ESPN

Justin Combs is officially Hollywood bound.

The Iona Prep cornerback signed and faxed his National Letter of Intent to UCLA on Wednesday at a ceremony at the school. Friends and family, including his father, rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, were in attendance as Combs finalized his decision.

"It was like a dream come true, I can't even believe it, I am really signed to a major school that is going in the right direction," Combs said. "I'm really a Bruin."

Combs committed to the school just days after it had fired its previous coach, Rick Neuheisel. The school eventually hired Jim Mora, who Combs said was his favorite coach from his days coaching Michael Vick with the Falcons. He called it surreal to talk with him face-to-face.

"He's been recruiting very hard and our recruiting class is very good," said Combs, the No. 7 recruit in New York according to ESPNU.

Combs is one of two major gets from the Tri-State Area for UCLA, as the school will also get New Jersey's top recruit, quarterback Devin Fuller from Old Tappan. Combs said that the two are friends and he talked to him right after he committed, welcoming him to the UCLA family and saying "let's take this thing all the way."

"It's exciting," Combs said. "It's real. Everything else is just verbal, nothing is real until you sign that paper and you put your name on the X. I'm ready and I'm excited."

THE LINCOLN SIX: The reigning PSAL champions had six players sign and fax their letters, the most in the history of the program, according to head coach Shawn O' Connor.

Linebacker/receiver Tarik Pusey (Rhode Island), lineman Robert Kitching (UMass), running back Kareem Fokes (CW Post), running back Denzel Duchenne (Virginia Union), lineman Keyon Barnwell (CW Post) and lineman Armani Gordon (Southern Connecticut) made up the historic group.

"It was exciting to see all of my teammates signing and our teammates were there supporting us," Pusey said. "It was the result of hard work in the ofsseason that all of us put in and we bought into the Lincoln system and we did what our coaches said."

THE ARMY'S KING: Flushing running back Andrew King signed and faxed his letter to Army as his school celebrated with a small ceremony with former players, family, teachers, the school's principal and his coaches in attendance.

"It was one of my greatest life experiences. I got through it and got over it and now I can train my body and mind on what college has prepared for me," King said. "It was a relief because I have it over with and don’t have to stress anymore if I'm going to college or how I'm going to have to pay for it, and all of that."

CORNELIUS TO SYRACUSE: Tottenville wide receiver Alvin Cornelius III did not know that Wayne Morgan was headed to Syracuse when he signed and faxed his letter to the Orange this morning. Later on, he found out the good news that he would joined at Syracuse by Erasmus Hall's star cornerback.

"He's another kid from New York City and me and him have talked and know each other well and are going to go out there and handle business," Cornelius said.

STEPINAC TRIO: Stepinac had three of its players sign and fax their letters on Wednesday as tight end Austin Taps signed with UPenn, kicker Prezemyslaw Popek signed with Stony brook and offensive lineman Jesse Gwin signed on with CW Post. Fullback Caleb Gilligan-Evans, who is committed to Yale, did not sign on Wednesday.

"It was a great feeling great to wrap it up and finish up the process, I know my coaches and my family are proud. I wouldn't be in the position I am without them," Taps said. "It was cool signing with my teammates. I'm real proud of those guys and they worked hard and it was great to see them signing with schools."

POLY PREP HAS THREE: Poly Prep had three players sign on Wednesday. Wide receiver Malik Rodriguez signed with Ohio, quarterback Kevin Gebon is headed to Bryant and cornerback Dylin Lewis signed with CW Post.

"It was somewhat saddening because it's the finalization of my high school career and the dudes I was signing with are my friends and it was like leaving my colleagues behind since they're no longer my teammates," Gebon said. "They're not going to be teammates anymore but we'll still be in contact."

MOUNT'S ACQUAH TO HC: Mount St. Michael fullback Kenny Acquah signed and faxed his letter to Holy Cross. His older brother, Gary Acquah, is a sophomore for the Crusaders and Kenny said he is going to be a middle linebacker there.

"It was definitely very exciting to be signing with a Division I college," Acquah said. "I always wanted to do that since I was a little kid and to put the pen to paper was extremely exciting."

LIDDY TO THE HOYAS: Kellenberg offensive lineman Kevin Liddy signed and faxed his letter to Georgetown on Wednesday.

"It's a great school and it's a good football school," Liddy said. "I'm very excited to go down there. I've been there a couple of times and it's a great place to go."

ADEGUNLE TO NEW HAVEN: Beach Channel/Channel View wide receiver Henry Adegunle almost didn't get to sign because of a clerical error, but the paperwork came in time and he signed and faxed his letter to New Haven.

"It's excitement and relief," Adegunle said. "At first I thought I wasn't going to get signed and then when I went there I was interested in them."

BINCKES TO CW POST: Xaverian tight end Sean Binckes signed and faxed his letter to CW Post on Wednesday.

"It was awesome. it was a great day to commit to a school and know where I am going," Binckes said. "It was a pretty long process. There were so many people to talk to. At the end you get the offers. It was a long process but it taught me a lot. ... I'm pumped, I can't wait to go there and play, I've been out of it for too long."

IVY BOUND: St. Anthony's offensive lineman Pat McHugh and defensive lineman JD Hurt are both headed to the Ivy League as McHugh signed with Yale and Hurt signed with Columbia.

PAIR OF TIGERS: Fort Hamilton had a pair of recruits sign as defensive end Toba Akinleye signed with Columbia and lineman Mensur Ibric is headed to Sacred Heart.

Erasmus Hall defensive back Wayne Morgan signed with Syracuse over Connecticut at a press conference at the Brooklyn school Wednesday.

“They were the school that was showing me the most interest when it was time,” Morgan said. “For the last three months, I’ve been hearing from them almost everyday and they’ve been talking to my coach. They’ve been calling me like once a week. They’ve just been the most consistent.”

Morgan saw the same consistency from the UConn. Both schools had been courting Morgan, who also played quarterback while leading the Dutchmen to their first PSAL city championship final last season. Morgan notified UConn on Sunday and faxed his letter of intent Wednesday.

The 5-11, 190-pound senior counted 15 total scholarship offers, including offers from Boston College, Maryland, Michigan, Rutgers, Alabama and Miami. Wisconsin and West Virginia also made late runs at signing Morgan and Penn State even got involved last week. But choosing between two schools was already stressful enough without adding more into the mix.

“It was a hassle,” Morgan said. “It was a headache just trying to make the decision between two teams. I didn’t want to bring another school in and then it would be (giving myself) a migraine now.”

Morgan admitted he was torn after visiting the campus in Storrs, Conn., but as the day approached when he would have to make a choice, Erasmus coach Danny Landberg gave Morgan a list of about 14 questions about each school. The list included topics that included the length of the head coach’s contract, what majors the university offered and Morgan’s rapport with defensive coordinator and positions coach.

Syracuse had nine New York City football players on the team last season, including Fort Hamilton stars Ivan Foy and Morgan’s close friend Brandon Reddish, who hosted his recruit visit. Tottenville wide receiver Alvin Cornelius also signed with the Orange on Wednesday.

Still, Morgan said he seriously considered taking the Huskies’ offer.

“There was a ‘but’,” he said. “You know when you’re doing something and there’s always a ‘but’? There was a point involved. When I was thinking about Syracuse there weren’t really any ‘buts.’”

Syracuse also gives Morgan the opportunity to play immediately. Morgan said he expects to be used in nickel packages and on special teams, along with Reddish. Head coach Doug Marrone is also a graduate of Lehman High in the Bronx.

In the end, Syracuse provided everything Morgan needed and the built-in support system that gave Landberg confidence in his star player’s decision.

More than anything, they are both just happy that it’s over and he can stop fielding questions about where he plans to go to school. Morgan said that he probably got about 20 inquiries a day. His mother, Sharon Ellis, said the phone rang non-stop with recruiters pitching their programs. She said she even fell asleep during one home visit.

“At the end of the day, this is just a feeling. It’s just a feeling of comfortability," Landberg said. "They both have everything to offer. You lay those 14 questions for Wayne and it could have been maybe one or two more than tilt it to Syracuse. But at the end of the day, Wayne just felt comfortable.”

Wayne Morgan has made his college choice. He just isn’t telling yet.

Erasmus Hall’s two-way football star plans to announce his future on Wednesday on National Signing Day and his choices are down to Syracuse and UConn. The All-American senior played quarterback and defensive back for the Dutchmen, who fell to Lincoln in the Public Schools Athletic League championship last season.

Morgan's quickness and defensive skills garnered interest from all over the country. Morgan’s coach, Danny Landberg, said consistency played the biggest factor in narrowing the list of suitors.

“It’s just the persistency of those schools and how hard they went after him and basically showed how much they wanted him by being so persistent,” Landberg said. “I think both those schools have been coming to see Wayne since was a freshman or a sophomore, inquiring about him, trying to find out more about him.”

Reports surfaced last week that Penn State had also become involved but Landberg said that the school wasn’t as aggressive in pursuing Morgan and fell from consideration.

The coach said that both Syracuse and UConn offer Morgan a chance to play sooner instead of later and it came down to where Morgan felt the most comfortable. Like most top recruits, Morgan is relieved that the process is almost over. It became more difficult in the last two weeks when calls from recruiters, reporters and coaches seemed endless and every pitch started to sound the same.

One way or another every coach said that their school was the best academically; that Morgan would have an opportunity to see the field sooner or that if Morgan suited up for their team that he would see the best competition.

Including people asking where Morgan’s collegiate future laid, the calls became overwhelming. Landberg and Morgan have both deflected some phone calls. Landberg said it best that Morgan be left alone until his announcement.

“It became annoying as we’ve been moving forward,” Landberg said. “The more calls that came from recruiters and media, it just became enough is enough is enough. People just calling, recruiters saying the same exact thing 3,000 different ways, it just became enough.”

Landberg has served as a filter for Morgan and the process has worn on him as well. He said he looked to make sure of which program was more concerned with Morgan’s welfare instead of padding their roster.

“I’m just speaking to the same people over and over again and, the business aspect out of it, you’ve got to find out who really cares about the kid,” he said.

They considered everything from the school’s academics to the length of the head coach’s contract. Landberg said they examined the defensive coordinators and position coaches. But in the end the differences were minimal.

“There’s not much changing over the schools,” Landberg said. “It’s not that much different for everybody. It’s just a matter of where he feels more comfortable.”

OTHER NOTES: Plenty of other players from the New York City football leagues will sign on Wednesday. Here are some of the other players who are expected to sign their National Letter of Intent: Iona Prep's Justin Combs (UCLA); Tottenville's Alvin Cornelius (Syracuse); Stepinac's Austin Taps (UPenn); Flushing's Andrew King (Army); Lincoln's Tarik Pusey (Rhode Island); Mount St. Michael's Kenny Acquah (Holy Cross); St. Anthony's Pat McHugh (Yale); Stepinac's Caleb Gilligan-Evans (Yale); Kellenberg's Kevin Liddy (Georgetown); Fort Hamilton's Toba Akinleye (Columbia).

When Iona Prep senior Justin Combs was selected to the Semper Fidelis All-American team, he said it was like a dream come true. Tuesday night in Arizona, he got to live that dream.

“Everything was great,” said an excited Combs. “It was very intense, there was a lot of talent. It was a fun time competing against the best of the best. The entire thing was sort of surreal.”

Comb’s West team eventually lost to Erasmus Hall star Wayne Morgan’s East team 17-14 in the inaugural edition of the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl at Chase Field in Phoenix Tuesday night.

Both players played their natural positions, cornerback, and played every third play of each drive, as did most players who competed in the game. Neither scored or recorded an interception, but both were happy with the way they played.

“I didn't play a lot, but I got a couple of reps,” Morgan said. “The atmosphere was so exciting it was easy to play with intensity. I played good, I broke up a big passing play on third down in the first quarter.”

“No balls were caught against me at all. I grinded. I'm proud of that,” Combs added.

The two players have never had a chance to meet each other until now despite playing just 33 miles apart from each other for their entire high school careers. But they got a chance to strike up a relationship thanks to their New York connection.

“We finally got to meet,” Combs said. “We've been in the same state for a long time. He's always been ranked No. 1 and I was No. 2 so I always wanted to meet him. He was really cool, someone who I would want to keep in touch with.”

The East jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a touchdown pass in the first quarter. In the second quarter the West came back as it went up 14-7, but the East tied it back up by half time. The second half was a tight defensive half that was only separated by a field goal.

“We tied it up in the first half,” Morgan said. “Then in the second half our defense did a real good job and we got a field goal to win it. It was exciting to play a role in our defense winning the game.”

Combs, the son of rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, is headed to UCLA in the fall while Morgan is still deciding between Syracuse and UConn.

Two of New York City's biggest football stars from this season in Iona Prep cornerback Justin Combs and Erasmus Hall cornerback/quarterback Wayne Morgan will represent the Big Apple Tuesday at the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Phoenix, Ariz. The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff.

Combs, the son of rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, will play for the East team. Combs has verbally committed to UCLA. This past season, he completed 46-of-74 passes for 614 yards with four touchdowns, rushed for 196 yards and one touchdown and had one interception on the season, according to stats available on maxpreps.com. He helped his team to a 7-5 record and a spot in the CHSFL Class AAA semifinals.

Morgan was named on ESPNNewYork.com's PSAL players of the year and will represent the West team. The do-it-all senior helped his team to the PSAL title game where it ultimately lost to Lincoln. He completed 38-of-67 passes for 664 yards and five touchdowns, rushed for 500 yards and five touchdowns, and had one interception, two fumble recoveries, one sack and two defensive touchdowns on defense according to stats on the PSAL website. He is choosing between Syracuse and UConn.

The Bowl game consists of 100 players chosen from all around the country. It will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Wayne Morgan -- Erasmus Hall, Sr. CB/QB

When Wayne Morgan first started at Erasmus Hall, the Brooklyn school wasn't considered a football power. At the end of his four years with the Dutchmen, Morgan certainly changed that perception.

Morgan, a senior cornerback/quarterback, was a key reason why Erasmus Hall reached the PSAL title game as he had a fantastic senior season. Morgan threw for 664 yards and five scores and had five rushing touchdowns and 500 yards on the season, according to statss on the PSAL website.

With his great stats and ability to lead his team to the title game, Morgan has been chosen as one of ESPNNewYork.com's PSAL players of the year. Morgan, the top-ranked recruit in New York City, is choosing between Syracuse and Connecticut for college.

"I think we had a good overall year as a team," Morgan said. "We had our ups and downs during the season and we got together and did what we had to get to the championship. We just came up short."

Kareem Folkes -- Lincoln, Sr. RB

If you read the highlights of Lincoln's wins from this season, you probably red the name Kareem Folkes -- often. The senior running back was an unstoppable machine for the Railsplitters as he helped led his team to the title.

During the regular season, Folkes rushed for 1,225 yards and 22 touchdowns as well as 14 two-point conversions. In the playoffs, when it mattered the most, he had six touchdowns and 531 yards in four games, to go with seven two-point conversion, according to the PSAL website.

"It was a great year with all the touchdowns but got to give the credit to the offensive line and the receivers, they blocked everything and did what they had to do," Folkes said.

Folkes' amazing year has earned him the honor of being one of ESPNNewYork.com's PSAL players of the year. His play also helped Lincoln avenge its loss in the 2010 title game.

"It was great, last year we came up a little short and everybody worked hard in the offseason," Folkes said. "We finished the job and I can look back and say that we went 13-0 while I was there and got it done."

Shawn O'Connor -- Lincoln coach

Lincoln was supposed to take a step back this season. After losing All-American defensive end Ishaq Williams and quarterback Andrew Vital, there was supposed to be a drop off for the Coney Island school this year.

With Lincoln coach Shawn O'Connor at the helm, that didn't happen. And that's why O'Connor has been named ESPNNewYork.com's PSAL Coach of the Year.

"I think the key was the kids always believed in themselves," O'Connor said. "We had great senior leadership and these kids had a great opportunity to do some things."

Lincoln went undefeated in 2010 before falling in the championship game to Fort Hamilton. This season, Lincoln again went undefeated and made the title game. This time, there was no heartbreak as the Railsplitters won the title, 20-12.

"This was a great feeling and a great accomplishment," O'Connor said. "Watching that final pass go incomplete was probably the highlight of my career."

Isaiah Kearney -- Xaverian, Jr. QB

For the first time since youth football, Isaiah Kearney found himself playing quarterback.

"It was a new position; my freshman and sophomore years I had played running back and played it most of my life," Kearney said. "The coach asked me if I would like to do it in the offseason and do I think I could handle so I gave it a shot."

It proved to be a beneficial move for both parties. Kearney had a remarkable season at quarterback, putting up gaudy stats and leading Xaverian to the CHSFL Class AAA semifinals this season. His work has earned him the award of being one of ESPNNewYork.com's top CHSFL players for the year.

"I really didn't expect to have my season be as good as it was," Kearney said.

Kearney threw for 1255 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 1040 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season, according to stats available on maxpreps.com.

"Individual effort, I think I gave it all," Kearney said. "I'm very proud of my team, we just came up a little short in the playoffs but had a great season otherwise."

Rich Reichert -- St. Anthony's coach

Rich Reichert has built up a dynasty at St. Anthony's so seeing the Friars win yet another title is nothing new. What made this year special, though, is how the Friars picked up their 10th championship in 11 years.

While thought to have perhaps their best team in recent years heading into the season, a series of injuries took several key starters out of the lineup. There seemed to be a new running back each week and by the time the end of the season came around, the team was already on its third quarterback.

Teams gave St. Anthony's close calls throughout the season, with some taking games to the wire, but no one could beat St. Anthony's. It ultimately culminated in a 14-0 win over Stepinac in the AAA title game.

No matter the circumstances this year, Reichert's team always found a way to win. For that, Reichert is ESPNNewYork.com's CHSFL coach of the year.

Matt McDaniels -- Kellenberg, Sr. QB

There might not have been a player more important to his team's success this season than Kellenberg's do-it-all quarterback Matt McDaniels. He didn't throw the ball much but McDaniels could run it as well as anyone this season.

McDaniels did not rush for at least 100 yards in only two games, according to stats available on maxpreps.com. In the playoffs he rushed for a combined 876 yards in his final three games. In all, he rushed for 2009 yards and 19 touchdowns.

While Kellenberg struggled collectively as a team, going just 4-7 this past season, McDaniels had a stellar year. The senior's play led the team to the Class AA title game where Kellenberg lost in heartbreaker to Fordham Prep. He scored seven touchdowns in the playoffs, according to maxpreps.com.

For his show-stopping play this season, McDaniels has been named one of ESPNNewYork.com's CHSFL players of the year.

Lincoln finally did it. After falling short in the Public School Athletic League finals at Yankee Stadium last season, it beat Erasmus Hall 20-12 this Tuesday to capture the PSAL Championship Division title and finish the season a perfect 13-0. It is Lincoln's first city championship since 1992.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Lincoln jumped out to a quick lead in the first quarter after Kareem Folkes scored on a three-yard touchdown run. Lincoln missed the two-point-conversion, leaving the score 6-0.

Erasmus Hall quickly tied the game at 6-6 after Wayne Morgan scored on a two-yard run on a play that was set up by a 51-yard run by Kahlil Lewin in which he broke one tackle and then nearly went down before using a Lincoln player as leverage to stay on his feet.

Both teams scored again on their next drives. Lincoln's was a three-yard run by Denzel Duchenne that was set up by a 24-yard pass from Jessel Jones to Jamiek Davis. A two-point conversion made the score 14-6. Then, on the next drive, Erasmus Hall made it 14-12 with 8:55 left in the half as Lewin ran for 47-yards to set up a five-yard touchdown run by Morgan, his second of the game.

The third quarter went by quickly without much action, but Jessel Jones got Lincoln on the board with a one-yard touchdown run that put the Railsplitters up 20-12 early in the fourth.

TURNING POINT: Erasmus Hall is a team with a reputation for playing weak fourth quarters. And Tuesday night wasn't any different as the Dutchmen played the quarter without much urgency. Morgan picked it up late, converting on late fourth down and finding Jean Louis Luder for a 24-yard pass that set them up at the 18-yard line.

It was too little too late though as Morgan, who is not known for his passing, missed two attempts to find Luder and the Dutchmen eventually ran out of time.

"Guys are getting ragged, we were banged up pretty badly last week," said Erasmus Hall head coach Danny Landberg. "We weren't full strength today. We had to make ends meet. There was some uncertainty probably."

STAR OF THE GAME: Jones was heartbroken that he didn't win a ring last year and the desperation to get one this year was evident. He didn't play his best game by his usual lofty standards, finishing 5-for-7 with 82 passing yards and 77 yards rushing on 19 carries, but he was the sturdy leader his team needed.

TROUBLE FOR FOLKES: Jones' showing was even more impressive considering his running back and the team's offensive leader was dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out during certain points of this game. His final numbers weren't bad, 18 carries for 73 yards, but it's hard to say what he could have done had he been 100 percent.

One of Folkes' most impressive plays came on defense during Erasmus Hall's final drive of the game. At cornerback he broke up Morgan's last two passing attempts.

SHAQUELL OUT: After Morgan, Shaquell Jackson is the biggest part of Erasmus Hall's offense as evidenced by his 932 rushing yards during the regular season. He suffered an undisclosed leg injury last week against Tottenville and couldn't play in the final. Kahlil Lewin filled in and did a great job, rushing for 135 yards, but after the game Landberg couldn't help but wonder what his team could have done had Jackson been available.

"It was very tough watching my team go to war, go to battle and I wasn't able to be a part of it," a somber Jackson said after the game. "I wasn't able to change anything. It hurts to see them lose and I couldn't do nothing about it."

UP NEXT: That's it, the season is over for the PSAL. Lincoln graduates 21 players while Erasmus Hall will watch 12 players move on.

Before Erasmus Hall even played a game this season, its star player -- Wayne Morgan -- made a bold prediction - that his team would make it all the way to the Public School Athletic League finals that will be played at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Quite a statement considering Erasmus Hall had never won or even played in a PSAL championship game in its history.

After the Dutchmen beat Tottenville to advance to the finals, Morgan reminded everybody that he had achieved his stated goal. However, at a press conference at Yankee Stadium leading up to the finals matchup against the Lincoln Railsplitters, Morgan was done making predictions. The two teams meet in ESPNNewYork.com's Game of the Week on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

“I knew going into that game (against Tottenville) that we had to find a way to come out with the win,” Morgan said. “If we didn't get here it would be hell for the rest of my life because this has been one of my dreams when I was younger. This is the best game of the year so we had to be here. There was no choice.

“We're not trash talking. We just have to play our game, have to find a way to win. No more predictions, I don't want to jinx it.”

It’s not a surprise that Morgan isn’t willing to make any more predictions. After the Dutchmen started the year with a 1-2 record, dropping a pair of games where they held a fourth-quarter lead, the emphasis quickly became not counting on a win until the game is actually over.

Now, Erasmus Hall’s head coach Danny Landberg is focused on reminding his team that it has not won anything yet and is the underdog going into this game. His hope is by doing that he can keep his team focused and get the best out of them.

“I know that (Lincoln’s head coach Shawn O’Connor) would not acknowledge that they are the favorites because everybody likes being the underdog, but let's just be real about this, we are the underdog,” Landberg said. “Our record says so. We have a lot of injuries, but that's irrelevant. We are going to play football and do the best that we can do.”

The Railsplitters were also an early season favorite, but have taken quite a different path to Yankee Stadium. They were there a year ago in the PSAL finals when they lost 8-6 to Fort Hamilton after putting together a perfect regular season.

This year, they are once again a perfect 12-0 heading into the finals and brimming with confidence. The biggest criticism they've received is that their schedule was too soft, but they blew out playoff teams like JFK, Sheepshead Bay, Canarsie and Fort Hamilton.

“I predict that we are going to play our game, you know, dominate,” said Lincoln’s quarterback Jessel Jones. “We just want to win, convincingly. They are a good team, but we've been playing good teams all year and you see what happens when we are on our game.”

O’Connor said that he doesn’t mind the confidence level and even some of the trash talk because he doesn’t want his team to change how things have been all year long.

No matter who wins, it will be an impressive season for both teams. Lincoln will have a chance to avenge its imperfect season from a year ago and win its first city championship since 1992. Erasmus Hall is seeking its first title.

The game also features probably the two best all-around players in the city in Morgan and Lincoln’s Kareem Folkes. Morgan is probably the most heavily recruited player who does it all for his team as he is the cornerback, quarterback, plays special teams, and has even played as a linebacker. Meanwhile, Folkes had 27 touchdowns and 1,668 total rushing yards in the regular season and playoffs combined. This game may not just be determining who the best team in the city is, but it could be determining the city’s best player as well.

Danny Landberg started to choke back on his tears when he began talking about this season. The Erasmus Hall coach looked at Yankee Stadium, where in six days his team will play undefeated Lincoln for the PSAL City Championship on Tuesday at 5 p.m., as a giant monument that represented where his team had come from and where they have arrived.

“Walking into this being alone, the aura is second to none in this universe,” Landberg said. “I told my boys that they are playing in the best place that they can possibly play a sport in the entire solar system. I made sure they understood that when we came in.”

Coaches and players from Erasmus and Lincoln, as well as PSAL and New York Yankees representatives spoke at a press conference Wednesday to introduce the teams that will play in the PSAL football championship, held for the second consecutive year at most haloed ground in baseball lore.

When Landberg had his time to speak, sitting on this dias next to Lincoln coach Shawn O’Connor, he didn’t mix words about his team’s season, one that started with a 1-2 record and will end in the team’s first championship game after squeezing past Tottenville in overtime last week.

Landberg heard the doubts about his team. And at first there were plenty.

“We were immediately written off by the world and rightfully so,” he said. “But we turned things around. It was a grind and we wouldn’t have it another way. We worked from the bottom of the barrel up.”

The emotion flowed when he talked about last week’s win over Tottenville in the seminfinal, when Kahlil Lewin enjoyed a breakout game that included 107 yards rushing and a game-winning touchdown run.

“I’m a little emotional right now because of all the work that we go through,” he said. “It’s never-ending. We know what we do. I know what Shawn does too but I can only speak for myself. It’s emotional because you have doubters. You have people that don’t believe that you can get to a certain place. Sometimes you start doubting yourself. But our coaches and our players, they never doubted themselves, and for that I’m grateful.”

Whenever Erasmus Hall drove past Yankee Stadium – on the way to camp or road games this season after Lehman and Dewitt Clinton – the bus would start buzzing. A long chant of, “Yeaahhhhh” would sound off as same way it did Wednesday when the bus pulled up in front the stadium for the press conference.

“I’ve been dreaming about this moment my whole life,” Erasmus quarterback/safety Wayne Morgan said.

Players sat in for the press conference then took a walk out to the field where they’ll play under the lights next Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Lincoln lost, 8-6, to Fort Hamilton last year at Yankee Stadium. It was the last time they lost a game. Most of those players have graduated. Only two starters return, including star running back Kareem Folkes. The senior said he got goosebumps when he walked in the building Wednesday. He doesn’t watch much baseball but Yankee hightlights on SportsCenter are enough to remind him of the two-point loss.

Morgan said the all-Brooklyn matchup Tuesday is “the most talked about game ever.” Folkes said the game is just a football contest, like any other. Well, except for the stadium and all.

“At end of the day you have to play football, no matter what’s around you,” Folkes said. “I don’t care if you put me on the street, I’m still gonna go out there and play hard every play. So this really doesn’t change much.”

Erasmus Hall has been led all season by its stars Wayne Morgan and Shaquell Jackson, so when both players left Saturday’s game against Tottenville in the third quarter with Erasmus trailing 14-8, things didn’t look good.

That’s when sophomore Kahlil Lewin entered the game and announced to the league that Erasmus Hall isn’t just about two players.

“Kahlil Lewin has arrived,” Erasmus Hall’s exhausted head coach Danny Landberg said after the game. “I challenged him in practice, I told him that you are tomorrow's guy, but I need tomorrow to be today. We knew what his capabilities are. I had no fear giving him the ball because I knew he could be that spectacular.”

Lewin played barely 18 minutes in this game, but he carried the ball 10 times for 107 yards including the game winning 15-yard touchdown run, a miraculous play where he barely kept his feet in bounds before reaching the end zone. That play gave Erasmus Hall a 20-17 victory in overtime and sends the Dutchmen to the Public School Athletic League finals at Yankee Stadium next week against Lincoln.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Tottenville came out strong in the first half as the Pirates (10-2) scored their first touchdown in the second quarter on a Alvin Cornelius 13-yard pass to Austen Moccia. On their next drive, they made it 14-0 as Cornelius ran for a 7-yard touchdown run following a 51-yard run by Augustus Edwards.

Down 14-0 late in the second quarter, the Dutchmen salvaged the first half thanks to a Jackson 11-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion that made it 14-8.

That last minute touchdown was important as it allowed Erasmus Hall to tie the game late in the fourth quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Morgan that was set up by his own 42-yard run.

TURNING POINT: Tottenville had a chance to take this game in regulation after it was given great field position late following a chop block penalty that put them at Erasmus’ 35 with less than a minute to go in the game.

The Pirates got down to the 26-yard-line and set up a 43-yard field goal attempt by kicker Ben Bifalco, but an Erasmus Hall player got a hand on the kick and it ultimately fell short.

Tottenville kicked a field goal to start overtime before Lewin won the game for the Dutchmen (9-3).

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kahlil Lewin had just 151 yards rushing all season compared to Jackson and Morgan’s combined 1,492 yards. So it was a shock to see the sophomore getting key carries late in the biggest game of the season. But he handled the job like a seasoned veteran when it counted and Erasmus Hall is now headed to the finals.

“Kahlil really stepped up big for us when we needed it,” Jackson said. “But this is a team game and that’s what great teams do. We are a real brotherhood, when one guy can’t go one of our brothers steps up and does the job for him.”

JACKSON EXPECTS TO PLAY: After the game Erasmus Hall’s coaches were being guarded about the severity of Jackson’s injury, but he described it as a light thigh injury and said he expects to play at Yankee Stadium.

BOLD PROCLAMATION: “I knew we were going to get to the championship, I didn't know if Lincoln would get there though,” Morgan joked after the game. He later added in a serious tone: “I guarantee to bring my team to the championship.”

UP NEXT: The PSAL season comes down to two Brooklyn teams, Lincoln vs. Erasmus Hall, on December 6 at Yankee Stadium for the "Championship" division title.

When Erasmus Hall coach Danny Landberg sat down at the table yesterday, one of the things he was certainly thankful for is an all-purpose player like Wayne Morgan. The senior can play anywhere on defense and can impact the game from almost anywhere on the field.

Plus, when a high school coach has a complete athlete the likes of Morgan, of course he finds a place on offense where he can do the most damage. At 5-10, 190 pounds, Morgan plays quarterback, safety, cornerback and also returns kicks and punts for Erasmus Hall. He is the most coveted player in New York City and one of the best cornerbacks in the country, fielding offers from Syracuse, Rutgers, UConn and South Carolina.

Morgan can make the big hit. He finds a way to make crucial plays and there aren’t many moments that go by that you can’t hear Morgan chatting away on the field. If you ask Morgan, he’s just a football player – a very good one. Lots of high school players play both sides of the ball. But not as many are at the level Morgan plays while leading his team into the Game of the Week against Tottenville in the Public Schools Athletic League's "Championship" division semifinal on Saturday.

OFFENSE

Morgan has played quarterback at E-Hall his entire high school career, but, fact is, he’s not a quarterback. He will admit that. But when he lines up behind the center, he’s one of the most dangerous on the field, and the first to touch the ball each play. What makes him good?

“It’s because of my legs,” Morgan said. “Everybody knows that I can run. So when start running (if the defense catches on) I just throw it. Nobody expects it, so it works.”

Morgan is fast. His 40-yard dash is clocked at 4.4. He proved it last week in the quarterfinals against Boys & Girls, when he scurried, untouched, for a 56-yard touchdown that gave the Dutchmen a 20-2 lead in the first half. In the regular season finale against Midwood, Morgan threw for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

“I can throw,” Morgan said. “I won’t complete every single pass but I’ll get it done. I just help my team, because I’m an athlete and I got the legs and I got the arm.”

Before Morgan lines up and calls the cadence, he’s already eyeing the opponents outside linebacker. If he plays inside, Morgan is fast enough to break outside. If the linebacker favors the outside, since Erasmus mostly plays an option offense, hands off to Shaquell Jackson, who had a career-high 213 rushing yards against Boys & Girls.

Use E-Hall’s win against Fort Hamilton last month for example. Morgan broke lost for a 71-yard running score early and hit Kahlil Lewin for 60-yard pass that downfield on third-and-long for the game’s decisive score that ended Fort Hamilton’s 38-game winning streak. Morgan saw the play unfold as soon as he got to the line of scrimmage. He saw the safety was out of position, lined up too far outside because the Dutchmen had three receivers on his right.

He pumped-faked outside, the safety bit, and he found Lewin streaking across the middle.

“It’s experience,” Morgan said. “I’ve been playing football my whole life.”

DEFENSE

Morgan has made his name on the defensive end. Landberg said it’s because he’s tough, strong and aggressive. When it comes to playing safety, again it’s Morgan’s speed that sets him apart because he can cover large chunks of the field. But his strength gives Landberg the option to move him around.

Against Lehman, Oct. 9, Morgan mostly played linebacker on defense. Lehman’s David White, who rushed for nearly 1,900 yards this season, had three games over 300 yards and hadn’t rushed for less than 217 headed into the game against Erasmus Hall. But Morgan, at linebacker, blitzed, and blitzed and blitzed all game, forcing White inside to be gobbled up by the defensive line. White finished with a modest 133 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Morgan had two big rushes himself and ran for 144 yards, four tackles and a sack.

But at his core, Morgan is a cornerback. That’s what he’s being recruited for. Landberg said he was the high school version of Darrelle Revis.

“What makes me a good corner is that I’m physical, I got good feet and I’m a ball hog,” Morgan said. “If the ball is anywhere on the field or in the air, I’m going to be there.”

Morgan isn’t afraid to crowd receivers off the line and is fast enough that he can recover if he gets beat.

“Most corners are going to give five yards, Morgan said. “If we’re in man, I’m going to be in their face. It makes them think. What am I going to do? What move am I going to make? Then I still have the feet so where ever you go I’m still gonna be in front of you.”

INTANGIBLES

Speed, strength and knowledge of the game are the foundation of what makes good athlete but attitude often separates good from great.

Morgan grew up and lives in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. One of the toughest neighborhoods anyone can walk through. Last summer he lost two friends to gun violence. His father, Wayne Morgan, Sr., introduced him to football, but left when Morgan was nine years old and never came back. Morgan carries that with him to the football field.

“My mother told me that you have to use something to be successful in life,” he said. “Football is my way.”

Morgan is a lockdown defensive back. But it helps that he’s a talker too.

“I talk 24-7,” he said.

Morgan said he watches receivers’ body language coming out of the huddle. If they sprint to the line, he knows they are looking to pass. If the opponent plans to run, Morgan said receivers tend to jog to the line, less prepared for the play. And, let the football gods forbid a player looks confused.

“I get into anybody’s head,” Morgan said. “If the quarterback is calling the play, and he looks confused and he’s trying to check, I just start clapping my hands. I’m like, ‘He don’t know what he’s doing. Once he does that, I know we got him. Once he looks me in the eyes I know I got him.”

Morgan said Boys & Girls “wanted to kill me” by the end of the game. He doubts he’ll be able to have the same affect against Tottenville.

“I’m still going to try though,” he said.

The Erasmus Hall-Boys & Girls rivalry is one of the oldest in all of New York City and it is just as hot as ever after Erasmus Hall beat Boys & Girls, 26-10, in an intense game in the Public Schools Athletic League quarterfinals on Saturday in Brooklyn.

The tension was high all game and the game was actually called by referees with less than a minute to go after Erasmus’ Tyquan Irons was ejected for pushing a Boys High player at least eight yards and over the Erasmus bench, according to a referee.

“This game was crazy, there was a lot of talking on the field,” said Erasmus’ Wayne Morgan. “I expected that because it's a pretty big rivalry with Boys & Girls, but I didn't expect it to be as bad as this.”

HOW THE GAME WAS WON: Things started off poorly for the No. 5 Erasmus Hall Dutchmen (8-3) as they went three-and-out on their first drive of the game and a bad snap on a punt led to a safety that put the No. 7 Boys & Girls Kangaroos (7-4) up 2-0.

The Dutchmen quickly made up for that as Shaquell Jackson finished off their next drive with a one-yard touchdown run that put them up 6-2. On the first snap of their next drive it was Jackson again, who this time scored on a 78-yard run to go up 14-2.

As if that wasn’t enough, on their next drive and next snap they did it again. This time, it was Morgan who ran for 56 yards to go up 20-2. Three snaps, three touchdowns.

“We saw that they were blitzing both two ways and we saw that if we could get to the outside we could take advantage of it,” Jackson explained. “We did that and ended up in the end zone a few times.”

TURNING POINT: Erasmus Hall earned a reputation for losing in the fourth quarter early on this season and has had a hard time shaking it. Even its own players became concerned when it started to look like the Kangaroos were starting that comeback in the fourth quarter.

“I was losing my mind on the sidelines because it was just mental mistakes that were happening,” Morgan said. “People just weren't doing their assignments.”

The Kangaroos added a touchdown that quarter to put them within 10 points, 20-10. They were threatening for even more when Keon Marsh was picked off by Erasmus’ Luder Jean Louis with about two minutes to go in the game, all but sealing the game.

KEY TO THE GAME: The Dutchmen have one of the best groups of defensive backs in the league which is why the Kangaroos, with their strong running game, were expected to match up well against them. However, the Dutchmen effectively shutdown Boys' running backs Khadeem Campbell and Najee Champagne, who finished with 88 rushing yards combined.

With the running game shutdown, Boys High never was able to mount much offense as Marsh was ineffective as well at quarterback.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Morgan is typically at the center of Erasmus’ offense, but it was Jackson who took control of this game. He lead the drive for its first touchdown, he was the drive during the second touchdown, and he finished with 217 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

“I can't take credit for all the yards myself, it was the O-line that helped me,” Jackson said.

UP NEXT: Boys and Girls season is over, but Erasmus advances to the semifinals and will take on No. 2 Tottenville.

When asked earlier in the week why his team was struggling with consistency Erasmus Hall’s head coach Danny Landberg called out his star player Wayne Morgan.

He said that his star player needed to start playing like his star player and needed to make things happen even when the play might not be there.

That's exactly what Morgan did on Saturday as he led his team both offensively and defensively to an impressive 32-14 victory over Fort Hamilton, snapping the Tigers' 38-game regular season winning streak, at Sid Luckman Field in Brooklyn.

“I told him that you have a lot of hype, I think the most important thing is that you are a great player, you have to prove yourself in big games,” Landberg said. “Big players make big plays at big times and that's what happened today.”

Morgan flashed his explosive speed early and often in this game. Just two minutes into the game he picked up a fumble and ran it back for a 45 yards and a touchdown. Fort Hamilton quickly got that score back as they tied it at 6-6, but Morgan again exploded on the field for a 71-yard touchdown run that made his opponents look as if they were running in slow motion.

Morgan finished with eight rushing attempts for 80 yards and complete 4-of-9 passes for 111 yards and two touchdown passesk. His biggest passing play came in the second quarter when he found Kahlil Lewin for a 60-yard touchdown pass to give his team a 20-14 lead that it never relinquished.

It was a very impressive singular performance by Morgan and it is fitting that he was the key player in helping to snap Fort Hamilton’s 38-game winning streak as he nearly went to the school four years ago. He even wore Fort Hamilton t-shirts while he was in 8th grade.

“I was supposed to be at Fort Hamilton,” Morgan said, “but it turns out I'm at Erasmus. They are an amazing team, the best team in the city and defending champs. To come out here today and snap their streak is an amazing feeling.

“I think it shows that we are the best team in the city. We can beat anybody when we play our best. We showed it against Tottenville and we showed it again today.”

The mighty have fallen.

The last time Fort Hamilton lost a regular season game was back in 2008. Thirty-eight wins later and it has finally lost again at the hands of Erasmus Hall, who beat the Tigers 32-14 at Sid Luckman Field in Brooklyn on Saturday. The streak was the longest active streak in New York City.

“It's not like we haven't lost a game during that time," Fort Hamilton's head coach Daniel Perez said trying to play down the importance of the win streak. “We were just trying to get better every week. We wanted to be 7-0, but instead we are 6-1.”

The biggest contributor to ending Fort’s huge streak was Erasmus Hall’s Wayne Morgan, who rushed for a touchdown, threw two others, and returned a fumble for a fourth.

“Morgan is just a great player.” Perez said. “He created stuff when stuff wasn't there and just made big plays. That's what great players do.”

It’s fitting that it was Morgan and Erasmus Hall who snapped the streak as he nearly went to Fort Hamilton as a freshman. He even took to wearing Fort Hamilton t-shirts in the 8th grade. Morgan scored the first three touchdowns for Erasmus Hall to give his squad a 20-14 lead, the third one giving the Dutchmen the lead for good.

“I was supposed to be at Fort Hamilton,” Morgan said. “I thought I would get a ring with them, but it turns out that I am at Erasmus so I have to get it for Erasmus.”

Erasmus’ players were ecstatic that they stopped the streak as it meant that they not only beat one of the top schools in the city, but it also showed that they could overcome their own problems with consistency.

“It was real different, this is Fort Hamilton,” Morgan said. “We've been saying that the entire week at practice. They had a 38-game win streak, we kept saying there is no way they are going to get 39 on us. We practiced hard, played hard, and got the W.”

After the game Landberg admitted that snapping the Tiger’s 38-game winning streak was enjoyable, but said that he couldn’t dwell on the accomplishment and needed to focus on their game next week instead.

“I'm not going to enjoy this too much right now,” Landberg said. “We have to worry about Grand Street (next week). We have been playing down to people's levels and they beat us last year. So we have to step up and worry about playing a good game next week.”

Snapping the streak wasn’t so much about beating Fort Hamilton as it was improving themselves and playing more consistently. Twice this season they let first half leads slip away, it happened against Campus Magnet and it happened again against Jefferson last week. On Saturday, with a 26-14 lead at half time, they weren’t going to let it happen again.

“Coaches were calling us roller coasters all week in practice and we don't want to be called that no more,“ Morgan said. “We always come out fast, but in the second half we start relaxing and let teams back in the game.

“At half time we talked about it, we needed to keep our foot on the pedal and that's what we did.”

The first half lead was largely the creation of Morgan, but a huge contributing factor that made the 12-point lead insurmountable was an injury to starting quarterback Marvin Centeno late in the second half.

Centeno, who completed 3-of-4 passes for 28 yards and rushed 11 times for 80 yards, was hurt while rushing the ball. On the play he dropped back to pass and made a good read to run the ball for 11 yards. However, while he was trying to get out of bounds to stop the clock he dove awkwardly for the sidelines and landed on his shoulder.

There was no word after the game on just how seriously his injury was, but he was carried off on a stretcher and still seemed to be in quite a bit of pain.

The Tigers’ backup quarterback Travon Reid Segure didn’t go into as his replacement as Perez said he was “banged up.” That left them with running back Stefon Hayles to take the snaps. From that point on Fort Hamilton struggled to get offense.

“The injury to Marvin was kind of the turning point in the game for us,” Perez said.

The Erasmus Hall football team came into this season with big expectations. It had a good team last season and with one of the city’s top recruits returning in Wayne Morgan, it entered this season as one of the favorites to win the Public Schools Athletic League title.

Unfortunately for the Dutchmen, the year has played out quite differently as they have struggled with consistency on their way to a 3-3 record. With just three games left in the season, Erasmus Hall is running out of time to turn it around.

As usual, the key to their success this weekend and over the next three weeks falls on Morgan’s shoulders. The top prospect will try to get his team going when he leads Erasmus Hall against undefeated and defending city champion Fort Hamiltion in ESPNNewYork.com's Game of the Week on Saturday at noon in Brooklyn.

“We need our superstar to play like a superstar,” said Erasmus Hall head coach Danny Landberg.

Morgan has had a strong season by most measures, playing his usual great defense as well as taking nearly all of the snaps at quarterback, serving as a key rusher and even helping out on special teams. However, Landberg would like to see even more from the kid who seemingly does it all.

“I need to see some big plays from him like he has done in the past,” Landberg said. “We need him to step up, especially on offense. It’s not on him alone, a lot of it has been bad luck or failure to get a key block here and there, but he is a superstar and he needs to make things happen even when they are not supposed to.”

It's a view that Morgan agrees with. Morgan currently has offers from Michigan, Alabama, Penn State and other top programs according to ESPNU.

“It doesn't matter where I play, I just need to make plays,” Morgan said. “Yeah, the pressure is on me, all eyes are always on me, but I still have got to make the plays.”

As important as a player as he is, though, he knows that it isn’t just about him. The way he sees it, his team should be at least 5-1 as he said that Erasmus beat itself in at least two of its losses. The Dutchmen blew a 17-point lead in its season-opening loss to Campus Magnet and blew a big lead against Thomas Jefferson last weekend.

“There were two games when they didn't really beat us, we beat ourselves,” Morgan explained. “Turnovers and penalties hurt us and we didn’t play as hard in the second half as we always should have. It seems like at times we play down to the other teams.

“If we are at our best we can beat anybody though. Look at the Tottenville game, we played hard the entire game and we beat one of the best teams in the city. We have to play like that every week.”

Against Fort Hamilton this weekend, Morgan doesn’t think motivation will be a serious concern. The Tigers have the target on their back as the defending champs and making things even sweeter is a chance to snap their 38-game winning streak.

More importantly, though, Erasmus Hall needs this win if they are going to be taken seriously in the playoffs.

“This is a huge game for us, huge,” said Morgan. “We have a lot of expectations that we have to live up to and this is our last big test before the playoffs. We better play perfect.”