Tottenville wide receiver Alvin Cornelius is one of the Pirates’ many big-play threats. (Damion Reid)
The New York Post’s PSAL football beat writers, Zach Braziller and Marc Raimondi, break down the first round of the playoffs.
SCHEDULE (all games begin at 12 p.m.)
No. 16 Grand Street Campus @ No. 1 Fort Hamilton
No. 15 Midwood @ No. 2 Erasmus Hall
No. 14 Port Richmond @ No. 3 Tottenville
No. 13 Flushing vs. No. 4 DeWitt Clinton @ Columbus
No. 12 Lehman @ No. 5 Curtis
No. 11 New Utrecht @ No. 6 Campus Magnet
No. 10 Susan Wagner @ No. 7 Sheepshead Bay
No. 9 Lincoln @ No. 8 Brooklyn Tech
Fort Hamilton Tigers
Head coach: Vinny Laino
Record: 9-0
Offensive player to watch: QB Frank Laino
Defensive player to watch: LB Todd Lauchner
Grand Street Campus
Head Coach: Ed Gazzillo
Record: 4-5
Offensive player to watch: RB Tyriese Defreitas
Defensive player to watch: LB Lincoln Jacobs
Outlook: It’s a classic case of David vs. Goliath. Undefeated Fort Hamilton, which has won 23 straight regular-season games, against under-.500 Grand Street Campus, in the Level 5 playoffs for the first time after going winless a season ago.
The Tigers won’t overlook the Wolves because Vinny Laino doesn’t allow such overconfidence. They have balance on both sides of the ball, game-breaking playmakers in wide receiver/safety Brandon Reddish, running back AJ Richardson and a poised yet lethal signal-caller in Frank Laino, Vinny’s son. Grand Street, meanwhile, is workmanlike, lacking any wow-type standouts.
Erasmus Hall Dutchmen
Head coach: Danny Landberg
Record: 8-1
Offensive player to watch: QB Omari Matthews
Defensive player to watch: SS Wayne Morgan
Midwood Hornets
Head coach: Steve Basile
Record: 4-5
Offensive player to watch: RB/WR Donovan Edwards
Defensive player to watch: LB Scott Dorante
Outlook: The Dutchmen may not have the services of Morgan on the offensive side of the ball, but they remain dangerous. Matthews, a southpaw who throws a fine deep ball, did toss five touchdowns during the regular season, and has many weapons at his disposal – be it wideouts Jonathan Yearwood and Jauvan John or tailback Shaquell Jackson (608 yards rushing, six TDs).
Midwood played Erasmus tight in the two sides’ previous encounter, a 22-20 loss Oct. 17. Led by Dorante and pass-rushing demons Kyle Olivier and David Theodore, the Hornets can play a stifling brand of defense. They do, however, come into the playoffs limping, losers of three straight, including a shocking 24-12, regular-season ending setback to two-win James Madison. It will be interesting to see which Midwood team shows up: the one that nearly beat Erasmus and rallied to knock off New Dorp or the one that couldn’t get by Madison.
Port Richmond Red Raiders
Head coach: Lou Vesce
Record: 3-6
Offensive player to watch: Rob Schroeder
Defensive player to watch: Jonathan Hernandez
Tottenville Pirates
Head coach: Jim Munson
Record: 7-2
Offensive player to watch: RB Marvin Staten
Defensive player to watch: S Nick Clohessy
Outlook: As good as Tottenville’s résumé was during the regular season, this is a real pain in the neck of a game for the first round. Defending city champion Port Richmond is tough as nails and can run the ball.
The Pirates are well balanced, though, have an underrated defense and no one has been able to stop Staten lately. Quarterback Jon Derbyshire has a flair for the dramatic and hurts teams with his arm and his legs.
DeWitt Clinton Governors
Head coach: Howard Langley
Record: 7-2
Offensive player to watch: QB Joaquin DeJesus
Defensive player to watch: LB Onell Dishmey
Flushing Red Devils
Head coach: Jim DeSantis
Record: 5-4
Offensive player to watch: QB Jordan Beranger
Defensive player to watch: DE Jason Bromley
Outlook: Clinton hasn’t been tested in several weeks, not since coming from behind to knock off New Dorp, 36-27, Sept. 26. The Governors have won seven in a row, including a 37-0 shellacking of Flushing Oct. 11. Unlike recent years, they are versatile offensively, thanks to the play of DeJesus, a speedy junior that can also air it out.
This isn’t a preferred matchup for the Red Devils. Their offensive relies heavily on the running game; Clinton’s forte defensively is stopping said running game. Flushing has also lost two in a row. If they couldn’t stop No. 16 Grand Street Campus or No. 6 Campus Magnet, the emerging Queens program will definitely have its hands full with the Governors’ explosive attack.
Lehman Lions
Head coach: Debbie Vance
Record: 5-4
Offensive player to watch: RB George Fields
Defensive player to watch: DE Yannick Kabore
Curtis Warriors
Head coach: Pete Gambardella
Record: 7-2
Offensive player to watch: RB Shaquan Coles
Defensive player to watch: DE Dominique Easley
Outlook: These two clubs are similar: both like to run the ball, get after the opposing quarterback and play physical, in-your-face defense. Curtis is just better at it.
Coles may not just be the best junior back in the city, the argument can be made there is no senior quite as elusive. He led the league with 1,598 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, capped by his remarkable 366-yard, 38-carry performance in a 32-19 win over No. 14 Port Richmond last weekend.
Now that Easley has returned from a turf toe injury, the Warriors’ pass rush is back to being the best in the five boroughs. The Penn State-bound stud didn’t lead the city in sacks – he had 10 – only because he missed several games with turf toe. Instead, bookend James Timmins (14) did.
New Utrecht Utes
Head coach: Alan Balkan
Record: 5-4
Offensive player to watch: QB Jordan Paul
Defensive player to watch: SS Davon Collins
Campus Magnet Bulldogs
Head coach: Eric Barnett
Record: 7-2
Offensive player to watch: RB Wavell Wint
Defensive player to watch: DL Nmesoma Okafor
Outlook: Campus Magnet is looking for its first playoff victory under coach Eric Barnett. The Bulldogs are favored, but the knock on them has been that they can’t win the big one. It won’t be easy here against Paul and New Utrecht’s dynamic attack.
Wint started off the season on fire, but has tapered off lately. If Campus Magnet has an advantage in this game it’s on both lines. The Bulldogs are big and athletic and the Utes’ line play can be called a deficiency.
Susan Wagner Falcons
Head coach: Al Paturzo
Record: 5-4
Offensive player to watch: QB Jordan Rodriguez
Defensive player to watch: S Michael Ellam
Sheepshead Bay Sharks
Head coach: Fred Snyder
Record: 6-3
Offensive player to watch: RB Naquan Alexander
Defensive player to watch: DB Paul Fyffe
Outlook: Something will have to give in this game. Both teams have had high highs and low lows this season. They have both played with the city’s elite – Wagner beat Curtis and Sheepshead went to overtime with Fort Hamilton. Both teams have also had ugly losses.
The question mark here is whether the Falcons can stop the Sharks’ rushing attack, led by Alexander, Devontai Carlie and versatile quarterback Deejay White. Sheepshead’s defense is stout, but Wagner can move the ball. Rodriguez is strong under center and Trevor Ellam is a consistent running back.
Lincoln Railsplitters
Head coach: Shawn O’Connor
Record: 6-3
Offensive player to watch: QB Andrew Vital
Defensive player to watch: Ishaq Williams
Brooklyn Tech Engineers
Head coach: Kyle McKenna
Record: 6-3
Offensive player to watch: RB Tarrance Taylor
Defensive player to watch: DL Michael Plonski
Outlook: Lincoln loves to run the ball; Brooklyn Tech is excellent at stopping the run. The story of the game will be which team exerts its will on the other. The Railsplitters feature a deceptive rushing attack with Vital and tailback Doug Butler. The Engineers’ line, led by Plonski, is tremendous at filling gaps.
On the other side of the ball, though, Tech might find it difficult to move the ball. Lincoln’s defense is a good one. There are playmakers all over the field, led by Williams, the linebacker being recruiting by a slew of Division I schools. Engineers quarterback Hisham Dola threw a pair of touchdown passes last week. They’re going to need him to diversify their attack.
