Neshaminy rolls up huge numbers in win over Truman
LEVITTOWN, PA. >> It’s not often a high school team scores 21 points before halftime and you never truly believe it might actually win the game.
But Truman High and visiting Neshaminy didn’t play a typical high school football game on Friday night. The Redskins’ own offensive assault doubled the Tigers in the first half as Neshaminy coasted to a 62-28 win in the first week of Suburban One League National Conference play.
Not even a defensive touchdown by Truman to start the third quarter could stem the tide. Neshaminy’s Mason Jones passed for 316 yards and five touchdowns, while Oleh Manzyk caught five passes for 194 yards and three scores.
Jones also tossed touchdowns to Zach Tredway and Corey Joyce. Running back Will Dogba, who often carries most of the load for the undefeated Redskins, ran 18 times for 165 yards and three touchdowns.
Nobody in the Neshaminy camp carries the school record book around on game nights, but the Redskins will surely be perusing it and perhaps editing it in the coming days.
“I’m happy with it,” Neshaminy head coach Steve Wilmot said. “Manzyk is a very explosive player. And Zach and Corey both scored. We have a lot of weapons and Mason is doing a good job.”
Although the Redskins (50, 1-0 SOLN) seemed to rotate some of their younger defenders into the game throughout, that wasn’t a slight on the Tigers (1-4, 0-1 SOLN). Frankly, Neshaminy is just really young on that side of the ball. And the athletic Tigers had a point to prove.
“Truman deserves a lot of credit. They probably played their best game,” Wilmot said. “They played their hearts out.”
Neshaminy needed just three plays to open the scoring. Dogba’s 11-yard run finished the drive. But Truman answered right away as Jordan Freeman’s legs and passing arm marched the Tigers 60 yards downfield. The quarterback tied the game at 7-7 with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Neshaminy used just four plays on its next possession. Jones’ 22-yard pass to Tredway went for a touchdown. Later in the first quarter, the Redskins went up 21-7 on Dogba’s 39-yard run. And it looked like the heavily favored Redskins were on their way to an easy win.
But Freeman scored his second touchdown on a sevenyard run to start the second quarter and keep the game relatively tight.
Neshaminy closed the half by scoring three of the next four touchdowns, including passes of 65 and 60 yards from Jones to Manzyk. The latter one came with just 11 seconds to go in the half and appeared to put the game out of reach for Truman.
But on Neshaminy’s first possession of the third quarter, Truman’s Tyrone Willis intercepted a pass from Jones and ran it nine yards for another Tigers’ score. Yasir Talley hit Jones as he threw to force the errant pass.
The score was 42-28 at the time, but Truman got no closer. Neshaminy added one touchdown in the third quarter and two more in the fourth to make it nine in the game. Kicker Dylan McDonald made eight of nine extra points. The Tigers blocked one.
Statistically, Jones was on pace for 510 passing yards and eight touchdowns at halftime. He was averaging 32 yards per completion. Dogba was on pace for 230 yards and four touchdowns with a 10.5-yard average.
Dogba rested the entire fourth quarter, while Jones left the field with about eight minutes to play.
1st quarter N-Dogba 11 run (McDonald kick) T-Freeman 14 run (Eichelberger kick) N-Tredway 22 pass from Jones (McDonald kick) N-Dogba 39 run (McDonald kick)
2nd quarter T-Freeman 7 run (kick failed) N-Joyce 19 pass from Jones (McDonald kick) T-Saunders 87 kickoff return (Akinwande run) N-Manzyk 65 pass from Jones (McDonald kick) N-Manzyk 60 pass from Jones (McDonald kick)
3rd quarter T-Willis 9 interception return (Eichelberger kick) N-Dogba 6 run (McDonald kick)
4th quarter N-Manzyk 23 pass from Jones (kick blocked) N-Crescenzo 13 run (McDonald kick)