This just in: Monroe-Woodbury is still dang good

CENTRAL VALLEY - Minisink Valley was just about ready to get back in the game. Heck, it was only 14-0 against last year's sectional champs. They had just completed two long passes that set them up right outside the 20-yard line with under a minute to go and they had a time out. Even if they couldn't push the ball across the goal line, a two touchdown deficit wouldn't be the end of the world for the Warriors. But as time ran out, Neil Ingenito sucked the life out of the Green and White when he picked off Joe Hillman's pass and scampered 85 yards down the right sideline for the score, extending the Crusaders' halftime lead to 21-0, From there they rolled to a 42-0 non-league win to open the season. "Without a doubt Neil's interception was the biggest play of the game," said Monroe-Woodbury Head Coach Pat D'Aliso. "To score with no time left really did them in." "The defense just completely dominated," said nose guard Chris Duggan. "I knew we were going to be good. But tonight was crazy." Dugan had one of five sacks to lead the staunch effort. Nick Gillan led the way with seven tackles and a sack. Unveiling the new shotgun offense was junior Greg Sullivan. The Crusaders wasted no time throwing the ball all over the field, as their first play was a 22-yard completion to Chris Johnson. His opening drive consumed over seven minutes, but two incompletions to Mike Septh stalled the effort inside the Warriors' 20 yard line. On their next possession, Ingenito took advantage of a blocked punt from Tim Dorsey. The fullback scored on the next play putting Monroe-Woodbury on top, 6-0. Ingenito rushed for a team-best 86 yards. Sullivan made his first big play of the night, completing a fourth-and-28 pass to Chris Johnson setting up a first-and-goal. On the next play, David Landesberg busted into the end zone from six yards out. Sullivan's two-point run extended the lead to 14-0. Ingenito's back-breaker made it 21-0. A 31-yard Sullivan run extended it to 28-0 one drive into the second half. "Overall I think my first start was good," said Sullivan. "I got banged up a little. But that is what I wanted. Just to get the rust off a little bit." "He put the ball where it had to be " said D'Aliso, who admits to never running the shotgun as a coach. "Sometimes we didn't make the catches and there was pressure on him too. But he was very good at times." Overall, Sullivan completed just 4-of-10 passes but was victimized by several drops off his receivers' hands. The lead ballooned to 35-0, when Landesberg, took a sweep right 82 yards to the house early in the third quarter. Reserve signal-caller John Flannery added a one-yard keeper for M-W's final score. Monroe-Woodbury returns to action tonight, when they host Pine Bush, at 7:30 p.m.