Pennridge defeated Quakertown 28-13 to clinch sole possession of the SOL Continental Conference title. To view game photos, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott Huff
Quakertown – The chant “We Are The Champions” didn’t come from the Pennridge fans until the fourth period of the Rams 28-13 victory over host Quakertown. The win – played before a packed house at Alumni Field - clinched an outright Suburban One League Continental Conference title for the Rams (12-1 overall, 7-0 SOL).
Many thought the mantra from the visiting faithful would come much sooner as Pennridge sparred against a Quakertown team that had won just one game this season – in its season opener - and had lost 10 straight.
Pennridge did come into the contest without the services of megastar junior running back Michael Class who sat out the game with a concussion. Class will be seen by a doctor on Friday to determine if he can play Saturday afternoon in the Rams PIAA District One Quad-A semifinal playoff game against Spring-Ford.
But even without Class, most pundits would have figured that multi-talented Pennridge would easily handle Quakertown from the outset.
Wrong.
Quakertown outplayed the Rams in the first quarter on both sides of the ball and held a 6-0 lead.
“We have had a lot of fun getting ready for this game,” said Quakertown head coach George Banas who used quite a few gadget plays in the game – some worked – some didn’t. “I felt that we hit harder this game than we have in any other game this season.
“We told the players that we wanted to go out this season playing our best,” added Banas. “We played one of our best games this season.”
“All week people were telling us that we were going to get beat real bad,” said Quakertown senior John Smith who played well on both sides of the ball. “We take pride in putting on the Quakertown uniform, and we just wanted to go out and do the best we could do.”
Quakertown did its best in the first 12 minutes and put a scare into the Rams.
The Panthers pieced together their best offensive series of the game in the initial period with a nine-play scoring drive that covered 59 yards. Senior running back Mike Sawyer – who would later score with just 13 seconds left in the fourth period on a 70-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Alec Vera – capped the drive with a 13-yard scoring run. A run for a 2-point conversion failed.
“I was so happy to see Mike get those touchdowns,” said Banas. “He has been the most positive influence on a tough season. He and the other seniors never pointed fingers – always practiced hard – and set great examples for the underclassmen.”
But after that initial 12 minutes, the game belonged to Pennridge.
The Rams scored on the drive following the Panther touchdown to assume a lead they would never relinquish. Pennridge punished the interior of the Q-town defense on a 10-play drive – all running plays – that covered 63 yards. Kenny Crawford – who would rush for a game-high 97 yards on 19 carries – earned scoring honors for the Rams on a four-yard run.
Sophomore placekicker Joe Unangst connected on the first of his four extra points to give the Rams a 7-6 lead.
“We knew that Quakertown was going to give us everything they had,” said Crawford. “We came out flat, and they played well.”
“We knew that this was going to be a physical game,” said Pennridge senior Kyle Bigam. “We knew that Quakertown was going to make us fight for every yard.”
The Rams would expand the lead to 14-6 at the close of the first half on a seven-play drive that covered 46 yards as senior John Kim capped the scoring drive with a five-yard run.
Pennridge would put the game away with a pair of third period touchdowns.
Bigam culminated a relentless 13-play drive that covered 71 yards with a 1-yard touchdown run, and senior quarterback Alex Krivda fired a 9-yard scoring dart to Kim for the final Ram touchdown.
The Pennridge offense came to life over the second and third periods – the subs played most of the fourth period – but the Ram defense was exceptional from the second period to the end.
“Quakertown came out and gave us a slap in the face,” said Pennridge senior Jeremy Xander. “They came out fired up, and for us to fall behind sure wasn’t in the game plan. But we played our game after that first touchdown, and the defense did its job.”
“I really feel that we have one of the best defenses in the area,” said Pennridge head coach Randy Cuthbert. “We only prepared for Quakertown for a day because of our playoff game with Spring-Ford, but we wanted to come out and play our game.
“We didn’t have Mike Class, and some of the other kids were able to grab a few headlines today,” added Cuthbert. “We are not sure of Mike is going to be able to play or not on Saturday, that is up to the trainer and the doctor. His safety and health is our number one concern. He has a lot of great football ahead of him.
“What we need to do is to step up and focus on our execution,” continued Cuthbert. “Our first challenge was to beat Quakertown for a championship – the second challenge is to beat Spring-Ford on Saturday.”
The Rams met that first challenge – and the Panthers sure gave them one.
Pennridge Rams 0 14 14 0 - 28
Quakertown Panthers 6 0 0 7 - 13
Q: Mike Sawyer 13 run (run failed)
P: Kenny Crawford 4 run (Joe Unangst kick)
P: John Kim 5 run (Unangst kick)
P: Kyle Bigam 1 run (Unangst kick)
P: Kim 9 pass from Alex Krivda (Unangst kick)
Q: Sawyer 70 pass from Alec Vera (Nick Soriano kick)
Pennridge Quakertown
17 First Downs 8
231 Yards Rushing 83
61 Yards Passing 109
292 Total Offense 192
3-39 Punts / Average 5-29
2-10 Penalties / Yards 5-40
Pennridge:
Rushing: Kenny Crawford 19-97 & TD; John Kim 10-57 & TD; Kyle Bigam 6-35 & TD; Alex Fedele 5-23; Devon Balmer 2-14; Imeir Simmons 2-3; Joe Unangst 1-2. Totals 45-231 & 3 TD.
Passing: Alex Krivda 6-12-0; 61 yards & TD.
Receiving: Micah Stutzman 2-26; Kim 2-22 & TD; Michael Supp 1-15; and Crawford 1- (minus 2).
Quakertown:
Rushing: Mike Sawyer 16-38 & TD; Pat SanAngelo 9-24; Eric Bahry 2-17; Shane Schmauder 1-3; Micah Ruch 1-0; Matt Stoneback 1-1. Totals 30-83 & TD.
Passing: SanAngelo 3-9-0; 33 yards; Alec Vera 2-5-0; 76 yards & TD; Bahry 0-1-0, 0 yards. Totals 5-15-0; 109 yards.
Receiving: Sawyer 1-70 & TD; Brian Cass 1-21; John Smith 1-8; SanAngelo 1-6; Micah Ruch 1-4. Totals 5-109 & TD.
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