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NFA defeats Monroe-Woodbury 21-17

| 22 Oct 2018 | 01:53
    Photos by William Dimmit Teeshan Udayakumar makes a leaping catch in front of the Goldbacks' bench for a first down.
    Photos by William Dimmit Teeshan Udayakumar makes a leaping catch in front of the Goldbacks' bench for a first down.
    Quarterback Steven Campione threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns.
    Quarterback Steven Campione threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns.
    Danny Abrahams scored on this beautiful 58-yard catch and run to put the Crusaders up 17-14.
    Danny Abrahams scored on this beautiful 58-yard catch and run to put the Crusaders up 17-14.
    Kicker Mike Boyle hit a 40-yard field goal in the first half to put the Crusader up 10-0.
    Kicker Mike Boyle hit a 40-yard field goal in the first half to put the Crusader up 10-0.

NEWBURGH — On a cool Friday night, Oct. 19, the Crusaders ended their regular season when they battled their archrival the Goldbacks at the Newburgh Free Academy field.
Both teams entered the game undefeated in league play and, like so many years past, the winner of this game would claim the Division crown.
The Crusaders opened the scoring in the first quarter when Teeshan Udayakumar made a beautiful diving catch of a Steve Campione pass at the goal line. When Mike Boyle hit the point after, the Crusaders were up 7-0.
Crusader Camron Adams stopped the next Goldback drive when he came up with a leaping interception and the Crusaders took over on the 44 yard line.
From there the teams exchanged punts.
Early in the second quarter Boyle stretched the Crusaders lead to 10 points when he hit a 40-yard field goal.
The Goldbacks started their come back on their next possession when they drove the ball from their own 16 yard line and scored on a 18-yard touchdown run by their quarterback Derek Lane to cut the Crusader lead down to three.
The Crusaders drove the ball right back down the field but the Goldbacks stopped then on their 34 yard line when the Crusaders failed to convert on a fourth down.
The Goldbacks took advantage of the turnover and, after a controversial pass completion which gave them the ball at the Crusaders' three-yard line, they scored on a short run to take a 14-10 lead into the half.
Early in the second half, with the Goldbacks driving inside the Crusaders 10 yard line, Dominic Badalamente came up with a drive-stopping fumble recovery.
Back in business, the Crusaders moved the ball right down the field. Campione hit Danny Abrahams in stride and he raced 58 yards for the touchdown, making the score 17-14.
But with 6:42 left in the game and the Goldbacks pinned on their own 29 yard line, quarterback Lane hit the speedy Kameren King with a 71-yard bomb, putting the Goldbacks on top 21-17.
The Crusaders got possession of the ball two more times but were unable to score.
The Crusaders' loss brings their season record to 5-3 on the season.
They will take on the Bushmen of Pine Bush on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Dietz Stadium in Kingston in the semi-final round of the OCIAA Section 9 playoffs.
- William Dimmit