New York City has always been known as a basketball city. After last night, it still will be.

But all of New York football took a step forward when it finally beat New Jersey in the fourth annual Governor’s Bowl. Even though New York was missing its top player, Canarsie’s Leon Williams, it manhandled New Jersey, 26-8, in front of 300 at Rutgers Stadium. It was New York’s first victory in the series after three sound defeats.

“This helps a lot,” said Jason Sullivan, who led Monsignor Farrell to a pair of CHSFL titles and will move on to Indiana on Aug. 10. He rushed eight times for 27 yards last night. “I needed this. New Jersey is known as a great football state, so we proved how good we were. This shows that New York is good at other sports except basketball.”

This wasn’t just an All-Star game. It was a chance for New York to prove itself.

“If anyone gives me a hard time about being from New York City out there, I’ll just show him this [New York] shirt. If they don’t think I’m tough, I’ll show them that I am. So will all these other guys from the city.”

New York managed to dominate even without Williams, who is bound for Miami (Fla). He missed the game with a cut foot, but New York didn’t need him. His former teammate was help enough.

Canarsie’s Earl Charles (8-39) scored three touchdowns in the win. One was set up by Lincoln’s Stanley Primus, who recovered a fumble on the New Jersey four-yard-line.

“We heard that they had 31 Div. I [college] players and we only had 16,” said Charles, who expects to redshirt at Southern Cal in the fall. “We knew we could play with anybody, no matter what had happened in the past.”

New York had barely stayed competitive in the first two bowls before getting blown out 48-7 last year. Another mismatch like that and this may have been the finale. Not anymore.

“This is great,” Sullivan said. “I know a lot of people from New Jersey and they were all talking mega [stuff]. This will shut them up.”