By Robert Cole
When the PSAL hosts its football Cup and Bowl Division championships on Saturday, Dec. 2, at MCU Park, Queens will be well represented.
The Cup Division championship game will match Brooklyn’s Franklin K. Lane Knights, ranked No. 1, against third-ranked Far Rockaway. The Seahorses reached the championship game by upsetting No. 2 East Harlem Pride, 30-6, avenging a 14-12 regular season loss.
Far Rock’s offense combined for 386 yards on the day and three touchdowns, led by their running backs, D Carlos Critchlow (86 yards, one touchdown), Daron Foxworth (60 yards, one touchdown), and Civy Merritt (54 yards, one touchdown). Quarterback, Hanalka Graham, was 10 of 12 through the air and compiled 160 passing yards.
Not to be out-performed by the offense, the Seahorses’ defense played an outstanding game, limiting East Harlem to six points. The defense forced a fumble that Curtis Stevenson recovered for a touchdown. Stevenson also led the defense with 11 tackles, one sack, and an interception.
Far Rockaway (9-2), winners of their last five games, will face a stiff test when they face undefeated Lane (11-0), who won all but one of their games by 20 or more points.
In the Bowl Division championship game, No. 2 Bayside (10-1) will be looking to avenge their only loss of the season, when they face top-ranked Lehman (11-0). In their first encounter earlier this season, Lehman won a close game 12-9 to retain the No. 1 seed, leaving the fans of the PSAL waiting for the possible rematch.
Bayside reached the championship game by defeating Springfield Gardens 28-6 in the semifinal matchup. Bayside was led by quarterback Tequan Evans, who completed 8 of 12 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Robert Williams, added to the score with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and Joshua Rodriguez scored a rushing touchdown to complete the scoring.
The highly anticipated rematch is set for Saturday, and both Lehman and Bayside will head into the game full of confidence and ready to battle.
