What started as a penalty-heavy performance became Marlboro’s success on all sides of the ball. Four different touchdown scorers, including running back Jack Buzzurro’s first of the season, highlighted Marlboro’s 27-7 win over the Red Hook Raiders.

A relief for Buzzurro, Marlboro’s leading rusher, who before October 3 had been blocked from the end zone. Buzzurro’s first touchdown of the season felt “amazing” said the senior. Buzzurro rushed 84 yards in the win, including a game-high 35-yard run in the Dukes’ third straight win.

“The first half, we came out kind of slow, but the second half, we gave it to them all. We got subs in, it was a fun time, seeing all the subs out there doing their best, playing with heart. It was awesome,” said Buzzurro of the Dukes’ all-around performance.

Daylon McKenzie hauled in Marlboro’s lone receiving touchdown, giving his Dukes a 13-0 lead in the second quarter.

Marlboro’s sole blemish was a Raiders punt return touchdown that then cut the Duke advantage to 13-6 before halftime. A missed extra point had fed the Raider momentum, and special teams went flat in the Raiders’ second quarter surge. The Dukes scored 18 second-half points. Red Hook was quiet the rest of the way, as Marlboro won by the largest margin of its 3-1 season.

Since their season opener loss to Saugerties, the Dukes have outscored opponents by 27 points. Devin Robertson threw for 142 yards, including the touchdown to McKenzie.

“People have been saying we’ve been on the decline. I don’t believe that. It felt good to come out here and win tonight, and we have to get ready for next week. The celebration’s over already,” said McKenzie.

True to the Duke way, Robertson and the offense were unrelenting on third and thirteen, and even longer. With Marlboro on third down and 13 yards to go, a 20-yard pass captured the Dukes’ first first down of the night. From there, it was predominantly Dukes, with Mateo Sajous salvaging first downs and Jayden Cutting cruising to the end zone for the first score.

“It’s nice that we could spread the ball around like that. It shows that we have more versatility than just one or two guys doing the job on offense,” said Marlboro coach Ryan Brooks.

Shawn DeLaigle led the defense with 10 tackles and forced a fumble to stop Red Hook’s mounting attack early in the first half. Nate Armstrong had seven stops, including a massive stop that held the Raiders out of reach. Andrew Raia capped the scoring with a steamrolling run to put the Dukes up 19. Offense turning to defense, while the Dukes’ wide receivers time and again beat the defense to extend Marlboro’s possession.

“Our receivers were just better than their DBs. I think we scared them; we backed them out with the box. We just actually took advantage of everything we could. That’s what we saw on film, and that’s what we needed to go do,” added McKenzie.