Tigers engineer comeback to beat Tech

In a much-anticipated matchup, the 4-1 Fort Hamilton Tigers hosted their downtown Brooklyn rivals, the 5-0 Engineers of Brooklyn Tech. With two more games left in the regular season, this game was important to both sides for post-season playoff seeding position.

The Tigers opened up with a 25-yard pass to August Porter that set up a 2-yard run by Trey Marshall for the game’s first score. Marshall then followed with a 1-yard TD pass reception to put Fort Hamilton up 12-0 to end the first quarter.

Held scoreless in the previous quarter, the Engineers exploded for two scores to take a second quarter lead. First, Tech’s Alijah Wheeler busted down the sideline for a 60-yard score, followed by Elijah Hendrich’s 70-yard pass play reception for a 14-12 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the Engineers continued to hold the Tigers scoreless and then capitalized on a 40-yard pick-six interception by Omer Elzayat to go ahead 21-12. 

Down by two scores to start the fourth quarter, Tiger QB Aiden Farley hit a streaking Aiden Porter on a 41-yard pass to narrow the Tech lead to 21-18. With the Engineers in possession of the ball at the 2-minute mark, Tiger defender Zak Benchemmar forced a fumble that Aiden Porter recovered. Starting out at Tech’s 40-yard line, Farley drove the Tigers down to the 10-yard line where he connected with tight end Kevin Lin on a screen pass with 20 seconds left in the game.

With Aiden Porter as his lead blocker, Lin headed for the goal line, where three Tech defenders converged on him in front of the end zone. Initially stopped at the 2-yard line, Lin lowered his shoulder to force his opponents across the goal line to score.  

“I knew that I had two yards to go when I looked down,” Lin said. “I knew it was the game-winning touchdown. With all the effort that I put in at the weight room, no matter how many defenders were on me, I just knew that I had to push through.” 

For Tech’s final attempt to make a seconds-remaining comeback, Tiger defender Ajani Carew-Robinson intercepted at mid-field as time ran out for Fort Hamilton’s 24-21 win.

With this late-season victory, the 5-1 Tigers have advanced into second place of the PSAL’s 3A Division seeding, while the 5-1 Engineers have dropped back to fifth place. As the regular season winds down the Tigers continue to have a strong showing in the second half.  In this particular game, fullback Trey Marshall scored his 14th and 15th touchdowns of the season, while QB Aidan Farley threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns. 

In addition to the Tigers’ big win, Tiger Parent Club President Kate Farley hosted the team’s annual “Pink Out” to fight breast cancer with a halftime celebration for team mom Cynthia Benchemmar. Along with the Tiger cheerleaders, Mrs. Benchemmar was presented with a bouquet of roses donated by June Florist and 13th Avenue Florist for her successful early prevention treatment.

Finishing up the day’s celebration for a second year in a row, Bay Ridge’s Super Roofer Bill Boshell once again treated the team and its supporters to 14 pizzas from the Tigers’ favorite Italian store, Mancini’s Wood-Fired Pizzeria.