The "Experts" Doubt Flushing - PSAL predictions, Week 8

BY ZACH BRAZILLER and MARC RAIMONDI
Last Updated: 5:47 PM, October 22, 2009
Posted: 5:45 PM, October 22, 2009

Flushing @ Campus Magnet (Oct. 24, 11 a.m.)
Braziller: Either way, somebody's going to pick up a quality win. Neither side has beaten anybody of merit, although Flushing did knock off New Utrecht. Campus Magnet, meanwhile, has failed in its big tests -- at home against Erasmus Hall and Canarsie. Those teams, however, are a cut above the Red Devils, at least as far as talent goes. These two physical defenses are even, but the Bulldogs’ offense is far superior, especially now that quarterback Scott Gadsden has started to pick it up of late. Pick: Campus Magnet
Raimondi: Queens will be decided this weekend and for the first time in awhile Bayside isn’t even in the equation. Eric Barnett of Campus Magnet and Flushing’s Jim DeSantis deserve a ton of credit for raising their proram's profiles. Who knew two teams from the borough would have such good-looking records this time of year? Both squads’ defenses are impressive, but I like the Campus Magnet offense more. Pick: Campus Magnet

News previews Week 8's must-see high school football matchups

BY Mark Lelinwalla AND Ebenezer Samuel DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS
Thursday, October 22nd 2009, 1:24 PM Read more:

Campus Magnet (5-2) vs. Flushing (5-2)
Saturday, 11 a.m. at Campus Magnet HS, 207-01 116 Ave.
Both Campus Magnet and Flushing cruised to easy victories in Week 7, setting up this Week 8 clash. Campus Magnet enters the game just 13 power points ahead of Flushing in the PSAL's Championship division. The Bull-dogs and Red Devils boast two of the city's better rushing offenses. Flushing fullback Andrew King ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns last week.
STAFF PICKS - LELINWALLA: Magnet; SAMUEL: MagnetRead more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/10/22/2009-10-22_week_8s_football_matchups.html#ixzz2UOpau3vy

Flushing buries Bayside 38-8

Flushing beat Bayside last Saturday in convincing fashion, 38-8. The Flushing offensive attack marched all over the Bayside defense to the tune of 252 total yards on Saturday. Sophomore, Andrew King led the offense with 120 yards and 3 touchdowns on 15 carries. Flushing’s defense held the Commodores to less than one hundred yards rushing and passing as Bayside’s only score came on a botched play and fumble recovery in the final minutes of play. Flushing improved to 5-2 with the win.

Coach James DeSantis discusses Flushing's return to the gridiron

by Mark Lelinwalla daily news sports writer
Updated Monday, October 19th 2009, 11:17 PM

Flushing's 38-8 victory over Bayside on Saturday at Flushing Memorial Field was a key victory for the Red Devils.
The win over the struggling Commodores gave Flushing a 4-2 record in the PSAL's Championship division, but that wasn't the only reason Red Devils coach James DeSantis saw significance in victory. He has a lengthy history with Bayside. Before arriving at Flushing in 2006, DeSantis spent 13 years on the Bayside sideline as a JV head coach, a varsity assistant and a defensive coordinator before leaving after the 2004 season.
Saturday's game was DeSantis' first against his former team, and it proved that the Red Devils could overcome other trials. Earlier in the week, DeSantis said, many of his players struggled through practice. The squad managed to forget its lackluster workouts by game time.
Here, DeSantis explains how he had to separate the past from the present, and discusses the significance of the victory.
"This was the first time going against Bayside since I left. I respect coach (Jason) Levitt and what he's trying to do there. You can look and see they're down, but I was telling my coaching staff if we had their schedule, we'd be in the same position they are in right now.
"But it's not about the history to me, it's more about where we are now. Honestly, if we (lost) we'd go in the tank. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/10/19/2009-10-19_flushing_coach_james_desantis_discusses_red_devils_return_on_the_gridiron.html#ixzz2UaXCyzPU

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/10/19/2009-10-19_flushing_coach_james_desantis_discusses_red_devils_return_on_the_gridiron.html#ixzz2UaXMBKyg

Taking a step up in class, Flushing takes a step back

By ZACH BRAZILLER
Last Updated: 12:42 AM, October 12, 2009
Posted: 12:42 AM, October 12, 2009

Jim DeSantis was so aggressive in moving up his Flushing football team through the PSAL’s three levels because of afternoons like these.
He didn’t want to simply win as a lower-level program, he wanted the Red Devils to be tested, to find flaws in themselves, and see how they would respond against elite competition.
He noticed there are plenty of areas his program needs to work on after Sunday’s disappointing, 37-0 drubbing by DeWitt Clinton in The Bronx.
DeSantis cited such shortcomings as not fielding punts properly, reading blitzes, getting in and out of the huddle quicker, and tackling in the open field.

Read More at: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/football/taking_step_up_in_class_flushing_8S2nnQsykh8Oyrz1v3sFXM

Disciplined Devils squeak by New Utrecht

When Flushing started its game Saturday against New Utrecht, it was a shell of its usual self.
Cornerback Talbor Campbell, middle linebacker Nate Elder Salomon, quarterbacks Jordan Beranger and Deon Frazier and integral defensive players Jhaleel Mozie and Dave Brown were all suspended for at least the first quarter of the crucial game.
The six players arrived to practice Friday an hour and 20 minutes late and coach Jim DeSantis put his foot down.
“If I don’t nip that in the bud, then the JV thinks they can do whatever they want and the other guys do, too,” DeSantis said.
The coach said he thought about sitting them all for the entire game, but feared getting pummeled by a New Utrecht team that beat Tottenville last week. Campbell had to sit for the entire game due to previous infractions, Salomon missed a half and the other four were out the entire first quarter.
Despite being undermanned early, Flushing held strong and came away with a 7-6 win at Flushing Memorial Field. The Red Devils (4-1) have gotten off to a tremendous start just one year removed from being a Level 3 team and two years after being a 1.
“One of the things I always say is, the coaches are going to be here hopefully for the next 10, 15 years,” DeSantis said. “I always tell them we’re the program. We’re not going to let the tail wag the dog. What we say goes and that’s the way it’s going to be.”
The coach said his team was emotional after the victory. Not because beating New Utrecht (4-1) was particularly important to the season's success, but it showed resolve consdiering Flushing was able to do it missing six key players at certain junctures.
“The lesson they learned today is big,” DeSantis said.

Read More at: http://m.nypost.com/ms/p/nyp/nyp/view.m?id=338728&storyid=4.0.886361968

Kickin' it old school: Erasmus, Flushing thriving

11:46 PM, September 22, 2009 ι By Marc Raimondi

Flushing and Erasmus Hall are two of the most historic institutions in New York City.
Flushing, founded in 1875, is the oldest public high school in the Big Apple, and Erasmus, which was originally private, was the first secondary school to be approved by the New York State Board of Regents after being founded in 1786. Both schools have rich athletic histories in the PSAL going back to the early 1900s.
Why should you care?
Well, both schools’ football teams are having renaissance seasons in 2009 and that’s cool to see, especially how it has been done in each case.
Erasmus was a Level 3 also-ran earlier this decade when the school was going through a restructuring. Now it’s officially called Erasmus Hall Campus and it’s broken up into multiple, smaller schools in the same building.
A change like that can absolutely gut a football team, but coach Danny Landberg stuck with it. He now has one of the best teams in the city at 3-0. The argument can be made it is the most explosive with guys like Wayne Morgan, Omari Matthews and Shaquell Jackson. Landberg, who is a former John F. Kennedy assistant coach, has transformed the Dutchmen into a legitimate PSAL championship contender.

Read more at: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/marc_raimondi/kickin_it_old_school_erasmus_flushing_BM3qSQy9LqHd5k58AYt9MN

Check out an article from the New York Times (October 31, 1920) about a Flushing vs Erasmus game:

"FLUSHING AND ERASMUS TIE"

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F00E4D8173AE532A25752C3A9669D946195D6CF

Five-Star Performance: Flushing Bedevils Kennedy

By Adam Martini, PSAL Reporter

A couple of years ago, a football game between John F. Kennedy and Flushing wouldn't have been given a second glance. The Knights for sure would have pummeled the Red Devils. But times have changed.

Sophomore Andrew King rushed for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as the Red Devils, a mere developmental squad in 2005, defeated the visiting Knights on Saturday, 13-6. For Flushing (3-1), which has moved up the Public Schools Athletic League's power rankings each of the last three years, a win over traditionally-strong Kennedy is significant. As a five-rated program, the highest of the PSAL's three-tier system, the Knights have a combined record of 15-3 the last two regular seasons.

"This means we're going in the right direction," said Flushing coach Jim Desantis, who revived Flushing football after it was disbanded seven years ago. "Kennedy is an awesome program, so this means something."

Flushing took the action right to Kennedy with a touchdown on its first possession. King bounced outside for a 23-yard run to finish off an eight-play, 76-yard drive. The shifty sophomore broke loose for a 19-yard gain earlier in the drive, as the Red Devils offensive line set the tone for the game. The Red Devils, who went 8-1 last season on the three level, are looking to prove they belong in the city's championship division. But their latest win is only the beginning.

"We're trying to prove ourselves in the five division," said King. "This win is a starting point."

Kennedy (0-4) is not the powerhouse this season its been in recent years, but the Knights remain formidable opponents. The Red Devils, however, pushed them around on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Flushing bottled up senior running back Jamel Lane and sacked junior quarterback Isiah Sledge four times (twice by senior Jason Bromley). Lane finally broke free for a 15-yard touchdown run with 2:36 left in the game to make it 13-6, but the Knights couldn't recover the ensuing onside kick. By the time the Knight touched the ball again, at their own 24, there was only time to run three plays. None of them went anywhere.

Read more at: http://www.psal.org/psalsports/articles/psal_stories.aspx?storyid=17790

Flushing football squad out to prove that rapid ascent was no fluke

BY MARK LELINWALLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Monday, September 21st 2009, 9:17 PM

Disappointment set in for Flushing's football players as they lined up to shake hands with Lincoln after Friday's 16-12 home loss, their first defeat of the season.
The Red Devils fell short at Flushing Memorial Field, but they'd earned Lincoln's respect.
"Welcome to the 5," said Railsplitters coach Shawn O'Connor, referring to the Championship Division, the most competitive level of the PSAL's three-tiered alignment, to which Flushing was promoted before the season. "You guys deserve to be here."
Just four years removed from playing at the developmental level, Flushing has charted a rapid rise to the PSAL's upper tier.
The players understand that they've made it, but they're not content that accomplishment.
"It was good to hear (O'Connor) say that, but we want to win," said linebacker Nathan Elder-Solomon, and senior captain who started playing in Flushing's first year of JV, back in 2006. "We want to win."
Flushing coach James DeSantis - who steered the Red Devils' program from freshman-only in 2005 to JV in 2006, Cup Division in 2007 and Bowl Division last year - doesn't want his players to use the fact that they're the new kids in the top tier as a crutch when they lose to more experienced squads. And it shouldn't be considered a fluke, when they win.

Disappointment set in for Flushing's football players as they lined up to shake hands with Lincoln after Friday's 16-12 home loss, their first defeat of the season.
The Red Devils fell short at Flushing Memorial Field, but they'd earned Lincoln's respect.
"Welcome to the 5," said Railsplitters coach Shawn O'Connor, referring to the Championship Division, the most competitive level of the PSAL's three-tiered alignment, to which Flushing was promoted before the season. "You guys deserve to be here."
Just four years removed from playing at the developmental level, Flushing has charted a rapid rise to the PSAL's upper tier.
The players understand that they've made it, but they're not content that accomplishment.
"It was good to hear (O'Connor) say that, but we want to win," said linebacker Nathan Elder-Solomon, and senior captain who started playing in Flushing's first year of JV, back in 2006. "We want to win."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/09/21/2009-09-21_flushing_out_to_prove_that_rapid_ascent_was_no_fluke.html#ixzz0U13tsUTy

Flushing shows stature in loss to Lincoln

By MARC RAIMONDI
Last Updated: 1:13 AM, September 19, 2009
Posted: 10:34 PM, September 18, 2009

Jim DeSantis didn’t find validation in his team’s 16-12 loss to Lincoln at home Friday.
Yes, his Flushing football team is in its first season as a Level 5 squad just five years removed from being a developmental program. And sure the Red Devils hung in – and even had a chance to win – against one of the PSAL’s flagship programs. But DeSantis denied it being symbolic.
“We knew we [belonged] anyway,” the coach said. “We don’t want that to be our barometer. We felt like we could beat this team today.”
Flushing (2-1) came close.
Talbor Campbell blocked a Lincoln punt late in the third quarter and, on the next play, sophomore Andrew King bulled his way into the end zone from 3 yards out. His 2-point conversion attempt was no good, leaving the score at 8-6 in favor of Lincoln (2-1).

Read more at: http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2009/09/24/sports/queens_sports/sports_queens_sportsrddhvfi09232009.txt