Long Island edges NYC in 'Challenge'

At 6-3, 240, with arms that would make a young Sylvester Stallone envious, Mike Kozlakowski was well cast for the starring role he played late in last night's Empire Classic.

"We had a play called 'Rambo' where we do anything we can to get to the quarterback,'' the Lynbrook defensive end said. "Koz'' did just that, beating his blocker for a key 9-yard sack of Terrel Hunt with 2:43 left that helped clinch Long Island's 17-14 comeback victory over New York City in the 16th annual charity all-star football game.

An Empire Classic-record crowd of 11,992 at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium watched Long Island take an 8-6 advantage in the series. Nassau played Suffolk in the first two years of the game, which raises money for the Boomer Esiason Foundation's fight against cystic fibrosis and supports youth and high school football in the New York metropolitan area.

Kozlakowski, who had six tackles, two sacks and one pass breakup, was voted MVP.

"I threw my man down and got around him," Kozlakowski said of his sack that put the City into third- and fourth-and-long passing downs that it could not convert. "I knew that could be the turning point."

Long Island took over on downs but could not run out the clock, allowing NYC one last gasp. Scott Gadsen completed three passes to move the ball to the Long Island 35 with 6.6 seconds left. From there, Mike Marando attempted a 52-yard field goal that fell short.

Tyler Heuer's 2-yard run up the middle with 3:30 remaining had put Long Island ahead. It concluded a six-play, 53-yard drive that began with a 12-yard run by Travis Houpe (Bellport). Then Heuer and his Oceanside teammate Gene Garay went to work. Heuer hit Garay over the middle for 15 yards and a big first down to the City 19.

Two plays later, Garay cut to the left sideline on a curl route. The pass fell incomplete, but a pass interference call moved the ball to the 2.

"I wanted to get him the touchdown pass,'' Heuer said. "I think he would have had it without the flag.''

On the next play, Heuer followed center Brandon Noblett for what proved to be the winning touchdown.

"We nickel-and-dimed them, then ran it through the middle on a quarterback counter," said Heuer, who completed 6 of 14 passes for 67 yards and one touchdown. The other L.I. quarterback, Steve Skon (Lindenhurst), was 5-for-13 for 51 yards.

Heuer's TD pass came at the end of the game's first drive, an impressive seven-play, 61-yard, march out of the spread formation. The big plays were a 14-yard run by Derelle Hunter (St. John the Baptist), a 7-yard completion to Seiddrik Ervin (Lawrence) for a first down and a 26-yard TD pass to Ervin.

Long Island's defense took the spotlight early in the second quarter, staging a goal-line stand on the first series. The big play was a tackle for no gain at the 3 by linebacker Jeff Williams (Freeport) on third-and-1. On fourth down, after a motion penalty against the City, Hunt's pass was incomplete.

"It was a 6-1 front with the linebackers on the tight ends," Williams said of his big play. "The tight end tried to make a block but I kept leverage on him and stayed outside. Our defense was fired up to make a play right there.''

Late in the game, too.