What a see sawing nail biter. Council Rock South has a good football team with tough players. They lost tonight because they gave the ball away multiple times. They never quit. Neshaminy still has some work to do, particularly in the middle of the defense, in particular I think at linebacker. Last week Michael Riddick ripped off about an 80 yard TD run and this week Brendan Patterson ripped off 3 or 4 long runs, one of which was stopped at the 1 yard line by a faster Denzel Hughes. South scored on the next play. Patterson was very impressive, never quitting, hard driving and breaking tackles. Faulty pitches caused a coupe of turnovers and a long loss of yards that drove the Golden Hawks back when deep in Redskin territory. Mike Stock played a very hard nosed game. He is a tough kid. LB Ryan McGrann played very well as did Kyle Hickey. Both making several important tackles.
Zach Tredway is a handful for cornerbacks to handle. Denzel Hughes gets a lot of attention, but a 6'3 plus, with good speed and great hands, if Mason Jones can get him the ball in an area where a catch is feasible, there are few kids in the area that can stop him. The problem is Mason has not been as consistently accurate as needed, but they both have another year to grow together. Like last week Tredway made a bunch of big catches. Neshaminy did spread the ball around in the air, and they have a lot of capable recievers in Tredway, Hughes, Spingler, Choice and even starting CB Dave Nuckles who had a huge long reception for a critical first down. That is 5 WRs who contribute in the passing game. Tredway, Hughes and Spingler are all 6'1 or bigger.
Neshaminy got off to a lucky break start when CRSouth fumbled deep in their own territory on the opening drive. Neshaminy went no where and then missed a short field goal. The usually reliable kicker had a rough night with a missed FG, a badly shanked punt, a fumbled snap in his own endzone that he recovered and rush kicked about 20 yards but was creamed on the play giving the Skins a fortunate 1st down due the roughing call.
CR South's second possession was worse when a second fumble was scoop and swooped by Oleh Manzyck for the first score of the game. The Golden Hawks tied it in the second on a long Patterson run. Right before the end of the half, Neshaminy drove down field two nice hard runs by Will Dogba gave the Skins a 3rd and goal at about the 1 or 2 yard line (hard to see with the angle I had). Then, inexplicably, after a drive that was the result of a good ground game, including a long scamper by Jones, the Skins went to the air on the next two plays and failed to score when a receiver had the ball go right through his hands and on the second play, the receiver was short of the goal line. Questionable play calls. 7-7 at the half.
Neshaminy took the second half kickoff and drove 30 yards all by Dogba on the ground in mostly 7 to 10 yard chunks and really imposed their will on the CRS D, to take a 14-7 lead. I thought, all right, this game is over. That was one of thoswe back breaking drives when one team tells the other, we can do what we want to you and you can't stop us. The kind of drive that takes the heart out of an opponent. CRS had other ideas, recognizing the soft Redskin middle and Patterson just gashed them with a long TD run. The PAT was blocked. The Skins led 14-13, but the Hawks had new life. Then came Patterson's 75 yard run to the 1 and CRS missed a two point try, 19-14 Golden Hawks.
A big pass down the sidelines from Mason Jones to Zach Tredway set up the next Neshaminy score on a run by Dogba. The Skins miss a 2 point try, but go up 20-19. CRSouth unbelievably tries a pass that is picked off by Jack Spingler and the Skins drive it in with another run by Dogba with about 3 minutes left. 27-19, Game over right? Wishbone team, cant move it fast from behind and all that. The Hawks take it right down the Skins throats, again the soft middle, with runs by QB Sean Stackhouse, Patterson, Hickey and Stock, and get to the 3 of Neshaminy with less than a minute to go. Once again, a bad pitch costs the Hawks about 20 yards with Patterson falling on the ball. Fourth and forever with 28 seconds left. Pass broken up in the endzone as Tredway streaks across to save the CB who is in a bad position, but a flag is down. The CB is called for PI! New life for the Hawks, but it is still fourth down, but maybe 10 to go, and Stackhouse completes the pass for a TD! The two point try by Stock is just short, Neshaminy leads 27-15 with 24 seconds left and has to endure an onsides kick from the CRS 20 (due to a 15 yard penalty after the TD). they manage to recover it and hang on to win.
What an exciting game!
