Pennsbury saw its magical postseason run come to an end in the PIAA 4A Eastern final on Saturday.
By Scott Huff
Philadelphia – There will be no road trip to Hershey next weekend for the Pennsbury football team and its fans. The trek to ‘Chocolate Town’ to play in the PIAA Quad-A championship game was canceled after the Falcons (13-2) were beaten 37-7 by St. Joe Prep (10-3) in the PIAA Eastern Final on the rain soaked Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium turf at Northeast High School.
The Falcons – despite the lopsided loss to the powerful District 12 champion Hawks – met the lofty expectations placed upon them before the season began this fall. The Falcons ended the remarkable season as one of the top four Quad-A teams in the state – won a District One title – and were co-champions of the Suburban One League National Conference. The 13 wins tied the school record for the most victories in a season.
“There were a lot of expectations on this team coming into the season – everyone knew that we had a lot of good players coming back,” said Pennsbury head coach Galen Snyder. “It can be tough to live up to those high expectations, but I feel that we met that challenge and lived up to those expectations.
“We didn’t make it to Hershey – and that was one of our goals,” added Snyder. “But I am still very proud of the kids – we just lost to a better team today.”
“We wanted to win this game – get to Hershey,” said sensational Pennsbury senior running back Charles Snorweah who rushed for a game high 171 yards on 19 carries that included an electric 56-yard touchdown bolt on his final career carry for the Falcons in the fourth quarter. “I just wished I could have scored that touchdown earlier in the game.
“We did some really good things this year – like winning the district title,” added the talented Rutgers recruit who finished the season with 2780 yards and 38 touchdowns. “But now it is time for me to begin to focus on college next year.
“I am taking the term student-athlete very seriously,” continued Snorweah who rushed for an amazing 1276 yards and 15 touchdowns in five playoff games. “I am first person in my family to go to college – and I owe that to the Lord, my parents, my coaches, and my teammates.”
The game was to become the final career game for Snorweah and his fellow seniors due to a dominant performance by St. Joe Prep. The Hawks stole a page from the Pennsbury playbook and ‘Grounded and Pounded’ the Falcons for 349 yards rushing and five rushing touchdowns.
“Their offensive line was very strong,” said Snyder. “They really came off the ball well – and we had a difficult time stopping them. Of course, the turnovers didn’t help.”
No indeed.
After a scoreless first period – Pennsbury fumbled the ball three possessions in a row in the second period – and all three turnovers resulted in quick Hawk touchdowns. In the deadly 4 minute and 32-second span at the outset of the second period, the scoreless contest became a 19-0 St. Joe Prep lead.
The driving rain at that point in the game seemed to create problems for Pennsbury ball carriers – however – the Hawks had no trouble holding onto the football. Sophomore flash De’Andre Swift scored a pair of touchdowns for the Hawks on runs of 22 and five yards, while James Bell would score on a 26-yard burst.
After the third Prep score, Pennsbury was forced into a three-and-out. And the Hawks would punch in their fourth touchdown of the second period with 53 seconds left in the quarter on a six-yard touchdown scamper by Justin Montague.
The Hawks would soar for the first 10 points of the second half and actually made the game a ‘mercy-rule’ contest. Benny Walls scored on the longest play from scrimmage on the day with a 73-yard bolt – and Nick Bell would split the uprights on a 29-yard field goal at the outset of the fourth period.
Pennsbury would avert the shutout with the ‘running clock’ on Snorweah’s long touchdown run in the final quarter of the game.
“It’s been a while since I have been on this end of the score,” said Snyder. “But this takes nothing away from what we accomplished as a team. It has been a great season.”
If Pennsbury and its fans do make the trip to Hershey next Saturday night – they will have to buy a ticket to see St. Joe Prep versus Pine Richland. Pine Richland rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Wilson West Lawn – 28-17.
“We got the league championship and the district championship,” said Snyder. “We just came up a little short on the state championship.”
Pennsbury Falcons 0 0 0 7 * 7
St. Joe Prep Hawks 0 27 7 3 * 37
SJP: De’Andre Swift 22 run (Nick Bell kick)
SJP: Swift 5 run (pass failed)
SJP: James Bell 26 run (pass failed)
SJP: Justin Montague 6 run (Zaccheaus pass from Clements)
SJP: Benny Walls 73 run (Bill kick)
SJP: Bill 29 FG
P: Charles Snorweah 56 run (Josh Leon kick)
Pennsbury Falcons St Joe Prep Hawks
8 First Downs 17
204 Rushing Yards 349
16 Passing Yards 39
220 Total Offense 388
4-30 Penalties / Yards 6-40
4-22 Punts / Average 3-37
Pennsbury Falcons
Rushing: Charles Snorweah 19-171-TD; Raheem Thompson 8-26; Victor Delgado 4-13; Mike Alley 3-6; Rob Daly 2-2; and Luke Snyder 1 (minus 4). Totals 38-204 & TD.
Passing: Mike Alley 1-3-0; 16 yards.
Receiving: Cody Tabeek 1-16.
St. Joe Prep Hawks
Rushing: Benny Walls 6-102 & TD; De’Andre Swift 11-79 & 2 TD; James Bell 8-63 & TD; Olamide Zaccheaus 6-31; Christian Waller 5-35; Jack Clements 3-12; Khari Jones 9-11; Davion Jackson 2-10; and Justin Montague 1-6 & TD. Totals 49-349-5 TD.
Passing: Jakc Clements 3-5-0; 39
Receiving: De’Andre Swift 1-18; James Bell 1-11; and Olamide Zaccheaus 1-10. Totals 3-39.
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