Before an overflow crowd of some 2,500 fans anxious to see
MW RB Andrew Tolosi sparks Cru
a pair of defending champs go at it, Monroe-Woodbury got out to a 24-6 lead after three quarters only to see the margin reduced to a 24-19 victory by the final gun.
Kept in check most of the game by some tenacious Cornwall linebacking, Crusader All-State quarterback Danny Scalo scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and threw for another, but it wasn’t an easy night for him. As a rusher he carried 16 times for 72 yards but 44 of those yards came on his one breakaway. It was a scintillating third quarter TD run that saw him dash down the left sideline, shaking loose from tacklers, before cutting back to the middle and then jetting into the end zone for what later proved to be the winning score.
With Scalo being keyed on, shifty junior HB Andrew Tolosi (5-7, 160) carried much of the load for the Crusaders. He rushed 16 times for 81 tough yards and caught four Scalo passes for 54 more tough yards.
Neither team could pick up a first down until very late in the initial quarter. Cornwall’s came on a drive sustained by R. J. Roth’s recovery of a fumble by Ryan Morgan, who had been attempting to field a punt. The first down came on a subsequent 36-yard Kevin Arduino-to-Kevin King pass to the MW 19. But the threat fizzled as James Boyd dropped Arduino five yards short of another first down.
With Tolosi netting 53 yards on a run and two receptions, the Crusaders picked up four first down on their way to the Cornwall nine. But the Green Dragon defense stiffened, and Monroe-Woodbury settled for a 30-yard Jamie Boyle field goal with 6:55 left in the first half.
Playing both ways and taking some hard hits, Arduino was also harassed by a hard MW rush and a tough secondary that forced a few dropped passes.
On the Crusaders’ next possession, they 78 yards on just eight plays to score on a one yard Scalo sneak with 1:17 left in the half. The big plays were a 31-yard Scalo-to-Dan Gold pass and a Scalo-to-Tolisi pass and run that covered 23 yards. Boyle’s PAT made it 10-0 at the half.
After the game Arduino said, “We didn’t make the plays we had to make in the first half. They’re a great team.”
Cornwall started the second half receiving a big break as Roth made his second fumble recovery of the night when Tolisi lost the ball on the half’s first play from scrimmage. Arduino immediately found Rick Smith for an 18-yard pass completion to the Crusader two. Arduino ran it in from there. Ken Kirshner’s PAT was blocked, however. 10-6.
Monroe-Woodbury then put the offense in gear and scored on its next two possessions. The first drive covered 62 yards in seven plays. A 22-yard Scalo-to-Gold hookup moved the ball to the Cornwall 30. Tolisi then motored 18 yards on a reverse. Two plays later Scalo connected with DJ Young on a 14-yard TD pass.
“It was a fade on the goal line,” Young said later. “Coach said, ‘Just go get it.’ Same as we do a lot every day in practice.’”
Boyle’s PAT made it 17-6 at the 7:55 mark.
With Arduino cramping up and leaving for two plays, the Dragons still managed two first downs. Then MW’s Omari Byfield stepped in front of Arduino’s first pass after the quarterback had returned to the game.
Byfield returned his first of two picks on the night for12 yards to set up the Cru’s third and final TD. This score came on a seven-yard drive that was capped by Scalo’s 44-yarder. Boyle kept his PAT streak alive (51 straight successful conversions) to make the score 24-6 with 1:20 left in the third quarter.
But Arduino got his second wind in the fourth quarter. A 13-play, 77-yard scoring drive, highlighted by a 25-yard Arduino-to-Smith pass, was capped by Ray Wroten’s one-yard TD plunge with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. A pass for two failed: 24-12.
On the subsequent possession, three Scalo runs were snuffed. Boyle’s punt put Cornwall back at its 19. With Arduino going to the air on all but one of the series’ plays, the Dragons drove 81 yards in 10 plays and a five-yard MW penalty. The game’s final TD came on a 13-yard Arduino-to-Lou D’Esposito pass. Kirshner converted the PAT with just 35 ticks left on the clock. MW covered the ensuing onside kick and the game was history.
After the game the Cornwall folks seemed more like the winners, happy with their Class A team’s giving three time AA state finalist MW a run for its money.
“We played hard tonight,” a tired Arduino said. “We got a lot of yards at the end when they went into a prevent (defense), though.”
“They’re tough,” said WR-DB Young on the other side of the field where the mood was anything but celebratory. “But a win’s a win.”
“We made the plays we had to make tonight,” added MW coach Pat D’Aliso. “They’ll have a nice season playing against the A’s. As for us, we’ll have to pick up our game if we want to go places in our class. Tonight showed that we were very inexperienced.”
In the first half an aggressive MW defense limited Cornwall to 56 yards of net offense: only two yards on 10 rushes and 54 yards on four pass completions. By the end of the game the Dragons had 256 net yards. Arduino rushed 12 times for 49 yards to account for most of Cornwall’s sparse rushing yardage. In passing, he was 17-for-28 for 188 yards. Smith (57 yards) and Dylan Babcock (39 yards) each had four catches. Colin Kelly was three-for-26 and Kevin King two-for-39.
Scalo ended with eight pass completions on 13 attempts for 125 yards, no interceptions and the one TD. Behind Tolosi, Gold had two grabs for 53 yards. Defensively, tackle Jordan Bari had a sack for the Cru. DE Joe Loyacono and LB Josh Skowronski hounded Arduino and led the defense in keeping Arduino and Lou D’Esposito (nine carries and only 12 yards)from getting loose. Meanwhile Boyle had three booming punts (37 yard average) and a pair of touchbacks.
Next Friday Monroe-Woodbury plays host to Pine Bush in an AA-l encounter while Cornwall travels to Rondout Valley for a Class A showdown.
Cornwall — Kenny Kirshner kicked the football down and hard and to his left, hoping it would end up in the hands of one of his Cornwall teammates.
There were 35 seconds left and Cornwall needed to get the ball one last time. Then maybe, it could complete a fourth-quarter comeback folks would have talked about for decades.
Probably one-third of the nearly 2,000 folks who were there had left when Monroe-Woodbury took an 18-point lead into the fourth quarter. But those who stayed seemed to hold their breath as the pile in front of the Monroe-Woodbury bench unfolded.
Monroe-Woodbury's Dan Gold had the football. His team would hold on for a 24-19 victory, extending its Section 9 winning streak to 35 games.
But it was sort of tough to tell Monroe-Woodbury won — and that Cornwall had lost — based on the players' body language when it was over.
It's hard to recall when there was this much interest in a local non-league game. Monroe-Woodbury came in as the four-time defending Section 9 Class AA champion, with a long winning streak against local competition.
Cornwall has won the last three Section 9 Class A titles, and brought a 25-game local winning streak into Friday night. Despite the loss, look for Cornwall to be ranked within the state's top 10. Maybe top five.
"Going into the game, we knew we could play with them. There was no doubt," Cornwall coach Marcus Hughes said. "Obviously, we wanted to win, but we didn't make plays and execute in the first half the way we needed to. It was a great learning experience."
Monroe-Woodbury junior quarterback Danny Scalo picked up where he left off last year, running for two touchdowns and throwing for another. He made about six moves during his 44-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, giving Monroe-Woodbury a 24-6 lead.
But it was the other kid behind center — Cornwall senior Kevin Arduino — that had people talking when they left. Arduino directed fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 71 and 81 yards against Monroe-Woodbury's defense. His 13-yard touchdown pass to Lou D'Esposito with 35 seconds left made it 24-19.
And here's the kicker: Arduino called his own plays in the fourth quarter.
"He did his thing," Hughes said. "I told if it's cloudy or muddy, pull it and run. He either threw it or ran."
Arduino scored Cornwall's first touchdown on a 1-yard run. Ray Wroten's 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth cut Cornwall's lead to 24-12.
For the second straight year the Bushmen of Pine Bush gave the Crusaders of Monroe-Woodbury a scare, but like last year the outcome was the same, a Crusader win.
PB received the opening kickoff and went 3 and out with MW swarming on defense. PB punted to MW and they moved the ball from the PB 45 down to the 11 yard line where they had a first and ten. The PB defense stiffened and held the Crusaders to 4 yds on two runs. On 3rd and 6 Dan Scalo threw a pass into the corner of the end zone for Devan Gagliardi who seemed to make the catch but the ball popped free and the pass fell incomplete. Jamie Boyle came on to kick a 29 yd field goal, and the score was MW 3 PB 0 with 7:18 left in the first quarter.
PB went three and out again. MW got the ball and also went three and out. PB got the ball at their own 30 and Mitch Przybocki threw a first down pass to Kyni Scott down the middle for a gain of 34. The Bushmen drove the ball down to the MW 14 when Scott was stopped short on a fourth and two and MW took over and went three and out again.
The PB defense looked very strong and managed to contain Scalo up to this point of the game. PB got the ball and on runs by Scott for 12 and 13 yards got the ball down to the MW 43, but a holding penalty negated the second run and it moved the ball back to the PB 32. With 12 seconds left in the half MW blocked a punt and Boyle tried a 44 yard field goal with 6 seconds left. The kick was about a yard short and a little to the left. The half ended with the score MW 3 PB 0.
MW got the ball to start the second half and executed 3 running plays by Scalo and 3 by Andrew Tolosi but had to punt. PB started at its own 8 after a great punt by Boyle. PB ran Matt Santos up the middle for -1 and on the very next play, a play action pass from Mitch Pryzbocki to Santos was good for 93 yards and a touchdown. The PAT was good and PB led 7-3 with 7:20 left in the 3rd quarter.
The game see-sawed for the next four minutes and then Scalo took over. With 3:02 left in the third quarter Scalo rushed for 52 yards with Tolosis' 13 yards in between for a Crusader touchdown. Scalo ran 18 yards to the end zone, the PAT was good and MW led 10-7 with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.
PB got the kickoff and started at their own 27. Two runs of 2 yards each and an incomplete pass forced PB to punt. Unfortunately for PB the punt was blocked by Ryan Morgan, and MW took over at the PB 35.
The Crusaders moved the ball down to the three on a 7 yard run by Tolosi and three Scalo runs for 18 before Chris Crosby ran it in from the three to give MW a 17-7 lead after Boyle’s 53rd consecutive PAT was converted.
PB got the ball back with 8:07 to play and didn't quit. They started at their 20 and moved the ball down to the MW 25 on completions by Przybocki for 35 and 18 yards. On a second and ten from the 26 a Przybocki pass was intercepted at the 15 by James Boyd putting an end to the Bushmen’s hopes of a victory. MW ran out the clock and had another victory.
TROY - Monroe-Woodbury overcame a late second quarter, 85-yard TD pass and a 7-6 halftime deficit to defeat Troy LaSalle, 26-7, here Friday night and remain unbeaten at 3-0.
The Crusaders and the Cadets had met last year in a state quarterfinal. MW won that one by three touchdowns but had trouble containing all-state RB Marquis Terrell who rushed for 311 yards. This time the purple defense kept Terrell in check, limiting him to 92 yards on 23 carries.
In the first half Monroe-Woodbury moved the ball well but couldn’t get into the end zone, so Jamie Boyle booted a field goal in each of the first two quarters to make it 6-0.
“We just couldn’t get in and then they scored on that one big play,” coach Pat D’Aliso said.
The Crusaders regained the lead in the third quarter on Danny Scalo’s 5-yard TD run. A try for two points failed. 12-7.
In the fourth quarter M-W scored twice. First it was a Scalo-to -Pat Laird pass that made it 19-7 after Boyle’s PAT. Next Scalo scored his second TD of the night on a 1-yard sneak. Enter Boyle, who now has made 55 straight PATs, and it was 26-7.
“Tonight we played our best game of the season so far,” D’Aliso added. “Our defense is really improving, our special teams are very good … overall we’re a well-balanced team.”
The coach was also happily surprised with the officiating.
“Those guys did a great job tonight. Usually we run into trouble (with officiating) when we play outside the section. But this crew let both teams play. It’s the best crew I’ve seen in a while.”
Scalo had another good night. In passing he went 6-for-11 for 149 yards, one TD and one interception. He also rushed 18 times for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns. Andrew Tolosi had a pair of receptions for 62 yards. The team as a whole rushed 38 times for 175 yards.
“Danny really hit some big passes tonight to set up some of our scores.”
Next Friday the Crusaders play an AA non-divisional game at Warwick.
WARWICK – Senior running back Chris Crosby scored two touchdowns and place-kicker Jaimie Boyle kicked two field goals to lead Monroe-Woodbury over Warwick in a non-league game at C. Ashley Morgan Field Friday night.
The Crusaders went 75 yards to score on the first series of the game in a drive highlighted by a 45-yard catch by junior SE Andrew Tolosi. His reception moved the ball to the Wildcats 25 where it took eight more plays for M-W to score on junior QB Dan Scalo’s TD from 1-yard out. Boyle made the PAT to give Monroe-Woodbury a 7-0 advantage at 7:37 of the first quarter.
Defensive back DJ Young intercepted Warwick QB Rian White’s pass on the ensuing series and returned the pigskin 35 yards to the Wildcat two. M-W eventually settled for a 20-yard Boyle FG at 2:29 to increase the lead to 10-0.
The Crusaders capitalized on a Warwick fumble to score their next touchdown at 4:37 of the second stanza. Once again, Tolosi made a big 27-yard haul to set up a first-and-goal from the five. Three plays later M-W hit the end zone on Crosby’s first TD of the night. Boyle converted to give the state’s 7th-ranked AA team a 17-0 cushion.
Warwick had a nice drive going on its next possession when junior Sam Carrecia made a big grab of a White Aerial at the Crusader 18. Enter Young again for M-W, who picked off his second pass of the game. Only four plays later on offense, Young went long and made a remarkable reception of a lofty Scalo 39-yard pass for a score. Boyle’s extra point gave the four-time defending Section Nine Class AA champs a commanding 24-0 lead with 1:29 remaining in the half.
Senior Alec DeNorchia recovered a Scalo fumble two possessions later. A holding penalty on the first snap moved the ball to the Crusader 25. White raced all the way to the one on the next carry. Then senior Jake Winters scored with 18 seconds left in the half for the Wildcats. Tom Bruder made the PAT and Warwick had reduced its margin to 24-7 at halftime.
The Cru-Cru scored first in the second half at 5:22 thanks to Boyle’s 42-yard FG. 27-7.
Warwick used all the remaining time in the third quarter to mount a touchdown drive. Winters gained 17 yards on a shovel pass at the outset of the drive and repeated the play later on deep in M-W territory to gain a first down at the 20. Two plays later, TE John Babin made a completion at the one. But only after Warwick failed twice to sneak it in and then fumbled the ball back to their own 10 did they score. Babin made the 4th down TD reception at the third-quarter gun. M-W blocked Jared Komorowski’s PAT attempt. So the score stood at 27-13 in favor of Monroe-Woodbury.
Warwick’s defense held on the next series and Dan Marggraff blocked the M-W punt to set the ‘Cats up at the visitors’ 26. Babin caught two more passes but it was White who ran it in from 10 yards out at 8:49. The conversion pass fell incomplete but Warwick had rallied to within 27-19.
The Crusaders started out from their own nine on the next series and soon wound up punting again. White brought his offense onto the field needing to go 58 yards for a possible chance to tie the game. A late-hit penalty against the Crusaders with yardage tacked on to the end of a White scramble transported the ball to the M-W 33. Two plays later, Carrecia made a 7-yard catch to the 25. But the drive stalled after two incomplete passes.
Junior SE Pat Laird made one of the biggest plays of the game on second down for the Cru as he hauled in a Scalo pass inside the Warwick 40-yard line. Crosby took the next handoff and raced to the 15. Two plays after, Crosby ran seven yards for his second TD of the night to put a bow on the Crusaders 37th consecutive victory against Section Nine opponents. Boyle’s aim was true for the 34-19 final.
Boyle’s 4-for-4 PATs boosted his consecutive PAT streak to 59, just three shy of the state record held by Wallkill’s Adolfo Rivera. His two field goals give him six for the season so far.
Coach D’Aliso’s Crusaders (1-0 AA-I, 4-0 overall) host Kingston in a league game next week. Coach Sciarra’s Wildcats (0-1 AA-II, 1-3 overall) entertain Valley Central in AA-II action.
Monroe-Woodbury leads the all-time series with Warwick by a margin of 27-17.
--- Rich Arnott
Saturday, October 4 WEEK FIVE FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL MONROE-WOODBURY 42, KINGSTON 7
CENTRAL VALLEY - The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders and their kicker Jamie Boyle gave the Crusader fans plenty to cheer about on their home field Friday night. Monroe-Woodbury crushed Kingston High School 42-7; and Crusader kicker Jamie Boyle set a New York State High School record, breaking the old record of 62 consecutive PAT's, by kicking 6 points after to give him 65 in a row.
The Crusaders’ potent offense and tough defense never gave the Kingston Tigers any opportunities Friday night. The Crusaders showed the Tigers why they are rated number seven in the New York State Class AA Football Poll.
After a Kingston fumble on their first possession turned the ball over to Monroe-Woodbury, the Crusaders Andrew Tolosi ran 24 yards for the first Crusader touchdown. Jamie Boyle's extra point was good and the Crusaders led 7-0.
The Crusaders came back at 5:57 in the first quarter when Dan Scalo hit James Young on a 55-yard touchdown pass. Jamie Boyle was perfect again with the extra point and the Crusaders led 14-0. Monroe-Woodbury scored again with 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter when Andrew Tolosi scored his second touchdown on the night with a four yard run. Jamie Boyle then tied the New York State PAT record at 62 with his third extra point and the Crusader led 21-0.
The Crusaders scored their fourth touchdown with 8:48 remaining in the second quarter when Quarterback Dan Scalo scored on a four yard run. Jamie Boyle then entered the game and set the New York State record connecting on his 63rd consecutive PAT. A standing ovation and recognition of the record greeted Boyle as he came to the Crusaders’ sidelines. The Crusaders now led the Tigers 28-0.
The Kingston Tigers scored their only touchdown of the game when Kingston quarterback Zach Nerone scored on a one yard run with forty seconds remaining in the second quarter. Derek Horowitz's extra point was good and Monroe-Woodbury led 28-7 as the half ended.
The Crusaders completely dominated the Kingston Tigers in the second half of the football game. Monroe-Woodbury scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a Dan Scalo nine yard run. Jamie Boyle was perfect with the extra point and the Crusaders led 35-7. The Crusaders scored again in the fourth quarter when Andrew Tolosi scored his third touchdown of the game on a one yard run. Jamie Boyle's kick was good and the Crusaders had a 42-7 lead and another victory over the Kingston High School Tigers.
The Crusaders are now 5-0 and 2-0 in Class AA Division l. Next Friday MW hosts Section Two power Saratoga Springs. The Kingston Tigers are now 1-4 and 0-3 in AA-l. They host Wallkill in a non-league game next Friday.
M-W- K Jaimie Boyle.Times Herald-Record/DOMINICK FIO
By Kevin Gleason Times Herald-Record October 04, 2008
Monroe-Woodbury senior Jamie Boyle was a 15-year-old sophomore when his extra-point attempt missed wide left in overtime of the 2006 Class AA state championship game.
Nobody blamed him when Auburn scored on its next possession and beat Monroe-Woodbury 27-26. Boyle had come through so many times before, and replays showed that even the kick in question might have been good. He walked off the field and Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso patted Boyle on the head.
"Don't worry,' D'Aliso told his kicker. "You're going to do a lot for us down the road.'
D'Aliso actually was unsure how Boyle would react to the miss given his age. Here's how Boyle reacted: He's missed one kick since that day at the Carrier Dome.
And on Friday night in Central Valley, Jamie Boyle broke the state record of 62 straight PATs. Boyle was 6-for-6 on a wet field in Monroe-Woodbury's 42-7 win over Kingston, giving him an amazing 65 straight extra points.
"You got a 15-year-old kid and I think most kids would have crumbled under the pressure, lost their confidence and never attained the level he's gone on to today,' D'Aliso said. "It says a lot, and that's why he has Division I college potential.'
The streak began early last season after a miss in week two against Horseheads.
"No,' he said when asked if he was nervous on Friday. "I was kind of thinking about it.'
Boyle, who has the perfect kicker's demeanor — low-key, unfazed — finally admitted that, yeah, he was a bit nervous. "Actually, the last (PAT), I'd say half the ball went right over the (right) post and half was in. I had to wait see what the ref put up.'
But by then the record was Boyle's. "Yeah, I'm excited,' he said evenly. So does he plan to celebrate?
"I probably would,' Boyle said, "but I have SATs in the morning.'
In case you are wondering, Boyle studied hard for the test. But that's no surprise to those who know him. Boyle's always prepared. And on Friday night, 11/2 seasons since his heartbreaking miss, Boyle kicked himself into the record books.
The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders put together a 24-7 lead going into the half that they never relinquished as they cruised to a 34-19 win over the Warwick Wildcats. Monroe-Woodbury built a 24-7 halftime lead and held on for a non-league win in Warwick. Crusader signal caller Dan Scalo capped a scoring drive with a 1-yard plunge to boost his squad helped give Monroe-Woodbury to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
Chris Crosby extended the lead with his own 1-yard dive into the endzone while James Young took a 38-yard strike from Scalo to push the visitors to a 21-0 advantage. Kicker Jamie Boyle drove one through the uprights to extend the lead to 24-0.
The Wildcats gave their fans something to cheer about in the closing moments of the first half when Warwick closed out a scoring drive with Jake Winters' 1-yard run. Boyle extended the Crusader lead to 27-7 with his second field goal in the contest to start off the third frame. But the Wildcats had no quit in them in the second half, as John Babin pulled in an 11-yard touchdown catch in the third which closed the gap to 27-14 and teammate Rian White broke loose with a 10-yard scramble for paydirt to narrow the expanse to 27-19. But the Crusader offense would not be denied as Crosby again made it to the endzone on a 7-yard blast, to seal the 34-19.
The 2008 Crusaders again gave their fans a tight first half nailbiter, before securing a 26-7 win over LaSalle, their 2007 AA quarterfinal playoff opponent.
LaSalle took a 7-6 lead into the half, keeping the potent Crusader offense out of the endzone, as Jamie Boyle's pair of field goals accounted for the Monroe-Woodbury scoring.
But junior signal caller Dan Scalo broke his offense out of their slump to overpower LaSalle, breaking into the endzone with a five yard dash to cap the initial scoring drive. In the final frame, the Crusader quarterback added some insurance, tagging teammate Pat Laird with a 25-yard strike for paydirt and taking the ball a yard on a QB sneak to close out scoring. The Monroe-Woodbury defense kept LaSalle scoreless in the second half to lock down the victory.
The Crusaders turned what looked to be a season starting rout into a nail biter, as the as the four-time defending Section 9 Class AA champions burned an 18 point lead in the final frame, giving their fans a minor panic attack. Conversely, Cornwall, three-peaters of the Section 9 Class A gave their fans a fourth quarter to remember, but saw their 25-game local winning streak halted by the 2008 Crusade.
Looking every bit as dangerous as he did last season, Monroe-Woodbury junior signal caller Dan Scalo charged into the endzone for a pair of touchdowns and threw for one in the win. Scalo's efforts afforded his squad a 24-6 lead after three quarters.
And that is when Cornwall woke up.
Earlier senior quarterback Kevin Arduino capped a scoring drive with a one-yard plunge and teammate Ray Wroten broke the endzone from the same distance to close the gap to 24-12. Arduino and his offense synched up in the fourth, as he drove his squad down the field and drilled teammate Lou D'Esposito from 13-yards to inch to within 24-19. It seemed all Cornwall would need was another possession to pull off the upset.
Fortunately for the Crusaders, there was only 35 seconds remaining on the clock and Monroe-Woodbury's Dan Gold held on to the final kick. The win extended the Crusaders Section 9 winning streak to 35 games.
CENTRAL VALLEY - In an intersectional battle between state-ranked teams, Monroe-Woodbury quickly recovered from a shaky start to dominate Section Two power Saratoga Springs at Etzel Field, 37-14, Friday night.
Leading 17-14 at halftime, the Crusaders wore the visiting Blue Streaks down in the second half. With all-state quarterback Dan Scalo rushing for 107 of his game-leading 204 yards and the purple defense limiting Saratoga to just nine plays and one first down, Pat D’Aliso’s #5 ranked team boosted its overall record to 6-0. Saratoga Springs, coming in as the #17 team in the state, fell to 5-1.
Scalo started the scoring in the first quarter when he bolted through a big hole off left tackle and outraced the Blue Streak secondary for a 57-yard TD at 9:42. Jamie Boyle, who kept his successful PAT streak alive, booted the kick to make it 7-0.
But the MW defense got off to a sloppy start. Saratoga answered Scalo’s score with a quick 5-play, 80-yard drive. Streak QB Collin Mulholland hit a wide-open Will Dryer for 19 yards to the Saratoga 49. After Ben Cook was dropped for a 6-yard loss, Mullholland found Joe Scully open for a 60-yard TD pass at 2:03. Nick Daley’s kick tied the score at 7.
After the kickoff Monroe-Woodbury picked up a first down at its 35. Two plays later DJ Young caught a Scalo pass but left the ball on the turf after a 27-yard gain. Saratoga’s Pat Rohling recovered it at the Streak 37.
The Blue Streaks then attacked the Crusader defense with 234-pound fullback Tony DeLoatch who pounded up the gut 3 times for 21 yards as the Cru "D" soon found out that arm-tackling didn't work. Two plays later Mullholland threw to a wide-open Dryer for a 22-yard gain to the MW 19. On the next play DeLoatch bounced to the left outside and romped untouched for a 6-pointer. Daley made it 14-7 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
The next four series ended with punts as the defenses settled in for a while. The fourth punt set the Crusaders up at their 30. Scalo kept the ball on 5 of 6 running plays which moved the ball to the Streak 40. Then Scalo teamed up with Young for a 40-yard pass and run TD at 1:39. Boyle made it 14-all.
Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, MW’s Dane Warshofsky picked off a Mullholland pass and returned it 15 yards. A personal foul for a hit out of bounds gave the Crusaders the ball at the visitors’ 30. On the subsequent fourth down, Boyle nailed a 43-yard field goal to put MW ahead, 17-14, at the half. The field goal was the senior all-state kicker’s seventh of the season. The Section Nine record is 9.
The second half belonged to Monroe-Woodbury. The Crusaders received the kickoff and then methodically drove 71 yards on 9 plays. Andrew Tolosi scored the TD on an 8-yard jet sweep. Boyle made it 24-14 at 7:33.
The MW defense, property fine-tuned at halftime, gave up only one first down the rest of the game. Of course, it didn’t have to spend much time on the field as Scalo and his offense chewed up the turf and the time.
A 14-play 85-yard drive produced the next score, a 4-yard Matt Beyar TD run at 10:16 of the fourth quarter. A 27-yard run by Scalo via a QB draw on a critical third and 7 was the big play in the series. Boyle kicked his final PAT of the night to make it 31-14. His 4 successful PATs boosted his state record of consecutive PAT kicks to 69.
Monroe-Woodbury’s final score capped a 12-play 63-yard drive. With the reserves taking over once the Crusaders picked up a first down at the Saratoga 14, John O’Brien scored on a 7-yard run with 34 seconds left in the game. Backup QB Ryan Sinclair’s PAT pass was picked off in the end zone, however. 37-14.
Scalo’s 204 rushing yards came on 22 carries. Tolosi gained 38 yards on 8 lugs. In passing, Scalo completed 6-of-12 for 101 yards. Young had 3 receptions for 76 yards while Tolosi caught 3 for 25.
DeLoatch rushed 13 times for 78 yards while Mullholland completed 5-of-15 passes for 132 yards. Dryer had 3 receptions for 48 yards.
The only downer for the Crusaders came in the second quarter when senior RB Chris Crosby had to be helped off the field. It was later announced that he suffered a torn ACL and MCL.
Now the Crusaders must gear up for their big AA-l game at Newburgh next Friday. The contest will be taped by MSG+ for a later showing. Both MW and Newburgh are 2-0 in league play.
NEWBURGH - DJ Young’s long interception touchdown return and kickoff return score fueled Monroe-Woodbury over Newburgh, 31-15, in the battle for the AA-I division championship at Academy Field Friday night. The Crusaders have now won five straight league titles. It was the Crusaders’ seventh straight win over the Goldbacks.
The 4-time defending AA champs got on the scoreboard first midway through the opening period when junior QB Dan Scalo crossed the plane from six yards out. Senior place-kicker Jaimie Boyle kept his state record PAT streak alive with the accurate boot to give M-W a 7-0 lead.
NFA answered back in the second quarter. Byron Thomas excited the hometown crowd when he rushed into the end zone on a 4-yard score. Freshman Mike Demshick converted the extra point to tie the ballgame, 7-7.
The Goldback defense held the Crusaders on the next series but Young came back out on defense to his cornerback position to make the 67-yard interception return run to pay dirt. Boyle kicked to give M-W the advantage again, 14-7. Boyle’s two PAT’s on the night increased his streak to 71 straight.
The final few moments of the first half saw plenty of fireworks. First, Goldback junior RB Fred Locklary hammered his way in for a 3-yard touchdown. QB John Pliego then threw a two-point conversion pass to Thomas, handing NFA a 15-14 edge.
But with some 20 seconds left to work with before halftime, the Crusaders scored again. Young returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to the house in an amazing turn of events. Scalo threw to Pat Laird for the conversion and the Cru-Cru took a 22-15 score into the locker room.
Sophomore Trevor Officer, replacing the injured Chris Crosby, came up with the next M-W touchdown on a 5-yard rush with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. A bad snap on the PAT led to a failed conversion run. But M-W had gotten some breathing room at 28-15.
Boyle concluded the scoring on the night with his 33-yard field goal in the last quarter. It was his eighth 3-pointer of the season, 1 short of tying the Section Nine season record.
Pat D’Aliso’s Crusaders (3-0 AA-I, 7-0 Overall) finish their league schedule at Middletown’s new Faller Field next week. CT Chatham’s Goldbacks (2-1, 4-3) visit Dietz Stadium for their big rivalry AA-I game with Kingston.
With seconds remaining in the first half, James Young, right, of Monroe-Woodbury celebrates with his teammates after he scored on a 93 yard kick-off return.Times Herald-Record/DOMINICK FIO
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record October 18, 2008
NEWBURGH — Byron Thomas sure was right when he said football is a game of momentum.
Thomas caught the two-point conversion pass from John Pliego, off a fake extra point, that gave Newburgh Free Academy a 15-14 lead with 20.4 seconds left in the first half.
The Goldbacks figured to go into the locker room, halfway home to ending Monroe-Woodbury's long winning streak. And the Newburgh folks among the roughly 4,500 people at Academy Field were losing their collective minds.
They still were going crazy as the ensuing kickoff headed toward D.J. Young at his own 7-yard line. A half a dozen moves and 93 yards later, Young sped into the end zone for a touchdown — with four seconds left on the clock.
"We thought that would probably be a momentum changer," Thomas said. "But they just came back and returned that kick. That just took all the momentum to their side. All the joy was gone."
Monroe-Woodbury went into the locker room with a halftime lead, then came out and never lost it. The Crusaders clinched the Class AA Division I title with a 31-15 victory, and extended their winning streak to 39 games against Section 9 competition.
Young, who has verbally committed to accept a full scholarship to Eastern Michigan, had two long touchdowns Friday night. The kickoff return was his second.
"I wanted to make a big play before halftime," Young said. "I was angry because they scored, and then their fans ran (behind) our sideline, screaming.
"I caught the ball and tried to go to the left, but there were four Newburgh guys there. So I cut it back, and there was a wide-open hole. There was just one guy to beat, and I just sprinted."
The play capped off a wild first half that saw Young score his first touchdown — a 66-yard play — off a tipped pass from Dan Scalo. Young actually thought Newburgh's Jon Pekar would intercept the pass. Instead, it was tipped and went right into Young's hands.
That gave Monroe-Woodbury (7-0, 3-0 Class AA), the state's fourth-ranked Class AA team, a 14-7 lead with 9:39 left in the first half. Monroe-Woodbury was looking for more in the final two minutes, but Scalo was intercepted by Tyrel George at the 50. George brought it back to the Monroe-Woodbury 12.
Six plays later, Fred Locklary took it in from 1 yard out to cut Monroe-Woodbury's lead to 14-13. Newburgh lined up to kick, but holder Pliego also is the quarterback. He stood and floated a pass to Thomas in the end zone for the conversion.
"We talked about (kicking to Young)," Newburgh coach C.T. Chatham said. "We felt like we wanted to run down the field, smack them and go into halftime feeling good about ourselves. It didn't turn out the way we had planned."
Monroe-Woodbury held Newburgh scoreless in the second half, and tacked on a 5-yard touchdown run by Trevor Officer. Jamie Boyle added a late 33-yard field goal, his eighth of the year. He also added two extra points, extending his state record to 71 straight.
Scalo scored Monroe-Woodbury's first touchdown, a 6-yard run. Thomas helped tie the score at 7 with a 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.
The Section 9 Class AA playoffs are almost set. As the Division I champ, Monroe-Woodbury is the top seed. Newburgh (4-3, 2-1 Class AA) finishes second in the division, regardless of what happens next week against Kingston. Here's why: If Newburgh finishes 2-2 in the division and tied with Pine Bush or Middletown, Newburgh wins the tie-breaker because it beat both.
Minisink Valley clinched the Division II title Friday night. Warwick will play at Washingtonville on Friday night, with the winner grabbing the second spot in the division and a playoff berth.
So here's how the Class AA playoffs set up, according to the 2008 Section 9 football handbook: Monroe-Woodbury plays the Washingtonville-Warwick winner in a semifinal game 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Middletown. Newburgh plays Minisink Valley in the other semifinal 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Dietz Stadium, Kingston.
The two winners will play for the Class AA championship 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at Middletown. Monroe-Woodbury is the four-time defending champion. The Crusaders close out their league schedule on Friday night at Middletown, looking to make it 40-and-counting.
MIDDLETOWN - Monroe-Woodbury boosted its overall record to 8-0 (4-0 in Class AA-l) by beating league foe Middletown, 38-14, at Faller Field Friday night. Next Friday the Crusaders will meet Warwick in a Class AA semi-final here, also.
Monroe-Woodbury scored on its first two possessions. The first TD came on a 4-yard run by Andrew Tolosi at 8:44 of the opening quarter. Jamie Boyle made his first of five successful PATs to boost his state record to 76 consecutive conversions.
Middletown picked up two first downs on the next series, but the MW defense stopped the Middies on a fourth and two to take possession at the Crusader 41. The fourth play of that drive was a 35-yard jaunt by Dan Scalo to move the pigskin to the Middie 5. Two plays later Trevor Officer scored from the 1 at 2:30. 14-0.
In the second quarter Middletown was forced to punt from its end zone while gave MW the ball at the Middie 28. Scalo ran for 7 yards and then scored on a dazzling 21-yard scamper that threaded its way through the Middletown defense. It was 21-0 with 9:18 left in the half.
After three punts, the Crusaders started a drive at the Middie 39. Tolosi opened the drive with a 36-yard run to the 3, but a hold moved the ball back to the 13. From there Scalo ran it back to the 3 and then scored his second TD of the night with 2:02 left in the half. Boyle’s fourth kick made it 28-0 at the intermission.
The Crusaders opened the second half with a bang as D.J. Young returned the kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter Boyle kicked his ninth field goal of the season at the 7:18 mark to make it 38-0. The 21-yard boot tied the Section Nine record for most field goals in a season.
Middletown went to the airways to score twice in the final quarter. First Phil Madero took a pitch and tossed a 61-yard TD bomb to Eric Bryant with 6:50 left.
Then a Jalon White interception of a Ryan Sinclair pass set up the game’s final score. Madero got the 47-yard drive started by running 20 yards on a Statue of Liberty play. Three plays later Jon Villafane connected with Madero for a 12-yard pass completion. Villafane capped the drive by tossing a 21-yard TD bullet over the middle to Frankie Molina who scored after running into a teammate who was also after the pass. Tyler Hansen’s second successful conversion made the score 38-14.
Monroe-Woodbury dominated the first half with 171 net yards of offense to Middletown’s 22. Scalo finished with 109 yards on 7 rushes, all in the first half. Tolosi was 7-for-51 yards before sitting out the second half as well. Meanwhile Sinclair, who replaced Scalo, rushed 12 times for 59 yards. All of the Crusaders 243 yards came on the ground.
QB Villafane led Middletown’s offense with 23 carries for 63 yards. He also completed 6-of-11 passes for 73 yards. In throwing, Madero was 2-for-2 for 76 yards. Bryant, Molina and Madero each had 2 receptions. Bryant’s were for 87 second half yards.
While the Crusaders head for the playoffs, the Middies (1-3 in AA-l and 3-5 overall) will travel to Albany next Friday to finish their season at CBA.
Here are the Section Nine Championship Games schedule.
On Friday November 7 the Class A title game will be at Dietz while the D game will be at Middletown. Kickoff for both is 7 pm.
On Saturday November 8 the Class C championship game will kick off at 3 pm at Dietz. The Class B title tilt will also be at Dietz (7 pm).
Middletown gets the heavyweight main event. The Class AA championship game will kick off there at 7 pm.
Don’t put your calendars away yet. Here’s the regional schedule:
Friday, November 14 - Class C (Mahopac, 4:30 pm), Class B (Dietz, 7:30 pm) and Class A (Mahopac, 7:30 pm); Saturday, November 15 - Class D (Dietz, 3:30 pm) and Class AA (Dietz, 7:30 pm).
Please note that Section Nine gets the bye this year in the AA regionals. Our Class AA champ will play the Section One-SectionTwo winner in a state semi-final.
Still more. The Eastern State Semi’s (Sections One, Two, Nine, Seven and 10) will again be held at Dietz on November 21 and 22.
On Friday the 21st, Class D (4 pm) and Class A (8 pm) play.
Class C (noon), Class B (4 pm) and Class AA (8 pm) all play on Saturday the 22nd.
Now to wrap all this up, here is the state championship schedule with all games being played at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University.
Saturday, November 29: Class D (11 am), Class C (2 pm) and Class A (5 pm).
Sunday, November 30: Class B (noon) and Class AA (3 pm).
MIDDLETOWN - Monroe-Woodbury has been there before. Crunch time. Lose and you’re out. Dome or go home. So Saturday night the Crusaders cranked it up a notch and rolled over Warwick 52-21 at Faller Field in a Class AA semi-final.
Monroe-Woodbury, aiming for its fourth straight trip to the state finals in Syracuse, had its offensive engine humming as the Cru cranked out 367 net yards of offense. All-state QB and the game’s Offensive MVP, Dan Scalo was his usual, impeccable self as he deftly read the Wildcat defense and led his unit to six first half touchdowns. The Crusader defense, meanwhile, may have played its best game of the season in besting a very solid Warwick offense.
The scoring parade began early as Jamie Boyle capped the game’s opening drive with a 22-yard field goal. The 3-pointer was his 10th of the campaign to set a Section Nine season record. The senior all-state booter also converted all 7 of his PAT opportunities to boost his state record of consecutive successful PAT kicks to 83.
MW’s second possession turned into a 5-play, 69-yard scoring drive, capped by a 13-yard Scalo scamper up the middle at 2:06 of the first quarter to make the score 10-0. A 28-yard run by soph Trevor Officer had preceded the TD.
In the second quarter the Crusaders scored on all four possessions. The first was a 41-yard drive that took 6 plays with Scalo scoring on a 10-yard run at 10:06. Next came a 9-play 55-yard drive that ended with Scalo’s third TD of the night, an 8-yard run at 5:24.
Warwick’s offense was barely on the field when Cru DB Dan Gold intercepted a Rian White pass to set Scalo and Co. up at the Wildcat 37. Four plays later Officer ripped off a 29-yard TD with 2:18 left in the half.
Next another deep kickoff by Boyle and a speeding, kamikaze kick coverage team hemmed the ‘Cats in at their 17. Four plays later a 24-yard Warwick punt and a late hit by the Wildcats on the return gave MW the ball at the Warwick 21. On third and 14 from the 25, Scalo lofted a perfect pass to a leaping Pat Laird who snatched the ball over a defender in the end zone to make the halftime score 38-0.
A lesser team would have mailed in the second half, but to Warwick’s credit the ‘Cats refused to quit. On the opening drive of the third quarter Warwick, aided by three MW penalties, marched 80 yards and scored on a 6-yard TD pass from White to Jesse Testa. Tom Bruder’s kick made it 38-7.
But the Crusaders’ offensive onslaught continued as DJ Young caught a beautiful pass from Scalo and raced into the end zone to complete a 50-yard TD play. Then after Warwick drove from its 20 to midfield, Crusader LB James Boyd picked off a White pass and ran 51 yards for a TD with 1:26 left in the quarter to make it 52-7.
In the fourth quarter Warwick kept throwing the fooball. Jake Winters capped a 22-play 84-yard with a 4-yard TD run. Then Tyler Capellan recovered a John Chalupa fumble at the MW 28 to give the ’Cats another shot at the end zone. Testa’s TD catch of a 13-yard White aerial and Bruder’s third PAT ended the scoring with 2:04 left.
Boyle, with the aid of that kick coverage team of Monroe’s, is quite a weapon beyond his PATs and field goals. On 9 kickoffs the senior booted 3 touchbacks. The average line of scrimmage after the other six kickoffs were returned was the 15. Boyle’s also an excellent punter, but his team’s offensive proficiency on this night precluded his opportunity to demonstrate that skill.
Scalo, who ran for 3 TDs and passed for 2, finished with 15 carries for 113 yards while completing 3-of-5 passes for 76 yards. Meanwhile Officer was the game’s leading rusher with 128 yards on 9 carries. Boyd was named the game’s Defensive MVP.
The Warwick ground game was limited to 25 yards on 19 carries. But, especially in the second half, White filled the air with footballs. The junior’s passing line reads 46 attempts and 34 completions for 206 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. John Babin made 13 catches but for only 79 yards as the Crusader defense didn’t let the gun-slinger launch any deep connections.
Warwick ends its season with a 4-5 record.
Now 9-0 Monroe-Woodbury, the state’s #3 ranked AA team, will play Newburgh Free Academy for the Class AA title next Saturday night in Middletown (7 pm).
Monroe-Woodbury quarterback Dan Scalo runs for his first touchdown against Warwick on Saturday.Times Herald-Record/TOM BUSHEY
By BY RICK REMSNYDER November 01, 2008
MIDDLETOWN — Monroe-Woodbury quarterback Dan Scalo was too busy enjoying a postgame cupcake to worry about the outcome of Saturday night's other Section 9 Class AA semifinal. Following a workmanlike 52-21 win over Warwick at Faller Field, Scalo figured that the Crusaders were ready to take on all comers.
"This was a big game for us because we wanted to get a big head of steam going into the championship game," Scalo said. "This is really what we needed. We needed a game to show that we're still the team to beat. I think we're peaking at the right time."
Monroe-Woodbury (9-0) will face Newburgh (6-3) for the title at 7 p.m. Saturday at Faller Field after the Goldbacks rallied from a late 16-0 deficit to beat Minisink Valley 29-23 in double overtime at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.
Crusaders coach Pat D'Aliso was getting play-by-play updates from the Newburgh-Minisink Valley classic as he conducted a postgame interview. Minisink Valley was ahead at the time, but D'Aliso wasn't counting out Newburgh.
"Newburgh's a great football team," he said of the team that the Crusaders beat 31-15 on Oct. 17. "Obviously, it would be a different matchup than if we played Minisink. We'll just have to see how it turns out and be prepared to play either team."
D'Aliso had nothing but kind words to say about his club's effort — offensively and defensively. Monroe-Woodbury led 38-0 at the half and played as if it were on cruise control. The Crusaders built a 52-7 lead through three quarters until letting up a bit and allowing Warwick (4-5) to close the gap with two fourth-quarter TDs.
Scalo looked very sharp, rushing for 105 yards on 15 carries and scoring three touchdowns.
Jamie Boyle connected on a 22-yard field goal to give the Crusaders a 3-0 lead with 7:36 left in the first quarter. He set a Section 9 record with his 10th field goal of the season.
That's when Scalo took charge, scoring three consecutive TDs on runs of 13, 10 and 8 yards to build a 24-0 lead with 5:24 left in the second quarter.
"He's our go-to kid and he's going to make big plays for you," D'Aliso said. "He can throw the ball enough so you have to respect that. He can hit big passes for touchdowns. He can do it all."
The Crusaders also have a new weapon with lightning-quick running back Trevor Officer in the lineup following injuries to other backs. He reeled off a 29-yard TD run to make it 31-0 after Boyle's conversion kick with 2:18 left in the second quarter. He finished with 141 yards on 10 carries.
"Trevor was behind a senior who got hurt and we knew Trevor had a lot of talent," D'Aliso said. "He wasn't ready to play yet, but he got pressed into service. He gets better every week and people are going to start saying, 'Who's that kid?'"
CLASS AA SECTION NINE CHAMPS
MONROE-WOODBURY 16, NEWBURGH 7
MIDDLETOWN - Usually it’s the Monroe-Woodbury offense that makes all the headlines, but a big fourth and goal stand by the Crusader defense with a minute left in the third quarter may have been the play of the night. Dan Gold stopped Newburgh’s Byron Thomas a yard short of pay dirt to shut down the Goldbacks’ momentum and spark what turned into the Crusaders’ fifth consecutive Section Nine Class AA championship.
After Monroe-Woodbury had taken a 16-7 lead with 4:55 left in the third quarter, it became do-or-die time for coach C.T. Chatham’s NFA squad. Trailing MW by any margin in the second half means big trouble. But a 40-yard kickoff return by Fred Locklary provided a ray of hope. Then the ‘Backs picked up a pair of first downs when the Crusaders were flagged for a late hit out of bounds and a pass interference call to suddenly make it a first and goal at the Cru eight.
On first down Thomas ran for three; however, a false start moved the pigskin back to the 10. On the second down replay, Locklary took off and almost scored as he was stopped inside the one. Then QB Chris Paolini had trouble handling a center snap, making it fourth and goal at the three. So Thomas, one of the heroes of last week’s come-from-behind upset win over Minisink, got the call. But Gold and his teammates came up big.
From there the Crusader offense chewed plenty of time off the game clock, driving for 17 plays from their two to the NFA 43. En route MW picked up five first downs, three of them off third down conversions. The drive produced no points, but by the time Jamie Boyle’s deft 35 yard punt had obediently settled at the Newburgh eight, the Goldbacks, needing two scores, saw that their hopes had been smashed.
To start the game both teams punted on their first possessions. But the Crusaders’ second series saw QB Dan Scalo pick up three first downs on runs of 11 and 10 yards which sandwiched a 26 yard pass to D.J. Young. But Newburgh’s defense stiffened in the red zone, and MW settled for a 24 yard Boyle field goal on the first play of the second quarter to make it 3-0. The field goal was his 11th of the campaign, leaving him one shy of tying the state record.
Boyle’s ensuing kickoff resulted in a touchback. Then Newburgh put together its lone scoring drive of the night which covered 80 yards in 11 plays. Paolini looked very sharp, rushing five times for 48 yards and passing to Locklary for 16. Paolini scored at the 7:19 mark on a seven-yard run. Freshman Mike Demshick’s kick made it 7-3.
The lead was short-lived, however. Ryan Morgan’s 21 yard kickoff return to the Cru 42 set the stage for MW’s first TD of the night. Scalo’s 30 yard run to the NFA seven was the key play. Trevor Officer ran for five with an extra half-the-distance yard tacked on for a facemask penalty. Scalo then plowed in from the one for the score with 5:01 left in the first half.
Then came a bit of a shocker. Placekicker Boyle saw his state-record consecutive PAT streak end at 83 as his kick was wide right. His last missed PAT had occurred on September 23, 2007 in a non-league game played up at Section Four’s Horseheads.
Perhaps the uncharacteristic missed kick was a cue for a little wackiness to take the stage. Following the kickoff touchback, Paolini went to work. The senior QB played the entire game as his co-starting QB, John Pliego, was sidelined with an injury. A 21 yard hookup with Dareon Meyers was good for a first down at the 46. Then the drive was sustained on a roughing the kicker call to give NFA continued life at the MW 43. After the second of three Crusader sacks on the drive, Paolini tossed a 19-yard pass to Myron Johnson at the 31.
Next the QB was dropped for a yard loss. Then with no times outs remaining for NFA, he spiked the ball on second down. On third down he threw an incomplete pass, trying to hit Myers who was closely guarded by Young.
Then came some controversy. Everyone at Faller Field knew it was fourth down except the officials. The fans screamed. The Crusader bench was livid. All the official stat-takers in the press box knew but had no way to contact referee Dick Falzano. So after a long huddle the officiating crew changed the marker to fourth down which drew the ire of the Newburgh sideline. So for some inexplicable reason, it became third down again.
The fired-up Crusader defense responded by sacking Paolini. Then on fourth (or fifth) down, Paolini threw an incompletion to end the half, the sound and the fury. So it was 9-7 at the intermission.
Monroe-Woodbury scored on its first possession of the second half which was set up by Andrew Tolisi‘s 16-yard punt return. Scalo capped a six-play, 44-yard drive with an 18-yard TD pass to Pat Laird. Boyle then started a new streak by converting the PAT to make it 16-7.
Despite the pounding Newburgh was dishing out to him, Scalo still rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries. Sophomore Officer rushed six times for 31 yards while Tolosi was 12-for-36 and Young one-for-five yards.
In passing, Scalo completed three-of five for 56 yards, one TD and no interceptions. Paolini’s passing stat line reads six-for-14 for 71 yards with no TDs or interceptions.
Locklary was NFA’s leading rusher with 40 yards on seven carries. Paolini, sacked five times, finished with 29 yards on 17 carries. Meanwhile Robert Graham was six-for-24, Thomas four-for-11 and Myers one-for-one.
Monroe-Woodbury finished with 235 net yards of offense to Newburgh’s 176.
Scalo was named the Offensive MVP while MW’s Omari Byfield, who recorded six tackles and was in on three sacks, was named the Defensive MVP.
Monroe-Woodbury, now 10-0, will have a bye next week as Section One champ New Rochelle faces Section Two kingpin LaSalle in the regional next Saturday night at Dietz. The Crusaders will meet the winner in the Eastern State Semi-Final at Dietz on Saturday the 22nd at 8 pm.
MW beat LaSalle on the road, 26-7, back on September 19. Last year the Crusaders topped LaSalle, 42-20, in the regional before downing New Rochelle, 22-16, in the state semi.
Monroe-Woodbury celebrates its victory over Newburgh in the Class AA title game.
Times Herald-Record/TOM BUSHEY November 08, 2008
Monroe-Woodbury won its fifth straight Section 9 Class AA football championship Saturday, defeating Newburgh Free Academy 16-7 at Middletown High.
Monroe-Woodbury also defeated Newburgh 31-15 on Oct. 17. Monroe-Woodbury hasn’t lost to a Section 9 opponent since 2003, and now has a 42-game winning streak against Section 9 competition.
Monroe-Woodbury (10-0) receives a bye into the state semifinals and will play Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.
Jamie Boyle put Monroe-Woodbury on the board first with a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Newburgh responded with a drive capped by Chris Paolini’s 7-yard touchdown run that gave Newburgh a 7-3 lead.
Monroe-Woodbury regained the lead when Dan Scalo took it in from the 1 to make it 9-7.
In the third quarter, Monroe-Woodbury made it 16-7 when Scalo hit Pat Laird for an 18-yard touchdown pass.
Newburgh is 6-4.
Up Next
The winner receives a bye to the state semifinals and will play Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. at Dietz Stadium in Kingston
After a bye week Monroe-Woodbury returns to the gridiron this Saturday night at Dietz (8 pm) to play Section One’s New Rochelle in the Class AA Eastern State Semi-Final. The Crusaders will be attempting to go to the state championship game at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse for the fourth consecutive year. New Rochelle has other ideas.
Monroe-Woodbury and New Rochelle are no strangers. They met in the state semi back in 2004. The Huguenots, led by Ray Rice, had their way with the Crusaders, handing the locals a 47-0 pasting. After that game Coach Pat D’Aliso decided it was time to install a new offensive wrinkle and went to a spread option attack with talented junior Greg Sullivan (who now quarterbacks Colgate) as the shotgun quarterback. In 2005 the Crusaders had the bye in the regional and then rolled to the state title, led by Sullivan and an outstanding defensive.
In 2006 MW and New Rochelle met up again, this time in the Hudson Valley Regional Quarterfinal. With Sullivan still at the helm, the Cru topped a shocked New Ro team, 14-7. Then last year with sophomore Dan Scalo at quarterback and a big senior offensive line in front of him, the Crusaders and Huguenots met again, this time in the semi-final. A 22-16 victory punched Monroe-Woodbury’s third straight ticket to Syracuse.
This year the two sectional champs meet again in the semi. So who will get the Big Trip this year?
“Look, it’s really the breaks that determine a game like this,” says Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D’Aliso. “Last year fate - or luck or whatever you want to call it - played a big role. So far as getting to the championship game four straight times, that takes more than being good. There’s always luck involved. Look at what just happened to (Long Island’s) William Floyd. They won 42 straight games and then when you least expect it, they lose.”
The veteran D’Aliso may be a bit of a fatalist but he’s also the most prepared coach you’ll run into. Fate or a better team or coach may beat him, but no one will outwork him. He’ll always put his team in a position to win before the dice are rolled.
We talked to the coach between his bites of a quick dinner and before other phone calls came in. Here’s how the conversation went:
So how did the bye week go?
“It gives us a little advantage. We’ve been going at it for 13 weeks so we gave the kids a couple of days off to heal. Otherwise we kept to our normal practice routine.”
What kind of game-prepping could you do that week without knowing who your opponent would be?
“We’ve been preparing for New Rochelle all along. We guessed they would beat LaSalle and we guessed right. Last year they had the week off; this year we get the advantage.”
Has going to the Dome these last three years influenced your coaching philosophy?
“We coach just as hard no matter who we play. I work my usual 14-16 hour day. The difference is that’s there’s just more pressure - the pressure to go back to the Dome. I don’t know if any team has been there four straight times.”
Right now you have over twice as many underclassmen on your varsity roster as seniors. How do you feel about that?
“I’m elated by how we’ve done because we’re a very, very young team. That means the future looks bright. It’s a win-win situation. I don’t think anyone thought we would go this far this year.”
Tell us about some of those underclassmen.
“Trevor Officer is a good example. He transfered up here from the Bronx and played freshman ball. Then he went right to the varsity. There’s an enormous gap between those two levels. Then when Chris Crosby got hurt, he got significant playing time. He finally got going in the NFA game, and now he’s our starting fullback.
“Josh Skowronski started last year as a freshman and now he is one of our two players who go both ways. Andrew Tolosi is a junior who played a little last year and is now an important part of our offense. On the offensive line both of our tackles are juniors who have really improved - Cody Villman and TimGrupp. Pat Laird and Kareem Edwards are both junior receivers and there are others behind them. They don’t get to see many passes because we have D.J. Young out there. And Danny (Scalo) is Danny.
“On the defensive side our free safety Ryan Morgan has played a big role for us along with (tackle) Jordan Bari and (end) Jeff Scheels. They’re all juniors. Our young kids have really stepped up for us. This is the most successful they’ve been. We have a great mix this year.”
You already mentioned D. J. Young, a senior corner back and wide receiver who’s committed to Eastern Michigan University. Now let me ask you about your other D-1 guy, kicker Jamie Boyle who’s headed for the University of Central Florida. Did the missed PAT that stopped his streak at 83 consecutive successful PATs affect him in any way?
“Jamie doesn’t care about records any more. He’s already set a couple of them and has achieved more than anyone expected. Jamie is irreplaceable. He can kick a field goal from the 40, so defenses can’t afford to bend. They have to worry about stopping us before we get into the red zone.
How about his punts and kickoffs?
“He can spot his punts and probably his kickoffs, too. But I want him to put his kickoffs into the end zone! Scoring on an 80-yard drive isn’t easy.”
Tell us about your defense.
“It’s very simple. If (defensive coordinator Bernie) Connolly can’t get it done, there’s nothing more I can do. We’ve let teams play with us but we have been able to sustain the win.”
How much of your team’s success comes from two-platooning?
“When we practice I am able to work with the offense while Bernie takes the defense and then Jim Hintze gets his time with the specials. Most other teams split up their practices, days and people. So a kid who plays both ways only gets half of the time on each side of the ball.
"When you two-platoon, a coach can make better use of the average athlete. But the kid going both ways gets more plays, more hits and nicks - and that adds up over a season. Kids playing only one way suffer less from injury and fatigue. Being able to focus on one side of the ball - that’s huge! Over the last seven or eight years, we‘ve had only one or two kids playing both ways (each season).”
Okay, we can’t finish without asking you about junior Dan Scalo’s progress this year.
“Danny has matured a lot this year. He was frustrated at first with the new line. There was just no blocking and no seams for him. He really got beat up the first three weeks, but he never yelled at his linemen.
“He’s a great quarterback and leader and has shown a lot of maturity. He’s bigger and stronger - six-three and 205. He led us to the Dome last year. To play in a state championship game can be scary - especially for a sophomore.”
Danny still has another year left after this one. His two backups are seniors, so I know you’ve got his next backup and ultimate successor waiting in the wings.
“Yes, his backup played freshman ball this year and will be with us next year. On the varsity we’ve been working a lot with all of next year’s seniors, and we’ve really been able to accelerate their progress. You’ve got to be thinking ahead.”
So how do you match up with New Rochelle?
“Individually, the matchup between D. J. Young and their Tremayne Williams should be very interesting. They’re both D-1 talents and they both play wide receiver and defensive back. Williams also runs the ball. They’ll probably see a lot of each other.
“Overall there are a lot of similarities between our teams. We both play a good solid defense and we like running the ball but will throw if we have to. It’s unrealistic for people to think that we’re just going to coast into the championship game. We’ll have our hands full with New Rochelle.”
Monroe-Woodbury is currently ranked the #2 Class AA team in the state behind Section Six’s Orchard Park. Both are 10-0. New Rochelle (9-1) is ranked #6. Tomorrow we’ll have all the state rankings for you.
As much as we’d like to forget it, I guess we should make a few parting comments about last weekend’s 0-for-Four. The Classes B, C and D contests were very disappointing while the A was heartbreaking.
We must say, however, that Ellenville’s ground game against Croton-Harmon in the Class C regional was impressive. With 11 hungry Tiger defenders playing in the box, the Blue Devils still rushed 54 times for 258 yards (4.8 per carry). Running backs Don Exner and Eric Thayer are as tough as they come and proved their grit Friday. It’s a shame that their ground efforts weren’t complemented by the excellent aerial attack Ellenville featured the past two years. But don’t blame the Ellie ‘O’ for the loss. Croton-Harmon’s offense was just too talent-laden. The huge Devil line held its own in the trenches most of the game, but the Tigers’ skill kids (especially QB Nick Mainiero and big FB Dan Lutz) were too much for the locals. Croton-Harmon scored on each of its possessions except for the last which ended at the Devil 13 when time expired.
Class B went as expected. Defending state champ and six-time defending Section One champ Rye was just too much for Highland. Meanwhile in Class D, Chester allowed sharkish Tuckahoe to smell blood in the water early in the game. Two Hambo fumbles turned into two Tuck TDs that made it 12-0 only 10 minutes into the first quarter. Soon after it was 19-0. Chester scored twice before the half to make it 19-12. A Hambo pass was intercepted in the Tiger end zone on Chester’s first drive of the second half, however, stopping the momentum and putting fresh blood into the water to set the tone for the rest of the game.
As for the Class A game, I guess I’ve already had my say on the matter. I said too much, according to one or two critics; but I must add this post script. One of the linesmen wrote to inform me that he wasn’t the one who had thrown the flag that wiped Kevin Arduino’s last second touchdown off the board. He stated that it had been the umpire who had dropped the hanky. Surprisingly, the linesman didn’t demand my head on a platter. Instead the gentleman later wrote that he appreciated my expunging the mistake and added, “It’s a shame that such a great contest is tarnished by that ending.” Take that for what it’s worth which is probably a lot more than my ranting. Nyack’s a very good ball club and we wish those guys well. They certainly showed Arduino their respect after the game. But we surely would have liked seeing Kevin and his mates, who worked so hard in the offseason and during the season, do their thing a couple more times.
COUNT ‘EM UP
Last week I stated that most teams in the east have an easier path to Syracuse than those in the western part of the state. Rich Michaelis quickly did the tallies that back up y assertion.
First off, Classes AA and A are just about equal. Then the figures really tell the story. In AA there are 41 in the east compared to the west’s 45. In A it’s 47 in the east to 49 in the west. But in both Classes B and C the west has 20 more teams than the east: 33-53 in B and 39-59 in C. The biggest discrepancy comes in Class D, however, where the east is outnumbered 18-70. Here in the Hudson Valley there are only 5 Class D teams between Sections One and Nine making regional champ Tuckahoe the best of only five teams so far! Overall there are 178 football teams in the east compared to the west’s 276.
Of course New York City and Long Island, if they were ever to join the state playoff party, would easily balance things out. I’ll let Rich compute those numbers.
THE CRU SHOULD SURPASS FLOYDTHIS WEEK
Speaking of Long Island, William Floyd of Section 11 saw an end to its 42-game winning streak this past weekend. Floyd had been the #2 ranked AA team in the state, according to the NYSSWA poll. So Monroe-Woodbury, our one remaining tournament team, should move up a notch into that #2 spot. The #1 team is still Section Six’s Orchard Park which meets Section Four’s Binghamton this weekend in the western semi-final.
If either Orchard Park or M-W should win the state title game, the winner could be determined the NYSSWA Class AA #1 with no other team in a current poll position to tie it. Binghamton is also unbeaten but is ranked below unbeaten Catholic power Iona Prep which doesn‘t participate in the state tournament. New Rochelle, Iona’s neighbor and long-time rival, has a loss and is also ranked below Iona Prep. But let’s wait to see how this weekend pans out before we go further on that subject.
The Crusaders will have a battle on their hands in this Saturday’s showdown with New Rochelle. M-W is the home team for this one, so its fans better get there early because many New Rochelle fans love those home side seats.
Pat D’Aliso reports that last week’s bye was good for his Crusaders who also had a bye in 2005 when MW won the state title game.
“We guessed right,” D’Aliso said. “We guessed that New Rochelle would win the (regional) game and worked on a game plan for them last week.”
Monroe-Woodbury had played and beaten LaSalle, New Rochelle’s opponent, up in Troy earlier in the season.
New Rochelle had the regional bye last year but didn’t get much extra time to rest and practice for the semi because Section One had started its season a week later than the other sections in the state. But this year Section One got with the program, and so far it’s paid off.
TOMORROW look for our interview with Coach D’Aliso.
--- Phil Dusenbury
Wednesday, November 19 Gleason: Villmann's appetite for success
CENTRAL VALLEY — His coach wanted him to gain 20 pounds, so Cody Villmann gained 50. Hey, what's a ravenous teen football player to do when he's told to put on a few?
"I had fun,' Villmann said with a mischievous smile, "becoming an offensive lineman.'
Villmann has fun doing just about everything, whether organizing team-wide ping-pong games or working the burger counter at McDonald's or clearing out wide bodies as Monroe-Woodbury's right tackle.
There's usually a big smile attached, and I mean a big smile: He's 6-foot-31/2, 265 pounds and just a junior.
"As soon as coach (Pat) D'Aliso told me to, there was no argument,' Villmann said, smiling again. "So I started eating.'
On Saturday, Villmann will try to clear sufficient space for Monroe-Woodbury against Westchester County's New Rochelle in the state Class AA semifinals. The winner will play for the state title at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.
"We never expected to get this far because of how many people we lost" to graduation, Villmann said. "Our size went down. But things started clicking as the season went along.'
Villmann is a fine illustration of why Monroe-Woodbury has turned the Carrier Dome into an annual November stomping ground. He was a tight end on the modified and jayvee teams. But D'Aliso, an eye always on the future, asked Villmann to gain some weight before last season.
Villmann went from 200 pounds to 250 as a sophomore and learned the nuances of the O-line from the bench. That undoubtedly made for one colorful bench with Villmann's sense of humor.
"I usually take it a little too far,' he said. "I've actually gotten better with it.'
Actually he's gotten much better with it, said his coaches.
Assistant Jim Hintze, who works with the linemen, said Villmann has matured a lot since last season. More rare are the moments when he's joking around or being inattentive during practices.
But Villmann is still working on it. He chuckled remembering Hintze pacing angrily when the equipment truck was late arriving to Monroe-Woodbury's game against Newburgh Free Academy for the Section 9 title game. And the team funny man is dead serious when kickoff approaches.
"Last week in practice, coach D'Aliso made me run laps,' Villmann said. "I guess I kind of dozed off when he was talking.'
D'Aliso promptly gave Villmann a pop quiz on a certain New Rochelle scheme.
But Villmann would do anything for his coaches and teammates. Dissatisfied with Hintze's review of his play after a late-season game, Villmann took home the game film to see for himself. Thus began a weekly habit of bringing home film to study his play and the opponent's schemes.
"He's matured tremendously as a person and as a football player,' Hintze said. "Cody's taken on a leadership role.'
He's definitely "the most carefree and outgoing' of the five Villmann kids. But Cody is so much more than the resident jokester.
He's an 80-something average student whose reading interests span from sports biographies to classical literature to U.S. history. He's devoured the entire Harry Potter series. He loves his third-period class, Acting I, and is looking forward to public speaking and debate next semester.
Villmann also has read every single post on the Times Herald-Record's Varsity845.com football forum, an online debate of local football that has brought him considerable amusement.
So far, Villmann has resisted the temptation to add his 2 cents. But the by-minute dialogue magnifies the level of importance folks place on high school football. Villmann appreciates the interest and respects the dedication it takes to play for a perennial power.
Yeah, there's pressure to perform well.
"But it's a commitment we owe to the coaches,' Villmann said. "We fulfill an obligation to them.'
Words like that just might get Hintze to forget the three Big Macs owed him by a certain right tackle. Villmann bet Hintze he didn't own the four pingpong paddles he claimed when Villmann needed one to play between August three-a-day practices.
"I might start a pingpong tournament at Monroe-Woodbury,' Villmann laughed. "That would be my legacy.'
kgleason@th-record.com
LIVE SCORING UPDATES
WE'LL HAVE LIVE scoring updates from all five state semifinal football games this weekend at Varsity845.com.
State football semifinals
Five games at Dietz Stadium in Kingston will determine the eastern New York representative in the state football championships. Here's the schedule:
Friday
Class D: Moriah vs. Tuckahoe, 4 p.m.
Class A: Burnt Hills vs. Nyack, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Class C: Saranac Lake vs. Croton Harmon, noon
Class B: Hudson Falls vs. Rye, 4 p.m.
Class AA: New Rochelle vs. Monroe-Woodbury, 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 22 CRUSADERS AND HUGUENOTS GO AT IT TONIGHT IN CLASS AA SEMI-FINAL
Crusader WR Patrick Laird
Tonight at Dietz (8 pm) Monroe-Woodbury will battle New Rochelle in the Eastern Semi-Final for the right to move on to the Carrier Dome and play for the state Class AA title. That game will be played on Sunday, November 30 with a 1 pm kickoff.
Since the complete state tournament began in 1993, New Rochelle has played in a state title game four times (1993, 1994, 2000, and 2003). In 2003 the Huguenots won the state AA crown. In 2005 the Crusaders won the state AA title. A win over New Rochelle tonight would give MW its fourth consecutive appearance in a Dome championship game.
Three other teams have already been there four consecutive times (Caledonia-Mumford, Lackawanna and Dobbs Ferry). But the team with the most consecutive appearances has been Class B Chenango Forks with five (2001-5). Chalking up streaks like that hasn’t been easy.
Section One’s New Rochelle brings a strong and swift defense to Dietz Stadium. The Huguenots have allowed but 94 points this season, and 34 of those came in the team’s only loss, the season’s opener (34-28) to Carmel. Since then New Rochelle has recorded four shutouts since the loss. New Ro got its revenge by blanking Carmel, 34-0, in the sectional title game. The Huguenot ‘D’ is led by senior safety Tremayne Williams (6, 187), linebackers Lou DiRienzo (5-10, 206, junior) and Dave Ugarte (5-11, 192 senior) and DB Shawn Day (5-8, 140 senior).
Offensively, New Rochelle went to a ground attack against Carmel last week with fullback Chris Cherry (5-8, 192 senior) garnering the game’s offensive MVP award. Williams and Ugarte also got carries as did QB Jonny McGhee (5-10, 162 junior). Not a great passer, McGhee can still get the job done; but his forte is probably his rushing ability. The Huguenots have averaged almost 30 points per game.
Monroe-Woodbury has had a run-oriented offense all season, and will happily stick to the ground if all-state QB Dan Scalo has his seams to squeeze through, Andrew Tolosi can use his speed to get around the corners a few times and Trevor Officer can lend some bursts of power. Needless-to-say, the solid Crusader o-line will have a big say in the game's outcome.
If the Huguenot defense bunches up for the run, Pat D’Aliso won’t be shy in letting Scalo cut loose with a couple of mid or long-range bombs to D.J. Young or Pat Laird.
Then there’s the Jamie Boyle factor. MW's Boyle has missed only one PAT this year after setting a state record for consecutive successful PATs. Meanwhile his 11 field goals this season include boots of 42 and 43 yards.
As usual the Crusaders will be out to wear down their opponents. The Purple ‘D’ will also look for Boyle’s punts and kickoffs to give the New Ro offense a long field. MW can afford to bend a bit but it can’t afford New Ro’s offense to have any breakaways.
Here are the probable starters for Monroe-Woodbury:
Offense - TE - Erich Goetz, RT- Cody Villman, RG - Josh Skowronski, C- Dave Fasano, LG - Ryan Jones, LT - Tim Grupp, WR - Pat Laird, WR - D.J. Young, QB - Dan Scalo, RB - Andrew Tolosi, FB - Trevor Officer.
Defense - DE- Joe Loyacono, DT - Jordan Bari, NG - Garret Hipsman, DE - Jeff Scheels, LB - James Boyd, LB- Josh Skowronski, DB/LB - Omari Byfield, DB/LB - Ryan Morgan, DB - D.J.Young, DB - Dayne Warshofsky, DB- Dan Gold.
Monroe-Woodbury Jamie Boyle kicks a field goal during practice at Newburgh Free Academy on Nov. 19, 2008.Times Herald-Record/TOM BUSHEY
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 22, 2008
Pat D'Aliso got a phone call three summers ago. Somebody's son wanted to kick for the Monroe-Woodbury football team, and wanted the coach to tell him how to go about it.
"The first thing I think," D'Aliso says, "is, 'Oh my goodness.' I hear it all the time. He was going into his sophomore year. He kicked on the field and I was, 'We can use him.' So we worked it out with the soccer team, and he ended up kicking for us."
That's how Jamie Boyle, one of the best all-around kickers this area has seen, ended up Monroe-Woodbury's kicker. Now a senior, he's hoping to help the Crusaders reach the Class AA state championship game for the third straight year. Monroe-Woodbury won the state title the year before Boyle joined the team.
Monroe-Woodbury plays New Rochelle in a state semifinal game at 8 p.m. Saturday at Dietz Stadium in Kingston. Boyle's already set two Section 9 records this season, one state record and is closing in on a second.
So how does D'Aliso feel about losing his kicker next year to the University of Central Florida?
"He's unreplaceable next year," D'Aliso says
Mr. Touchback
Boyle puts roughly 85 percent of his kickoffs in the end zone, D'Aliso estimates, which gives Monroe-Woodbury a tremendous advantage on defense.
"When a team starts on the 20 (yard line) at the high school level," D'Aliso says, "the chance of going the length of the field is miniscule."
Newburgh Free Academy runs three different plays on kickoff returns, but only spends time on one of them heading into games against Monroe-Woodbury because of Boyle's length.
"If we can get to the 21-yard line," Chatham says, "we felt like we won."
An easy decision
Given the choice of fourth-and-whatever or sending Boyle out to kick a field goal of 45 yards or less, D'Aliso is kicking the field goal. Boyle has 11 field goals this year, and has connected from 50 yards or better during practice.
"When you have a kid who can kick a 50-yard field goal, that changes the complexion of the game," New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo said. "North Rockland has had kicking like that, and now Monroe-Woodbury does. If you can kick field goals, it becomes a field-position game."
Boyle's presence puts more pressure on opposing defenses, because they know they must stop Monroe-Woodbury outside field-goal range.
Over the lights
Boyle averages about 40 yards a punt, special teams coach Jim Hintze estimates, but you probably can count the number of punts Boyle has had returned on one hand.
"He kicks the ball really high, and that scares the heck out a lot of high school kids to try and even catch that ball," D'Aliso says.
Shaking it off
As a sophomore, Boyle missed an extra point in overtime as Auburn beat Monroe-Woodbury 27-26 in the 2006 Class AA state final.
"It's history," D'Aliso says. "He went on to kick 83 straight extra points. Most high school kids at 15, that would have destroyed them. He came off the field and I said, 'Don't worry, you're going to help us down the road.'"
Yeah, it kind of turned out that way.
"I was (angry)," Boyle says, "but it gave me an incentive to get better."
The secret
"It's how you hit the ball," Boyle says. "It's not really how strong you are. Anybody can hit it 50 yards. You have to have your foot and body in the right position, kind of even with the ball."
For the record
Boyle's streak of consecutive extra points made was snapped at a state-record 83, when he missed in the Section 9 Class AA title game against Newburgh Free Academy. He kicked his Section 9-record 11th field goal of the season in that game. The state record is 12, set by Greece Olympia's John Butera in 2000.
kwitt@th-record.com
Saturday, November 22 Five things you should know about Monroe-Woodbury football
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 22, 2008
Garrett Hipsman is one of Monroe-Woodbury's two captains. So aside from playing some pretty good football from his starting nose-guard position, he's also got a pretty good feel for the pulse of his team.
My talented teammate
"We have a Division I athlete, D.J. Young, and he knows it. He knows he's good. He likes to show he's good. He'll beat someone, then he'll joke that he beat you. But he knows when to stop joking around and when to be serious. He does loosen things up when we're having a hard day of practice."
Throw out the razors
"Whoever can grow a beard usually tries to grow a beard during sections. We don't shave from the section tournament until as far as we get. Moose, he's our sophomore linebacker, Josh Skowronski, he's got an intense one going.
"Dayne Warshofsky likes to think he has a beard, but he doesn't. Danny (Scalo) had one, but he shaved his because he wanted to get a haircut. I told him I didn't like that."
Eating is good fun
"We love to get pizza and wings together, mostly during the off-season. We usually hang out. Last year, we used to do it before every game, but we don't really have the time or the place for it. So we try to do it on a free Saturday or Sunday."
Commitment to excellence
"Most of the kids in the program just play football, but we've got some who do wrestling and lacrosse. Football is very time-consuming. What people don't understand is that the linemen, we don't like to move much. But we play because we love it. Off-season, we try to do as little as possible, but work pretty much 11 months out of the year. We get December off."
He said, 'What?'
"The offensive bus rides, they make fun of each other all the time. I'm on the defensive bus, but nothing really happens on defense. The offense plays a game, 'I didn't say it, but I heard it,' and they make fun of each other and have a good time."
Friday, November 21 M-W a recognized force
Road to state greatness not easy in beginning
QB Dan Scalo, right, took over the offense and led the Crusaders back to Syracuse last season, but they met their match against powerful West Genessee, losing 42-21.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 21, 2008
On a frosty Saturday night in Kingston, Monroe-Woodbury will take on New Rochelle with a chance to reach the state Class AA football championship game for the fourth straight year.
Think about that. For the seniors, they've known nothing but remarkable success for their school's football program since they walked through the high school doors.
Followers of the team can legitimately look at their calendars when a new schedule is released and book hotel rooms for Syracuse — because for the last three years, Monroe-Woodbury has played there for the title.
Kids who play in the local youth football leagues can talk about one day playing at the Carrier Dome, because since 2005, there's no reason for them to think they won't.
But it wasn't always that way. Not by a long shot. When Monroe-Woodbury became the first Section 9 Class AA team to win a state tournament game in 2004, the entire section's record in state play going into that day was 11-63-1.
It seems the only thing we've known the last decade is Monroe-Woodbury as a quality team. The Crusaders won sectional Class AA titles in 1998, 2000, then every year since 2004 — seven in all, with each followed by the state tournament.
But their reputation around the state? That took a whole lot longer to develop, and, in some cases, folks still aren't convinced. Here is a look at Monroe-Woodbury's 10-year rise to power.
1998
In the third year of Class AA football, Monroe-Woodbury won the Section 9 championship. Kingston won in 1996, Newburgh Free Academy in 1997. Both lost in the state tournament. Monroe-Woodbury played Albany-area Troy in the state quarterfinals.
Troy lost in the state Class A semis in 1993, won the Class A state title in 1996, then lost in the final in 1997. Troy was coached by Jack Burger, who graduated from Newburgh. So he knew all about Monroe-Woodbury, quarterbacked by Andre McLeod.
"But we were on a pretty good roll ourselves," said Burger, still Troy's coach. "When you have kids, 15, 16, 17, 18 years old, they have no clue about the other team. They only know what we told them on the scouting report. But for them, it was another step to get back to the Dome."
Monroe-Woodbury lost 15-13 to Troy, trailing 15-6 until a late touchdown. Troy recovered an onsides kick and closed out the game. Monroe-Woodbury had a 10-0 record heading in, but was ranked just seventh in the state. It was its first undefeated regular season since 1982. Troy went on to win the state Class AA title.
"I think Section 9 was looked at as crap, the easy route," said Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso. "Section 1 and 2 looked at 9 like that always."
2000
Monroe-Woodbury won its second Section 9 title in three years, then faced New Rochelle in the state quarterfinals. Both came into the game unbeaten. Matt DeBlasio was Monroe-Woodbury's quarterback.
"We thought we could play with them, which turned out to be untrue," D'Aliso said.
New Rochelle led 28-6 at the half, then went on to win 42-12. New Rochelle reached the state final, but lost.
"I knew Pat and (defensive coordinator) Bernie (Connolly) had been there for a while," said New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo. "When you have continuity, that's good for a program. My perception of them was that they had a good team, but we went that year."
This dropped Section 9's Class AA record to 0-5 in the state playoffs, with its teams outscored by a collective 155-65 margin.
2004
Section 9's Class AA losing streak in the state tournament was snapped at eight games as Monroe-Woodbury beat Section 2 champion Saratoga Springs 42-7 in the quarterfinals behind four-year starting quarterback Matt Stack.
"We didn't look at them like they hadn't won a (state tournament) game," said Saratoga coach Blaise Iuliano. "We saw them as a school with a good quarterback. Their running back (Danny Lexandra) went crazy and their wide receiver (Mike Septh) was good.
"What I remember was the enthusiasm from their crowd. We were well-represented, but seeing that kind of support, you could see they had something good going."
Iuliano admitted Section 9 hadn't yet established much of a state reputation.
"When the champ came out of Section 1, you knew they were good because they played some pretty good schools," Iuliano said. "Section 9, that wasn't the case. But we weren't taking anybody lightly, because we weren't all that great."
Monroe-Woodbury's season ended the following week, losing to New Rochelle 41-0 in the state semifinals. Seven players from that New Rochelle team would go on to play Division I college football.
Monroe-Woodbury set a single-season school record with 11 victories. Things were moving in the right direction.
2005
Monroe-Woodbury switched from the option offense to this new thing called the spread. Its new quarterback — Greg Sullivan — was a defensive back the previous year.
The Crusaders rolled to the Section 9 title, drawing an opening-round bye into the state semifinals. There, it faced undefeated Section 1 power North Rockland, which had scored 40 points in a game six times.
Monroe-Woodbury shocked the state, winning 28-0 to reach its first state championship game.
"We were on a pretty good roll then," said North Rockland coach Joe Casarella. "People probably thought we were the favorites going into that contest. We had won the (Section 1) title back and were undefeated. I think the kids saw this as one more step to get to the final.
"They had that spread, and that Sullivan kid was good. I think that game really changed the perception of Monroe-Woodbury."
Next came Rochester-area champ Webster Thomas, ranked No. 1 in New York and seventh in the Northeast region by USA Today. Monroe-Woodbury fell behind 7-0, but won 32-10 as Sullivan threw three touchdown passes. The Crusaders finished 12-0 and became the section's first state football champ since Rondout Valley won the Class B title in 2000.
Still, there's this:
"People thought it was a fluke," D'Aliso said.
2006
Monroe-Woodbury won its third straight sectional title, then drew New Rochelle in the state quarterfinals. The Crusaders, who were tremendous defensively that year, had the state's longest active winning streak. After beating New Rochelle 14-7, that streak was extended to 23 games.
One long-time Section 1 observer believes that was the victory that finally earned Monroe-Woodbury the respect of that corner of the state. Not only that, but as many as 30 Section 1 teams experimented with the spread offense, given Monroe-Woodbury's success.
"We didn't have any scholarship players on that team," said DiRienzo, New Rochelle's coach. "Monroe-Woodbury was the better team that day. I thought our kids did a good job holding them to just 14 points."
Monroe-Woodbury made it 24 straight wins by blanking Christian Brothers Academy of Albany 21-0 in the state semifinals. Sullivan threw three touchdown passes.
The streak ended a week later, when Monroe-Woodbury lost 27-26 in overtime to Syracuse-area champion Auburn before a Carrier Dome crowd of about 15,000.
"When we reached the Dome again and played Auburn, people around the state knew we weren't a fluke," D'Aliso said. "They couldn't say we were a one-year fluke. Anybody could do it once. But now we were perceived differently."
2007
Sullivan graduated, leaving the quarterback job to a sophomore named Danny Scalo. Like Sullivan, Scalo was entrusted to run the spread offense. And boy, did he ever. On his way to 42 total touchdowns, he led the Crusaders to their fourth straight sectional title.
Monroe-Woodbury opened the state tournament with a 42-20 quarterfinal victory over Albany-area champ LaSalle. It was Monroe-Woodbury's third straight state tournament victory over a Section 2 team.
The Crusaders then beat New Rochelle for the second straight year, rallying to win 22-16 in the state semifinals. That earned Monroe-Woodbury another trip to the Carrier Dome and another shot at a state championship.
"My perception has always been they've been a good program," DiRienzo said. "But playing for a state title three years in a row, that speaks volumes about their program."
The Crusaders never had chance the next week, losing to the Syracuse-area champion again.
West Genessee steam-rolled Monroe-Woodbury 42-21. Quarterback Tim Moran threw three touchdown passes. West Genessee coach Steve Bush was plucked from this staff by the Miami Dolphins.
2008
Despite its recent run of state-level success, Monroe-Woodbury was ranked just seventh in the first Class AA state poll of the year. When it was released, the Crusaders were 2-0 and Scalo had recently been picked as one of the top 50 high school juniors in the country by The Sporting News.
D'Aliso, who normally is very cautious about what he says and doesn't say, also had heard some rumblings during the summer and wasn't happy about the way Monroe-Woodbury was perceived.
"It's kind of the same that it is every year." D'Aliso told the Times Herald-Record in August. "So we're basically back to replacing 16-17 starters as we normally do. As far as I look at it philosophically, I'll let the rest of the section, like the media and the Web sites, everyone to keep thinking that we're not that good and they're a lot better, and just continue saying that.
"There are talks. There are blogs. There are coaches that have conversations. But generally speaking, it's always Monroe-Woodbury lost 15, 16, 17, 18 kids. I heard the same story in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Let them keep thinking that. ... Collectively, that's the view of the section and that's the view of the state a lot. Good. I want them to think how bad we are and how great they are."
Three months later, Monroe-Woodbury is 10-0 — and 57-3 since the start of the 2004 season. The Crusaders have won 42 straight games against Section 9 competition, and again have the eyes of the state upon them.
"I think there's a feeling they can play with anybody down here," said Casarella, North Rockland's coach.
This is the third straight year Monroe-Woodbury and New Rochelle have met in the state tournament. Monroe-Woodbury (10-0) received an opening-round bye as the Section 9 champion. Section I (Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Dutchess counties) champ New Rochelle (10-1) reached this game with a 33-7 state-quarterfinal victory over Albany-area champ LaSalle (Section 2).
Monroe-Woodbury won 14-7 in 2006, then 22-16 last year, both times at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.
New Rochelle returns starting quarterback Jonny McGhee. The team operates out of the Wing-T, yet McGhee has thrown 18 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Tremayne Williams has been his favorite target (16 catches, seven touchdowns). This has to be an area of concern for Monroe-Woodbury, which has been vulnerable — though not as much lately — against the pass.
Chris Cherry is the team's leading rusher with 449 yards, and averages more than five yards per carry. Williams averages close to six yards per carry, McGhee nearly eight. The three have combined for 10 rushing touchdowns.
Kicker Marvill Martin is reliable on extra points, but has not made a field goal this season.
New Rochelle, ranked fifth in the state, is riding a 10-game winning streak. It opened the season with a 34-28 loss to Carmel and hasn't lost since. During its win streak, New Rochelle has allowed seven points or less in eight games, including four shutouts.
KINGSTON - Last summer Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D’Aliso was saying that he figured the outcome of a big game would one day be decided by a field goal. And he knew that placekicker Jamie Boyle would give his Crusaders a definite edge in that department. His scenario, however, didn’t include the very hairy ending that accompanied the Saturday night Class AA Eastern Semi-Final played here at Dietz Stadium.
Boyle’s 35-yard field goal with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter gave MW a 10-8 lead over Section One’s New Rochelle. The field goal, Boyle’s 12th of the season, tied the state record which had been set in 2000. But there was no time for celebration. New Ro’s offense had found traction in the second half and had plenty of clock to regain the lead.
Boyle’s ensuing kickoff pinned the Huguenots back at their eight. After a third pass by QB Jonny McGhee just overshot its target at mid-field, the New Rochelle punt was shanked and the Crusaders were looking pretty at the NR 35.
On first down QB Dan Scalo rushed for seven yards, but then the Huguenot defense stiffened. Three rushing plays netted minus-one yard and forced the Cru to turn the ball back over to New Ro at the Hugie 29.
New Rochelle proceeded to pick up three first downs on a six-yard run by Tremayne Williams, a 12-yard scramble by McGhee and a big 18-yard McGhee-to-Williams pass. A face-mask call against the Crusaders on that last play moved the ball half the distance to the goal, making it first and 10 at the MW 12.
The Huguenots continued to moved the ball just as the clock continued to move. NR was devoid of time outs. A third down QB draw by McGhee moved the ball to the four. The clock was momentarily stopped with 17 seconds left because of a killer illegal substitution call against New Ro which backed the ball to the nine.
New Rochelle set up for a 26-yard field goal attempt; but instead of kicking, the Huguenots tried a fake. One had worked earlier in the quarter. So McGhee, the holder, stood up and hit Janna Chukumerjie with a pass over the middle. But the Crusaders stopped Chukumerjie at the two yard line just as time expired.
The game’s first half had been all about defense as the two teams combined for only 146 net yards of offense. Monroe-Woodbury made the big play when James Boyd broke through to block a Huguenot punt with about two minutes left in the first quarter. That gave the Crusaders the ball and a first down at the NR 23.
Scalo ran for four yards but was then dumped for an 11-yard loss on second down as he tried to get outside. On third and 17, the junior southpaw fired a pass to tight end Erich Goetz that picked up a big 20 yards and a first down at the 10. Scalo ran for four more yards. Then on second down and the first play of the second quarter, Trevor Officer took a handoff and plowed into the end zone. Boyle’s conversion made it 7-0.
A partially blocked punt by MW with four minutes left in the half put the Cru at its 45. But New Ro forced a three-and-punt. Meanwhile the New Ro offense never got past its own 38 in the first half.
The third quarter started out looking like the first half. On the third series Monroe-Woodbury drove from its 21 to the NR 34. From there Boyle placed a beautiful punt that was downed at the Huguenot two. Text book.
But New Rochelle then defied the odds and drove 98 yards in 11 plays to get onto the scoreboard. McGee went to the airways and completed a trio of first downs passes to Rakeem Callands (13 yards), Williams (20 yards) and Williams again (12 yard screen). The drive was capped on the first play of the fourth quarter when McGhee hit a wide-open Williams deep in the end zone with a 31-yard TD bomb.
Trailing 7-6, New Rochelle went for the two-points after. Almost foreshadowing the game’s ending, the Huguenots faked the kick and had McGhee toss to Chukumerjie who snuck into the end zone to put the Huguenots ahead, 8-7, with 11:21 left.
On the ensuing kickoff, New Ro got a little too fired up and it cost them big -time. Omari Byfield returned the short kick some 25 yards to mid-field where two flags were thrown against the Huguenots. One was a five-yard face mask call and the other was for a dead ball personal foul. That moved the ball to the NR 30.
Three Scalo runs netted 13 yards. But then New Rochelle’s defense held MW to minus-one yard on the next three downs. So Boyle, who will be placekicking and punting for D-1University of Central Florida next year, calmly trotted out to boot what would be the winning field goal.
The victory places Monroe-Woodbury in next Sunday’s Class AA championship game against state-ranked #1 Orchard Park of Section Six. Kickoff will be 1 pm at the Carrier Dome. MW is ranked #2.
TEAM STATS: First Downs - MW 7, NR 10; Rushing - MW 32-104, NR 35-147; Passing - MW 2-8-30 yards, NR 7-19-104 yards, 1 TD; Return Yards - MW 1-25, NR 1-8; Punts/Avg. - MW 6-31.5, NR 7-19.3; Penalties/Yards - MW 3-33, NR 3-30.
INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS: MW Rushing - Scalo 21-85, Tolosi 6-14, Officer 4-8, Young 1-(-)3; NR Rushing - Williams 13-49, McGhee 8-44, Cherry 9-36, Ugarte 1-10, Fernandez 1-6, Day 1-2, Martinez 1-1, Manigault 1-(-)1; Passing - MW Scalo 2-8-30 (0 TD, 0 int), NR McGhee 7-19-104 (1 TD, 0 int); Receiving - MW Goetz 1-20, Young 1-10, NR Williams 4-81, Callands 1-13, Chukumerjie 1-7, Ugarte 1-3.
MVP AWARDS: MW - Scalo (Offense), Boyd (Defense); NR - Williams (Offense), Ugarte (Defense).
TEAM RECORDS: Monroe-Woodbury 11-0, New Rochelle 10-2.
Dan Scalo, #15, of Monroe-Woodbury runs upfield during the first half of their state Class AA semifinal game against New Rochelle at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY on Saturday, November 22, 2008.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON November 22, 2008
Jamie Boyle kicked a 35-yard field goal with 7:50 left to lift Monroe-Woodbury to a 10-8 victory over New Rochelle in the state Class AA football semifinals at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.
Monroe-Woodbury (11-0) earned its fourth straight trip to the state finals. It will face Binghamton or Orchard Park on Nov. 30 at Syracuse's Carrier Dome.
New Rochelle lined up for a game-winning field goal attempt in the final minute, but faked the kick and tried a play that was stopped.
New Rochelle took an 8-7 lead when Jonny McGee hit Tremayne Wiilliams for a 35-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone with 11:21 left.
New Rochelle faked the extra point and McGee, the holder, hit Janna Chukumerije for the 2-point conversion.
Monroe-Woodbury took a 7-0 lead on Trevor Officer’s 5-yard touchdown run six seconds into the second quarter.
Monroe-Woodbury celebrates its 10-8 victory in the Class AA semifinals Saturday, Nov. 22.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON
By Justin Rodriguez Times Herald-Record November 23, 2008
Kingston — Of course, Monroe-Woodbury's defense has had some big performances this season. But not this big. Not in a spot so huge. The Crusaders are on their way to the Class AA state championship thanks, in large part, to their defense.
A relentless, suffocating, hard-hitting defense that nearly shut out New Rochelle Saturday night in Monroe-Woodbury's 10-8 semifinal win at Dietz Stadium.
"Coming into the game a lot of people thought our defense was lacking," Monroe-Woodbury defensive back Omari Byfield said. "We never got the credit we should have got on defense. We showed that we can really play. It feels good to go out and do this."
As well as the Crusaders' 'D' played, they had to make a dramatic last stand, and senior defensive tackle Dan Gold saved Monroe-Woodbury from a crushing defeat. With just seven seconds left, New Rochelle's Marvill Martin lined up for a 26-yard field goal on fourth-and-9. But holder Jonny McGee, New Rochelle's quarterback, took the snap and rolled out.
McGee hit Janna Chukumerije with a pass in stride, and if Gold didn't step up and stop him at the 2-yard line as time expired, the Crusaders were going home.
"I just ran over as fast as I could to hit that kid right when he caught the ball," Gold said. "I was just thinking, 'Whatever happens, we have to stop him right here. We don't stop him, we lose.' At first, I was a little confused when I stopped him, then I saw everyone throwing their helmets. I just started going crazy."
New Rochelle beat Monroe-Woodbury on the same play, McGee to Chukumerije, for a two-point conversion, giving New Rochelle an 8-7 lead with 11:21 left. Still, that's all Monroe-Woodbury gave up all game. Pretty impressive, considering New Rochelle entered averaging 29.5 points a game and scored at least 21 points in 10-of-11 games. "The two-point conversion, we weren't expecting that," Byfield said. "We just said, 'We have to give it everything we've got and, if we lose, we're going out with a bang.' We weren't going to let that happen again. We played too good to lose."
Monroe-Woodbury kicker Jamie Boyle kicks the game-winning 35-yard field goal Saturday, Nov. 22 vs. New Rochelle.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 23, 2008
KINGSTON — The scene at the 50-yard line was all-too-familiar, yet at the same time, never feels old. The whole Monroe-Woodury football team, bunched in a massive circle, hollering about what it accomplished and where it is going.
"One, two, three. Expect to win," the players said, before turning their attention toward the crowd that gathered on the Dietz Stadium turf.
Monroe-Woodbury survived the scare of its season and held on to beat New Rochelle 10-8 Saturday night in the Class AA state semifinals.
Dan Gold tackled New Rochelle's Janna Chukumerije on the 2-yard line as time expired. New Rochelle lined up to kick what would have been the game-winning 26-yard field goal, but instead opted to pass.
So Monroe-Woodbury now heads into the state final for the fourth straight year. The Crusaders (11-0) will play Orchard Park for the title. That game will be 1 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Syracuse University Carrier Dome. Orchard Park beat Binghamton 36-21 in the other state semifinal game Saturday.
"This is probably as special as it was in the first year, because it's unbelievable," Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso said. "I just can't believe we accomplished what we were able to accomplish ... to be able to do this four years in a row. Our goal was to try and get to the section final, and now we're back in the Dome four years. This run has been unbelievable."
In 2005, the Crusaders won the title with a 32-10 victory over Webster Thomas. Monroe-Woodbury lost 27-26 in overtime to Auburn in 2006, then 42-21 to West Genesee last year.
On Saturday night, Jamie Boyle's state record-tying 35-yard field goal with 7:57 left was the difference. That gave Boyle, who's headed to Central Florida, his 12th field goal of the season. That tied the single-season mark, set in 2000.
"I didn't think I would be kicking the final-decider," Boyle said. "I was definitely nervous. It was a lot more pressure than with normal kicks. I thought I had it easy, but I only made it by about a foot or whatever."
New Rochelle (10-2) clearly wanted no part of potential overtime, gambling early in the fourth quarter. And the move paid off.
Trailing 7-0, Jonny McGhee connected with Tremayne Williams on a 32-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone. Lined up for the extra point, McGhee as the holder took the snap, stood and floated a two-point conversion pass to Chukumerije. That made it 8-7 with 11:21 left.
Monroe-Woodbury, helped by a long kickoff return — followed by a penalty — started on the New Rochelle 30.
"I knew if we could get into Jamie's field-goal range," Monroe-Woodbury quarterback Dan Scalo said, "he would make it."
The kickoff temperature was 22 degrees, just 12 degrees with the wind-chill factor, helped by a breeze that hovered around 10 mph. Safe to say, the conditions were nothing like anything Monroe-Woodbury played in all year.
"It was freezing," Scalo said. "I've got to stay warm on the sidelines, as much as I can. As soon as I took my hands off my hand warmers, they were ice cold. It's tough getting a feel for the ball when your hands are numb."
This was the third straight year Monroe-Woodbury and New Rochelle met in the state tournament. Monroe-Woodbury won 14-7 in 2006, 22-16 in 2007.
Monroe-Woodbury will be just the sixth team to play in at least four consecutive state championships since the current format began in 1993.
The Crusaders received a bye into the semifinals, but if you believe that lessens this accomplishment, think again. New Rochelle beat LaSalle 33-7 last week in the quarterfinals. Monroe-Woodbury beat LaSalle 26-7 in the third week of the season.
Monroe-Woodbury's first-half defense was tremendous Saturday night, blocking two punts — with the first leading to a touchdown.
Monroe-Woodbury took over on the New Rochelle 24-yard line. Five plays later, Trevor Officer's 4-yard touchdown helped give Monroe-Woodbury a 7-0 lead with 11:54 left in the second quarter. It was Officer's fourth touchdown of the year.
Monroe-Woodbury held New Rochelle to just 80 yards in the first half, with four first downs.
kwitt@th-record.com
Up next for M-WWhat: state championship game
Matchup: Monroe-Woodbury vs. Orchard Park
When: 1 p.m. Nov. 30
Where: Syracuse University Carrier Dome
Monday, November 24 Class AA: Time runs out on New Rochelle in state semifinal
KINGSTON - Momentary confusion gradually turned into a familiar sense of devastation. As Monroe-Woodbury rushed the field to celebrate last night at Dietz Stadium, New Rochelle didn't exactly know how it lost - just that it lost.
A chaotic and heart-stopping final minute to last night's Class AA state football semifinal ended with Jonny McGhee's pass to Janna Chukumerije off a fake field goal ended up short of the goal line as time expired, giving the Section 9 power a thrilling 10-8 victory.
New Rochelle (10-2) looked on its way to the state championship when Marvill Martin lined up for a 26-yard field goal. McGhee, though, took the snap and opted to throw to Chukumerije over the middle, who was tackled by Monroe's Dan Gold.
"That was a bad choice by me," McGhee said. "I think I should have just let (Martin) kick the ball. We most likely would have won."
Instead, New Rochelle suffers its third straight loss in the state tournament to Monroe-Woodbury, which returns to the state final at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on Sunday for fourth straight year. The Crusaders (11-0) will face Orchard Park (Section 6).
The postgame scene had a similar feel to last year's game. Monroe stripped McGhee of a ball late in the fourth quarter, leading to the winning score in the 22-16 classic. In 2006, the Crusaders hung on in the fourth quarter for a 14-7 win.
McGhee carried New Rochelle down the stretch last night. Starting on the Huguenots 29 with 5:13 to play, the junior made several key plays to keep the ball moving. His 11-yard scramble with under a minute to play set up a fourth-and-1 at the Monroe 4.
Following a 5-yard penalty for illegal substitution, the snap on the field goal attempt was high. McGhee decided to throw it instead of risking the kicking being blocked.
"I don't know if that was our quarterback ad-libbing on his own or if there was pressure in his face," New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo said. "I won't know that until I look at the film."
Chukumerije desperately tried to squirm out of Gold's grip but it was to no avail and the clock ran out.
"I didn't know what was going on in the last minute-and-a-half, or so," Crusaders coach Pat D'Aliso said. "They were running the ball up the field. They had different personnel and the clock was running. I didn't know what was going on. It was a great call with the fake field goal since they hadn't kicked a field goal all year. I thought they would go for it and our kid made a great tackle."
McGhee, who has famously called his own fake on kick attempts in the past, had done it earlier in the quarter.
After not completing any of his six passes in the first half, he was 4 for 5 on a 97-yard scoring drive that started late in the third quarter. He capped it with a 32-yard touchdown to Tremayne Williams.
Trailing 7-6, McGhee lined up for the extra point but jumped to his feet once he caught it. He hit Chukumerije in the back of the end zone to give New Rochelle an 8-7 lead with 11:21 to play.
"I knew they were going to pack up one side to try to block it," McGhee said. "I told (Chukumerije) in the huddle that I was going to throw it to him and it worked."
Monroe regrouped quickly. It returned the ensuing kickoff to mid-field and got 20 yards tacked on thanks to two New Rochelle penalties.
Crusaders quarterback Dan Scalo drove them to the 18, setting up a 35-yard Jamie Boyle field goal to reclaim the lead. Boyle, who has committed to kick and punt for Central Florida, has 12 field goals on the year, which ties a state record.
Outside of its scoring drive and final possession, New Rochelle struggled to find any consistency on offense all game.
Monroe's first only score came when James Boyd blocked a punt for Monroe at the Huguenots 24 in the second quarter. Trevor Officer late ran in a 4-yard score to give Monroe a 7-0 lead.
Who's next
Monroe-Woodbury will face Orchard Park (Section 6) in the Class AA state championship game next Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.
I've been thinking a lot about Monroe-Woodbury's 10-8 victory over New Rochelle on Saturday night, and how to put what Monroe-Woodbury has accomplished in its proper perspective. Four straight trips to the state final is just a tremendous accomplishment. It takes talent and discipline to put together this kind of run. New Rochelle had the talent, but when a player freelances on his own at two key times, it says something about the lack of discipline. Whether a kid can make a 26-yard field goal with all that at stake, hardly is a guarantee. But we'll never find out now. There were a lot of folks who thought M-W wouldn't win the section. Now look.
Jamie Boyle made me look good, hitting that 35-yard game-winner. Not only was that how I predicted Monroe-Woodbury would win, but by writing a piece on game day that called him a "game changer," it's nice when it actually works out that way. Anybody who looks negatively upon any publicity the kid gets should be ashamed of themselves. I didn't see Warwick's Dan Orner back when he was in high school, but Jamie's the best kicker I've seen - and a really nice kid, too. That's what I don't understand, sometimes. People try to make a point, but are critical of another TEENAGER when they attempt to make that point. These kids we cover and enjoy watching are not professionals. There are different rules for pros than high school kids when it comes to public criticism. And when it's anonymous public criticism of high school kids, it's flat-out cowardly. And please, if somebody has some long-winded argument to prove that otherwise, please share it with us.
It's tough to try and break down this state title game, because Orchard Park is near Buffalo. There are no common opponents. But here's what I know: Those guys have won five straight Section 6 titles. They lost by a field goal in the state semifinals to West Genessee last year, and return 13 starters from that team. West Genessee then beat Monroe-Woodbury by three TDs in the final. Orchard Park runs the spread, but seems to run more out of it than pass. I spoke with M-W coach Pat D'Aliso on Monday, and he told me he heard this is the best team Orchard Park has fielded. Orchard Park allowed six points or less in six of its first seven games - then 12 or more in the next five. But never more than 21. Sounds like M-W needs to bring its A+ game, but any state champion should have to, when you think about it.
Find a way to get to Syracuse, and be safe getting there and home. This will be worth the trip.
D.J. Young is tackled during Monroe-Woodbury's victory over New Rochelle on Saturday.TH-R/Chet Gordon
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 25, 2008
CENTRAL VALLEY — The Monroe-Woodbury football team was back practicing Monday afternoon, continuing its quest to win the second state title in school history.
Monroe-Woodbury (11-0) will play Orchard Park (12-0) for the Class AA title at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Syracuse University Carrier Dome. It will be Monroe-Woodbury's fourth straight trip to this game. Monroe-Woodbury won the title in 2005, but lost the last two years.
The Crusaders had Sunday off after their thrilling 10-8 state semifinal victory over New Rochelle on Saturday night at Kingston's Dietz Stadium.
"We like to have fun during practice, but everybody's starting to get really serious," said nose guard Garrett Hipsman. "Nobody really gets the chance that we have now, and we don't want to waste it. You can see it in everybody's attitude. They're getting here quicker. Everybody wants to buckle down. You can sense it."
Linebacker James Boyd thinks Monroe-Woodbury's experience in this game should be a plus.
"I think it should be more relaxed, now that we're to the Dome. We're to the last game," Boyd said. "Only one team has won it from Monroe-Woodbury, so there's less pressure, actually.
"We've been to the field. The noise level is very high. There should be less fans than last year, because West Genesee was so close and this team is from Buffalo. So that should be more on our side."
Monroe-Woodbury lost 42-21 to West Genessee in 2007, 27-26 in overtime to Auburn in 2006 and beat Webster Thomas 32-10 in 2005.
"I don't look at it so much as going back again," said coach Pat D'Aliso, "as it is the accomplishment of these kids from where they started, to where they are. ... I don't view it any other way. It just happened. It's unexplainable."
Like Monroe-Woodbury over the last five years, Orchard Park has had plenty of success, and this year won its fifth straight Section 6 title (Buffalo area). This is Orchard Park's first crack at the state title during that stretch. The team lost in the 2007 semifinals to West Genesee, which went on to defeat Monroe-Woodbury in the final.
D'Aliso said Orchard Park returns 13 starters from that team. It reached the championship game with a 37-21 semifinal victory over Binghamton. Jeff Tundo, son of the head coach, ran for 147 yards on 28 carries, including four touchdowns.
Orchard Park operates out of the spread offense, but appears to run more out of it than pass.
"When you're going to the Dome, you're playing an exceptional team," D'Aliso said. "We saw them last year, and those kids have gotten bigger and better.
"They're saying that's the best team Orchard Park has ever fielded, and they're going to be a great football team."
Monroe-Woodbury backup quarterback Ryan Sinclair. Nov. 24, 2008.Times Herald-Record/TOM BUSHEY
November 26, 2008
CENTRAL VALLEY — Ryan Sinclair knew the deal from the start. He knew at least two years ago that he would never become the starting quarterback for the Monroe-Woodbury High football team.
Sinclair was a sophomore playing jayvee ball. In about any other program, Sinclair's shot as the varsity starter would come the next year, 2007, or as a senior this year. But Monroe-Woodbury had begun grooming a freshman for the job in 2007. His name was Dan Scalo, and he was about to become one of the best quarterbacks in the entire state.
Sinclair had two choices. He could transfer to a private school to take a crack at the starting lineup. Or he could stay at Monroe-Woodbury the next two years and watch almost every minute of every game from the bench.
Chrisann and Mike Sinclair left the choice to their son. But there was not much of a choice in Ryan's mind.
He chose the journey over the shortcut. In the age of instant gratification, where everything's a click away and kids race furiously toward stardom, Ryan Sinclair saw the big picture.
"I can't leave Monroe-Woodbury," he told his folks. "Why leave a great organization like this?"
And this: "I'm learning from one of the best coaches out there (head coach Pat D'Aliso). I can learn from him things that will help me in college to become a phys ed teacher."
How cool is that? How cool for a kid to choose the anonymity of a backup over the paved path of switching schools or positions or sports? His parents realized that nothing Ryan would do on a football field could make them prouder than the day he chose to stay at Monroe-Woodbury.
"I just love it so much," Ryan Sinclair said. "I couldn't give it up. I've been playing quarterback since middle school. I can't imagine playing another sport."
He dropped basketball and baseball as a freshman to focus on football. Four years later, Sinclair faces one final game, Monroe-Woodbury's showdown with Orchard Park on Sunday for the Class AA state championship.
But don't for a second think Sinclair has spent his two varsity seasons as a meek bystander. Don't think he's played a minimal role in Monroe-Woodbury's unprecedented success.
He might be anonymous to outsiders. But to coaches and teammates, Sinclair's like a de facto coach for his contributions to game preparation. As the scout-team quarterback, he simulates the opposing QB for Monroe-Woodbury's first-team defense. Lately he's taken plenty of first-team reps because Scalo has emerged from games beat up.
And Sinclair's had a few moments in the spotlight. He played the entire second half of a blowout over Middletown. Sinclair got his name on the big board in the weight room as the coach's nod for offensive player of the game. He's played in about half the games this season after getting minutes in every game last year thanks to weekly blowouts.
"I think it's harder to be that kid than to be a starter," D'Aliso said, "because these are the kids who make the team what it is."
Like D'Aliso said, you'd have no team if every sub gave up if he weren't starting.
"Those are the kids," D'Aliso said, "that have to have a lot of character."
Sinclair points out that he's hardly the only backup with a starter's mentality. And he's right. The program is filled with kids who tackle their role. It's one of the reasons Monroe-Woodbury will make its fourth straight trip to the state title game.
"All those kids play just as hard as me," Sinclair said.
He's hoping for a shot as a walk-on at Division II East Stroudsburg, his first choice, or at another school. You can bet somebody will have use for a player who sees the entire field, and beyond.
The Crusaders will need the offense to kick it up a notch v. Orchard Park Sunday
By PHIL DUSENBURY
After playing in last Saturday’s frigid temperatures at Dietz, Monroe-Woodbury welcomes the opportunity to get indoors for Sunday’s state Class AA championship game at Syracuse. One would guess that MW’s opponent, Orchard Park, which played its western state semi-final in cold and snowy Paetec Park, feels the same way.
“The cold? Oh, geez, the quarterback (Dan Scalo) couldn’t feel the ball and neither could the center (Dave Fasano). That’s why there were a few bad snaps,” said Crusader head coach Pat D’Aliso.
“Then there was the cross-wind that really disrupted the passing games. You saw what happened when New Rochelle tried to pass long,” he continued. “And the cold really affects the football itself. It gets a lot harder. That (35-yard) field goal that Jamie (Boyle) kicked just made it by two feet.”
Playing within the friendlier confines of the Carrier Dome will do away with the frigid air and the wind, but the Dome provides challenges of its own. Fortunately, Monroe-Woodbury has had plenty of experience playing there with this being its fourth straight trip to Syracuse. But even before MW’s first trip there in 2005, D’Aliso and his staff did their homework.
“One thing that people never think of is the problem of dehydration,” D’Aliso explained. “The Dome is very dry and it’s easy for the kids to cramp up. That’s why we watch very carefully what the kids drink the night before and the day of the game. The last thing they need is anything with caffeine.”
The day before the game, the team will bus up to its motel outside Syracuse where the players adhere to a prescribed menu.
D’Aliso added that a second big problem is the Dome’s acoustics.
“The acoustics are totally different there. It gets very loud, especially if you have a large crowd. You can’t yell instructions out to the kids, so we have to think of different ways to get the plays and other information to them from the sidelines. We also have to use things like silent snaps.”
For the last two games in the Dome the opponents were from the Syracuse area and brought huge crowds with them. Orchard Park will come from the Buffalo area.
Still, to prepare for the noise, the team goes up to the Milton Dome to practice with music blasting “as loud as we can make it.”
A third lesson learned about playing in the Carrier Dome, D’Aliso said, is to “Watch the game and not the replays.”
There is a big screen above each zone where replays are shown after each play if the game is being televised as this one will be. D’Aliso was glad that this year’s sectional championship game against Newburgh was played in Middletown which boasts a big video screen that showed replays during that game.
This may be Orchard Park's first game in the Carrier Dome, but the environment won't be entirely new to the Quakers who practice in the Buffalo Bills' domed field house.
As for being overwhelmed by the Carrier Dome, D’Aliso remarked, “I don’t think our kids are in awe of this big stadium.”
So how does the coach feel about the state’s #1 ranked team, Orchard Park from Section Six?
“This is a championship game. At this level everybody’s got good people playing. There are no O. J. Simpson’s out there this year, just a lot of good kids. They remind me of Webster Thomas (MW’s 2005 opponent). They’re a good solid team all the way around with no real weaknesses.
“To keep us in the game, we’ll have to depend on our mainstays - specials and defense. The game against New Ro was a defensive battle. Last week we shut down a great offense. Then the blocked punt by one of our special teams set up our touchdown, and Jamie won the game with his field goal. Defense and specials.”
Defensive coordinator Bernie Connolly’s Crusader ’D’ starts seven seniors, three juniors and a sophomore. D’Aliso lauded the play of linebacker James Boyd (5-10, 185 senior), defensive end Joe Loyacono (6-1, 190 senior), free safety Ryan Morgan (5-11, 160 junior) and outside linebacker Omari Byfield (5-9, 180 senior) along with the obvious - cornerback D.J. Young (6, 185 senior).
“And they’re not the only ones getting the job done on defense,” D’Aliso said. “There are a lot of kids.”
Record-setting Jamie Boyle immediately comes to mind when special teams are mentioned. The senior booter will be happy to kick in the Dome this Sunday after last week’s game in the cold and wind. Look for a few touchbacks in addition to pin-point punting and laser-true placekicks. Special teams coach Jim Hintze has given Boyle a fine-tuned supporting cast which keeps opponents away from him. Boyle’s veteran holder is Dayne Warshofsky.
“It’s a back-and-forth thing,” said D’Aliso who runs the offense. “This year our defense and special teams have been awesome while our offense has been just okay. Next year we’ll have eight or nine starters returning on offense, including Danny (Scalo), so we’ll be all right there. But then we lose Jamie. So things go back and forth.”
Last season Boyle finished with 64 PATs on 65 tries. This year he’s had only 38 tries, making 37. He’s also kicked a state record-tying 12 field goals this year compared to two in his sophomore and junior seasons. That gives some indication of MW’s offensive falloff in 2008 and the critical role Boyle plays.
This year QB Scalo and fellow junior (RB) Andrew Tolosi have provided most of the Crusader offense which has stuck pretty much to the ground. Soph RB Trevor Officer has also begun to step it up. Scalo has rushed 192 times for 1,322 yards and 16 TD while Tolosi’s stats read 114-for-589 for five TD. Last year Scalo led the section with 1,811 rushing yards on 186 carries in 13 games. He also scored 29 TD. Of course the Crusader backs had a big all-senior line in front of them in 2007. This year the all-new interior five usually includes two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore.
“Right now (left tackle) Tim Grupp (6-1, 260 junior) is our most consistent lineman,” the coach said. “But the line has come a long way and will be very strong next year.”
Meanwhile the MW passing game has seen Scalo complete 43-of-91 throws for 918 yards, nine TD and only two interceptions. Those numbers are also down from last year. Big play receiver Young has caught 13 passes for 381 yards and six TD. Speedy Tolosi has snagged 16 for 315 yards but for no scores. Junior leaper Pat Laird caught the other three TD passes.
Will the Cru open up its passing game a bit more this Sunday? Well, if D’Aliso can win it on the ground and with defense and specials, he’ll stick to the status quo.
The veteran head coach, looking for career win #190, sums it all up very simply: “This is a championship football game. You strap on your helmet, play hard and have fun.”
But don’t think he hasn’t been burning up the midnight oil watching game tapes.
After Sunday’s game there’s no tomorrow for the 2008 Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders. Go get ‘em, Purple. There’s glory awaiting in that Dome.
Friday, November 28 M-W's unheralded heroes
These guys get it done behind the scenes
Running back Andrew Tolosi (21).TH-R
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 28, 2008
The Monroe-Woodbury football team — all decked in its purple, black and white — will charge onto the Carrier Dome field on Sunday in Syracuse in hopes of winning the state Class AA championship.
But who are these kids in the uniforms?
Some the names are familiar — Dan Scalo, D.J. Young, Jamie Boyle — because we see what they do on the field.
Others are out there contributing in positions not known for being glamorous.
Then there are those whose contributions off the field are what helped define this team. Here are five of those players and what they bring on and off the field.
Troy Lutomski, senior
On game day: He starts at tight end but often rotates with Erich Goetz, depending on the formation. Lutomski is used more as a blocking tight end.
What you don't see: He's called "Zombie" by coach Pat D'Aliso because he's a quick kid. But Lutomski has plenty to say when a younger or less-experienced teammate asks for advice. "I hope I'm setting a good example, because I understand the concepts," Lutomski said. "Whatever is best for the team." Lutomski also is grooming future Crusaders as the coach of a local Pop Warner team.
Pat Bennett, senior
On game day: He backs up sophomore Josh Skowronski at guard, and Bennett said he plays "in games when we're blowing them out."
What you don't see: Skowronski didn't play guard last year, so Bennett helps the kid who replaced him, answering any questions. "I sort of had a sense they would find somebody better than me to play the position," Bennett said. "Josh is a very good player." Skowronski also plays linebacker, so Bennett stands in for him on offense during practice when needed. There's also a portion of practice when all the offensive linemen are given their blocking assignments for the week. "I help people with that," Bennett said. "I want to be a coach some day."
Pat Reynar, senior
On game day: He's a backup tight end who gets his playing time late in games.
What you don't see: Reynar takes great pride in his role as a scout-team player, and is used as a tight end or wide receiver to work against the first-team defense. Each day, depending on the opponent, the scout-team guys are given routes to run and blocks to make. "It's all about effort," Reynar said. "We don't have a lot to memorize, but we go hard and try to give the defense a good look." His job gets the most interesting on the week of the Newburgh Free Academy games. "We get to do all those reverses and trick plays," Reynar said.
Anthony Cardone, sophomore
On game day: He's a backup cornerback to D.J. Young, which means playing time is limited to blowouts. Cardone thought he would be a jayvee player but was called up when the team needed defensive backs.
What you don't see: Cardone likes to make people laugh, using a mix of telling jokes and being a wiseguy. Once three-a-week practices ended in August, Monroe-Woodbury held a talent show. Cardone was a hit with his impersonations. "I was Omari Byfield," Cardone said. "He walks funny, so I did that, and just said some of his speeches." Everybody laughed, much like they have all season. "I guess it keeps their spirits up during boring practices," Cardone said.
Andrew Tolosi, junior
On game day: A starting running back, he's run for 589 yards and five touchdowns.
What you don't see: Tolosi is the unofficial team motivator, whether it's on the practice field or in the huddle. "I want to get the team pumped up," Tolosi said. "Sometimes I get excited, or I'll just go nuts." Tolosi recalled urging on his offensive line in the huddle against New Rochelle in the state Class AA semifinals. "We couldn't put it in, and I was just telling them how much we needed them. I think it motivated them, because we scored."
Friday, November 28 M-W's Connolly fills critical role
Defensive coordinator is D'Aliso's right-hand man
Monroe-Woodbury assistant coach Bernie Connolly, second from right.Times Herald-Record/TOM BUSHEY
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 27, 2008
It was set up to be one heck of a dramatic moment, just like the end of a good movie.
Monroe-Woodbury had just advanced to the state Class AA football title game by beating New Rochelle 10-8 on Saturday night with a game-ending, near goal-line stop. It capped off what could have been Monroe-Woodbury's best defensive game in the last two years.
Coach Pat D'Aliso worked his way through the crowd of spectators and players on the Dietz Stadium turf and found Bernie Connolly, his longtime assistant/defensive coordinator/right-hand man.
Here's how D'Aliso tells it:
D'Aliso: "Bernie, I have no words to explain how I feel about you."
Connolly: "Don't talk to me. Don't say a word to me."
So much for rolling the credits as the soft music plays.
"He knew what was going to happen," D'Aliso said earlier this week.
It would have been another emotional moment between two guys who have had plenty together since 1988. There's been plenty of winning. Even some losing, and heartbreak nobody should ever have to endure.
Watch them on the sidelines during a game. D'Aliso, wrapped in his hooded sweatshirt, is one missed assignment away from a minor explosion. Connolly has the more-tailored look, almost always wearing a matching something, and is barely audible from 10 feet away.
Yet both are obsessed with winning, or at the very least, putting themselves and their teams in the best position to be successful.
"They're the same person, even though they're different," said Connolly's son, Michael, a Monroe-Woodbury assistant the last two years. "They're always on the same page. Every day is a lunch-box day. You're not going to find two guys who work harder, and that's why they are the perfect fit."
D'Aliso became head coach in 1988, and brought in Connolly — who he barely knew — as an assistant to run the offense because D'Aliso wanted to run the Wing-T offense. Connolly was a head coach at Stepinac, right smack in the middle of Wing-T country.
When Monroe-Woodbury switched to the triple option in 1997, Joe Puliafico Sr. took over the offense, because he had experience with it. Connolly joked that D'Aliso fired him when he moved him to defensive coordinator, but if there ever was a perfect job for a guy, this was Connolly's.
Connolly always knew he would be a football coach. He was a defensive back in high school, but also the backup linebacker, quarterback, fullback, tailback, tight end and split end.
"I knew everybody's job," said Connolly, who also played at UConn and Manhattan. "If there was a problem, I might not have known everybody's blocking rules, but I could tell every kid who to block."
He and D'Aliso hit it off almost immediately. As Connolly tells it, both of their wives are the same age, and were the youngest of three daughters. Their kids were the same age. They also were close in age. Connolly is 52. D'Aliso is 54. For the longest time, they lived two miles apart.
D'Aliso praised Connolly for his ability to see things "quickly and clearly, and adjust." D'Aliso said he spends about two days writing out his offensive game plans. Connolly, he said, takes an hour.
"He's kind of like your guardian angel," D'Aliso said. "When you're going off the path, he sees what's going on. We'll fight about it. But I know he's right most of the time."
After Monroe-Woodbury's defense got torched by West Genesee's passing game in the 2007 state final, Connolly changed schemes. The Crusaders now use four linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs — adding a guy in the secondary and taking away a linebacker.
"He broke it down for each of us," said linebacker James Boyd. "We took it very slowly, actually. Individually, we spent a pretty incredible amount of time together."
Connolly figured Boyd would be "a very good player" this year, but he's been "absolutely great."
"He never misses a read and never is in the wrong spot," Connolly said. "People think that when you tell a kid something, you're coaching them. I honestly believe coaching is teaching. If they don't know it, or they don't get it or they're not doing it, that's my fault. Maybe I'm asking them to do something they can't do, or he's not understanding it."
Four decades of football prepared Connolly for the Xs and Os, but nothing could have prepared him for when D'Aliso's son, Patrick, died in 2004 at age 16. But Connolly played such a big part as coach D'Aliso's friend, D'Aliso credits him for Monroe-Woodbury's success.
"If Bernie didn't handle me since when I lost Patrick, I wouldn't be coaching," D'Aliso said. "I was going to leave. I was going to step away, trying to handle everything. He took the brunt of everything. He took the problems. He took the tears. He took the out-of-control rage. He never said a word about it, but he was there every second."
D'Aliso said Connolly showed up with tapes one day on this offense Urban Meyer was running in college known as the spread.
"Bernie said, 'Why don't look at these tapes to take your mind off your personal life,'" D'Aliso said. "I was close to giving everything up. It was awful. But he's been like a brother, a confidante, a friend. I brought him in in 1988, because I saw he was an exceptional coach. He turned out to be an exceptional human being."
kwitt@th-record.com
Follow the game on playoffs plus
Live updates from the state Class AA football championship game between Monroe-Woodbury and Orchard Park are just a click away at Varsity845.com. Columnist Kevin Gleason will provide running commentary and news from the Carrier Dome at our Playoffs Plus feature on the Varsity845.com home page.
A true support staff
Bernie Connolly, defensive coordinator: helps the process of college recruiting, duplicating films; handles some of head coach Pat D'Aliso's phone calls; works on speed and agility training.
Jim Hintze: coaches the special teams and the lines.
Michael Connolly: coaches the linebackers, and works with the quarterbacks; scripts the daily defensive practices.
Joe Sessa: helps D'Aliso with the offensive game plan as an adviser; helps with the scout team.
Hugh Hagan: works with the kicker/punter; serves as a sounding board for D'Aliso.
Joe Pesce: jayvee coach who works the radio from the press box, helping D'Aliso with play calling the last 10 years.
Remaining program coaches: Monroe-Woodbury uses these coaches to scout varsity games, and has a scout at the every game of each opponent.
That is the creed that the Monroe-Woodbury football team lives by. And that is exactly what they do - win.
Talking to people throughout our community, their winning is almost taken for granted: Fifth straight Section 9AA Title, third straight semi-final win over New Rochelle, fourth straight year to Syracuse for the state finals.
What’s the big deal? Well, it is a big deal. What most don’t realize (unless they have a student athlete on the team) is how hard it is to reach “the expected to win” level consistently, year after year, at a public high school. It takes tough hard work, dedication and commitment of each and every player, a coaching and school staff guiding the players into winners, and a ton of family and the football club support toward our players’ football aspirations and the team’s goals.
Last year, the day after they lost the state championship game, juniors and sophomore players went right back to lifting weights so they could get better for next year. These football players attend speed camps to increase their quickness. They workout during the spring and summer on their football basics. When late summer comes around, they “give up” their lives to play M-W football.
Our coaches work year round, giving their time to make the M-W football team better and better.
Remember: Coaches can not recruit players like some private high schools and colleges can. They work with our M-W school athletes and they coach them into consistent winners. That is special.
We play teams with bigger, faster and more powerful athletes but we play no team more disciplined than our team. So when you see a Monroe-Woodbury High School football player, tell ‘em: “Thanks for all their hard work, dedication and tough play.”
Tell ‘em: “Thanks for setting a winning example for the rest of our community, the Hudson Valley and NY State.”!
Also, please stop and give the coaches and high school staff a “big thanks” for all their dedication, support and guidance in molding one of the very best team in New York year after year. Without all this positive district support, “expect to win” would only be a saying- not a way of life
Finally, I would like to say a big thanks to all the other parents and families supporting their players (including the parents’ club: their gifts to this team are immeasurable). The families, along with their sons, give up their lives for M-W football.
Football becomes a “way of life” for our families but in the end it is worth it. This team - and all its fantastic success through the years - teaches our sons how to be winner through hard work, commitment and dedication to team goals.
Success just doesn’t happen; it is earned the right way here at M-W.
Go M-W football: Beat Orchard Park in the Dome this weekend. Be the best.
Jim Grupp of Highland Mills and a proud M-W football parent
For the fourth year in a row, the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders have earned a trip to the Class AA Finals in Syracuse. This year, it was via a tense 10-8 victory over rival New Rochelle.
The first quarter was a seesaw battle that began with New Rochelle going three and out and Monroe-Woodbury following with a similar offensive series.
Tremayne Williams found his footing for a first down for New Rochelle and Dan Scalo moved the chains for the Crusaders, but neither squad was able to find a groove until the end of the first frame.
The Crusader defense blocked New Rochelle's punt on the 22-yard line and the Monroe-Woodbury offense made the most of their efforts. Scalo progressed a few yards on a run but then lost 10 on second down. Heading into the air, the Crusader signal caller nailed Eric Goetz for a 20-yard gain. The first quarter ended with momentum building Monroe-Woodbury's way, as Scalo went another five yards to put his squad within striking distance.
Teammate Trevor Officer capped the scoring drive at the start of the second frame and Jamie Boyle split the uprights to afford their squad a 7-0 advantage.
The stingy defense continued throughout the second quarter and Monroe-Woodbury went into the half still holding their 7-0 lead. The third quarter was more of the same, and it appeared as if New Rochelle was going to be kept out of the end zone. But with just under twelve minutes remaining in the game New Rochelle's Jonny McGee hits Williams for a 35-yard touchdown in the back of the end. Gambling big, New Rochelle faked the extra point attempt as McGee, the holder, threw a strike to Janna Chukumerije for the 2-point conversion jumping their squad in front, 8-7.
Less than five minutes later, Monroe-Woodbury senior standout Jamie Boyle uncorked a 35-yard field goal that put the Crusaders back up for good. But New Rochelle made Monroe-Woodbury sweat, when they faked a game winning field goal with less than a minute remaining in the contest. McGee tried to find Chukumerije at 26-yards out and was stopped.
The Crusader defense, which has kept Monroe-Woodbury close enough for the offense to find their rhythm turned in another solid performance, this time securing their trip to the title match.
Monroe-Woodbury head coach Pat D'Aliso, right, speaks with quarterback Dan Scalo, #15, during their state Class AA semifinal game against New Rochelle at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY on Saturday, November 22, 2008. Monroe-Woodbury defeated New Rochelle 10 - 8 and will return to Syracuse for the state championship game next weekend. Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDONTimes Herald-Record/CHET GORDON
November 29, 2008
CENTRAL VALLEY — Dan Scalo can't get the play out of his head. Almost a year has passed. Eleven wins, zero losses and another crack at a state championship have followed.
But he's terribly burdened by a play from last year's title game against West Genessee. Scalo, Monroe-Woodbury's gifted quarterback, is running in the open field when he makes a sharp cut and suddenly comes face-to-face with an official. He accidentally clips the official and the ball pops loose. West Genessee recovers and scores off the drive for a two-touchdown lead on its way to a 42-21 win.
"It was a huge momentum shift,' Scalo said.
He's watched the game film several times, most recently a couple weeks ago. He'll come to the play and rewind it, wondering how, why, he lost the ball. "It's just stuck in my head,' he said quietly.
Every single player in the area would trade places with Monroe-Woodbury at 1 p.m. Sunday. That's when the Crusaders get another shot at a state title, this time against Buffalo-area Orchard Park.
But what happens when the dream dies on the Carrier Dome carpet? What happens when you reach the big game and lose?
Does the thrill of the journey soothe the pain of the loss?
If it were up to Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso, every one of his players would be healed by the time the bus arrives back in Central Valley. And many players, if not most, feel a sense of satisfaction in no time. But not all players, not Scalo.
"To this day, I still think about last year,' he said. "I've watched film of that game I don't know how many times. I think in my head, 'What if.' It's tough.'
He paused and let out a long sigh. "It's one of the worst feelings I've ever had in my life.
"It's kind of a feeling like you are alone. There's nothing around you. ... I can't really explain it. It's the kind of feeling like you are in your own world.'
There's one other memory imbedded in Scalo. It's the picture of West Genessee celebrating on the field after the final second ticks off. It's a maddening scene for a kid who competes as hard, who cares as much, as Scalo.
He's a wonderful quarterback and just as good a kid, a mix of talent and humility that makes him easy to cheer. Scalo's just a junior and already has jammed more into a high school football career than most kids could ever dream.
But he's aching to feel the way West Genessee did last year and the way Auburn did in beating Monroe-Woodbury for the 2006 title with Scalo as a backup. "I want to get that chance to know what it feels like to be on the other end,' he said.
For now, only a win on Sunday will heal Scalo's pain from the 2007 game. Never mind that it represented Scalo's only loss as a starting quarterback on the varsity. Never mind that Monroe-Woodbury has beaten incredible odds to reach the state title game a fourth straight year. Never mind that no matter what happens on Sunday, or next season, Scalo will go down as one of the finest quarterbacks this area has seen.
The reality is that players such as Scalo need a long, hard time to get over such a loss. Dan Scalo will have one final source of motivation when he arrives in Syracuse for Sunday's game. Among his possessions will be the game film of that West Genessee loss.
SYRACUSE — Dan Scalo had a secret, which when you hear it, makes his and Monroe-Woodbury’s season even more remarkable.
Scalo, Monroe-Woodbury’s junior quarterback, said Sunday he played the entire season with a torn labrum in his left throwing shoulder. He also has rotator cuff tendinitis and will undergo surgery on Friday.
He will have four months of rehabilitation and expects to be ready for his senior year.
“Some practices, I wouldn’t throw a single pass,” Scalo said after Monroe-Woodbury’s 21-17 loss to Orchard Park in the state Class AA title game. “The only time I would throw is game day and pregame warm-ups. Every pass I’ve thrown this year, I’ve had pain in my shoulder.”
Scalo, who ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, said he injured the shoulder during a camp in this spring and received his diagnosis in July. But playing through the pain was the only option he considered.
“I didn’t want to miss the year,” Scalo said. “If I got the surgery, I would have been out. I’m happy I can finally be able to sleep without having pain in my shoulder.”
Ironically, Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D’Aliso has the same injury.
“I can’t sleep at night,” D’Aliso said, “so I can’t imagine being an option quarterback and still being forced to throw the football with the defense packing the box. I think that says a lot about his character that he would forgo the surgery.
“He tore it back in May, and said, ‘I’m playing.’”
Scalo completed 47 of 100 passes this year for 942 yards and eight touchdowns. His game became more about running this year, and he finished with 1,452 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.
“You can’t come in on Friday and Saturday and say, ‘I’m going to throw the football,’ when you’re unable to practice because you’re injured,” D’Aliso said. “It affects your arm strength and it affects your timing. If he would have had surgery, he would have been done. But we were limited with what we could do.”
D’Aliso pointed out that even through Scalo wasn’t throwing the ball, it didn’t prevent him from getting banged up.
“I don’t think people realize that he gets hit and knocked down 15-20 times a game,” D’Aliso said. “He falls on his shoulder, it still hurts. He plays in pain every single game. He has to rest during the week, and we do the best we can to manage it. With him, his parents and the trainer, we managed to get to within four points of state championship. What more are you supposed to ask for?”
Monroe-Woodbury fans watch the closing seconds of the state Class AA title game against Orchard Park on Sunday in Syracuse.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON
SYRACUSE — Anybody driving up Route 17 West, on to Interstate 81 North on Sunday morning probably ran into the Monroe-Woodbury convoy making the three-hour trip to the Carrier Dome.
Athletic director George St. Lawrence expected between 2,000-2,500 Monroe-Woodbury fans to be in attendance for the state Class AA football championship game.
"The support for this program has been unbelievable," St. Lawrence said.
There was a send-off on Saturday afternoon at Monroe-Woodbury, as the buses pulled out of the school lot. There was one planned for its return, regardless of the game's outcome.
Three luxury buses came up to Syracuse. One was for the players. One for the cheerleaders. One for spectators. The district covered the cost of school buses, St. Lawrence said, but the upgrades were picked up by the booster club.
Courtney Boyle likely logged the most miles to make it to Syracuse on Sunday.
Boyle is a freshman at Arizona State University and a 2008 Monroe-Woodbury graduate. She planned to be home for Thanksgiving, but said she decided a month ago to delay her flight back home — in case Monroe-Woodbury reached this game.
She is the sister of senior kicker Jamie Boyle.
"I came back for one other game in October," Courtney Boyle said, "but I definitely didn't want to miss his last game."
A true Monroe-Woodbury fan
Try finding a bigger Monroe-Woodbury football fan than Chuck Sommerlad, Class of '85.
Sommerlad watched the Crusaders lose a heartbreaking game to Orchard Park, 21-17, on Sunday.
That was an easy trip compared to his 14½-hour, 400-mile odyssey eight days earlier with his son Kyle, 10, and brother-in-law, Danny Muller, a sophomore on the Monroe-Woodbury jayvee team.
Sommerlad, a 41-year-old Monroe resident, left in the morning for Colgate University to see Monroe-Woodbury graduate Greg Sullivan quarterback the Red Raiders to a come-from-behind 28-27 win over Holy Cross for the Patriot League title.
The gang then hit the highway for a three-hour drive to see Monroe-Woodbury play New Rochelle in an 8 p.m. kickoff in the state semifinals at Dietz Stadium, Kingston. Sommerlad and the boys arrived home at about 11:30 p.m.
Stuck at two titles
Only two Section 9 teams have won state football titles: Monroe-Woodbury won the 2005 Class AA title, and Rondout Valley won the 2000 Class B title.
In fact, only four Section 9 teams have played for a state title: Monroe-Woodbury made its fourth straight appearance, and fourth overall, on Sunday. Cornwall lost in the 2006 Class A game, and Wallkill lost in the Class A championship game in 2004.
Wallkill coach Dave Der Cola remembers it well. In fact, he can't forget it. Wallkill appeared to have the game won, but a defensive holding call on fourth down with 30 seconds left allowed Maine-Endwell another shot. Maine-Endwell then scored on a 16-yard pass with 19 seconds left to win 39-36.
But Der Cola doesn't feel resentment at how Wallkill lost, just sadness that it lost, period.
"I don't know if I'll ever get over it, to be honest with you,' Der Cola said. "It really haunts me.'
On those trips to see family in the Rochester area, Der Cola "goes dark' driving through the Syracuse area, past the Carrier Dome and the hotel where Wallkill stayed that year.
"You realize how difficult it is to get back,' he said.
It's why Der Cola has a tremendous amount of respect for Monroe-Woodbury and its coaching staff. "I know our kids talk about Monroe-Woodbury a lot,' Der Cola said.
Crusaders honored
Monroe-Woodbury received three postgame awards. Linebacker James Boyd was given the game's sportsmanship award. Guard Josh Skowronski was named the team's most valuable offensive lineman. Quarterback Dan Scalo was the most valuable offensive back.
Defensive back Ryan Morgan led Monroe-Woodbury with 14 tackles. Boyd had 13. Devan Gagliardi and Omari Byfield each had six.
Sunday, November 30 Scalo deserves high praise for gutting it out M-W QB played in pain entire season
Monroe-Woodbury QB Dan Scalo, right, is consoled by his father, Joe, after the game on Sunday.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON
November 30, 2008
SYRACUSE — There was nothing to say, nothing to do. You wanted to put an arm around Dan Scalo and tell him it wasn't his fault, tell him he should be proud, tell him he's the toughest high school football player you've ever seen.
Because almost any other player would have been rehabbing his torn labrum, kissing off the season and thinking of next year.
Scalo, Monroe-Woodbury's junior quarterback, blew off the injury to his throwing shoulder, an injury diagnosed in May, an injury causing pain in every throw, almost every run and every night's sleep.
"It affects his arm strength, it affects his timing," said Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D'Aliso. "The pain was worse each week.'
Scalo didn't just play with the injury, a well-kept secret to keep opposing defenses honest, postponing surgery that would have ended his season before it began. No, Scalo helped Monroe-Woodbury win with a torn labrum. He helped the Crusaders win their first 11 games, including another Section 9 title and the continuation of a winning streak against Section 9 teams now at 42 games.
Then he went out on Sunday and darn near led Monroe-Woodbury to a state title.
But Orchard Park got its hands on the script, scored 21 unanswered points and shocked Monroe-Woodbury 21-17.
So here was Scalo walking off the field toward a tunnel for postgame interviews. He was crying. He was inconsolable.
There was nothing to say, nothing to do.
Dad was waiting. Joe Scalo pulled his son in real close, the boy he turned into a football player as Dan's youth coach. Now, he was just a dad.
"He said he was proud of me. He knew I gave it my all and I had a lot of guts," Dan said between tears.
Just a few days back, Scalo talked about the torment of losing last year's title game, to West Genesee, in his first season as starter. He talked about how much it still hurt, how he kept watching the game film to see what he could have done differently. He brought the film to Syracuse on Saturday, one last reminder, one last source of motivation, on the eve of another title shot.
Then he suffered a loss even more excruciating, a game, unlike last year's 42-21 loss, that Monroe-Woodbury had in the bag. But Orchard Park, down 17-0 at halftime, lined the box daring Scalo to pass in the second half. The Quakers didn't know Scalo could barely throw the ball, but they sensed it.
He still managed 130 yards rushing and both touchdowns. But when he needed his left arm most, when he wished for anything he could let the ball loose, Scalo threw two interceptions in the final 2:21.
"I've never seen a player like that,' Orchard Park back Jeff Tundo said after running for 146 yards and a touchdown, himself a fearless competitor who searched out defenders to topple. "He's big. He's fast. He's definitely one of the best players I've ever seen.'
Scalo will get another crack at a title next year. That puts him in a separate category of many teammates who will never again taste football glory. One of them is senior co-captain Garrett Hipsman, who wants to focus on academics in college but also wants to keep his football memories pure.
"Time,' Hipsman said when asked how he'll get over the loss. "If they win next year, it will make it all worth it.'
I mentioned Hipsman's point to Scalo, that only time, a good long time, will heal the wound. Scalo nodded.
Hipsman and receiver/defensive back D.J. Young waited by the tunnel entrance as Scalo approached. He lifted his arms and shrugged as if to say, now what? Scalo leaned into his teammates and the three of them hugged.
By Kevin Witt Times Herald-Record November 30, 2008
SYRACUSE — All the analysis in the world doesn’t make a loss like this any less painful. You can break down schemes and talk about momentum shifts. But none of that matters to a high school kid who was 24 minutes from winning a state football title, only to let it slip away.
Monroe-Woodbury led 17-0 at halftime on Sunday but gave up three touchdowns in the second half and lost 21-17 to Orchard Park for the state Class AA title at the Carrier Dome.
“We just couldn’t stop them,” Monroe-Woodbury cornerback/wide receiver D.J. Young said. “It wasn’t like they did anything different. They just played a better half.”
The game was a tale of two Monroe-Woodburys. After holding Orchard Park to three first downs in the first half, the Crusaders allowed 203 yards rushing in the second half.
Orchard Park got rushing touchdowns from Jeff Tundo and Kyle Hoppy in the third quarter to pull within 17-14. The game-winner was Hoppy’s 67-yard touchdown scramble with six minutes left.
“After our first touchdown,” Tundo said, “I think they realized we could get back in this game. They kind of doubted themselves.”
Young said after the second touchdown Monroe-Woodbury started to get “worried.” Red-eyed nose guard Garrett Hipsman said Monroe-Woodbury seemed to lose its confidence.
“We just got out-played,” Hipsman said. “I think this loss is going to stick with me for a while.”
Monroe-Woodbury (11-1) was looking for its first state title since 2005, after losing in the 2006 and 2007 state finals. The Crusaders also led at some point in each of the last two years.
“It’s difficult for the kids to keep coming here and losing,” Monroe-Woodbury coach Pat D’Aliso said. “Now it becomes, ‘We’re going and we’re losing,’ versus, ‘We’re going to the Dome. We’re going to the Dome.’. ... It’s what it’s turning out to be.”
Monroe-Woodbury quarterback Dan Scalo had 113 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the first half. Orchard Park (13-0) decided it was going to load up the box on defense in the second half and make Monroe-Woodbury pass.
“They came out with a different attitude,” Scalo said. “They just started playing, and that’s what happened.”
What Orchard Park never realized was how tough it was going to be for Monroe-Woodbury to throw the ball and why.
Scalo, a junior, revealed Sunday he played the entire season with a torn labrum in his throwing (left) shoulder, which explains why his passing numbers were down all season. He said he will undergo surgery on Friday and will face four months of rehabilitation.
D’Aliso said Scalo fell twice on that shoulder during practice this week, leaving him in serious pain. On Sunday, he completed 4 of 9 passes for 24 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with 130 yards rushing.
“I don’t know what more you expect out of a 16-year-old kid,” D’Aliso said.
Monroe-Woodbury kicker Jamie Boyle had a record-setting afternoon. His 27-yard field goal late in the first half gave the Crusaders a 17-0 lead. It gave Boyle his 13th field goal of the season, a state record. Boyle will kick for Division I Central Florida next year.
Despite the loss, Monroe-Woodbury ends the season entrenched as one of the premier football programs in the state.
The Crusaders are 58-4 since the start of the 2004 season, with all four losses coming in the state playoffs. Monroe-Woodbury has won five straight Section 9 titles and will bring a 42-game winning streak against Section 9 competition next season.
The good news is Scalo expects to be ready and back to his old self for his senior season.
The bad news for everybody else is Scalo is one of 11 starters the Crusaders expect to return next season.
“(I told the kids), you may not be the best team every year,” D’Aliso said, “but you’re part of the best program.”
kwitt@th-record.com
Scoring summary
OP 0-0-14-7--21
MW 7-10-0-0--17
First quarter
MW-Dan Scalo 2 run (Jamie Boyle kick) Second quarter
MW-Scalo 1 run (Boyle kick)
MW-Boyle 27 field goal Third quarter
OP-Jeff Tundo 21 run (Ryan Cole kick)
OP-Kyle Hoppy 14 run (Cole kick) Fourth quarter
OP-Hoppy 67 run (Cole kick)
The game's leading rusher, Jeff Tundo, skirts around the Crusader flank Sunday.
By PHIL DUSENBURY
SYRACUSE - At halftime Pat D’Aliso halftime warned his team that Orchard Park had come from behind before and that the Crusaders couldn’t afford a second half letdown. His warning proved to be prophetic.
After being dominated by Monroe-Woodbury in the first half and trailing 17-0 at the intermission, Orchard Park turned things around to own the second half and defeat the Crusaders for the state AA crown, 21-17, Sunday at the Carrier Dome.
The first quarter saw a D.J. Young interception set up an 11-play, 51-yard MW scoring drive. In the series junior QB Dan Scalo rushed nine times for 42 yards. A big pass interference call gave the Cru a first and goal at the Quaker three, and two plays later Scalo squeaked into the end zone. Jamie Boyle converted the PAT to make it 7-0 with four seconds left in the quarter.
Monroe-Woodbury scored on its next possession, traveling 59 yards on nine plays. The TD came on another Scalo one-yard blast at 6:45 of the second stanza. Boyle against converted for a 14-0 MW lead.
The Crusaders’ Jordan Bari then stopped OP’s Kyle Hoppy whose run off a fake punt fell three yards short of a first down. A 26-yard run by Scalo moved the ball to the Orchard Park 31, and Andrew Tolosi’s 11-yard scamper was good for a first down at the 15. But the Section Six champs made a big stand.
With a fourth-and-five at the 10, D’Aliso sent in Boyle who proceeded to set a new state record with a 27-yard field goal from the right hash mark. The boot was his 13th of the season and gave MW a seemingly comfortable 17-0 halftime lead.
The first half statistics were lopsided. Monroe-Woodbury ran 36 plays to Orchard Park’s 22. The Cru was also leading in first downs (11-4) and net yards (187-98) as well as on the scoreboard. Trailing MW at half usually means the party is over, but not on this day. The worm truned in the locker room as the teams seemed to exchange uniforms.
The Crusaders even received the second half kickoff but could get nothing started. In the second half MW picked up but two first downs while the Quaker offense had its way with a Cru defense that tackled as shoddily as OP’s had in the first half.
Aided by a 15-yard penalty for an alleged hit out of bounds, the Quakers marched 50 yards in just five plays to make it 17-7. Jeff Tundo scored the TD on a 21-yard run and Ryan Cole converted at 7:47 of the third quarter.
Orchard Park’s next series covered 60 yards in nine plays. Hoppy picked a dropped snap off the carpet and ran a keeper around the right side for a 14-yard TD at 1:49. Cole’s kick was again true and the margin was narrowed to 17-14.
Cole’s ensuing kickoff went out of bounds to put MW at its 35. But the Crusaders again went three-and-out, and Boyle got off his worst punt of the season. The kick covered but 14 yards to set the Quakers up at their 44 with just seconds left in the quarter.
OP drove to the MW 29 but their drive fizzled there after two passes fell incomplete. The Crusaders looked like they might get something going after Scalo hooked up with Young on a seven-yard pass for a first down. But four plays later MW was forced to punt.
Boyle’s 36-yard punt pushed OP back to its 22. On first down Tundo powered up the middle for a short game before fumbling the ball forward. Kyle Perla was johnny-on-the-spot, however, and recovered the ball for the Quakers. A big recovery it was.
On the next play Hoppy broke loose, slipped down the right sideline, ran through some poorly attempted tackles and ended up in the end zone. The TD run covered 67 yards and put OP ahead to stay with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Cole made it 21-17.
The Monroe-Woodbury offense had the ball - briefly - three more times in the game. The first possession ended with a punt; the last two ended in interceptions by Brandon Nuessie and Dave Goltz of Scalo passes .
After all was said and done, Orchard Park won the battle of stats as well as the game, netting 335 yards of offense to MW’s 230.
“We tackled better in that second half and tightened up,” said an emotional Gene Tundo, coaching his final game for OP, after the contest. “Our offense got rolling. We made a couple of good plays, and it snowballed from there.”
Hoppy, the game’s MVP, rushed 16 times for 135 yards and two TD. He was six-for-14 for 58 yards in passing and also punted twice for a 39.5 yard average. Meanwhile workhorse Tundo carried 26 times for 146 yards and a TD.
“We came out hot in the second half,” Hoppy said of his offense, “and our defense made the stops.”
For the Crusaders, Scalo, a marked man all afternoon, rushed for 134 yards on 25 carries. In passing, he was four-for-nine for 24 yards and two interceptions. Scalo was named the game’s most outstanding offensive back.
After the game the QB revealed that he had been playing with a torn shoulder labrum all season. Throwing athletes and weightlifters are subject to glenoid labrum tears, and Scalo will be operated on this week.
Also for MW, Trevor Officer carried 11 times for 46 yards while Tolosi was eight-for-35.
Winning another plaque for the Crusaders was sophomore guard Josh Skowronski who was named the game’s most outstanding offensive lineman.
The game’s leading tackler with 17, Nuessie was the game’s most outstanding defensive back while OP defensive end Robert Kugler won the plaque for being the game’s most outstanding defensive lineman.
Free safety Ryan Morgan (14) and linebacker James Boyd (13), both juniors, were Monroe-Woodbury’s leading tacklers. Boyd and Orchard Park’s Goltz were given the sportsmanship awards.
For the Crusaders it was their third consecutive loss in the state title game after winning the crown in 2005. They finished their season with an 11-1 record. Champ Orchard Park, in a state title game for the first time, finished 13-0.
Sunday, December 14 THE SNF WEBSITE 2008 CLASS AA ALL-STAR TEAMS There were so many nominations (well over 100) for the Class AA All-Stars, especially at the skilled positions, that we decided to have two separate teams: the Division 1 All-Stars and the Division 2 All-Stars. So here’s a double treat (or trick) for you:
THE 2008 SNF CLASS AA-1 ALL-STARS
MOST VALUABLE OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Dan Scalo, Monroe-Woodbury
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Dan Scalo (Monroe-Woodbury Jr), RB - Kyni Scott (Pine Bush Sr), RB - Byron Thomas (Newburgh Sr), WR - DJ Young (Monroe-Woodbury Sr), WR - Daeron Myers (Newburgh Sr).
TE - Marcus Spearman (Newburgh Jr), OT - Cody Villman (Monroe-Woodbury Jr), OT - Simon Ojulo (Newburgh Sr), OG - Joe Skrobola (Pine Bush Jr), OG - Josh Skowronski (Monroe-Woodbury So), OC - Austin Harman (Newburgh Jr).
K - Jamie Boyle (Monroe-Woodbury Sr)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Chris Paolini (Newburgh Sr), APB - Andrew Tolosi (Monroe-Woodbury Jr), RB - Fred Locklary (Newburgh Jr), RB - Sean Fontanez (Kingston Jr), WR - Jon Pekar (Newburgh Sr), WR - Frankie Molina (Middletown Jr).
TE - Matt Santos (Pine Bush Sr), OT - Tim Grupp (Monroe-Woodbury Jr), OL- Will McGillicuddy (Pine Bush Sr), OL - Steve Marchetti (Kingston Sr), OL - Dave Fasano (Monroe-Woodbury Sr).
K - Jordan Shaver (Pine Bush Sr)
MOST VALUABLE DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Marcus Spearman, Newburgh
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE - Joe Loyacono (Monroe-Woodbury Sr), DL - Octavius Fraser (Newburgh Sr), DL - Will McGillicuddy (Pine Bush Sr), DL - Zach Zacharias (Kingston Sr).
LB - Marcus Spearman (Newburgh Jr), LB - Mike McGrath (Kingston Sr), LB - James Boyd (Monroe-Woodbury Sr), LB - Joe Skrobola (Pine Bush Jr).
DB - DJ Young (Monroe-Woodbury Sr), DB - Daeron Myers (Newburgh Sr), Ryan Morgan (Monroe-Woodbury Jr).
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DE - Carmelo Perez (Middletown So), NG - Garrett Hipsman (Monroe-Woodbury Sr), DL - Jordan Bari (Monroe-Woodbury Jr).
LB - Omari Byfield (Monroe-Woodbury Sr), LB - Rob Graham (Newburgh Sr), LB - Josh Skowronski (Monroe-Woodbury So), LB - Matt Santos (Pine Bush Sr), LB - Brandon Krouser (Middletown Sr),
DB - Jon Pekar (Newburgh Sr), DB - Kyni Scott (Pine Bush Sr), DB - A.J. Latta (Pine Bush Jr).
DIVISION 1 HONORBALE MENTION: Jon Villafane (Middletown QB Sr), Zach Nerone (Kingston QB Sr), Mitch Przybocki (Pine Bush QB Jr), Adrian Kot (Pine Bush RB Sr), Carlos Guzman (Pine Bush RB Jr), Mike McGrath (Kingston FB Sr), Derrick Jean (Pine Bush WR Sr), T.J. Snell (Middletown Sr OG), Jared Komorowski (Warwick LB Jr), Alton Mitchell (Kingston LB Sr), Johnny Gorton (Kingston DB Jr), Mike Demshick (Newburgh K Fr).
THE 2008 SNF CLASS AA-2 ALL-STARS
MOST VALUABLE OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Zach Conklin, Minisink Valley
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Rian White (Warwick Jr), RB - Robert Tansey (Washingtonville Sr), APB - James Ferrier (Minisink Valley Sr), WR - Jesse Vavricka (Minisink Valley Sr), WR - John Babin (Warwick Jr).
TE - James Brain (Minisink Valley Sr), OT - Zach Conklin (Minisink Valley Sr), OT - Pat Kemp (Warwick Sr), OG - Matt Malunat (Minisink Valley Sr), OG - Zak Lake (Minisink Valley Sr), OL - Robert Howell (Warwick Sr).
K - John Schubert (Valley Central Sr)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Kevin Freeman (Minisink Valley Jr), RB - Steven Pizarro (Valley Central So), FB - Kevin Reilly (Washingtonville Sr), APB - DeVaghn Millington (FDR Jr), WR - John Lauri (Valley Central Sr), WR - Sam Carrecia (Warwick Jr), OT - Ross Vucetaj (Minisink Valley Jr), K - John DeCourcey (Washingtonville Sr).
MOST VALUABLE DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Jesse Vavricka, Minisink Valley
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE - James Brain (Minisink Valley Sr), DE - Matt Mecking (Minisink Valley Sr), DL - Brendan Byrne (Minisink Valley Sr), DL - Emmett O’Brien (Warwick Sr).
LB - Jesse Vavricka (Minisink Valley Sr), LB - Drew Abatangelo (Valley Central Sr), LB - Eric Stranski (Warwick Sr), LB - Eric Kowalski (Washingtonville Sr).
DB - Tom Bruder (Warwick Sr), DB - C. J. Callaghan (Minisink Valley Sr), DB - Jimmy Reynolds (Washingtonville Sr).
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DE - Chris Fernandez (Washingtonville Sr), DL - James House (Warwick Sr), DL - Gavin Hannah (Warwick Jr), DL - Norman Bowen (FDR Sr).
LB - Steve Dalton (Minisink Valley Sr), LB - Darius Simpson (Valley Central Jr), LB - Nigel Simms (Minisink Valley Sr), LB - Kyle Taft (FDR Sr).
DB - Brian Hlavac (Washingtonville Sr), DB - John Lauri (Valley Central Sr), Frank Taylor (Valley Central Sr).
DIVISION 2 HONORABLE MENTION: APB - John Schubert (Valley Central Sr), RB - Andrew Haelen (Minisink Valley Jr), RB - Tevin Hurry (FDR Sr), WR - Devinn Askew (Valley Central Sr), OT - Jon Toohey (Valley Central Sr), LB - Umar Hasan (Valley Central Sr).
EXTRA POINTS: Having doubled the Class AA All-Stars also gives us the chance to double the MVP’s. MW’s Dan Scalo’s injured shoulder was a pretty well-kept secret, but still one could see that he wasn’t the same player that he was in 2007. Still the gutsy junior got the job done, and led his team to within six minutes of a state title. He’s our Division 1 Offensive MVP. On the ground the spread quarterback gained 1,452 yards on 217 carries and scored 18 touchdowns. His passing stats, naturally, were down. He completed 47-of-100 passes for 942 yards, eight TD and four interceptions. Those of those four came on his last two tosses of 2008 when he could barely lift his left arm. But he’ll be back in 2009 to again establish his Crusaders as the team to beat in Section Nine. … The D-2 Offensive MVP is a lineman, Minisink tackle Zach Conklin, one of the best offensive linemen the section has ever produced. At 6’5 and 295 pounds, the senior has the size and skills to play some big time college ball. … The Division 1 Defensive MVP is NFA’s Marcus Spearman. The fact that he is only a junior bodes well for the 2009 Goldbacks. This year he recorded 116 tackles to tie a school single season record. On offense he spent most of his time at tight end where he was an excellent blocker and solid receiver (nine catches for 186 yards). He also did some work as a running back. … The other Defensive MVP is Jesse Vavricka from Minisink. Like Spearman, this versatile senior excels on both sides of the ball. A hybrid defender, he spent most of his time this year at an outside linebacker slot. A dominating performer against both the rush and pass, he picked off three aerials, returning one for a TD. As a receiver on offense, he averaged almost 22 yards per catch (29 x 632) and scored six TD. …
If we had a MVP for special teams, our pick would be senior kicker Jamie Boyle from Monroe-Woodbury. Here are some of his accomplishments. In three seasons of placekicking, Boyle made 151-of-162 PATs with nine of his 11 misses coming in his sophomore season when he was just starting out. He set a state record for consecutive successful PATs with 83. This year he set a new state record for field goals made in a season with 13. His 12th field goal provided the winning margin in the Eastern State Semi-Final game against New Rochelle. His career total was 15 FG’s. Boyle finished with 196 career kicking points which puts him in that category’s record book listing as #2 in the state. Next fall Boyle will both placekick and punt for the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
While Scalo was the leading rusher in Class AA, Pine Bush’s Kyni Scott was second (143 x 1,133 yards and 11 TD) and Washingtonville’s Bobby Tansey was third (189 x 1,095 yards and four TD). Adding in his receiving and special teams yardage, Tansey finished with 1,621 all-purpose yards. … Meanwhile in passing, Warwick junior Rian White threw a ton of passes in the Wildcats‘ new spread attack. He completed 145-of-238 throws for 1,716 yards, 19 TD and nine interceptions. That made him second only to Cornwall’s Kevin Arduno in Section Nine. Not surprisingly, the top receiver in the section was Warwick junior John Babin who caught 58 passes for 829 yards and eight TD.
Here’s one for the big guys in the trenches. NFA senior DL Octavius Fraser (6’2, 255) made 68 tackles. That’s almost up there with the LB’s who get the bulk of the tackles. … Meanwhile Minisink coach Kevin Gallagher reported that James Brain had a monster season on both offense and defense. As a TE he was a devastating blocker; as a DE he was a tackling machine. Minisink is going to miss all those outstanding seniors.
Sunday, February 22 3 cheers for ...
By Justin Rodriguez Times Herald-Record February 22, 2009
Kingston — No, it wouldn't have been easy to hold back the tears.
However, Pine Bush cheerleader Jessica Power prepared to put on her best fake smile and congratulate the Division I winner at the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association cheerleading championships on Saturday.
As it turns out, smiling wasn't hard at all for Power and her teammates. By their own admission, Pine Bush's team put up their shakiest performance of the season at Kingston High School.
Not a problem.
Another year, another title for Pine Bush. The local power won its fourth OCIAA title in five years at a noisy Kate Walton Fieldhouse with 318.5 points. Minisink Valley took second (312.5).
John S. Burke Catholic won the Division II championship, its first in school history, with a score of 248.5.
"I thought we were going to be lucky to place (in the top three)," said Power, a junior. "I thought it was over."
Added Pine Bush junior teammate Kryslynne Herring: "I was already thinking about next year, coming back and trying to win it back next year. It would have been devastating if we lost."
When it was announced over a booming microphone that Pine Bush had won, the team hugged, crying as they accepted their award.
According to coach Cherie Ramsey, the team's routine was filled with errors. She said she thinks Pine Bush, which competed in the National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fla., earlier this month, won because its routine was filled with action and much more tougher stunts than the other teams'.
"We just monopolized the points," Ramsey said. "I think our routine does reflect in the score sheet."
Across the mat, Burke Catholic's celebration resembled Pine Bush's, with plenty of hugs, screaming and tears. The team dedicated this season and, of course, the big win, to "Coach Stew." Trish Stewart, a former Burke Catholic cheerleading coach who died of cancer in June.
Debby Sheehan and her daughter, Kelsey, Burke Catholic's co-coaches, both wore "Coach Stew" shirts.
"We've talked about (Stewart) all season, from the first day of practice," Debby Sheehan said. "To do this, is awesome, amazing, it's shocking. I'm thrilled."
Added Kelsey Sheehan with a smile: "We are the little team that could."
jrodriguez@th-record.com
OCIAA cheerleading championships
(at Kingston High School)
Team standings
Division I (large schools)
1. Pine Bush 318.5
2. Minisink Valley 312.5
3. Monroe-Woodbury 305.5
Division II (small schools)
1. John S. Burke Catholic 248.5
2. James I. O'Neill 226.5
3. S.S. Seward 214.5
Tuesday, March 17
MONROE-WOODBURY
DOMINATES FIRST HALF BUT ORCHARD PARK COMES BACK TO WIN STATE TITLE
Crusaders end season 11-1
JAMIE BOYLE SETS NY STATE FIELD GOAL RECORD booting 13 in single season
After being dominated by Monroe-Woodbury in the first half and trailing 17-0 at the intermission, Orchard Park turned things around to own the second half and defeat the Crusaders for the state AA crown, 21-17, Sunday at the Carrier Dome.
The first quarter saw a D.J. Young interception set up an 11-play, 51-yard MW scoring drive. In the series junior QB Dan Scalo rushed nine times for 42 yards. A big pass interference call gave the Cru a first and goal at the Quaker three, and two plays later Scalo squeaked into the end zone. Jamie Boyle converted the PAT to make it 7-0 with four seconds left in the quarter.
Monroe-Woodbury scored on its next possession, traveling 59 yards on nine plays. The TD came on another Scalo one-yard blast at 6:45 of the second stanza. Boyle against converted
for a 14-0 MW lead.
The Crusaders’ Jordan Bari then stopped OP’s Kyle Hoppy whose run off a fake punt fell three yards short of a first down. A 26-yard run by Scalo moved the ball to the Orchard Park 31, and Andrew Tolosi’s 11-yard scamper was good for a first down at the 15. But the Section Six champs made a big stand.
With a fourth-and-five at the 10, D’Aliso sent in Boyle who proceeded to set a new state record with a 27-yard field goal from the right hash mark. The boot was his 13th of the season and gave MW a seemingly comfortable 17-0 halftime lead.
The first half statistics were lopsided. Monroe-Woodbury ran 36 plays to Orchard Park’s 22. The Cru was also leading in first downs (11-4) and net yards (187-98) as well as on the scoreboard. Trailing MW at half usually means the party is over, but not on this day. The worm truned in the locker room as the teams seemed to exchange uniforms.
The Crusaders even received the second half kickoff but could get nothing started. In the
second half MW picked up but two first downs while the Quaker offense had its way with a Cru defense that tackled as shoddily as OP’s had in the first half.
Aided by a 15-yard penalty for an alleged hit out of bounds, the Quakers marched 50 yards in just five plays to make it 17-7. Jeff Tundo scored the TD on a 21-yard run and Ryan Cole converted at 7:47 of the third quarter.
Orchard Park’s next series covered 60 yards in nine plays. Hoppy picked a dropped snap off the carpet and ran a keeper around the right side for a 14-yard TD at 1:49. Cole’s kick was again true and the margin was narrowed to 17-14.
Cole’s ensuing kickoff went out of bounds to put MW at its 35. But the Crusaders again went three-and-out, and Boyle got off his worst punt of the season. The kick covered but 14 yards to set the Quakers up at their 44 with just seconds left in the quarter.
OP drove to the MW 29 but their drive fizzled there after two passes fell incomplete. The Crusaders looked like they might get something going after Scalo hooked up with Young on a seven-yard pass for a first down. But four plays later MW was forced to punt.
Boyle’s 36-yard punt pushed OP back to its 22. On first down Tundo powered up the middle for a short game before fumbling the ball forward. Kyle Perla was johnny-on-the-spot, however, and recovered the ball for the Quakers. A big recovery it was.
On the next play Hoppy broke loose, slipped down the right sideline, ran through some poorly attempted tackles and ended up in the end zone. The TD run covered 67 yards and put OP ahead to stay with six minutes
left in the fourth quarter. Cole made it 21-17.
The Monroe-Woodbury offense had the ball - briefly - three more times in the game. The first possession ended with a punt; the last two ended in interceptions by Brandon Nuessie and Dave Goltz of Scalo passes .
After all was said and done, Orchard Park won the battle of stats as well as the game, netting 335 yards of offense to MW’s 230.
“We tackled better in that second half and tightened up,” said an emotional Gene Tundo, coaching his final game for OP, after the contest. “Our offense got rolling. We made a couple of good plays, and it snowballed from there.”
Hoppy, the game’s MVP, rushed 16 times for 135 yards and two TD. He was six-for-14 for 58 yards in passing and also punted twice for a 39.5 yard average. Meanwhile workhorse Tundo carried 26 times for 146 yards and a TD. “We came out hot in the second half,” Hoppy said of his offense, “and our defense made the stops.” For the Crusaders, Scalo, a marked man all afternoon, rushed for 134 yards on 25 carries. In passing, he was four-for-nine for 24 yards and two interceptions. Scalo was named the game’s most outstanding offensive back.
After the game the QB revealed that he had been playing with a torn shoulder labrum all season. Throwing athletes and weightlifters are subject to glenoid labrum tears, and Scalo will be operated on this week.
Also for MW, Trevor Officer carried 11 times for 46 yards while Tolosi was eight-for-35.
Winning another plaque for the Crusaders was sophomore guard Josh Skowronski who was named the game’s most outstanding offensive lineman.
The game’s leading tackler with 17, Nuessie was the game’s most outstanding defensive back while OP defensive end Robert Kugler won the plaque for being the game’s most outstanding defensive lineman.
Free safety Ryan Morgan (14) and linebacker James Boyd (13), both juniors, were Monroe-Woodbury’sleadin tacklers. Boyd and Orchard Park’s Goltz were given the sportsmanship awards.
For the Crusaders it was their third consecutive loss in the state title game after winning the crown in 2005. They finished their season 11-. Champ Orchard Park, in a state title game for the first time, finished 13-0.
