Archbishop Ryan 2024 PCL Blue Division Champions
(Photo by John Knebels for PSD)
By John Knebels
(Photos & Videos by John Knebels for PSD)
PHILADELPHIA – The calendar had only reached August 24. Summer vacation still had about two weeks left. Yet, Archbishop Ryan’s football team already found itself celebrating a huge victory.
Rushing off Northeast High School’s field and into a raucously loud locker room, the Raiders had just upended neighborhood rival Father Judge, 21-17, an early statement victory considering their opponent competes in the larger-enrollment Philadelphia Catholic League Red Division whereas Archbishop Ryan resides in the smaller-enrollment Blue.
“This team,” said an emphatic senior quarterback Frankie Mawson, drenched with sweat after playing four quarters on an 82-degree afternoon, “is going to win the Blue Division championship.”
This past Saturday afternoon at the same location, Mawson’s prediction transformed from overly enthusiastic to prophetic.
With Mawson completing 19 of 28 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns along with one rushing score, and senior receiver Damien Morgan corralling a career-high 14 receptions for 149 yards and two tallies, Archbishop Ryan defeated visiting Archbishop Wood, 29-7, and wrapped up the PCL Blue Division championship with one game and one bye still remaining in the regular season.
Archbishop Ryan in Blue Division Championship Game vs. Archbishop Wood. (Highlights by John Knebels for PSD)
“The feeling is incredible,” said Mawson. “This is a family. That’s all it is. We’ve been building the bond since April. In the weight room, everyone is in there. We have each other’s backs.”One of Mawson’s key teammates echoed those sentiments.
“We knew from the spring that we were going to win this,” said two-way Most Valuable Player candidate senior Christon Mitchell-Brown. “We stayed glued together. We knew we were gonna win it, and we won it.”
Ryan’s first-ever Blue Division title ended a three-decade championship drought dating back to 1993, when the Raiders captured their fourth straight crown back when the PCL consisted of North and South Divisions.
Although last year’s group finished only 3-8 overall and 2-5 in the Blue, late-season signs – a 3-4 finish, close losses to third-place Cardinal O’Hara and eventual undefeated champion Neumann-Goretti – indicated that Ryan could be a force in 2024.
“This group here, they all bought in,” said second-year Ryan coach Mark Ostaszewski. “Been telling them. You win games in the offseason. You prepare during the week and then you play games on Saturday. That’s been our mentality. Just win today.
“It’s a grind. We play a complete Catholic League schedule. We bounced back after those two losses (versus Red Division squads Bonner-Prendergast and Cardinal O’Hara) going into the Blue. Like I said. We have to focus on that mentality . . . to win today.”
During their five-game Blue winning streak, the Raiders have statistically been twice as good as the opposition, outscoring them by 162-84, a game average of 32-17. Ryan has won because every phase of the team has contributed.
Archbishop Ryan standouts (LtoR) Damien Morgan, Christon Mitchell-Brown & Frankie Mawson. (Photo by John Knebels for PSD)
Head Coach Mark Ostaszewski proudly holds championship plaque along side Archbishop Ryan Athletic Director Joe Zeglinski (Photo/ John Knebels for PSD)
Take the win over Wood. The game began with Ryan’s special teams forcing a safety on the opening kickoff. Then the defense immediately chipped in by forcing two first-quarter fumbles, the latter resulting in a seven-yard TD pass from Mawson to Morgan three plays later.
As the contest progressed and Ryan’s offense took control behind second-quarter touchdown passes from Mawson to Morgan (14 yards) and junior David Spinelli (15 yards), respectively, the Raiders held the division’s leading rusher – Archbishop Wood senior Yasin Lowry – to 97 yards on 15 carries, though one of them went for 57 yards.
Archbishop Ryan Christon Mitchell-Brown is joined by teammates Frankie Mawson and then Damien Morgan after clinching PCL Blue Division championship.
By the time the defense allowed Wood’s only score midway through the third quarter – an eight-yard run by senior quarterback Karon Shedrick – they already led by a comfortable 22-0.
“The first half, things kinda got chippy,” said Mawson. “In the locker room, our coaches came in and told us to settle down and told us that talking isn’t going to win us anything.”
With 2:53 remaining in regulation, the Raiders squashed any hopes of a miraculous Wood comeback on a six-play, 42-yard scoring drive highlighted with a 22-yard reception by Morgan on fourth-and-six and immediately capped by a Mawson three-yard score.
Archbishop Ryan sophomore Chase Lowe enjoys battling in the trenches. (video/ John Knebels)
Junior Danny Celins helped defense hold Archbishop Wood to one touchdown. (video/ John Knebels
“That last touchdown was crucial,” said Mitchell-Brown. “Damien with that catch and run on fourth down, Frankie punching it in. That was willpower. Our guys, banged up and hurt on both sides of the ball, still wanted it.”
Ryan’s regular season concludes Saturday against defending division champion Neumann-Goretti, a 2-2 team that would relish ruining Raiders’ perfect league season.
“That’s still important to us,” said Mitchell-Brown. “We want it all. All our guys are dogs. We want it. We want it in our heart.”
Regardless of where the season goes from here, this Archbishop Ryan edition has established itself as a historic cog in a program that once dominated the PCL landscape and hopes to do so again.
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.)