Ameir Morrow powers Erasmus Hall football into PSAL 4A final

Erasmus Hall had been without star running back Ameir Morrow at full strength for most of the season. On Sunday,  the senior showed what a difference he makes.

No. 2 Erasmus Hall avenged last year's championship defeat to No. 3 Curtis with a convincing 44-27 win in the PSAL 4A semifinals at Sid Luckman Field. Erasmus Hall is going to its 11th straight PSAL football championship game, according to head coach Danny Landberg.

Morrow, a Temple commit, had 226 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns on only 12 touches.

Morrow only had 33 carries in the regular season, but he made his first touch count against Curtis.

He returned the opening kickoff 80 yards and was brought down at the Curtis 2-yard line. Jaire Lewis then punched it in for the early lead. 

“We watched a lot of film and we knew what we were going to do,” Morrow said. “Losing that championship game last year was a different feeling and it sparked something inside of us.”

Curtis came out with a heavy pass attack and it worked. Vincent Canzoneri started the game 8-for-9 with 100 yards and a touchdown, dropping a 23-yard dime to Jayden Melendez to help tie the score at 7.

Erasmus had a quick response — and this time Morrow did it as a receiver. Kendu Brown connected with Morrow for a 41-yard touchdown to help give the Dutchmen a 14-7 lead to end the first quarter.

With less than a minute left in the second quarter, the game was tied at 14 until Brown stiff-armed a defender and broke loose for a 16-yard touchdown and a 21-14 Erasmus lead.

“We have great athletes,” Brown said. “I just have to get them the ball, and I want to give a lot of credit to my offensive line. There is no offense without them.”

Melendez’s kick return set Curtis up at the Erasmus Hall 45-yard line. Five plays later, Canzoneri stepped up in the pocket and rifled a pass to Akai Lewis in the end zone for a 31-yard score, trimming the deficit to one heading into halftime.

Canzoneri was 16-for-22 for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

In the third quarter, momentum shifted.

Intentional grounding was called against Curtis in the end zone, resulting in a safety. Morrow then went back to work with a 44-yard run. Three plays later, Brown connected with Amani Cespedes for a 7-yard touchdown.

Down by 10, Curtis answered with a lengthy drive. It ran 10 plays for 70 yards to the Erasmus 8-yard line. On the 11th play, Erasmus defensive back Ahkeim Brown jumped a route and, with nobody in front of him, returned it 94 yards for a pick-6 and a 37-20 lead minutes before the third quarter ended.

“It’s muscle memory,” Brown said. “I knew it was coming. We went over it so many times in practice, and after halftime we went over the mistakes in the coverages, and we got back on track.”

“We teach about the game of momentum,” Landberg said. “We made adjustments in the second half and the game of momentum took over. We got the safety, we scored again and it was the preparation leading up to this.”

Morrow rushed for a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to top the century mark in rushing yardage as Erasmus closed out the win.

“I’m feeling good," Morrow said, "but the mission isn’t done yet.” 

Erasmus Hall will play Tottenville in the PSAL 4A championship next Sunday at 1pm at Midwood Field

as it attempts to win its sixth title in seven years.

“It’s been a long time,” said Landberg, in his 24th year. “We’ve learned from our own mistakes, and it was about creating culture, building discipline and mental preparation. It’s those things you don’t hear about.”