Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013: Lincoln captures PSAL football championship

   Leading off today: Abraham Lincoln captured its second PSAL football championship in three seasons with a 28-27 victory over Tottenville on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

   A safety midway through the fourth quarter, when Tottenville punter Salvatore Henrique was forced to kick the ball through his own end zone to avoid surrendering a touchdown, proved to be the decisive points.

   Tottenville trailed 20-0 in the first half but took a 27-20 lead on the state's second-ranked team earlier in the fourth quarter. Lincoln quarterback Javon Moore, who suffered an ankle injury on the first play of the Railsplitters' first possession, hit senior receiver Malik Andrews for a 61-yard touchdown with 6:57 left, but the run attempt on a 2-point conversion was stopped short.

   The decisive safety came on the ensuing Tottenville possession.

   Short on timeouts, Tottenville's bid for the go-ahead score ended with the clock expiring.

   Shorthanded but strong: Playing its first game minus junior point guard and Division I prospect Jahlil Tripp, Brooklyn Collegiate defeated South Shore 94-91 in New York City boys basketball action Tuesday.

   Students swarmed the court as junior forward Willie Barnes (22 points) canned a 3-pointer and South Shore didn't have time to get off an attempt to tie the foul-filled contest.

   Lions coach Jake Edwards told Rivals.com Tripp was shot in the leg Friday in Brooklyn, possibly struck by a bullet that ricocheted off the pavement. Edwards said Tripp will consult with doctors late this month and could resume practicing after the holiday break.

   In the clear: Disorderly conduct charges filed against three Rochester high school basketball players were dismissed by City Court Judge Teresa D. Johnson on Wednesday, thDemocrat and Chronicle reported. The move was expected, as Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley announced last week she would request the dismissal "in the interest of justice."

   Edison Tech players Raliek Redd, Wan'Tauhjs Weathers and Daequon Carelock were arrested Nov. 27 while waiting on a downtown sidewalk for a bus to take them to a scrimmage. Police allege the players were blocking a store entrance and refused to move after being instructed to do so.

   Milestone: Albion wrestling coach Keith Piccirilli notched his 300th victory over th weekend as the Purple Eagles went 3-2 in a dual-meet tournament at Depew.

   Albion topped Williamsville North 51-30 to earn the milestone victory for Piccirilli.

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   Cool stuff: The Buffalo News rolled out a cool new tool last week in the form of a database that catalogs all of the All-Western New York first-team football picks since 1958. Every first-teamer, from the first squads compiled by the Courier-Express to the all-star team released last weekend can be found via a variety of search option.

   Extra points: Pittsford Sutherland finished 25th in MaxPreps.com's national girls volleyball rankings. The Woodlands (Texas) earned the mythical national championship.

   We'll publish our first sets of boys and girls basketball rankings for the 2013--14 season at the beginning of next week. I'm not convinced we'll be ready to go with hockey rankings at that time; if not, we'll aim for the following week.