By John Torenli
It was immediately following a season-opening overtime 27-26 triumph over Sheepshead Bay on Sept. 5 that Fort Hamilton coach Vincent Laino challenged his team, and especially his defense, to step up its performance — or else.
“We have to play a lot better than this to be a playoff team,” Laino insisted.
Thus far, the undefeated and top-ranked Tigers (5-0) appear to be heeding his call.
Frank Laino, the coach’s son, rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns, and fellow senior Alton “A.J.” Richardson rumbled for 190 yards and a score as Fort Hamilton disposed of Brooklyn rival Boys and Girls (1-4) with a relatively easy 19-0 road win.
Clearly determined to control the game and the clock, the Tigers rolled up all 351 of their yards on the ground as Laino misfired on all four of his pass attempts, but rushed the ball effectively eight times against the Kangaroos’ defense while Richardson racked up 21 attempts.
Junior wideout Brandon Reddish added a 30-yard jaunt, sophomore Robert Thomas picked up 42 yards on three carries and the Fort Hamilton defense did the rest.
“We’re heading in the right direction and we’re getting healthy,” coach Laino told the Eagle yesterday. “We had some key players that were injured early and they’re coming back to us now. We’re getting better on defense.”
That may qualify as an understatement after the Tiger “D” limited the Kangaroos to 204 yards on their home field. Fort Hamilton got interceptions from Thomas and senior Samuel Perea and a fumble recovery by fourth-year defender Vincent Casiano.
Junior Kevon Foster and senior Todd Lauchner combined for 10 tackles and two sacks, and senior Zayan Tun recorded four tackles and one sack for Fort Hamilton, which has allowed only six points over the past 12 periods, including back-to-back shutout wins.
“That’s what we’re looking for,” Laino said of his team’s balanced defensive effort.
Since surviving the Sharks on opening day and holding on for a 38-24 win at Curtis the next week, the Tigers have pitched nine consecutive scoreless quarters over their last three contests. That’s placed them atop the heap in the P.S.A.L. Championship Division Standings with 391 points — only three more than second-ranked Erasmus Hall (5-0).
Fort Hamilton, which has reeled off 19 consecutive regular-season wins — 14 of which have come with the younger Laino under center — dating to 2007, will return to Bay Ridge this weekend for a high noon Sunday clash with visiting Bayside (1-4).
The Commodores got their first victory with a come-from-behind 22-16 triumph at winless Grady (0-5) last week.
“It’s gonna be a tough one,” Laino said of this weekend’s game with Bayside. “This team is 1-4, but they’re a big, physical talented team. Coincidentally it was on a trip to Brooklyn that they got their first win. They’re turning things around.”
As for Erasmus, the Dutchmen (5-0) continued their perfect campaign by rallying for a 34-14 home rout of Brooklyn Tech (3-2) on Saturday.
The quarterback tandem of junior Omari Matthews and sophomore Wayne Morgan combined to complete 12-of-18 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns as Erasmus fell behind 14-0 in the opening period before shutting down the Engineers, who managed only 51 yards of total offense.
The Dutchmen will host Boys and Girls this weekend in the middle of a stretch of three straight home games.
While Fort Hamilton and Erasmus aren’t scheduled to meet during the regular season, the No. 1 and 2 teams in the city appear headed for a November post-season clash.
Our borough’s third highest-ranked unit this week — Lincoln – fell to 3-2 with a 36-18 loss at Wagner. Senior tailback Douglas Butler amassed 233 yards and three touchdowns on 18 attempts as the Railsplitters (3-2) had their three-game winning streak snapped entering this week’s critical matchup with Grand Street (2-3) at Lafayette Field.
While eighth-ranked Brooklyn Tech dropped in the standings, coach Fred Snyder’s Sheepshead Bay Sharks continued to resurrect their season after a dismal 0-2 start. The No. 9 Sharks destroyed Kennedy, 27-0, behind a big performance by senior back Devontai Carlie, who finished with 112 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Senior Naquan Alexander rushed for 67 yards and fourth-year signal-caller Deejay White ran for two scores as Sheepshead (3-2) rolled to its third straight win.
No. 11 Canarsie (3-2) has also climbed back off the mat following a disappointing 1-2 start, cruising to a 28-12 win at Campus Magnet last week to climb above .500.
Coach Mike Camardese’s team employed a potent air attack as senior quarterback Jarrel Turner went 7-for-10 for 207 yards and a touchdown pass. Sosha Callendar was Turner’s favorite target, collecting four catches for 139 yards.
The Chiefs can probably crack the top 10 with a win at Brooklyn Tech on Sunday afternoon.
Midwood (3-2), ranked 13th, grabbed its second straight since a 41-8 defeat at the hands of Sheepshead Bay with Saturday’s 18-7 win at Columbus.
Hornets quarterback Dominic Clarke completed 5-of-10 passes for 100 yards, including a scoring strike to senior Miguel Arias. Clarke also rushed for 13 yards and a score as Midwood tuned up for tomorrow’s home game with New Dorp.
New Utrecht (2-3) slipped into the No. 15 spot in the rankings after a tough 7-6 loss at Flushing last week. Junior Jordan Paul completed all but five of his 18 attempts for 122 yards and a touchdown, but the Utes were never able to overcome a first-quarter touchdown by the sixth-ranked Red Devils (4-1).
Over at Poly Prep, the unbeaten Blue Devils continued their quest for an unbeaten season last Friday, pulling out a 15-13 triumph at Valley Forge Military Academy.
Playing without the services of standout senior running back Ashton Ghaffaar, who has been sidelined by a deep thigh bruise suffered in the early stages of a 7-6 home win over Wyoming Seminary on Sept. 26, the Blue Devils (4-0) again turned to backup Faton Bauta.
The sophomore scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and Sean Ryan saved the day with a blocked field goal in the final seconds as Poly Prep kept its record perfect heading into this weekend’s showdown with the Hopkins School in New Haven, Conn.
“We use a one-back system and he was the back,” Poly Prep coach Dino Mangiero said of Bauta.
“We were down, 13-9, in the fourth quarter and had the ball around midfield. We gave it to him six straight times and went right down the field for a touchdown.”
It was the second of four straight road contests for the Blue Devils before Homecoming against the Hun School on Halloween.
Ghaffaar, who has been fielding Division I scholarship offers throughout his final campaign at the Bay Ridge Country Day School, hasn’t practiced yet this week.
“We’ll see [if he can play]. Miracles happen,” Mangiero said of Ghaffaar’s status. “If he doesn’t play this week, he should be all set the following week [vs. Benedictine in Richmond, Va.].”
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