Basically, Ridley is looking a lot better

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TREDYFFRIN — There wasn’t much to be said by members of the Ridley football team among themselves two weeks ago.

After 64 points conceded to Radnor and a performance that they didn’t need reminding was not to the standard upheld by the Green Raiders program, there wasn’t much to do but regroup.

“We lost that Radnor game, we lost by a lot,” senior Elijah Yakpasuo said. “I know it hurt everybody. Ridley’s not really used to losing. We had to change a couple of schemes on defense, we changed our relationship on offense and we just got a better relationship over time.”

There’s no going back to rectify those four losses to begin the campaign. But in the two games since bottoming out at the hands of Radnor — and with the aid of a lightened schedule — the Green Raiders have gotten back to basics, as a 51-7 rout over Conestoga Friday night showed.

There were no major changes at the season’s nadir, just a few scheme tweaks, more time to help sophomores and first-year-starting seniors grow together and a strengthened collective belief.

Friday’s victory is as comprehensive as they come. Ridley (2-4, 2-3 Central) had 19 first downs to Stoga’s three. The Green Raiders outgained the Pioneers, 404-86, a figure even more lopsided if you subtract the 63 yards that Conestoga gained on two consecutive long pass plays in the second quarter, fueling its only scoring drive.

The performance followed the blueprint that coach Dave Wood laid out at the beginning of the season with a young squad: Run the ball and play stingy defense.

The Green Raiders’ grinded out 317 yards on 62 carries. Yakpasuo led the way with 134 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. Dylan Staley ran for two scores as part of a 16-carry, 76-yard night. Quarterback Jack Bakey and his backup Shaun Kennedy also ran for scores.

“I’ve got to shout out my o-lineman, always,” Yakpasuo said. “And my blocker Dylan is blocking the hell out of it for me.”

The defense was just as good; as Wood is quick to remind, despite the capitulation to Radnor, the Ridley defense posted a shutout in regulation against Springfield the week prior before a three-overtime heartbreaker decided by a two-point conversion that came up one yard shy.

Conestoga (1-5, 1-4) picked up just 23 yards on 22 carries, punting six times. The Pioneers rotated in four quarterbacks plus running back Liam Kirk in a wildcat package, but the signal callers were sacked three times, two on consecutive plays with Bryce Regan bursting through to tackle Chris McGovern for losses. An interception by Yakpasuo of starting QB Cameron Marcus gave Ridley a short field to set up Bakey’s score and a 14-0 lead nine minutes in. Nate Desmond then blocked a punt, and Staley covered the final 15 yards in two plays to make it 28-0 with 7:13 left to the half.

“They couldn’t get many yards on us,” Desmond said. “You force a team like that to start passing, you’re usually in a good situation. They’re trying to pound the rock up the middle always. You get them passing, you know we’re doing good.”

Conestoga’s passing game provided a spark, though it was brief. Sophomore backup QB Michael Costigan took a reverse and lofted a 42-yard pass that Brady Carpenter hauled in. On the next play, McGovern found Michael Mariani for 21 yards to the one, McGovern sneaking in for Stoga’s only points with six minutes left to half.

“It was a tough start, but we’ve always got to keep our heads up,” said Kirk, limited to 28 yards on nine totes. “When a big play like that happens, that’s when we’ve got to start rolling. And we’ve just got to keep our heads up and forget what the score is.”

Even in the trick-play department, Ridley managed to one-up Conestoga, with a wheel-route connection between wideout Jack Liberio and tailback Hassan Chandler covering 41 yards for a score. Bakey connected on his only pass attempt to fullback Lamont Sudler for 46 yards.

And when it came to the Ridley defense shaking off one rough series, it drew upon a tried and true strategy that applies to the season writ large.

“You make your mental mistakes and you’ve got to forget it,” Desmond said. “That’s the last drive, then just come out hitting. It’s a new drive.”

And because of that, it’s also a new season for the Green Raiders.

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Matthew De George

Matthew De George
Matthew De George is the Asst. Sports Editor and the lead Union writer for The Daily Times.

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