Neshaminy defeated North Penn 42-7 to capture the District One 4A title on Friday night. To view game action photos, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott Huff
Franconia – Souderton Area High School may be literally in the cow fields of Franconia Township, but when Indian Field was selected as the host stadium for the PIAA Quad-A District One championship game between Neshaminy and North Penn, there must have been a smile that crossed the lips of Redskin junior running back D’Andre Pollard.
“I love playing on turf, and I really love playing on this turf,” grinned Pollard, who was magnificent with a four-touchdown, 230-yard rushing performance that led Neshaminy to the District One title with a 42-7 rout of North Penn. “This turf is super fast, you can make quick cuts, and you never slip. I was excited when I heard we were going to play the game here.”
Pollard had played on the Indian Field turf earlier in the season when Neshaminy defeated host Souderton 28-0 in a non-conference game.
“You think D’Andre looked good running on this turf,” smiled Neshaminy head coach Mark Schmidt. “He looked like he had a little more wiggle to his game, and he ran well tonight behind a very good offensive line. It’s great to see him do what he does on the field because he is such a great kid who almost locked himself in the weight room to get stronger.
“We saw some things we thought we could do offensively, and we had some success doing those things,” added Schmidt. “I couldn’t be prouder of the way we executed our game plan.”
The game plan must have included using the blazing speed and powerful tackle-breaking ability of the diminutive Pollard. Pollard – who stands just 5-foot, 7-inches and weighs all of 167 pounds – repeatedly punished the interior of the North Penn defense.
Neshaminy received the opening kickoff and pieced together an impressive scoring drive that covered 72 yards on only five plays. The drive consisted of a 5-yard Pollard run; a 23-yard Pollard dash; a 12-yard burst by Blake Sullivan; a 17-yard bolt by Sullivan; and a 15-yard touchdown scamper by Pollard. Freshman Dylan McDonald connected on the first of his six successful points after touchdown.
North Penn answered the Redskin score just 18 seconds later with what proved to be its only points of the game.
On the very first play from scrimmage, sophomore Nyfease West tore through the heart of the Neshaminy defense and jetted 66-yards for a touchdown. West finished the game as the leading rusher for the Knights with 150 yards on 21 carries. Matt Ammendola added the PAT and the score was knotted at 7-
7.
But not for long as Neshaminy struck back with its second touchdown possession of the first period only 2:26 after the Knight score.
Pollard scored his second touchdown of the game with an electric 42-yard burst with 7:08 left in the initial period. And Pollard scored his third touchdown – in the first period – on a 6-yard run with 1:30 remaining in the period.
Neshaminy took advantage of a short field to score its fourth touchdown of the first half. A scoring drive began on the North Penn 31-yard line. Pollard gained 18 yards; Pollard gained 3-yards; Sullivan gained 5-yards; and Denny Lord capped the scoring march with a 5-yard touchdown burst. The Skins carried a 28-7 lead into halftime.
Neshaminy took advantage of still another short field to score the only points of the third period. A fine punt return by Cole Creighton gave the Skins a first down on the Knight 23-yard line, and three plays later Pollard scored his fourth touchdown of the game on a 6-yard run to give NHS a 35-7 lead.
Neshaminy actually made the game a ‘mercy-rule’ game with a touchdown at the 9:29 mark of the fourth period.
Redskin sophomore defensive back Denzel Hughes intercepted a pass and returned it to the North Penn 27-yard line. Six plays later, Lord bulled his way to pay dirt on a 4-yard burst. The PAT would make the score final at a shocking 42-7 and set the clock into motion for the mercy rule.
“Playing football this late in the season is a dream come true,” said Neshaminy senior tight end/defensive end Luke Carrezola. “My brother Paul played a big game against North Penn and lost, so I wanted to go out and win this game for my brother.
“I thought we came into this game very well prepared,” added Carrezola. “We studied film – a lot of film – and our coaching staff did a great job of getting us ready on both sides of the ball. We had a good game plan, and we executed that game plan.”
And it didn’t hurt that Neshaminy was able to execute that game plan on the ‘friendly’ turf at Souderton Area High School on a brutally cold late November night.
Extra Points: Pollard broke the single season rushing at Neshaminy on Friday night, eclipsing the previous mark of 2,585 set by Jamar Brittingham in 2001…Neshaminy will play the winner of Saturday’s Parkland-St. Joe Prep game, which will be played Saturday (11/30) in the Eastern State finals. Rumor has it that if District 11 champion Parkland wins the game it would be played at Bethlehem Liberty, and if District 12 champion St. Joe Prep wins the game it would be played at Northeast High School in Philadelphia. The date and time has yet to be determined, but count on Neshaminy being there. Stay tuned.
North Penn Knights 7 0 0 0 - 7
Neshaminy Redskins 21 7 7 7 - 42
N: D’Andre Pollard 15 run (Dylan McDonald kick)
NP: Nyfease West 66 run (Matt Ammendola kick)
N: Pollard 42 run (McDonald kick)
N: Pollard 6 run (McDonald kick)
N: Denny Lord 5 run (McDonald kick)
N: Pollard 6 run (McDonald kick)
N: Lord 4 run (McDonald kick)
North Penn Neshaminy
11 First Downs 17
164 Yards Rushing 324
30 Yards Passing 0
194 Total Offense 324
5-40 Penalties / Yards 4-35
4-32 Punts / Average 2-42
North Penn:
Rushing: Nyfease West 21-150-TD; Luke Berry 7-15; Justin Hudimac 2-2; Lewis Dickinson 1-2; Austin Shearer 6 (minus 5). Totals 37-164 & TD.
Passing: Austin Shearer 2-10-2; 30 yards.
Receiving: Justin Hudimac 1-17; Connor Gill 1-13.
Interceptions: Zach Brandis.
Neshaminy:
Rushing: D’Andre Pollard 25-230 and 4 TD; Blake Sullivan 9-78; Denny Lord 4-21 & 2 TD; Cale Kitchenman 1-3; Mason Jones 1-2; Dan Dogba 2-0; Tyler Wombough 2 (minus 10). Totals 44-324- 6 TD.
Passing: Tyler Wombough 0-1-1; 0 yards.
Receiving: None.
Interceptions: Cole Creighton and Denzel Hughes.
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