William C. Bryant came into this season without a single playoff win in program history. Three quarters into the PSAL 2A championship game, the score was tied at 16, and senior quarterback Mahdi Kobeissi had barely played in the first half because of a hip injury.
“At the half I saw my teammates banged up too,” Kobeissi said. “I could’ve sat there and complained, but I knew I had to be there on the field with my teammates.”
The choice was made — and he delivered.
Kobeissi scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead No. 4 Bryant to its first PSAL football championship in a 28-16 win over Boys and Girls High School on Sunday at Midwood Field.
“We fought through obstacles, and we grinded,” Bryant coach Vincenzo Donato said. “And it’s just an amazing feeling to have everything culminate together.”
Kobeissi’s first touchdown broke the tie with 5:38 left when he scored from 9 yards out. Moments later, Edwin Abreu broke up a pass on fourth down to give the Owls the ball again.
Kobeissi then powered in a 1-yard touchdown with 2:09 remaining to ice the game. He finished with 11 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. RaQuan Daniels and Houssine Altbouja led the way up front.
“The line is the reason we won today,” Kobeissi said. “They allowed me to run, and this is the most selfless team you’ll ever see.”
With Kobeissi limited early, Bryant had to get creative. Star defensive lineman RaQuan Daniels — standing 6-2 and 280 pounds — took snaps at quarterback.
“It was a big role to take on, but I had to do it for my team, and I’m willing to do anything it takes for this,” Daniels said.
On the fifth play of Bryant’s first drive, Daniels showed off his arm. He unleashed a deep ball that dropped right into Lorenzo Lopez’s hands in the end zone for a 39-yard score.
Daniels then powered in the conversion to give Bryant an 8-0 lead with 3:09 left in the first quarter.
Boys and Girls answered with a heavy ground attack. The Kangaroos ran the ball seven times for 62 yards, and Bryce Moreno capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown. He added the conversion run to tie the score at 8 with 9:59 left in the second quarter.
After a defensive stop, Boys and Girls drove to the Bryant 28-yard line, but multiple penalties pushed them back to the 45. Bryant capitalized immediately.
Lopez jumped a route for a 54-yard pick-six, giving the Owls a 16-8 lead with 1:12 remaining in the half.
“It was right after I hurt my knee,” Lopez said. “So I was sprinting my hardest through it to score for the team. We needed it, and I’ll do anything for these guys.”
Boys and Girls’ Bryce Moreno scored again early in the second half, but Bryant’s defense tightened and slowed the Kangaroos the rest of the way, setting the stage for Kobeissi’s fourth-quarter heroics.
The school’s principal, Carlyn St. Aubain, was in attendance for the first championship in program history.
“Our school motto is a relentless quest for excellence, and the boys brought it home because they are relentless,” St. Aubain said. “It means a lot because the boys and coaches put their heart and soul into this game, and finally, we brought it home to Queens where it belongs.”
It has been a long wait for the football program at Bryant — and now, the Owls have their moment.
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