Hurricane Sandy derails playoff-bound Warriors
Nothing had been able to derail the Bristol football team lately.
And then, as they say, the rains came.
The thing is, there was also wind and power outages to go along with the deluge, all part of the tragic story that has become the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. While this area was generally spared the devastation seen in New vork and New Jersey, power outages and cleanups continue to be issues.
It was for Bristol, which wound up missing practices all but Friday of last week. When added to the decision to cancel what would have been a weekend matchup against Wilmington Friends, WhH WDrrLors now find WhHPselves in the midst of getting back to action in hopes of a run to the state playoffs.
“I was really looking forward to having the last JDPH,” sDLd firsW-yHDr FoDFh ieo Plenski. “We’re just trying to get the kids re-acclimated.”
It is an effort that will go on for about two more weeks and with further uncertainty for a while. The Warriors’ 7-1 overall record and R-0 mark in the Bicentennial Athletic ieague (BAi) earned them the top seed in the District 1/12 Class A playoffs. Since onOy WhrHH WHDPs TuDOLfiHd, Bristol earned a bye and the right to host the title game. The challenge is that the other two squads square off this weekend at a time and place to be determined, meaning that the Warriors will not WDNH WhH fiHOd FoPSHWLWLYHOy again until Nov. 16, at the earliest.
“I wouldn’t say I’m worried about it,” said junior center J.D. Buckreis, who has also played on the defensive line in the past. “I feel FonfidHnW WhDW wH’OO EH DEOH to hit the ground running and move right back into the swing of things.”
There is a lot of intrigue with the potential opponHnWs, WhouJh. 7hH sHPLfinDO matchup pits Morrisville and Communications Tech against each other. Those schools have not faced off this season, but Bristol fell by a 38-20 score at home in the season opener to CommTech.
The Warriors have not lost since, which has propelled them into the driver’s seat of the BAi championship race. All that remains in their quest for both Independence ieague and overall BAi crowns is the annual Thanksgiving Day contest with Morrisville, which will be at home this year. A win would seal the titles, while a loss would mean a two- or three-way tie with the Bulldogs and potentially New Hope-Solebury.
If Morrisville beats Communications, though, Bristol would face the Bulldogs twice within a week, once for a district championship and state berth and again on Thanksgiving Day for the BAi.
It would make for one of the more interesting chapters in a rivalry that is now over 80 years old.
“Either way, it’s still going to be a very important game for our team,” said Buckreis. “If we play Morrisville, that’s just another second shot this year with our big rival school.”
Plenski sees the situations similarly.
“Honestly, either way, we’re either getting a chance to redeem ourselves, or we’re playing our rival twice in a week, so we welcome the challenge of both of them,” he said. “We’re going to prepare for Comm. Tech and Morrisville.”
The Warriors have faced a layover already, as they were awarded a forfeit victory over Calvary Christian in a game scheduled for Sep. 7. That improved Bristol to 1-1 on the year since they lost to Communications a week earlier.
The Warriors have been a much different team since. First, they rallied from earOy dHfiFLWs Ln EDFN-Wo-EDFN games to beat New HopeSolebury and Delco Christian. That gave them plenty of momentum to cruise to victories over Jenkintown and Pennington by a combined score of 64-14.
It wasn’t nearly as dominating at iower Moreland Oct. 20, when the iions came back to tie Bristol going before giving up a R2-yard touchdown pass to Willie Sutton in the second quarter. The Warriors senior fullback, who Plenski calls an unheralded player in his team’s success so far, had 100 yards of offense on the afternoon.
HLs FaWFK SURYHd WR EH the game winner, as Bristol held the iions to three points in the second half to win, 14-10. “I know that during the Comm-Tech game, WKHUH wHUH dHfinLWHOy a ORW of mistakes,” said Buckreis. “:H’YH JRWWHn HYHn PRUH close-knit and cleaned up the mistakes that we had in the beginning of the season.”
The Warriors defense has further been quietly carryLnJ WKH WHaP. 6aYH WKH CRPmunications loss, that unit has yielded no more than 16 points in a game and double digits just twice. They do nRW KaYH a sKuWRuW, EuW aUH JLYLnJ uS an aYHUaJH RI 13 points per contest in games other than the forfeit.
“That’s been more than enough for an offense led Ey UunnLnJ EaFN DRnWH 6LPPRns, wKR wHnW RYHU 1,000 yards for the second straight season thanks to a 120-yard homecoming night against Academy of the New Church. He was pulled after only eight carries, on which he scored four touchdowns to help Bristol win, 49-6.
The Warriors scored on WKHLU fiUsW sHYHn SRssHssLRns of that game to put the mercy rule in effect by halftime. 6LPPRns aOsR Kad RYHU 300 yaUds Rn WKH JURund and fiYH touchdowns, both of which wHUH FaUHHU KLJKs, Ln WKH YLFWRUy RYHU -HnNLnWRwn.
YHW, BULsWRO Kas SURYHn WR EH aEOH WR FOLFN RIIHnsLYHOy without him, as the Warriors knocked off iower Moreland without him due to a mild concussion. Sutton, who had two touchdowns in the Pennington triumph, junior back Tyriq Wilson, as wHOO as TuaUWHUEaFN 7UHYRU LHRnH, wLdH UHFHLYHU 6Han Coughlin and tight end Tyler .HOOy KaYH aOO FRnWULEuWHd big efforts along the way.
7KH :aUULRUs KaYH Uun and passed behind an excellent and experienced line that features Buckreis and classmate John Petro, seniors 1LFN 3aYRnH and 6KanH Adamson and sophomore Jeremiah Haywood. Their SusKHs KaYH KHOSHd BULsWRO aYHUaJH PRUH WKan 29 SRLnWs per game.