Sports

City stars out to prove themselves in 17th annual Empire Challenge

Wayne Morgan didn’t want to hear anything about New York City’s loss to Long Island last season. That isn’t this year’s group concern.

“We have to win,” the Syracuse-bound linebacker said. “Either way, if they won or if they lost, we are playing in this game.”

He and his teammates will get the opportunity leave their mark on the prestigious Empire Challenge senior all-star football game, now in its 17th year, Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. The game’s proceeds benifit the Boomer Esiason Foundation for cystic fibrosis.

There has been a togetherness within this group, which has meshed well with a competitive and spirited vibe at practice. It has left the coaching staff increasingly pleased and optimistic about what the team is capable of on game day.

“I really like the attitude of this team,” New York City and Lincoln head coach Shawn O’Connor said. “I’ve been involved in this game the last three years and I’ve never seen a team act so unselfish with kids moving themselves around, playing positions they haven’t played before, volunteering to be on special teams, rotating in and out. It’s been really an unselfish group, I must say.”

Mount St. Michael’s Richard Jones moved to linebacker, Xaverian’s Sean Binckes and Erasmus Hall’s Luder Jean-Louis went from tight end to wide receiver, Christ the King’s Kalief Joyner from tight end to defensive tackle. On Sunday, Lehman’s David White had a great run and rotated himself out for Lincoln’s Kareem Folkes. The two units have playfully jawed back and forth at each other all week.

“I mostly talk to coach [Jim] Munson,” Morgan said of the Tottenville head man and the team’s offensive coordinator. “I like getting after him.”

For the most part, the defense has had the better of play and will be NYC’s biggest strength come Tuesday. Boys & Girls defensive end John Courcelle has been unblockable off the line. Morgan is joined by playmaking defensive backs Najae Brown and Bruce Parker Jr. of Mount St. Michael and Clinton’s Jeremiah Obeng Agyapong of Clinton. Tottenville’s Kenny Coughlin and Xaverian’s Tushaun Plummer lead a versatile linebacker corps.

“It’s going to be a real fight,” Obeng Agyapong said. “I think we’re fully prepared. We’re ready to give it to them.”

O’Connor likes that fact that he has just two quarterbacks, Poly Prep’s Kevin Gebon and Lincoln’s Jessel Jones, splitting time under cneter. While neither is a true pocket passer, both are athletes capable of making plays with their feet. Despite NYC’s bevy of talented running backs in White, Folkes and Devon Mitchell of Bishop Ford, both signal-callers favorite target had been the unflappable Alvin Cornelius, a Syracuse-bound wide receiver. He’s caught nearly everything that’s come his way.

“He makes the hard catches look easy.” O’Connor said.

They go up against a Long Island team that features some of the most distinguished players in its history. Sayville’s Steven Ferreira, who is headed to Stony Brook, set Long Island career records of 6,407 passing yards and 73 touchdown passes. He will be joined under center by John Glenn’s Rutgers-bound signal-caller Rich Czeczotka.

Sayville’s Evan Kappatos is Long Island most decorated linebacker, a three-time winner of the Piner Award, given to Nassau County’s top linebacker. He is headed to Princeton and will lead a talented group.

William Floyd running back Stacey Bedell ran for a Long Island Championship game-record 412 yards and scored four touchdowns in a 54-47 win over East Meadow. Bedell, the co-winner of the 2011 Hansen Award, given to the most outstanding player in Suffolk County, had 2,532 rushing yards as a senior, the third-highest total in Suffolk history.

“Field position will be a real key,” O’Connor said. “We don’t want to make any mistakes early on, get caught up in the hoopla.”

That’s doesn’t seem to be something this group will do. There has been a workman-like focus throughout the week as they have pushed each other toward one common goal.

“We get to represent the whole city,” Cornelius said. “It’s a big opportunity for us to play in this game.”

jstaszewski@nypost.com