Hatboro-Horsham celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a 48-0 win over Upper Moreland. To view photos of all the action, please visit the Photo Gallery.
HORSHAM - The post-game scene told the story.
Long after the final seconds had ticked off the game clock, Hatboro-Horsham’s players remained on field, clearly reluctant to leave their home turf for the final time. Many were posing for photos together while others were simply reveling in the moment.
“It’s bittersweet because I know it’s the last time I’ll ever be in a Hatters’ uniform,” senior lineman Matt Schuck said.
On a picture-perfect Thanksgiving Day, the Hatters delighted their fans who packed the stands and sidelines by dominating both sides of the football en route to a 48-0 win over Upper Moreland that saw the mercy rule in effect the entire second half.
As endings go, they don't get much better than this for the Hatter seniors.
“It’s such a blessing to be part of such a great tradition of 80-plus years,” senior quarterback Aaron Channing said of the annual rivalry. “To end our high school careers like this – it’s incredible. We had the whole town here.
“You couldn’t even write a book better than this. I just thank God for everything. It’s awesome.”
The Hatters’ senior QB had himself quite a day, completing five of nine passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t the only Hatter to come up big. Casey Saverio stole the spotlight by delivering one big play after another, accumulating 233 yards despite touching the ball just eight times. The senior standout ran for 156 yards and one touchdown on five carries and caught three passes – two for TDs – for 77 yards.
“Really, just all the stars aligned,” said Saverio, clutching the Hatters’ offensive MVP trophy. “It was perfect.
“All the seniors came out – we knew this could be the last game for a lot of kids. Our whole team is like one big family. We just pull for each other and dominated the whole game.”
Did they ever. All told, the Hatters amassed 482 yards of total offense with 349 of those coming on the ground.
“The kids just played really hard,” Hatter coach Gary Pagliaro said. “They were looking forward to this game. It was a great way to end the season because everything seemed to come together – our running game, 
our passing game, and defensively, we played really strong.
“That’s a credit to all the kids in this program. They worked really hard. This is actually helping us build things for the future.”
Saverio set the tone for this one early, racing down the sidelines on the second play of the game for a 64-yard touchdown. Bobby Stumpp's first of six extra points made it 7-0, and the Hatters were off and running.
“We were hoping to establish the running game right off the bat, and we were able to do that,” Pagliaro said. “It’s always good when you can run the football because that opens the pass. We were able to do that pretty successfully today.”
It was three and out for the Golden Bears on their first possession, and after a punt, the Hatters took over on their own 29. This time it took eight plays to cover 71 yards, but the result was the same. The drive began with a 17-yard run by Travis Young and culminated with senior Dom DeFazio punching it in from two yards out to put the Hatters on top - after Stumpp’s extra point - 14-0.
“It’s an amazing feeling playing in this game every year,” DeFazio said. “For me especially, my whole family has played in this game – my dad, my brother, and it’s just the best feeling in the world. It’s my favorite game of the year.”
A key play on the drive was a 17-yard completion from Channing to Lee Riches on third-and-long.
“Number 12 had a remarkable day,” Pagliaro said of Channing. “He did a great job. Everybody played well.”
Late in the opening quarter, the Golden Bears found themselves with possession of the ball on the Hatters' 36-yard line after a fumble recovery. Charlie Hooker found Chris Kitchen with a nine-yard pass to take the ball to the Hatters’16, but that's where the drive stalled. A 31-yard field goal missed wide right, and the Hatters seized the moment, marching 80 yards on six plays.
The drive that was highlighted by a 24-yard run by Saverio and culminated with Channing finding Saverio with a 36-yard touchdown pass that put the Hatters on top 21-0.
“Me and Casey have been working together since seventh grade, so we have timing – we could do that with a blindfold,” Channing said. “He’s one of the best players I’ve played with my whole life.”
“We just have things you can’t coach,” Saverio added. “We look at each other, and we’re just like, ‘All right, we know.’ We just click. It’s the same with all our backs. We’re one big family, and we know each other.”
An interception by Frankie Colantuono set up a 48-yard touchdown drive by Hatboro. Again, it was Channing finding Saverio - this time with a 27-yard touchdown completion, and just like that, the Hatters led 28-0.
Saverio - who did it all for the Hatters - came up with an interception that set up a 28-yard touchdown pass from Channing to Jimmy Murphy with 34 seconds remaining in the half. Stumpp's extra point put the Hatters on top 35-0 heading into the intermission.
“Everybody works so hard, and every once in a while you have a game where things just click,” Schuck said. “This was one of those days.”
Early in the fourth quarter, it looked like the Golden Bears might be in business after Joey Smith recovered a fumble at the Hatters' 15-yard line, but the Hatters got the ball back when Kyle Mullen came up with an interception on the Golden Bears' first play of the drive.
“They were a little bigger and stronger than we were,” Upper Moreland coach Dave Heying said. “It was real tough stopping the run. They have a good team, and they were the better team by far today.”
The Hatters - after a penalty - took over on their own one. Saverio wasted little time taking the Hatters out of the shadow of their own goal post with a 60-yard scamper. Three plays later, senior Dan Adelsberger raced in from 23 yards out to put the Hatters on top 41-0.
“Coming into this game,, we just thought – put it all on the field, and that’s pretty much what we did,” Saverio said. “Really, it worked out well, especially for the seniors. A kid like Danny Adelsberger goes out with a touchdown run. Everything just went right for us. It couldn’t be better.”
Another Hatter interception - this one by Tyheed Jackson - set up a 64-yard touchdown run by DeFazio, who shed several would-be tacklers at the 10 to take it home for a touchdown and the 48-0 final.
“Not much was stopping me there,” DeFazio said with a smile. “I was making sure I wasn’t going to fumble. I just kept going. It felt great.
“We just kept playing, just giving our best asset, and that’s our heart. It’s bittersweet to know it’s over, but it’s a great way to end for high school.”
DeFazio – who earned Defensive MVP honors for the Hatters – was ecstatic to see the Hatters earn the shutout.
“That was the best part about it,” he said. “That was the best feeling.”
“Ending the season with a shutout – our class is the first one in 10 years to win three Upper Moreland games in a row,” Schuck added. “We all wanted it so bad. We all grew up playing with each other, and it’s just amazing to end this way”
NOTES: Robert Knox – who surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau for the season but was limited to just 17 yards on 10 carries – was the Offensive MVP for the Golden Bears. Chris Kitchen was the Defensive MVP. UM quarterback Charlie Hooker threw for 153 yards but was intercepted five times. “We have to do a better job protecting him,” Heying said. “He’s a sophomore, so we have to make him feel as comfortable as possible. He also was getting a little frustrated because we were dropping some passes. It’s his first Thanksgiving Day game. It’s real emotional. I’m real proud of him.”
Hatboro-Horsham 14 21 0 13-48
Upper Moreland 0 0 0 0-0
H-Casey Saverio 64 run (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-Dom DeFazio 2 run (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-Casey Saverio 36 pass from Aaron Channing (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-Casey Saverio 27 pass from Aaron Channing (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-Jimmy Murphy 28 pass from Aaron Channing (Bobby Stumpp kick)
H-Dan Adelsberger 23 run (Kick failed)
H-Dom DeFazio 64 run (Bobby Stumpp kick)
UM HH
First Downs 11 16
Rushing Yards 35 349
Passing Yards 158 132
Total Yards 198 482
Passing (C-A-I) 14-34-5 5-9-0
Fumbles- Lost 0-0 6-2
Penalties-Yds. 3-25 7-56
Punts-Yrds. 2-37.0 1-36.0
RUSHING:
Upper Moreland: Robert Knox, 10-17; Dan Cummings, 2-16; Chris Kitchen, 2-6; Kenny Register, 1-1; Charlie Hooker, 2-(-5).
Hatboro-Horsham: Casey Saverio, 5-156, 1 TD; Dom DeFazio, 6-81, 1 TD; Travis Young, 4-39; Chris Ejimonyeugwo, 7-26; Dan Adelsberger, 1-23, 1 TD; Steven Palo, 2-12; Aaron Channing, 3-10; Luke Spahits, 1-2.
PASSING:
Upper Moreland: Charlie Hooker, 13-33-153, 4 INTs; Robert Knox, 1-1-5.
Hatboro-Horsham: Aaron Channing, 5-9-132, 3 TDs.
RECEIVING:
Upper Moreland: Dan Cummings, 4-65; Robert Knox, 2-44; Steve Pantal, 2-14; Kareem Archer, 2-14; Chris Kitchen 2-12; Charlie Hooker, 1-5; Kenny Register, 1-4.
Hatboro-Horsham: Casey Saverio, 3-77, 2 TDs; Jimmy Murphy, 1-28; Lee Riches, 1-27.
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