2016 Northeast Classic
Archbishop Ryan student section - PSD photo by Kevin Murphy
Father Judge student section - PSD Photo by Kevin Murphy
PHILADELPHIA – In front of a packed Northeast High School stadium, Archbishop Ryan Football squared off against long time rival Father Judge this past Saturday in the Northeast Classic. A long-standing rivalry filled with tension, both teams battled for a trophy as well as bragging rights until the next meeting. The Ryan Raiders were the designated home team for this game. The Father Judge crowd made it seem otherwise, with the Crusader fans “whited-out” and constantly letting their voice be heard around the grounds.
In football, the first drive of the game can tell you a lot. For Father Judge, their first drive showed Ryan that they came to play from the whistle. After a couple plays, Crusaders quarterback, Robert King, threw a deep pass out to the right sideline towards wide receiver, Justin Gies. Ryan’s corner jumped for the ball, but it sailed over his head and right into the hands of Gies, who would take it 60-yards for the opening touchdown of the game.
Home team (AR) introduction
Jeremy Smith scores a TD for Judge
FJ head coach Mike McKay post game interview
Ryan would not be so fortunate on their first drive. Raiders quarterback, Matt Romano would find WR Shamar Edwards for a 30-yard gain, but it was called back due to a flag. The very next play, Romano tried to find Edwards again but this time Romano threw the ball right to Judge defensive back, Alex Schaeffler.
With Father Judge driving again, Ryan’s defense came through forcing the Crusaders into a 4th down. The Crusaders decide to go for it. King threw a short, quick slant to wide receiver Steve Arrington who made a few men miss to pick up the crucial first down.
QB, Robert King, did a bit of everything on the drive, showing off his speed on a few runs. He would eventually help his team score on yet another nice pass. King found his receiver, Jeremy Smith, for a 20-yard touchdown, but the play was called back due to a penalty. Next play, the two connected again in the air to put seven on the board for Judge, who went up 14-0.
With the ball back in their hands but the momentum clearly in Father Judge’s favor, Ryan players had to feel the pressure of the situation rising.
On their drive, Ryan started with the ball on their 45-yard line after a nice return off of the kick.
With the intensity high, Ryan made yet another critical mistake. On a QB option play, Romano ran around the right side and decided to pitch the ball to his running back. Unfortunately, the shovel pass was not on target and since it was a backward pass, it was considered a fumble. Father Judge recovered the ball.
When it rained on Ryan, it also poured. On the first play of the Crusader’s drive, King found Gies again for his second receiving TD of the half. Judge led 21-0.
With the ball in Ryan’s hands, they moved down the field, picking up a few first downs until they turned it over again. On a run, the ball was stripped from a Ryan player and recovered by now defensive back, Jeremy Smith - that would be the end of the 1st quarter.
Smith was a handful for Ryan all night. Standing at 6’1, he gave both receivers and cornerbacks trouble throughout the game. After stripping Ryan, King got the ball back and continued with his outstanding performance, eventually hooking up with Smith again.
King drove his team to about the Raiders’ 13-yard line. Surely, King knew that his receiver, Smith, had a height advantage on the outside and he lobbed a ball to the corner of the end zone. Smith had no problem going up above the shorter Ryan back and reeled in the catch for Father Judge’s fourth score of the night. FJ missed the PAT, putting them up 27-0.
Judge scored one more time before half, this time beating Ryan with their legs. Taking the ball down to the Raider 2-yard line, running back Tim Weldon finished the drive off running right up the middle for the score. Judge led 33-0.
2016 NE Classic (15 Photos)
- For more game & fan photos of Father Judge see Judge's team photo page here.
- To see more game & fan photos of Arch. Ryan, click on the "NE Classic" photo gallery here.
Ryan looked deflated after the 5th touchdown of the half, but they had a whole half to go, and some time left in the first. Ryan quarterback, Matt Romano, would inject some energy into the stadium when dropped back and found his receiver, Mike Minniti, burning it through the middle of the field. Minniti got behind the entire Judge defense and took it 70-yards for the score. The teams went into half with a score of 33-7 in favor of the Crusaders.
Both teams would score several more times in the second portion of the game, but the first half deficit proved too much to surmount for Ryan. Their first half mistakes, followed by outstanding play from the entire Father Judge team sealed their fate early leading to a final score: Father Judge 48, Ryan 27.
With the win - Father Judge once again holds “The Northeast Classic” title, and arguably more important, bragging rights over friends and family for another year.
