NP 22 - Pennsbury 21

[CAMoleskinner]

Ouch!!!

A tale of two halves (games):

1st half was NP 14 - Pennsbury 0

2nd half was Pennsbury 21 - NP 8

Too bad they added them up.

The Falcons couldn't get it going in the first two quarters but then came out swinging for almost the entire second session. But NP got it together in the last five minutes as they put up a very nice four minute drive to add six to the board as it went to 21-20 with a minute to go.

Did anybody on the planet think Beck wouldn't go for two? He did and the slightly high pass was close enough to let the TE pull it down (after he snuck out of the line to find himself pretty much alone).

Pennsbury made a game try in the last 60 seconds but couldn't make it happen.

Interesting that this game was Pennsbury's running attack -- and their big back -- versus NP's smooth QB and his arm (the grunts lined up against the air force).

Well -- very nice turnaround for the Birds to go from 0-10 to 9-2. Congrats for that (and I'm sure we'll see more of the Black and Orange with Snyder at the helm).

 

[Relayer]

I guess one could say North Penn is a dangerous seed at #14. Snyder probably hated seeing this draw as a 3 seed, seeing his team just beat NP 44-34 a couple weeks ago.

Next week will send the clock back 25 years. North Penn at Central Bucks West. I expect a full house at War Memorial Field.

 

[705 Hood]

Great high school football game overall. Pennsbury ran for 312, with G. Mulbah going 37 for 281 and 3 second half TDs (Mulbah's 2-game totals vs NP in 2022 - 87 for 640, 7 TDs!). North Penn utilized a balanced attack, rushing for 147 and 2 TDs, and going 16-23 through the air for 199 and a TD. Looking back at the game overall, the difference was Pennsbury's second drive, when they had first and goal at the 4. Three running plays (but none to Mulbah) each lost yards, then they missed the 30-yd FG.

Excellent season by the Falcons. 9-2 overall, 7-0 and champions of the SOL National. Mulbah finished the year with 1,992 yards and 24 TDs.

 

[lilromeo]

Great high school football game overall. Pennsbury ran for 312, with G. Mulbah going 37 for 281 and 3 second half TDs (Mulbah's 2-game totals vs NP in 2022 - 87 for 640, 7 TDs!). North Penn utilized a balanced attack, rushing for 147 and 2 TDs, and going 16-23 through the air for 199 and a TD. Looking back at the game overall, the difference was Pennsbury's second drive, when they had first and goal at the 4. Three running plays (but none to Mulbah) each lost yards, then they missed the 30-yd FG.

Excellent season by the Falcons. 9-2 overall, 7-0 and champions of the SOL National. Mulbah finished the year with 1,992 yards and 24 TDs.

Great RB !!! I recall Snyder stating he would run for 2000 yards this year. Quite a prediction.

 

[CAMoleskinner]

Hood -

You're right about that drive when the Falcons got down inside the five. I understand mixing it up but going away from "what brung you to the dance" for three straight plays wasn't entirely clear to me (the Black Birds lived off G all year so wasn't a reason to change that - course, I'm not the coach). And then unfortunately going backwards like they did was just enough to put them out of range of the FG (and the tenor already made it appear three points might be the game).

Another thing - NP is quick and anytime P-Bury tried to get outside they shut it down. The success was all about punching it up the middle (that Falcon's back was something to watch all year -- if Pennsbury made a deep run he was capable of 2,500 plus yards -- tough runner).

Sidenote: A bit of a passing attack might have been preferrable to the QB around end (a lot of pressure off the D when you're only worried about the ground attack).

 

[705 Hood]

Black Birds lived off G all year so wasn't a reason to change that

Another thing - NP is quick and anytime P-Bury tried to get outside they shut it down.

Almost zero chance NP stops G on (up to) 4 runs from the 4.

However, just looked at the first and goal play again, which was option right. QB had the outside defender where he wanted him. Could have stayed inside and scored or pitched and scored. Chose to try to run outside which was only thing he shouldn't do. Point being not a bad play call, but bad read.

 

[d1football1]

Did the WR that transferred to NP play last night?

Seems that Coach Beck has NP defense straightened out.

 

[CAMoleskinner]

Hood -

You may be right about the QB's decision (but a decision has to be made and a nod to the kid who's out there making it). Then alluding to your comment I agree with you that stopping G from the four on four tries is probably as close to "absolute zero" as it can be. So what I meant was really more of a reference to the whole game in that it just didn't appear P-Bury had much luck going outside the entire 48 minutes (when they tried it). NP was/is just too fast laterally.

 

[705 Hood]

a decision has to be made and a nod to the kid who's out there making it

100% agree. Thought about it and didn't mean to imply the kid did anything wrong. Very easy in my kitchen to pause the video every 10th of a second and determine what he should do! A thousand times harder doing it full speed on the field, and kudos to McGurrin for directing the offense very capably all year long. Very unselfish leader as he only threw about 25 times all year.

didn't appear P-Bury had much luck going outside the entire 48 minutes (when they tried it). NP was/is just too fast laterally.

100% agree. Inside the tackles was where it was at both games. Anything but a token deviation from that was ill-advised.

 

[705 Hood]

Did the WR that transferred to NP play last night?

Negative.

Seems that Coach Beck has NP defense straightened out.

I would say jury might still be out on that, at least vs PHS.
They did force a PHS punt on first drive, something they didn't do in first game.
Second drive - long drive and got to 1st and goal at 4 as mentioned above. Should have scored TD.
Third drive - PHS converted on 4th down after 3rd and 43 (yes 43 after two holds and a minus 8 fumble) but ran out of time in half.
Second half first drive - short field TD
second drive - long drive TD
third drive - long drive TD
final drive - had 1:01 on clock and ran out of time.