By Joseph Staszewski
Keron Hermitt goes by many nicknames that he is starting to live up to.
The Flushing senior receiver and defensive back calls himself “Super K” and one of the fans dubbed him “Captain K.” He even wears a Superman Under Armour shirt beneath his game jersey. Hermitt certainly played hero against New Utrecht.
The senior collected two interceptions and hauled in the game-sealing score for host Flushing in a 20-10 victory over New Utrecht last Sunday in PSAL City Conference football. Hermitt even flew through the air to make a leaping grab in the end zone on a 25-yard touchdown pass by Terrence Chavis on fourth-and-goal with less than 3:00 to play in the game.
“There was a lot going on,” Hermitt said of the game’s final score. “I just knew I had to make a big play.”
It’s what he did all afternoon along with Chavis. It started as he picked off New Utrecht quarterback Angelo Carrera in the end zone to halt a long drive after a Flushing fumble. Chavis ended the next Utes drive with a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 6-0. Hermitt again stopped a New Utrecht drive in Flushing territory, thanks to an interception at the 32-yard line. Flushing coach Jim DeSantis saw performances like this coming after Hermitt was slowed by an ankle injury early in the season.
“That ankle is healed now,” DeSantis said. “Every week it is something different with him, catches, defending the other team’s best kid. We are happy with what he does.”
The Utes, who picked up a safety, were in the prime position to score again after lineman Kadeen Dryden intercepted Chavis, but Flushing (4-2) would force a three-and-out. The lone touchdown and lead for New Utrecht (3-3) came off a 59-yard pass from Walid Othman to Avery Waterton on fake punt to make it 10-6 late in the third quarter.
Chavis took it from there. The senior signal caller raced for a 48-yard touchdown up the right side to help give his team a 13-10 advantage with 43 seconds left in the game. He later eluded a sack by Dryden and found Hermitt for the final score. New Utrecht coach Alan Balkan knew Chavis was capable of beating his club in multiple ways.
“He made a couple of big plays, three with his feet and then he made a big play with his arm,” Balkan said. “They got a kid who is making those plays.”
Flushing is also making its way up the league standings during a critical point in the schedule with games against South Shore and Tottenville in the final three weeks. The Red Devils are on a three-game winning streak and their only defeats were to the league’s two unbeaten teams. They face a Kennedy team that is neck-and-neck with them in the standings next week.
“This game was important,” Chavis said of beating New Utrecht. “In the standings we were behind them. We needed to win this game so we can pass them and have more power points.”
