Jeff Jr. and David Legree usually spend a lot of time talking about their respective opponents for their upcoming games.
Not this week.
Jeff, a junior QB at Fort Hamilton, and David, a senior QB at South Shore, will meet for the first time when Fort Hamilton (6-0) visits the Vikings (5-1) tomorrow at 11 a.m. The game will be broadcast on MSG Sunday morning.
“It’s been pretty quiet,” Jeff said of their East Flatbush home. “We can’t help each other now.”
That will change tomorrow, when dozens of family members will attend the game from places like California and North Carolina.
“I won’t be able to cheer for anybody,” said the boys’ father, Jeff Sr. “I just hope it’s a high-scoring affair.”
Jeff Sr. is the Archie Manning to Jeff Jr.’s Peyton and David’s Eli. Jeff Sr. played high school and junior college football in California. “I was a quarterback,” Legree said. “When you’re a Legree, you have no choice.”
So when David, who is a year younger than Jeff, was already at South Shore, the Legrees knew Jeff had to find somewhere else to go. “It was a no-brainer,” Jeff Sr. said. “He was a quarterback, and I didn’t want him sitting around and not playing.”
It’s worked out for both brothers. David reached the PSAL finals two years ago and is on his way to Syracuse, while Jeffrey led the Tigers to the title last season. “They both really want to win,” said David, who also is a starting safety on defense. “Other than that, there aren’t too many similarities between us.”
Indeed, David is bigger (6-foot-4 to 6-foot-2), is a righty – Jeff Jr. is a southpaw – and while Jeff Jr. can hardly stop talking, David is quiet. Their varying styles clearly work, but only one will have family bragging rights.
“This game is going to be no different than any other,” Jeff Jr. said. “Except that it’s my brother on the other side for the first time, my whole family will be there and it’s going to be on TV.”
And while Peyton Manning beat Eli earlier this season, the boys’ mother, Donna, can relate to someone else.
“I’ll know what Mrs. Manning felt like,” she said.
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While St. Anthony’s remains the class of the CHSFL, Holy Trinity hosts Chaminade tomorrow at 1:30 for second place in the AAA. St. Francis Prep and Fordham Prep meet Sunday at 1 p.m. at St. John’s for first place in the CHSFL AA division. In the PSAL, Lehman visits JFK tonight at 7, while Curtis puts its undefeated record on the line against Port Richmond tomorrow at 11 at Curtis and Midwood hosts Canarsie tomorrow at noon.
