MW flag football secures two wins at season’s start
Central Valley. Their latest win was against the Pioneers of Poughkeepsie.
| 08 Apr 2024 | 03:53
The Crusaders celebrate their 52-0 victory. (
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Quarterback Chloe Ahorrio, #11, scored five touchdowns during the game, with four passes and one run. (
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Elaina Wood, #10, returns her interception for a touchdown in the first half. (
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Efthalia Maikisch, #21, moves in to stop a Pioneer runningback for no gain. (
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On a cool Thursday afternoon, April 4, the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders flag football team hosted the Pioneers of Poughkeepsie in a non-league match up. The Crusaders, led by head coach Elaine Schellberg and assistant coach Kate Santoianni, enter their second year of play after going 11-4 in their inaugural season. The Crusaders look strong again this year with a core of experienced players on both offense and defense.
The Crusaders won their season opener when they demolished the Huskies of Highland in their first game of the season 52-0. The Crusaders took over right from where they left off in their first game and dominated the Pioneers.
First, Crusader quarterback Chloe Ahorrio hit Kaylen Baricevic with a touchdown pass and when Ahorrio found Emily Turbides in the end zone for a 3-point extra point, they took a 9-0 lead. On the Crusaders next possession, Ahorrio took the snap and got around the Pioneers’ defense. She turned on the jets and scored on a beautiful 31-yard run and the Crusaders had a 15-0 lead.
The lead grew on the Pioneers’ next pass when Elaina Wood intercepted a pass and raced into the end zone for the touchdown. The Crusaders then added the extra point, pushing their lead to 22-0 with 17:00 left in the first half.
Again, the Crusaders’ defense came up big on the Pioneers’ next possession when Turbides came up with her first interception of the day. Ahorrio wasted little time and put the Crusaders up 28-0; this time she hit Wood with a touchdown pass. Turbides again intercepted a Pioneer pass and a few plays later she scored on a short run, bring the score to 34-0.
Finally, late in the first half, quarterback Sara Mendez found Ariana Tortillas for another touchdown pass and the Crusaders had a 40-0 half time lead. In the second half, Ahorrio teamed up with Brianna Taveras for two more touchdown passes and the Crusaders won their second game of the year 52-0.
The Crusaders’ win brings their record to 2-0 for the season with their offense scoring 104 points and their defense yet to yield a point.