SPRINGFIELD: In the ever competitive Philadelphia Catholic League AAAA division a down day by an offense can usually mean a lost however that wasn’t the case Sunday Afternoon when the Cardinal O’Hara Lions held their homecoming game vs. the visiting Roman Catholic Cahillites. Coming in the game to game the Lions offense has drew most of the attention but on this day it was the Lions defense that stole the show as they shutdown the potentially high power Cahillites attack led by the brothers Kevin and Dennis Reagan to just 74 yards of total offense as the Lions cruised to a 13-0 victory.
After the Lions mighty defense forced the Cahillites to a three and out on the game’s opening drive the Lions offense took over and drove 79 yards after a penalty on 15 plays before Corey Brown who also would have highlight 33 yard run on the drive take it in from four yards. The drive ate well over seven minutes off the game clock.
From that point on the Lions turned the game over to their defense and boy did it respond holding the Cahillites to just four first downs the whole game. Linebackers Mike Huff, Drew Formica and lineman Matt Williams would lead the tough defense. “Defensively, I though we played tremendous,” is what Head Coach Dan Algeo would say about his defensive performance. Algeo would add “We swarm and play good aggressive defense. I’m happy with the way we played (defensively). We played good team defense (and) we fly around, and that will be key with the upcoming schedule.” When asked about the performance of the defense Williams said “We just did our job and everything came together.”
The Lions would add to their lead on their opening drive of the second half when they drove down 76 yards on five plays including a bubble screen from Ryan Laughlin to Brown that picked up 44 yards thanks in large part to blocking of receiver Dan Curry downfield gave the Lions the ball at the Cahillites 2 yard line. On the next play fullback Dan O’Hara would plunge in from the two yard line giving the Lions the 13-0 lead.
Late in the fourth the Cahillites moved the ball to their own 34 yard line before Kevin Reagan was intercepted by Demiere Shaw preserving the Lions 13-0 victory.
Up next for the Lions is the Archbishop Ryan Raiders on Sunday afternoon at Marple Newtown High school.
