Newburgh Free Academy held off Pine Bush 21-20 on Friday in a Section 9 Class AA semifinal, sealing the win when Denvyr Herring intercepted a pass in the final two minutes.

The Goldbacks (8-2) were scheduled to face top-seeded Middletown in the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Monroe-Woodbury High School, but the Middlies were forced to forfeit their semifinal win over Valley Central last week, when it was determined that they used an ineligible player in their 48-15 win. Instead, the Goldbacks will face the Vikings for the Class AA title.

Newburgh forced a three-and-out on Pine Bush’s opening possession and scored on a touchdown by Herring. James Lila intercepted a pass on the Bushmen’s next drive, and Austin Lila ran in a touchdown to give Newburgh a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Pine Bush answered in the second quarter.

After the teams traded turnovers on downs, Bushmen running back Ruben Simpson scored on a run to make it a one-score game. Pine Bush then recovered a fumble with just under three minutes left in the half, and Connor Amiel threw a touchdown pass to Jace Robinson with 17 seconds remaining to tie the game at 14. Amiel had entered earlier in the quarter for an injured Ryan Curtin.

The teams traded turnovers on downs to open the second half. Midway through the third quarter, Newburgh drove most of the field, and running back Justin Lassic scored with five minutes left, but a holding penalty wiped out the touchdown. The Goldbacks converted a fourth-and-1 from the 19-yard line, but Robinson intercepted a pass in the end zone, and Newburgh failed to score off the drive.

Nasaire Gilbert intercepted a pass for Pine Bush early in the fourth quarter. The Bushmen scored with 4:19 left, but that touchdown was also nullified by a holding penalty. Pine Bush scored on the next play, a touchdown run by Jaden Christophe, to take a 20-14 lead. Newburgh blocked the extra point.

The block proved decisive. The Goldbacks answered with a Lassic touchdown on a drive that lasted less than a minute, then made the extra point to go ahead 21-20 with 3:48 remaining. Pine Bush earned a first down on a Newburgh penalty, but Herring’s interception with less than two minutes left ended the Bushmen’s final threat.

The Goldbacks will face Valley Central (5-5) on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Monroe-Woodbury High School. Newburgh beat VC 27-0 on Oct. 30.