So, it all comes down to this tonight for Kingston High School:

Beat longtime rival Newburgh and qualify for the Section 9, Class AA football semifinals.

Lose and play a meaningless end-of-the season contest next week.

If the Tigers ever needed extra motivation to play the Goldbacks, there it is.

Both teams have a lot of momentum heading into tonight's contest, with Kingston coming off a convincing win over Middletown one week after it nearly upset the then-undefeated-in Section 9 Monroe-Woodbury. Kingston lose 28-27 after scoring the tying touchdown late, only to miss on a gutsy 2-point conversion.

That would have ended the Crusaders' nearly eight-year, 62-game sectional winning streak. Last week, Newburgh ended that 63-game mark with a 7-0 victory. The Goldbacks also qualified for the playoffs with that win.

With Newburgh already in the postseason, Kingston has a lot more on the line than the Goldbacks. Tigers' fans can only hope their team will be use that do-or-die mentality to join in the playoff party.