The scene undoubtedly went unnoticed by most.
A pair of Hatboro-Horsham players came out of their team’s post-game locker room meeting and sought out Council Rock North’s Jack Worthington to offer their congratulations after the Indians’ 17-13 win.
“I thought they showed a ton of class,” Rock North coach Tom Coates said.
Hatboro seniors Jim Pagliaro and Ryan Mullen have a longstanding friendship with Worthington that began when they were teammates on their Horsham Hawks Pop Warner squad, and they weren’t going to let a little thing like a loss on the gridiron come between friends.
“They were my two best friends – we have been friends forever,” Worthington said. “I never lived in Hatboro, but my dad went to Hatboro High School, and I played football with the Horsham Hawks since I was four or five.
“I played with probably 10 kids on this team, and I used to hang out with them every day pretty much. We have been talking about playing that game our senior year for as long as I can remember. It was pretty cool going up against them.”
Worthington acknowledged that some friendly exchanges took place between the former teammates during the course of the game – a few high fives, a little trash talking.
“It was all in good fun,” he said.
Rock North’s big win came on the heels of back-to-back losses to Hatboro the last two years.
“I have the last laugh,” Worthington said. “After the game last year, the same two kids came up to me and were saying stuff. Now I get to rub it in their faces for the rest of their lives.
“I have been close to those kids my whole life. It was a lot of fun.”
Almost appropriately, it was Worthington defending the intended receiver on a fourth-and-long pass late in the fourth quarter that fell incomplete. It was the Hatters’ last gasp as the Indians ran out the clock.
“He did a great job for us,” Coates said of his senior safety.
The Indians don’t have time to rest on their laurels. They will take on William Tennent on Friday and then have the daunting task of facing Pennsbury.
“If we would have lost this game, it would have been hard to rebound because of the teams we play,” Worthington said. “That was a huge momentum builder - it was the Game of the Week on TV, so we got a lot of confidence out of that game.
“Going into the league season, we feel pretty good. We definitely feel we could be a playoff team, but even though this was a big confidence booster, we can’t look past Tennent. They’re going to come out to win, just like every other team, so we’re going to have to play them just like we played Hatboro or we’ll play Neshaminy.”
Coates – whose team improved to 2-1 - referred to Thursday’s win as a statement game for a program that had just three wins last year.
“That was probably our biggest win in the three years we have been here,” he said. “We knew these kids expected to win. The difference the last two years was they wanted to win - they didn’t expect to win.
“Year-in and year-out, whether they’re returning kids or not, Hatboro is going to be real physical. Dave Sanderson adds to it because he has his team so well prepared. They’re a hard-nosed bunch of kids, and he teaches hard-nosed football. When you go over there, you better be ready.”
There were plenty of unsung heroes in the game for the Indians, not the least of which was their offensive line comprised of Brian Applegate, Ryan Campbell, Kevin Krimm, Charlie Sladek and Brendon Kozub.
Sladek was battling the flu while Applegate – a 6-1, 250-pound sophomore – found himself doing battle with 315-pound senior Mike Fitzpatrick.
“There were times when Fitzpatrick picked him up and threw him down like a rag doll, but that kid kept going back and fighting and blocked Fitzpatrick on a number of occasions,” Coates said. “I think our offensive line has done a superior job – more than we could have expected. I think they’re showing signs that they can get better. They’re performing tremendously as a group.”
Coates admits Thursday’s game might have ended up in the loss column in years past, and he lauded his team’s response after the Hatters’ took a 13-9 lead late in the third quarter.
“Our experience the last couple of years – our kids would have hung their heads,” Coates said. “But they never hung their heads, they were never in crisis mode. They were always battling back, battling back, battling back. The kids were making the adjustments, their heads were in the game. It was just a great game to be a part of.
“Our kids are definitely growing within our program. This is a group we ‘have.’ Last year, we weren’t too sure, but this group we have.”
And this group they ‘have’ won the biggest game of the Coates era.
“It felt really good,” Worthington said. “It was the best feeling I have ever had.”
For the senior standout, it wasn’t a bad way to spend a night with old friends.
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