Entering their matchup on Oct. 23 at Coach Horowitz Field in Marble Hill, the John F. Kennedy Knights and DeWitt Clinton Governors, two local rivals experiencing growing pains this year, were both looking forward to better days ahead.

But the optimism that exists for both squads was tempered by the painful lessons they have endured this season. Clinton arrived sporting a 1 – 5 record, while Kennedy was 3 – 3.

Governors coach Howard Langley said this is year one in a two-year rebuilding process towards something special. Most of the team is comprised of talented but inexperienced underclassmen. “The following two years we will be good,” Langley said.

This year, the team has already lost as many games as it did the past two years combined. Langley attributes this season’s struggles to two major reasons: QB Joaquin Dejesus not being healthy and “giving a young team too much information.”

Kennedy first-year head coach Andy Lancberg is also facing similar challenges. He inherited a team that had been a perennial power over the years, but went 1 – 8 last season. To compound things, he’s dealing with his own injuries and young roster.

After starting the season with two losses, Lancberg said the team’s signature win came in a 32 – 12 blowout against Grand Street Campus. Without that win, Lancberg thought “the ship would break.” Looking forward, Lancberg points to the talented nucleus of junior RB/LB Evans Housey, OT/DT Francisco Mendez and sophomore RB/LB/backup QB Mathew Evora.

On Oct. 23 the Governors showed it’s not how you start the game, but how you finish it. The Governors came out playing sloppy, fumbling twice on their first two possessions. But the Knights were unable to capitalize on these early gifts — a precursor to their offensive woes.

Despite the early miscues, the Governors rolled to a 26 – 6 victory, their second win of the season.

On his way to a huge day, Clinton sophomore RB Ashton McKenzie put the Governors on the board early in the second quarter. After receiving the handoff, McKenzie cut back away from Kennedy’s defensive pursuit and scampered down the right sideline for the 6 – 0 lead.

The Knights tied it up on a run by QB Isiah Sledge after a big kickoff return.

In the second half, the Knights would be plagued by delay of game penalties and turnovers. Early in the third quarter, Sledge’s pass was picked off by Governor defensive back Patrick Lindo and returned for a TD.

The Governors would tack on two more touchdowns, one by Joaquin Dejesus, their oft-injured QB, who Langley said was finally “able to run hard.”

Last Saturday, Clinton built on its success, beating Midwood 24-12, to improve to 3-5, the same record as Kennedy, which lost to Lehman, 20-14.