Springfield's "D' fitting in smartly - September 7 1994

 SPRINGFIELD -- Sometimes, change means you get better.

Sometimes, it just means you're different. But for Springfield football Rick Taylor, a change in plans has already paid some early-season dividends. The Cougars put a restructured defense on the field, did not allow Academy Park a snap inside the 21-yard line, and emerged 17-0 winners yesterday.

""I'm pleased, I'm pleased,'' said Taylor, with a look of contentment. ""We changed our entire defense from last year, and three weeks ago we didn't look very good doing it. But, it's a learning process, and I'm happy with the defensive effort we had today.'' Junior linebacker Jim Maglio led the defensive attack with two sacks, a handful of tackles, and a key fumble recovery that halted one of the Knights' longer drives midway through the fourth quarter. Trailing by 10, AcademyPark put together a seven-play series that began on its 13-yard line. Quarterback Tim Flynn connected with running back Jeremy Klein for a 32-yard catch and run, during which Klein used his arm as a leg a few times to scamper for an extra 20 yards. After a first down, the Knights were across the 50-yard line and threatening. That's when three Cougar defenders collectivly bashed James Carmichael as he tried to turn the corner, forcing the ball loose and allowing Maglio to scoop it up and essentially put the game on ice. ""When you pressure people a lot, you force turnovers,'' said Taylor. ""We had four today, we picked off a couple of passes and a couple of fumbles. If you pressure them, it forces that issue and they're going to turn the ball over.'' Springfield's first pick of the afternoon came courtesy of linebacker Brian Pieri, who stepped in front of a pass at the Cougar 46-yard line and returned it six yards. The INT pumped life into Springfield's offense, which looked stagnant over the first four drives, producing just three points on a 30-yard Pat Kane field goal late in the first quarter. No one felt the lift more than quarterback Chris Fox (10-for-15 for 124 yards, TD) and receiver Kane. The duo hooked up three times during the drive, the last one being an 11-yard dart to the end zone that Kane easily snagged for a touchdown.

On the Cougars' final drive, Marty Brown went six yards around the left end to give Springfield a dominating 17-0 lead with 2:40 to go. Taylor had mixed reviews for the Cougars' offense. ""I wasn't real pleased,'' said Taylor. ""We did some things real well, and then we had some breakdowns. But that has a lot to do with some of the inexperience we have in the line. But, we did get effort.''

Springfield will have plenty of time to make improvement. Its game next Saturday with William Tennent has been cancelled because of a scheduling mixup. ""Just out of the clear blue,'' Taylor said. ""That leaves us with a hole in the schedule, so we have an open date.'' But to pull some positives out of it ... ""It will give a couple banged-up kids a chance to get healthy,'' Taylor said. ""That doesn't hurt. And, it gives us two weeks to prepare for Marple (Newtown).'' FOOTBALL

Springfield 17, Academy Park 0

Academy Park 0 0 0 0 -- 0> Springfield 3 7 0 7 -- 17>

S -- FG Kane 30

S -- Kane 11 pass from Fox (Kane kick)

S -- Brown 6 run (Kane kick)

TEAM STATISTICS APSPR

First Downs79

Rushes-Yards26-4328-73

Passing Yards44124

Passes2-8-210-15-1

Punts-Average4-33.34-33.4

Fumbles-Lost2-20-0

Penalties-Yards5-476-60

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Academy Park: Klein 5-10, Carmichael 10-60, Smart 2-1, Flynn 9-(-28). Springfield: Brown 22-76, Tedesco 2-2, Kane 2-0, Fox 2-(-5).

PASSING -- Academy Park: Flynn 2-8-2, 44. Springfield: Fox 10-15-1, 124.

RECEIVING -- Academy Park: Klein 1-32, Smart 1-12. Springfield: Kane 5-66, Keith 2-35, Brown 1-10, Maglio 1-9, Dorrian 1-4.

Carmichael's 229-yard night helps Academy Park's cause

September 11, 1994 | Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA)

Author/Byline: HARRY CHAYKUNOf the Times Staff | Section: News

678 Words | Readability: Lexile: 1130, grade level(s): 9 10 11-12

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NEWTOWN SQUARE -- Alonzo Covert remembered.

""Yeah, his father played for Darby Township when I coached there,'' Covert said when asked about AcademyPark junior Dayton Henson.

Dayton Henson's teammates remembered.

""We all were thinking about him and wanted to get him a game ball,'' said Knight senior two-way lineman Greg Pierce, who caused a fumble that resulted in his team's first touchdown Friday night at Harry Harvey Field.

""I've known Dayton for eight years,'' said Chris Ferrari -- who ran back that fumble Pierce caused for a TD -- of Henson, who was hospitalized for five days after taking a hit to the kidneys in last week's loss to Springfield. ""We had to get the game ball for him.''

The nonleague contest between Academy Park and Marple Newtown will be one many people will remember. It featured a 229-yard rushing performance (26 carries, three touchdowns) by the Knights' James Carmichael. Marple junior quarterback Chris Gicking countered with 19 completions for 305 yards and a pair of TDs.

And the elements -- lightning flashes during the third quarter -- conspired to bring things to a halt for 45 minutes. When the teams got back to playing and got all said and done, AcademyPark came away with a 26-20 victory for its first win in two games. Marple dropped to 0-2.

""Give (the Tigers) credit for the way they came back after that delay,'' said Knights coach Sal Oropollo. ""I was really pleased with the way we got the job done (offensively) up front.''

Up front doing the blocking for Academy Park were Mike Porreca, Pierce, Bill Bissinger, Andre Harrison, Steve Richard and Kevin Hornung. Carmichael was another Knight who was happy with that unit's efforts.

""Their blocking made it all possible,'' said the 5-11, 170-pound senior who ripped off scoring runs of 44, 18 and 48 yards, the last one two plays after a 38-yard pass from Gicking to Paul Brown cut the AP lead to 20-14 with 3:05 to play in the final quarter.

""I think they had better calls on the line and that helped their blocking be better.''

Pierce also helped the Knights to their first TD when he drove Gicking back from the Academy Park 16, separated him from the ball at the 25 and watched as Ferrari dashed 75 yards for six points.

""It was a night game and everyone was excited about it,'' Pierce said. ""Someone had to set the tone. Once we got ahead, then we had to keep the intensity up.''

""When I saw Greg smash their quarterback, I had the ball right there in my hands,'' Ferrari said. ""By the time I was done (running), I was a little tired. I know we were all thinking about winning this game and keeping it going for the rest of our season.''

Marple will be happy to keep what it had going in the fourth quarter -- three touchdowns -- in the coming weeks. Beau Barrabee picked up 62 of his 74 rushing yards after halftime and Gicking completed nine passes for 173 yards in the final two quarters.

""These are the kind of games that can drive you crazy,'' Oropollo said. ""But you're happy to win them.''

""We're happy we got Dayton a game ball,'' said Carmichael. ""And maybe he can come back and play for us before the season's over.'' Academy Park 26, Marple 20

Academy Park 12 8 0 6 -- 26> Marple Newtown 0 0 0 20 -- 20>

AP -- Ferrari 75 run with fumble (kick blocked)

AP -- Carmichael 44 run (run failed)

AP -- Carmichael 18 run (Klein pass from Flynn)

MN -- Barrabee 1 run (Groeber kick)

MN -- Brown 38 pass from Gicking (Groeber kick)

AP -- Carmichael 48 run (kick failed)

MN -- Barrabee 8 pass from Gicking (kick failed)

TEAM STATISTICS APMN

First Downs1118

Rushes-Yards35-23126-66

Passing Yards58305

Passes2-4-119-28-0

Punts-Average2-23.54-30.8

Fumbles-Lost2-12-1

Penalties-Yards7-355-47

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- AP: Carmichael 26-223, Smart 2-10, Klein 3-0, Flynn 4-(-8). Marple: Barrabee 12-74, Iannarelli 5-12, Kidd 1-2, DeCecco 1-2, Gicking 7-(-24).

PASSING -- AP: 2-4-1, 58. Marple: Gicking 19-28-0, 305.

RECEIVING -- AP: Klein 1-31, Smart 1-27. Marple: Maiocco 8-111, Kidd 4-83, Brown 3-95, Barrabee 3-8, DeCecco 1-8.

Early lead points AP to victory September 18, 1994

 Special to the Daily Times

POTTSTOWN -- Academy Park let another big lead vanish into the night as the Knights held for a 21-20 nonleague victory over Pottstown Friday night.

So what else is new?

The Knights (2-1) had a 20-0 lead on Marple Newtown a week earlier only to pull out a 26-20 victory over the Tigers. So when the Trojans (1-1) roared back from a 21-6 deficit, no one was surprised.

Actually, the game wasn't as close as the final score would indicate. AP not only squandered a 15-point lead, but also came up empty on two scoring opportunities in the fourth quarter.

Pottstown defensive back/running back Brandon Tinson picked off a Tom Flynn pass in the end zone and Flynn was stopped at the Trojan six-yard line on a key fourth down play late in the fourth quarter, so the margin of victory should have been a little wider.

But it was only one point, which was still enough to give the Knights a winning percentage of .667.

James Carmichael rushed 28 times for 123 yards and one touchdown and Flynn threw a pair of touchdown passes to lead Academy Park to its second straight win. Carmichael scored on an 11-yard run in the first quarter to offset a 23-yard TD run by Pottstown's Londun Ricketts.

Jeremy Klein pulled in a 36-yard scoring pass from Flynn and then booted the second of his three extra points to give the Knights a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

That spread would stay the same until Flynn hit Chris Ferrari with an eight-yard scoring pass with 6:40 to play in the third quarter. Klein's PAT gave Academy Park a 21-6 advantage.

It would be enough, but just barely.

Pierre Faison returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a TD and after Ricketts ran for the two-point conversion, AP's lead had been cut to 21-14. Less than four minutes later, the Knights' advantage dropped to 21-20 when Ricketts scored from two yards out with 2:42 to play in the third quarter.

Pottstown lined up for what appeared to be the tying extra-point kick, but that was just a ploy. Tinson tried to run for the two-point conversion but got nowhere.

""Playing defense against a fast team like that can cause problems,'' Academy Park coach Sal Oropollo said. ""We should have done a better job, though after their first drive we made some adjustments.''

Those modifications prevented Pottstown from retaking the lead, and Oropollo elected to go for the end zone instead of the field goal when the Knights drove into Trojan territory twice in the fourth quarter.

""I thought we had to score,'' Oropollo said. ""I felt we had to go for six because a field would have made the score 24-20 and that wouldn't have helped us. I was worried more that they (the Trojans) would get on the field and score.'' Academy Park 21, Pottstown 20

Academy Park 14 0 7 0 -- 21> Pottstown 6 0 14 0 -- 20>

PH -- Ricketts 23 run (kick failed)

AP -- Carmichael 11 run (Klein kick)

AP -- Klein 36 pass from Flynn (Klein kick)

AP -- Ferrari 8 pass from Flynn (Klein kick)

PH -- Faison 75 kickoff return (Ricketts run)

PH -- Ricketts 2 run (run failed)

TEAM STATISTICS APPOT

First Downs155

Rushes-Yards48-21224-99

Passing Yards447

Passes2-4-14-8-1

Punts-Average3-26.34-30.0

Fumbles-Lost1-13-1

Penalties-Yards3-251-5

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Academy Park: Carmichael 28-123, Klein 7-42, Smart 7-38, Flynn 6-9. Pottstown: Tinson 12-74, Ricketts 8-25, Dalton 4-(-5).

PASSING -- Academy Park: Flynn 2-4-1, 44. Pottstown: Ricketts 4-8-1, 16.

RECEIVING -- Academy Park: Klein 1-36, Ferrari 1-8. Pottstown: Hargrove 1

Glen Mills finds the right cure at home October 2, 1994

 THORNBURY -- Just one look -- followed by another -- was what it took for Glen Mills to get over a very unfamiliar hump Friday night. By all standings accounts, the Bulls were having their worst season in recent memory. They jogged cautiously into their homecoming party carrying an 0-4 record. Oh and four? ""A couple of guys, including myself, we had our heads down for a little while because of that,'' said Glen Mills receiver Maurice Ryant. ""But we pulled together tonight. We proved we can win games.'' Picked a good time for it, too. The Bulls' 39-22 victory over Academy Parksignified a successful start to Glen Mills' defense of its Del Val League National Conference crown, which made losses to nonleague feared foes Berwick, Monsignor Bonner, Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg) and Archbishop Carroll (Washington D.C.) a bit easier to take. ""After those games, through the films, they saw that a lot of the reasons why we lost those games were mistakes that we'd made ourselves,'' said Glen Mills coach Ken Banks. ""Basically, I told them that in my eyes, those four games were scrimmages. And that tonight, our season was starting.'' This Glen Mills revival at home also came at the expense of an Academy Park team (0-1 league, 2-3 overall) that was less than half the Bulls' size in number, and almost that in physical stature. It came via two quick first quarter touchdowns by a Bulls ground attack off a Power-I that the Knights simply weren't prepared for, and the track marks on their facemasks before the game was 10 minutes old supplied some soiled evidence. But in the end, this first win for Glen Mills wouldn't come all that easily. Instead of a Bulls bicep blowout, this Glen Mills win had to be iced by two of the smallest kids on the team: A 5-10, 154-pound slippery stringbean of a quarterback by the name of Mcguel Bays, and the 5-9, 144-pound Ryant, who ended his coming out party with three touchdowns and 140 all-purpose yards. The Bulls were staked to the early lead on a 20-yard bootleg around left end by Bays with 9:43 left in the first quarter, and a nine-yard run by Jamar Butler (17 carries, 129 yards) one possession later. Meanwhile, the Knights were chewing up a lot of yardage and time behind the running of James Carmichael, but couldn't cash in any of it. Yet. ""We didn't know what they were doing at first,'' admitted Carmichael, who doubles as a linebacker. ""We didn't know they would come out with three backs (in the Power-I). But then our coaches figured it out and we started to shut them down. ""We were moving the ball, so we figured if we were able to keep our head in the game, we'd be all right.'' Unfortunately for AcademyPark, that comeback plan was struck down by thunder from the sky. Bays saw that AP had started to isolate Ryant with one lone cornerback. One nifty 33-yard touchdown pass later, it was 21-0. And still the first quarter hadn't ended. It looked like the game had ended five minutes into the second quarter, when once again Bays (70 rushing yards, 92 passing) hooked up with Ryant, this time on a 39-yard perfect post pattern off a third-and-one, and again against man-to-man coverage. ""If they come play me man to man close up, I usually have no problem getting past them,'' said Ryant. ""And I knew if I could get him (defensive back Jeremy Klein) the first time, I could get him the second time.'' That wasn't too hard for Ryant to figure out -- this was his eighth touchdown catch of a season that still is very young. The game, however, was young, too. And the Knights knew it. With Carmichael slicing and weaving through Glen Mills' fearsome but frustrated defenders, AP slowly collected itself, only to fumble away a couple of second-quarter drives. But with all of 16 seconds left, quarterback Tim Flynn found Chris Ferrari in the corner of the end zone off a desperate fourth-down pass, and then ran in a conversion to cut the huge gap to 27-8 at the half. ""They may have been 0-4, but they may have been the most impressive 0-4 team in the United States,'' Academy Park coach Sal Oropollo said of Glen Mills. ""So, give credit where credit is due. They moved the ball on offense and kicked our butts early. ""But our kids didn't lay down.'' Not even after Ryant -- yes, him again -- returned a punt 48 yards early in the third quarter for a touchdown that made it 33-8. Academy Park hung in there, and with 7:50 left to play cut it to 33-14 on another TD toss from Flynn to Ferrari. But a 39-yard interception return for touchdown by Walter Mitchell ended all doubts for Glen Mills -- but didn't end the scoring. Calling desperation timeouts during a long drive, the Knights kept driving against a dying clock, and finally Carmichael closed a brilliant personal game on both sides of the ball by zig-zagging 27 yards for a score with six seconds left to play. ""We wanted to score,'' said Carmichael, who rushed for 155 yards via 26 carries on the busy night. ""We felt like we could score and then have the onside kick. To the last whistle, we felt like we could win the game.'' Glen Mills 39, Academy Park 22

Academy Park 0 8 0 14 -- 22> Glen Mills 21 6 6 6 -- 39>

GM -- Bays 20 run (Tellez kick)

GM -- Butler 9 run (Tellez kick)

GM -- Ryant 33 pass from Bays (Tellez kick)

AP -- Ferrari 6 pass from Flynn (Flynn run)

GM -- Ryant 48 punt return (kick blocked)

AP -- Ferrari 23 pass from Flynn (pass failed)

GM -- Mitchell 39 INT return (run failed)

AP -- Carmichael 27 run (Hornung pass from Flynn)

TEAM STATISTICS APGM

First Downs1412

Rushes-Yards45-16338-213

Passing Yards13892

Passes7-15-13-8-1

Punts-Average6-24.52-20

Fumbles-Lost5-34-3

Penalties-Yards3-308-80

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Academy Park: Carmichael 26-155, Smart 10-33, Klein 3-(-7), Flynn 6-(-18). Glen Mills: Butler 17-129, Scott 4-8, Bays 14-70, Alexander 3-6.

PASSING -- Academy Park: Flynn 7-15-1, 138. Glen Mills: Bays 3-8-1, 92.

RECEIVING -- Academy Park: Klein 1-22, Ferrari 6-116. Glen Mills: Ryant 3-92.

Early lead points AP to victory - September 18, 1994

September 18, 1994 | Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA)

Section: News

588 Words | Readability: Lexile: 1190, grade level(s): 10 11-12

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Special to the Daily Times

POTTSTOWN -- Academy Park let another big lead vanish into the night as the Knights held for a 21-20 nonleague victory over Pottstown Friday night.

So what else is new?

The Knights (2-1) had a 20-0 lead on Marple Newtown a week earlier only to pull out a 26-20 victory over the Tigers. So when the Trojans (1-1) roared back from a 21-6 deficit, no one was surprised.

Actually, the game wasn't as close as the final score would indicate. AP not only squandered a 15-point lead, but also came up empty on two scoring opportunities in the fourth quarter.

Pottstown defensive back/running back Brandon Tinson picked off a Tom Flynn pass in the end zone and Flynn was stopped at the Trojan six-yard line on a key fourth down play late in the fourth quarter, so the margin of victory should have been a little wider.

But it was only one point, which was still enough to give the Knights a winning percentage of .667.

James Carmichael rushed 28 times for 123 yards and one touchdown and Flynn threw a pair of touchdown passes to lead Academy Park to its second straight win. Carmichael scored on an 11-yard run in the first quarter to offset a 23-yard TD run by Pottstown's Londun Ricketts.

Jeremy Klein pulled in a 36-yard scoring pass from Flynn and then booted the second of his three extra points to give the Knights a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

That spread would stay the same until Flynn hit Chris Ferrari with an eight-yard scoring pass with 6:40 to play in the third quarter. Klein's PAT gave Academy Park a 21-6 advantage.

It would be enough, but just barely.

Pierre Faison returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a TD and after Ricketts ran for the two-point conversion, AP's lead had been cut to 21-14. Less than four minutes later, the Knights' advantage dropped to 21-20 when Ricketts scored from two yards out with 2:42 to play in the third quarter.

Pottstown lined up for what appeared to be the tying extra-point kick, but that was just a ploy. Tinson tried to run for the two-point conversion but got nowhere.

""Playing defense against a fast team like that can cause problems,'' Academy Park coach Sal Oropollo said. ""We should have done a better job, though after their first drive we made some adjustments.''

Those modifications prevented Pottstown from retaking the lead, and Oropollo elected to go for the end zone instead of the field goal when the Knights drove into Trojan territory twice in the fourth quarter.

""I thought we had to score,'' Oropollo said. ""I felt we had to go for six because a field would have made the score 24-20 and that wouldn't have helped us. I was worried more that they (the Trojans) would get on the field and score.'' Academy Park 21, Pottstown 20

Academy Park 14 0 7 0 -- 21> Pottstown 6 0 14 0 -- 20>

PH -- Ricketts 23 run (kick failed)

AP -- Carmichael 11 run (Klein kick)

AP -- Klein 36 pass from Flynn (Klein kick)

AP -- Ferrari 8 pass from Flynn (Klein kick)

PH -- Faison 75 kickoff return (Ricketts run)

PH -- Ricketts 2 run (run failed)

TEAM STATISTICS APPOT

First Downs155

Rushes-Yards48-21224-99

Passing Yards447

Passes2-4-14-8-1

Punts-Average3-26.34-30.0

Fumbles-Lost1-13-1

Penalties-Yards3-251-5

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Academy Park: Carmichael 28-123, Klein 7-42, Smart 7-38, Flynn 6-9. Pottstown: Tinson 12-74, Ricketts 8-25, Dalton 4-(-5).

PASSING -- Academy Park: Flynn 2-4-1, 44. Pottstown: Ricketts 4-8-1, 16.

RECEIVING -- Academy Park: Klein 1-36, Ferrari 1-8. Pottstown: Hargrove 1-9, Burr 1-4, Harling 1-3, Tinson 1-0.

FOOTBALL - September 20, 1994

September 20, 1994 | Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA)

Section: News

435 Words

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DCFCA Players of the Week Catholic League Players of the Week: Quarterback: Mike Mitros, Monsignor Bonner. Running back: Dave Bradley, Bonner. Receiver: Anthony Becht, Bonner. Offensive line: Brian Morrow. Defensive line: Greg Fisher, Bonner. Linebacker: Eric Kuchler, Bonner. Defensive back: Mitros, Bonner.

Central League Players of the Week: Quarterback: Jim Waxman, Penncrest. Running back: Marty Brown, Springfield. Receiver: Steve Carroll, Ridley. Offensive line: Chris Kane, Upper Darby. Defensive line: Lee J. Kuhlburg, Ridley. Linebacker: John Stango, Upper Darby. Defensive back: Tom Del Rossi, Upper Darby and Jared McCallum, Springfield. Special teams: Kevin Osbourne, Penncrest and Justin McCarthy, Haverford.

Honorable Mention: Quarterback: John Tinney, Ridley. Running back: Karl Baur, Haverford. Receiver: Brian Sullivan, Penncrest; Rafe D'Amico, Radnor. Offensive line: Kevin Keenan, Springfield; Ian Fredericks, Haverford; Mark Radcliffe, Penncrest. Defensive line: Norm Nelson, Springfield; John Favery, Upper Darby. Linebacker: Matt Murray, Ridley; Baur and Keith Sgrillo, Haverford; Mike DePetris, Springfield. Defensive back: Oral Williams, Lower Merion. Special teams: Jason Lydell, Ridley.

Del Val League American Conference Players of the Week: Quarterback: Todd Vislusky, Unionville. Running back: Brian O'Shea, Interboro. Receiver. Derek Thomas, Harriton. Offensive line: Denny Leonard, Interboro. Defensive line: Tim Smith, Unionville. Linebacker: Chad Walker, Unionville. Defensive back: Mike Getz, Sun Valley.

Honorable Mention: Running back: Rich Black, Chichester. Offensive line: Jamie Halliday, Interboro; Jeff Gifford, Chichester. Defensive line: Eric Cole, Unionville; Ken Caudell, Oxford; Dan Walls, Chichester; Ed Kloss, Interboro. Linebacker: Ben Blevins, Oxford; Mike Owen and O'Shea, Interboro; Jack Stephani, Garnet Valley; Kevin Caudell, Oxford; Corey Sendek. Defensive back: Gary Matthias, Interboro; Jason Bradham, Oxford. Special teams: Jim Irey, Interboro.

Del Val League National Conference Players of the Week: Quarterback: Kyle Hill, Penn Wood. Running back: James Carmichael, Penn Wood. Receiver: Michael D. Walker, Penn Wood and Greg Hollman, Chester. Offensive line: Greg Pierce, Academy Park and Ofa Donaldson, Glen Mills. Defensive line: Lamont Hughes, Chester. Linebacker: Joe Terra, Penn Wood and Damar Johnson, Glen Mills. Defensive back: John McDonough, Academy Park. Special teams: William Mason, Glen Mills.

Honorable Mention: Quarterback: Kareem Devine, Chester; McGuel Bays, Glen Mills. Running back: Rashod Kelly and Jamar Kinder, Chester; Wilson Audelein, Justin Wright and Aaron Mackrey, Penn Wood. Receiver: Al Motley Jr., Chester; Tony Reynolds and Dennis Springer, Penn Wood. Offensive line: Andre Harrison, Academy Park; Lamont Hughes, Vernon Brown and Jerrold Weatherly, Chester. Defensive line: Kwasi Asare, Academy Park; Lamont Hughes, Damon Mayfield, Kareem Devine and Jerrold Weatherly, Chester; Milton Smith, Ed Jean-Baptiste, Ben Stanley and Jerome Farquharson, Penn Wood. Linebacker: Tim Meeley, Academy Park; Rashod Kelly, Chester; Xavier Govens, Glen Mills; Defensive back: Kewyne Bolds, Chester. Special teams: John McDonough, Academy Park.

Incomplete work costs Academy Park - September 25, 1994

September 25, 1994 | Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby. {A

Author/Byline: GREG GREENDAYOf the Times Staff | Section: News

742 Words | Readability: Lexile: 1080, grade level(s): 8 9

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SHARON HILL -- Academy Park coach Sal Oropollo took a long look at the scoreboard at Knight Field, then considered the effort his team had just put forth in a 30-7 loss to Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg yesterday afternoon.

Somehow, it didn't add up.

""I know that 30-7 sounds like a blowout, but that's not what happened out here today,'' said Oropollo. ""We had people where they were supposed to be. We just didn't make the plays. I guess you could say they did and we didn't.''

What McDevitt (3-1) did was put on a passing clinic as the visiting Crusaders from the powerful Mid-Penn Conference threw for 294 yards. What the Knights didn't do was stop them.

McDevitt's nimble receivers ran a variety of fade patterns that left the Knights' secondary second-guessing itself on how to combat the deadly timing passes. More often than not, AP guessed wrong.

As a result, McDevitt quarterback Jordan Scott was able to connect on 16 of 19 passes from his run-and-shoot clone offense. His primary target was All-State junior wideout Raki Nelson, who grabbed five passes for 159 yards, including a 56-yard third-quarter scoring strike that ended any hope of a Knights' comeback.

""They had some quality skill people, and that No. 9 (Nelson) is legitimate, but I still think our kids played a solid game,'' Oropollo said. ""They never quit.''

Neither did the Crusaders' relentless air assault as Scott spread the wealth by using six receivers.

McDevitt (3-1) laid its cards on the table early. On their first possession of the game, the Crusaders used three consecutive fade passes to advance 47 yards. One play later -- a four-yard bolt by running back Julio Scherrer (5 carries, 48 yards) -- the visitors had a 6-0 lead and were never headed.

A subsequent blocked punt and interception led to two more McDevitt scores and an 18-0 halftime lead. But the Knights were not about to go quietly.

A 72-yard, 10-play march to open the second half helped Academy Park regain some momentum as it cut the deficit to 18-7. James Carmichael capped the impressive drive with a one-yard blast, but workhorse honors went to junior running back Chris Ferrari, whose timely and powerful rushes kept the drive alive.

""We really felt that we were back in it after that drive,'' said Ferrari. ""But they came right back and scored on the next series and that really hurt.''

Following three short completions, Scott had sufficiently lulled the AP secondary into thinking more of the same was to follow. Instead, Scott showed more of his deft passing touch by floating the ball over Nelson's right shoulder on a deep fade. The speedy Nelson did the rest to complete the dramatic and telling touchdown play that gave McDevitt a 24-7 lead with 2:46 left in the third quarter.

""That took the wind out of our sails,'' said Oropollo, who now has to get his team ready to tangle with Glen Mills. ""But again, our guys were right there. They just weren't able to finish the play.''

The Knights pounded the ball at the McDevitt defense with a good deal of success. But a few mental breakdowns and some costly penalties effectively negated Academy Park's 221 rushing yards.

Carmichael picked up 82 yards on 17 carries while Ferrari added 62 yards on just seven attempts.

""I thought we moved the ball pretty well against them,'' lamented Oropollo. ""But what are you going to do? These are after all, high school kids. They're not getting paid a million dollars.

""My biggest concern now is getting these guys to put this game behind them and get ready for Glen Mills. But they can all walk away from this one with their heads high.''

Even if the scoreboard indicates otherwise. Bishop McDevitt 30, Academy Park 7

Bishop McDevitt6 12 6 6 -- 30> Academy Park0 0 7 0 -- 7>

BM -- Scherrer 4 run (kick failed)

BM -- Scott 5 run (pass failed)

BM -- McKenzie 14 pass from Scott (pass failed)

AP -- Carmichael 1 run (Ferrari kick)

BM -- Nelson 56 pass from Scott (pass failed)

BM -- Scherrer 42 run (pass failed)

TEAM STATISTICS BMAP

First Downs1612

Rushes-Yards24-9744-221

Passing Yards29472

Passes16-19-12-9-1

Punts-Average0-05-24.2

Fumbles-Lost2-23-1

Penalties-Yards7-657-52

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- McDevitt: Mealy 3-4, Scherrer 5-48, McKenzie 1-4, Scott 7-13, Nelson 1-10 Waters 3-11, Mitchell 2-15, Koppenheffer 2-(-8). Academy Park: Klein 4-23, Cook 1-1, Smart 7-43, Flynn 8-4, Carmichael 17-82, Ferrari 7-68.

PASSING -- McDevitt: Scott 16-19-1, 294. Academy Park: Flynn 2-9-1, 72.

RECEIVING -- McDevitt: McKenzie 4-64, Dykes 4-32, Nelson 5-159, Scherrer 1-22, Waters 1-13, Funk 1-4.

Matthias, Tinney are among slew of stars - October 4, 1994

October 4, 1994 | Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA)

Author/Byline: TERRY TOOHEYOf the Times Staff | Section: News

228 Words

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UPPER PROVIDENCE -- Co-MVPs were the rage among the coaches in the Del Val League last night at the weekly meeting of the Delaware County Football Coaches Association.

In the American Conference, Interboro quarterback/defensive back Gary Matthias and Unionville lineman Eric Cole shared top honors. Meanwhile, Academy Park running back/linebacker James Carmichael and Penn Wood wide receiver/defensive back Anthony Reynolds shared MVP laurels in the National Conference.

Ridley quarterback/linebacker John Tinney earned Most Valuable Player honors from the coaches in the Central League while Monsignor Bonner defensive back was the pick in the Catholic League.

Garnet Valley's Jeremy Buxton was the Total Rehab MVP.

Matthias scored one TD, threw for two more scores and stood out in the secondary as the third-ranked Bucs downed Sun Valley, 35-6. Cole was a terror on both sides of the ball as the Indians blanked arch-rival Garnet Valley, 35-0.

Reynolds had four catches for 108 yards and two touchdown and was involved in eight tackles as the Patriots blanked Chester, 27-0. Carmichael gained 168 yards and was in on seven tackles as the Knights fell to Glen Mills, 39-22.

Tinney completed 14 of 16 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for three TDs as the fourth-ranked Raiders whipped Haverford, 38-13. McKenna had eight tackles and returned an interception for a TD as Bonner blasted Roman Catholic, 55-21.