FOOTBALL: Three Unbeaten Teams Prevail in Both Red & Blue, See Which Teams Lead Their Divisions in This Week's PCL Review

By: John Knebels

Photos: Katelyn Roman, James Williamson, Patty Morgan and Mike Gray

PCL Football Weekend Review 9/28

PHILADELPHIA- Lansdale Catholic was tired of moral victories. The Crusaders needed a victory, pure and simple.

“Throughout the week we had a great game plan put together by all the coaches,” said LC junior standout running back Danny Dutkiewicz. “All we had to do was execute it.”

Dutkiewicz paused.

“And we did,” he said.

The Crusaders (2-3 overall, 1-2 league) stunned visiting Bonner-Prendergast, 35-28, in a Catholic League Blue Division tilt Saturday at Wissahickon High School. B-P (2-4, 0-3) led by two touchdowns with 7:48 remaining before LC forged a dramatic comeback.

Senior Mike Shragher’s one-yard plunge cut the deficit in half. Then the Crusaders regained possession on a perfectly executed on-side kick by junior Brendan Menges that was recovered by junior Kevin Gianoni. Three plays later, junior Evan Hannings rumbled 44 yards up the middle to tie the game.

After a defensive stop, the Crusaders finished the comeback when junior quarterback Peter McHugh raced 11 yards for a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

“Evan’s touchdown really got the team going,” said Dutkiewicz, who rushed 26 times and accrued 150 yards and a touchdown, his seventh of the season. He has scored in every game.

“That kid is one of the fastest on our team and when he hits that hole and there is a lane, no one is catching him.”

Gianoni, a two-year starter at middle linebacker, agreed.

“The momentum of the game shifted when Evan had a huge run up the middle of the field,” he said. “That gave us the life we needed and made us confident going into the onside kick.”

“When we were lining up for the kick, I was picking out the guy I was going to hit, letting Danny Dutkiewicz get the ball like how we prepared. That all changed when Brendan Menges kicked a perfect kick at the chest of the Bonner man, giving me a clean shot at the ball.”

Gianoni said the Crusaders learned a lesson.

“It builds our confidence going into the next game and shows us how we have to come out fast the next game,” he said.

Lansdale Catholic vs. Bonner-Prendergast Photos by Katelyn Roman for PSD

For B-P, sophomore quarterback Kyle Lazer rushed for a career-high 107 yards and scored a touchdown. Senior Nasim Cooper gained 68 yards and scored twice.

Already coming off a shutout, Bishop McDevitt’s defense had a difficult challenge of figuring out an encore. The Lancers did just that, one again blanking an opponent.

This time, the victim was visiting Neumann-Goretti, 26-0. Sophomore Jon-Luke Parker buoyed the offense with 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Joachim McElroy intercepted two passes, giving the Lancers a collective seven picks by six different players.

McDevitt’s defense of tackles Sean Stanton and Nasire Griffin; ends Ken Talley and Tyrone Fowler; linebackers Richard Cotton, Lawrence Richardson, and Kyeem Little; and the secondary of Zay Scott, Mike Price, Akrie Lilley, and McElroy has surrendered seven or fewer points in five of their six games and a miserly 13 points over the past 16 quarters. Scary thought – of those 11, two (Talley and Lilley) are freshmen, one (McElroy) is a sophomore, and one (Griffin) is a junior.

Cotton, a senior, said he felt the game was over very early.

“We just had to be physical and contain the outside and make them play uncomfortable,” said Cotton. “After Tyrone Fowler returned the fumble for a touchdown, I then knew we had everything under control.”

After all, it gave the Lancers (5-1, 3-0) a 6-0 lead over the Saints (1-2, 1-2). For this defense lately, six points are more than enough.

Bishop McDevitt Football improves to 3-0 (PCL) - PSD Photo by James Williamson

West Catholic bounced Cardinal O’Hara, 21-12, as junior Zahir Booker made the most of 11 carries, accumulating a career-high 172 yards and scoring twice. Junior quarterback Zaire Hart-Hawkins added a touchdown pass to junior Carl Smith.

The Burrs (5-1, 3-0) held the Lions (3-2, 1-2) to 123 yards of offense. One highlight for O’Hara was junior Cole Sprague’s league-leading third interception.

“It was a hard fought win,” said West senior Aaron Jenkins. “A lot of teams just try to key in on certain people on our team, but what they don’t realize is we have stars everywhere that can get the job done, too.”

Conwell-Egan showed no signs of letting down. In a 42-27 triumph at Archbishop Carroll (2-3, 0-3), the undefeated Eagles (6-0, 3-0) dominated on offense.

Senior Patrick Garwo gained 118 yards and scored four touchdowns to give him 16 for the season; he has scored multiple touchdowns in all but one game and has landed in the end zone 36 times over his past 16 games dating back to last fall.

Senior QB Alex Goldsby rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown. For the second time this season, senior Sean Stokes threw one pass and it resulted in a touchdown, a 41-yarder to senior Terome Mitchell (3 catches, 101 yards, now with nine TDs, four of them receiving). Stokes also had an interception.

“We started slow,” said Garwo, “but we stuck together and dug deep to get the win.”

Victory formation. @cecfootball moves to 6-0! pic.twitter.com/RDypzqkeXm
— CEC Athletics (@CEC_athletics) September 29, 2018

In Catholic League Red Division openers, Archbishop Wood blanked Roman Catholic, 42-0. Senior quarterback Jake Ross completed 9 of 11 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns, including a 60-yard strike to senior Brad Otto, the first offensive TD of his career (as a sophomore, Otto returned kickoff for a score).

Senior Joe Wade caught two scores; senior Bill Cook snared one.

St. Joseph’s Prep (3-0, 1-0) coasted past LaSalle, 49-12, as senior Marques Mason returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Sophomores Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison connected for a pair of scores for the Hawks, who have scored 118 points in their three wins. For the Explorers (1-4, 0-1), quarterback Sean Daly rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown and also threw a TD pass to senior Kahlil Diarrah. Senior Manny Quiles led in rushing with 74 yards on 11 carries.

For more on St. Joe's Prep Division win with on camera interviews and photos click here

St. Joe’s Prep vs. La Salle College High School Photos by Patty Morgan for PSD.

Archbishop Ryan (6-0, 1-0) was too strong for Father Judge (1-4, 0-1), as the Raiders used a torrid running game to pull away for a 38-20 win. Senior QB Jahlil Sanders (9 carries, 87 yards, two touchdowns on the ground; two touchdowns through the air), sophomore Tyreek Chappell (9-124-1 on the ground; one catch for 27 yards and a touchdown receiving), and junior Julian Jones (5-96) kept the Crusaders at bay despite a strong performance by Judge senior Shane Dooley (22 carries for 108 yards and three TDs).

“We knew our O-line was tougher than their D-Line and that they were shuffling linebackers,” said Jones, “so we could attack them on the ground and that’s what we did.”

For more on the Northeast Classic Ryan vs. Judge game including videos and pictures click here.