By Joe Pantorno
It looked as though Campus Magnet’s hot start would continue against Erasmus Hall.
A quick start with some big plays from quarterback Blessaun Austin had the Bulldogs headed for their third straight win, but a breakdown in the second half proved costly as Erasmus came away with a 26-12 victory in a PSAL Championship division football game in Queens Saturday.
“We played decent,” Austin said. “But we didn’t play like [a top team] in the city.”
Austin had 67 yards rushing and one touchdown to complement 49 yards passing. Down 7-6 with time expiring in the first half, Austin drove his team down to the 1-yard line where on his third attempt and as the clock hit zero, he hit pay dirt to give the Bulldogs a 12-7 halftime lead.
“They [Erasmus] had a pretty good zone defense going,” Austin said. “They mixed things up pretty well.”
Campus Magnet kept a balanced Erasmus offensive attack in check in the first half, but watched it run wild after the break. Erasmus back Khalil Lewin ended up rushing for 127 yards and quarterback Matthew Domina threw for 116.
Domina began to pick apart the Bulldogs’ defense. He connected on a 24-yard pass to Shavar Brathwaite that gave the Dutchmen the lead, and then a 15-yard catch by Brathwaite, this time from Jonathan Samerson, put Erasmus up 20-12 in the fourth quarter.
Still a one-possession game and with time winding down, Austin drove Campus Magnet down to the Erasmus 16-yard line, but his luck ran out when his pass was tipped and intercepted in the end zone by Samerson.
“We did well, but it just wasn’t enough,” Austin said. “Once they knew we were passing it, they stopped us.”
His team’s defense broke down the next play, letting Lewin run free for 84 yards down the left sideline to put the game away within the last two minutes. It was the first setback of the season after wins over Sheepshead Bay and Susan Wagner. The young Bulldogs team has exceeded expectations early.
“We just have to forget about it,” Austin said. “They’re a good team, too. Hopefully, we see them in the playoffs.”
