Upper Moreland rolls past Hatters
There’s nothing like a little bit of experience – in life and football. Upper Moreland usHG WKH OHssRQs JDLQHG RvHU past seasons when it faced Hatboro-Horsham in their DQQuDO TKDQNsJLvLQJ DDy clash on Thursday.
Two years ago, Upper Moreland was coming off of a tough District One Class AAA SODyRII ORss DQG FDPH RuW flDW and lost to the Hatters. This time, the Bears didn’t let a playoff loss ruin their ThanksJLvLQJ DDy Ds wHOO.
Robert hnox led the way, rushing for 149 yards and three touchdowns as the BHDUs UROOHG WR D 35-7 vLFWRUy RvHU WKHLU ORQJ-WLPH QHLJKERUKRRG ULvDOUy.
CRDFK DDvH HHyLQJ wDs wary of the letdown, but WKRsH wRUULHs HvDSRUDWHG early in the week.
“On Monday we watched WKH fiOP DQG EusWHG HDFK RWKer’s chops,” he said. “It kind of lightened the mood. We had a pizza party and had a punt, pass and kick contest.
“WH wDQWHG WR OLvHQ LW uS and say ‘you’re still high sFKRRO NLGs, yRu JDvH us your best and now it’s time to go out on top.’ A lot of them really understand this is their last game.”
TKH BHDUs WRRN DGvDQWDJH of an H-H mistake on the fiUsW SODy RI WKH JDPH WR JHW out to a quick start.
When the pitch by Hatters’ TuDUWHUEDFN 6WHvHQ PDOR KLW the back of Jeff Panara’s helmet, Upper Moreland’s Torian drumm was there to scoop up the carom at the H-H 25-yDUG OLQH.
FLvH UuQQLQJ SODys ODWHU .QRx SLFNHG uS KLs fiUsW WRuFKdown with a 1-yard run just three minutes into the game.
The Bears made it 14-0 midway through the second quarter when Chris hitchens, WKH BHDUs’ TKDQNsJLvLQJ DDy GHIHQsLvH 09P, sFRRSHG uS the second of three Hatters fumbles and returned it nine yards for the touchdown.
“I was actually really surprised, the ball just popped up,” hitchens said. “I kind of got lucky. I looked up and no one was ahead. It just bounced right to me and I started running.”
“2EvLRusOy WKDW wDs UHDO costly,” H-H coach dary PaJOLDUR sDLG. “TKH fiUsW WKUHH touchdowns were real tough. TKH fiUsW SODy IURP sFULPPDJH we fumbled inside the red zone and let them get momenWuP wLWK WKH fiUsW sFRUH. TKHQ we had the fumble in the other UHG zRQH. WH JDvH uS sRPH vDOuDEOH fiHOG SRsLWLRQ DQG LW turned out to be costly.”
The Hatters responded quickly as Jimmy Murphy returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yDUGs WR WKH USSHU 0RUHODQG 31. CKULs EMLPRQyeugwo took care of the rest, carrying the ball twice, the second one for 24 yards and the touchdown.
But Upper Moreland wasn’t going to let this one get away.
Dan Cummings returned WKH NLFNRII WR QHDU PLGfiHOG, then hooked up with quarterback Charlie Hooker for a 51-yDUG WRuFKGRwQ SDss.
“The biggest play that JDvH us PRPHQWuP wDs WKDW fade to Cummings,” Heying said. “He made a big play, I was really happy for him.”
The Bears were a little shaky coming out in the secRQG KDOI. TKH HDWWHUs UHFRvered an onside kick to open WKH KDOI, EuW FRuOGQ’W PRvH WKH EDOO. TKHQ, wKLOH GULvLQJ LQ IRU another score, the Bears fumEOHG DW WKH H-H 5-yDUG OLQH.
But when the defense held again, hnox accounted for 60 yards on two carries, the second a 21-yard touchdown run WR SuW WKH BHDUs uS 28-7 wLWK 3:18 OHIW LQ WKH WKLUG TuDUWHU.
Upper Moreland iced the game less than two minutes into the fourth quarter when hnox took a direct snap and scored from 11 yards out.
hnox, who was Upper 0RUHODQG’s RIIHQsLvH 09P on Thursday, remembered two years ago.
“I was playing my sophomore year and those guys were really disappointed and it’s tough to come back after you had such high aspirations for the team,” he said. “But practice was good all week and we were just able to execute today.”