CB East picked up a big win in its first football game on Lt. Colby Umbrell Field. Neshaminy also earned a big win. To view photos of the CB East/Cheltenham game, please visit the Photo Gallery by clicking here or any photo below.
By Scott Huff
Buckingham – Central Bucks East senior Jack Lamb was literally in the middle of everything as his Patriots marched to a commanding 54-14 victory over visiting Cheltenham. It was the inaugural contest played on the First Lt. Colby Umbrell Field at Patriot Stadium.
Lamb – who plays both quarterback and middle linebacker for CBE - led the furious Patriot charge on the field carrying the Stars and Stripes prior to the playing of the National Anthem.
“This was the first time I got to carry the flag – and it was awesome,” said Lamb – one of the East captains this year. “Last year A.J. Jordan carried the flag and he passed that honor on to me.
“To be able to play on a field that we can call our own is a great feeling,” added Lamb. “No more bus rides for home games – and this is such a great stadium.”
Lamb wears #45 – which is not exactly a quarterback number. However, Lamb was pressed into the quarterback position last season as the Patriots suffered a rash of injuries at the position.
“It worked out well last year with Jack playing quarterback, and we just decided to go with it again this year,” said Central Bucks East head coach John Donnelly. “Jack has always been a great linebacker – and he’s just too good to take off the field.
“We’re careful with how we use him during the game,” added Donnelly. “He’s an outstanding football player.”
Lamb – the quarterback – was a perfect 4-for-4 throwing the ball for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Lamb – the running back – rushed just three times but scored a touchdown. And Lamb – the middle linebacker – blew up many Cheltenham plays with blitzes.
“I love to be in control of both the offense and the defense,” said Lamb. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
CB East had its way against the Panthers from the outset.
The first Patriot possession resulted in a six-play touchdown drive that covered 55 yards. Senior Owen Griffin culminated the scoring drive with a 10-yard touchdown burst. Junior Kiel Kittleson tacked on the extra point to give the Pats a 7-0 lead.
The second Patriot possession also resulted in a touchdown. Lamb fired a 34-yard scoring pass to junior Wes Verbit – and with Kittleson placement the lead swelled to 14-0.
Cheltenham answered with a touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7. Senior quarterback Brenden Mack eluded the Patriot rush and threw a 44-yard scoring pass to senior Akeem Browne. Matthew Tuszl added the PAT for the Panthers.
“We have some players who have the speed to make the big plays,” said veteran Panther head coach Joe Gro. “But we need to do a better job coming up with plays that get us four and five yards.”
CB East would put together another first period scoring drive. Senior running back Alex Gibson capped the drive with a nifty eight-yard touchdown scamper and Kittleson’s PAT extended the lead to 21-7.
The Patriots scored early in the second period. Lamb would throw a 39-yard scoring dart to senior Ethan Silverman and Kittleson added the placement to boost the lead to 28-7.
The starters in the offensive backfield would not play another down the rest of the game.
The ‘new’ CB East backfield scored on its first possession of the second quarter. Junior quarterback Matt Szczypiorski engineered the 10-play drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown sneak by Szczypiorski. Barney Amor added the placement to extend the lead to 35-7 at the half.
CB East would score on its first possession of the second half. Kittleson earned scoring honors with a 32-yard field goal to create a 38-7 score.
The Patriot defense tallied the next points as a ‘team’ sack in the Panther end zone resulted in a safety and a 40-7 lead.
Cheltenham countered with its second touchdown. Mack again would showcase his talent with an 84-yard scoring strike to Tuszl – and Tuszl’s PAT would close the scoring for the Panthers.
A third Patriot quarterback – sophomore Will Masterson –directed the next scoring drive. Sophomore Chad Guzzi – who would emerge as the leading rusher for the Patriots with 120 yards on 19 carries – darted 30 yards for the score. Amor added the point after touchdown to extend the lead to 47-14.
A fourth Patriots quarterback – sophomore Mitchell Vierling – directed the final scoring drive. Sophomore running back Jack Elias became the sixth different running back to score for the Patriots on a 1-yard run. Amor’s PAT would make the score final at 54-14.
“We are bruised – but we are not broken,” said Gro after the game. “Our lack of experience really showed today.”
“We have Pennridge coming up next week,” said Donnelly in reference to the Rams who routed Hatboro-Horsham 55-29 Friday night. “We saw them live – and they a very impressive team.”
But on this sun splashed Saturday morning/afternoon – it was CB East that was the very impressive team.
Cheltenham Panthers 7 0 7 0 - 14
Central Bucks East Patriots 21 14 5 14 - 54
CBE: Owen Griffin 10 run (Kiel Kittleson kick)
CBE: Wes Verbit 34 pass from Jack Lamb (Kittleson kick)
C: Akeem Browne 44 pass from Brenden Mack (Matthew Tuszl kick)
CBE: Alex Gibson 8 run (Kittleson kick)
CBE: Ethan Silverman 39 pass from Lamb (Kittleson kick)
CBE: Matt Szczypiorski 1 run (Barney Amor kick)
CBE: Kittleson 32 FG
CBE: Safety
C: Tuszl 84 pass from Mack (Tuszl kick)
CBE: Chad Guzzi 30 run (Amor kick)
CBE: Jack Elias 1 run (Amor kick)
Cheltenham Central Bucks East
6 First Downs 16
62 Yards Rushing 266
146 Yards Passing 106
208 Total Offense 372
2-30 Punts/Average 3-29
Cheltenham:
Rushing: Tyler Lloyd 6-33; Matthew Tuszl 1-28; Quran Smith 4-10; Jarrett Jenkins 3-7; Branden Mack 6-3; Yasin Abdul-Haqq 5 (minus 7); and Dylaln Jones 4 (minus 12). Totals 29-62.
Passing: Mack 4-7-0; 132 yards and 2 TD; Jones 2-4-0; 14 yards. Totals 6-11-0; 146 yards.
Receiving: Akeem Browne 2-53 & TD; Matthew Tuszl 1-84 & TD; Taj Devore-Bey 1-5; Smith 1-2; Sean Welch 1-2. Totals 6-146 & 2 TD.
Central Bucks East:
Rushing: Chad Guzzi 19-120 & TD; Alex Gibson 7-55 & TD; Owen Griffin 3-22 & TD; Jack Lamb 3-22 & TD; Jack Elias 10-21 & TD; Luke Borrajo 2-7; Matt Szczypiorski 4-20 & TD; Charlie Grube 1-0; and Mitchell Vierling 1-0. Totals 50-266 & 6 TD.
Passing: Jack Lamb 4-4-0; 92 yards and 2 TD; Szczypiorski 2-5-0; 14 yards.
Receiving: Ethan Silverman 1-39 & TD: Wes Verbit 1-34 & TD; Logan Nelson 1-10; Alex Gibson 1-10; Brian Stella 1-7; and Connor Powers 1-6. Totals 6-106 yards & 2 TD.
Around the SOL
NESHAMINY 37, MONTCLAIR 31
The Redskins played the role of spoiler in Saturday’s non-league opener at Montclair (N.J.) High School.
Neshaminy earned a win that – according to NorthJersey.com – snapped a 29-game home win streak for a Montclair squad that had won 46 of its last 48 games and captured a sectional title last season. It also represented the first time Montclair has ever played a regular season game before Labor Day, which means the Mounties had only two scrimmages as opposed to past years when they had four.
Neshaminy needed some late game heroics, using a Will Dogba five-yard run with 2:44 remaining to break a 31-31 tie and propel the ‘Skins to the win.
Montclair took an early lead, turning an interception into a touchdown, and after the successful two-point conversion led 8-0. A Dylan McDonald 37-yard field goal in the second quarter put the Redskins on the scoreboard, but Montclair answered with a touchdown and another two-point conversion to go on top 16-3.
Unfazed, the Redskins scored a pair of TD’s – both on passes from Mason Jones to Denzel Hughes. The first for 20 yards made it a 16-10 game, and when Jones hit Hughes with a nine-yard TD strike, the ‘Skins went on top 17-16 heading into halftime.
Montclair erased that deficit with a 93-yard kickoff return to open the second half, but Dogba scored from three yards out for the Redskins. Montclair led 31-24 after three quarters, but the Redskins weren’t finished yet.
Jones scored on a 27-yard run, and after McDonald’s successful PAT, the two teams were deadlocked until Dogba’s late game TD run that vaulted the Redskins to the impressive win.
Neshaminy (1-0) will host Downingtown West on Friday night.
Neshaminy 0-17-7-13 37
Montclair 8-8-15-0 31
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