Leading off today: Senior Kefa Cort returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to spark No. 20 Erasmus Hall to an
18-16 upset of No. 4 Abraham Lincoln in Sunday football action between state-ranked PSAL Class AA teams.
Cort also caught a 26-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter to help snap the Railsplitters' 17-game winning streak.
Trailing 18-16 late in the third quarter, Lincoln blocked a punt and recovered at the Dutchmen 7-yard line. But on third down from the 5, the Erasmus defense forced a fumble and the Dutchmen went on a lengthy drive before fumbling a yard outside the Lincoln end zone.
On the ensuing possession, Cort knocked down a fourth-down pass, and Erasmus Hall was able to run out the clock.
CHSFL action: QB Steven Genova completed 9 of 13 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown, and ran for 66 yards and a TD on six carries for No. 5 St. Anthony's in a 44-10 win over Chaminade. Jordan Gowins tacked on 13 carries for 142 yards and scored once apiece on rushes and receptions.
"The defense made our job on offense easy today," Genova told Newsday. "Whenever we needed a stop, they provided one. We fed off the plays the defense was making."
Coupled with weekend losses by Lincoln and No. 3 Rush-Henrietta, the win is all but certain to move the Friars up to No. 3 in Class AA in the next set of state rankings. With Canisius and Archbishop Stepinac already holding down the top two spots, the trio of non-NYSPHSAA teams at the top is likely unprecedented in New York State Sportswriters Association history.
Working overtime: Junior kicker Jonny Khym made a 36-yard field goal in the third overtime to give 10th-ranked Ardsley a 24-21 win over No. 19 Pleasantville in Section 1 Class B action.
The win over the defending sectional champ improved Ardsley to 5-0. Next up is a matchup vs. No. 5 Our Lady of Lourdes.
"We're on the board now," Khym told The Journal News. "People recognize us and respect us as a team, and we have to win the section championship now."
