Defense leads Elmont over Lynbrook

A driving rainstorm forced Elmont’s Homecoming halftime festivities inside the gymnasium Saturday and greatly affected its offense as well as visiting Lynbrook’s, but two dynamic defensive plays by senior Nassir Edwards proved the difference for the Spartans.

Edwards returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and brought back an interception 70 yards for a momentum-changing touchdown early in the fourth to propel Elmont to an 18-7 victory in a soggy Nassau Conference III game.

“Both felt great, kind of like dunking on someone in basketball,” said Edwards, who helped lead Elmont’s hoops team to county and Long Island championships as a junior. “The fumble was just one of those things when I saw the ball on the ground, I knew I had to make a play,” he added. “The interception I owe a lot to my coaches and film breakdown.”

The Spartans, who upped their record to 3-0, also got a pair of interceptions from senior Khalil Muhammad, a 21-yard touchdown reception from senior Arlyn Brown, and a stellar effort from senior interior lineman Julius Sylvain. Muhammad and Brown are also basketball standouts.

“Everyone talked about us going from Conference II to III, but this is a black-and-blue conference,” Elmont head coach Tom Innes said. “Every week is a battle and every win you can get is important. Conditions made it tough for both teams today, but our defense came up huge.”

The Owls fell to 2-2 following back-to-back home wins over defending county champion South Side and Mineola. Senior Joseph McHale scored their lone touchdown in the third quarter on a 6-yard run.

“They really didn’t gain too many yards, our defense played a great game and the kids played hard for four quarters,” Lynbrook head coach Dave Yaker said. “Came down to allowing two monster plays with our offense on the field. You’re not going to beat a good team like Elmont with those kind of mistakes. We’re a young offense that’s not there yet.”

It was scoreless until Brown took a dump pass from junior quarterback Aiden Barnes late in the first quarter and avoided some tackles along the home sideline en route to the end zone for a 6-0 lead.

Edwards’ fumble return two minutes into the second quarter made it 12-0 at halftime.

“We have our share of incredible athletes and Nassir is one of them,” Innes said. “We needed every bit of those plays today.”

The Owls thwarted another Spartans’ drive late in the first half thanks to senior Brian Gilmartin’s interception and carried that momentum into the second half and had it all before Edwards’ pick 6.

Lynbrook started the fourth quarter at the Elmont 42 and was poised to take its first lead when Edwards jumped a wheel route and was off to the races.

“We feel like we have a great team,” Edwards said. “We’re bought in and taking it week by week.”

Elmont hosts Floral Park next on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Owls have a 10-day break before facing Kennedy Oct. 10 at Marion Street Elementary at 4:30 p.m.