By Dylan Butler
“You don't win football games overnight,” he said. “We put possession in their hands, we're not tackling the way we can be. We're making mental and physical mistakes, but there's nothing we can do about it. You can't teach experience.”
It was only the third game on the field for the Red Devils, who forfeited their first two games of the year for not having enough players and another game two weeks ago for not having an on-site doctor. Flushing's lone win was also via forfeit, over Erasmus.
“There's no better teacher than the game itself,” Kaso said. “This is basically a JV team, just about everyone is inexperienced. It takes time to develop, but we only lose three to graduation.”
Against LIC (5-2), the Red Devils' mistakes and missed assignments were glaring and came back to hurt them early and often. After the Bulldogs went ahead, 7-0, on a lateral pass from Danny Urquia to Corin Erby for a 13-yard score with 2:24 left in the first quarter, Flushing (1-5) turned the ball over on downs on their next possession when Red Devils quarterback Marenko Djokic received a low snap on fourth-and-7 from their own 23.
LIC started the second quarter on the Flushing 5 and needed just three plays before reaching the end zone when Richard Akowuah ran around the Red Devils defense for a 3-yard score. Csaba Rojas' extra point gave the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead.
Two plays into Flushing's next possession, Latrell Brisbane coughed up the ball and LIC recovered at the Red Devils 2. Quindell Curry rushed up the middle on the next play as the Bulldogs took a commanding 21-0 lead with 7:58 left in the second quarter.
For LIC head coach Doric Capsis, it was a great way to start after the Bulldogs had their four-game winning streak snapped by Boys and Girls, 28-15, last week.
“That loss definitely jolted them,” he said. “It was a motivator today. That game did take a lot out of us because we still had mathematical playoff hopes, but we want to finish the year with the best record possible in order to try and get reclassified [from a one power rating] to a three [power rating].”
After Ray Lopez fumbled an LIC punt, the Bulldogs took over on the Flushing 47. Three plays later, Urquia connected with a wide-open Douglas Stokeling for a 44-yard touchdown pass as LIC went up 28-0. After Lopez lost the ball on Flushing's next offensive play, Akowuah broke several tackles at the line of scrimmage and ran in for a 60-yard score and LIC led 35-0 with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
The Red Devils got the ball back, but Djokic lost it when he was sacked and LIC regained again. Tommy Gamard's 33-yard touchdown run ended the third quarter.
Flushing heads to Evander Childs this week while LIC has a week off before taking on an improved Far Rockaway.
Sheepshead Bay 21, August Martin 14. The Falcons, who have made a name for themselves this year for coming from behind to win, again fell behind to Sheepshead Bay, 21-8, at halftime Saturday. But this time there would be no last minute heroics.
Despite dominating the second half, Martin (4-2) could not convert several opportunities in a loss which could have damage the Falcons playoff hopes.
Martin hosts Brooklyn Tech Saturday at 12 p.m.
Beach Channel 36, John Adams 6. In the immortal words of former ESPN Sportscenter anchor Craig Kilborn, you can't stop Beach Channel junior running back Ricky Richardson, you can only hope to contain him. Richardson rushed for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the Dolphins win Saturday.
Everton Hamilton added 80 yards for Beach Channel (5-1). Adams, which takes on Stevenson Saturday, falls to 0-6.
Lafayette 27, Bryant 6. Nolan Jackson led the way for Lafayette with 11 carries for 185 yards and one touchdown. Nashlyn Stewart, Jr. added seven carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant heads to Far Rockaway (4-3) Saturday to take on the SeaHorses.
