by Brian Ptashinski @BPtashinski on Twitter
Orefield– They say it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. Well Friday night at Trojan Stadium, Mother Nature fooled Parkland’s coach Jim Morgans, who thought the wind that played havoc in so many games on this Friday night, would die down after sunset.
“It was a swirling wind all night, it just didn’t quit,” Morgans stated after his Trojans took to a ground attack and came out with a 28-10 win over Delaware Valley in the opening round 4A subregional playoff matchup of familiar foes.
Led by the running of Erik DiGirolamo, who gained 113 yards on 28 carries and four trips to the end zone, Parkland managed to advance to the second round of the playoffs over the stubborn Warriors. Parkland eliminated Del Val for the second consecutive year.
Parkland got on the scoreboard on their opening possession, after a Del Val punt put the ball on the Trojan 34. DiGirolamo took it in from four yards out to give his team a 7-0 lead with 7:32 on the clock. He also had a bruising 18 yard score, in which he broke several tackles on his way to pay dirt in the first half.
Del Val’s only touchdown of the game came off a bad snap on a Parkland punt. Austin Cernak scooped up the ball and took it 50 yards to tie the game at seven midway through the second quarter. The Warriors only other tally of the night came on 30-yard field goal right before halftime to make it 14-10 heading to the locker room.
The third quarter opened up with Parkland starting on their own 30 yard line. Quarterback Devonte Cross called his own number and ran the ball deep inside Warrior territory. From there DiGirolamo capped the drive with a one-yard run and a 21-7 lead for the Trojans.
“Our kids said in the locker room at half that they wanted to come out and dominate the line of scrimmage in the second half. They certainly did that on that opening drive,” said Morgans.
DiGirolamo completed the scoring for the game on anther one-yard run after a pass interception set the Trojans up in Del Val territory.
“We knew with the windy conditions we were not going to be able to throw the ball like we wanted to. So I just wanted to do what I could to help the team establish the run and get the win,” DiGirolamo said after the game.
With the win Parkland advances on to play host to rival Easton, who defeated Freedom 20-3 at BASD Stadium Friday night.
