Warriors outplay Crusaders in rare loss
Central Valley. The Crusaders football team now has an overall record for the season of 5-2.
| 24 Oct 2023 | 10:41
The Crusaders crash through the banner and take the field under the lights. (
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Crusader Kamal Salaudeen, #45, tackles a Warrior running back for a loss. (
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Crusader running back Nate Coulanges, #5, cuts through a hole in the Warriors’ defense. (
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On a cool October night, the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders hosted the Warriors of Minisink Valley in a non-league match up. The Thursday night home contest marked the first time the Crusaders played under the lights at home in over two years. With heightened security measures in place, the Crusader students and fans packed the stands for the first time in a long time.
The Crusaders entered the game with a 5-1 record after beating Kingston in their last game 28-0. The Warriors came into the game with a 4-2 record after beating Washingtonville 28-20 in their last game.
With just 44 seconds left in the first half, quarterback David Fennessy hit Marcel Picard with a 10-yard touchdown pass, and when Quincy Banker added the extra point the Crusaders were up 7-0. The Warriors then surprised the Crusaders and took the ball and quickly moved down to the field with time running out. From the five-yard line on the last play of the half, the Warriors scored on a power run. When the Warriors went for the two-point conversion, the Crusaders’ defense held and the Crusaders had a 7-6 half time lead.
A Crusader drive was stopped by a fumble in the third quarter and the Warriors responded with another touchdown drive. With 44 seconds left in the third quarter, they scored on a 6-yard touchdown run and this time they added the two-point conversion. As the third quarter ended, the Warriors held a 14-7 lead.
The Crusader defense stopped the Warriors on a fourth and five on their own 15-yard line with 7:16 left in the game to give the offense another chance. But the Crusaders were unable to move the ball and had to punt. Unfortunately, the Warriors closed the door on the Crusaders; a few plays later they scored on a 15-yard run and with the PAT took a 21-7 lead. The Crusaders 21-7 loss brings their record to 5-2 for the season. Their next game will be on Saturday afternoon when they take on arch rival Goldbacks of Newburgh.