To run in the November 7th Bucks County Herald
Friday’s first round District One 6A first round playoff game at Doylestown featured two excellent defenses.
#14 Pennsbury (5-6) yielded just 16 points a game. Their poorest showing defensively was a 27-6 loss on October 4th to CB West (9-2).
The #3 Bucks’ D is just as vaunted. West had allowed only 44 points in their past five games.
Make it 44 points in their past six after West’s 17-0 win. The Falcons were held to 82 yards, including just 25 on the ground.
“It was preparation and execution,” noted West head coach Rob Rowan. “It comes down to a great week of prep, understanding what we’re going to get, and reading our keys to tell us how to respond. Those guys did a phenomenal job with that. They executed, ran to the football well and tackled well.”
(Pennsbury) “is always really good defensively,” Rowan continued. “You could make an argument that 44 (Walker Murray) is the best defensive player in the league and the rest of the pieces are tough and sound. We knew it would be tough sledding but our guys were able to find a couple of creases.”
“The energy was high and we all played together as a team,” Jeff Cappa shared. Cappa felt it was West’s best defensive effort of the season.
The offensive stalemate on both sides finally broke late in the first quarter when Vance Morelli ripped off a 31 yard run on 3rd and 23, followed by a 25 yard gash from Ryan Clemens. Clemens scored from Pennsbury’s two two plays later to put West up 7-0.
“The guys blocking up front made a big hole. I just ran,” recalled Morelli, who sliced through the right side of the line and down the sideline. “We try and keep the energy up at all times. Big plays like that always help.”
The score stayed 7-0 for almost 24 minutes until Clemens kicked a 23-yard field goal to cap a 10 play, 54 yard drive.
The Falcons muffed the kickoff and went three-and-out, punting from their end zone. Morelli, thanks to a hellacious Clemens block, returned the punt 19 yards to the Falcon 21. Morelli took it in from the one three plays later to extend the West lead to 17-0 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, West defenders stymied the Falcons’ potent run game all night long. There was Louie Cipollo breaking up a third down Falcon pass. Cappa pounced on a Falcon fumble in West territory. Clemens killed a drive with a third down sack.
“It was preparation,” Nick Miletto echoed. “The whole week, we knew they were going wing T and what they would be doing. We read our keys. They may have changed their plays a little bit but it was the same stuff.
“They tried to change their offense going out of the shotgun, but then they went back to their normal offense,” Miletto added. “We were ready.”
Pennsbury’s defensive effort would have won most games. They held West to 219 total yards. Clemens reached the century mark with 102 yards on 20 carries. Morelli had 43 yards on nine touches.
“They’re a tough team who is always going to battle hard,” Morelli credited. “We had to keep fighting every play and reset. We knew they would come out with something they hadn’t shown on film. It was all about focusing on one play at a time.”
Falcon standout linebacker Murray unofficially had 8 ½ tackles. Miletto’s 5 ½ tackles were among West’s leaders.
“Stay with it,” Rowan emphasized. That persistence earned the Bucks a second round hosting of #11 Downingtown East next Friday.
Area Playoffs
District One 6A
#16 Spring-Ford 7 at #1 CB South 49
#14 Pennsbury 0 at #3 CB West 17
#12 Quakertown 0 at #5 Haverford 56
District One 2A
#2 New Hope-Solebury at #1 Bristol (late)
Philadelphia Catholic League 4A
#3 Archbishop Wood 14 at #2 Bonner and Prendie 49
District 11 AA
#8 Palisades at #1 Schuykill Haven (Saturday)
