COUGARS START AND FINISH WITH A ROAR, DOWNING REDSKINS 45-38

Paul Sarpen- 11.18.2005- Heartbreak Ridge/Franks Stadium

 

Tonight, the Cougars of Downingtown East traveled to Harry E. Franks Stadium (aka Heartbreak Ridge) for one of 2 berths in the District 1 AAAA championship game against the slightly favored Redskins of Neshaminy.  After a quick flurry to open the game, and a quick flurry at the end of the game- it was the hearts of Neshaminy's football team, and its fans, that got broken, 45-38. 

 

Before the Neshaminy offense took the field, they were in a 14-0 hole.  Downingtown East took the opening kickoff, drove 70 yards, and Mike Burke bulled his way in from a yard out.  On the ensuing kickoff, standout running back and return man Jarred Kinney, lost a fumble deep in his own territory.  This time it was a Mike Burke touchdown catch from Pat Devlin covering 12 yards.

 

Another Cougar runaway?  Not so fast my friends!  Neshaminy scored to cut the lead in half on a Jason Kinney 28 yard touchdown run.  Both teams traded touchdowns in the second stanza, but Downingtown East still had the lead 21-14- despite Neshaminy's ability to move the ball at will all half, especially on the ground behind quarterback Andrew Flogel, and Jarred Kinney (Jason's twin brother).

 

The third quarter was more of the same for the Redskins- they ran the ball over, around, and through the Cougars.  Their drives ended in 2 touchdowns to take a 28-21 lead, and drove down again as the third frame ended- the drives were capped off by touchdown runs by Flogel (28 yards) and Kinney (7 yards).  On the carryover drive, the Downingtown East defense stiffened, and Dennis Curran made a 22 yard field goal- swelling Neshaminy's advantage to 31-21. 

 

Was Downingtown East's stellar season to be denied?  Was Pat Devlin's Cougar Career over?  Would this be his last high school game before heading to "The U"?  The answer to those three questions was an emphatic NO!  On the first play after the field goal, Pat Devlin hit Richie Walls out of the backfield for a 76 yard touchdown pass, to cut the lead to 31-28.  Neshaminy expanded the lead back to 10 points on another Kinney run.  Downingtown East drove down again, and Devlin hit Blye wide open for a 32 yard touchdown pass. 

 

Here is where that proverbial "lucky break" comes in to play.  Downingtown East's defense stiffened, forcing Neshaminy's first punt of the day, with about 3:30 left in the game.  The ball was snapped over the punter's head into the endzone- the punter chased it, and tried to pass it from his knees in the endzone- can someone say SAFETY!  This cut the Neshaminy edge to 1- 38-37.  On the ensuing free kick, Downingtown East took the ball, whittled down the clock, and scored on a Pat Devlin 1 yard touchdown run.  The two point conversion was true, and Downingtown East had a 45-38 edge. 

 

Up next for Downingtown East (11-1) is the District 1 AAAA Championship @ Crawford Stadium, to challenge the North Penn Knights.  Neshaminy's season ends at 10-2.

 

GAME NOTES- Pat Devlin had 318 yards passing tonight, the 6th time this season he has done so.  Richie Walls and Justin Blye both had 100 yards+ receiving, and both have 40+ catches. 

 

On a more sour note, I left the press box before halftime, and covered the game from the visiting side- due to my inability to take the crybaby tactics of Neshaminy's coaches in the press box.  The apple does not fall far from the tree, as I got the same impression of their coach, Mark Schmidt.  A note to their coaches, before criticizing an official's calls (particularly judgment calls), try walking a mile in the official's shoes. 

 

SCORING

Neshaminy-   7-7-14-10- 38
DTown East-14-7-00-24- 45

 

Q1- DE- Mike Burke 1 yard run (O'Connor kick)
      DE- Mike Burke 12 yard pass from Devlin (O'Connor kick)
      NE- Jason Kinney 28 yard run (Curran kick)

Q2- DE- Mike Burke 1 yard run (O'Connor kick)

      NE- Jason Kinney 20 yard pass from Flogel (Curran kick)
Q3- NE- Andrew Flogel 28 yard run (Curran kick)

      NE- Jarred Kinney 7 yard run (Curran kick)

Q4- NE- Dennis Curran 22 yard Field Goal

      DE- Richie Walls 76 yard pass from Devlin (O'Connor kick)

      NE- Jarred Kinney 2 yard run (Curran kick)
      DE- Justin Blye 32 yard pass from Devlin (O'Connor kick)

      DE- TEAM SAFETY
      DE- Pat Devlin 1 yard run (2 point conversion good)

 

FIRST DOWNS

DEHS- 19

NHS- 16

SACKS

DEHS- 0
NHS- 4

 

PENALTIES/YARDS

DEHS- 1/10

NHS- 7/56

 

FUMBLES/LOST

DEHS- 0/0

NHS- 2/1

 

PUNTS

DEHS- 2

NHS- 1

 

COMP/ATT/INT/YARDS

DEHS- 16/28/0/318

NHS- 7/18/0/105

 

RUSHES/YARDS

DEHS- 29/177

NHS- 34/317

 

TOTAL YARDS
DEHS- 495

NHS- 422

 

INDIVIDUAL STATS-

PASSING

DEHS- Devlin 16-27-318- 5 TD, Hamilton 0-1

NESH- Flogel 7-18-105- 1 TD

 

RUSHING

DEHS- Devlin 13-97 1 TD, Walls 10-70, Burke 6-10 2 TD

NESH- Flogel 9-87 1 TD, Ja Kinney 1-28 1 TD, Jar Kinney 22-195 2 TD, Abe Brooks 1-1, Anderson 1-6.

 

RECEIVING

DEHS- Blye 6-103 TD, Burke 2-41 TD, O'Connor 3-44, Walls 5-127 TD

NESH- Urban 2-8, Rosnick 3-48, Jason Kinney 2-31 TD, Winters 1-18.