Football: Marple Newtown stops Upper Moreland’s postseason run in District 1-5A quarters

UPPER MORELAND >> Upper Moreland’s been a second half team all season long. Friday night, the Golden Bears had flashes of it after halftime, but couldn’t quite put together the strong second half they’ve been known for this fall. In a tight game on a frozen night with the rest of their playoff season at stake, it also wasn’t quite enough. Upper Moreland, the No. 2 seed in the District 1-5A football players wasn’t able to complete a comeback as it fell to No. 7 Marple Newtown 24-18 Friday.

“They made the plays tonight,” Bears coach Adam Beach said. “They made plays when they needed to. I thought our guys made some plays, kept the game close. It came down to a couple plays here and there and they made the plays they needed to in the right moments and it’s how they got the win.”

It was the third straight year the Bears and Tigers have met in the postseason and second consecutive season that Marple Newtown bounced Upper Moreland out of the playoffs. On a night where temperatures dropped into the mid-20s, neither team was especially prolific on offense.

The Bears did a nice job of limiting the Tigers’ prolific passing attack, led by Delaware recruit and Delaware County’s all-time passing leader in senior quarterback Anthony Paoletti. Paloletti, who missed two series late in the game after appearing to injure his right arm, came back for the game’s final drive and drew a false start flag on UM to pick up a crucial first down.

While Paoletti did throw one touchdown, Upper Moreland’s defensive backs did a nice job of defending receivers and broke up a number of passes.

Upper Moreland started the game well, with its running game eating up 40 yards on the first three plays. Then, the promising drive stalled and the Bears had trouble moving the ball for much of the rest of the first half.

The Tigers got on the board first thanks to their emerging second option. Running back Marlon Weathers carried Marple Newtown on Friday. Weathers, a 6-foot, 185-pound junior, ran for 162 yards on 32 carries and shrugged off the cold as little more than an inconvenience.

Marple Newtown kicker Luke Ciavardelli booted a 37-yard field goal that would have been good from at least 10 yards further back with 2:00 left in the first quarter.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Marple Newtown’s Marlon Weathers straight arms Upper Moreland’s Cole Kitchen as he leaps through the line during their District 1-5A quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)