Watson helps Malvern hammer Haverford School

HAVERFORD — If Quincy Watson’s running style looks familiar, it should.

“I like to base my running style on Saquan (Barkley) and Le’Veon Bell, some of the good running backs in the NFL,” Watson said. “I just watch them, study them and try to imitate their moves.”

It’s an approach that has worked well for the senior from Malvern who has committed to the University of Delaware.

Using a Bell-like stutter-step to pick his way through the defense, Watson carried the ball 27 times for a season-high 195 yards and scored two touchdowns as the Friars remained undefeated with a 38-20 Inter-Ac League victory over The Haverford School Friday afternoon at Sabol Field.

Watson scored on runs of 10 and 70 yards as the Friars (9-0 overall, 3-0 Inter-Ac) topped the 35-point mark for the sixth time this season.

“Running that way gives me a little more time to read the defense and the offensive line the time they need to make the blocks,” Watson said.

A year ago, Watson was used in the slot as O’Shaan Allison, now at the University of Ohio, had the majority of the carries in Malvern’s one-back power set. This year, he’s getting to show what he can do as a tailback.

“We knew that he had that patience,” second-year coach Dave Gueriera said. “Once he finds that seam he has that second gear to make it a big gain.”

But if you think the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder is just a speedster weaving his way through the defense, think again.

“What makes him even more special is the way he finishes his runs,” Gueriera said. “If you go and try and tackle him, he’ll lower his shoulders and deliver a blow. So if you’re a defender, the next time you see No. 5 coming through the hole, you may not be as eager to come up and tackle him. He’s one of the toughest dudes I know.

“Quincy is the hammer, not the nail.”

Watson scored on his two runs of 10 or more yards. All the other carries were under double digits and none were for a loss.

The Friars, however, were far from one-dimensional. Quarterback Drew Gunther completed 12 of 19 passes for 142 yards and three scores. He threw a 17-yard TD pass to TyGee Leach, a 28-yarder to Ryan Iacone and a 29-yarder to Lonnie White, Jr.

“When Quincy is going well, it helps out the passing game and when we’re going well, it helps Quincy and the running game,” said Iacone, who had six catches for 74 yards. “And when the line’s blocking well, everything is going well.”

The defense did its part, too. The Friars, led by Upper Providence resident and Clemson-bound linebacker Keith Maguire and Springfield resident Joe Carpenter (two sacks, fumble recovery), held the Fords to 40 yards rushing and 158 yards in total offense. Malvern also forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble).

The combination of Malvern’s balanced offense and the Friars’ swarming defense was too much for Haverford School (3-4, 1-2). The Fords trailed, 24-0, and had just 24 yards of total offense in the first half. A shift to junior Dante Perri at quarterback in the second half gave the offense a spark.

The 6-0, 175-pound junior connected on 11 of 20 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Daiyaan Hawkins sprinted 18 yards for a touchdown with 1:47 left in the third quarter to get the Fords on the board. Jake Spencer accounted for the other two scores, returning a kickoff 88 yards for a score and pulling in an 18-yard scoring pass from Perri with 19 seconds left.

“We had opportunities,” Haverford School coach Mike Murphy said. “We just didn’t take advantage of them. We didn’t do what we needed to do.”