Brooklyn Tech decimated the Kennedy Knights 36–0 at home on Saturday afternoon — engineering some payback against a team that beat them by a point on a goal line stand during the regular season.
Senior running back James Gales ran 15 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns, a stellar outing that included a 92-yard sprint down the left sideline after breaking a pair of tackles six yards past the line of scrimmage.
The 7–2 Engineers also completed four passes — two for touchdowns — including a quick slant from backup Elijah Rueda to Jalen Smalls for a 38-yard score in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn Tech’s defense also showed off its rock-solid skills, allowing the Knights just 122 total yards for the afternoon with three sacks and three turnovers.
“Our defense played really well,” Engineers coach Kyle McKenna said. “Kennedy did a lot of things different on offense since the last time we played, but I was confident that we were going to get it done.”
The win helped the Engineers move up in the Public School Athletic League championships, but the players saw the victory as a way of evening the scales.
“During the hurricane we just looked at the schedule, saw who we were playing and we got excited,” Gales said. “The game that we lost was heartbreaking so we had to get this win.”
High school football fans expected the Engineers to be one of the league’s best teams when the season began, but a 0–2 start removed the team from discussions about top-tier football programs that included Tottenville, Erasmus Hall, and Lincoln.
But the Engineers believe Satuday’s victory proves that Brooklyn Tech should still be considered a threat.
“Not only do we get our first playoff win, but it was against a team we narrowly lost to,” Gales said. “It’s definitely gratifying.”
