Golding's Grabs Spark Chiefs To 14-0 Win Over Engineers
By Dexter Henry

Canarsie Chiefs' senior wide receiver Christopher Golding had not contributed much to the team's offense before last Saturday. In those games Golding only recorded three catches for 62 yards with one touchdown. Golding and the coaching staff knew his production had to increase if the Chiefs' were to continue. "The coaches told me to step it up," Golding told the Courier.

Well, Golding responded against Brooklyn Tech as he recorded three catches for 119 yards, including two touchdowns. The senior's two scores along with another impressive performance by the Canarsie defense was more than enough to give the Chief's a 14-0 victory and their sixth win of the season.

Goldings' two TDs added versatility to the Chiefs offense. In the previous win against Midwood, Canarsie dominated on the ground, but against the Engineers they totaled 153 yards in the air.

Golding's first touchdown came late in the second quarter as he ran a beautiful streak pattern on first down with quarterback Sha-Tim Pratt (7-13, 153 yards, 2 TDs) hitting him right in stride for an 83-yard catch and run to the end zone. "I had to step it up...I came out here and played hard; played my best," said Golding.

More importantly, Golding stepped up when his team needed him. With Canarsie clinging to a 6-0 lead in the fourth quarter, the senior caught a screen pass and dashed thirty yards for his second score that sealed the Chiefs' victory with just under four minutes left in the game.

The win improved Canarsie's record to 6-2 and moved them up to third in the PSAL power rankings behind undefeated Curtis and Fort Hamilton.

While the Chiefs look playoff ready, winning four straight after a two-game forfeit following a brawl with Tot-tenville in Week 3, they have one final test this Sunday as they take on South Shore. The Vikings have defeated Canarsie in the annual rivalry for the past three years, but the Chiefs are looking for revenge. Overall South Shore has a 16-13 edge in the local Bragging Rights Bowl, which dates began in 1972.

"They (South Shore) are a good team. They always come out hard and play well against us," said Golding. "Last year they beat us late in the game but I think we have what it takes to go out there and win next week."

Not only is this game important for bragging rights between the two schools separated by just over a mile; but it also has great implications on playoff seeding. "This game will determine where we are seeded in the playoffs," said Mike Camardese, who has been head coach at Canarsie since 1975.

If Canarsie plays as well as they have the past two games not only will they be tough to beat this weekend; but they could also be a strong playoff competitor.