PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | September, 2022

A year ago, Bishop Shanahan ended Garnet Valley’s quest for a PIAA title with a five-set victory over the Jaguars in the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals. The Eagles came back from a two-set deficit in that match to advance to the semifinals.

Thursday evening, Garnet Valley got a measure of revenge.

Behind the play of senior setter Maddie Wood, reigning Daily Times Player of the Year, as well as seniors Kelly St. Germain and Sarah Weins, and freshman Sarah Wood, the Jaguars rolled to a 3-0 victory over the Eagles.

“We’re playing very well this year , and we’re playing all the way through matches – controlling the ball, and controlling the game, and giving effort all the way through,” Garnet Valley coach Mark Clark said. “We’re diving for balls – nothing’s going to hit the ground easy on us, and this (win) is what happens when everything clicks together for us.”

Maddie Wood doled out 31 assists in the 25-14, 25-14, 25-6 victory on the road. St. Germain pounded 10 kills. Weins added three kills and one block and has service runs of six points in the second set and 11 points in the third set. Sarah Wood also came up big with 10 kills and seven aces.

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Sarah Weins (11), seen going for a **** last season against RIdley’s Julia Soloman, recorded three kills and a couple of impressive service runs Tuesday in the Jaguars win over Bishop Shanahan. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)

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Tredyffrin >> Conestoga quarterback Peter Costigan’s running helped key the Pioneers’ 28-27 win against previously undefeated Marple Newtown Friday evening at Teamer Field.
Costigan scored three touchdowns on runs of 20, 7 and 83 yards, for Conestoga (4-1), and ran for more than 200 total yards on Homecoming night for the Pioneers.
“Last week in our [15-14] win against Haverford we really got Peter going in the run game, and that really opened some things for us,” said Conestoga head coach Matt Diamond. “Going into this week I knew we were going to have him carry the ball, and our [offensive] line did a phenomenal job.
“Marple Newtown is a terrific football team, they’re 4-0 [before tonight] for a reason. They’re well-coached but I just thought our kids played physical, and we were able to create some turnovers on the defensive side, and then our special teams made a difference.”

The biggest play on special teams for Conestoga was a 90-yard kickoff return by Bryce Beltrante just after Marple Newtown had taken a 7-0 lead 78 seconds into the contest on a 50-yard TD pass from David Bertoline to Brian Box.
“That kickoff return really was a big play for us, after Marple had hit on that long pass,” said Diamond. “It neutralized Marple’s momentum, and was a big, big special teams play.”
Marple then went three-and-out and booted a very short punt that finished on the Tigers’ 28 yard line. The Pioneers put together a 28-yard TD drive, capped by Costigan’s 20 yard run into the end zone.
The momentum switched back to Marple when the Tigers, pinned on their own 20 yard line on 3rd and 30, completed a screen pass from Bertoline to Bryan Bogan that gained 68 yards down to the Conestoga 12 yard line. Four plays later, on fourth-and-four from the Pioneers 6 yard line, Bertoline hit Bogan across the middle in the end zone to tie the score at 14-14.
With 5:40 to go before halftime, Conestoga’s Jude Cook made an interception at the Marple 43. Three plays later, Costigan hit Brody Eaton for a short pass that the receiver took all the way down to the Marple 5 yard line. Two plays later, Costigan scored on a 7 yard run to give the Pioneers a 21-14 that held up until halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, following a 39-yard completion by Bertoline, a subsequent fumble – one of three Tiger turnovers – was recovered by Conestoga at the Pioneers’ 17. On the very next play, Costigan carried the ball up the middle and then down the left side for an 83-yard touchdown to give the hosts a 28-14 lead.
“Against a good football team like Marple, you’ve got to create some turnovers,” said Diamond. “Marple’s offense does so many formations, so many looks, you have to prepare for so much. I’m so proud of our kids’ resolve, for us to come out and beat a real quality team the way that we did.”

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CONCORD TWP. — Garnet Valley went into the locker room Friday night feeling, with a certainty that few programs in the area can claim, that it didn’t play its way.

Being up just a touchdown on Springfield was not ideal, sure. But rushing for just 39 yards, passing for more than twice as many and being unable to consistently chew up yardage between the tackles? That’s not in the Jaguars’ DNA.

The halftime speech from first-year coach Eric Van Wyk was self-evident from the bruising, in-your-face drive that it inspired after the break.

Joe Checchio finished off the march with a one-yard dive, and Garnet Valley killed the clock in the second half on the way to a 20-7 win, the Jaguars’ 38th straight Central League triumph.

“We came in the locker room, he (Van Wyk) was like, this isn’t how we play. We need to be much more physical. You guys have it in you, you need to play more physical. They’re out-physicaling us, and we’re the most physical team in the Central League,” running back Luke Mingioni said. “It really motivated us to go out and grind it, play as hard as we can.”

Mingioni, a depth cog in Garnet Valley’s backfield stable, provided runs of 16 and 17 yards on that opening series of the third. The Jags (5-0, 4-0 Central) covered 71 yards on eight plays, all runs. They ran 40 plays in the second half to Springfield’s 17, suffocating the Cougars and controlling the clock.

Jack Westburg made it 20-0 on a seven-yard jet sweep with 1:07 left in the third. It complemented a seven-yard run by Jason Bernard on the Jags’ first snap of the game, after Tyler Lassik had picked off a pass and returned it 37 yards to the 7.

The Jags carried the ball 50 times for 230 yards. Six players had at least four carries, led by Bernard’s 16 for 71. Mingioni added eight for 65. Matt Mesaros was 10-for-17 through the air for 111 yards, hitting six receivers. The backbreaker was to backup running back Ronnie Leraris, who took a fourth-and-9 screen 13 yards through four tacklers to set up Westburg’s score.

“It’s nice because we can give guys breathers,” tight end/defensive end Jake McDowell said. “Our depth is incredible, we have so many guys who are ready to step up. But it’s also a nightmare for defenses because they don’t know who to cover. If they cover one guy, we’ve got another weapon. We just have so many playmakers who are able to do a good job.”

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Garnet Valley quarterback Matt Mesaros picks up a first down in last week’s game against Ridley. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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HAVERFORD – Senior quarterback Tommy Wright told Haverford High head coach Luke Dougherty that he wanted to run the ball himself more than usual Friday night. The Fords’ primary weapon in the passing game, senior wide receiver Ethan Mahan, agreed that Wright needed to use his legs more often.

At 6-3, 200 pounds, Wright is an athlete who isn’t easy to tackle when he gets to motoring.

“He’s so selfless, but one of the biggest things right now that we need out of him is running the ball,” Dougherty said. “He and I meet every week and the big takeaway when we’re watching the film was Tommy said, ‘Let me run the ball this week.’ That’s the most we’ve probably ever let him run the ball. He’s such a great leader.”

Dougherty wanted to get Wright around 15 carries against Radnor. It was a good plan. Wright amassed 146 rushing yards with three touchdowns as the Fords cruised past the Raptors, 35-14. Through the air he was 5-for-8 with 60 yards.

“We kind of just saw it on film. Our line had a really good weekend practice; we in general had a really good week of practice,” Wright said. “We thought we had to take advantage of the run a little bit more because (teams) are playing a little bit more pass (defense) on us because we have (senior wide receiver) Ethan Mahan and we have a lot of threats on the outside; speedy guys.

“So we had to beat them with the run and we executed.”

Haverford opened the game with a nine-play, 65-yard drive. Sophomore running back Zeke Bates (99 yards on 13 carries) got the ground game going with a 24-yard scamper. Wright found the end zone on a QB sneak from a yard out for the game’s first points.

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Haverford’s Tommy Wright, airing out his arm during a training camp day in August, got his legs going in a big way Friday night against Radnor.. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)

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HAVERFORD — After starting the season with four straight losses, Haverford volleyball coach Alin Bilc decided to switch things up.

The big change was at the setter position, where Bilc decided to rotate sophomores Julia Timoney and Taylor Rosseel.

That decision has made quite a difference for the Fords. They’ve won six of their last seven, including a hard-fought, 3-2 Central League decision over Penncrest at home Monday.

“Absolutely,” Bilc said when asked if going with a two-setter rotation changed Haverford’s fortunes. “There’s no doubt about it. And we have another setter, Abby (Thompson). She couldn’t be here today because she is sick. We’ve been going 6-2 for the past five or six games and it’s worked out well.”

Timoney and Rosseel played a key role as the Fords (6-5, 3-1 Central League) bounced back from a 3-1 loss to Central Bucks West last Saturday, their only loss in that seven-game stretch.

The duo combined for 37 assists and eight aces to lift the Fords past the Lions for the second year in a row. Rosseel led the way with 21 assists and two aces. Timoney had 16 helpers and six aces in the 25-17, 24-26, 25-22, 21-25, 15-20 victory, Haverford’s second five-set win in its last four matches. Timoney was on the service line as the Fords ran off eight straight points to take control of the first set. She had three of her assists and one of her aces as Haverford extended a 16-15 lead to 24-17.

“We communicate well and we’re friends on and off the court,” Timoney said.

That communication has been the key to Haverford’s recent success.

“We talk about where to set the ball, who the hot hitter is and what the defense is doing to get the ball to the correct hitter,” Rosseel said.

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Haverford’s Sydney Jones, left, fires a shot as Penncrest’s Kelly McDonnell, center, and Fiona O’Loughlin defend at the net Monday. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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HAVERFORD — The plan from Strath Haven Tuesday night was, by high school soccer standards, fairly sophisticated.

Knowing that Haverford held the edge in midfield playmaking, particularly on home turf, the Panthers went to A.G. Cornog Field to play a high press. The high offside line carried risks, requiring consistent pressure to players in possession trying to pick out passes, and a steep price to pay if they got it wrong.

There was nothing high-minded, however, about how the Panthers sealed the win.

George Pezzeca’s penalty kick in the 68th minute stood up as the winner, but only after the Panthers sacrificed their bodies in a pair of goal-mouth scrambles in the final minute, one off an indirect free kick inside the six-yard box, to preserve a 2-1 Central League victory.

The final minute ran the previous 79 minutes’ tactics through the paper shredder. Goalie Will Hall was whistled for intentionally dropping a ball he’d caught inside the six. The Panthers stacked six bodies on the goal line as first Haverford center back Riley Carr (off Haven’s Connall Strachan), then Owen Mulhern (for Hall’s third save of the night) tried to cannon-blast through the wall.

“Just run at the ball,” Pezzeca said of the complex strategy. “As soon as they touch it, don’t think, just run at the ball. Tuck your hands in, don’t turn, just take it to the face if you have to, do whatever you need to do. It’s really scrappy, and at the end, there’s nothing else you can do besides run and hope.”

Haverford earned a corner, trying to replicate its having scored in the final minute of the first half. But this time, Sean Boyle’s header was toed away on the line by an overhead kick from Nico Taylor.

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Strath Haven’s George Pezzeca celebrates after converting a second-half penalty kick. His goal gave the Panthers a 2-1 win over Haverford Tuesday night. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

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The senior runner finished first at the recent 2022 Unionville 2-Mile Bash by running the current fastest two-mile time in the state. He is a standout runner in cross country, indoor track and spring track, finishing fourth in the 1,600 meter run at States last spring and helping the Fords place second in the 4×800; finishing in the top dozen runners in the 1,600 meter run at States last winter; and placing 16th in the PIAA Cross Country Championships last fall. Not only is Lawson a highly-recruited runner, but is one of the top academically performing students in his class. At Haverford, he is a member of Science Olympiad, Speech and Debate, and the National Honor Society.

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Fun facts – Patrick Lawson

Favorite book: Unbroken.

Favorite TV show: Breaking Bad.

Favorite athlete: Matt Centrowitz.

Favorite team: 76ers.

Favorite place to visit: Pennsylvania mountains.

Favorite pre-race meal: Chicken.

Person I most admire, and why: “Eliud Kipchoge: for his humility and love for the sport, and community engagement.”

Family members: parents Johnnie and Bernadette, and brothers Sean and Anthony.

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Senior quarterback Montez Ellis’ three touchdown runs helped Upper Darby roll to a 42-14 Central League victory at Lower Merion Saturday.

The Royals (2-2, 2-1) have won two in a row after beginning the season 0-2.

The Aces scored less than two minutes into the game to take a 6-0 lead. It was all Upper Darby from there.

Ellis tied the score with a short touchdown run in the first quarter. After the Aces fumbled the ball away, running back Lavar Jackson rumbled 25 yards to the end zone to put the Royals in front. Jackson’s 65-yard jaunt later in the first half made it a 21-6 game.

Ellis had a pair of five-yard scoring runs in the second quarter. Marcus Kemp scored UD’s final touchdown in the second half.

Upper Darby quarterback Montez Ellis, left, seen during a Week 1 game against Bonner & Prendie, scored three TDs Saturday in the Royals’ victory over Lower Merion. (Pete Bannan -MediaNews Group).

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NETHER PROVIDENCE — Sam Milligan is a quarterback, and he misses playing the position. There’s just no getting around the angst of being unable to take each snap for Strath Haven.

But Milligan got an opportunity to touch the ball again Friday, and he responded with three explosive scoring runs to spark the Panthers to a 41-14 win over Springfield at George King Field.

Playing with a huge, padded cast on his right hand, Milligan contributed a two-yard touchdown run following Anthony Crawford’s three-yard scoring plunge to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead. In the second half, he tallied touchdowns from 24 and 28 yards out on his way to 120 yards on six rushes.

“I had surgery last week,” Milligan said. “I was super excited. There’s something about playing quarterback, whether you run first or pass first that’s fun. But I mean I haven’t had fun like that tonight playing football in a while. That was awesome. I haven’t played running back since my first year of football in seventh grade.”

Milligan played safety, too, for a Panthers team that got stops when it absolutely had to have them. Seven Strath Haven starters go both ways, and that means a little longer recovery time.

Of course, the aches don’t feel as bad when you’re undefeated. The Panthers are 4-0 overall, including 2-0 in the Central League.

Ben Fooskas had 12 rushes for 100 yards and one touchdown, Crawford 20 carries for 88 yards and Austin Conner eight runs for 83 yards before exiting with cramps.

For the Cougars (2-2, 0-2), Jake Rama threw touchdown passes to Brad Barber and Aiden Kreydt, and Barber ran for a two-point conversion. Rama contributed 90 yards passing while Barber rushed for 76 yards on 14 carries.

There were several momentum shifts in the game, including James Fisher’s 94-yard touchdown on a kickoff return after the Cougars got within 14-7. When the Cougars cut the Panther lead to 21-14 in the third quarter, they got their hosts in third-and-6 at midfield. But the Cougars jumped offside, the Panthers picked up the first down and Milligan capped the series with a backbreaking 24-yard touchdown run.

“It was just a momentum ****** really,” Springfield linebacker Ethan Marshall said. “We could have had them stopped a couple of times on third down but we just couldn’t get it done. They’re a tough team and the coaches preached all week that it would be a battle coming in. We just wanted to stick together and try to tough out a win. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way.”

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Strath Haven defensive back Sam Milligan grabs an interception in the second quarter against Conestoga last week. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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CONCORD — Ridley had ample opportunities to score inside the red zone in the first half. Garnet Valley’s defense had other ideas.

Ultimately, the Jaguars rolled to a 35-7 victory for their 37th consecutive Central League win. But the game’s outcome could’ve been much different had the Green Raiders found a way to get points on the board early.

The first such occurrence happened on the game’s opening drive. Ridley marched all the way to the Garnet Valley 9-yard line, but on fourth down, quarterback Ryan Carroll’s pass was broken up in the end zone.

In the second quarter, Ridley got inside the Garnet Valley 10 for a second time. Senior linebacker Joe Checchio’s sack of Carroll on fourth-and-goal thwarted another impressive Ridley drive.

“When we make stops like that it just fires up the whole team, and I mean us sticking together like that in those big situations really just pulls the team together and ***** the life out of the other team,” Checchio said. “If we just continue to do that we’re really unstoppable on defense and as you can see, we just flow with energy and keep going and just eat off that.”

In the fourth quarter, Logan Hamilton intercepted a pass at the line of scrimmage and went 75 yards the other way to the end zone to put the Jaguars (4-0, 3-0 Central) ahead 28-7. The play came moments after the Jags were called for a questionable pass interference

Hamilton, a junior linebacker, is certain the pick-six was the longest touchdown of his life.

“It felt great, especially after that tough call,” he said. “We bounced back, no one hung their head, and we were able to get a touchdown.”

First-year GV coach Eric Van Wyk was impressed by his defense’s ability to correct mistakes and bear down in difficult situations.

“I was extremely impressed with how we were resilient,” he said. “Both times when they were inside the 10-yard line, the kids really stepped up. It’s a testament to Coach (Marc) Panepinto, our defensive coordinator, and our guys just sticking together. Those were big stops.”

The Green Raiders (2-2, 1-1) trailed 14-0 at half but were able to pull within a touchdown when Khameen Powell made a juggling catch in the end zone on a 9-yard pass from Carroll with 6:10 left in the third.

Powell had 10 catches for 98 yards, and Kimir Stephenson caught six passes for 44 yards. Carroll completed 21 of 34 attempts for 171 yards.

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Garnet Valley’s Jason Bernard breaks away to score a touchdown in the first half against Ridley Friday night. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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