Fall Sports Blair, Haverford seniors celebrate a night to remember

HAVERFORD — The Haverford High football team celebrated Senior Night in every imaginable way Friday.

Seniors scored seven of eight touchdowns in a 57-16 romp over Central League foe Conestoga, extending the Fords’ winning streak to eight games.

Senior linemen opened up enough space for Chasen Wint to score three touchdowns and fellow senior Trey Blair to add two plus two TD passes.

The Fords even survived a couple of senior moments on special teams, including Conestoga’s Liam Kirk returning a blocked field goal 90 yards for a score. The visitors recovered the ensuing onside kick.

There was no doubt the Haverford’s seniors would leave with a decisive victory in their last night game at A.G. Cornog Stadium, regardless of what Garnet Valley did against Ridley. They made a pact to leave it all on the field.

Though the Fords (8-2, 7-1 Central) had to settle for second place in the Central league, after the Jaguars rallied to claim their second straight outright crown with a 42-24 decision over the Green Raiders, there could be a lot more football to be played in the postseason.

“This was our night,” said Blair, who rushed for 238 yards. “We’ve got a team led by a lot of seniors. We’re pretty senior-heavy. I think this is like the closest class we’ve had for as long as I’ve been here. They’re literally like my brothers. We do everything together.

“Our senior night, we just kind of wanted to end with a bang. We just wanted to make the most of it and I think we did.”

Blair completed nine of 12 passes for 144 yards, sending five worth 114 yards to senior Colin Ney, who scored a touchdown. Ney’s sprawling fingertip catch of a 46-yard pass in the second half brought the crowd to its feet.

Blair’s 81-yard scoring run was also electric. It was one of those performances that makes you wonder why the University of Buffalo, which is where he’s headed, would think he could be an elite safety.

“We practiced all week, quarterback keeps,” Pioneers coach Matt Diamond said. “We put some of our fastest guys out there in practice. I mean we couldn’t have repped the plays we saw more than we did. That’s just a credit to Trey Blair. Blair is a special player. I mean he’s on a different level.”

Being there for teammates is why Wint, who sat out a couple of games with an ailing knee, was so anxious to get back on the field.

Wint rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries, much of it tough yardage attacking the interior of the Pioneers’ defense. He wasn’t going to miss the game for anything.

“I just had to show up tonight,” Wint said. “I just told everybody to get together and give it everything we’ve got. There was no way I was going to let my teammates down. No way. Senior, can’t do that. Got to go out with a bang. I had to.”

Wint scored on runs of 28 and two yards, and Blair ripped off his long run to stake the Fords to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.

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Haverford quarterback Trey Blair, right, slips past Marple Newtown’s Johnnie Ebert during the first quarter at Haverford High School. Blair ran for three touchdowns and 278 yards in a 39-0 Fords win. (Eric Hartline/For MediaNews Group)