Neshaminy keeps playoff hopes alive
LANGHORNE, PA. >> Although it took a while for it to unfold, the Neshaminy High football team was able to do what it had to do to keep its season alive Friday night.
Coming off two straight losses in which it gave up 83 points, Neshaminy rebounded by pulling away in the second half for a 34-14 victory over William Tennent (2-5) on Heartbreak Ridge.
Neshaminy is now 3-4 and although it is basically out of the Suburban One League race, it will be heavily favored in its next two games before heading to Pennsbury for its last regular-season game.
Should it win out, Neshaminy would be up to six victories and in good shape for a playoff berth, albeit as a fairly low seed.
Despite having one scoring chance turned back when Fernando Delgado intercepted a Brody McAndrew pass at the goal line midway through the first quarter, it was all Neshaminy in the early going.
On its first possession, Neshaminy roared down the field behind the hard running of Chris James, who gained all kinds of yardage on cutback runs around right end. James scored the first touchdown on a 33-yard run en route to piling up 107 yards in the first half on 13 carries.
Neshaminy’s third possession also went the distance on a 60-yard drive. This time it was McAndrew scoring the touchdown when he rolled around left end after being forced out of the pocket and was able to squeeze his way into the corner of the end zone on a 12-yard run.
It looked like the rout might be on this point, but Tennent’s defense steadied and the Panthers were able to get back in the game with a 63-yard drive on 13 plays. This drive featured a key pass to Tom Santiago on one of only two Tennent completions in the first half. Santiago capped the drive with a 1-yard plunge to draw his team within 14-7 at the half.
The Tennent surge continued at the start of the third quarter when it tied the score at 14-all on another 1-yard dive by Santiago. This capped a 66-yard drive that included a roughing the kicker call when Tennent successfully kicked a field goal, only to take the points off the board when it was awarded a first down.
Much like when Neshaminy had started strong, it looked like the momentum was now with the Warminster team. Instead it was all Neshaminy for the remainder of the game as it scored three straight touchdowns to win comfortably at the end.
The winning TD came late in the third quarter after Neshaminy recovered a pass that was ruled a lateral at the Tennent 16 yard line. James then scored his second TD of the evening on a 3-yard run.
Helped out by two unsportsmanlike penalties, Neshaminy quickly increased its lead to two touchdowns on a well-designed play in which McAndrew threw a 1-yard pass to tight end Andrew Kindess on a crossing pattern.
With its defense now in total control and recording one sack after another, Neshaminy quickly got the ball back and stormed down the field to score again on a 5-yard run by backup tailback Greg Orleski. James had the big play in this drive with a 33-yard run before leaving the game with an injury and finishing the night with 184 yards on 22 carries Obviously, the Redskins will need him back down the stretch.
McAndrew had a quiet game passing the ball by his lofty standards, but did make a host of key defensive plays from his safety position.
The Neshaminy defense as a whole played better, although it was up against a Tennent offense that doesn’t have much of a passing game and had scored just 18 points the previous three weeks.
William Tennent (2-5) Neshamin(3-4) 0 7 7 0 — 14 77713—34
N-James 33 run (Hughes kick) N-McAndrew 12 run (Hughes kick) WT-Santiago 1 run (Liddy kick) WT-Santiano 1 run (Gardner kick) N-James 3 run (Hughes kick) N-Kindness 1 pass from McAndrew (kick blocked) N-Orlesky 5 run (Hughes kick)