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BENSALEM – The crucial fourth down play had barely been whistled dead when players from both sides began celebrating.
Council Rock North’s players and coaches were certain junior quarterback Tyler Hamilton, impossible to contain all night, had made the one yard necessary for a huge first down at Bensalem’s six-yard line. The Owls were equally certain – or at least hoping - they had held.
Only one opinion mattered – the official spotting the ball.
When the dust had settled on a play that ultimately determined the outcome in Friday night’s SOL thriller, the Owls – ecstatic to escape with a 30-24 win - were celebrating while the Indians were in a state of shock.
“I guess we shut them down when we needed to,” Owl linebacker John Marcelline understated. “Our line just came up big. Our D-line did it in crunch time.”
No one was happier to see the Owls come up with the monster defensive stop than quarterback Ron Vogelei, whose fumble at the Indians’ 44-yard line gave Rock North life in the game’s closing minutes.
“That’s what family does,” Vogelei said. “They pick you up when you fall. I love my defense. I love my offensive line.”
Vogelei didn’t put up the big numbers of Hamilton – who threw for 249 yards (2 TDs) and rushed for 77 more, but he was just as productive, accumulating 109 yards in the air and, more importantly, three touchdowns.
The senior quarterback also completed three passes for two-point conversions that ultimately were the difference in the game, and long after the final whistle sounded, a small contingent of students – reluctant to leave after the giddy win – chanted from the bleachers, “Ronnie V, Ronnie V, Ronnie V…”
“Our O-line owes him a lunch,” said Marcelline, who also plays offensive line. “If we don’t have him, our team doesn’t have what we have now.”
The Owls’ sidelines, according to Marcelline, are ‘full of love,’ and Volgelei was so happy he was threatening to kiss his offensive linemen.
“You should have seen it,” Vogelei said with a laugh. “I kiss them after every good play.
“These games are the games I love to play. They’re really fun, but they’re a pain in the butt.”
There was nothing to suggest the game would have such a dramatic ending as the Owls – who trailed 21-14 late in the third period after a two-yard touchdown run by Rock North’s Joseph Coates – would be hanging on by their fingernails in the game’s final minutes.
The Owls went on top 22-21 on the night’s most electrifying sequence when wide receiver Jerry Davis, without breaking stride, hauled in a Vogelei strike and took it to the house for a 64-yard touchdown completion. Vogelei’s two-point conversion to Davis put the Owls on top by one with 3:00 remaining in the third quarter.
“The last couple of games I’ve been overthrowing him,” Vogelei said. “Before the game, I said, ‘Jerry, I can’t overthrow you. You have to run your butt off,’ and he did.”
A shanked punt after a three-and-out for the Indians gave the Owls possession on Rock North’s 40-yard line. Two plays later Camryn Lasalle, who finished with a game-high 120 yards on 24 carries in another impressive outing, scampered 34 yards to the Indians’ six.
Vogelei, with a Rock North player in full pursuit, hit Tim Farlow for a two-yard touchdown that – after Vogelei’s two-point conversion to Lewis Vincent - put the Owls on top 30-21 with 11:18 remaining.
Watching Vogelei scramble in the backfield, it’s easy to forget he was forced to sit out last year because of knee surgery.
“I had to become a pocket QB,” he said. “But now I can do both because these guys right here are blocking for me. I do what I have to do.
“Sometimes the play will break down, but I know that wherever I go my receivers will go. That’s the kind of bond this team has. If I’m about to get hit, somebody is going to make a block.”
Down but not out, the Indians marched 84 yards to the Owls’ eight where their drive stalled, and they settled for a 20-yard Ryan Campbell field goal, trimming the Owls lead to 30-24 with 7:19 showing on the scoreboard clock.
The Indians’ defense held, forcing the Owls to punt, but a fumble gave the ball right back to the Owls at the Rock North’s 40-yard line. The Owls appeared poised to run out the clock when Vogelei, who was flushed out of the pocket, was sacked and lost the football. Ryan Venner recovered the fumble, and the Indians were back in business.
Marvel ran for nine yards on first down, and then Hamilton found Marvel for a 19-yard completion that took the ball to Bensalem’s 16-yard line. Marvel rushed for five yards on first down, but the Indians managed just four more on their next three plays, coming up one yard and six points short.
The Indians left the field in stunned silence.
“My heart goes out to them,” Rock North coach Tom Coates said of his players. “They gave themselves, and they gave every effort out there. They took opportunities. They took the ball when we needed it and gave us a chance to win at the end.
“On that fourth down play, I thought they got enough to get the first down, but apparently they didn’t. That’s a lesson they’ll take with them in life. They tried as hard as they can, and it didn’t bounce their way. They know they gave enough to win it.”
Emotions on the other side of the field were decidedly different.
“Wow, that’s all I need to say,” Bensalem coach Dan McShane said. “We play these Council Rock schools, and we love them. They’re all such classy people. Last week we lost a close one (to Rock South). Tonight it was a heartbreaker for them. A lot of hearts are breaking week to week when it’s us versus Council Rock.
“They had a great offensive plan. They really , really grind on you, and their quarterback spread the ball around and kept us off balance.
“This is a huge win. We lost three close games, and to win a close game is good. We just got life.”
“It’s big for tonight, but we have another (big) game next week,” Vogelei said. “It’s good to celebrate until 12 o’clock, and from tomorrow on, we’ll get ready for next week.”
EXTRA POINTS: In the opening half, the Indians went on top 7-0 after an 80-yard, 14-play drive that culminated with Hamilton finding Ty Bostain with a four-yard touchdown strike. The Owls answered with a 59-yard scoring drive that was capped by Vogelie finding twin brother Tom Vogelei with a 14-yard TD pass that, after a missed extra point, made it a 7-6 game. A fumble set up a five-play Owl drive that was capped by Lasalle punching it in from two yards out. The Indians appeared to have all the momentum when – on fourth-and-long – Hamilton found Steve Williams with a 27-yard touchdown completion. Marvel’s run for the two-point conversion sent Rock North into halftime with a 15-14 lead.
The Indians, who had 21 first downs to 11 for the Owls, held a 433-276 advantage in total yards.
BENSALEM 30, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 24
Council Rock North 7 8 6 3-24
Bensalem 0 14 8 8-30
CRN-Bostain 4 pass from Hamilton (Campbell kick)
B-T.Vogelei 14 pass from R.Vogelei (kick failed)
B-Lasalle 2 run (McMillan pass from R.Vogelei)
CRN-Williams 27 pass from Hamilton (Marvel run)
CRN-Coates 2 run (kick failed)
B-Davis 64 pass from R.Vogelei (Davis pass from R.Vogelei)
B-Farlow 2 pass from R.Vogelei (Vincent pass from R.Vogelei)
CRN-Campbell 20 field goal
CRN B
First Downs 21 11
Rushing Yards 184 167
Passing Yards 249 109
Total Yard 433 276
Passing (C-A-I) 16-22-0 5-11-0
Fumbles-Lost 5-3 2-2
Penalties-Yds. 4-25 5-39
Punts-Avg. 2-28.5 4-31.5
RUSHING:
Council Rock North – Marvel, 8-89; Hamilton, 22-77; Coates, 5-14, 1 TD; Maley, 2-4.
Bensalem – Lasalle, 24-120; T.Vogelei, 3-27; R.Vogelei, 5-13; Farlow, 2-7.
PASSING:
Council Rock North – Hamilton, 16-22-249, 2 TDs.
Bensalem – R.Vongelei, 5-11-109, 3 TDs.
RECEIVING:
Council Rock North – Bostain, 6, 101, 1 TD; Williams, 4-58, 1 TD; Marvel, 5-51; Maley, 2-39.
Bensalem – Davis, 2-89, 1 TD; T.Vogelei, 1-14, 1 TD; McMillan, 1-4; Farlow, 1-2, 1 TD.
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