Pio, Hussein help Strath Haven run into playoffs

NETHER PROVIDENCE — With two weeks left in the season, Strath Haven had a decision to make.

After dropping four straight Central League games, the Panthers sat two games under .500, but the final two weeks presented a unique opportunity. Despite the four-game slide, there was still a chance for the backfield tandem of Zack Hussein and Ibrahim Pio and their teammates to sneak into the district playoffs. It was during a two-point loss to Radnor in late September that Pio felt the change in mindset.

“Right before the Radnor game, practice was intense but after that loss it became sluggish,” Pio said. “We slowed down. Then, this last week we really went hard and showed we were up for this. We needed to win out to get to where we wanted to be at the end of the season.”

After last week’s victory over Marple Newtown, a playoff berth was in sight against Harriton, and Strath Haven finished the job. Behind two touchdowns each from Hussein and Pio, the Panthers racked up 335 rushing yards en route to a 49-0 triumph over the Rams. The win sealed a berth in the District 1 Class 5A playoffs next week.

Pio struck first by scoring on a 24-yard scamper down the right sideline to give Strath Haven (5-5, 5-4 Central League) a 7-0 lead 1:14 into the game. Hussein, who came into the matchup leading Delco in rushing yards, picked up 47 yards on the second drive and capped things off with a two-yard touchdown.

It was much of the same on the ensuing possession. After Harriton (1-8, 0-8) shanked a punt to give the Panthers the ball at the Rams’ 22-yard line, Hussein had two carries for 16 yards and his second scoring run as his team led 21-0 with 12 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Hussein, who has been the primary rusher for Kevin Clancy’s offense over the last two years, said he was impressed with what his team accomplished to close out the regular season.

“We get new talent every year,” said Hussein, who finished with 116 yards on 13 carries. “We have a great history and a bright future. Ibrahim is a junior and he does a great job. I’ve said this every week but the offensive line has done an outstanding job.”

Pio, who finished with 68 rushing yards on eight carries, had his longest run of the game on the Panthers’ fourth drive, a 28-yard burst through the middle of the Harriton defense. On the next play, he took in another touchdown run.

The final score of the first half was one of quarterback Jake Fisher’s two completions as he hit wideout Arion Ford for a 35-yard strike and the Panthers took a 35-0 advantage into halftime.

The starters did not see the field in the second half, but the Panthers strong ground game continued as Jaris Adams tallied 102 yards, while Luke Healy and Alex Hemmingway scored one rushing score apiece. After averaging 58.0 points in the final two games, Clancy and the Panthers have built some momentum heading to the playoffs, and the winningest coach in Delaware County history attributes that his team’s resilience.

“We’ve played some really good teams over the last month,” Clancy said. “Prior to that, we took four, tough losses and the kids didn’t give up or quit. We learned something in each of those losses and we’re getting better because of it.”