Upper Dublin flies high past Wissahickon
UPPER DUBLIN >> Throughout the years, the Upper Dublin and Wissahickon rivalry has brought about countless classic games and close finishes. However, in this year’s matchup the Trojans just couldn’t keep up with the Cardinals as they controlled the game from start to finish on their way to a 49-0 victory.
Right from the opening kickoff it was all Upper Dublin. They were able to force a three-and-out on the opening drive and quickly punched it into the end zone. Then, just 15 seconds later following a Wissahickon interception, the Cardinals found pay dirt again to go up 14-0 and never looked back.
“I thought we looked really good tonight,” said Upper Dublin head coach Bret Stover. “I thought we played well and that once again tonight we were efficient. We were able to get a little more of the throwing game going tonight because the weather was more cooperative and the balance that we’ve been looking for I think we found tonight and need to keep building from here.”
This is nothing new for the Cardinals high-powered offense. Last week they found themselves up 48-0 at half against Springfield, and this week was much of the same as they darted out to a 49-0 lead after the first two quarters.
In just one half of play, quarterback Ryan Stover was fantastic. The senior went 8-for-10 passing for 148 yards and a touchdown and added 50 yards on the ground for good measure before he was taken out of the game, along with the rest of the starters.
“I felt comfortable out there tonight. There was a clean pocket and it seemed like everything was working,” said Ryan Stover.
The offense, led by Stover and running back’s Stacey Gardner and Kalief Lee, has put up eye popping numbers all year, averaging 49.4 points per game through their first five contests coming into this one.
Lee and Gardner only ran for a combined 76 yards in this one, but that’s really all they had to do. The duo carried the ball only seven times for a total of five touchdowns.
“They are definitely two premier backs in our conference,” said Ryan Stover. “and they should definitely be up for All-Conference honors and the line is doing a great job too.”
On the other end, Wissahickon’s offense just couldn’t find a rhythm as they turned the ball over three times in the first half and consistently gave the Cardinals a short field to work with.
Making matters worse for Wissahickon was the long list of players that they were without, as a total of 9 players were out due to ineligibility or injury.
“We had a total of nine varsity players out tonight either to ineligibility or injury,” said Wissahickon head coach Mike Borkowski. “So we basically had to play with some JV players for half of our offense and defense. We were worried about this one against these guys. When you go up against one of the top teams in the state with so many guys being out it’s tough.”
Quarterback Mike Marino had a particularly tough time with the Cardinals pressure, as he went 2-for-5 through the air for a total of -5 yards and accounted for all three of the Trojans first half turnovers.
“That defense, they bring it,” said Borkowski. “I like watching them but I don’t want to have to play them. They just play the right way and are very well coached and they’re older seniors going up against our tenth graders out there and it’s just too hard to do.”
Next on tap for the Cardinals is another SOL American rival, Plymouth Whitemarsh, in a matchup that could end up determining the conference title down the road and they know they are in for their toughest test of the season so far.
“This is the one you want, this is the one you circle,” said Bret Stover in regards to the PW game next week. “I know they’ve circled it and I know we have to so it’s time now.”
