Above: Lansdale Catholic senior running back and defensive back Ryan Quigley forces Conwell-Egan junior quarterback Kendall Jones to fumble during the Crusaders’ 35-12 win in the Philadelphia Catholic League AA Semifinals. - photo by Evan Easterling

SPRINGFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA – Lansdale Catholic head coach Tom Kirk has seen his team receive a number of accolades this season. Six of his players are First Team All-Catholic League Class AA and Kirk himself earned Coach of the Year honors. After defeating Conwell-Egan Catholic 35-12 in the Philadelphia Catholic League AA Semifinals Saturday, Kirk earned his first playoff win in his fourth season the Crusaders head coach, an accomplishment that trumps all others.

A strong rushing attack paced the Crusaders’ offense. Senior running back and defensive back Ryan Quigley outdid his two touchdown 140 yard rushing performance in a 34-21 victory against the Eagles last month, rushing for 226 yards and three touchdowns Saturday. The second year Catholic League AA Most Valuable Player Award winner scored his first touchdown following a 92 kickoff return by Eagles freshman running back Patrick Garwo, running 65 yards on the first play from scrimmage to give the Crusaders a 14-6 advantage in the first quarter.

Lansdale Catholic’s rushing attack was a three-headed monster, composed of Quigley, senior running back Marlen Fenstermacher, and junior quarterback Michael Basilii. Basilii ran for two touchdowns in the game including a 51 yard run down the right sideline to end a 4 play 73 yard drive to open the game. The success for the Crusaders starts at the line of scrimmage.

“All the credit today goes to the offensive line,” Quigley said. “I wish all of Marlen [Fenstermacher]’s, Tim [Swierzewski]’s, Mike [Basilii]’s, and myself’s rushing yards could be given to the offensive line, because they’re blocking very well.”

After his 65 yard run, Quigley added a three yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter to give Lansdale Catholic at 21-6 lead following senior kicker Ryan Carbone’s extra point. After trading possessions, Conwell-Egan had the ball in good field position, at the Crusaders’ 47 yard line with about three and a half minutes left in the half. A scoring drive could have changed momentum, as the Eagles would have been able to score, then receive the second half kickoff. After a false start on first down, the Eagles punted. Lansdale Catholic took advantage, as Quigley ran down the left sideline and cut back towards the middle of the field, running 80 yards for a touchdown. Conwell-Egan, who shutout three teams this season and was allowing 16.1 points per game coming into play, allowed 28 first half points. The 22 point deficit was hard to come back from, fifth year head coach Jack Techtmann said.

“They put 28 on us in the first half and that’s hard to battle back against a good well coached football team,” Techtmann said. “They scored some long big runs on us last time and big passes and they did that early. I’m proud of our kids. We fought back, we were scrappy in the second half. It was just too many mistakes.”

The Crusaders will face West Catholic, who defeated Neumann-Goretti 46-0 Saturday, in the Catholic League AA Finals.