Quakertown & Pennsbury were winners in Saturday's District One Quad-A contests. Check back to view photos of the Quakertown/CB East game…CLICK HERE.
By Scott Huff
Buckingham – Moments after Quakertown captured a razor-thin 7-6 PIAA Quad-A District One playoff victory over host Central Bucks East Saturday afternoon – Panther head coach George Banas held a spanking new football over his head.
“The winner of games in the (district) playoffs get the game ball for the next game,” said Banas. “This football means that we get to play another 48 minutes next week.”
Quakertown – the # 12 seed – will host Neshaminy – the # 13 seed – in a quarterfinal Quad-A District One playoff game next Friday. The Redskins advanced to the game at Alumni Field with a convincing 31-16 victory over # 4 seed Spring-Ford.
“We got to bring another game back to Quakertown,” smiled Panther senior Tom Garlick. “The seniors on this team thought our last game (a 24-23 loss to the same CB East team last week) was our final home game – and it was a sad feeling.”
And now those sad feelings were transferred – at least for the moment – to the Central Bucks East seniors.
“The biggest message I left with the players was that you will reflect on this season years from now and feel good about it,” said Central Bucks East head coach John Donnelly. “This was only the second CB East team to host a home playoff game – this team was the only the fifth East team to make the district playoffs – and this was in the first time in 10 years that an East team made the playoffs.
“The players on this team took the program to new heights,” added Donnelly. “And now we have to continue to build on that.”
In a season that has featured dizzying offensive numbers – this contest was a game of remarkable defense by both the Panthers and the Patriots. There aren’t too many games this season where the victorious team scored just seven points.
“We talked all week about playing a clean game offensively – not turning the ball over,” said Banas as the Panthers lost just one fumble. “And defensively we felt we needed to flip the script from last week – and get some turnovers.”
The opportunistic Panther defense came up with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. And a huge part of that ‘script-flip’ on defense was moving Garlick – who has excelled as the Q-town quarterback all season – into a hybrid safety/linebacker.
“I have played in some defensive packages this year,” said Garlick. “But I feel that I am a physical player and it was awesome to be able to mix it up today.”
“This is playoff football,” said Banas. “And playoff football means that you put the best players you have on the field.”
Quakertown scored on its first possession of the game – and little did anyone know that it would be the one and only touchdown for the potent Panther offense against the swarming CB East defense.
Q-town went on a 10-play, 53-yard scoring drive and scored with 5:09 left in the first period. Banas – as things turned out – made his game-deciding decision with the Panthers facing a fourth-and-four from the CBE five-yard line. Banas rolled the dice as Garlick handed off the ball to senior running back Rob Burns who scored on the five-yard touchdown burst.
Panther place kicker Anthony Soriano added the extra point – and that point scored midway through the first period became the game winner.
Central Bucks East scored its only touchdown with 11:29 left in the fourth quarter. Senior running back Alex Gibson – who rushed for a game-high 142 yards – scored on a 25-yard touchdown bolt. On the attempt for the PAT – a high snap resulted in a desperation pass that fell incomplete for a possible two-point conversion.
“You have to give Quakertown credit for making big plays,” said Donnelly. “It was a game where both teams had to grind it out.”
“We played hard – and now we get to play another game,” said Banas. “All you want at this time of year is to win games – and get to play another 48 minutes.”
And to be able to play a PIAA Quad-A District One playoff football game with a brand new football.
Quakertown Panthers 7 0 0 0 * 7
Central Bucks East 0 0 0 6 * 6
Quakertown Panthers CB East Patriots
13 First Downs 10
140 Rushing Yards 231
40 Passing Yards 22
180 Total Offense 253
3-35 Penalties/Yards 5-45
5-35 Punts/Average 2-31
Quakertown
Rushing: Rob Burns 25-80 & TD; Nick Bonomo 8-40; Tom Garlick 9-17 and Jon Potynski 1-3. Totals 43-140 & TD.
Passing: Tom Garlick 7-12-0, 40 yards.
Receiving: Jon Potynski 3-5; Rob Burns 2-10; Kyle Baskin 1-9 and Jack Chenoweth 1-6. Totals 7-40.
Interceptions: Kyle Baskin (2) and Jack Chenoweth.
Central Bucks East
Rushing: Alex Gibson 21-142 & TD; Jack Lamb 10-94; Ethan Silverman 1 (-2) and Dakota Knipe 1 (-3). Totals 33-231 & TD.
Passing: Jack Lamb 4-9-2; 22 yards and Owen Griffin 0-1-1; 0 yards Total 4-10-3; 22 yards.
Receiving: Logan Nelsen 1-17; Alex Gibson 1-3; Brian Stella 1-5 and Wes Verbit 1 (-3). Totals 4-22.
#1-15 PENNSBURY 35, #1-2 DOWNINGTOWN WEST 28 (OT)
It’s starting to look as if the Falcons have the Whippets’ number.
For the second time in as many years, Pennsbury sent Downingtown West home for the season. Last year, the Falcons – the district’s second-seeded team – were heavy favorites on their home field. This year, they were not – at least if the district seedings mean anything, and the Falcons proved they don’t.
A seven-yard touchdown run by Rob Daly on the Falcons’ opening drive gave the visitors a 7-0 lead, and that lead grew to 14-0 after quarterback Mike Alley found Luke Snyder with a four-yard touchdown pass with time winding down in the first quarter. The Whippets rallied to knot the score 14-14 by halftime. It turned out to be a preview of things to come.
At the end of three quarters, the teams were deadlocked 21-21 – a Chris Rupprecht TD from nine yards out accounted for Pennsbury’s score. The Falcons regained the lead when Mike Alley took it in from two yards out. Again, the Whippets had an answer, knotting the scored 28-28 with 3:30 remaining in regulation.
The Falcons mounted one last drive, and when Alley found Quentin Davis with a bomb at the Whippets’ 11, the Falcons sent on the field goal unit but – on a design play – went for the touchdown instead. The ball was picked off in the end zone, setting the stage for overtime.
On the Falcons’ first possession, Alley scored from one yard out after Daly took it nine yards on the first play of the series. Downingtown West lost six yards on its first play, and three incomplete passes gave the Falcons the big win.
Pennsbury accumulated over 300 yards on the ground with both Alley and Rupprecht surpassing the 100-yard mark and Daly coming close with 93.
Pennsbury (8-3, 5-2 SOL) will travel to 10th-seeded Perkiomen Valley for a quarterfinal game on Saturday, 7 p.m.
Pennsbury 14-0-7-7-7 35
Downingtown West 0-14-7-7-0 28
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