High School SportsUpdated: Nov. 18, 2025, 11:06 a.m.|Published: Nov. 18, 2025, 11:06 a.m.
Curtis junior RB Quadare Gomez, right, and senior QB Vin Canzoneri, left, came up. big during crunch time of the Warriors’ 24-18 PSAL 4A quarterfinal win over Eagle Academy II last Saturday.(Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Curtis never stopped believing.
Although the defending PSAL 4A city champion Warriors had their backs up against the wall during a semifinal contest against visiting Eagle Academy II on Saturday, they continued to battle.
And sure enough, the St. George school tied the game late in regulation before dinged up junior Quadare Gomez scored the game-wining touchdown in overtime. The Warriors squeezed out a 24-18 win.
For a complete breakdown of Saturday’s big, come-from-behind win over the Eagles, please scroll down.
A LOOK BACK: THESE 15 PHOTOS DISPLAY SOME OF CURTIS FOOTBALL’S FIREPOWER OVER THE YEARS
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PSAL 4A Quarterfinal – Infographic Breakdown🦸 Superman Moment: Quadare GomezEntered game despite sprained ankle; wasn’t supposed to play.Replaced injured RB Will Andrade (knee).Game-tying 2-point conversion (1-yard run).Game-winning TD in OT (8-yard run).50 rushing yards on 10 carries.“My team needed me … I had to help us win.”📅 Outcome & Next RoundCurtis improves to 9–2.Advances to PSAL 4A semifinals on Nov. 23 vs. No. 2 Erasmus (defeated last year for the title).Erasmus advanced with a 41–0 win over South Shore.4th Quarter10–10 tie to start the 4th.Bad snap on punt → Curtis safety → EAII leads 12–10.EAII’s Zy Eare Schulters breaks free for 52-yard TD (166 yards rushing) → EAII up 18–10, 3:15 left.Curtis gets LIFE when Daniel Lewis returns kickoff 33 yards to EAII 43.Regulation ComebackMichael VanManen 9-yard run + 15-yard pass interference → ball at EAII 15.Vin Canzoneri hits Akai Lewis for toe-tap TD → 18–16.Too-many-men penalties on EAII place the ball at the 1.Gomez punches in the 2-point conversion → 18–18 tie.Regulation Defensive StandCurtis forces a 4th-and-15 stop, thanks to Diouck’s sack, sending game to OT.Eagle Academy OT PossessionFrederic Kemajou sacks QB for –7 yards on first play.Melendez deflects a pass on 2nd down.Charles Simmons TFL (-8) on trick play.EAII comes up empty.Curtis OT PossessionCanzoneri hits Melendez for 12 yards.Trips-right formation → run left for Gomez, who follows Armani Kamara’s block.8-yard TD to win the game.OffenseAkai Lewis: 5 catches, 94 yards, game-tying TD.Melendez: 4 catches, 27 yards; OT pass breakup.Toriano Lewis: 4 catches, 33 yards.VanManen: 2 catches for 17 yards; 25 rushing yards; key late 9-yard run.DefenseNdiame Diouck: 2 sacks, TFL, critical 4th-and-15 sack.Frederic Kemajou: OT-opening sack.Charles Simmons: 8-yard TFL in OT.Jarrett Serate: Sack.TFLs: Shipman, Anderson, Corulla, A.J. Gambardella, Daniel Lewis.Final: Curtis 24, EAII 18 (OT)Total Yards: EAII 307 | Curtis 221First Downs: 15 eachPenalties:EAII: 15 for 160 yardsCurtis: 15 for 135 yardsEAII WR Juvens Harold Lindor: 7 catches, 89 yards, TD.Coach Gambardella: “These guys believed despite being down by eight late.”Gomez: “I wasn’t supposed to play — but my team needed me.”Diouck: “Kemajou’s sack in overtime was huge. We believed in each other.”
Charlie De Biase Jr. is a senior sports reporter for SILive.com. He is the head beat reporter for HS football, HS boys’ and girls’ soccer, HS boys’ basketball and HS softball while also contributing to the HS… more
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