By: John Knebels
PHILADELPHIA – Neither team is playing particularly well. While talent incongruity is part of it, controllable mistakes such as turnovers, inopportune penalties, poor execution, and inconsistent effort play a major role in the equation.
But Saturday night at 6:00, fearsome rivals Father Judge and Archbishop Ryan will forget about their records and pretend their Catholic League Red Division opener at Northeast High School is a championship game.
In many ways, it will be.
“It’s a huge game because there’s history behind it,” said Ryan junior running back/linebacker Julian Jones. “This rivalry has been going on for years. Everybody comes to see this game, so you have to be on your ‘A’ game. It’s probably the biggest game some players will ever play, just because of how many people are watching and the history behind it.”
PSD Photo by Kevin Murphy
Under first-year coach Chris Lampart, Ryan is 1-3 overall, its lone victory a 39-29 decision over Interboro in which senior quarterback Cole Lowe was on fire, completing 23 of 33 passes for 317 yards and four touchdowns – all career highs. Senior Justin Collier corralled a school-record 14 catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns; Jones contributed three touchdowns.
Against Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy, Lowe tossed three more TDs, including a pair to senior Jonathan Swift (four catches, 123 yards).
“We just have to focus on ourselves and our assignments,” said Jones. “If we just play our game and limit mistakes, we’ll be in good shape.”
Standout senior defender Nate Kennish agreed.
“This game has been the hype of the season since I started playing at Ryan,” said Kennish. “It is the ‘championship of the northeast,’ people say. The team and I just wanna treat it like any other game and play like we know how to play.
“We have a strong senior class with good leaders that have really good chemistry. That will help this team be successful.”
Now mentored by 2000 Archbishop Ryan graduate and former coach Frank McArdle from 2009-18, Father Judge is 1-4, including pseudo boxing match losses to Lansdale Catholic (44-42) and Germantown Academy (42-30). The Crusaders upended Cardinal O’Hara, 28-20.
In a recent 30-10 loss to Haverford School, Judge senior Dameir Johnson gained 201 yards and scored his team’s only touchdown on a bruising 34 carries; he has scored six times so far.
In the loss to Germantown Academy, senior Shane McGovern amassed career highs in receptions (nine), yards (102), and touchdowns (two).
“This game is very important for us, but also for the school,” said senior two-way lineman Liam Mulgrave. “It’s the start of Catholic League play and it’s always good to start with a win. Being a senior and playing this game is very big. I’ll never be able to play against our rival again after this game. It means more when you know you’ll never get it back.
“The rivalry is very fun. That atmosphere of the stadium that night is great. There is nothing else like playing in front of your friends and family in your neighborhood.”
McGovern echoed his teammate.
“It’s always the biggest game of the year for our team,” he said. “Practice, especially this week, was more amped up and more intense because we know what’s at stake on Saturday night. I’m especially ready for this game because since my sophomore year as a starter on varsity, we haven’t beat Ryan.”
Indeed. Ryan has won the last two games, including a 38-20 romp last fall, and the teams are tied all-time at 27-27-3.
Prediction: With a few plays going the other direction, Father Judge could be 3-2. The Crusaders appear to have more firepower than Ryan. In a game that will stay close through halftime, Father Judge will prevail, 30-20.
(Contact John Knebels at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)
*Calling all Ryan and Judge football fans, students and alumni....please send photos and videos from Saturday's NE Classic to phillysportsdigest@gmail.com! Appropriate videos will be featured in our game recap!*