Sports

Lincoln holds on for PSAL title

For 12 weeks, Lincoln went unchallenged, beating its 12 foes by a combined 474-125.

In Tuesday’s PSAL title game, the Railsplitters were finally tested — and they aced the unexpected exam.

Trailing in the second half for the first time, Lincoln responded as if facing adversity were a season-long habit, rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit to knock off No. 3 Tottenville, 28-27, at frigid Yankee Stadium to complete a perfect season and win its second championship in three years.

“There was nothing different, everybody stayed positive,” Lincoln All-American defensive tackle Thomas Holley said after the Railsplitters blew a 20-0 first-half lead, then staged a late rally after Tottenville ripped off 27 unanswered points. “We were prepared for anything that happened. They took the lead, but we stayed positive, we stayed strong, we played hard and poured our hearts out.”

The contest was as unpredictable as it was exciting, long touchdown passes and unexpected momentum swings determining the champion after a 17-day layoff between games. The deciding play, ironically, was a basic miscue, a safety the result of a high snap by Tottenville’s Carmelo Graci on a punt.

“It was pretty wild,” said Lincoln quarterback Javon Moore, who fought off a sprained left ankle to throw two touchdowns, including a 61-yard strike to Malik Andrews midway through the fourth quarter that swung momentum back in Lincoln’s favor. The Railsplitters then received a gift, the bad snap that gave them a 28-27 lead with 4:43 remaining.

The seesaw affair wasn’t decided until the final seconds ticked off the clock, as Tottenville’s final drive ended at the Lincoln 18-yard-line with the Pirates unable to get off one final play.

“That says a lot about our team,” Lincoln coach Shawn O’Connor said. “We were only behind twice this year, first time we were behind late in the game. [There was] no panic, actually more calm came in.”

Tottenville (10-3) quarterback Joshua Rainey threw one touchdown pass and ran for another score, but he was unable to drive the Pirates for the game-winning touchdowns in the final hectic moments. Head coach Jim Munson blamed himself for losing track of time during the drive.

“It just came down to a couple of plays, like it always does,” Munson said. “Those kids played their [butts] off.”

Lincoln (13-0) dominated virtually the entire first half, building a three-score lead, but failed to finish the second quarter strong. Andrew Russo scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and John Fischetti stripped Lincoln’s Antoine Holloman Jr., scooped up the loose ball and rumbled 65 yards for six, as Tottenville drew within 20-14 at the half.

The momentum carried over into the second half, with the Pirates eventually grabbing the lead on Rainey’s 9-yard touchdown run, before Moore found Andrews streaking up the seam, and Lincoln caught a break on the punt.

Lincoln is known for its basketball, for the three NBA players — Sebastian Telfair, Stephon Marbury and Lance Stephenson — the school has produced. But now the football team has begun to make a name for itself, winning two of the last three city titles and producing five All-Americans over the last decade.

“It’s about football right now,” Moore said. “I feel like this year it was a football school. We’re the best team in the city right now.”