COACH PAT D'ALISO named 
NY Giants-MSG Coach of the Week

The New York Giants have selected Coach Pat D’Aliso
 as “The Lou Rettino High School Football Coach of the Week” for the week of November 14, 2004.  
The Crusaders (11-0) defeated Saratoga Springs (9-1) 42-7 on Saturday in a state quarterfinal game, giving them the honor of being the first-ever team from Section 9 Class AA to ever win a single game in the state tournament.  The most successful team in school history will face New Rochelle(10-0) today in a semi-final game.  New Rochelle happens to be the defending state champions and the number-one ranked AA team in New York State.
In recognition of Coach D’Aliso’s success and commitment, he will receive a certificate of recognition signed by the NFL CommissionerPaul Tagliabue, NFL Director of Football Operations Gene Washington, and the Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin.  A $1,000 check will be granted to the Monroe-WoodburyHigh School football program.  Coach D’Aliso will be acknowledged by a stadium announcement when the Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles on November 28.  An announcement will also be posted on the Giants web site, www.giants.com.       
Coach D’Aliso has served as head varsity football coach at Monroe-Woodbury for 16 years, compiling a winning record of 109-51.  During that time, he has guided the Crusaders to two Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships and four New York State Section IX Championships.  For his achievements and the achievements of his teams, he is a three-time Section IX Coach of the Year and a winner of the Section III Coach of the Year award, the latter coming as coach of Pulaski High School where he served as coach for 4 seasons (22-10-3).   

KINGTON - Monroe-Woodbury head coach Pat D'Aliso couldn't wait to hug his girls after the Crusaders captured the Section 9 Class AA crown with their 36-22 win over Newburgh at Dietz Stadium Friday night.
     Daughters Nicole, 20, and Kristy, 26, watched and cried as the Crusaders embraced their father. Then the young women, joined by friend Kelly Mason, put their arms around the veteran coach. The coach held his girls, but nothing was said. Nothing needed to be.
     D'Aliso has won titles before, the last came in 2000. But none was as meaningful as this.
     Football has been the family's escape in a world of hurt since Pat, his youngest child, passed away six months ago.
     And even though his only son was not there to share the joy, the coach had about five dozen teenagers in purple and black uniforms that would call him dad any day.
    "This is for him and only him," said linebacker Dennis Jones. "I really hope this helps him. I know the pain coach and his family feel everyday is never going to go away, but we are all here for him. We are all his sons."
      Pat D'Aliso Jr. would have been a high school junior this year. The coach and his team also had to deal with the loss of assistant coach Joe Puliafico, who also passed away last year.
     "We are here for him no matter what he needs," said quarterback Matt Stack. "We always worked hard for him and I just want him to be happy."
     "I am not sure what I would have done without these kids," said D'Aliso. "We all needed a little happiness after what happened.
     "The kids never said anything to me about it, but I think they knew how much my family needed a little happiness," he added. "We all could use a little happiness. They are too young to have all this tragedy."
     Avenging last year's loss,  Neil Ingenito put a smile on everyone's face wearing purple and black when he blocked a punt after Newburgh went three-and-out on its first possession. Ingenito also recovered it at the Goldback 18.
     Five plays later Stack (20 carries, 130 yards, three touchdowns) found the end zone from three yards out en route to his Most Valuable Offensive Player Award for the second week in a row.
     "This is what it's all about," said Stack, a four-year starter who captured his first sectional title. "All the individual awards are great. But this is why I play the game. To win a team championship."
     The Goldbacks put together a nine-play drive on the ensuing possession but big plays by John Schepps and Tom Beyer spurned it.
     Monroe-Woodbury then pieced together a 10-play, 83-yard drive, capped off by a four-yard Stack touchdown burst. Stack hit Ingenito for a gain of 17 yards to fuel the drive. Matt O'Brien paved the way with a key block on a 14-yard Ingenito run. Gerald Jones missed the extra point as the Crusaders led 13-0.
     NFA's Jihad Morris answered back two plays later when he broke a 70-yard touchdown run, closing the gap to 13-6 with 7:22 left in the half.
     Stack answered with a long run of his own. The all-stater took the option right and cut back against the grain rumbling 65 yards to the end zone. The two-point conversion failed but M-W held a 19-7 lead.
     The lead ballooned to 26-7 when O'Brien hauled in a 34-yard touchdown strike from Stack on third-and-20. The 50-yard drive was highlighted by a 15-yard completion to Ray Graziano.
     The "no name defense" forced another three-and-out giving the Crusaders 30 seconds to get into field goal range. Stack found Ingenito for a 26-yard completion over the middle, setting up a first-and-goal from the two-yard line. With seven seconds left, Stack fired incomplete to Mike Septh as the Crusaders settled for a 19-yard Gerald Jones field goal and a 29-7 halftime lead.
     The Goldbacks struck first in the second half when Jesse Callahan trotted in from 18-yards out. The two point conversion (a Jon Quintana-to-Morris pass) was good, leaving the score 29-15.
     On the kickoff, Newburgh spotted the offense 20 yards after being whistled for a delay of game and an unsportsmanlike conduct. Danny Lexandra (eight carries, 57 yards) made them pay, running 12 yards behind the talented offensive line. That increased the lead to 36-15 with 10:33 left in the championship game.
     Dante McNair snuck behind the Monroe-Woodbury secondary for a 44-yard touchdown catch. The extra point got the Goldbacks within two scores, at 36-22 but that would be as close as Newburgh would get.
     Junior defensive tackle Chris Dollbaum, with six tackles and two sacks, won the Most Valuable Defensive Player Award for the Crusaders.
     The Crusaders ended a three-year losing streak to Newburgh in the sectional finals, including a 35-0 loss last season.
     "We finally did it," said O'Brien.
     "I told everyone that they would not beat us," said center Joe Scalo. "Last year was an embarrassment. This is just extra special."
     Especially for the D'Aliso's.
      The 10-0 Crusaders will play the Section Two champion, Saratoga, who meet tonight at Amsterdam.                      By CHRIS MAYONE

M-W SENIOR NIGHT
SARAH ALI DAD      CHRIS ARMSTRONG      LAUREN BARNYCH           TOM BEYER
LAUREN BLACKWELL      JOHN CANZONA   MATTHEW CARR       SHANE COINCON
CAITLIN DIEPOLD        EUGENE DUTTON         KELLY GILLAN         RAY GRAZIANO
AMY GULICK             MARK HALE           JUSTINE HUMPHREY         DENNIS JONES
GERALD JONES    ALLYSON LA MARCA     DANNY LEXANDRA     ASHLEY MAHONEY
MATT O’BRIEN     CHRISTINA O'CONNOR   ORLANDO RAMOS     ANTHONY REINER
JOE SALAMONE            PETER SCALIA           JOE SCALO                JOHN SCHEPPS
GREG SCHLICT       STEPHEN SCHWADE       MIKE SLAVKOSKY         MATT STACK

VESTAL - Matt Stack ran for a pair of TDs and passed for two more as Monroe-Woodbury remained unbeaten with a 28-9 win over Section Four's Vestal.
    Stack's TD runs covered 10 (first quarter) and 42 yards fourth quarter). His first TD pass was a 28-yarder to Mike Septh in the first quarter. Ray Graziano caught the second TD toss which covered 22 yards in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile Gerald Jones was four-for-four on his PAT kicks.
    Monroe-Woodbury's Greg Sullivan had two interceptions and Dennis Jones had 13 tackles.
    Mike Brown did all the scoring for the 4-3 Bears. He ran in a TD from five yards out and booted a 29-yard field goal.
    "That was a long trip and a lot of rain," said Coach Pat D'Aliso after the contest. "We came out fast and went up 14-0 in the first quarter. Then we scored 14 more in the last quarter.
    "Making a trip like this at the end of a long school day is a lot to ask of high school kids. It was a very long day for them. But a win's a win and now we're 7-0."
    D'Aliso won't be sleeping in Saturday as he'll head up to KIngston to see the Kingston NFA game.
    "That's the big game," he said.
    Next Friday night the Crusaders will play at NFA.
--- PD

CENTRAL VALLEY - The Monroe-Woodbury High School Crusaders wasted little time getting on the scoreboard against visiting Kingston High School Tigers Thursday night with a fumble recovery on the opening kickoff.
    Several plays later Senior Quarterback Matt Stack ran eight yards for a touchdown; the extra point was good by Gerald Jones and the Crusaders led 7-0 with 10:17 on the clock in the first quarter.
    The next time the Crusader offense got the ball they drove down field against the Kingston defense. Crusader running back Danny Lexandra ran towards the Kingston end zone was stopped at the one yard line, fumbled and the football was recovered in the end zone by the Crusader's Neil Ingenito for the Crusader touchdown. The extra point by Gerald Jones was good and Monroe-Woodbury led 14-0.
    Kingston High School's offense came back in the second quarter at the 6:39 mark when Coleman Edmonds ran sixty yards for a Kingston touchdown. The extra point was no good and Monroe-Woodbury led Kingston 14-6.
    At the 5:33 mark in the second quarter Kingston linebacker Jason Krakowski intercepted a Matt Stack pass at the Crusader thirty five yard line and returned the football to the Crudsader one yard line. At the 5:27 mark Kingston running back Ohkei Brown scored from one yard out to close the gap to 14-12. The Kingston two point conversion was no good.
    Monroe-Woodbury came right back on the Kingston kick off when Crusader Chris Johnson ran the kickoff back ninety yards to give the Crusaders a 20-12 lead. The extra point failed and the Crusader led 20-12 with 5:13 remaining in the second quarter.
    The Crusader defense stopped the Kingston offense, got the football back and with 0:44 remaining in the first half, Crusader quarterback Matt Stack scored on a seven yard run to give the Crusaders a 26-12 lead. The extra point was no good and the half ended with Monroe-Woodbury leading 26-12.   
    The third quarter was a defensive battle, with the Kingston Tiger's finally hitting the end zone with 3:20 remaining in the quarter. Coleman Edmonds ran for the touchdown from the nine yard line. The two point try was no good and Monroe-Woodbury led 26-18.
    With 10:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, Stack threw a sixty five yard touchdown pass to Matt O'Brien giving the Crusaders a 32-18 lead. Gerald Jones connected on the extra point and the Crusaders led 33-18.
    Monroe-Woodbury scored its final touchdown late in the fourth quarter when Matt Stack ran twenty one yards for another touchdown. The extra point was good by Gerald Jones and the game ended with Monroe-Woddbury winning, 40-18.
    Monroe-Woodbury stays undefeated at 4-0 (2-0 in AA-II). Kingston drops to 2-2 (0-1).

CRUSADER EXTRA POINTS
by Chris Mayone

    CENTRAL VALLEY - Senior fullback Danny Lexandra was sick of watching his Crusader teammates light up scoreboards without him the first two weeks of the season. But since returning from a preseason injury, Lexandra has led the Crusaders in rushing the last two games, including a 161 yard outburst Thursday night, as Monroe-Woodbury buried Section 9 Class AA foe Kingston 40-18.
    "I'm still mad I missed the first two games," said Lexandra. "Watching my teammates do it without me was upsetting. There is nothing else I'd rather do than play football."
    Lexandra wasted no time getting started taking the games second play from scrimmage 22 yards setting up the Crusaders with a first-and-goal at the eight-yard-line. Quarterback Matt Stack scored on a keeper on second down to give Monroe-Woodbury a lead they would not relinquish.
    An opportunistic kick off team set up the first score. Gerald Jones' kickoff bounced off Kingston's Zach Fritz and was recovered by Jones at the Tigers 37-yard line.
    Kingston threatened to pull even later in the quarter with a first down at the Crusaders' 11-yard line. But a sack by Keith Hale and an interception by Chris Johnson on back-to-back plays halted the drive.
    "People have maligned this defense," said Monroe-Woodbury head coach Pat D'Aliso. "But the defense is what's making us go right now. Players like Dennis Jones, John Schepps, Chris Johnson, and Tom Beyer have played outstanding."
    Following the turnover, Lexandra shot 66 yards on first down before being caught at the Kingston 15-yard line. On the next play he fumbled but it was recovered in the end by Neil Ingenito for the score.
    "It was a trap and I saw Matt O'Brien make a great block and I thought I was gone," said Lexandra off his 66-yard run. "But my injury hasn't fully healed yet so I didn't make it across."
    The Crusaders looked like they took a 21-0 advantage on their next possession when Stack scrambled 61-yards for a touchdown but it was nullified thanks for a holding penalty. After a Jones punt, Coleman Edmond bolted 62 yards to get Kingston on the board. The two-point try was no good and Monroe-Woodbury held a 14-6 lead.
    Stack was picked off by Jason Krakowski setting Kingston first-and-goal at the Crusaders' one-yard-line. Chris Duggan punched it trimming the lead to 14-12 after another failed two-point conversion.
    On the ensuing kick off, Johnson fielded the kick at his own 13-yard-line and broke free for an 87-yard kick off return and a 20-6 Monroe-Woodbury lead.
    "I don't want to say that play broke their backs," said D'Aliso, "but it kinda broke the game open and gave us some space to breathe. We took the whole momentum of the game when he ran that back.
    "I didn't come in here and expect to beat Kingston 40-18 but we had kids make plays. I thought the game would be close."
    The Crusaders' defense forced another first-half turnover when Joe Salamone hopped on a loose ball. The fumble recovery set up a 10-play drive capped off by a five-yard Stack touchdown run with :44 left in the half. Jones' extra point hit the right upright for his first miscue of the year but Monroe-Woodbury took a 26-12 lead into the locker room.
    Kingston trimmed the lead to 26-18 on an Edmond score. But the high octane Monroe-Woodbury offense struck back with 14 unanswered points. Stack tossed a 70-yard scoring strike to O'Brien and the quarterback added a 12-yard touchdown run to round out the scoring. Stack finished the game with 154 yards rushing.
    Offensive lineman Joe Scalo, Stephen Schwade, Eugene Dutton, and Peter Scalia paved the way for the Monroe-Woodbury running back fleet. 
"We came out confident and we stayed that way."

MIDDLETOWN-Even if Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso doesn't want to admit it, his team sent a message to the rest of section 9 on Friday night.
With his entire squad back from injury, the Crusaders jumped out to a 35-0 first half lead en route to a 42-12 shellacking of Section 9, Class AA-I rival Middletown in a driving rain.
"I am not sending messages to anyone," said D'Aliso. "This is the first week we were all healthy and this is how we should play."
Monroe-Woodbury welcomed back fullback Danny Lexandra who missed the first two games with a bad ankle. "Not having Danny at fullback is critical," D'Aliso said. "Our entire offense is run off that position. We are happy to have him back."
Lexandra led the Crusaders with 149 yards in his 2004 debut but was not the lone star for 3-0 Crusaders.
Senior quarterback Matt Stack rushed for touchdowns of 27, 10, and six yards and added a pair via the air in a little more than two quarters before handing the reigns over to reserve signal-caller Greg Sullivan.

Stack's first score came on the teams second possession with the Crusaders already holding a 7-0 lead thanks to a six-yard scamper by senior Matt O'Brien on the games opening series. Capping off an eight-play, 52-yard drive, Stack followed center Joe Scalo straight through the heart of the Middletown defense for a 10-yard score on the keeper. Stack had runs of nine and five yards on the same play during the first drive.
"The line pushed and took over the game," said Stack. "All of the lineman worked as one tonight and played a great game. Every week they step it up and we get better."
Middletown's ensuing possession stalled, thanks to a sack by Tom Beyer and an open field tackle by Sullivan on third-and-long. Once the ball was back in Stack's hands, The Crusaders found themselves in the end zone four plays later. Lexandra had runs of eight and 19 yards, setting up a first down at the 11-yard line. After a timeout, Stack found an uncovered Ray Graziano in the end zone for the score.
The Crusaders next drive featured just two plays as running back Chris Johnson took an option right 31 yards on first down. Then Stack went 27 yards up the middle for a 28-0 lead.
Stack added a six-yard touchdown run on the last play of the half as the lead ballooned to 35-0.
"We scored 35 points in the first half - what more can you say?" asked O'Brien. "That's what happens when you practice hard all week."
O'Brien, who sat out the second half with an ankle and shoulder injury, said he will not miss Thursday's showdown with Kingston.
Stack connected with Mike Septh for 38 yards to conclude the Crusaders final scoring drive. Gerald Jones added the extra point concluding a perfect six for six day for the kicker.
Middletown scored on two late touchdowns bombs of 81 and 56 yards to Terric Harris from quarterback Chris Brucato. Septh intercepted a pass in the end zone putting the brakes on another Middletown drive. The loss left Middletown with a record of 1-2.
"We take it one week at a time." O'Brien said. "Tonight was Middletown and tomorrow we watch the film and worry about Kingston."
By Chris Mayone

The Crusaders began the second quarter with the ball on their own 31-yard line. The Warriors looked good on first down when they stopped the Crusaders after an one-yard gain. But then they watched Stack keep another option on the left side, this time for a 68-yard touchdown run. Jones' extra point made it 21-0.

On the ensuing possession, Minisink Valley's quarterback, senior Sean Fitzpatrick, fired a pass on first. But he watched Greg Sullivan, a Crusader sophomore defensive back, intercept the pass.

On the next play, Stack hit Ingenito for a 40-yard touchdown pass. Yet another Jones extra point made it 28-0.

The Warriors showed some signs of life after they recovered a fumble by Ray Graziano, a Crusader senior running back, deep in Monroe-Woodbury territory. Fitzpatrick was able to throw up a jump ball over the middle, which was caught by Warrior junior running back Gregg Brain and he took it the rest of the way for a touchdown.

A Warrior extra point made it 28-7 and it looked as if that would be the score at halftime.

But the Crusaders said not so fast.

Stack led the Crusaders down the field in the half's final minutes and set up Jones for a 28-yard field goal attempt. The senior nailed it and the Crusaders led 31-7 at halftime.

"I'm very pleased with the effort on all sides of the ball," D'Aliso said.

With the game in hand, coach D'Aliso was able to empty his bench and get all of his players into the game late in the third quarter and throughout the fourth.

"That's important," D'Aliso said, "because they practice and you hate when these games go by and these kids don't get in."

Sullivan, who had an interception in the first half, moved to quarterback late in the third for the Crusaders. He showed his coaches and teammates what they could expect of him when he becomes the team's No. 1 quarterback next season.

The 6-1 sophomore connected with junior split end Mike Septh for a 32-yard touchdown pass. Jones' final extra point made it 38-7 Crusaders.

With a field goal and five extra points, Jones had eight points for the Crusaders.

The Warriors scored a touchdown in the final play of the game, making it a final of 38-13 Crusaders.

The Crusaders' next game is Sept. 17 when they travel to Middletown. Aware of tougher games ahead,

"I'm glad we stepped up so much more because we're going to Middletown and going to start getting into league," D'Aliso said. "Of course, Kingston will be a big game and all the way down through that."

D'Aliso hopes his starting fullback, senior Danny Lexandra, will be playing his first game of the season in Middletown since he missed the first two with an injury. He expects his real offense to show up In Middletown.

"Now that we are at full strength, let's see what M-W is," D'Aliso said.

Times Herald Record Sept 4, 2004
 
Warwick – It was the end of the third quarter, and his team was two touchdowns in the black.
But that wasn't good enough for Monroe-Woodbury defensive back John Schepps.
"I want a shutout!" the senior screamed at his teammates. "We deserve this!"
His teammates granted Schepps' wish, smothering a younger, smaller Warwick team in a 14-0 win last night.
Everyone knew the deal with Monroe-Woodbury entering this season. A high-powered option offense. A fleet-footed quarterback in Matt Stack. Wave after wave of running backs.
But on a night when the offense only played well in spurts, the Crusaders showed they can play a little defense, too.
"We've been sitting around all summer, listening to everyone talk about the offense," senior linebacker Dennis Jones said. "It's time for us to start stepping up. It starts tonight."
Jones and defensive back Shane Coincon provided the exclamation point on the coming-out party, stuffing Warwick running back Tim Marion at the Monroe-Woodbury 4-yard line with 26 seconds left in the game.
"When it really came time to kick in and make a big play, they made big plays," Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso said.
Monroe-Woodbury also capitalized on a Warwick blunder midway through the first quarter, setting the tone for the game.
As a Warwick drive stalled at its own 35-yard line, Warwick junior Joe Stolzenberg was set to punt. But the snap sailed over his head and the Crusaders tackled him at the Warwick 4.
Monroe-Woodbury running back Matt O'Brien punched it into the end zone on the next play giving the Crusaders a 7-0 lead.
The Crusaders (1-0) doubled the lead with a nine-play, 74-yard drive in the second quarter, highlighted by a 33-yard pass from Stack to tight end Bryan Wortman and capped by a 9-yard touchdown scamper by Stack.
"We'll take this as a win," said Stack, who finished with just 91 yards on the ground. "But we can't stay at this same level."

The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders JV Football team
had a 22-7 victory over the Warwick Wildcats in their first game,
which was played at home on Sept. 2, 2002.