Check out all of Friday night's SOL football results. To view photos of the PW/Upper Dublin and CB West/North Penn games, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Ben Reese
DOYLESTOWN – Wow, that wasn't expected.
No one figured that the meeting of the two undefeated teams in the Suburban One League Continental Conference would end up like that.
“That” was the 50-14 pasting that North Penn delivered to Central Bucks West at War Memorial Stadium Friday night.
The Knights entered the game with a 5-0 league mark after losing their first three non-league games. The Bucks were riding a seven-game winning streak and were also 5-0 in conference play.
But North Penn came right out of the chute and put it to West. The Knights scored with only 1:55 gone in the first period and then put points on the scoreboard on their next four possessions and on seven of their first eight – in the first half alone.
A long kick-off return to open the second half led to a quick TD with only 14 seconds elapsed to make it 50-14 and the mercy rule kicked in. Following a first half which took nearly one hour and thirty minutes, the second half sped by in just about a half hour due to the running clock of the mercy rule.
North Penn coach Dick Beck was subdued after the game but had nothing but praise for his team.
“I told the kids before the game,” he said. “Everybody was so down on them being 0-3.
“The coaching staff just believes in them so much and the way they're playing. I just believe nobody is going to stop us.
“I want them to know that we believe in them and that we believe they're going to make the plays when we need them to.
“It's a big win for us. It's a huge win.”
Justin Hudimac, who scored the first touchdown of the game and then added another at the end of the first half, knew what his team was working for.
“This was a big game, both undefeated coming into this game,” the North Penn senior wide receiver said. “We just worked hard
“I told (my teammates) that if we just keep it up, we're going to put up a lot of points and that's what we did.
“Starting off 0-3, coming back to take the league. Now we're 6-0 (in the SOL); that's a great feeling.”
Hudimac had a lot to do with the Knights getting to the top of the conference standings. He caught four passes for 67 yards, including a 10-yard TD strike from quarterback Austin Shearer, and bolted 25 yards on North Penn's third play of the game to put the first points on the board.
“We have to be a team offense,” Beck explained. “We've got to spread the wealth.
“With Justin Hudimac kind of emerging for us as a real good player with the ball in his hands, he's kind of been the difference. Nyfease (West) can run tough and Luke Berry, too.
“Now you've got Hudimac and Nick Wright. Now you've got four guys you have to worry about on offense.”
CB West coach Brian Hensel was obviously disappointed in his team's performance.
“They played well,” Hensel said. “We did not. We played terrible.
“We played terrible offensively; we played terrible defensively; we played terrible in the kicking game. When you play terrible, you lose to good teams like 50-14.”
Hensel spread the blame around to his whole team.
“We've got to get first downs,” the Bucks coach said. “We've got to move the ball. We've got to get stops.
“Did they punt tonight? No. If a team doesn't punt, we didn't do our job defensively.
“Did we get the first downs when we need to or get three-and-outed? No, we got three-and-outed and that doesn't work.
“Did we do what we had to do in the kicking game? No, we didn't.
“We started the second half giving up a return to the 20 yard line. We couldn't do that.
“They score right away and the games goes into mercy rule. We were terrible tonight, absolutely terrible.”
Beck and Hudimac looked at it from different angle. They both agreed that North Penn just played better.
“The line played great,” Hudimac said. “(Austin) Shearer made some good calls, calling passes that we needed to do.
“We are playing good football right now, but we're not going to stop. We're going to keep working hard toward next week, take one game at a time.”
Beck agreed.
“I felt that Austin Shearer absolutely played his best game tonight,” the coach said. “Hopefully, we can continue to improve.
“We not trying to send messages. We're just trying to win the game.
“I've been here a long time, and when we were 0-3, it's tough to get out to practice. To get us to this point, the senior leadership, I can't be more proud of them.
“We can't break our hands patting ourselves on the back because if we don't win next week, we won't be the sole champs. We've got to get together and win next week.
“There's no guarantee that we're going to be in the playoffs if we don't win next week. Souderton (next week's opponent) isn't going to roll over for us.”
The first quarter of the game went pretty much as expected. After North Penn got its quick early score, set up by a Zach Brandis interception of a John Fitz pass, West came right back and scored 12 seconds later when Marvin Todd broke through a hole and sped for 80 yards and the tying TD.
That tie didn't last long. The Knights put together a seven-play drive, all on the ground, to untie the game as Nyfease West went in from the 23.
A four-and-out by the Bucks gave the ball back to the Knights. Seven plays later, Shearer ran in from the nine and it was 21-7.
CB West got its offense going at the end of the first period and into the second. The Bucks drove 80 yards, mostly through the air, and Todd scored from the three and to get them to within a touchdown at 21-14.
However, that was as close as the Bucks would ever get. After the ensuing kickoff was returned to the North Penn 37, Berry broke out for 57 yards to the CB West six.
Two plays later, North Penn's West scored again. And then he ran in the two-point conversion and the Knights were suddenly up 29-14.
North Penn scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter. The first one came when Shearer tossed a long lateral pass to Kris Akins, who then passed to a wide open Wright for 33 yards and the score.
The final score of the first half came with just 12.6 seconds left. Shearer passed 10 yards to Hudimac and North Penn held a 29-point lead at halftime.
The mercy rule came into effect at the beginning of the second half. The Bucks had been called for a personal foul penalty at the end of the first half and had to kick off from their own 25-yard line.
Hudimac took that kickoff and returned it 43 yards to the CB West 17. One play later, the Knights' West went in, and Matt Ammendola kicked his fifth extra point and it was 50-14.
“(There was) definitely big motivation,” Hudimac said of North Penn not winning the title last year. “Not making the playoffs last year, we knew it was important to win the league this year. That's what we're trying to do.”
It must be working.
North Penn 21 22 7 0—50
CB West 7 7 0 0—14
NP – Justin Hudimac 25 run (Matt Ammendola kick)
CBW – Marvin Todd 80 run (Mike Miller kick)
NP – Nyfease West 23 run (Ammendola kick)
NP – Austin Shearer 9 run (Ammendola kick)
CBW – Todd 3 run (Miller kick)
NP – West 5 run (West run)
NP – Nick Wright 33 pass from Kris Akins (Ammendola kick)
NP – Hudimac 10 pass from Shearer (Ammendola kick)
NP – West 17 run (Ammendola kick)
North Penn CB West
First downs 21 12
Rushing yards 296 150
Passing yards 181 88
Total yards 477 238
Passing 8-11-0 11-20-1
Fumbles – lost 1-0 1-0
Penalties – yards 3-15 7-57
Punts-Avg. 0-0 6-26.9
Individual statistics
Rushing
North Penn: Luke Berry 7-81; Nyfease West 14-78, 3 TDs; Justin Hudimac 3-46, 1 TD; Anthony Cameron 9-45; John Posavec 8-29; Dorian Sobetsky 1-10; Austin Shearer 1-9; Spencer Jones 2- (-) 2.
CB West: Marvin Todd 19-120, 2 TD; Jake Bevan 6-18; Cesar Laboy 2-10; John Fitz 3-2.
Passing
North Penn: Shearer 7-10, 148 yards, 1 TD; Kris Akins 1-1, 33 yards, 1 TD.
CB West: John Fitz 10-19, 80 yards, 1 int; Bevan 1-2, 8 yards.
Receiving
North Penn: Nick Wright 2-86, 1 TD; Hudimac 4-67, 1 TD; Brandon Quinn 1-20; Berry 1-8.
CB West: Mark Ciaudelli 3-40; Corey Schott 2-19; Joe Ramos 4-17; Matt Kilkenny 1-10; Brandon McCauley 1-8.
Around the SOL…
(Stats used in the wraps below are provided courtesy of Calkins Media. For complete high school football coverage, please visit the web site www.PhillyBurbs.com.)
National Conference
NESHAMINY 31, ABINGTON 14
For one half, it looked as though someone might finally give the Redskins a game as Neshaminy took just a 10-7 lead into halftime.
Then came a third quarter that saw the Redskins score 14 unanswered points.
The Ghosts were never heard from again.
D’Andre Pollard turned in what is becoming a routinely brilliant performance, carrying the ball 40 times for 269 yards and four touchdowns. The Ghosts, who had three turnovers, had no answer for that kind of performance.
For the Ghosts, Craig Reynolds carried the ball 19 times for 77 yard and one TD while sophomore quarterback David Kretschman completed 11-of-15 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown. Jordan Neely had six catches for 63 yards.
Abington (7-2, 4-2 SOL) will host William Tennent to close out its regular season next week while Neshaminy (9-0, 6-0) will travel to Pennsbury for the eagerly awaited showdown for the SOL National Conference’s top spot.
Neshaminy 7-3-14-7 31
Abington 0-7-0-7 14
PENNSBURY 57, BENSALEM 14
Charles Snorweah had just five carries in Friday’s win, but he made the most of them, finishing the night with 202 yards and three touchdowns. It was his 81-yard touchdown run that put the Falcons on top 13-7 in the second quarter, but the Owls answered with a 54-yard touchdown pass from QB George Pegram to SeQuan Riggins that – after the extra point – gave Bensalem a 14-13 lead. Ronquay Smith raced in from 57 yards out to give the Falcons a lead they would not lose, 19-14. The Falcons took a 30-14 lead into halftime and dominated play in the second half, outscoring the Owls 27-0.
The Falcons (8-1, 6-0 SOL) will host Neshaminy next Friday in a winner-take-all title game while the Owls (1-8, 1-5) will host Harry S Truman.
Pennsbury 7-23-13-14 57
Bensalem 7-7-0-0 14
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 34, WILLIAM TENNENT 21
Tyler Anderson had himself quite a night for the Golden Hawks, accumulating 166 yards on four carries. He finished the night with four touchdowns – three on the ground and one in the air.
The Golden Hawks led this one wire-to-wire, opening up a quick 7-0 lead after a 13-yard Vince Alimenti touchdown run. By halftime, the Golden Hawks led 27-13. Tennent’s highlight of the half was a 91-yard touchdown run in the closing seconds. In the opening half, the Golden Hawks pounded out 279 yards on the ground. They finished with 393 yards rushing for the game.
Rock South went on to open up a 34-14 lead before David Cunane took it in from 45 yards out for the 34-21 final.
The Golden Hawks (2-7, 2-4 SOL) will take on archrival Council Rock North in next Friday’s season finale while the Panthers (2-7, 1-5) will travel to Abington to close out their season.
Council Rock South 7-20-7-0 34
William Tennent 0-13-0-8 21
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 21, HARRY S TRUMAN 17
The Indians needed a win to keep their postseason playoff hopes alive, and it didn’t look like they were going to get it, trailing the Tigers 17-7 midway through the fourth quarter. But a late rally that featured a whole lot of Brandon McIlwaine – who engineered a pair of late TD drives - propelled the Indians to the dramatic win.
The Tigers opened up a 10-0 lead after Corey McCloud’s three-yard touchdown run. McIlwaine made it a 10-7 game with a TD run in the second quarter, but when Truman QB Jake Zolna took it in from seven yards out in the fourth quarter, the Tigers led 17-7. The Indians final drive of the game covered 99 yards and was capped with a 57-scoring strike from McIlwaine to Dejuan Martin.
The Indians (6-3, 3-3 SOL) will host Council Rock South in their league finale next Friday while the Tigers (3-6, 1-5) will travel to Bensalem.
Council Rock North 0-0-7-14 21
Harry S Truman 0-10-0-7 17
Continental Conference
QUAKERTOWN 24, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 7
The Panthers picked up their second win in as many outings while the Titans lost their fourth straight game. The Panthers, who took a 14-0 lead into halftime, opened up a 17-0 lead when Nick Soriano connected on a 21-yard field goal. South senior Brian Kish ran the ensuing kick-off back 85 yards for the score, and suddenly, it was a 17-7 game.
The Panthers answered with another time-consuming drive, this one capped with Matt Stoneback’s one-yard TD plunge that put the Panthers on top 24-7
The Panthers (5-4, 2-3 SOL) will host Central Bucks East in their league finale next Friday while the Titans (4-5, 2-3) will travel to Central Bucks West for their final game.
SOUDERTON 21, HATBORO-HORSHAM 6
Quarterback AJ Curotto returned to the lineup and made his presence felt, rushing for a pair of touchdowns, but it was a bit of trickery that ultimately iced the win for the Indians when Curotto threw a short pass to wide receiver Manny Nieves, who lateraled to Jamar White. White took it in from 22 yards out to put the Indians – after the extra point – on top 21-6.
Nieves had five catches for the Indians and put his name in the record books with the single season reception record.
The lone highlight of the night for the Hatters was a 42-yard touchdown run by Kingsley Nworu in the third quarter.
The Indians (2-7, 2-4 SOL) will travel to North Penn for their regular season finale on Friday while the Hatters (3-6, 1-5) will host Pennridge.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0-6-0 6
Souderton 6-8-0-7 21
PENNRIDGE 47, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 27
The Rams fell behind 17-7 and still trailed 20-14 late in the game, but they outscored the visiting Patriots 33-7 to earn a big win that keeps their faint playoff hopes alive. Mike Class scored three touchdowns and gained close to 200 yards on the ground.
The Rams (6-3, 2-3) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham next Friday while the Patriots (4-5, 3-3) will travel to Quakertown.
American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 28, UPPER DUBLIN 23
(To read Scott Huff’s complete game story, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/article/content/knights-claim-conference-crown-0039075.)
Quarterback Connor Hanlon was unstoppable in the first half, scoring on touchdown runs of 25, eight and 55 yards to propel the Colonials to a 21-0 lead. A John Derr quarterback sneak for the score made it a 21-7 game at the intermission.
Things got interesting when the Flying Cardinals trimmed that lead to 21-14, but a Brian Afflick 20-yard TD run put the Colonials on top 28-14. A safety and a one-yard TD run by John Lee made it a 28-23 game, but the Flying Cardinals would get no closer.
Afflick rushed for a game high 120 yards and one TD while Hanlon had 102 yards on the ground and three TD’s. Jose Mora-Vega added 85 yards. For the Flying Cardinals, Derr had a big night, gaining 53 yards and a TD on the ground and throwing for 191 yards.
The Colonials (7-2, 6-0 SOL) can clinch sole possession of the conference crown with a win at Springfield next Friday. The Flying Cardinals (8-1, 5-1) will host Upper Merion.
Upper Dublin 0-7-9-7 21
Plymouth Whitemarsh 7-14-7-0 28
SPRINGFIELD 18, UPPER MORELAND 16
In a game that saw the two teams combine for nine turnovers, the Golden Bears had their chance to win it when Dan Pagano came up with an interception. A costly fumble on the Spartans’ two-yard line all but ended any chance of a comeback.
The Golden Bears actually opened up a 14-0 lead. Nick Delucas scored on a five-yard run to make it a 7-0 game at the end of one quarter, and in the second quarter, Charlie Hooker found Colton Hooker with a 10-yard TD pass.
The Spartans responded with 12 unanswered points, getting on the scoreboard when quarterback Brendan Doyle found Khalil Hopkins-Bey with a 15-yard scoring strike. A Doyle one-yard TD run made it a 14-12 game at halftime. Another Doyle one-yard touchdown put the Spartans on top 18-12, and the only points Upper Moreland could manage the rest of the way came on a late-game safety.
Upper Moreland junior running back Tyler Whitmore was limited to just 48 yards on 17 carries on a night that saw the Spartans’ defense limit Upper Moreland to just 187 yards of total offense.
The loss took the Golden Bears (3-6, 2-4 SOL) out of the District One AAA playoff race. They will travel to Wissahickon for next week’s league finale. Springfield (5-3, 3-3) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Springfield 0-12-6-0 18
Upper Moreland 7-7-0-2 16
CHELTENHAM 42, UPPER MERION 26
Cheltenham exploded for 28 second quarter points to blow open a close game. Greg Morris put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. It was the only score of the quarter for either team.
Things changed in a hurry in a second quarter that saw Mark Heimann take it in from 18 yards out and then return a punt 65 yards for a TD. Morris had a 44-yard touchdown run and Chris Myarick hauled in a seven-yard Heimann pass for a touchdown, sending the Panthers into halftime with a 35-6 lead.
Morris finished the game with 95 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Anthony Eskin had 79 yards on 11 carries, and Heimann had 65 yards and two TDS on six carries.
Cheltenham (4-5, 3-3 SOL) will close out its league season next Saturday at Norristown while the Vikings (3-6, 1-5) will travel to Upper Dublin.
Cheltenham 7-28-7-0 42
Upper Merion0-6-6-14 26
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