Visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
By Scott Huff
DOYLESTOWN - Perhaps the most important decision of the day came at 2:25 this afternoon when the North Penn School District decided it couldn’t host its PIAA Class AAAA second round contest with Abington due to a rain-soaked – unplayable – field at Crawford Stadium.
“When I walked out to our field in the morning I knew there was no way that we should have played on that field,” said North Penn head coach Dick Beck moments after the Knights defeated Abington, 42-14. “I would like to thank our administration for supporting that decision, and I would also like the thank the Central Bucks School District for allowing us to play the game here.
“Both (Abington head coach) Tim (Sorber) and I agreed that we wanted the game to be decided by the play of the kids,” added Beck. “The game would have been a mess to play – and watch – if we had played on our home field.”
Instead the game was played on the turf at War Memorial Field.
And the fans were treated to a spectacular four-touchdown performance by North Penn all-purpose back Ronnie Akins, and a terrific air show by the Abington duo of quarterback Sam Kind and Anthony Hensley.
The win will propel the unbeaten Knights (12-0) into the PIAA Class AAAA semis against Downingtown West (11-1). The Whippets – champions of the Ches-Mont League – advanced with a 28-21 victory over Conestoga.
The season is not over for Abington (9-3). The Ghosts will host rival Cheltenham (5-6) on Thanksgiving Eve – November 26.
“We have a chance to be the first Abington team to win 10 games since 1989,” said Sorber. “We did some good things tonight, but we couldn’t put the ball into the end zone enough times.”
The end zone was a second home to the Knights’ Akins who ran the ball just seven times for an astounding 185 yards and four touchdowns.
“I’m glad that we got to play the game on turf,” smiled Akins. “Tyler Smith did a great job of lead blocking, and my offensive line did another great job.”
Akins picked up more blocks than a preschooler at day care, but the talented running back showed an amazing ability to combine power – speed – and change of direction.
“We didn’t want Akins to hurt us with the big play, but he did,” said Sorber. “It seems like he has been doing that to teams all year.”
Akins capped the first North Penn scoring drive with his least impressive run – a one-yard TD burst. Featured in that scoring drive were a couple of key pass connections by Justin Davey – one to Akins of 16-yards – and the other to Dom Taggart of 28 yards.
The second Knight touchdown was a scene from the Twilight Zone.
An Abington field goal attempt was blocked, and Knight return man Joe Godio picked the ball up on the three-yard line. Both teams seemed to relax apparently thinking the play was over, but Godio began a sprint down the NP sideline that ended in the Ghost end zone for a 97-yard touchdown.
“When the players came off the field they told me that they heard a whistle,” said Sorber. “I guess they were wrong.”
Abington rallied back to make the score 14-7. The Ghosts marched 59 yards on just eight plays for the touchdown – a four-yard pass from Kind to Hensley. A Kind-Hensley connection of 36 yards set up the score.
North Penn scored a damaging touchdown with just 14 seconds left in the half. Davey – who completed 7-of-12 passes for 100 yards – tossed a perfectly executed screen pass to Smith who sprinted 25 yards for the score.
Abington again rallied back to make it a one-score game at 21-14. Kind – who completed 14-of-35 for 250 yards – threw a bullet to a wide-open Gialiano Presta who raced 55 yards for the touchdown.
“We told the players that there are going to be times during the game that things don’t go your way,” said Beck. “And we have to be able to come back from those times.”
The Knights got the message as they outscored Abington 21-0 from that point on.
Akins scored on a 39-yard bolt through the heart of the Ghost defense to score the first TD. Akins followed with a 16-yard dash later in the period, and he cut the heart out of Abington with a sensational 78-yard run in the fourth period.
“Sometimes I can just put it into a different gear,” said Akins. “I can feel that a defender might have an angle, so I slow down to let him get by me. Then I shift into another gear.”
The Akins runs may have been terrific, but Beck just sees his contributions as a part of the Knight success this 2008 football season.
“They are just a bunch of kids that are humble, listen to their coaches, and work hard,” said Beck. “We do what we have to do.”
Whether it is home at Crawford Stadium – or their home away from home at War Memorial Field.
Abington 0 7 7 0 - 14
North Penn 14 7 14 7 - 42
NP: Akins 1 run (McManus kick)
NP: Godio 97 return with missed FG (McManus kick)
A: Hensely 4 pass from Kind (Macmillan kick)
NP: Smith 25 pass from Davey (McManus kick)
A: Presta 55 pass from Kind (Macmillan kick)
NP: Akins 39 run (McManus kick)
NP: Akins 16 run (McManus kick)
NP: Akins 78 run (McManus kick)
First Downs: [A] – 12; [NP] – 19.
Rushing Yards: [A] – 86; [NP] – 364.
Passing Yards: [A] – 250; [NP] – 117.
Total Offense: [A] – 336; [NP] – 481.
Penalties: [A] – 12-85; [NP] – 7-65.
Punts: [A] – 4- 34; [NP] – 0-0.
Abington:
Rushing: Ireland 16-60; Kind 7-21; Mitchell 2-5; Adams 1-0. Totals 26-86.
Passing: Kind 14-35-1, 250 yards; 2 TD.
Receiving: Hensely 8-148-TD; Massey 3-36; O’Hannon 2-11; Presta 1-55-TD. Totals 14-250- 2 TD.
Interceptions: Deal (2).
North Penn:
Rushing: Akins 7-186- 4 TD; Smith 13-78; Davey 6-47; Lewis 7-24; Bennett 4-22; Stoll 2-8. Totals 39-364- 4 TD.
Passing: Davey 7-12-2, 100 yards – TD; Pickins 1-1-0, 17 yards. Totals 8-13-2, 117 yards – TD.
Receiving: Akins 4-41; Taggart 2-45; Smith 2-31-TD. Totals 8-117- TD.
Interception: Stoll
- Log in to post comments
0
