All around there were DeWitt Clinton football players flying around the field, dancing and high-fiving and partying like it was their homecoming. The Governors had just beaten John F. Kennedy, 38-14, Friday night for the first time since 1998, on the road no less.
The Knights had to sit and talk about it in the far end zone while a celebration ensued.
“It felt like somebody invading our home and disrespecting us,” said senior Steven Sanchez, one of many Knights who shed tears in the postgame conversation.
It’s been a season full of heartbreak for the winless Knights, who will miss the playoffs for just the fourth time in 28 years. Coach Alex Vega put the onus on himself. He said a selfish mentality has crept into the program’s fabric.
“We haven’t played as a family all year long,” he said. “It’s not a talent problem, it’s a chemistry problem.”
The program known for winning has lost in many ways, from crushing, heartbreaking endings to dismal blowouts. This was a little of both. The final lopsided result wasn’t indicative of the pendulum that swung both ways.
Winners of five straight, Clinton (6-1) raced out to a 16-0 lead, but JFK (0-7) was within two points by halftime, on the strength of two Denzle Jones touchdown passes. It was 22-14 early in the fourth quarter before Governors quarterback Joaquin DeJesus threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Flores on 4th-and-goal.
“The kids played with passion and made some big plays,” Vega said. “This was probably the strongest game we’ve had.”
Said Sanchez: “We played our heart out.”
There was nothing they could do, however, to cover up the miscues committed on special teams. Two high snaps on punts led to Clinton touchdowns. Jones had a punt slide off the side of his foot. Patrick Lindo returned the opening kick to pay dirt.
“We gave them a short field the entire game,” Vega said.
The coach said he was already looking ahead to 2010. There were positives, such as the play of Jones and sophomore wide receiver Delvin Hilario, a pair of play-making underclassmen. Senior lineman Michael Vazquez wreaked havoc in the backfield all evening.
There are still two weeks left to pick up a victory and salvage what is left of this lost season.
“There’s no reason we can’t beat Lehman and Columbus,” Vega said, referring to Kennedy’s final two opponents.
