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FRANCONIA TWP – Momentum was clearly on Souderton’s side in the second half of Friday night’s non-league opener against Neshaminy.
The Indians had just reeled off a pair of impressive touchdown drives, trimming a seemingly comfortable 21-6 Neshaminy halftime lead to 21-19. In that span, the Redskins had run all of three plays.
With plenty of time still on the clock, the Redskins – in dire need of a sustained drive – found themselves staring at a crucial third-and-five at the Indians’ 43-yard line. Senior quarterback Charlie Marterella, feeling pressure from the Indians, threw a pass that somehow found its way through the arms of an Indian defender and into the hands of teammate Corey Majors for a monster first down.“I was trying to throw it to Justin (Andrews) – he was running the out behind Corey, but I didn’t throw it high enough, and the D-end tipped it,” Marterella said. “Corey just made a great play snagging the ball and getting the first down.
“That was one of the bigger plays. It got us the first down, and it kept the drive going.”
Although the Redskins came up empty on that fourth quarter drive, Majors’ reception allowed them to run six more plays and take precious time off the clock. The Indians coughed up the ball on their ensuing possession and then saw a final desperation drive stall at their own 46, allowing the Redskins to hold on for a hard-fought 21-19 win in a riveting season opener.
“We were ready,” Marterella said. “We knew they were a good team. On film they looked great. We expected a tough game.
“This feels great – 1-0 to start the year, and we have a good feeling going into next week. We need to keep rolling.”
Marterella certainly did his part to ensure the win, throwing for 137 yard and a touchdown while providing a steadying presence and making all the right plays. Majors – a defensive force at linebacker all night long - rumbled for 64 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries while Anthony Woodroffe added 50 yards.Junior Tyler Scholl led the Indians’ ground game with 81 yards and a touchdown while Joe McNamara added 56. Junior Tanner Allem had an impressive debut at quarterback. The 6-5 junior finished the night 12-for-17 for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“He showed a lot of composure, a lot of poise in the pocket throwing the ball,” Souderton coach Ed Gallagher said. “For the first start, I was very pleased with the effort he gave.
“He controlled the offense and made the throws he had to make. It’s nice to have a passing game. It really does open things up for us.”
For those who think the Indians might have been satisfied to play a perennial league and district power Neshaminy squad to a two-point game after last year’s 35-6 loss, guess again.
“You have to take something good out of everything, but we lost,” Souderton senior Joe Stolfi said. “You can’t put it in any happy way, you can’t sugarcoat that. We lost. It doesn’t matter if you lose by an inch or a mile. We lost.”
The Indians made an early statement in Friday’s game, turning Clint Passarella’s fumble recovery on the third play of the game into a nine-play, 38-yard touchdown drive and a 6-0 lead.
The Redskins answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive of their own that was highlighted by a pair of Materella completions – the first a 22-yarder to Shane Quinn and the second a 30-yard TD strike to Ulmer. Sean Sheridan’s extra point put the Redskins on top 7-6.A three-and-out for the Indians set up a 57-yard Redskin touchdown drive that featured seven straight Woodroffe carries, including a two-yard TD plunge.
The backbreaker for the Indians came after Majors came up with a big stop on fourth-and-two, giving the Redskins possession on the Indians’ 41-yard line.
“He’s really good,” Gallagher said of Majors. “We have good kids, but he’s a difference maker.”
In a glittering individual effort, Majors – shedding a pair of defenders at the 10 – took it in from 24 yards out, sending the Redskins into halftime with a 21-6 lead.
“I will tell anyone that wants to listen that we’re going to be a physical football team,” Gallagher said. “I was a little disappointed with our physicality in the second quarter.
“I thought we played fairly well in our two scrimmages – we didn’t give up any points against our first (team) defense, but the kids didn’t get the chance to respond to adversity. Neshaminy came out and scored, and we went in the tank. I don’t know why. That’s what ultimately cost us the game.”
On their opening drive of the second half, a fired-up Indian squad marched 69 yards with Scholl taking it in from the one. Kyle Wenger’s extra point made it a 21-13 game. “We loosened up,” said Stolfi, who turned in a dominant effort on both sides of the football on the line. “We were flying around on defense, and we were pushing them off the ball on offense.
“We just started playing football. That second quarter we were a little down, but we really picked it up in the second half.”
After a three-and-out by the Redskins, the Indians answered with a 15-play drive that was capped with Allem punching it in from two yards out. The Redskins stonewalled the Indians’ try for two, but suddenly, it was a 21-19 game.
“I think we got our confidence back,” Gallagher said. “I said to them at halftime, ‘We’ve got to get our swagger. We’re playing with our heads down right now, not making tackles. Let’s get our swagger back and get ourselves back in this game.’”
Then came the Neshaminy drive that didn’t result in any points but ate more than seven minutes off the clock, effectively sealing the win for the Redskins.
“We watched them play Parkland here, and they really gave Parkland more than they could handle,” Redskin coach Mark Schmidt said. “You can’t ride a roller coaster, and I think we did that, and Souderton almost took advantage of that.
“They came out (in the second half) with some emotion, and we had one or two execution problems. We had the plays we wanted, but we don’t block their best player.”
The Indians may be 0-1 out of the gate but served notice that they could be heard from this season.
“It was a great test for us tonight,” Gallagher said. “They’re a physical football team, they’re a good football team. I give them credit – they deserved to win, but we had our chances.
“I like our team. They’re good kids. I knew they would come back. I knew we would get back in the game. I’m pleased with the effort, but we have to get over the hump. We have to find a way to win that game.”
>NESHAMINY 21, SOUDERTON 19
Neshaminy 7 14 0 0-21
Souderton 6 0 7 6-19
S-Allem 1 run (Kick failed)
N-Ulmer 30 pass from Materella (Sheridan kick)
N-Woodroffe 2 run (Sheridan kick)
N-Majors 24 run (Sheridan)
S-Scholl 1 run (Wenger kick)
S-Allem 2 run (Run failed)
N S
First Downs 15 19
Rushing Yards 130 192
Passing Yards 136 122
Total Yards 266 314
Passing (C-A-I) 11-22-0 12-17-0
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1
Penalties-Yds. 2-10 5-45
Punts-Avg. 1-52.0 1-22.0
RUSHING:
Neshaminy: Corey Majors, 7-64, 1 TD; Anthony Woodroffe, 16-50; Sean Ulmer, 5-14, 1 TD; Charlie Marterella, 3-2.
Souderton: Tyler Scholl, 13-81, 1 TD; Joe McNamara, 11-56; Javon White, 7-21; Chris Force, 4-18; Tanner Allem, 6-12, 1 TD; Peter Jenne, 1-4.
PASSING:
Neshaminy: Charlie Marterella, 11-22-137, 1 TD.
Souderton: 12-17-122
RECEIVING:
Neshaminy: Sean Ulmer, 2-26; Justin Andrews, 3-25; Anthony Woodroffe, 1-24; Shane Quinn, 1-22; Dwight Williams, 1-16; Bobby Materella, 2-14; Corey Majors, 1-10.
Souderton: Alex Sowhangar, 6-72; Tyler Scholl, 1-18; Joe McNamara, 3-12; Peter Jenne, 1-12; Ry Yozallinas, 1-8.
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