Grand Street returned last Friday night to the place where its championship run ended with a humbling thud last year, and cement itself as one of the favorites for the title this time around.
The undefeated Wolves scored the longest touchdown of the second half and turned over two-time defending champion Abraham Lincoln four times during a statement 30–21 win in Public School Athletic League City conference football Oct. 9 in Coney Island. The last time Grand Street played on that field it was shutout in the semifinals.
“We didn’t play like ourselves last year,” said Rutgers-bound receiver Taysir Mack. “We decided to come out here and be a strong team, be physical and realize their record of being 34–2 [Lincoln’s home record the last six years] doesn’t mean anything. They are last year’s champs. They are not this year’s champs. It’s up for grabs.”
It was Mack and quarterback Sharif Harris-Legree who ensured the Wolves would celebrate on the field this time rather than walk off in silence. Harris-Legree scored on a 14-yard touchdown run to cap a 12-play, 78-yard drive, and tossed the two-point conversion to Mack (five catches, 71-yards) to put their team up 30–21 with 8:02 left in the game.
Mack kept the drive alive multiple times for Grand Street, which led 22–21 at the half. He made a 19-yard, third-down catch early and picked up 21-yards with a grab on 4th and 16 from the Lincoln 40-yard line. Michael Charles intercepted Railsplitters backup quarterback Faruq Shittu twice in the closing minutes after Jordan Hannah left with a shoulder injury.
“There is something special about this team,” Grand Street coach Bruce Eugene said. “There is something special about this year.”
His team produced the score it needed after a first half filled with big plays on both sides. Mack and fellow Rutgers commit Ahmed Bah each caught touchdown passes in the first quarter to put help put the Wolves (5–0) up 16–7, with help from a Dennis Peterson interception. Mack’s score was on fourth down and 20 from the 21-yard line.
Lincoln pulled closer on the first play of the second quarter when Hannah used a quick cut to break a 27-yard scoring run to pull his team within 16–14. The Railsplitters (3–2), who also got a rushing touchdown from Naim Coakley, took their lone lead at 21–16 when Jordan Jones, who had two picks in the game, intercepted Harris-Legree and returned it 25-yards for a score with 9:58 left.
Grand Street, which overcame 14 penalties for 141 yards, answered on the next drive thanks to a two-yard touchdown run by Justin Philip to take a one-point lead into halftime. Harris-Legree settled down after the break. He went 10-for-17 passing for 138 yards and two interceptions and used his legs more effectively.
“I started to get a little rattled after the interception, but it is a part of football,” Harris-Legree said. “Without my coaches, my family and my teammates this wouldn’t be happening right now.”
Lincoln coach Shawn O’Connor was not discouraged by the defeat, especially with a roster that only returned one starter. He is hopeful that Hannah, who ran for 93 yards on 14 carries, will only miss a short amount of time.
O’Connor pointed to the four turnovers, Harris-Legree getting out and running in the second half, and some miscommunications that allowed Mack to get free in key spots. Even with all of that, playing with Grand Street shows maturity.
“We want to take a lot of positives out of it.” O’Connor said. “I think we grew up a lot tonight.”
