UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA – When Monsignor Bonner-Prendergast defensive coordinator Jeff Connell was hospitalized Sunday with an intestinal infection, the Friars had extra inspiration against rival Cardinal O’Hara Friday.
“I think everybody kind of stepped up and pulled their weight, and I think they wanted to make him proud,” head coach Greg Bernhardt said. “They did a heck of a job doing that. They were asking about him all week…The kids love him and they wanted to go out and play well for him.”
Lions Sophomore Cameron Blair tries to tackle Joe Hartley-Vittoria in the open field. - PSD Photo
Adding to the emotion, before the game the Friars retired number six in honor of David Garrison, a former Bonner football player who graduated in 2008. Garrison died in a car accident Jan. 23, 2009 at the age of 19. David’s younger brother Brendon, who wore David’s number six for Bonner following his death, addressed the team before the game. The Garrison family received the honor at midfield of Upper Darby High School Memorial Stadium. Recognizing David was important for Bernhardt, who was the offensive coordinator while he was on the team.
“He was a great, great mature character driven young guy,” Bernhardt said. “You didn’t have to tell him anything twice. He was very respectful and his teammates looked to him and they responded to him.”
“He was almost an extension of Coach [Tom] Oropeza…Myself and the coaches harp on it all the time. We want great football players, but we also want great young men. That’s what David was, and that’s what we strive for,” Bernhardt said.
Seeking to win for the Garrison family and its defensive coordinator, Bonner’s third quarter lead was put to the test. After a fumble by Bonner senior quarterback Shaun Douglas was returned to the Friars 9-yard line by Lions sophomore Justin Santilla midway through the quarter, Bonner’s defense played tough in the shadow of its goalposts. On third and goal from the 7-yard line, junior quarterback Tommy O’Hara’s pass to senior receiver Alvin Eburuah moved the ball to the one-yard line. The Friars stopped O’Hara’s quarterback sneak on the next play, causing a turnover on downs.
Bonner junior safety Brandon Bettole (24), who had an interception in the first quarter, is one of several Friars who tackle Cardinal O’Hara senior wide receiver Alvin Eburuah. -PSD Photo
Bonner moved away from its own goal line, but fumbled on its second straight possession, giving O’Hara the ball at the Friars’ 24-yard line. The Friars’ secondary broke up O’Hara’s second down pass to junior Jack Gibson in the end zone. Two plays later on fourth and 14 Bonner forced another stop. Connell’s defensive unit forced the Lions to punt, turnover on downs, or throw an interception on all of its drives. Douglas had two interceptions in the fourth quarter for Bonner, helping the Friars defense tally its first shutout of the year. Bernhardt says the team will acknowledge Connell, who left the hospital Friday after his surgery earlier in the week, with the game ball after Bonner’s 20-0 win.
Bonner, who came into the game averaging just over 12 points per game, scored the second highest number of points in a single game this year. The twenty points the Friars scored Friday matches their total on Oct 17. against Neumann-Goretti. Sophomore Jordan Mosley caught a screen pass and ran 71-yards for a touchdown to give Bonner an early lead. Hartley-Vittoria added rushing touchdowns in the second and fourth quarter to give the Friars a more comfortable lead. Success on the ground started at the line of scrimmage for Bonner.
“We felt we had a little bit of an advantage up front,” Bernhardt said. “Running the football is about getting into a rhythm and gaining confidence. As the game wore on, in the first quarter we were able to run the ball and it kind of steamrolled from there.”
After losing its first three games, Bonner (4-5, 2-2 Philadelphia Catholic League AAA) turned its season around, posting a 4-2 record.
“This was our best game of the year,” Hartley-Vittoria said.