PSAL football weekly preview: Kennedy vs. Lincoln

When the PSAL schedule comes out, it seemingly always has Kennedy traveling to Coney Island to face Lincoln. This time, the Railsplitters are making the trip to the Bronx.

“It’s still Kennedy-Lincoln, and we’ve been playing them at Lincoln forever,” Kennedy coach Alex Vega said. “We’re excited to have them at home for a change.”

It’s a rematch of last year’s PSAL 4A quarterfinal, won by Lincoln, 51-36. It will also be a celebration of Kennedy’s 1996 team that was ranked No. 1 in the tri-state area by MSG.

Kennedy is coming off a 24-7 win over Brooklyn Tech. Amadou Samake rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns on 10 attempts in the victory.

“It was just big to have Amadou back,” Vega said. “He had an injury and I sat him out against Erasmus, and he came back and delivered.”

But to beat Lincoln, Kennedy will need to slow down a passing attack that has given the Knights trouble.

“Defense, defense, defense,” Vega said. “If we could stop the pass and we could slow down their passing game, we have a chance. If we can’t stop their passing game, then we’re gonna have a long day.”

Lincoln started 0-1 before bouncing back with a 40-24 win over New Dorp. The Railsplitters trailed 16-6 at halftime before scoring 34 second-half points. Junior quarterback Mikey Misla totaled five touchdowns in the win. Somari DeCoteau caught two touchdown passes.

“We felt like we had everything that we needed, just that the kids have to be relaxed and be them and continue to play hard,” Lincoln coach Shawn O’Connor said.

Lincoln running back Mekhi Negron had a receiving touchdown. (He had five touchdowns in the quarterfinal win over Kennedy last year.)

Lincoln is young and still looking to establish its identity. With a bye coming next week, Friday represents another opportunity for the Railsplitters to learn more about their young group.

“This is an important game, just like every week, but especially with the bye next week,” O’Connor said. “It’s important to come away knowing our identity so we know what we can work on. That’s what we’re still trying to figure out.”

Fort Hamilton at Curtis, Sunday, 11 a.m.: Curtis has won by more than 30 points in each of its first two league games. Xavier Penceal has burst onto the scene as part of one of the league’s top receiving corps. Curtis welcomes an emerging Fort Hamilton team led by sophomore quarterback Jah’ziah Turner, who threw three touchdown passes in a 26-0 win over South Shore.

Conference 2A

Boys and Girls at Springfield Gardens, Sunday, 2 p.m.: It’s a rematch of last year’s 2A semifinal, won by Boys and Girls, 12-6. The Kangaroos fell to Transit Tech by two points in their opener, while Springfield Gardens was upset by Beach Channel, 6-0. It’s a huge game for both teams as they look to get into the win column. Josiah Lawler of Springfield Gardens and Bryce Moreno of Boys and Girls were two of the best runners in the division last season.

Conference 1A

Petrides at August Martin, Friday, 7 p.m.: Defending 1A champion Petrides has picked up where it left off with a dominant defense. The Panthers have allowed six points in two league games. August Martin’s offense poses a serious threat, with Tyrese Vassell and Kaziem Burroughs among the top playmakers in the division. Something has to give.

Note: Conference 3A is on a bye this week.