Waiting to play
Central Valley. Concern about the spread of COVID-19 has delayed Monroe-Woodbury's scheduled state tournament game against Ursuline, a school located with the New Rochelle containment zone in Westchester.
Newburgh /
| 09 Mar 2020 | 12:30
Toni Neely drives to the basket in the first quarter during last Saturday's Section 9 AA title game against Valley Central at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh. (
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Freshman Olivia Shippee brought the Crusader fans to their feet with her fourth quarter performance.
The Crusader bench and fans erupt after Olivia Shippee steals and scores in the fourth quarter.
That winning smile: Crusaders celebrate their victory.
Section 9 AA Basketball Champion Crusaders.
Last Saturday, March 7, the Monroe-Woodbury Varsity Girls Basketball team defeated Valley Central 54-43 at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh to capture yet another Section 9 AA title.
The Crusaders were scheduled to play Tuesday, March 10, against Section 1 Champion Ursuline High School at SUNY New Paltz. However, the college cancelled the game because of the threat of coronavirus.
The game has not been rescheduled. It is important to note that Ursuline High School is within the New Rochelle containment zone ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, here's William Dimmit's recap of last Saturday's game:
The Section 9 AA title game on March 7 between Monroe-Woodbury and Valley Center at the Kaplan Recreation Center on the Campus of Mount Saint Mary College game marked the third meeting of the year for the two teams.
The Crusaders entered the championship game with a 19-1 record and with the #1 seed and the Vikings with a 15-4 and were the #2 seed in the tournament.
Jamie Waldron scored the first four points of the game but the pesky Vikings kept it close, hitting a three-point shot at the buzzer and the Crusaders led 12-9 at the end of the first.
The intensity of the game picked up in the second quarter as the Vikings pushed ahead behind a strong defensive effort and excellent three-point shooting. But Crusaders kept them within striking distance as the Vikings took a 24-20 lead into the half.
When you watch the Vikings and the Crusaders play this year, you are witnessing the most intense rivalry in the AA division. These two teams do not like each other and they play physical. The third quarter was like watching two heavyweights exchange blows with neither one backing off.
Taylor Neely got the Crusaders started with a scoop and score as she scored five points in the period. The Crusaders surged ahead but the Vikings again landed a haymaker three-point shot at the end of the quarter with the teams tied at 35.
The final eight minutes will stay with them forever.
With the game on the line Crusaders freshman guard Olivia Shippee stepped up and took over as she scored seven of the team's 19 final points. The Crusader bench and fans erupted as she stole the ball and drove to the basket three times as the team began to pull away.
The Crusaders pushed ahead and then went to the foul line and sealed the deal. The Crusaders 54-43 victory over the Vikings brings their record to 20-1 on the season.