Raiders drop 42-21 decision in second round of District 1 playoffs
By Dave Conard, Staff Writer, CoatesvilleTimes.com
Coatesville's Manny Stocker eludes Pennsbury tacklers by leaping, picking up a crucial first down in the thrid quarter
COATESVILLE — If you had asked Pennsbury senior Bruce Campbell when training camp concluded back in August, what he had planned for Thanksgiving weekend, Quarterbacking the Falcons in the final four of the PIAA District One playoffs would probably not even made the top ten list of possibilities.
Thanks to a 42-21 win over Ches-Mont power Coatesville Friday night, that is exactly what the six-foot-three signal caller will be doing as he and the Falcons will nest in North Penn’s Crawford stadium to take on the Knights with a berth in the district final at stake, while the Red Raiders will have to be content with the knowledge that are one of the top eight teams in the district.
“I am having so much fun,” said Campbell. “I never expected to get a chance to play this much, I knew I always had to ready to back up Shawn (Pepper) who is a great quarterback. When he got hurt in the first game we thought we had lost him for the year, but fortunately he has been able to play linebacker and done a great job all year.”
Pennsbury (9-3 overall) drew first blood in this battle of two class AAAA heavyweights, as on the opening play from scrimmage, junior Daquan Mack set the tone, following a block from J.J Denman, rambling 55 yards setting up his own 5-yard touchdown run with less than two minute expired.
Coatesville's Manny Stocker battles traffic to hit Chris Jones on a pass.
“That was big for us to get that momentum builder right away,” said Mack. “We knew they were going to be a physical team and it was important to come out and set the tone early. Our offensive line was unbelievable again tonight like they have been all year.”
The Red Raiders (9-3), who scored on every possession in last weeks win, had no answer for the ground and pound game plan that the Falcons executed to perfection with Campbell rushing for 94 yards in the first half to compliment Mack’s tally of 128 yards before the intermission.
Following a 21-0 start by Pennsbury which was fueled by two touchdown runs from Zach Ganie of a yard and seven yards, Coatesville got on the board as Dae Hon Chung, who lost the ball three out of the four times he uncharacteristically put it on the ground on the night, ran it in from nine yards out to cut the Falcons lead to 21-7 just before the half.
Coatesville's Andre Boggs (#2) runs with the ball after a cacth on a 25-yard pass play in second quarter
“They got out to the fast start and we just never got over the hump,” said Red Raiders head coach Matt Ortega. “We cut into the lead a couple of times, but our own mistakes cost us a chance to even it up. It does not take away from the fact that we had a great season, we are all disappointed with the outcome tonight.”
The Falcons rushed the ball on every play from scrimmage the entire first half and continued the ground assault in the third quarter until Campbell was able to find captain Adam Lewis streaking wide open on a post pattern, 76 yards later the lead was back to 21 as Lewis scored untouched.
The Red Raiders responded with a 50 yard scoring drive of their own with the big play coming by way of the feet of Manny Stocker, who has verbally committed to N.C. State in the fall, as Stocker leaped and juked his way to 15-yard pick up on a critical fourth-and seven from the Pennsbury 25-yard line, three plays before calling his own number and punching it in from the three-yard line making it a two possession game.
As the fourth quarter got underway it was Lewis that proved to be straw that finally that broke the Red Raiders backs as he again worked his way free in the secondary with Campbell, who went 3-for-3 in passing attempts, for 135 yards and 2TD’s all to Lewis, hitting him dead in stride on a 28 touchdown strike posting the visitors to a 35-14 edge.
With Coatesville’s big long range weapon and division one prospect Kyle Kerrick on the sideline in street clothes, following and injury to his leg from last week, they were shown a glimmer of hope on the ensuing kick off as Daquan Worley returned the ball 38 yards to midfield, which the quick strike Raiders took full advantage of as Stocker hit Chris Jones on a 50 yard TD hook up to again cut the lead to 14.
“Obviously the plan was to run the ball and keep them off the field,” said Pennsbury head coach Galen Snyder. “It say so much about the character of this team, they never quit and are playing their best football right now when it matter most. We knew they could score a lot and quickly so our game plan was to run the ball, which kept their offense, which we could light up the scoreboard, off the field
The Falcons closed out the scoring following a crucial fumble recover at their own 10-yard line, as the Red raider were threatening again with nine minutes remaining, as Mack scored his second touchdown of the night with a one-yard plunge.
“This is a great feeling, no one has given us chance all year,” added Mack. “Even in today’s paper at home all they talked about was Neshaminy and their game with North Penn, we will be ready to play next week against who ever wins that game tonight.”
Pennsbury 14 7 7 14 –42
Coatesville 0 7 7 7 -21
Scoring
10:43 PB Mack 5 yd run (Kniazlewiz kick)
6:21 PB Ganie 17 yd run (Kniazlewiz kick)
11:11 PB Ganie 1 yd run (Kniazlewiz kick)
9:02 CT Chung 9 yd run (Hall kick)
6:41 PB Lewis 76 yard pass from Campbell (Kniazlewiz kick)
2:45 CT Stocker 3 yd run (Hall kick)
11:54 PB Lewis 28 yard pass from Campbell (Kniazlewiz kick)
11:33 CT Jones 50 yd pass from Stocker (Hall kick)
6:13 PB Mack 1yd run (Kniazlewiz kick)
