Central Valley. Monroe-Woodbury moves to 3-0-1 as Crusaders defeat Warwick Valley 1-0 in varsity boys soccer
| 10 Sep 2023 | 02:16
Ibrahim Cela looks to move the ball out of the Crusaders zone.
Crusader goalie Parker Giles clears the ball away from the front of his net over a Wildcat player. Photos by William Dimmit.
Carlos Perez Turcios used his speed to create several scoring opportunities.
Nick Almeida scored the winning goal with a beautiful shot with 10:24 left in the game.
Saturday, September 9 at Monroe Woodbury High School
On a foggy and rainy Saturday morning, Sept. 9, the Crusaders hosted the Wildcats of Warwick Valley
The Wildcats ended the Crusaders’ season last year when they beat them 4-1 in the Section 9 varsity boys soccer championship game.
The Crusaders entered this game with a 2-0-1 record after beating Cornwall in their last game 6-2.
The Wildcats showed up with a 0-0-1 record after battling Washingtonville to a draw.
In the first half, the two teams took turns controlling possessions and exchanging scoring opportunities but no one was able to score.
The Crusaders began to find cracks in the Wildcats’ defense as the second half wore on. And while they had some good scoring chances but they couldn’t break through.
Finally, though, with 10:24 left in the game, Nick Almeida burst down the far sideline cut past the first defender and broke toward the middle. He then hammered a shot from just inside the box past a diving defender, beyond the outstretched arms of the goalie and into the net to put the Crusaders up 1-0.
The Crusaders’ defense, led by Ibrahim Cela, rose to the occasion and continually spoiled the Wildcats’ offensive attacks.
Meanwhile, Crusader Goalie Parker Giles gobbled up any Wildcat shots that got through the defense as he recorded the shutout.
The Crusaders 1-0 victory brings their record to 3-0-1 on the season. Their next game is away against Middletown High School.
- William Dimmit