Check out a recap of Friday’s SOL football games. To view photos of the CR South/Norristown and Wissahickon/Upper Merion games, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Stats used in the wraps are provided courtesy of Calkins Media. For complete high school football coverage, visit the web site www.PhillyBurbs.com<http://www.PhillyBurbs.com>.
National Conference
PENNRIDGE 28, SOUDERTON 17
It would be easy to credit Pennridge’s dominating second half effort to a change in the Rams’ defensive and offensive schemes, and while that certainly played a role in turning a 17-7 halftime deficit into a 28-17 win, senior captain Zack Hockman has his own theory about the Rams’ remarkable turnaround.
“In the second half, Bud was on the goal posts – Bud was watching over us,” he said of Bud Hollenbach. “In the second half, we came out. We wanted to win it for Bud.
“It was just an awesome team effort. I was really proud of the guys.”
Hollenbach, the father of coach Jeff Hollenbach, passed away last Friday night due to complications after an automobile accident in the parking lot after the Rams’ game at Central Bucks South. Friday’s game capped an emotional week for the Pennridge football family that lost one of its staunchest supporters.
“I was really close to Bud – the whole team was,” said Hockman, noting the team will be dedicating its new weight room in Hollenbach’s memory. “He was here after every game. He really was a huge part of Pennridge football.
“He coached here in the 50’s. He was a great guy, and he loved Pennridge football.”
Hollenbach was remembered before the game with a moment of silence, but things didn’t exactly go the Rams’ way in a first half that saw the Indians take a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter after a 31-yard touchdown run by Blake Gular. A 39-yard field goal by D.J. Rostron sent the Indians into halftime with a 17-7 lead.
“Us captains got the guys together at halftime, and we got an emotional buzz,” Hockman said. “We changed some techniques on defense, came out in a different defense, and we stuck it to them in the second half.”
The Indians recovered their own pooch kick to open the second half, but rapidly lost their momentum when the Rams – after taking over on their own one after a punt - marched 99 yards for the score. It was the first of three Ram touchdown drives in the second half while Souderton never could find its offense.
“We made some adjustments at halftime,” coach Hollenbach said. “We did not play well the first half. Souderton had a really nice game plan. They were taking away some of the stuff we usually do with the wing-t.
“(In the second half), I think it was mainly the guys just wanted to get it done. They were determined to win this game, and that determination showed through. I’m so proud of these guys.”
No one came up bigger in the Rams’ comeback than Imeir Simmons, who had 177 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries.
“He stepped up big,” Hockman said. “Souderton was just keying on Joe (Unangst).
“Imir really showed them we have two running backs that can get the job done. He stepped up on offense and on defense. He’s a great defensive end, and he had a fantastic game on offense.”
Unangst, the focal point of the Indians’ defense, finished with 137 yards and three touchdowns.
The win avenged a 32-29 loss to Souderton last season that might well have cost the Rams a spot in the playoffs.
“I said I don’t want Souderton to be what I remember from high school football – them ruining our season,” Hockman said. “Because we win this game, we’re still in the playoffs, and that’s huge.”
The comeback win capped off an emotional night for the Rams.
“There really was a lot of emotion coming in,” Hollenbach said. “I wasn’t here until Thursday, and I told them the story.
“There were some tears with the team. I’m preaching family with these kids. We’re all a family, and we’ll all remember what happened here forever. I hope it will draw us closer together.”
Hollenbach clutched a signed football from his players that said, ‘Bud will always be part of Pennridge football.’
“This will go probably on my mantle above the fireplace at home,” the Rams’ coach said. “This is such a beautiful thing. What a great memory.”
Pennridge (6-3, 3-3 SOL) will host Bensalem next Friday while the Indians (3-6, 1-5) will host Central Bucks South.
Souderton 14-3-0-0 17
Pennridge 7-0-14-7 28
PENNSBURY 55, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 7
(For Scott Huff’s complete game story and stats, please click on the following link: )
NORTH PENN 17, NESHAMINY 13
The Redskins came oh-so-close to pulling off the big upset, but the Knights staged a late-game rally to eke out the win when – with 19.2 seconds remaining – quarterback Jake Bevan snuck it in from one yard out, erasing a 13-10 Redskin lead. The play capped a drive that began on the Knights’ 46-yard line and featured a big pass play from Bevan to Mike Liddy for 37 yards that took the ball to the Redskins’ 10-yard line.
Neshaminy went on top 13-10 in the opening minute in the fourth quarter when D’Andre Pollard took it in from six yards out.
Earlier, the Knights took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a recovered blocked punt in the end zone. A 52-yard TD run by Pollard knotted the score. The two teams were deadlocked 7-7 at halftime. A Matt Ammendola 38-yard field goal put the nights on top 10-7, and that lead that stood until Pollard’s TD run to open the fourth quarter.
The Knights (6-3, 5-1) will try to extend their win streak to six games when they travel to Abington for next Friday’s league season finale. Neshaminy (4-5, 3-3) will host Pennsbury.
North Penn 7-0-3-7 17
Neshaminy 7-0-0-6 13
ABINGTON 41, BENSALEM 6
The Ghosts jumped out to a 21-0 lead at the end of one quarter on their way to a decisive win over the Owls. Quarterback David Kretschman, who threw for 177 yards in the win, delivered big plays on all three drives.
Juawine Sowell’s six-yard touchdown run put the Ghosts on the scoreboard early. He finished the night with 69 yards, which included a 55-yard touchdown run.
The Owls scored their only touchdown of the game in the second quarter when Malcolm Carey blocked a punt and recovered the ball in the end zone. By halftime, the Ghosts led 28-6.
Mike Brooks 84-yard touchdown run on a screen pass to open the second half make it a 35-6 game. Brooks had three touchdowns.
Abington (5-4, 2-4 SOL) will host North Penn next Friday night while the Owls (0-9, 0-6) will travel to Pennridge.
Abington 21-7-7-6 41
Bensalem 0-6-0-0 6
Continental Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 42, WILLIAM TENNENT 21
The Tigers opened up a 14-0 lead at the end of one quarter, thanks to a five-yard touchdown run by Trysten Hunt and a 22-yard TD run by quarterback Mark Lopez-Shefcyk.
Unfazed, the Panthers came roaring back to knot the score. Nik Banks found John Ryan for a 17-yard touchdown pass, and after a Truman fumble, Dan Costello ran it in from 20 yards out. Lopez-Shefcyk’s five-yard touchdown run sent the Tigers into halftime with a 21-14 lead. A pair of Lopez-Shefcyk runs in the third quarter all but sealed the Panthers’ fate.
Lopez Shefcyk finished the night with 179 yards and four touchdowns.
The Tigers (6-3, 4-2 SOL) will host Norristown in next Friday’s league finale while the Panthers (3-6, 1-5) – who were scheduled to play Central Bucks West - will try to find another opponent.
Harry S Truman 14-7-15-6 42
William Tennent 0-14-7-0 21
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 28, NORRISTOWN 14
The Golden Hawks needed a late game fumble recovery to fend off a pesky Eagles squad. A high snap by the Eagles - who had the ball inside the Hawks’ 10-yard line and trailed by just seven - was recovered by Mike Stock. The Hawks drove 80 yards for a touchdown and a 28-14 lead.
Vince Alimenti, who finished with 180 yards, gave the Hawks an early lead when he took it in from 44 yards out. Khalif Sinclair answered with a 36-yard touchdown run to knot the score. Back-to-back touchdown runs by Alimenti and Brendan Patterson gave the Hawks a 21-7 lead. Another Sinclair touchdown run made it a 21-14 game at the intermission. That score stood until the fourth quarter.
Rock South (5-4, 4-2 SOL) will face Council Rock North next Saturday in the regular season finale for both teams. The Eagles (3-6, 1-5) will travel to Harry S Truman on Friday.
Norristown 7-7-0-0 14
Council Rock South 14-7-0-7 28
American Conference
UPPER DUBLIN 41, HATBORO-HORSHAM 21
The Flying Cardinals clinched at least a share of the American Conference crown with Friday’s win over the Hatters. They were once again led by the one-two offensive punch of junior quarterback Ryan Stover, who threw for 168 yards, and junior running back Kaleif Lee, who ran for 84 more.
It was Stover finding Matt Thompson for a 20-yard touchdown pass that put the Cardinals – after Cole D’Andrea’s extra point – on top 7-0. A touchdown run by Lee made it a 14-0 game at the end of one quarter.
Another Thompson touchdown pass – this one to Thompson for 29 yards – put the Cards on top 21-0 before the Hatters got on the scoreboard on a one-yard Charlie Obrecht TD run. The big play on the drive was a 34-yard pass from Casey Walsh to Matt Reamer.
The Cardinals took a 28-7 lead into halftime and never looked back.
Upper Dublin (8-1, 6-0 SOL) will host Upper Merion next Friday with an opportunity to clinch the conference crown outright. The Hatters (2-7, 2-4) will travel to Cheltenham next Friday.
Upper Dublin 14-14-6-7 41
Hatboro-Horsham 0-7-7-7 21
UPPER MORELAND 25, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 20
Josh Abrams had a big night for the Golden Bears, throwing for a pair of touchdowns and running for two more.
The Spartans got on the scoreboard first when running back Justin Hill found George Baughan with a 42-yard scoring pass on a reverse. At the end of one quarter, Springfield led 6-0.
The Golden Bears scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter with Abrams having a hand in both, scoring from two yards out and hitting Ryan Norton with a seven-yard TD pass.
The Golden Bears still led 13-6 heading into the fourth quarter when both teams got their offense untracked.
Abrams ran for 101 yards and threw for 129 more on a night that saw the Spartans’ defense limit UM star running back Tyler Whitmore to 16 yards on the ground.
Upper Moreland (6-3, 3-3 SOL) will host Wissahickon in next Friday’s SOL finale while the Spartans (4-5, 2-4) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Springfield 6-0-0-14 20
Upper Moreland 0-13-0-12 25
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 29, CHELTENHAM 0
The game was billed as a battle for second place in the conference standings, but instead, it turned into a night for Nafeese Nasir and his Colonial teammates to showcase their talents. By halftime Nasir had surpassed the 100-yard mark, and the Colonials led 14-0. They never looked back.
"I thought our kids played great and battled the whole night," coach Dan Chang said. "We were really hurting with injuries and had a bunch of players in new spots.
"I believe we were up to nine guys going both ways last night. We had another good performance by our offensive line. Defensively, we shut out some pretty explosive players and had great games by Joe DeSanto, Christian Jones and Mike Swider."
Nasir finished with 180 yards and three touchdowns. On the defensive side of the football, Christian Jones had an interception, and Mike Swider had two interceptions, returning the second one for a 70-yard touchdown.
The Colonials (6-3, 5-1) will travel to Springfield for next Friday’s conference finale while the Panthers (5-4, 4-2) will host Hatboro-Horsham.
UPPER MERION 14, WISSAHICKON 7
The Vikings have come close to notching their first win of the season, and on Friday night, it finally happened. They needed to rally from behind to do it after the Trojans scored on their first drive of the game. Shannon Carnard accounted for both of the Upper Merion’s touchdown runs.
Upper Merion (1-8, 1-5 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin next Friday while the Trojans (2-7, 1-5) will travel to Upper Moreland.
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