Upper Dublin defeated Pennsbury in SOL football on Saturday. Photos provided courtesy of Geanine Jamison Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Non-league
UPPER DUBLIN 28, PENNSBURY 9
(Statistics by Kev Hunter/PA Prep Live: https://papreplive.com/2021/10/09/upper-dublin-overcomes-sluggish-start-beats-pennsbury/)
Upper Dublin – the fifth seed in the latest District One 5A power rankings – scored a pair of touchdowns in each half to defeat winless Pennsbury on Saturday.
“It wasn’t our ‘A’ game, but you’re going to have games like that where you need to find a way to win,” coach Bret Stover said. “When you’re playing a team that hasn’t won – and I’ve been that team, I know you’re going to get their best shot, and that’s what we got from Pennsbury today.
“I’ve seen them on film a number of times, and they’re getting better each week, so they’re not far off. Dan (McShane) is doing a nice job with them.”
The Falcons served notice that they could not be taken lightly, moving down the field on their opening possession but settling for a 30-yard Brady Burgfechtel field goal and a 3-0 lead.
“It wasn’t that they gave us anything we haven’t seen,” Stover said. “They just ran it better than we could replicate at practice. Defensively, they went right down the field on us. No excuses, they shoved it down our throats. Then we stopped them and held them to a field goal, and from there, we played much, much better.”
A four-yard touchdown run by Nyfese McIntyre capped a UD scoring drive, giving the Cardinals a 7-3 lead with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. One of the day’s prettiest plays, according to Stover, was a Colin O’Sullivan to Griffin Pensabene 11-yard touchdown pass that sent the Cardinals into halftime with a 14-3 advantage.
“Griffin Pensabene caught a really nice back shoulder throw from Colin O’Sullivan,” the UD coach said. “It was a really, really super catch.
“Griff had two really big catches for us today. One was the touchdown and one was a big first down before our last touchdown. He does some things – he can catch the heck out the ball, and he has a knack for getting open, which is nice.”
McIntyre capped a long scoring drive to open the third quarter with a 14-yard touchdown run that put the Cardinals on top 21-3.
“Coming out of halftime we had an almost six-minute drive for a touchdown, which is awesome coming out of the locker room with our adjustments and the kids buying in,” Stover said. “We actually schooled Nyfese up a little bit because he was not being patient in the hole, and he tried to bounce outside way too early.
“The one he scored on he actually did exactly what you would ask for if you were drawing things up. He was patient in the hole and then he saw the cut, and when he saw the cut, he was able to go. He’s got some really good skills as a junior. He needs to be a little patient. We all want him to go to the house every time, but it doesn’t happen that way.”
One of the day’s highlights was the return to the field of senior running back Michael Wright, who has been sidelined with an injury. He punched it in from a yard out to account for UD’s final touchdown.
“You kind of work yourself back into it – he’s been practicing,” Stover said. “Michael’s got a lot of upside. Unfortunately, he got hurt in the Council Rock South game, but to get him back, get him some touches, get him in the end zone and see Mike smile again was worth the whole day to be honest with you because when Mike plays with confidence, Mike plays really well. That was part of the goal there.
“And you know what – the first person out there to greet him was Nyfise McIntyre. They would share load if they were both healthy. Nyfise was the first guy out there to high five Michael, which was really cool.”
McIntyre led the Cardinals with 14 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns. O’Sullivan completed 13-of-16 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown and also had eight carries for 44 yards. Noah Lee had six receptions for 55 yards.
“He was steady again, another six catches,” Stover said of Lee. “Colin O’Sullivan played well. Really what they were playing us in was not conducive for us to throw the ball, but Colin showed his versatility by being able to run the ball. He hurt them with his feet today more than his arm, which as a dual threat quarterback you have to do sometimes.
“We’d all love to throw the ball – trust me, I want to throw the ball 75 times a game, but sometimes the defense dictates – ‘This is what you have to do to beat us,’ and that’s what we did today. They played us not to give up the big play, and I don’t blame them for that. We took what they gave us which shows that we have patience. We don’t panic, we’re going to be able to take the ball and go 15 plays.”
Nathan Beighley scored the Falcons’ lone touchdown in the final minute of the game. Galamama Mulbah led Pennsbury with 12 carries for 81 yards in a contest that saw the Cardinals’ defense limit the Falcons to less than 200 yards of total offense.
Tristain Cairnes had an interception for the Cardinals, and Cael Jamison was credited with a sack.
“We’re a little beat up, but everybody is a little beat up,” Stover said. “It showed in what we were doing on both sides of the ball. We played well enough to win today, but as we told the kids after the game – we are by no means satisfied with how we won that game.
“We still need to be more disciplined on both sides of the ball. The penalties were there. We need to get off the field as a defense, and we need to maintain the ball on offense. Penalties are hurting us right now, and it’s week seven. Those things should be cleaned up. I don’t want to make excuses, but we’re patchwork right now. We have a whole 11 linemen from (grades) 9-12, so when one of those guys go down, you’re moving bodies, regardless.”
Upper Dublin (5-2, 3-1 SOL) will host Souderton on Saturday at 11 a.m., and Pennsbury (0-7, 0-4) will host Central Bucks South on Friday.
Pennsbury 3-0-0-6 9
Upper Dublin 0-14-7-7 28
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