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LANGHORNE – Jay Colbert looked like a man on a mission as he led the Neshaminy Redskins onto the field for the second half of Saturday afternoon’s SOL war against Council Rock South.
The Redskins’ senior captain didn’t have to say a word. His intent was clear as he ran into the stadium several strides ahead of his next closest teammate.
“I was mad, I was very mad that we were down,” said Colbert, whose Redskin squad was on the short end of a 13-7 score. “I was like, ‘We’re done with this.’
“We weren’t playing like we should be playing in the first half, and I told me team we had to get this game back for the seniors because this is our year.”
The Redskins responded, outscoring the Golden Hawks 13-0 and holding off a late threat for a dramatic 20-13 win in front of a full house at Heartbreak Ridge. Anything less on Homecoming Saturday would have been a bitter disappointment for Redskin players and fans alike.
“We came out in the second half – did what we had to do, and we won the game,” Colbert said. “It feels great.”
Colbert scored a pair of touchdowns for the Redskins, and it was his 12-yard touchdown burst up the middle on second-and-long that capped a 45-yard drive and knotted the score 13-13 with 4:16 remaining in the third quarter.
“I wanted to get in the end zone,” Colbert said. “We had to tie it up and get our team back in the game.”
Colbert’s touchdown run gave the Redskins momentum, and after the Golden Hawks’ 11-play drive stalled at the Redskins’ 43-yard line, the Redskins took over on their own 13. 
That’s when Quilan Arnold – better known as ‘Q’ - went to work. The senior running back opened the drive with a nine-yard run, and seven plays later delivered the game breaker.
Arnold - displaying all kinds of moves – avoided every would-be tackler in his path and took it in from 22 yards out for the go-ahead score that sent Redskin fans into a state of ecstasy and, after the extra point by Seth Jeffries, put the ‘Skins on top 20-13 with 4:46 remaining.
“That’s my moment of the season,” Arnold said. “Winning this game, scoring that touchdown – it gives me a huge boost of confidence and just lets the team know they can depend on me.
“I have been having problems with vision. When I saw that, it just clicked with me. In every game, I’ve been getting better and better with that, and today it showed when it really counted.”
Arnold led the Redskins with 80 yards on the ground. Seventy of those came in the second half.
“Q got hot, so we ran him a little more than Bryan (Dean),” coach Mark Schmidt said. “Next week it might be the other way around, and that’s what helps our team so much.
“Q’s a hungry guy. He wants the ball. He went out there and got after it – ran with a little purpose.”
A quick three-and-out gave the ball back to the Redskins, who lost five yards on three plays – which included a sack by Justin Pugh. Rock South took over on the Redskins’ 44 with 2:53 remaining.
Back-to-back Braxton Ambrose runs for a first down set the stage for consecutive completions by quarterback Billy Fleminig, whose 95 yards on the ground was a game-high.
After the Redskins were whistled for a personal foul (face mask), the Golden Hawks had first-and-goal from Neshaminy’s nine-yard line.
Ambrose carried for two yards on first down, but the Hawks saw a six-yard completion waved off when they were whistled for an ineligible man downfield. A six-yard rumble by Ambrose put the Golden Hawks on the Redskins’ seven. That’s when disaster struck.
On second-and-goal, Rus Chichkin – who was about to be gang tackled – attempted to toss the ball ahead to a teammate. The Redskins were whistled for an illegal forward pass, which resulted in a loss of down and raised some eyebrows.
“I don’t ask,” Rock South coach Vince Bedesem said of the call. “It (the game) was between us and them, and they were the better football team today.”
As a result of the call, the Hawks faced a fourth-and-goal from the 13. Neshaminy’s Matt Knorr picked off Fleming’s pass in the end zone, and the only thing that remained was for quarterback Brian Titus to take a knee.
The big win was in the books for the Redskins.
“We had four straight shutouts,” Arnold said. “We believe in our defense. They faced adversity today, and they obviously showed up today when it counted.”
“I’m happy that our defense was able to make a statement,” Schmidt said. “Thirteen points against that team – they do a great job. Our kids all stepped up and did a good job.”
Earlier in the game, the Golden Hawks flexed their muscles as they controlled play for the better part of the first half. They got on the scoreboard first when Fleming – after faking the pass - capped a 56-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown run. Richard Bruno’s extra point gave the Hawks a 7-0 lead with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.
A fumble recovery by Nick Schaeffer gave the Redskins possession on the Hawks’ 31-yard line. They capitalized.
On a big third down play, Titus found Tyler Orr for 18 yards. An eight-yard run by Dean, who finished the day with 64 yards, took the ball to the one, and Colbert did the rest, punching it in to knot the score 7-7 after a Jeffries extra point.
But the Golden Hawks weren’t finished yet, closing out the half with an 85-yard touchdown drive that featured 18 plays and took nine minutes off the clock. The Hawks received an assist when the ‘Skins – after what appeared to be a three-and-out – were whistled for roughing the kicker on a Rock South punt.
Two plays later Fleming found Dave Hill for a 15-yard completion, and moments later connected with Chichkin for 13 yards. A 25-yard completion to David Damirgian on third-and-long put the ball on the Redskins’ 13. Five plays later, Ambrose punched it in, sending the Hawks into the intermission with a 13-6 lead.
The second half belonged to the Redskins, who improved to 4-0 in the league (6-1 overall).
“You play a good team like Neshaminy – they tighten up little things,” said Bedesem, whose team is 1-3 in league play (4-3 overall). “It’s not anything scheme-wise they did. Their people were wearing us down a little bit, but our kids fought tooth and nail.
Extra points: Neshaminy senior Paul Carrezola was crowned king of the homecoming court at halftime. Erika Elko, a member of the hockey team was crowned queen.
NESHAMINY 20, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 13
Council Rock South 7 6 0 0-13
Neshaminy 0 7 6 7-20
CRS-Fleming 7 run (Bruno kick)
N-Colbert 1 run (Jeffries kick)
CRS-Ambrose 1 run (kick failed)
N-Colbert 12 run (kick failed)
N-Arnold 22 run (Jeffries kick)
CRS N
First Downs 17 11
Rushing Yards 180 152
Passing Yards 67 45
Total Yards 247 197
Passing (C-A-I) 5-10-1 3-7-0
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-1
Penalties-Yds. 5-38 4-24
Punts-Yds. 3-40.0 3-29.7
RUSHING:
Council Rock South – Fleming, 25-95, 1 TD; Ambrose, 16-52, 1 TD; Deola, 3-15; Chichkin, 6-13; McGovern, 2-5; Damirgian, 1-0.
Neshaminy – Arnold, 12-80, 1 TD; Dean, 10-64; Colbert, 4-24, 2 TDs; Brebner, 1-(-1); Titus, 2-(-15).
PASSING:
Council Rock South – McGovern, 0-1-0; Fleming, 5-9-67 1 INT.
Neshaminy – Titus, 3-7-45.
RECEIVING:
Council Rock South – Damirgian, 2-34; Chichkin, 2-18; Hill, 1-15.
Neshaminy – Orr, 2-30; Brebner, 1-15.
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