It is one thing to win a title.
Overcoming difficulty and succeeding? That’s a very different animal, though, and the 2024 Curtis Warriors can now add it to their long list of accomplishments.
In the Warriors’ 27-26 PSAL 4A division double overtime triumph at Midwood HS field in Brooklyn on Sunday, Curtis overcame a 13-point halftime deficit behind backup quarterback Vincent Canzoneri and a tenacious defense that kept Erasmus Hall scoreless for the final 27:59 of regulation.
In the second overtime, Erasmus Anaiyas King’s game-tying extra-point effort went wide right, sealing the Warriors’ PSAL-best seventh city title. Curtis wins its first championship since upsetting the Dutchmen by a single point (36-35) in the 2017 championship game, and it finishes the season with an outstanding 12-1 overall record.
What makes us the city champions? “Nobody saw it coming, but this group’s heart and soul has been everything,” stated head coach Peter Gambardella, who led the Warriors to their fourth city title in their 17 seasons in charge. We presented them with challenges. Our training was different. What made the difference was that we pursued it and were active right away.
We restored physicality to Curtis.
Nick Moukazis, the senior running back for Curtis, adding, “It feels amazing, it really does.” In addition to rushing for 126 yards on a whopping 27 carries, Moukazis scored the second of his two touchdowns to give the Warriors the lead for good in the second overtime. It’s been difficult and crazy, but the amount of work we’ve put in since the start of the season—from the spring and the weight room—has brought us this far.
(Even when we fell behind, we continued to rely on and trust one another.)
The Brooklyn school intercepted four pass attempts in the first half, putting the top-seeded Warriors, who had defeated Erasmus 10-7 on the road during the regular season, behind 13-0 at the break.
Junior Kendu Brown was substantially engaged in two touchdown receptions that helped the Dutchmen increase their lead. In the first quarter, the wide receiver opened the scoring by pulling in a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justus Murray. Three minutes before halftime, he tossed a 16-yard score to Ameir Morrow.
Gambardella said the Warriors were behind at halftime but not out.
“I thought we were playing well and we just needed to settle down,” the coach added, “but I thought Erasmus made some big plays against us in the first half, got us with some trickery and stuff like that.” At halftime, they made some plays that set them apart from us.
Curtis, on the other hand, began to create plays in the second half. It should come as no surprise that the St. George school gradually but steadily returned to the game after halftime with Canzoneri (9 for 20, 109 yards, 2 TDs) behind center.
With linebackers Javon Mitchell (12 tackles, TFL, forced fumble), Saquonne Lawton (5 tackles), Anthony Gambardella (4 tackles), lineman Jarrett Serate (4 tackles), and defensive back Akai Lewis (7 tackles, interception, fumble recovery), the Warriors’ mainstay defense lived up to their reputation by holding the Dutchmen off the scoreboard in the third and fourth quarters and limiting the Brooklyn school to just 38 total yards and two first downs.
Lewis pounced on the ball after Mitchell prodded it loose on a run play on Erasmus’s first play from scrimmage in the second half at the EHall 24. Charles Simmons’ crucial block helped facilitate a run along the right side that allowed Moukazis to score on the subsequent play. Almost the whole second half remained when Alkasimi’s extra-point made it 13-7.
“That right there was a swing in momentum,” Gambardella added. It’s 13-7 now, and we’re all set to go.
You sensed it. We really didn’t have anything good going on until then, so the kids needed that feeling of optimism.
After halftime, Mitchell’s side forced five Erasmus punts. “We came out in the second half and just played with everything we had,” Mitchell said. We simply went out and performed when it was necessary after learning from our errors in the first half. We believed we could make things better even after we fell behind.
Until the end of regulation, the score was still 13-7. With just 1:38 remaining, Canzoneri tied the game with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kacy Royal after the Warriors’ 50-yard punt return for a touchdown was called back due to a holding call. On the extra-point try, Curtis had an opportunity to take the lead for the first time, but Thomas Kamarion stopped it to maintain a tie.
Each side begins the overtime shootout from the opposing club’s 20-yard line in accordance with PSAL regulations, and in the first overtime, Erasmus Murray (1 yard run, King’s extra point) and Curtis Royal (18-yard TD reception from Canzoneri, Alkasimi extra point) traded points.
After that, the shootout moved to the other end of the field for the second overtime. This time, Curtis went first, and two plays later, Moukazis gave the Warriors their first lead with a 1-yard touchdown run, partly because of Dukes’ incredible 18-yard reception on a third-and-11 play.
Of his second touchdown run, Moukazis chuckled, “I just knew I had to get in.” I was meant to go to the A gap, but I read it quickly, took the easiest route, and entered.
Alkasimi’s extra point made it 27–20.
After rushing seven consecutive plays, the Dutchmen were forced to make a fourth-and-goal from the two after being moved five yards back due to a false start. However, Murray’s clever read option play allowed Morrow to flip the ball from the quarterback and then rush up the right side for a 7-yard touchdown, bringing EHall within a point.
King’s game-tying effort had plenty of distance but soared right, giving the Warriors another piece of hardware for the trophy case even though the snap and hold seemed sound.
Peter Gambardella stated, “We thought we’d end it on fourth down and we told the defense, hey, we’ve rode you guys all year.” The shootout proceeded as planned. These folks adore playing football, and we have a lot of pride and emotion. The largest thing out there is that. They adore football.
Additionally, they were thrilled with the outcome this Sunday.
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