SJP vs. Wood Highlight Video by Courtney McGuigan
CHESTER, PA – For one quarter, the contest appeared as advertised.
The next three quarters, not so much.
In a Catholic League Red Division football opener between two of its best teams Friday night at Widener University, St. Joseph’s Prep dominated Archbishop Wood over the final 36 minutes and emerged victorious, 27-7.
“We were able to execute our game plan,” said Prep senior linebacker Phil O’Connor. “Our offense did a tremendous job moving the ball and were able to make some big plays to get the win.”
While improving their overall record to 3-0 and extending their two-year winning streak to 17, the defending state champion Hawks took a 7-0 lead with 7:37 left in the opening stanza when senior quarterback Marquez McCray lofted a perfectly arched, 33-yard touchdown pass to a diving senior Brandon Sanders.
SJP senior Dejuan Dandridge talks about what attributed to the Hawks victory
Wood senior Albert Glasgow notes improvements to be made for upcoming games
The Vikings responded in kind. Taking over at its own 20-yard line, Wood (2-2 overall) drove 80 yards on seven plays, culminated by senior Nasir Peoples’ 21-yard touchdown haul. So just 7:18 into the game, a back and forth clash appeared imminent.
The Prep had other ideas.
“After their touchdown,” said O’Connor, “we just had to refocus as a defense and just do our jobs. “We just went back to our basic calls we had planned because they seemed to work well.”
The Hawks would not allow a single point the rest of the way. Although Peoples (130 yards on 22 runs) supplied solid numbers, the Hawks stymied the Vikings’ passing game, allowing only nine completions and 80 yards on 21 attempts.
O’Connor was a large reason for that. The public address announcer mentioned his name so often that he could have just played a tape recorder instead of sitting by a microphone.
But O’Connor had lots of help. The Prep defense was manned by seniors Paul Hess, Ryan Bryce, Rayshad Wallace, and Jake Feehery up font; seniors O’Connor, Bradley Cobaugh, and Zach Snider at linebacker; senior Devon Dickerson and junior Zach Bougess at safety; and senior Dawson DeIuliis and junior Myles Talley at corner. Senior Dejuan Dandridge rotated at both safety and corner. Sophomore Liam Johnson, junior Cooper Kim, and freshman Jeremiah Trotter Jr. rotated at linebacker; junior Mike Alexander helped out at corner.
“I think we did so well because we have a lot of confidence in each other,” said O’Connor. “And when we weren’t on the field, Marquez did a great job keeping our offense going.”
McCray completed 9 of 15 passes for 144 yards and one score. He also rushed for 59 on six carries. McCray’s primary targets were Sanders (4 catches 69 yards, touchdown) and junior Johnny Freeman (3 for 55).
Junior Marques Mason rushed 19 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Kolbe Burrell added 47 yards on 10 rushes. Senior kicker Anthony Tigano connected on two field goals and three extra points. Bougess intercepted a pass for the second straight game.
“We just need to score in the red zone more instead of kicking field goals,” said McCray. “Our running game did well, and that helps a lot because defenses load up the box and then it opens up things like play action or just one-on-one with our receivers, which we feel like is a mismatch in our favor.”
McCray appreciated the Prep’s staunch defensive effort.
“Our defense played great,” he said. “It helps a lot. We feel like we can stick to our game plan and just be us as an offense, because we know the defense has our back.”
Looking Ahead: St. Joe’s Prep will travel to Radnor, PA to play Archbishop Carroll on Friday at 7PM. On Saturday night, Archbishop Wood will take on Roman Catholic at 7PM at the Germantown Super-Site.
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)