Auburn ends Monroe-Woodbury's championship run

‘They were better than us’, By Chris Mayone SYRACUSE - “The game was amazing,” said Monroe-Woodbury running back David Landesberg, as he and his teammates lingered on the field at the Carrier Dome Saturday afternoon. “It was one of the best football game’s you will ever see.” For a team that had won 24 straight games, the Crusaders, even in defeat, showed their class. On Saturday afternoon, Auburn High School scored an improbable 27-26 overtime victory over Monroe-Woodbury in the New York State Class Football Championship at the Carrier Dome. There was a bit of David versus Goliath in the game. After all, Auburn failed to qualify to post season play after a 4-3 regular season while Monroe-Woodbury was undefeated in the regular season. But the Maroons received a berth in the state playoffs when a team in its section used an ineligible player. From there, they proceeded to win three state playoff contests and knock off Monroe-Woodbury, last year’s state champs. From the game’s opening kick off, it was hard to imagine that this game would prove to be for the faint of heart. Landesberg scooped up Matt Hoey’s kick and shot 84 yards to the end zone giving Monroe-Woodbury the early lead. But the Maroons answered back with 14 straight points before the Crusaders ended the first half with a touchdown. Senior Gregg Sullivan hit John Flannery in the back corner of the end zone with 19 seconds remaining to pull Monroe-Woodbury within one point. Jaimie Boyle’s extra point missed wide right making the halftime score 14-13. After taking extending their lead in the second half, Auburn did the unthinkable: They gave Sullivan, last year’s New York State Player of the Year, and his teammates another chance. Trailing 20-13, Sullivan and the Crusaders were poised to complete a 65-yard drive that would tie the score. But after connecting on a pair of big pass plays to Landesberg and Flannery the drive was spurned at the 18-yard line when Landesberg dropped an apparent first-down pass giving the ball back to Auburn with a chance to ice the clock. With just over two minutes remaining, Monroe-Woodbury linebacker Dan Mauriello stuffed Auburn running back Quendel Ellison for a loss. Then, on the next play Crusader defensive tackle Mike Rumler dove on a loose ball that Ellison put on the Carrier Dome turf. From the Maroons’ 35-yard line, Sullivan hit Flannery on a quick slant for 12-yards. Sullivan then took matters into his own hands, sprinting 23 yards to the left pylon to pull the Crusaders even after a Boyle extra point with 1:09 left. On Auburn’s ensuing possession, the staunch Monroe-Woodbury defense smelled blood as they sacked Auburn Quarterback Darnell Murphy twice, giving Sullivan and the Crusaders’ offense another try. But the quarterback’s Hail Mary pass was picked off, forcing overtime. In overtime, each team takes possession from the 20-yard line until the tie is broken. Auburn won the toss and elected to let the Crusaders take the ball first. Monroe-Woodbury scored on its first possession of overtime on just three plays. First, fullback Chris Boyce banged ahead for 12 yards. Then, Sullivan pushed ahead for six before Landesberg capped off the drive with a two-yard plunge touchdown plunge putting the state’s top ranked team on top 26-20. Jamie Boyle missed the extra point wide left leaving the door wide open for Auburn. On Auburn’s first play in the extra session Auburn quarterback Murphy found Jeff Richardson wide open in the left corner of the end zone to tie the score at 26. Hoey’s first point after attempted sailed wide right, but a roughing the kicker call gave the Maroons another life. And his next attempt took the life away from the Crusaders as they could only watch Auburn celebrate and hold the trophy that should have been theirs. As M-W linebacker Keith Hale left the field Saturday, he said: “They were better than us today.”