Lansdale Catholic shut down in semis
There was no way Jim Haley was going to miss this game.
“I would have played with a broken leg if I’d have to,” the Bonner-Prendergast senior quarterback/safety said.
Haley had to sit out several Friars’ games this season with a variety of injuries, but unfortunately for the Lansdale Catholic football team, KH wDs RQ WKH fiHOG IRr 6DWurday afternoon’s Philadelphia Catholic League Class AAA DLvLsLRQ sHPLfiQDO DW 3OyPouth Whitemarsh.
Haley found the end zone WwLFH RQ ruQs LQ WKH firsW KDOI, then threw for touchdown in the fourth quarter as BonnerPrendergast rolled past the Crusaders 28-0.
“When he does some of the things he can do — and he’s not even 100 percent — but some of the things that he does are pretty darn good,” LC coach Tom Kirk of Haley. “And (he) really presents a problem defensively.”
Joe DePhillipo had a game-high 111 yards rushing and a touchdown on 26 FDrrLHs, wKLOH HDOHy fiQished with 107 yards on 17 carries for Bonner-Prendergast, which advances to face Archbishop Wood in WKH 3C/ AAA fiQDO IRr WKH second straight year. Wood defeated Cardinal O’Hara 54-28 LQ WKH RWKHr sHPLfiQDO 6DWurGDy DW 7ruPDQ.
“It’s unbelievable. To go back to the Catholic League fiQDO, WKDW’s wKDW wH wHrH shooting for,” said Haley, who also had an interception in the victory.
Lansdale Catholic (5-5) — which lost to the Friars (4-5) 28-9 LQ :HHN 6Lx — wDs never able to generate anything on offense the entire contest, collecting just 66 total yards – 43 rushing and 23 passing.
“We just couldn’t get it going today,” said Kirk, in his firsW sHDsRQ wLWK /C. “-usW one of those days. We had some opportunities early that we just didn’t capitalize on. And they just beat us fair and square today.”
Lansdale Catholic is scheduled to play Conwell(JDQ RQ 6DWurGDy, EuW LI WKH Eagles make the District 1/12 Class AA playoffs, 6DWurGDy’s ORss wRuOG Ey the last game for the Crusaders in 2012. Despite the disappointing ending, the 5-5 mark would be LC’s firsW QRQ-ORsLQJ sHDsRQ sLQFH 2007.
“No matter what our record shows, we played with so much heart,” LC senior James Ward said.
Mike Iacono paced the Crusaders on the ground with 23 yards on eight carries. Quarterback Pat Duggan was 4-of-12 for 23 yards and was intercepted twice.
Haley was 4-of-7 passing for 64 yards and a touchdown, while Collin DiGalbo was 2-of-V for 38 yards and two interceptions. Christian 6uPPHrs OHG WKH )rLDrs wLWK four catches for 85 yards.
Hale has been befallen with a laundry list of ailments this year, but the senior has been able to take all of them in stride.
“First game of the year I got hurt, separated my shoulder,” he said. “Missed one game, played the West (Catholic) game, played the Roman (Catholic) game, got a concussion, missed two more games. And then sprained my ankle and missed the Wood game last week.
“It’s been a rough season, but it is what it is.”
After a scoreless opening quarter, Haley put the Friars up 7-0 early in the second with his 22-yard touchdown ruQ DW 11:14 WR HQG D sLxplay, 60-yard drive.
“Twenty-eight lead option, and I saw out of the corner of my eye — when I came around — Joe Flop (DePhillipo),” Haley said. “6R, , wDLW up IRr KLP, KH made an awesome block, awesome block to get me in there.”
Bonner-Prendergast made it 14-0 4:11 before halftime as Haley capped an 11-play, 63-yard drive by crossing the goal line on a one-yard run.
In the third quarter, DePhillipo intercepted Duggan and returned it 43 yards down to the LC two. One play later, the junior scored to make it 21-0 at 2:2V.
The Friars went up 28-0 at
8:32 in the fourth, as Haley rollHG out to finG .ylH Dawson for a six-yard touchGown to finish a ninH-play, 61 yard drive.