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Crusaders wipe out Warriors 26-0

Central Valley. They will play Newburgh this Friday.

Central Valley /
| 24 Sep 2024 | 03:09
    Nate Coulanges, #5, rushed for 184 yards in the game and scored three touchdowns.
    Nate Coulanges, #5, rushed for 184 yards in the game and scored three touchdowns. ( Photo by William Dimmit)
    Charlie Theokas, #87, hauls in a 50-yard pass to put the Crusaders in scoring position just before the half.
    Charlie Theokas, #87, hauls in a 50-yard pass to put the Crusaders in scoring position just before the half. ( Photo by William Dimmit)
    Quarterback Ethan Maldonado, #16, has been a major reason the Crusaders are off to a 3-0 start this year.
    Quarterback Ethan Maldonado, #16, has been a major reason the Crusaders are off to a 3-0 start this year. ( Photo by William Dimmit)
    The Crusaders’ defense has only allowed 23 points over the first three games this year.
    The Crusaders’ defense has only allowed 23 points over the first three games this year. ( Photo by William Dimmit)

It was another beautiful evening for football last Friday night, September 20. The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders football team hosted the Warriors from Our Lady of Lourdes in front of a large home crowd. The Crusaders came into the game with a 2-0 record after beating Cornwall 18-9 in their last game. The Warriors showed up with a 0-2 record after losing to Pine Bush 33-0.

After a scoreless first quarter, Crusader Nate Coulanges took a hand-off and cut through a big hole created by the offensive line and sprinted 90 yards to score. The Crusaders missed the two-point conversion and the score was 6-0. About three minutes later, Coulanges took the ball on a sweep around the right side and scored on a 17-yard touchdown run. When QB Ethan Maldonado hit Louis Meade with a pass in the corner of the end zone for two points, the lead was 14-0.

With time running out in the first half, Maldonado completed a 50-yard pass to tight-end Charlie Theokas and the Crusaders were inside the Warriors’ 10. From there Coulanges sprinted around to the right side to score from eight yards out, earning the Crusaders a 20-0 halftime lead.

In the fourth quarter, Maldonado hooked up with Lance Altagracia for a 20-yard touchdown pass, securing the Crusaders’ 26-0 victory. The win brings their record to 3-0 for the season and sets the stage for a showdown with arch rival Newburgh this Friday night at Newburgh Free Academy.