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FOOTBALL: Catholic League Game of the Week, Archbishop Ryan vs. Bonner-Prendergast

By John Knebels - Photos by Kathy Leister & Lou Rabito, 10/21/21, 10:45PM EDT

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PCL Game of the Week Sponsored by Semanoff Ormsby Greenberg & Torchia, LLC

CATHOLIC LEAGUE GAME OF THE WEEK

Who: Bonner-Prendergast vs. Archbishop Ryan

When: 7:00 PM Saturday, October 23

Where: Northeast High School 

Records: Bonner-Prendergast 6-2, 4-1; Archbishop Ryan 5-3, 4-1

Most Recent Performance: Bonner-Prendergast overwhelmed Lansdale Catholic, 40-6; Archbishop Ryan defeated West Catholic, 21-6.    

Importance: This is immense. Although neither team will win the Philadelphia Catholic League Blue Division championship because Neumann-Goretti basically has that wrapped up, this is actually a playoff game. The winner of this bout ultimately will represent District 12 in the PIAA Class 4A playoffs with a chance to move onto states.

All-Time Record: Archbishop Ryan leads, 12-8. 

Bonner-Prendergast Notes: The Friars’ offensive line comprised of guards Jawaad Hanton and Aidan McGoldrick; center Nick Bozzetto; tackles Mekel Marshall and Jaylen Allen; and David Washington/Austin Cannon at tight end is among the best in the entire area. Just ask senior running back Mason Peterson, who has gobbled up 1,195 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground (15 TDs altogether) for a running game that has averaged a gaudy 6.2 yards per carry and an offense that has scored 88 points over the past two weeks and tallied 20 against rugged Neumann-Goretti in a 26-20 defeat.

Archbishop Ryan Notes: Mostly spurred by an ultra-physical and opportunistic defense, the Raiders are riding a four-game winning streak. This team just seems to find a way to win . . . Held Blue Division stalwart Neumann-Goretti to its second lowest production in a 14-7 loss . . . With 11 interceptions divided by five different players, Ryan’s secondary is scary. Senior free safety/wide receiver Joey Mastrangelo, who is arguably the Blue Division Most Valuable Player, has been a force. Along with a Catholic League-best six interceptions, Mastrangelo leads the team in receiving yards with 391 on 13 catches for 30 yards per snare, the best in all of District 12 for those with double digit catches. He has scored seven touchdowns – five receiving, one on a kickoff return, and one on an interception return – and has had five scores called back because of a penalty . . . Senior QB Rob McConnell has tossed 12 TDs and brings along a five-game streak of at least one. He’s added three rushing touchdowns . . . Junior Aidan Clancy tops the rushers with 541 yards and three scores . . . Junior safety/wide receiver Rich Paczewski has 20 catches for 291 yards and four touchdowns.

FRIAR CHAT: “We need to win this game to move on past the regular season, so in a sense, it’s a championship game,” said senior center Nick Bozzetto. “It’s important to the team because it’s a huge opportunity that we can’t pass up. If we don’t win, we don’t see the playoffs.”

RAIDER CHAT: “This game is a big one,” said senior quarterback Rob McConnell. “All the work we put in all season was to be in this situation to play for states. Me and my teammates had to deal with a rough couple of years, and this game can change it all.”
 

Prediction: Technical issues . . . dog ate homework . . . No?! Okay. If a peak into a crystal football is mandatory . . . If these teams played 10 times, they would split . . . Based on scores versus common opponents, Bonner has the edge, though not by much . . . Both teams have defeated Red Division squads (Bonner 12-7 over Roman Catholic; Ryan 21-14 over neighborhood rival Father Judge) . . . After a see-saw affair of sporadic offense and strong defense, this battle will necessitate overtime, and the team that scores first will hold on defense and survive.           

(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)