The M.A.T. Dragons entered this year’s NYC Flag Football League Manhattan Borough Championship as the team to beat. They had a record of 14-0 and were the number one seed in the tournament.
The Dragon’s first game against Salk School of Science, 3-7, looked like an easy contest. Salk had never beaten M.A.T. in the last 8 years. But M.A.T. found themselves tied at the end of regulation, forced into overtime against a Salk team that seemed to do nothing wrong. And after Salk scored a touchdown and converted an extra point, the best the Dragons could do with their last possession left was only tie the game.
“Basically, M.A.T. had to score from 40 yards out and then convert an extra point just to tie. The crowd, parents, and everyone watching thought the game was over and that Salk had just pulled off the biggest upset in NYC middle school sports history,” M.A.T. Athletic Director and League Commisioner John DeMatteo said. “It was totally inconceivable that they would come back.”
In overtime, M.A.T. quarterback and NYC league M.V.P. Robert Mendez found Forrest Ruiz for a pass and then Anthony Peralta in the end zone on a long bomb and then tacked on the extra point. Salk would answer and in the fourth overtime M.A.T. won on a touchdown pass and pulled off the come back victory in front of a stunned crowd.
“I’m very proud of the way my team overcame adversity, didn’t get down on themselves, and remained close as a team to come back in that game and win,” said coach Chris Piccigallo. “That game was a wake up call and set the stage for the rest of the playoffs for us.”
M.A.T. proceeded to steamroll through the remainder of the tournament until they again had to come back from a 12-0 deficit in the championship game against the M.S.131 team. They went on to win by a score of 34-30 after an interception and run back by Elliot Haynes and a touchdown by Raleak Tanner. After claiming the Borough Championship, M.A.T. faced the winners from the Bronx, M.S. 298 for the NYC Championship. On a beautiful evening along the East River, the Manhattan champs jumped out to a 19-0 lead but the Bronx team brought the score to 32-27 with five seconds left and had a chance to pull off the win. With one second on the clock and the ball in the air, Mikio LaCapra from M.A.T. came down with an interception and sealed the win for the Dragons.
“I could not have been more proud of the way our football team represented our school,” said DeMatteo. “They overcame setbacks and adversity and that is the mark of a true champion. Anyone can win and be happy with their situation when the going is good, but to not fold under pressure and to keep the spirits of your teammates up when you’re down is a life lesson that our kids have learned. To get up when you’ve been knocked down. It happens in sports and I want our kids to understand that it will happen in life. They’re better off for learning these lessons now. They’re much better off by being student athletes at M.A.T.”
M.A.T. looks forward to its winter sports season, where it will once again look to be a powerhouse in boys basketball after finishing 24-1 last season.
