Talk about a comeback!
The South Shore Vikings returned a 93-yard kickoff for a score and snagged a game-stealing interception to beat William E. Grady 14–13 on Sunday — taking the Public School Athletic League’s Bowl championship.
Senior Jhamel Cohen sparked South Shore’s rally, knowing that he didn’t want a repeat of last season, where the squad lost in the final game.
“It’s a Cinderella story,” he said laughing. “I had to spark my team, I had to lead them.”
Grady certainly put a scare into South Shore: the team built a 13–0 lead after a five-yard touchdown run from Marckenson Desgrottes with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter. Cohen immediately responded, returning the ball to the end zone to put South Shore on the board and cut its deficit to 13–7 on the next kickoff.
The Vikings fed off the momentum Cohen started by returning a kickoff for a touchdown — the first time the team’s done this all season
“It just sparked this championship,” South Shore coach Matt Ciquera said of the impressive feat.
Timothy Bowers’ interception set up the Vikings in excellent field position. Running back Ibrahima Barry ran the ball up the middle, spinning away from a defender, and walked into the end zone for a 21-yard score that gave the Vikings a 14–13 lead with 7:51 remaining in the game.
“He’s one of the most lethal runners in the Public School Athletic League,” Ciquera said. “When he sees green, he’s gone.”
Moments later, Cohen snatched a Duwan Hyman pass out of the air, in Grady territory, sealing South Shore’s championship with under two-minutes left to play.
It wasn’t the end Grady had in mind heading into the contest, coach Andrew Jashyn explained.
“Things just didn’t go our way,” Jashyn said. “High school kids sometimes fold under the pressure, it happens.”
Some do. But Cohen rose to the occasion on Sunday.
“I knew how bad we needed the game,” Cohen said. “So I had to do it.”
