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WILLOW GROVE – There was something almost magical about the day.At least if you were a member of Hatboro-Horsham’s football team.
For starters, there was the unexpected snowfall that gave Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game against archrival Upper Moreland a different look and feel, but it was much more than that.
Things just seemed to be going the Hatters’ way, and when senior Shane Scannell came up with a leaping interception in the end zone in the game’s final moments, it was official – the Hatters were onto something special.
Armed with a 13-6 lead, the Hatters ran the final 1:53 off the clock, and when the final horn sounded, the emotional celebration began. The players – fists clenched skyward – leaped into each other’s arms, some falling to the snowy, muddy ground.
All the frustration of a disappointing season was erased in one glorious and unforgettable afternoon.
“Coach Pags told us before this game that it could be one of the top five moments in our lives, and I couldn’t agree more right now,” said Scannell, clutching his team’s defensive MVP trophy. “This is one of those rivalry games that if you come into a game like this after a frustrating year and beat your rival – it all goes away, all the pain – everything.
“You can’t put words to it, and the snow made it perfect.”“It feels great,” added senior Matt Hollenbeck, the Hatters’ offensive MVP. “After (winning) it last year – this year the defense makes the big stop.
“We knew they were going to come at us. Thanksgiving Day – the playing field is even. It doesn’t matter what their record is, it doesn’t matter what our record is. We knew we would play and we would beat them. We definitely played our hearts out today. I’m so proud of these 10 seniors.”
The Hatters have shown a flare for the dramatic on Thanksgiving Day, and interestingly, it was Scannell’s interception that put the finishing touches on last year’s electrifying come-from-behind 15-14 win over the Golden Bears.
“The fact that this is back-to-back wins in the same exciting fashion doesn’t say enough about our character,” Scannell said. “I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life.”
The senior defensive back nodded in the direction of his fellow seniors who were gathering for their final photos together.
“I’m proud of all nine of these seniors,” Scannell said. “We have been together since freshman year, and going back to our last win – the heart we showed today matches that of our last win against Council Rock North in double overtime. That was week three, and the fact that we came out here and showed the same type of heart – I’m really proud of all nine of these seniors.”
Coach Gary Pagliaro offered similar sentiments.
“I’m happy for the 10 seniors,” the Hatters’ coach said. “They’ve worked so hard, and under the circumstances this year – we had a rough year, but being able to win on Thanksgiving and pull an incredible upset is just a credit to all these kids.
“They just worked so hard this season, and for them to go out as seniors with a win – what a great moment.”
The Golden Bears might have had an idea it was going to be a long day when they fumbled the ball away on their first possession of the game. Although the Hatters didn’t capitalize, the tone might well have been set.
On their second possession of the game, the Hatters marched 53 yards on a 10-play drive that took close to seven minutes off the clock. The drive was highlighted by a 10-yard run on third and long by Nick Dovidio as well as a pair of nine-yard runs by Hollenbeck.
The Hatters’ senior quarterback rolled to his left and found Casey Saverio in the end zone with an eight-yard strike that put the Hatters on top 6-0 at the 11:56 mark of the second quarter. Bobby Stumpp’s extra point made it a 7-0 game.“We knew this was a big game,” Hollenbeck said. “They were saying stuff in the paper, and we took note of it. They kept saying they remember last year – we remember last year too.”
An interception by Dovidio on the first play of the Bears’ ensuing drive gave the Hatters’ excellent field position at Upper Moreland’s 28-yard line. Hollenbeck found Saverio for a 12-yard gain on first down, and two plays later capped the drive with a 13-yard TD pass to Benji Abercrombie. The Golden Bears’ blocked the extra point, but the Hatters led 13-0.
It looked as though the Hatters might add to their lead, but when the Golden Bears came up with a stop on fourth-and-goal from the four, the Hatters had to be content with a 13-0 lead at the intermission.
“It was amazing,” Pagliaro said. “At halftime, they were so pumped up. I knew halftime was going to be a little longer, and I was just trying to calm them down so they wouldn’t use all their energy jumping up and down and screaming at halftime.
“Ten minutes before they were scheduled to come down and get us, the captains were saying, ‘Are we ready, are we ready? We gotta go, we gotta go.’ They were just so anxious to get back on the field and play.”
In the third quarter, the Hatters picked up where they left off – this time it was Alex Kuntz coming up with an interception to bring the Golden Bears’ opening drive of the half to an abrupt halt.
A big stop by the Bears’ defense on fourth-and-short gave Upper Moreland possession at the Hatters’ 35. One play later, Matt Sawick found teammate James Norton with a short pass, and the senior tight end rumbled 32 yards into the end zone for the score. A blocked extra point kept it a 13-6 game with 2:37 remaining in the third quarter.
The Bears mounted one last drive, taking over at their own nine with 5:46 remaining. A Sawick to Kyle Lockard 22-yard completion took the ball to the Hatters’ 30-yard line, and a pair of completions gave the Golden Bears a first down on the Hatters’ 20. Greg Adamson’s carry for five yards took the ball to the 15, but that’s when Scannell delivered his game-saving interception.
“I was back, and I knew they were going to throw it to their go-to guy – number 17, James Norton,” Scannell said. “I saw the quarterback look that way, and I saw Norton going to the post, so I jumped the route as best I could.
“In our viewpoint, we play in one of the toughest conferences. The way that we came out and stuck together every week – I know the scoreboard didn’t show it. We had a lot of 40 points put up against us, but there was always a fight in this group.”
Pagliaro, who has seen his team lose leads late, admitted he was concerned as he watched the Golden Bears move down the field.
“At one point – I’ll be honest – I was thinking in the back of my mind, ‘Here we go again,’ but the defense played unbelievable,” the Hatters’ coach said. “I just had so much confidence in them.
“They played their hearts out, and I think deep down in their minds they knew it was their game to win.”
While the Golden Bears closed out their season with an 8-4 mark, the Hatters improved to 3-9.
“It’s been a rough year, but these 10 guys right here – since their freshmen year, they have been working so hard, and it feels great to go out with a win,” Hollenbeck said. “It doesn’t ease the pain of a 3-9 record, but it sure is nice to go out on top.”
NOTES: Senior Ryan Christensen was Upper Moreland’s defensive MVP while Norton was the Golden Bears’ offensive MVP. Neither team generated all that much offense – the Hatters accumulated 206 total yards while the Golden Bears had 196. The difference in the game was turnovers. Each team lost one fumble, but while the Hatters came up with four interceptions, the Golden Bears had none.
Hatboro-Horsham 0 13 0 0--13
Upper Moreland 0 0 6 0--6
H-H—Casey Saverio 8 pass from Matt Hollenbeck (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-H—Benji Abercrombie 12 pass from Hollenbeck (kick blocked)
UM—James Norton 32 pass from Matt Sawick (kick blocked
HH UM
First downs 11 10
Yards rushing 125 113
Yards passing 81 83
Total offense 206 196
Passing 6-12-0 7-14-4
Fumbles-lost 2-1 4-1
Penalties 8-56 5-58
Punts 4-35.2 3-24.0
RUSHING
Hatboro-Horsham: Casey Saverio 7-37, Matt Hollenbeck 9-30, Dom DeFazio 9-28, Nick Dovidio 12-27, Lee Riches 1-3.
Upper Moreland: Greg Adamson 17-70, Jordan Spector 10-50, Sean Haley 1-0, Matt Sawick 4-(-7)
PASSING
Hatboro-Horsham: Matt Hollenbeck 6-11-0--81, 2TD; Aaron Channing 0-1-0--0
Upper Moreland: Matt Sawick 7-14-4--83, TD
RECEIVING
Hatboro-Horsham: Casey Saverio 4-55, TD; Nick Dovidio 1-14; B Jack Abercrombie 1-12, TD
Upper Moreland: Kyle Lockard 3-26, James Norton 2-50, TD; Robert Knox 1-6; Greg Adamson 1-1.
Interceptions
Hatboro-Horsham: Nick Dovidio, Alex Kuntz, Shane Scannell 2.
Upper Moreland: none
Sacks
Hatboro-Horsham: Jack Abercrombie 2.
Upper Moreland: None
Upper Moreland 0 0 6 0--6
H-H—Casey Saverio 8 pass from Matt Hollenbeck (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-H—Benji Abercrombie 12 pass from Hollenbeck (kick blocked)
UM—James Norton 32 pass from Matt Sawick (kick blocked
HH UM
First downs 11 10
Yards rushing 125 113
Yards passing 81 83
Total offense 206 196
Passing 6-12-0 7-14-4
Fumbles-lost 2-1 4-1
Penalties 8-56 5-58
Punts 4-35.2 3-24.0
RUSHING
Hatboro-Horsham: Casey Saverio 7-37, Matt Hollenbeck 9-30, Dom DeFazio 9-28, Nick Dovidio 12-27, Lee Riches 1-3.
Upper Moreland: Greg Adamson 17-70, Jordan Spector 10-50, Sean Haley 1-0, Matt Sawick 4-(-7)
PASSING
Hatboro-Horsham: Matt Hollenbeck 6-11-0--81, 2TD; Aaron Channing 0-1-0--0
Upper Moreland: Matt Sawick 7-14-4--83, TD
RECEIVING
Hatboro-Horsham: Casey Saverio 4-55, TD; Nick Dovidio 1-14; B Jack Abercrombie 1-12, TD
Upper Moreland: Kyle Lockard 3-26, James Norton 2-50, TD; Robert Knox 1-6; Greg Adamson 1-1.
Interceptions
Hatboro-Horsham: Nick Dovidio, Alex Kuntz, Shane Scannell 2.
Upper Moreland: none
Sacks
Hatboro-Horsham: Jack Abercrombie 2.
Upper Moreland: None
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