Not since 1998 has William Bryant experienced a winning season. They have not won a division title for a while either. Nevertheless, they have already been guaranteed a record above .500, and a division title is in their sights as well. The quest to win the Cup Division begins Saturday afternoon when the Owls tangle with the league's lone undefeated team, Long Island City (8-0).
The Bulldogs improved to 7-1 Saturday with a 37-0 pasting of Springfield Gardens. Darro Clarke rushed for three touchdowns and Vincenz Donato, Omar Nasr and Korsaku Satiya also found pay dirt for William Bryant. “After all the unsuccessful seasons, it's nice to have some success,” Bryant Coach Carl Brosnan said. “When you're drawing up schemes offensively and defensively, and the kids are actually getting it, and it's working, it's a lot of fun.”
LIC, coming off another dominant performance in a 22-0 win over Evander Childs, will be the stiffest test to date, namely in their dynamic offense, led by quarterback Haris Lekaj. “LIC has met every challenge thus far,” Brosnan said. “The boys know what's ahead of them. It's a big game.”
Thanks to their 16-8 win over August Martin, Jamaica has a chance at reaching the 16-team city championship playoffs. Nyles Bynum ran for 113 yards and a touchdown and Adrian Berry returned a fumble for a score. They currently sit 18th, but with a win this weekend over Far Rockaway and some help, the Beavers (4-4, Bowl Division) may make it. Otherwise, they seem assured of a spot in the eight-team Bowl Division post-season.
Campus Magnet snapped a three-game losing streak, topping George Washington, 27-6, behind two touchdown runs apiece from Ezra Lewis and James Johnson. Datalia Holness recovered a fumble and made an interception, two of the three turnovers the Bulldogs (4-4, Bowl Division) forced. In 23rd place overall, Campus Magnet must beat John Adams to play another week. In other games, Bayside and John Adams remained winless, losing to New Utrecht and Thomas Jefferson, respectively.
The three locals were swept in the final weekend of the Catholic League season. Holy Cross's disappointing regular season ended, with 28-7 loss to Holy Trinity. Kevin Williams scored the Knights' (2-6, 1-7 CHSFL AAA) lone touchdown on a 1-yard touchdown run. But because the CHSFL AAA returned to an eight-team playoff format, Holy Cross, seeded seventh, gets a chance to make up for their dismal year Sunday when they travel to the Bronx to face No. 2 Mount St. Michael.
Elsewhere, St. Francis Prep lost its second straight, a 35-6 throttling to Xaverian. But the Terriers (5-3, 5-2 CHSFL AA) will get a chance for revenge right away when the two teams meet again in the CHSFL AA semifinals next weekend. Christ the King dropped a 30-22 decision to St. Peter's. Joe Nuss threw a pair of touchdown passes to Nicholas Perrazzo in the loss as the Royals (1-7, 1-6 CHSFL AA) finished in the cellar of the CHSFL AA.
