Crusader Victory was a class and family affair

SYRACUSE - Hundreds of Monroe-Woodbury supporters turned the Library Lounge, located in the Marx Hotel in Syracuse into anything but a quiet place Saturday night as some fans partied until after midnight on the eve of the biggest football game in school history. “Tomorrow is purple and white through and through,” said Chris Boyce, a member of the JV team. “Oh man, this is so awesome for the program and I can’t wait until next year when I can be out there.” Senior wrestler Matt Flood came up on one of many spectator buses to watch the Crusaders snatch the class AA title 30-12 over Webster-Thomas. “The whole senior class is here,” said Flood. “We came to watch them dominate.” Defensive Coordinator Bernie Connolly’s family traveled as well. His mother Gerri, twin brother Kevin and younger brother Timmy all drove up together. And according to Gerri Connolly, she knows where his defensive mastermind comes from. “I taught him everything he knows,” she said. “I have four sons and three of them are football coaches. Kevin Connolly, who is older by 43 minutes, is the only non-coach. “I have a real job,” he joked. Getting a load of this happy crew, it’s no wonder why the Crusaders’ head coach Pat D’Aliso chose to have his team stay in the Syracuse suburb of Liverpool at the Holiday Inn there where his team could focus. On the way up Saturday afternoon, the Crusaders had stopped at SUNY Cortland to practice. Connolly’s son Michael is a member of the Red Dragons’ football team and arranged the stop. In return, he got to help his dad coach in Sunday’s game. But even though Laura Duggan’s son Chris wasn’t at the same hotel, she sat in the Library Lounge an inch from her cell phone waiting for a phone call or a text message. Chris Duggan is the 5-foot-6 spark plug in the middle of the Crusaders’ defense that allowed double-digit points only once before the state championship game. “Sure he is little,” said Laura Duggan. “But he has a heart that is six feet tall.” Twenty-six crazy cheerleaders also packed the Marx Hotel. “We drove four hours to come up here and cheer them on,” said team captain Melissa Wall. Greg O’Connor and some buddies had a few beers and watched the Notre Dame game. Others played cards. But nothing brings a town together like a championship football team. And that party spilled over into the Carrier Dome Sunday at noon. With the Crusaders leading 32-10, and the clock showing just 4:27 left in the game, Crusader fans shouted “It’s all over” filling the building. Then D’Aliso pulled his senior defensive starters out one-by-one much to the liking of the packed crowd. The last to come off was Chris Duggan. Once the gun sounded, the crowd serenaded the team with “We are the Champions.” Finally, during the post game awards ceremony, one more “thank you” was necessary. Chants of “Pat D’Aliso” lasted for several minutes as the community told the coach: “You finally did it.”