Emotions will run high when Council Rock South and Pennsbury take the field for Friday night’s SOL showdown at Council Rock Stadium.
South will be playing its first home game since the sudden passing of assistant coach Bruce Stansbury two weeks ago. Prior to the game, there will be a moment of silence in memory of the offensive line coach, and the school’s marching band will play a rendition of “Amazing Grace” after the National Anthem in tribute to Stansbury.
Coach Vince Bedesem acknowledged that his players have responded to the tragedy by displaying a maturity beyond their years.
“Handling everything the way they handled the last (14) days has just been amazing,” the Rock South coach said. “They have all stepped up.”
Bedesem not only lost a colleague but also a close friend of 33 years.
“As an adult, I know what I go through, and I can only image what it’s like to be a 16 or 17-year-old kid who looks at their coaches – nothing can ever go wrong, and they’re always going to be around,” Bedesem said. “You never know when it’s going to hit a kid. It might hit a kid two weeks from now or four weeks from now. You don’t know what the magnitude of all this is until you keep going through the season.”
The Golden Hawks – fresh off an emotional 17-14 win over Conwell Egan - will need a big performance from its offensive line, which will block for a backfield that includes quarterbacks Terrence McGovern and Billy Fleming as well as running back Russ Chichkin, who has been averaging over six yards a carry.
Bedesem is also looking for a big game from fullback/linebacker B.J. Deola, who – according to the veteran coach – has been playing hurt for a year and a half.
“He’s going to have to bring his ‘A’ game,” the Rock South coach said. “He’s played wonderful for us. His leadership has been impeccable. I am so proud of the way he’s picked up his leadership role, but now it’s time for him to really excel in his play.”
While Rock South is riding the wave of an eight-game winning streak that began last season, Pennsbury will be coming into the game with a chip on its shoulder after last week’s 20-6 loss to Glen Mills.
“They deserved to win the game,” Falcon coach Galen Snyder said. “They outplayed us.
“We need to win a football game. We haven’t been in a real good mood after losing.”
Bedesem knows his team will be on the receiving end of any lingering frustration from that loss.
“They’re ready for bear,” he said of the Falcons. “They’re one of the best teams, not only in District One, but I still say they’re one of the best teams in the State of Pennsylvania.”
On the offensive side of the football, the Falcons – led by running back Richie Applegate – love to grind it out on the ground. Like his counterpart on Rock South, Applegate averages in the neighborhood of six yards a carry and is coming off a 130-yard rushing game against Glen Mills.
Sophomore quarterback Brandon Pepper is also a threat to run the football.
“What you worry about with Pennsbury – probably even from the time that I played and even times before that when I watched my brothers play - it’s in-your-face, smash-mouth football,” Bedesem said. “They don’t call their web site ‘ground and pound’ for nothing.
“That’s what you look for in the game – ball control, big bodies on big bodies. They just get into it, and they do it well. Defensively, it’s the same thing. They don’t give up a whole lot. They’re very, very tough and very sound up front.”
The game will match power and power, strength against strength.
“We know we need to execute well,” Snyder said. “We need to execute our offense, keep from turning the ball over and play very hard.”
The Falcons were victimized by turnovers and penalties in their loss to Glen Mills, and they allowed close to 350 yards rushing. Even in Pennsbury’s two wins, Snyder was hardly turning cartwheels about his team’s play.
“I expect us to play better football,” the Falcons’ coach said. “Richie Applegate has been playing well, and we expect him to continue to play well.
“We need a guy like (tight end/linebacker) Steve Marck to have a real big game against South.”
Marck – the younger brother of C.J. Marck, who is playing football at the University of Connecticut - is a Division One recruit who already has offers from Syracuse, Buffalo and Akron.
“The thing about going against Pennsbury – you’re in a fight for 48 minutes or longer,” Bedesem said. “They just fight you for 48 minutes. We have to be on our mark up front and eliminate mistakes.”
The Falcons (2-1) hope to get back on the winning track in the first league game for both squads.
“We have talent, but we have yet to play a real good game,” Snyder said. “We haven’t played a good game yet. I told the boys that. We need to play a good game.”
Kickoff time for the key National Conference showdown is 7 p.m. at Council Rock Stadium.
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