The Cornwall Dragons forced five turnovers and used a balanced offensive attack to defeat Minisink Valley 49-20 on the road.

Cornwall improved to 2-3, while Minisink Valley fell to 2-3.

Junior quarterback Sage Caesar led the Dragons with three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown. Junior receiver and defensive back TJ Muhlfeld added a receiving touchdown and a 30-yard interception return for a score in the third quarter.

“He started playing as a freshman. He’s new to football and is a great athlete,” Cornwall coach Kevin Arduino said of Muhlfeld. “I’m very happy for him on both sides of the ball. We lean on him for a lot.”

Cornwall opened the scoring in the first quarter when junior running back Zaire Owens scored on a 20-yard run following a personal foul against the Warriors. Senior kicker Jack Baloga converted the extra point.

Minisink moved to the Cornwall 40-yard line on its opening possession after a 15-yard reception and a third-down conversion by senior running back Chris Thorpe. The Warriors went for it on fourth-and-15 but failed to convert.

Cornwall’s next drive stalled after Caesar was sacked by Minisink middle linebacker Anthony Marasco. On third-and-25, Caesar’s pass toward a potential first down was broken up, forcing a punt.

Minisink appeared to be gaining momentum when junior wide receiver Anthony Sweed eluded two Cornwall defenders with a spin move for a first down. Cornwall’s defense, however, continued to make plays in the backfield, with junior linebacker Charles Caoili and freshman linebacker Aidan Russo recording tackles for losses.

Cornwall extended its lead in the second quarter. Caesar found junior receiver Aydan Ayala, who made a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone to complete the scoring drive. Baloga’s extra point made it 14-0.

“It felt unreal,” Ayala said. “When I saw the ball in the air, I knew I had to go get it no matter where it was.”
Ayala said playing on the road gives him additional motivation.

“When I’m playing at home, I feel like I have to protect my town and what we represent,” he said. “When playing on the road, I have to put on for Cornwall and show other teams what we can really do.”

Minisink had an opportunity to cut into the deficit with the ball near midfield, but junior middle linebacker Michael Cooper intercepted a pass from junior quarterback Gene Iannuzzi. Iannuzzi was hit while attempting to throw on the run, and the ball popped into Cooper’s hands.

“On the interception, I was reading the quarterback and could tell he was trying to extend the play,” Cooper said. “I assumed he would take off and my teammates forced a bad ball, and I capitalized on it. But it all comes from us playing as a team.”

The interception did not produce points, as Cornwall ran out of time after a catch by Ayala and a final running play.

Cornwall quickly added to its lead after halftime. Minisink turned the ball over on its opening possession of the second half when junior defensive back and receiver Lekeaka Fonkem intercepted a pass. Caesar then scored on a rushing touchdown to make it 21-0.

Minisink answered on its next possession. Junior running back Keagan Welch returned the kickoff to the Minisink 48-yard line, and, after a fourth-down tackle by Cornwall junior outside linebacker Zion Felix, sophomore receiver Mason Luciano converted a fourth down with a sideline catch. Iannuzzi then scored on a goal-line run to make it 21-7.

Cornwall responded after forcing another fumble. A first-down run by Russo and a short reception by Ayala set up Caesar’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Muhlfeld, increasing the lead to 28-7.

“I feel like on the offensive side of the ball, we were playing together, and I was just having fun playing football with my brothers,” Caesar said.

Felix pressured Iannuzzi into an incompletion on the next possession, and Muhlfeld intercepted the following pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. Baloga’s extra point made it 35-7.

“I saw that ball and him rolling back to pass and all the open field,” Muhlfeld said. He credited Cooper with a key block during the return.

Minisink scored early in the fourth quarter after taking over on downs. The Warriors converted the opportunity into a rushing touchdown, but a missed extra point left Cornwall with a 35-13 lead.

Cornwall answered quickly. Owens appeared to be stopped at the line of scrimmage before breaking free for a 10-yard gain. On the next play, Caesar connected with junior receiver Jayon Robinson, who raced past a defender for a 50-yard touchdown reception. The Dragons led 42-13.

Caoili forced another fumble on Minisink’s next possession, and Cornwall recovered. Junior running back Derek Scott then scored the Dragons’ final touchdown, lowering his shoulder and running through a defender.
Minisink added its final touchdown after Ayala dropped a fair catch at midfield, allowing the Warriors to recover. Sophomore running back Edward Odland scored from the 1-yard line after a pass completion near the goal line, making the final score 49-20.

Arduino said the Dragons’ energy and unselfish play were keys to the victory.

“We emphasized this whole week about coming together, and I saw it tonight,” Arduino said. “You could see it on the sideline; you could feel it. Guys were excited for each other while they were playing and having success. Winning always helps, so this one feels good to get back in the win column.”

The victory also provided a boost after Cornwall’s 1-3 start.

“It means a lot to us because we’ve had a rough start to the season,” Ayala said. “This win really does give us momentum going into next week and the rest of the season.”
Cornwall will host Warwick on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.