LANGHORNE: Back home for Week Two of the Second Season aka The Playoffs, the ‘Skins welcomed the Spring-Ford High gridders to Harry’s House. Playing out of the Pioneer Athletic Conference, the Rams have been a very serious contender recently seeing the D1 final last year and coming into tonight’s game at a solid 9-2. One of the newly emergent clubs resulting from recent Philadelphia suburban demographics, Spring-Ford was formed in the mid-50s when Spring City and Royersford High merged. With the Blue & Red lining up against Royersford, from 1950 through 1953, the overall is 2-2 so you could argue tonight is the rubber match. In any event, with The Tribe at 10-1, and bent on making plenty more noise this year, let’s not delay for even a moment longer but instead just get right to it.

Neshaminy won the toss and elected to receive. Hamiid Pack grabbed the kick and had it back to the 28 on the return. Tyler Wombough then came in under center and gave D’Andre Pollard the first two assignments which earned ten and the first down. Blake Big Bull Sullivan then logged a few with a bubble screen to Pack getting across mid-field to the Rams’ 48. Jammed up a bit on a five-yard penalty, it was Pollard who picked up 14 to set up Denny Lord’s scamper to the enemy 29. A screen to Cole Creighton then put the ball at the 20 before Pollard then lost a few; however, on third-and-three he got it back along with a first at the 15. Getting in tight on a third-down, Pollard popped down to the two for a first-and-goal. From there it was Lord hurdling over the pile for the score. Dylan McDonald then had his PAT blocked on a high snap as the score stayed at 6-0 for Langhorne with four minutes to go in the first-quarter.

McDonald hit a high kick which was returned to the 29 where the Spring-Ford offense came on the field. Out of The Pistol, three efforts gave the Rams a first at the 42. Getting bunched up on a third-and-long, a pass in the flat moved Spring-Ford to Neshaminy’s 40. A nice pitch-and-catch then saw another first at the 19 with a pass interference then putting it at the Redskin’s 14. Pushed back five on an offsides, the Rams lined up at the 19 before getting down to the eight on a dive play. A pass missed to bring up a third-down and The Wishbone then went nowhere as the first-quarter ended. Following the long walk, Spring-Ford set up at the seven on fourth-down and just made it as they went to a first-and-goal.

Going to the air on the first shot, a pass missed before another offsides pushed the Rams back to the 12. From there Spring-Ford went back up top to earn the score. The kick was good and the Rams took the lead 7-6 at just over a minute into the second-quarter. Devon Brown then grabbed the Rams’ kick and had it to the 30 as the Blue & Red offense came on the field. Two plays later the ball popped loose on the exchange and Spring-Ford recovered it at the 29. On their first play on offense, the Rams then busted it across for the touchdown and as the PAT was true, the scoreboard jumped to 14-6 for the visitors.

Back deep it was Brown again as he rambled out to the 21. From there a facemask on Pollard turned a short gain into some yards as the ‘Skins set up at the 35 after the flag. Then going to a third-and-long, Wombough’s pass attempt to Pollard was picked at the 48 as the ball went over to Spring-Ford. Jumping back out on the field in a hurry, the Rams’ QB then went for the kill. But Brown intercepted the ball on a tip and on a terrific return, the ‘Skins came back out at their 40 after he was finally brought down.

Setting back up on offense, the Creek Kids then went to a third-and-long before Wombough found Luke Carrezola on a screen pass to log a first at the Rams’ 44. Jammed up and going to a fourth-and-two at the 36, Lord took the direct snap and punched it to the 28 for the first. From there two carries by Pollard had it at the 14 as the chains were moved once again. Lord then made the ten before Pollard added three to the seven-yard stripe and then the last yards to pocket the TD. Going for two, Wombough nailed Carrezola for the two-pointer as the score tightened to 14-14.

Kicking it back to the Rams, the return man bobbled the catch and lost the rock as Brown fell on it at the 20 as the turnover game was suddenly as tight as the score. Pollard took the first carry to the 12 and then grabbed another bunch down to the one before he rambled in for the score on the next play. With McDonald hitting the PAT, the Schmidtmen regained the lead, 21-14.

McDonald’s kick was a liner which was mishandled before the returner finally found the grip to get to the 12 where the Rams set up with the clock a factor. A loose ball saw Spring-Ford going back near its goal before a flat pass got them to the 16. Pushing the Rams to a fourth, The Tribe called a timeout with 26 seconds as the visitors set up for a punt and after the roll out at the 50, the ‘Skins had 20 seconds to cover the distance. A flip-and-trick had Pack passing deep to Pollard but it just missed its mark as the ball hit the dirt. Leaving well enough alone at that point, Wombough grabbed a knee to send the teams to the lockers for a well-deserved break.

After the break, McDonald’s short kick was picked up at the 20 where the return man’s knee touched the ground. Back in The Pistol, a quick-hitter earned the Rams 12 to the 32. With a three-and-out following, Creighton came in to return the punt with good Rams coverage keeping him bottled up at the 30. With Wombough back on the field, it then quickly went to third-and-long as Chris Watson came out to punt. Booming it, the fair catch provided Spring-Ford a nice spot at their 42.

Staying in its Pistol, the Rams quickly lost five on their third offsides call of the game. Their first run was then a loser before Denzel Hughes grabbed a big pick to put the ball back to the Creek Kids at their own 40. Creighton earned 16 to put it at the enemy 44 before a loss of six had the ‘Skins at the 50 with a second down showing. But getting it back in a hurry, Wombough nailed Pack deep for major yards and a first at the ten yard stripe. Pollard then punched it in from there and McDonald’s kick made it 28-14 Neshaminy.

McDonald’s bouncing kick was then returned to the 20 and the Rams came back out with six minutes off the third-quarter clock. Three tries earned a first at the 30 to move the chains. Once again going to a third-and-short, the Rams’ back lost the ball as he stretched for the yards with Trokon Buesmaill covering it at the Rams’ 45. A couple of Pollard carries that followed had it at the 29 for a fresh set of downs for Langhorne. And hardly catching his breath, Pollard then broke the next assignment all the way to the endzone to bank his fourth TD of the night. McDonald was right on too as the scoreboard rolled to 35-14 for the Playwickians.

McDonald then bounced one out of bounds as the Rams started at their 35. And showing life, a couple of good efforts had Spring-Ford across mid-field. Going to fourth-and-long, a fake punt earned a huge first plus a late hit put Spring-Ford at Neshaminy’s ten after the dust cleared. Going to their Wishbone, a fake dive and pass put six on the board for the Rams but with the PAT wide, the score stayed at 35-20. And with Spring-Ford then pushing a weird onsides kick, the bumbling ball went to the 24 before the Skins fell on it to set up on O. A few plays later the third-quarter ended and the teams did the big flip.

Still on offense as the fourth-quarter got underway, Neshaminy had a third-and-five as the Rams brought it but Pollard spun loose from the tackle and made the yards for the first at the 46. Two carries by Lord had nine and Big Bull Sullivan then added three more for the first at the Rams’ 40. From there Pollard took three straight to the 25 for another chain move. He then got it to the 20 from where Big Bull surprised the crowd as he showed just how nimble 245 pounds can be as he took it the distance on a nice fake on a DB. McDonald then nailed the fairway and it went to 42-20 for the home team.

Putting toe to leather, McDonald booted away once again as his short high kick was taken back to the 25 where the Rams immediately set up to pass. Throwing deep, Brown pulled in a big time pick-six as he pilfered the ball at Neshaminy’s 45 and then scampered through the crowd before all the way home. After Brown had found The Promised Land, McDonald’s kick then made it 49-20 with six minutes left in the game.

McDonald punched a deep one on the ensuing kickoff and the Rams’ returner was stopped at the ten. As the clock was a factor at that point, Spring-Ford went no huddle. And going back up top, this time it was Matt Magdelinskas grabbing his own pick-six as he came down with the enemy aerial at the 30 and then motored in from there. McDonald punched the PAT through the uprights and the scoreboard rolled to a gaudy 56-20 in favor of Neshaminy.

Finally, we’ve been keeping this to ourselves but I guess we can let the cat out of the bag now and congratulate D’Andre Pollard for his four touchdowns tonight which gives him 32 on the year. A little math and that translates into 192 points which is just enough to break the 51-year old single-season scoring record of 191 set by the great Bob Baxter in 1962. Great effort Mr. Pollard (and looks to us like you owe your offensive line pizzas for the week).

See you at the game and Go ‘Skins!

Photos courtesy of Jesse Garber

For more game photos go to Jesse Garber on Zenfolio

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