Marcus Spann breaks lose on 80-yard kickoff return for score.
Just 15-minutes before kickoff, Curtis coach Peter Gambardella made the heart-wrenching decision to hold star defender Dominique Easley out of Friday's crucial Championship Division clash with long-time borough rival Tottenville.
Not to worry, however, Warriors fans, as coach and teammates readily agreed in the wake of Curtis' 36-14 runaway victory, the 6-3, 255 pound star linemen probably hasn't worked any harder all season than what he did against the Pirates.
“He was everywhere, telling me and Tynell (Brown) he needed us to step up,” tailback Shaquan Coles said of the Penn State-bound Easley, sidelined against Tottenville by turf toe. “We didn't want to let him or ourselves down. I think this proves we're the best team in Staten Island.”
Certainly, Tottenville couldn't argue with that assessment. Not after Friday's domination. And no one was in any more control than the ever-elusive Coles. The junior speedster raced and darted his way to a season-high 210-yards and a pair of scores. His 65-yard burst to pay dirt midway through the second quarter put the Warriors on the board and was the impetus for a 22-point outbreak before halftime that secured a lead the Warriors never relinquished.
Curtis' Tynell Brown surveys the scene against Pirates. (Photo by Ted Levin)
“Shaquan keeps hitting and hitting those holes and sooner or later you just know he's going to break one,” said Gambardella. “He's a hell of a player, and today he showed he's also one of our leaders.”
Ditto for Brown ( 101-yards passing, TD) and senior Marcus Spann (80-yard kickoff return for a score and a two-point conversion catch). “Our strategy was to keep pounding and loosen them up,” said Spann. “I knew this team could do great things. Now we're proving that. I kind of feel our lost against Fort Hamilton (38-24 in Week 2) was like a fluke.”
Even without Easley and senior James Ponpon, who went down with a second quarter knee injury, the Curtis defense was again rock solid. After shutting out their last three opponents, the Warriors allowed only a pair of short Jon Derbyshire scoring runs against the Pirates. Seniors Jimmie Timmins (three sacks), Avery Wright and Kassim Forbes led the way, along with junior safety Marcus Gayle.
“Shutouts are nice,” said Gambardella, who also got a 15-yard touchdown catch from junior wideout Andy McCoy. "But a win is a win" So true, especially when it comes as impressively as it did for the Warriors on Friday.
(Photos by Ted Levin)
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