Bensalem takes down Council Rock South
For BucksLocalSports BENSALEM — Bensalem didn’t need any extra incentive to play well in its Suburban One League National Conference opener last criday night against Council Rock South. But the Owls got it anyway.
cresh off of a 28-point non-league loss one week earlier, Bensalem lost cocaptain Jalen Nieves to a devastating ankle injury less than four minutes into the game.
But the Owls refused tR flLQFK LQ tKH IDFH RI tKH mounting adversity. Instead, they trounced the dolden Hawks, 35-20, in a contest that was more lopsided than the score indicated.
Bensalem (2-2, 1-0 SOLN) outgained the struggling Hawks, 234 yards to 94, LQ tKH first KDOI DORQH. AOO Eut sLx RI 6RutK’s firsthalf yards came on a pair of running plays on which the Hawks (0-4, 0-1) caught the 2wOs flDt-IRRtHG. 2tKHrwLsH, it was all Bensalem.
Nieves, who’s been used mainly as a receiver on offense and as a key defensive back, was injured at the end of a 12-yard run by teammate Alex Arcangeli. Someone rolled onto Nieves’ right leg in a sideline pileup.
It appeared as if he suffered a broken ankle or lower leg, perhaps both.
Seemingly inspired by Nieves’ injury, Bensalem emerged from the long delay dominant on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they constructed a 14-play, 65-yard drive almost exclusively on the ground and took the lead on Arcangeli’s nine-yard touchdown run.
ArFKDQJHOL wRuOG fiQLsK the game with four touchdown runs.
On that initial march, Arcangeli, scoring
nhyle Elijah and Ian Pisarchuk all carried the ball effectively. The Owls converted four FRQsHFutLvH first GRwQs, LQcluding a 12-yard pass from hevin Hopkins to Donnie Reed on a third-and-10 play from the Hawks’ 21.
CR South was unable to respond as the Bensalem defense forced the Hawks to punt on their next two possHssLRQs. 6RutK’s RQOy first down came on a 33-yard run by Aaron Pressley, but the Hawks’ offense stalled three SODys ODtHr Dt PLGfiHOG.
Bensalem surged ahead by 14 points with four minutes tR JR LQ tKH first KDOI wKHQ Arcangeli scored on a seven-yard run to cap an eightplay, 78-yard drive. Again, the Owls needed just one pass play in the sequence, a short toss from Hopkins to Reed. Meanwhile, fullback Pisarchuk pounded the heart of the CR South defense for runs of 29 and 18 yards.
The Hawks replied on their next offensive snap as Christian Crane raced up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown, but Bensalem made the score 21-7 on Pisarchuk’s 10-yard touchdown run with 59 seconds left in tKH first KDOI.
CR South got no closer than 14 points for the rest of the game.
Archangeli scored on an 11-yard run on Bensalem’s first SRssHssLRQ RI tKH sHFond half to make it 28-7. His fiQDO tRuFKGRwQ ruQ wHQt for four yards with 9:40 to go in regulation.
ArFKDQJHOL fiQLsKHG wLtK 89 yards rushing, while Pisarchuk had 90. Hopkins passed for 175 yards, including 106 to his favorite target, Reed.
CrDQH fiQLsKHG wLtK 107 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Hawks.
crom here, South travels to Pennsbury to take on the calcons this criday night. Bensalem gets on a bus to Abington, which edged CR North by two points last criday night.