Crusaders outlast Middletown to win Sec. IX title

On a cold overcast Nov. 15 afternoon, the Crusaders of Monroe- Woodbury and the Middies of Middletown met for the second year in a row to battle for the 2025 Section IX Class AA championship. The reigning champion Crusaders beat the Middies 34-16 last year to take the title.

The Crusaders came into the game with a 9-1 record after beating Valley Central in their last game 43-13. They also defeated the Middies 49-13 when the two teams met earlier this season. The Middies showed up with a 6-4 record after knocking off Newburgh 21-16 to reach the championship game.

The Crusaders’ defense and special teams got the team off to great start. Charlie Theokas’ sack of the Middie quarterback Joseph Royal stopped their first drive. Then Nathaniel Shim blocked the Middies punt to give the Crusaders a first down at the Middie 23-yard line. From there, quarterback Ethan Maldonado threaded a perfect pass to Braylon Shillingford who dove over the Middie defender to score in a spectacular fashion. When Matvii Butiuhin added the first of his four extra points, the Crusaders were up 7-0.

The Middies responded with a great drive of their own, but they were stopped when Shae Michel recovered their fumble in the Crusaders end zone.

Half way through the second quarter, Maldonado hit Theokas with a short pass and the tight end rumbled down the far sideline to score from 44-yards out, putting the Crusaders up 14-0. The Middies finally got on the board with four seconds left in the half with a 1-yard quick screen to their wide receiver to make it 14-7 at the half.

In the third quarter, a beautiful diving catch by Liam Hayes of a Maldonado pass gave the Crusaders a first down at the Middie 19. A few plays later Maldonado took the snap and weaved his way thru the Middie defense to score from 8-yards out to put the team up 21-7. The Middies responded and came right down the field and scored on a short run to cut the lead to 21-14 at the end of the third quarter.

With 11 minutes left in the game, Middletown tied the game with a 6-yard touchdown pass. Suddenly, the Crusaders season was on the line and the momentum was on the Middies side. That’s when linebacker Ronald Chambers dropped back in coverage near midfield and picked off a Middie pass to get the ball back. The Crusaders were unable to score, but they forced the Middies back deep into their own territory. After a short Middie punt, Nate Coulanges took a screen pass near midfield, broke through Middie defenders, and got all they down to the 14 with three minutes left to play. But penalties on the Crusaders moved them back out of Field Goal range. Maldonado then found Shillingford with single coverage and the athletic receiver out-battled the defender for the ball to give the Crusaders a first down on the 9-yard line. Maldonado then went right back to Shillingford whose catch put the Crusaders up 28-21 with 1:50 left in the game.

The Crusaders defense then held off the Middies to give the Crusaders the Section championship for the second year in a row. The victory brings their record to 10-1 on the season. Their next game on Saturday Nov. 22 at Arlington High School against Section I champions, Mamaroneck, in the opening round of the NYSPHAA tournament.