Check out the results for SOL football teams in action Friday. To view photos of the Pennsbury/NP, CR South/Quakertown and Souderton/Abington games, please visit the Photo Gallery...CLICK HERE.
Stats used in the wraps are provided courtesy of Calkins Media. For complete high school football coverage, visit the web sites: http://www.theintell.com/sports/high-school/and http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/sports/high-school/.
Continental Conference
QUAKERTOWN 35, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 14
They had heard their critics who said they hadn’t played anybody, that their schedule was soft as they rolled to an 8-0 record.
On Friday night, the Panthers played ‘somebody’ – a very good Council Rock South squad that many had picked to win the conference showdown, but the Panthers had the final word.
“We use that for motivation,” coach George Banas said. “We’ve got pictures in the locker room of the ‘Game On’ panel with the three (CR) South helmets and one Quakertown helmet, and we use that as motivation.
“Our schedule is what it is. We can’t tell from year to year if teams will be up or down, but we do use that as motivation. We as a collective group as a family – we look at it that we play the teams that are on the field against us.”
The Golden Hawks opened the game with an impressive 56-yard scoring drive that was capped when Mike Stock took it in from three yards out. Unfazed, the Panthers needed just two plays to get that back – a 52-yard dash by quarterback Tom Garlick that set up a three-yard touchdown run by Rob Burns to knot the score 7-7.
“That was huge,” Garlick said of his team’s immediate answer. “They have a great, great offense. It’s hard to defend because you don’t come across it every week, so we knew our defense was going to be tested, and there was going to be ups and downs.
“We prepared for them to score. Our offense was confident. We really executed when we needed to, and that was a big factor in winning the game.”
On their second possession, the Golden Hawks had a 79-yard scoring drive that featured a whole lot of Brendan Patterson, whose 55-yard run highlighted the drive. Kyle Hickey raced in from 23 yards out, and the Hawks led 14-7.
But not for long.
Back-to-back completions by Garlick, who threw for 164 yards, set the stage for what might well have been the game’s defining moment – a 43-yard strike that Kyle Baskin took in stride near the goal line for a TD that knotted the score.
“He throws some beautiful passes,” said Baskin of Garlick. “He just lays it in there perfectly. All I have to do is run the route, and he does the rest.
“It shows we’re a dual threat. We can run, we can pass, and we do what we need to do. I think that really set the tone and said, ‘We’re here to play, and we’re not going to go down easy.’”
“We watched film,” Garlick said. “We thought we had a good chance of getting the passing game going.
“Of course, when you get that going, you get the run game going, and when you get the run game going, you get the pass game going.”
It was a dimension of the game the Panthers didn’t need to unveil in their previous wins.
“Why would you?” Banas said. “We were able to run the ball this season with (Rob) Burns, (Nick) Bonomo, and (Jon) Potynski, and tonight with Noah Wood.
“If you’re able to run the ball, control the clock and do some good things, why do you open up the playbook? You open it up when you need to.”
On their third drive, the Golden Hawks marched to the Panthers’ 30-yard line, but that’s where the drive stalled. The Panthers answered with a drive that was capped by 10-yard TD run by Burns to go on top 21-14.
That lead held until the fourth quarter when Burns added two more touchdowns – the first from seven yards out and the second from one yard out to cap a 45-yard drive after a defensive stop by the Panthers.
“I’m real proud of the way they played,” Banas said. “They could have really got flustered and really got frantic when they scored after those two long drives, but coming into the game, that’s what we said we had to make them do – score on 10 or more play drives because that’s when they chew up the clock, and we thought we’d be able to do something on offense.”
Both teams entered Friday’s game with perfect 4-0 records in conference play. After Friday’s win, the Panthers are alone atop the conference standings, and it was their response to a strong Rock South start that was the difference.
“We knew we were going to get punched in the mouth, but it’s not about how hard you get punched but how many times you get back up,” Baskin said. “(I know) how corny that is, but it’s true, and that’s how we did it tonight, and I’m proud of our team.
“We came here to play as a team and play for our fallen player (Jared Kishbaugh) and play for Quakertown, and that’s what we did.”
“We came out here with the same attitude we do every single game,” Garlick added. “If reporters aren’t going to pick us or whoever isn’t going to pick us, that’s fine.
“We just use it as motivation. We really came out and executed tonight. We’ve prepared all week for this. Going this far into the season undefeated is a great feeling.”
Quakertown (8-0, 5-0 SOL) will host Council Rock North next Friday, and Council Rock South (5-3, 4-1) will be on the road at Norristown on Saturday (1 p.m.).
Quakertown 14-7-0-14 35
Council Rock South 14-0-0-0 14
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 33, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 15
Brandon McIlwain – after moving to running back last week because of a thumb injury - was lined up at quarterback on Friday night at War Memorial Field. That was not good news for the Bucks. The South Carolina-bound senior turned in a dazzling performance with 228 yards on the ground and four touchdowns.
The Bucks took an early 7-0 lead, but the Indians responded with four straight McIlwain TD runs to go on top 27-7.
Council Rock North (5-3, 4-1 SOL) will travel to Quakertown next Friday while Central Bucks West (2-6, 2-3) will be on the road at Central Bucks East Saturday (1 p.m.).
WILLIAM TENNENT 17, NORRISTOWN 13
The Panthers picked up their first conference win, rallying from a 13-3 deficit at the end of one quarter and snapping a four-game losing streak after the team’s 3-0 start.
A early field goal spotted the Panthers a 3-0 lead, but the visiting Eagles went on top 6-3 when Charles Sanders ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown. That lead grew to 13-3 after a Desmond Gorski TD pass to Rashon Wiggins, but the Panthers came roaring back.
A pair of Dan Costello touchdown runs in the second quarter gave the Panthers a lead they would not lose.
William Tennent (4-4, 1-4 SOL) will travel to Harry S Truman next Friday while Norristown (3-5, 1-4) will host Council Rock South on Saturday afternoon (1 p.m.).
Norristown 13-0-0-0 13
William Tennent 3-14-0-0 17
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 19, HARRY S TRUMAN 7
The Patriots found themselves staring a 7-0 halftime deficit but rallied with 19 unanswered points to earn the win.
Jack Lamb’s first of two touchdown runs late in the third quarter made it a 7-6 game, and the Patriots took their first lead early in the fourth quarter when Lamb found Owen Griffin for a touchdown that put the Patriots on top 12-7. Another Lamb TD – this one after a Truman fumble – gave the Patriots their final margin of victory.
Justin Fant accounted for Truman’s only score of the night.
Central Bucks East (6-2, 3-2 SOL) will host Central Bucks West next Saturday (1 p.m.), and Truman (2-6, 0-5) will host William Tennent on Friday.
American Conference
UPPER DUBLIN 35, UPPER MORELAND 7
The Golden Bears broke Upper Dublin’s string of 15 consecutive shutout quarters that extended over four games when Rodney Morgan scored from 11 yards out midway through the fourth quarter. By that time, the Cardinals had already put up a 28-0 lead and were well on their way to their eighth victory of the season.
Earlier, the Cardinals led 7-0 after one quarter, thanks to a Kaleif Lee three-yard TD run and a Todd Sprit PAT. By halftime, the Cardinals led 21-0, thanks to a pair of Ryan Stover touchdown passes – the first to Jack Rapine for 10 yards and the second to Danny Boggs from 22 yards out.
In the third quarter, Stover threw his third touchdown pass – this time a 10-yarder to Michael Sowers. Morgan’s TD run broke the Cards’ shutout bid, but Lee responded with a 60-yard TD burst for the 35-7 final.
Upper Dublin (8-0, 5-0 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham next Friday, and Upper Moreland (6-2, 3-2) will be on the road at Springfield.
Upper Dublin 7-14-7-7 35
Upper Moreland 0-0-0-7 7
CHELTENHAM 30, WISSAHICKON 14
Branden Mack ran for 183 yards – most of those in the first half – and two touchdowns, and Yasin Abdul-Haqq rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown to lead the Panthers to the convincing win.
It was Abdul-Haqq putting the Panthers on the board with a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Trojans responded with a score of their own when Mike Schoenleber found Marlyn Johnson with a 52-yard touchdown pass. Mack answered with a pair of touchdown runs – the first for 11 yards and the second for 79 yards – to send the Panthers into halftime with a 22-8 halftime lead.
Neither team scored until the fourth quarter when Matt Tuszi hauled in a 14-yard Mack pass. The two-point conversion put the Panthers on top 30-8 before Schoenleber scored for the 30-14 final.
Cheltenham (4-4, 3-2 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh, and Wissahickon (1-7, 0-5) will host Upper Merion.
Wissahickon 8-0-0-6 14
Cheltenham 6-16-0-8 30
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 31, HATBORO-HORSHAM 28
The Hatters saw their four-game winning streak come to an end in a contest that featured over 800 yards of total offense. It was the Colonials – thanks in no small part to the dazzling performance of Nyfeese Nasir – accounting for more than 400 of those yards. The senior running back ran for 351 yards and four touchdowns – three on runs of more than 60 yards.
The Hatters – who had some standout offensive efforts of their own – took a 21-14 lead into the fourth quarter, breaking a 14-14 halftime tie with a Casey Walsh to Calvin Broaddus touchdown pass.
Nasir scored on back-to-back touchdown runs of 71 and 72 yards to put the Colonials on top 28-21, but the Hatters had an answer when Jordan Mason turned a Walsh pass into a 70-yard touchdown and the tie.
The Colonials won it when Zach Zygmunt split the uprights with a 30-yard field goal in the game’s closing seconds.
While Nasir stole the spotlight for the Colonials, Walsh – who already holds the career mark for passing yards – threw for over 300 yards.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (6-2, 3-2 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham next Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (4-4, 4-1) will be on the road at Upper Dublin).
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-14-0-17 31
Hatboro-Horsham 0-14-7-7 28
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 33, UPPER MERION 20
The Vikings and Spartans were deadlocked 20-20 after three quarters, but the Spartans scored a pair of fourth quarter TDs to earn the road win.
Justin Hill found George Baughan with a touchdown pass, and later in the quarter, Baughan scored on a 29-yard run to seal the Vikings fate.
The Vikings led 20-14 at the half, going on top by six when quarterback Jarrett Quinn found Botros Barsoum with a 56-yard touchdown pass. They did not score the rest of the way.
The Spartans – led by Ben Fisher - accumulated more than 250 yards on the ground.
Springfield (3-4, 2-3 SOL) will host Upper Moreland next Friday while Upper Merion (2-6, 0-5) will travel to Wissahickon.
Springfield 0-14-6-13 33
Upper Merion6-14-0-0 20
National Conference
NORTH PENN 27, PENNSBURY 20
(For Scott Huff’s complete game story and stats, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/article/content/north-penn-upends-pennsbury-conference-showdown-0057097)
SOUDERTON 42, ABINGTON 41
It’s not over till it’s over.
Souderton proved that much. The Indians missed an extra point that would have tied things up (35-35) with just under four minutes remaining and then watched Jermaine Webb run the ensuing kickoff back 75 yards for a touchdown. The Indians – trailing 41-34 after Webb’s TD - blocked the extra point and then mounted a gutsy drive that culminated with Blake Gular scoring 11 yards out.
Coach Ed Gallagher opted to go for two, and it paid big dividends when Koby Khan took it in to put the Indians on top 42-41 with 1:49 remaining. The Indians needed one last defensive stop, and they got it, holding on for the you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it win.
Early on, there was nothing to suggest the game would take such a bizarre turn. The two teams exchanged first quarter TDs with Abington quarterback David Kretschman scoring from three yards out and the Indians knotting the score when Gular punched it in from one yard out.
In the second quarter, the Ghosts put 20 points on the board – which included a pair of Daryl Davis-McNeil two-yard touchdown runs – to take a 27-14 lead into halftime, but this one was far from over.
A 51-yard touchdown run by Jamar White – his second TD of the game – made it a 27-21 game, but the Ghosts responded with Kretchsman finding George Reid with a 44-yard TD pass to go on top 35-21. A Khan one-yard touchdown run made it a 35-28 game early in the fourth quarter. An eight-yard TD run by Gular pulled the Indians to within one, but the Ghosts maintained their 35-34 lead when the Indians missed the point after, setting the stage for the wild finish.
Souderton (4-4, 2-3 SOL) will host Pennridge next Friday, and Abington (1-7, 0-5) will host Bensalem.
Abington 7-20-8-6 41
Souderton 7-7-7-21 42
PENNRIDGE 28, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 17
A word of advice to opponents of the Rams – jump out to a substantial halftime lead because the second half belongs to Pennridge. At least it has in recent outings. A week after coming up just short despite a heroic comeback against Pennsbury in a game they trailed 30-6 at halftime, the Rams once again found themselves on the short end of a halftime score, this time trailing 17-7.
Three unanswered touchdowns in the second half gave the Rams the come-from-behind win.
It was a 17-14 game when – after a Pennridge interception - quarterback Devon Balmer found Connor Hansen with a touchdown pass. After a Pennridge defensive stop, Balmer raced in from 36 yards out, and the Rams had a lead they would not lose, 21-17.
A 90-yard scoring drive after a Pennridge fumble recovery was capped by a Judens Desrosiers 12-yard touchdown run, and the Rams had their final margin of victory.
In the first half, the Rams took a 7-0 lead, but the Titans responded with back-to-back touchdowns, the first when Stephen Iannuzzi hauled in a Sam Thompson pass and raced 81 yards for the score. Nick Norris scored from eight yards out, and a successful field goal spotted the Titans a 17-7 lead.
Pennridge (5-3, 3-2) will travel to Souderton next Friday, and Central Bucks South (3-5, 2-3) will host Pennsbury.
Central Bucks South 7-10-0-0 17
Pennridge 7-0-14-7 28
NESHAMINY 41, BENSALEM 8
Will Dogba scored from seven yards out on the Redskins’ opening drive, and they never looked back.
Denzel Hughes had a big game for the ‘Skins. His big return on the opening kickoff set up his team’s first TD, and he also caught a Mason Jones TD pass to put the Redskins on top 21-0. Dogba’s second touchdown run of the night sent Neshaminy into halftime with a 35-0 lead.
Neshaminy (6-2, 4-1 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Friday night, and Bensalem (0-8, 0-5) will be on the road at Abington.
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