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WARRINGTON – Intensity was the theme at practice for Central Bucks South after the Titans’ disappointing loss to Council Rock South in their season opener last Friday.
“Last week we felt like we should have had a win, but we weren’t quite intense enough,” senior linebacker Chris Hulton said. “We didn’t have that fire you have when you win.
“Coach (Tony) Romeo was telling us all week – he was freaking out actually about playing intense.”
Romeo apparently got his message across.
Hulton had his share of bone-crushing hits, and the Titans displayed the kind of defensive fire that was absent in their opener when they took on former SOL National Conference rival Council Rock North in a non-league contest on Friday night, fighting off a never-say-die Indians’ squad 14-7
“Defensively, we need to be tough, we need to be physical and we need to let people know they’re in the ball game with us,” South coach Bart Szarko said. “That’s what we’re trying to drive home to them – we’re trying to play as physical a game as we can.
“Our defensive philosophy is get after them and hit them every single play.”
The Titans came up with all the stops when they needed them in Friday’s win.
Take away a fake punt that Rock North senior Peter O’Hara carried 55 yards to the Titans’ eight-yard line - and one play later Tyler Hamilton (13-20, 186 yds.) found Lee Marvel for an eight-yard scoring strike – and South never allowed Rock North to have a sustained drive.
The Indians didn’t exactly help their own cause with one penalty after another – they were whistled for 11 in the game, and they set the tone for a night of frustration on the offensive side of the football on their second possession of the game after Steve Williams hauled in a 31-yard Hamilton pass that took the Indians to the Titans’ 30-yard line.
That’s when they began their backward march. Three plays and two penalties later, the Indians were punting from their own 49-yard line.
“I think we played a darn good team, and I think they played well,” Rock North coach Tom Coates said. “When you get a play on them – you get 10, you give 15 back, we’re just setting ourselves up for destruction.”
Dave Giusti’s 48-yard punt return gave South excellent field position at Rock North’s 39-yard line. The Titans capitalized. Quarterback Tom Johns (6-for-9, 117 yds.) found Mike Doty for a seven-yard gain, and Theo Davis followed that with a nine-yard carry.
Giusti took it 14 yards for another Titan first down at the nine, and Davis needed just one play to punch it in for a touchdown that – after Naish Barren’s extra point – put the Titans on top 7-0 with 58 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
That 7-0 lead held up until the third quarter when the Titans marched 75 yards in eight plays for a score to go on top 14-0. Highlights of the drive included a 44-yard pass completion from Johns to Doty, and then – after the Titans’ were whistled for a holding call – Doty hauled in a 20-yard touchdown strike on the goal line with a fine catch in traffic on third-and-long.
Doty finished the game with 87 yards on four receptions, and he’s making believers out of his teammates.
“When he first transferred, I was like, ‘I’m not going to like this kid from Germantown,’” said Hulton, who had played against GA in lacrosse. “The first day he was here I was like, ‘All right, never mind.’
“He’s the real deal.”
The Indians came right back with a touchdown to make it a 14-7 game, and they had a chance to make things real interesting when – on the Titans’ second play of their next possession – Hamilton recovered a fumble, giving Rock North possession on South’s 44-yard line. The Indians found themselves on the Titans’ 22-yard line, but then began a trek backwards. This time all the way to their own 29-yard line.
“I looked up and saw it was third-and-54,” Coates said. “I didn’t realize that could occur in football, and that’s on me. The kids are only going to do what I train them to do.
“We’re going to work real hard to correct that.”
With the Titans clinging to a 14-7 lead, Rock North’s Jamie Callender intercepted a pass that bounced off the foot of a South player who had gone down. The Indians took over on the Titans’ 23-yard line, and the drive and game came down to one play – a fourth and goal from the Titans’ 16-yard line.
Hamilton found teammate Ty Bostain with a strike, but he was stopped just inches from the goal line, sealing the win for South.
“The kids fought their backsides off,” Coates said. “They were in there against a good team fighting. It was a physical game. Give CB South credit for the win.
“Our kids gave ourselves an opportunity for a win, but we weren’t able to convert.”
According to Hulton, the Titans are still getting accustomed to life without star running back Eric Reynolds.
“Last year, a lot of our offense was E-Rey, so a lot of the kids didn’t get a lot of experience in games,” he said. “Our kids were competitive, but a lot of times it was ‘Okay, give it to E Rey and see what he can do.’
“Now it’s spread out. We all have to do our part.”
While the Indians fell to 0-2, the Titans evened their record at 1-1
“There are things we need to work on,” Szarko said. “There’s no doubt about that. The bottom line is it was a ‘W.’ We’ll take it and try and get better next week.”
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 14, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 7
Council Rock North 0 0 7 0-7
Central Bucks South 7 0 7 0-14
CBS-Davis 9 run (Barren kick)
CBS-Doty 20 pass from Johns (Barren kick)
CRN-Marvel 8 pass from Hamilton (Campbell kick)
CRN CBS
First Downs 9 10
Rushing Yards 111 128
Passing Yards 186 117
Total Yards 297 245
Passing (C-A-I) 13-22-0 6-9-1
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 1-1
Penalties-Yds. 11-79 8-49
Punts-Avg. 37.5 3-35.0
RUSHING:
Council Rock North - Peter O’Hara, 7-52; Lee Marvel, 6-51; Rory Fitzpatrick, 3-7; Ryan Calabro, 1-12; Tyler Hamilton, 12-(-11).
Central Bucks East - Sean Kummer, 12-49; Dave Giusti, 7-48; Theo Davis, 7-37, 1 TD; Jon Eisemann, 2-14; Mike Doty, 1-(-10), Tom Johns, 4-(-10).
PASSING:
Council Rock North - Tyler Hamilton, 13-20-186, 1 TD; Kevin Hacker, 0-2-0.
Central Bucks South – Tom Johns, 6-9-117, 1 TD, 1 INT
RECEIVING:
Council Rock North – Ty Bostain, 3-73; Steve Williams, 4-73; Lee Marvel, 4-40, 1 TD; Ryan Maley, 1-0.
Central Bucks East – Mike Doty, 4-87, 1 TD; Matt Welk, 1-22; Dave Giusti, 1-8.
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