INTER-ACADEMIC LEAGUE GAME OF THE WEEK
Who: Episcopal Academy at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
When: 6:00 Saturday, October 19, 2019
Where: Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Records: Episcopal (6-0, 1-0); SCH (6-0, 1-0)
Most Recent Performance: Episcopal edged host Penn Charter, 21-17; Springside Chestnut Hill defeated visiting Haverford School, 28-23.
Importance: Know how football teams instinctively mention how ‘every game is a championship game’? In this league, it’s the truth, and especially in this case because both teams are undefeated overall and in the league.
All-Time Record: Episcopal leads, 52-31-5.
Episcopal Notes: The Churchmen are coming off a game in which they snared victory from defeat. Senior quarterback Marcus McDaniel lofted a 14-yard touchdown pass to junior Malcolm Folk with 32 seconds left for the victory . . . Heading into the fourth quarter, EA trailed, 17-7 . . . McDaniel finished with 144 yards rushing and 116 passing. He accounted for each of his team’s three touchdowns – the first on a five-yard TD run in the first quarter, the second with another five-yard haul with 5:52 left in the fourth, and then the touchdown pass . . . Senior standout linebacker Matt Bush took over at running back and rushed for 96 yards on 16 carries – both career highs.
Springside Chestnut Hill Notes: The Blue Devils haven’t defeated the Churchmen since 2014 . . .Senior Ke’Shawn Williams continues to thrive. In last week’s win over Haverford School, Williams caught 12 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback junior A.J. Graham (17 for 22, 245 yards), who went over the 1,000-yard passing mark. Williams now has 30 catches for 552 yards and nine touchdowns while Graham has completed 54 of 85 for 1,002 yards and 12 scores . . . Senior Aaron Rascoe was a dual threat against Haverford, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries while making eight tackles on defense . . . Sophomore Ivan Thorpe was also a strong contributor on both sides of the ball (three catches, 85 yards, touchdown; five tackles).
Springside Chestnut Hill Highlights:
Episcopal Academy Highlights:
CHURCHMEN CHAT: “This game is very important for our team as we look for both an undefeated season and an Inter-Ac championship,” said senior left tackle Paul McLaughlin. “We all know what we can accomplish this year, and beating SCH is one step closer towards our goal.”
“This game is very important to everyone, and we all have to play every single game as if it is the Super Bowl,” said senior quarterback Marcus McDaniel. “Each week we remind everyone on the team that we need to focus and that taking one play off could decide the outcome. We must execute everything that we can control to determine the outcome of the event.”
BLUE DEVIL CHAT: “This game is very important,” said junior quarterback A.J. Graham. “Any league game and league win is huge, but this week we have an opportunity to beat a team that is recognized as one of the better teams in the area. A win could ultimately put us in the number-one or number-two spot in the league, which, of course, is big.”
“This game against Episcopal is massively important, not just to me on a personal level, but for us as a team,” said senior two-way tackle Luke Percy. “Last year was tough for our team because we had unfortunately lost many key players leading up to and during the Episcopal game. However, now that we’re 6-0 and have our entire team healthy, I can honestly say we have never had a stronger chance at making an Inter-Ac championship.”
Prediction: The players on both teams are convinced they’re going to win. Glad someone feels confident . . . It’s very rare that two squads meet with perfect records with more than half the season gone. Someone has to win, though a tie would be fascinating as it sends the rest of the league into a frenzy trying to figure out potential championship ramifications. On yet another late score, Episcopal will prevail, 20-16.
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)