker Butiuhin added two field goals — one 29 and the other 22 yards. The Middies scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 9:32 left, but the Crusaders had a 34-10 victory.

The Crusaders’ victory gives them the Section 9 crown for the first time since 2013. They will play Corning-Painted Post at 12 p.m. at FDR High School in Hyde Park on Saturday in a state quarter final.