Conwell-Egan going back to basics after loss to West Catholic
FAIRLESS HILLS – While Conwell-Egan Catholic (CEC) played well in its first two games of the season, topping Bicentennial Athletic League rival New Hope-Solebury 55-14 and losing by a point in double overtime to Archbishop Carroll, the same cannot be said of its last two contests.
The Eagle defense has allowed 38 points or more in each of their last three games, which have all resulted, not coincidentally, in losses.
Week three saw a 38-21 loss to Inter-Ac rival Episcopal Academy and last week, it was Philadelphia Catholic League Blue Division rival West Catholic having its way with Egan – to the tune of a 38-0 drubbing last Saturday, Sept. 16 at Drexel University’s Maguire Field.
Ouch!
For the second week in a row, turnovers – two fumbles, two interceptions – played a significant role in an Eagles’ loss. In a game that remained scoreless after one period, Burrs middle linebacker Damen Studstill picked up a ball that came loose at the 40 and rumbled 20 yards for a defensive touchdown that put West on top, 8-0, on the first play of the second quarter.
“That was one play,” said CEC head coach Jack Techtmann. “Believe me, they just took it to us; they beat us up on both sides of the ball.”
Afterward, the coach was pensive about his team’s third straight loss.
“Our program took a step back today,” he said. “We have to get it back on track.
“That’s two tough losses in a row and I think once that happens, we start to question ourselves.”
Before the half was over, West Catholic junior running back Jacir Savoy added scoring scampers of 10 and 12 yards, putting the Burrs on top 24-0 by the intermission. After the break, he added a 13-yard touchdown run and capped it all off with a 39-yard TD jaunt just 51 seconds into the final frame.
For the game, Savoy totaled 138 yards on 16 carries with four touchdowns.
“They got to our second level and once they did that, (number) 31 (Savoy) did a hell of a job,” said Techtmann. “He got right up in there.”
To be fair, the Eagles’ defense is loaded with newcomers this season.
Their linebackers – sophomore Sam Schurr and freshman Dajuan Harris – are brand new on the varsity team this year. So are their cornerbacks – Sean Stokes is a first-year junior and Andrew Garwo is a freshman. While junior Trey Mitchell is a returning two-way starter, he is playing a new position on defense and sophomore Bennett Waters is a first-year starter.
“We had four freshmen out there performing today in key positions and they’re good players but they’re young,” said Techtmann. “We have to be patient and we have to help out with our experienced players.”
Still.
“I don’t know the last time we were shut out but we certainly shouldn’t get shut out with the people that we have,” the coach said.
Offensively, West Catholic limited Egan’s stellar running back Patrick Garwo to just 39 yards on 13 carries. After rushing for over 150 yards and four touchdowns in the opening week’s win over New Hope, Garwo was held under the 100-yard mark a third straight game.
“You can see as soon as Patrick got the ball in his hands, there was people in our backfield,” explained Techtmann. “They were very aggressive coming at us and we didn’t read too well on our option and that hurt us.”
In week two’s overtime loss to Carroll, the Eagles saw some other ball-carriers step up. Harris came through with 102 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries while Mitchell added 76 rushing yards and a TD on eight carries. And quarterback Alex Goldsby took the ball to the house twice.
That didn’t happen against West with the Burrs limiting Egan to 38 rushing yards on 33 carries.
Like most coaches, Techtmann is a big believer in playing like you practice. And the seventh-year skipper admitted his team did not turn in a good week of drilling, prior to the loss to the Burrs.
“All week, we were telling them, ‘you’re not practicing well; you’re not practicing fast,’” stated Techtmann. “We came out today and that’s the way we played.”
The coach says he and his staff are going back to the drawing board in preparation for this week’s battle against Berks Conference rival Schuylkill Valley.
“We have to go back to basics,” he said. “We have to get back on the winning track and come back out next week.
“We still have the possibility of getting into the state playoffs; that’s not far-reaching but we can’t play like this and get there. Even if we can, we can’t expect to go far.”
Last year, the Eagles captured the District 12 Class AAA championship with a 14-12 triumph over DelVal Charter before falling to the same team two weeks later in states. They also went 3-1 in their first four games last year, however, including wins over Archbishop Carroll, West Catholic and Schuylkill Valley, this week’s opponent.
Based in Leesport, the Berks Conference rival Panthers enter the upcoming battle with Egan at 2-2. After starting the season at 2-0, Schuylkill Valley has lost two straight including last week’s loss to Pioneer Athletic Conference rival Pope John Paul II (4-0), which is unbeaten on the season.
Both teams will look to right their respective ships at 7 p.m. Friday night at Hamburg High School as Schuylkill Valley’s Panther Pride Stadium is still under construction.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
TOP PHOTO: Conwell-Egan Catholic junior RB Patrick Garwo (5) didn’t get a whole lot of running room in week four’s loss to West Catholic Sept. 16 at Drexel University’s Maguire Field.
(Steve Sherman – 21st-Century Media)
