Young gets kicks in while Strath Haven’s D dominates

NETHER PROVIDENCE >> When Strath Haven’s first drive of Friday night’s Central League game against Harriton stalled at the Rams’ 10-yard line, the Panthers trotted out Emmet Young.

Three steps back, two over. Young eyed up the snap, and when the ball was placed down, he booted it over the crossbar and through the uprights from 27 yards out. He looked the part of a seasoned veteran in the process as he received congratulations from his nine blockers and holder.

You’d have been hard-pressed to imagine that it was his first field goal attempt at the varsity level. An offensive shootout against Interboro only gave him extra-point attempts in the opening week, so the freshman had to wait a little longer before his first field goal.

Not a problem, and by the end of the night, he added six more points via extra points to help the Panthers roll over the Rams, 47-8, in the teams’ Central League opener.

“I was a little bit nervous, but you’re always a bit nervous,” Young said. “I have an amazing line, a good snapper, a good holder, so I felt pretty confident that I could get the kick up. It felt amazing when I saw it go through. The first one is pretty special.”

As most kicking careers do, Young’s got started thanks to…baseball. Panthers assistant coach Steve Grohman coached Young in baseball, and he asked him to consider kicking. Young got his feet wet because he preferred that alternative over middle school soccer, and while he’s returned to the pitch, he’s shown that he can handle the kicking game for Strath Haven.

“Last year I could only get kickoffs to the 20, but I practiced a lot in the offseason,” Young said. “(Assistant) Coach (Erik) Hollingsworth helped me with squats, too, to help my legs get stronger.”

It’s worked. He was placing his kickoff between the 10 and 15-yard lines all night and giving Haven’s coverage team plenty of time to get downfield. From there, the defense took over. The Panthers limited the Rams (0-2, 0-1) to a mere 51 yards of offense, and nearly all of those came against Haven’s backups. Harriton was missing starting running back Colin Prigent, starting left tackle Nate Wilkins and lineman Demarcus Johnson. It would have been tough sledding for the Rams at full strength, but without those players, they struggled.

It didn’t help that 6-foot-9 John Harrar terrorized Harriton’s offensive line from his right end spot. Harrar blew up three of the Rams’ first seven plays for losses, and for such a big man, moved laterally remarkably well. Harriton tried to test the Panthers on the edges and it didn’t work out so well, to put it mildly.

“Coach Hollingsworth and (Panthers head coach) Coach (Kevin) Clancy prepared us all week,” Harrar said. “We wanted this one. On defense, it’s a battle of who wants it more, and our D-line really wanted this one.”

Harriton’s Tajie Wright-Rooney ended the Panthers’ hopes for a shutout with a great 28-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, but the Rams couldn’t get anything done when Harrar and company were in the game. Harriton had six yards of total offense at halftime, a total that briefly dipped into the negatives early in the second half before Wright-Rooney (42 yards) made things happen on a pair of carries. This was the perfect remedy for the Panthers’ defense after giving up more than 400 yards of offense and 36 points in a heartbreaking 36-35 Week One loss to Interboro.

“I like playing head-up on the tight end. I like playing that position, get going to the outside and make that play,” Harrar said. “Our outside linebackers, Jake Fisher and Mekhi Hill, really set the edge, which made it easier for me.”

Harrar was also excellent as a blocker in the running game. Haven rolled up 262 yards on the ground, led by 82 yards and a pair of scores from Hill. The Panthers even showed off the ability to connect in the passing game as Thomas Foster roasted a safety on a post to haul in a beautifully-thrown ball from Evan Atsaves for a 36-yard touchdown. The only downside for Harrar? He was targeted twice in the end zone and couldn’t quite haul in either one.

“That’s the only disappointment,” Harrar said with a smile, “but you can’t think about it. You have to move on.”