American Statement
Upper Dublin smothers Cheltenham, takes over first place in SOL American
Upper Dublin knows its season will come down to its defense.
The Cardinals got gashed a week ago at Penn Charter and didn’t want it to happen again. UD’s defense rose to the occaison and contained a potent Cheltenham offense.
It wasn’t pretty but Upper Dublin scrapped out a 20-7 win on Friday night
After a sluggish and at times ugly first quarter that featured three combined turnovers, UD found some footing in the second. Cheltenham’s grass field was wet, slippery and muddy but both teams had to deal with it.
Mike Slivka started the second quarter with a third down conversion throw and UD took the drive all the way home. The junior quarterback scrambled and found Jason Scott in the back corner of the endzone for a seven-yard TD on third and goal.
After getting a stop, the Cardinals scored on a consecutive drive. Slivka found Scott for 45 yards to the Panthers nine that flipped the field.
Lucas Roselli punched in the ball two plays later on a threeyard run. Even with the missed extra point, UD had a 13-0 lead it took to half after another stop.
Cheltenham got right back in the game to start the second half. The Panthers forced a stop, and UD’s punt attempt never got off.
The snap sailed high into the endzone and after a scramble, Sam Sykes dove on top of the
ball to secure a touchdown.
That would be the only score of the second half until late in the fourth quarter as both defenses traded stops.
Mason Novak scored on a 40-yard run with 1:42 left to restore the Cardinals’ twoscore lead.
Pennridge 21, CB West 10
DOYLESTOWN >> Pennridge rallied from a 10-7 deficit at the half to overcome Central Bucks West Friday night, 21-10, in a Suburban One League Continental Conference contest at packed War Memorial Field.
With the victory, the Rams notched their first conference win, raising their overall record to 2-4 and 1-2 in the Continental. CB West dropped to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the conference.
The Rams took the lead, 14-10, on a two-yard run by Ryan Garner. Pennridge moved the ball consistently in the second half and extended the margin to 21-10 when quarterback Zak Kantor connected with Jonathan Post for an 11-yard TD.
Early on, Connor Pleibel’s reaching, 35-yard touchdown reception from Kantor on 4th-and-15 gave the Rams a 7-0 advantage midway through the first quarter.
The Bucks tied things up at seven apiece early in the second quarter, thanks to a six-yard run by quarterback Gavin Grondahl.
West went ahead for the only time, 10-7, when Sean Metzer’s 20-yard field goal split the uprights just before the break.
Quakertown 42, Wissahickon 12
AMBLER >> The Wissahickon football team needed to get the ice bags ready on Friday night. There were a lot of sore body parts and sore egos after the 42-012 loss to their Suburban One League American Conference foes from Quakertown.
The Trojans (0-6, 0-3 in conference) should have saved the biggest ice bag for the right toe of Virgil Johnson, the Trojans punter who found himself very active on the evening. His four punts averaged well over 30 yards, but the Panthers (5-1, 2-1 in conference) return game set them up with a short field over and over again.
When the Quakertown quarterback Brad Bryan surveyed the field, he licked his lips, salivating over all of his options. It seemed whatever play call the Panthers dialed up, they connected for positive yardage and more. The duo of Michael Terra and Christian Patrick, plus a plethora of others total 168 rushing yards.
The Panthers started four different possessions on the Trojans side of the field and marched down the field with a balanced attacked. Bryan completed eight of his 10 passes for 131 yards, as they quickly put their first loss of the season to Cheltenham behind them. He took a seat in the half with the game in hand.
The Trojans continue to search for their first win of the season, but with a running clock in effect for the second half, they would take winning the half, winning the drive, or just moving the chains. Senior Chris Smalls did not need the chains, as he delivered the top highlight of the night for the home team as he took the opening kick of the second half 95 yards into the end zone.
The Trojans picked up another score on a 13 yard touchdown pass from Nick Santo to Maurice Willis. They finished the game with 134 yards of offense.
With Panthers constantly in motion, the young and timid home defense was unable to detect whom Bryan was handing the ball of to. Patrick had three touchdowns in the first half on seven carries. The Panthers had 15 first touchdowns and left no doubt.