‘Blocking to the whistle. ‘
It’s a phrase Hatboro-Horsham’s offensive line had drilled in their heads for an entire week after the Hatters managed just 92 yards of total offense in a 14-7 win over Central Bucks East.
“We worked on blocking to the whistle all week in practice,” senior Kevin James said.
“We had to block for 10 seconds at a time, driving our feet as fast as we could,” teammate Joe Hitchner added.
It apparently worked.
In last week’s 26-21 upset of previously undefeated Quakertown, the Hatters accumulated 305 yards on the ground and 80 yards in the air.
“One thing we’re extremely proud of is our kids’ ability to continue to fight,” coach Dave Sanderson said. “That is a characteristic you really can’t teach. You hope your kids behave that way, but you never know until the battle begins.
“Going back to the Frankford game (a season-opening 7-0 win) all the way until the fourth down play against Quakertown, the one thing they have been doing is they just continue to fight. When you have that, the rest will fall into place.”
While Darryl Neville’s 185-yard rushing performance stole the spot light on offense for the Hatters, it was the play of the offensive line –James, Hitchner, Jack Abercrombie, Mike Fitzpatrick, Jim Pagliaro and tight ends Connor Poston and Ryan Mullen – that paved the way for the monster day by the Hatters’ offense.
“We weren’t happy with our execution of our blocking the week before against Central Bucks East even though we won the football game,” Sanderson said. “We stressed throughout the week maintaining our blocks and blocking until the whistle. We made a point in practice to really emphasize that.
“Instead of complaining, moaning and taking it as punishment, they really responded and did what we asked them to do. We’re very, very pleased with their effort.”
The players admit they knew they had not executed their jobs effectively in the C.B. East game.
“Even though we won the game, we knew we were kind of in trouble,” Hitchner said. “Watching the film, we knew we were going to hear it from coach, so we had to give it our best effort because we can’t have another week like that because I don’t even know what would happen.”
It is in the film room that the shortcomings of games past are underscored, and the Hatters’ offensive line knew Monday’s film session after the C.B. East game was not going to be fun.
“When you remember a play that didn’t go too well, you know it’s coming soon, and you know you’re going to hear about it,” James said. “You’re not looking forward to it, but after watching the film, it does make you want to go out and practice even harder.”
“In the game, you’re not really thinking about it,” Hitchner said. “Then you’re watching the film, and it all comes back to you. You’re like, ‘Oh man, here it comes.’”
The players sat through that painful Monday film session, and then they went out and worked hard to ensure there would be no reruns when they took the field against Quakertown.
There weren’t.
“The thing about last week – our intensity and our mentality the whole week was so much better,” Abercrombie said. “We carried that out onto the field.”
“We were mentally prepared,” James said. “One thing we did focus on last week was everyone doing their own job and focusing on their own role, and it will come together if everyone focuses on their role.”
Ask Sanderson the key to his ‘O’ line’s success, and he has an immediate answer.
“It’s just hard work and persistence,” the Hatters’ coach said. “This crew they started off back in January working in the weight room, and that’s where they formed a bond. Just through hard work and persistence, they continue to try to improve, and that desire to improve has continued. They want to get better.
“At camp you could see they were working hard, but sometimes when teams leave camp - okay, the job’s over. Now the fun begins. But this crew has continued to rise to the challenge of continuing to improve.”
A new challenge awaits the Hatters on Saturday night when they take on a Souderton squad that is coming off a pair of big wins. The Hatters’ offensive line is focused on the task at hand.
“We want to come out and have a better week than we did last week – stay on our blocks and learn their defense and where they’re coming from,” Pagliaro said.
“We have to keep the intensity up and remember what it feels like to win that game, and if you’re not blocking to the whistle, it’s not going to happen,” Hitchner said.
“We have to keep fighting like we always have every game,” Fitzpatrick said.
The players know the Indians will be looking to avenge last year’s 32-0 loss to the Hatters.
“Souderton is a very good football team,” James said. “Every game is big. It’s going to be a good game.”
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