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By Scott Huff
NESHAMINY – Back in the day, it was North Penn and Neshaminy battling it out for Suburban One League National Conference titles. And both prestigious programs received annual invitations to the PIAA District One Playoffs.
“We had some great battles with North Penn before they moved to the other (Continental) conference,” said Neshaminy head coach Mark Schmidt after his Redskins advanced to the second round of the District One Playoffs with a 24-17 win over Abington. “Now it seems like us and Abington are having those same type of battles.
“(Abington head coach) Tim Sorber has built a great program over there,” added Schmidt. “Ten years ago that program was struggling, but now it takes a great effort to beat them.”Neshaminy indeed needed its ‘A’ game to defeat the Ghosts on a night that was spoiled by a persistent rain and driving wind.
“No question that the conditions didn’t help us,” said Sorber as Abington could garner just 136 yards of total offense. “We are a team that is built on speed and the passing game, and we had a difficult time getting either started tonight.
“But you have to give the credit to Neshaminy,” added Sorber. “The drive at the end of the first half, and the drive to start the second half were the difference in the game.”
The drive at the end of the first half came with the Skins losing 10-3. And it began moments after Abington place kicker Ian MacMillan booted a 30-yard field goal to give the Ghosts the seven-point lead.Neshaminy standout running back Bryan Dean cradled the ensuing kickoff and raced 43 yards to the Abington 43-yard line.
“That was the most open field I saw all day,” said Dean who earned every one of his game-high 70 yards on 29 carries. “It was a good way to get the drive started.”
This particular drive was engineered by Skin quarterback Charlie Marterella. Marterella scrambled for an eight-yard gain and completed a clutch 16-yard pass to Frank Csaszaar.
The scoring play came on third and five when fullback Corey Majors bolted through the heart of the Abington defense for a 10-yard TD burst with just 22 seconds left before half.
“That was a great call by my line coach,” said Schmidt. “We blocked it well, and Corey made a nice run.”
Neshaminy seemed to gain control of the game on its initial drive of the second half.The Skins received the second half kickoff and advanced the ball 64 yards on 14 plays to the Ghost end zone. The scoring play was a 12-yard dart from Marterella to wide receiver Rick Brebner with 4:04 left in the third period.
“That drive was great to watch,” said Schmidt as his Skins not only scored, but also took almost eight minutes off the game clock. “We controlled the ball and that kept Abington’s offense off the field.”
Neshaminy extended its lead to 24-10 when Dean capped a short TD series with his longest run of the day – a 10-yard scamper with 1:01 left in the third period.
“I felt like I could break a play at any minute,” said Dean. “But Abington did a great job of keeping my runs short. They closed well.”
Abington – which had taken a first period lead when Alex Easton blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown by Kevin Deal – scored its second touchdown in the fourth period.
The Ghosts – aided by a pair of Neshaminy penalties – moved 60 yards on eight plays for the score. Julien Ireland – who was limited to only 34 yards on 14 carries – dove in from the one-yard line.
The next Neshaminy offensive series did not result in any points but did consume 5 minutes and 26 seconds. The Ghosts had one more shot with the score at 24-17 - with 2:23 left in the game - and the ball on their own 20-yard line.Abington did manage a first down, but a fourth down pass by quarterback Sam Kind fell incomplete to the soggy Neshaminy turf, and the game and the season were over for the Ghosts.
At the conclusion of the game, Sorber showed a lot of class as he walked over to the huddled Redskin players to wish them good luck against the #1 seed in the tournament – North Penn. Neshaminy will meet the Knights next week.
Just like back in the day.
Abington 7 3 0 7 - 17
Neshaminy 3 7 14 0 - 24
A: Kevin Deal 6 run with blocked punt (Ian MacMillan kick)
N: Ricky Domico 26 FG
A: MacMillan 30 FG
N: Corey Majors 10 run (Domico kick)
N: Rick Brebner 12 pass from Charlie Marterella (Domico kick)
N: Bryan Dean 10 run (Domico kick)
A: Julien Ireland 1 run (MacMillan kick)
Abington Neshaminy
7 First Downs 15
68 Rush Yards 141
68 Pass Yards 91
136 Total Offense 232
5-34 Punts / Avg. 2-28
5-50 Pen. / Yards 5-40
Abington:
Rushing: Julien Ireland 14-34 & TD; Sam Kind 7-34; Tim Sally 1-0. Totals 22-68 & TD.
Passing: Sam Kind 7-21-0, 68 yards.
Receiving: Kevin Deal 2-21; Anthony Hensley 2-20; Rich Johnson 1-15; Brandon Peoples 1-7; Giuliano Presta 1-5. Totals 7-68
Intereceptions: None
Neshaminy:
Rushing: Bryan Dean 29-70 & TD; Corey Majors 5-28 & TD; Ricky Williams 3-18; Stephen Stemme 3-15; Charlie Marterella 2-8; Brian Titus 4-2. Totals 46-141- 2 TD.
Passing: Titus 4-10-0, 51 yards; Marterella 4-5-0, 40 yards TD. Totals 8-15-0, 91 yards & TD.
Receiving: Frank Csaszar 4-53; Rick Brebner 2-19 & TD; Dean 1-11; Shane Quinn 1-8. Totals 8-91 & TD.
Interceptions: None
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