Instead of figuring out a new and innovative way to lose, Thomas Jefferson figured it all out Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn.
Trailing most of the day against favored Campus Magnet, the Orange Wave scored the game’s final 12 points and pulled out a dramatic 20-16 victory over the Bulldogs in PSAL City Championship division football for their first win.
“It feels good – it feels very, very good,” Jefferson coach Gus Cyrus said. “Everybody played together.”
Quarterback Javon Lewis threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Neville Alexander and tossed the game-winner, a 20-yard rollout to Kharif Pryor with 3:22 left as Jefferson got into the win column after three straight losses to start the year. Kendall (Speedy) Thomas had a 20-yard touchdown run also and Malik Martin recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter.
“I had it in my mind we were going to pull this one out,” Cyrus said. “I watched my kids this week, they were being serious. It just seemed like they were different this week. Maybe because they were at home or they got tired of losing, this was the best week of football we had all year.”
Lewis made his first start last week in place of starter Al Stewart, but the plan was to go back to Stewart. A knee injury to Stewart prevented that from happening, but Lewis responded by throwing for 100 yards and rushing for 30 more.
“He played real big,” Cyrus said. “I’m real impressed with him.”
Jefferson’s road to .500 is a difficult one: It takes on defending city champion Fort Hamilton on Sunday at noon. Campus Magnet (2-2), meanwhile, hosts Grand Street Campus.
No. 2 Fort Hamilton 32, Susan Wagner 20: Tyrone Raymond ran for 231 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown, quarterback Marvin Centeno picked up 70 yards on the ground and a score and Stefon Hayles had 85 yards rushing and a TD as Fort Hamilton won its 35th straight regular-season game. The Tigers (4-0), one of two undefeated teams left in the City Championship division, faces Thomas Jefferson at 12 p.m. next weekend. Benjamin Ezike had 108 yards and a score for Wagner (1-3), which visits New Dorp next Sunday at noon.
No. 5 DeWitt Clinton 42, Midwood 0: Ashton McKenzie had 15 carries for 215 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan Camilo had 5 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns, he also threw a touchdown pass to Shane Valdivieso, Andy Foxe added five tackles and two sacks and Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong and Stefano Dawkins had eight tackles apiece for Clinton. The Governors (3-1) host Canarsie next Sunday at 11 a.m. while winless Midwood (0-4) visits John Adams at noon.
No. 6 Curtis 18, Grand Street Campus 14: Kevin Austin had a pair of touchdown runs for the Warriors (3-1), who have won three in a row since a season-opening loss to Boys & Girls and face John F. Kennedy next Sunday at noon. Francisco Brown ran for 54 yards and a touchdown and Richard Nunez tossed a touchdown pass to Diquan Christopher for Grand Street (2-2), which has lost two in a row. The Wolves visit Campus Magnet next Sunday at 11 a.m.
No. 7 Boys & Girls 41, No. 9 Port Richmond 26: Najee Champagne ran for 132 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns and Khadeem Campbell had 109 yards on 13 carries with a pair of scores to lead Boys & Girls (2-2), which heads to Truman next week. Donta Robinson and Richardson Derosena also scored on the ground.
Aaron Yates had 128 yards on six catches and a touchdown and Mike Goffredo, James Jones and Shaquan Gordon ran for scores for Port Richmond (3-1), which hosts Tottenville in Week 5.
Canarsie 24, New Dorp 0: Marvin Chadic had a pair of touchdown runs and Jordan Gillies also scored on the ground for Canarsie (3-1), which bounced back from last week’s loss to Flushing and takes on DeWitt Clinton next Sunday at 11 a.m. New Dorp (0-4) will look for its first victory against Susan Wagner at noon next Sunday.
John F. Kennedy 36, New Utrecht 12: Anthony Cruz went 8-of-14 for 119 yards and two touchdowns and Romario Dillion rushed for 145 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns and another score on a pick-six to lead Kennedy (2-2), which heads to Curtis next week. Raheem Bramwell had both touchdown catches, two sacks and 10 tackles. Shakur George had an interception and Julian Vega and Robert Roach recovered fumbles. Roach returned his for a defensive touchdown. New Utrecht (0-4) hosts Flushing in Week 5.
John Adams 28, FDR 6: Antoine Arnold ran for 137 yards, scored on the ground from 33 yards out and caught a 20-yard scoring strike from Danny Perez, Shane Hubbard scored on a 45-yard run and Brandon Berrios had a team-high 12 tackles for John Adams (2-2), which takes on Midwood next Sunday at noon. FDR (0-4) faces Lincoln Friday at 2:30 p.m.
