M-W takes A-I title

KINGSTON-No contest. In two words, that sums up Monroe-Woodbury’s 2005 regular season as they closed out its league schedule with a 28-3 romp of Newburgh Free Academy Sunday afternoon to cap off one of the most dominating runs though the league anyone could imagine. The game, originally slated for last Friday, was rescheduled to Sunday. The Crusaders (7-0, 4-0) travel to last year’s class A state-runner up Wallkill tonight. However, this Panther team will hardly provide a tune-up as their lone win of the season came on a blocked extra point attempt against Pine Bush. Then their real season starts with a playoff date at Dietz Stadium on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. It will likely be a rematch of last year’s semi final against Washingtonville if the Wizards can avoid any magic tricks by win less FDR tonight and capture second place in AA-II. Warwick is in as the top-seed in AA-II and will play the second place finisher from AA-I. That will be determined tonight in Newburgh, when the Goldbacks travel north on the thruway to clash with the Tigers in a winner take all showdown. The winners of each semi-final meet Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. for the Section 9, Class AA title. However, for a brief time it looked as if the Crusaders would have a hard-fought contest with their rivals. The Goldbacks took an early 3-0 lead on a field goal in the first quarter. Defensive end Justin Sefrin recovered a Jihad Morris fumble at the NFA 28. Greg Sullivan went to work, firing a pass to Mike Septh who out jumped the secondary for the catch and finished off a 28-yard scoring play with 10:22 left in the second quarter. The extra point failed, but the Crusaders wouldn’t be denied. The next drive resulted in another Sullivan to Septh touchdown connection. This time it was from just eight yards out and the Crusaders were rolling up 13-3. Sullivan then found John Flannery for 43 yards just before halftime as the lead jumped to 20-3. Neil Ingenito busted in from a yard away in the fourth quarter to end all scoring. Monroe-Woodbury’s Mr. Everything finished with 83 yards. Junior defensive end Nick Gillan had three sacks and forced a fumble as part of a defensive effort that has allowed only 44 points through seven games. The offense has scored 276 points.