Check out the recaps for SOL football teams in action Friday. Truman/CR South photos courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. North Penn/Pennridge photos courtesy of Kim Supko, and Neshaminy/Pennridge photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for photo galleries of all three games.
Foot stats provided courtesy of the Intelligencer/Bucks County Courier. To stay on top of the high school football news in the area, visit the Intelligencer (https://www.theintell.com/sports/high-school) and Courier Times (https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/sports/high-school) web sites.
SOL National Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 46, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 7
If Ben Johnson was looking for a bounce-back win in his team’s conference opener, Truman’s first-year coach got just that. Friday’s no-doubt-about-it win featured the inspired performances of Dajuan Harris (130 yards, 4 TDs) and TJ Rogers (125 yards, 1 TD) and was quite a response to the Tigers’ back-to-back losses to Spring-Ford and Academy Park.
“I can’t be prouder of that team,” Johnson said. “After the shellacking we took against a very strong Spring-Ford team, I really challenged the team in ways I don’t think they’ve been challenged before.
“To go on the road last week to a very good Academy Park team and play the way they did really showed me what kind of team I have. To come off a 58-19 loss (to Spring-Ford), you judge a man in the times when they are most down. To come back from that showed me exactly what this Truman Tiger football team is all about.”
The Tigers led by just a 12-0 score at the intermission with Harris and Rogers accounting for the two touchdowns.
“As a coach, we talk about all three phases of the game – special teams, offense and defense,” Johnson said. “Out of the gate, we sputtered the first series, but the kids responded after that.
“Dajuan Harris and TJ Rogers were over 125 yards each. The quarterback play, the offensive line play. Hats off to the defense. Our defensive staff and those kids – we had a great game plan going in last week and this week. Last week we played a very good Academy Park team and we shut them down (in a 17-14 loss). We outplayed them.
“The one thing we continue to work on week after week is to eliminate the mistakes. We had a touchdown negated today due to a penalty that was unnecessary. You’re going to get the delay of game penalties here and there, but the unnecessary penalties we get for late blocks or facemasks – we believe if you take care of the small things, the big things will take care of themselves. That definitely happened tonight.”
The Tigers exploded for 20 points in the third quarter and 14 more in the fourth. Luke Capone set the tone with a strip and fumble recovery on the opening kickoff that he returned 25 yards for a touchdown.
“He’s a kid that works hard every day,” Johnson said of Capone. “He’s 100 percent bought in, and to see him with the strip – we work on the strip drill every day at practice. To see that come to fruition, it couldn’t have happened to a better kid.
“A lot of kids don’t understand that being on all the special teams you’re a starter. When he came over the sidelines and told me to hang in there – good things happen to good people, that was a good moment for him and I to share on that sideline.”
CR South interrupted the Tigers’ run when Matt Striffolino found Thomas Woloshyn with a five-yard touchdown pass to make it an 18-7 game. After that, Harris took over, scoring three straight touchdowns – the first from 50 yards. Tymar Willis capped a dazzling second half performance by the Tigers with a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown.
On the defensive side of the football, Robert Wilson had an interception for the second week in a row.
“He had another momentum builder in the second half,” Johnson said.
The Tigers’ coach had high praise for his team’s defensive effort, lauding the strong play of junior David Blay on the defensive line.
“He’s just been tremendous – he’s just a fantastic kid,” the Tigers’ coach said. “Chris Kun is another junior who has really emerged. He’s just another fantastic kid. He does exactly what we tell him to do.
“Makai Jackson is a sophomore defensive back. This team is a special team. It’s young. We honestly believe we have a fair chance to win this division outright. We don’t take any opponents lightly, but we have a chance. There’s still a lot of good football left to be played. We just take it one week at a time. After that game tonight, we went right back to 0-0. We are focused on the Redskins. That’s our task at hand. Tomorrow at nine o’clock we’ll be in there looking at film from tonight getting ready to go against Neshaminy.”
Harry S Truman (2-2, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Friday, and Council Rock South (0-4, 0-1) will host Abington on Friday.
Council Rock South 0-0-7-0 7
Harry S Truman 6-6-20-14 46
ABINGTON 49, BENSALEM 15
Tamir Berthau had another big night behind center, throwing for 218 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for two more, and after three straight convincing wins, the Ghosts’ season-opening loss to Northeast is little more than a distant memory.
Berthau – who completed 11-of-12 passes – set the tone for this one in a hurry, throwing for a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter – the first for 65 yards to Ahmad Stone and the second a 22-yard TD pass to Andrick Wesh.
The Owls kept things interesting with a touchdown of their own when QB Richard Bardone punched it in from one yard out to make it a 14-7 game after one quarter. The second quarter featured a whole lot more Berthau. After Wesh raced home from 32 yards out to make it a 21-7 game. Berthau followed with touchdown runs of 12 and one yard to send the Ghosts into halftime with 34-7 lead.
In the third quarter, Chance Byrd scored on an 11-yard run, and Johnny Dzielawa came off the bench to find Javon Neely with a nine-yard touchdown pass.
Bensalem’s JoJo Davis closed out the scoring with a three-yard run.
Stone had four receptions for 106 yards to lead all Abington receivers.
Coach Kevin Conlin credited the play of some of the game’s unsung heroes, including Wesh, whose 89 rushing yards led the Ghosts. The Abington coach also credited cornerback Brandon Lee, tight end/defensive lineman Don Gallagher as well as wide receiver Javon Neely.
Abington (3-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South Friday, and Bensalem (2-2, 0-1) will host Central Bucks South in a non-league game Friday.
Bensalem 7-0-0-8 15
Abington 14-20-15-0 49
NESHAMINY 48, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 31
Offense was the name of the game in a contest that saw the two teams combine to score 79 points while amassing close to 900 yards of total offense.
In a preview of things to come, the Redskins opened up a 21-0 lead after one quarter. Brody McAndrew – who threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns – had a pair of TD tosses. His first from 38 yards to Gavin O’Connor gave the ‘Skins a lead they would not lose. John Hutchinson’s seven-yard touchdown run was followed by a McAndrew 35-yard TD strike to Ian Sheehan.
The second quarter saw the two teams combine for 25 points, and for those who enjoy offense, Heartbreak Ridge was the place to be. The Redskins took a 34-12 lead into halftime, but the Indians – behind a touchdown pass from Jack Owens to Evan Mancinelli (51 yards) and a Tim Gibson 10-yard TD run – were finding their offensive stride as well.
When Owens found Kristian Valeriano from nine yards out with 4:06 remaining in the third quarter, it was a 34-19 game. The drive included three fourth down conversions by the Indians, including a nifty sideline pass to Gibson at the Redskins’ seven.
The Indians held on fourth-and-inches deep in their own defensive end, but they could not move the ball. A punt to their own 41 set the stage for a Redskins’ touchdown pass from McAndrew to Sheehan that gave Neshaminy a 41-19 lead with 9:19 remaining and all but sealed the Indians’ fate. On the drive, McAndrew came up with a pair of clutch third down runs for first downs. The senior quarterback had 67 rushing yards for the Redskins, who were without running back Chris James (injury).
Sheehan had another big night, hauling in four passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns. For the Indians. Owens threw for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Neshaminy (2-2, 1-0 SOL) will host Harry S Truman Friday in a battle of last year’s conference co-champions. Council Rock North (1-3, 0-1) will travel to Pennsbury Friday.
Neshaminy 21-13-0-14 48
Council Rock North 0-12-7-12 31
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 42, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 28
In a key conference battle pitting the neighboring rivals, it was West earning bragging rights. The Bucks took a tenuous 21-20 lead into halftime but outscored the Titans – who were once again without quarterback Josh Consoletti – 21-8 in the second half. Jack Fallon turned in a monster performance for the Bucks, finishing with 252 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries.
The Bucks took an early 7-0 lead when quarterback Jack Neri raced 40 yards on a keeper. The Titans evened the scored when Carter Hallgren connected with Colin Crabtree from three yards out. Back-to-back touchdown runs by Fallon – the first from 38 yards and the second from 41 – gave the Bucks a 21-6 lead, but a Hallgren to Sean Smith 12-yard touchdown pass and the successful two-point conversion pulled the Titans to within seven. Another Hallgren touchdown pass – this one a 46-yarder to Cole Andrewlevich – made it a 21-20 game at the intermission.
The only points by either team in the third quarter came when Fallon scored from seven yards out to put the Bucks on top 28-20. Nick Tumolo’s eight-yard touchdown run gave the Bucks a 35-20 lead. A Hallgren to Jason Christianson 28-yard touchdown pass made it a 35-28 game with 5:36 remaining but not for long. Fifteen seconds later, a 60-yard touchdown run by Fallon put the Bucks on top 42-28.
For the Bucks, Neri also surpassed the 100-yard mark, finishing with 106 yards and one TD on 18 carries. Bailey Moyer was a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points.
Hallgren completed 21-of-32 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns. Andrewlevich had five receptions for 74 yards and a TD to lead the Titan receivers.
Central Bucks West (4-0, 1-0 SOL) will host William Tennent on Friday, and Central Bucks South (2-2, 0-1) will be on the road at Bensalem for a non-league game Friday.
Central Bucks West 14-7-7-14 42
Central Bucks South 6-14-0-8 28
SOUDERTON 17, WILLIAM TENNENT 7
It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t always pretty, but the Indians came away with a hard fought win over the Panthers, upping their record to 4-0. It is the first time Souderton has opened its season with four straight wins since 2006.
“It’s a great feeling,” coach Ed Gallagher said. “The win was ugly, but the feeling is still great.
“We can’t be any better than 4-0 right now. It doesn’t matter what the scores are or who we played. We’re playing the teams on our schedule, we’re relatively healthy.”
The Indians were without Ethan Smerecki – a captain and two-way starter – in Friday’s win.
“He hurt his shoulder, and he wasn’t at full strength so we sat him out tonight,” Gallagher said. “That hurt us a little bit, but we got by. We were executing on offense without him, and we were making plays on defense without him, so we survived, but it could have been a lot easier with him there.”
The Indians led 3-0 when Will Leyland split the uprights with a 26-yard field goal, and they upped their advantage to 10-0 when Andrew Vince found Nick Guthre for a 22-yard TD reception in the closing seconds of the first quarter.
Tennent scored its only touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the first half, making it a 10-7 game at the half when Tommy Santiago took it in from a yard out.
“That Santiago is a heck of a player,” Gallagher said. “He ran for 1900 yards at (Archbishop) Wood, and you know the caliber of teams they play against, so you know how good the kid is.
“He runs hard. In the first half, he was finishing a lot of his runs and falling forward for another two or three yards. The difference was I thought we tackled him better in the second half. He still had some nice runs, but we tackled him and got him down a little sooner. I’m pretty pleased with the way we finished our tackles in the second half.”
It was still a 10-7 game heading into the final quarter.
“We shot ourselves in the foot several times,” Gallagher said. “I think we were inside the 20 at least six times. We had two penalties that backed us up.
“We tried two field goals – one where we had a bad snap and another that was a good snap but we just dropped it and ended up not kicking it. There were a couple of wasted possessions down in the red zone that obviously we’d like to have back.
“We were very efficient in the red zone last week. I couldn’t say that tonight. We really struggled when we got down there. We moved the ball really well between the 20s, but credit Tennent and their defense. They really did a good job of keeping us out. They made the plays when they had to, and our defense made the plays we had to.”
DeAndre Wakefield’s two-yard touchdown run gave the Indians some breathing room as they opened up a 17-7 lead midway through the final quarter.
“We spread the wealth with the carries all night, but down the stretch, the last touchdown drive that sealed the game, we were giving it to DeAndre and just riding him until he got it into the end zone,” Gallagher said. “It was great to see it. He made a couple of big defensive plays.
“He didn’t play a ton of defense tonight, but he came up with a huge strip sack and another big sack that really turned the game around in the second half.”
Willie Goods had an interception on defense for the Indians.
Souderton (4-0, 1-0 SOL) will host Pennridge on Friday, and William Tennent (2-2, 0-1) will be on the road at Central Bucks West Friday.
Souderton 10-0-0-7 17
William Tennent 0-7-0-0 7
NORTH PENN 37, PENNRIDGE 14
In a contest that saw both teams minus key starters due to injuries, it was the Knights controlling play from the outset on their way to the convincing win. Pennridge was without junior linebacker Shane Hartzell while the Knights were without senior quarterback Kolby Barrow and senior receiver/defensive back Evan Spann.
The Knights looked anything but shorthanded on their opening scoring drive that included a 13-yard completion from freshman quarterback Ryan Zeltt to Kenny Grandy on third-and-long.
“He’s only going to get better,” coach Dick Beck said of Zeltt in a postgame interview with Daryle Dobos of WNPV1440.com. “We had some problems on the offensive line with some of the blitzes, but as a whole, I’m real happy with the freshman the way he’s throwing the ball.
“I thought Kevon (White) really caught the ball well running those deep routes. We have to get Evan Spann back healthy to get all of our weapons ready to go. For the most part, I was happy with the effort.”
Also on the opening scoring drive, RJ Macnamara turned a play action pass from Zeltt into a 33-yard gain, and the drive was capped with sophomore Khalani Eaton taking it in for a touchdown. His second touchdown run – this one from 38 yards out – put the Knights on top 14-0 with 5:12 remaining in the half. A TD run by Grandy sent the Knights into halftime with a 21-0 lead. The Rams never threatened.
North Penn (3-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East next Saturday (11 a.m.), and Pennridge (1-3, 0-1) will be on the road at Souderton on Friday.
Pennridge 0-0-7-7 14
North Penn 7-14-10-6 37
SOL American Conference
QUAKERTOWN 31, UPPER MORELAND 6
The Panthers listened to the doubters who all but took them out of the equation when the subject of title contenders in the SOL American Conference came up in conversation. They knew something their critics didn’t. Forget their 0-3 record, they were battle tested, and it certainly showed in Friday’s conference opener at Upper Moreland.
“I told them right after the game at (Central Bucks) West last week – ‘Listen guys, you played probably the roughest non-league schedule in a long time here. In 10 years on the staff here at Quakertown, we’ve never gone 0-3 against opponents that were 9-0. There’s nobody in this league that’s played that schedule except Hatboro. We’re going to Upper Moreland, they’re 3-0, but we know we had a tougher road to go down,’” Quakertown coach George Banas said. “We had a really good week of practice. I think the kids were real confident going down there.
“They had a little chip on their shoulder because you read the paper today, and you have some people in the newspaper saying Upper Moreland took our place vying for the league title, so that fired them up for sure, playing them when they took our place.”
The Panthers established early that they are still very much a force to contend with, opening up a 7-0 lead when Tyler Merwarth scored from 28 yards out in the final minute of the first quarter.
“That definitely helped out,” Banas said of the first-quarter score. “We should have been on the board earlier.
“We got an interception, we drove it down and fumbled it on the second play of our first possession. That’s another seven points we left on the field early in the game. I told the kids – ‘We have to step on the gas pedal and we can’t let up the entire game. We have to have high intensity.’
“I think that led to us getting a lead and just keep going. We didn’t stop, we didn’t hesitate and wait for the wheels to fall off – almost the way we played the first three weeks. Tonight they weren’t waiting for anything to happen. They were flying around. It was good to see.”
Six minutes into the second quarter, the Panthers led 14-0, thanks to a Will Steich to Tim Garlick 49-yard touchdown pass. A 36-yard field goal by Gavin Croissette sent the Panthers into halftime with a 17-0 lead.
Upper Moreland got on the scoreboard with a touchdown in the third quarter, but Nick Demarco got that back when he recovered a fumble on a botched punt and returned it for a touchdown to put the Panthers on top 24-6. Another Merwarth touchdown run gave the Panthers their final margin of victory.
“We scored on offense, we scored on special teams,” Banas said. “Tyler Merwarth had three interceptions. Jeremy McGuigan had a fumble recovery where he actually stripped it himself and recovered it. Andre Faltz had a fumble recovery at the end of the game to keep them out of the end zone. It was good to win the turnover battle for a change.”
The Panthers’ coach also lauded the strong showing of Josh McGovern.
“Josh McGovern was just the workhorse in that second half,” Banas said. “He pounded out yards. He’s just a real quiet kid, but he gives everything he’s got.”
Quakertown (1-3, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Friday, and Upper Moreland (3-1, 0-1) will be on the road at Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Quakertown 7-10-7-7 31
Upper Moreland 0-0-6-0 6
UPPER DUBLIN 40, HATBORO-HORSHAM 13
The Cardinals shook off some early rust after their bye week to win going away in Friday’s SOL opener.
The Hatters capitalized on a Cardinal turnover to take a 7-0 lead when Pat Chapman scored from five yards out. The Cardinals responded with 33 straight points – 26 in the first half.
UD knotted the score on the final play of the opening quarter when Mike Slivka found Adam Overton with a 16-yard TD strike. Logan Heim’s six-yard TD run made it a 13-7 game midway through the second quarter. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff resulted in another Heim score, and when Jacob Rossman scored from four yards out, the Cardinals led 26-7 at halftime.
Another Slivka touchdown – this one to Sam Morganstein – put the Cardinals on top 33-7. Shortly thereafter, Slivka left the game with an injury. An Omar Ali touchdown run after a Hatter interception made it a 33-13 game, but Michael Wright got that one back for the Cardinals, scoring from 25 yards out for the 40-13 final.
Upper Dublin (3-0, 1-0 SOL) will host William Penn Charter in a non-league game Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (0-4, 0-1) will travel to Wissahickon Friday.
Upper Dublin 7-20-6-7 40
Hatboro-Horsham 7-0-0-6 13
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 57, WISSAHICKON 7
(Statistic provided by Tyler Sablich/PA Prep Live: http://papreplive.com/2019/09/13/pierce-shines-for-pw-in-rout-of-wissahickon/)
The Colonials scored points in bunches in their three non-league games. Nothing changed in Friday’s SOL opener. At the end of one quarter, they led 21-0 and doubled that advantage to 42-0 by halftime.
“I think we were once again able to spread the ball around,” coach Dan Chang said. “Five different guys scored touchdowns. We had a couple through the air as well as running them in.
“These guys are just hungry for more each week. They’re looking forward to meeting some of these other teams in the league. We’re focused on improving every day.”
Christian Pierce returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the second time in as many games – this time returning the opening kickoff of the second half 82 yards for the TD. Last week Pierce returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.
Pierce also had a 56-yard touchdown reception. Brian Dresnin had a pair of touchdown runs, and quarterback Larry McLaughlin also ran it in twice – once from 18 yards and the second from 44 yards. Christopher Pierce had a rushing TD, and back-up quarterback Phil Taormina put an explanation point on the win when he matched McLaughlin with a 44-yard touchdown run.
“It was a great team effort of spreading the ball around and our O-line staying on their blocks and finishing guys,” Chang said. “It was another stingy performance by our defense.
“Our (first team defense) didn’t give up a touchdown and forced a couple of turnovers. I was happy with how we executed.”
The Trojans’ lone score came in the fourth quarter when sophomore quarterback Aidan DeFeo – filling in for the injured Nick Santo – found Brandon Gilliard Jr.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (4-0, 1-0 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Friday, and Wissahickon (0-4, 0-1) will host Hatboro-Horsham.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 21-21-7-8 57
Wissahickon 0-0-0-7 7
Non-league
CHELTENHAM 48, NORRISTOWN 14
The Panthers and Eagles were locked in a 14-14 halftime tie. The second half – it was another story entirely as the Panthers outscored their visitors 34-0. The difference, according to coach Ryan Nase, was simple.
“We had the ball in the second half,” the Panthers’ coach said. “We had the ball for about a minute the entire second quarter. They did a really good job of controlling the ball in their offense.”
The Eagles took a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter, but Nate Edwards returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. The Eagles went on top 14-7, but a Jamir Barnes TD from six yards out knotted the score.
“We got Jamir Barnes going a little bit, and we were able to stop their run,” Nase said. “That kind of changed the momentum, and Zach Gaffin had a big return at the end of the half – he almost brought it 80 yards back, so our guys were fired up going into the locker room at halftime, and we just carried that momentum into the second half.”
A key to the second half was the Panthers’ ability to run the ball. Barnes finished with over 100 yards rushing.
“I’ve been saying – we’ve been winning with big plays, and we still haven’t gotten Jamir Barnes going,” Nase said. “Well, we got Jamir Barnes going today.
“Sam Sykes came in and had pretty substantial rushing yards, so it was a great one-two punch. I have to see the stats, but I’ve got to think we’ve got over 200 yards rushing.”
Nase credited his offensive line – center Nasir Carson, right guard Darenmeen Xayamoungkhoun, right tackle Yaseer Jenkins, left guard Joseph Thomas and left tackle Nathaniel Felix.
“They got it rolling,” Nase said. “Norristown did what every team in the country would do and tried to put a couple extra guys in the box. That’s when we were able to go over the top to TJ Harris, Nate Edwards and Amani Ezell, who had probably a 75-yard reception that should have been a touchdown.”
The Panthers coach credited Jenkins for his defensive effort as well.
“Yaseer Jenkins really ignited us on defense in the second half with quite a few tackles for a loss,” Nase said.
Friday’s win comes on the heels of the Panthers’ loss to neighboring rival Abington.
“At some point, I’m going to figure out how to score some points on Abington,” Nase said. “I also don’t think people realize how good they are. Their one loss is to a really good Northeast team.”
Cheltenham (4-1) will host Quakertown on Friday in a key conference battle.
Norristown 0-14-0-0 14
Cheltenham 0-14-27-7 48
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