Football: Wood’s pick helps Garnet Valley snip Springfield’s string of successes

SPRINGFIELD >> Dave Wood described the play as just like any other. The linebacker dropped back into coverage, settled into a zone, then reacted to the ball, intercepting Springfield quarterback Johnny Fanelli to seal a 21-14 Garnet Valley win Friday evening. But even the senior, in his role as Wood Jr., offered a little smirk about what that interception would mean when he got home. Wood’s pick evicted Springfield from the ranks of the unbeaten, opening the door for the Ridley team coached by that other, older Dave Wood to win out and split a title.

“It’s going to be a great night,” the younger Wood said. “He’s going to be happy, and I’m going to be happy.”
That message carried clear across the Central League, through some version of familial intuition (and, perhaps, Twitter).

“(Springfield) lost and my son had the key interception,” Wood Sr. told a reporter after Ridley’s 36-0 win over Conestoga. “That’s awesome. It’s an awesome play and it’s just awesome he did that. Our kids were cheering on the sideline.”

Plenty of the younger Wood’s fellow Jaguars (7-2, 6-2 Central League) were ecstatic, too. It’s likely a longshot for the Jags to nudge back into the title race, but they solidified their placement in the District 1 6A field, entering the night seeded 11th.

They also spiced up the recipe for Week 10, which Ridley, Springfield and Marple Newtown will all enter with one league loss and designs on a portion of the Central crown. The Cougars play Haverford (5-2 in the Central League with Upper Darby waiting on Thanksgiving) in the arch-spoiler role.

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