Emmanuel Opoku's touchdown, two-point conversion run keep Randolph unbeaten in thrilling PSAL win over Stuyvesant
Emmanuel Opoku of Randolph walks through the field after scoring during a PSAL football game against Stuyvesant in Inwood on Saturday. Credit: Anna Sergeeva
It was a chance to take the lead late. It was a game for first place and the school’s first homecoming game. Randolph coach Eric Perlowitz knew exactly where to go.
“In certain times of the game, you call a player, not a play,” Perlowitz said. “We knew we wanted to keep the ball in his hands in that moment.”
He put the ball in his senior quarterback’s hands for a two-point conversion with just under a minute remaining.
Emmanuel Opoku took the snap from the 3-yard line and ran to his left. He shed a tackler and found the end zone. A. Philip Randolph defeated Stuyvesant, 14-13, in PSAL Conference 3A at George Washington High School in Manhattan on Saturday night.
“I knew I couldn’t go down,” Opoku said. “I trust in my brothers, and we haven’t won some of these big games in the past, so we had to win.”
“When it was over, I dropped to my knees and started praying to God,” he added. “I was exhilarated that we won this game.”
It was a battle of Manhattan teams unbeaten in conference play, and a game with so much hype surrounding it lived up to expectations.
With just over four minutes remaining, Randolph (7-0) trailed 13-6 and had the ball at its own 38-yard line. A couple of Opoku runs moved the Cougars toward midfield, but they faced third-and-13.
Opoku scrambled to his right and threw to his favorite target, Isaac Suazo. He leaped and made the catch over a Stuyvesant defender for a 39-yard gain.
“My mentality in the fourth quarter was refusing to lose,” Suazo said. “When a big play is needed, my number is called and I always answer. In moments like that, I’m able to stay poised and get my team back in position to win.”
On the next play, Opoku took a quarterback keeper to his right, broke multiple tackles and carried a defender into the end zone for an 11-yard TD. He followed it with the winning conversion.
Anthony Pitre stripped the ball and recovered the fumble near midfield on Stuyvesant’s ensuing possession, allowing the Cougars to line up in victory formation.
Stuyvesant (6-1) opened the scoring when quarterback Fynn Chadwick found Isaac Sprung for a 13-yard touchdown. Opoku and Suazo connected for a touchdown in the first half, but Randolph trailed 7-6 at halftime.
In the third quarter, backup quarterback Nathaniel Lee entered for one play and connected with Eitan Kanayev for an 18-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good, keeping the Peglegs’ lead at seven.
“He made a great throw. He’s always prepared,” Stuyvesant coach Mike Tauber said. “Honestly, our coaching staff wasn’t surprised at all. He could come in at any time.”
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Tauber added. “I thought overall our defense played really well . . . I thought it was a good back-and-forth game, and we expect to probably see them again in the playoffs.”
Randolph remained unbeaten in conference play and took sole possession of first place in PSAL 3A in front of one of the biggest crowds the program has had, according to its coach. Many alumni were on hand from the last decade.
"For them to be there to witness how far the program has come, and to reminisce on their time, and to cheer on the current team, it was one of the most special moments I’ve ever had as a coach," Perlowitz said. "“It’s the reason you coach high school football, for games like that. It makes all the hard work that we do worth it for games like that.”
