Final Feast: Pennridge rallies past Quakertown
EAST ROCKHILL >> Hungry for a win, Pennridge bellies started to rumble by halftime.
“We talked about burning the ships,” Rams coach and history teacher Cody Muller said. “We talked about (Spanish conquistador Hernán) Cortés and I gave them a little history lesson. We talked about whatever fear you have, whatever nerves you have, you gotta leave it in the past. There’s no retreat and no surrender.”
Pennridge rallied back from a 10-0 deficit at the break for a stirring 19-13 victory over rival Quakertown on Thanksgiving Day.
“This game means a lot,” said Rams senior Taj Utsey, who powered his way for 100 yards and a pair of pivotal touchdowns on 26 carries. “For our community, it means a lot. It’s been going on for decades. When practice starts, you just focus on winning this game and doing everything to perfection.”
Added Utsey: “It certainly tastes better when we win.”
In the 90th Turkey Day battle between the two, Pennridge won its fourth straight over Quakertown and leads the holiday series 57-28-5.
Momentum started to turn Pennridge’s way when the Rams pounced on a muffed punt by the Panthers (3-8).
Pennridge (3-8) moved it 46 yards in eight plays, pushing over the goal line when Utsey scored on a three-yard burst. The extra point sailed wide on a blustery day on the turf at Pennridge, but the Rams were back in it, down 10-6 midway through the third quarter.
“Every time I engage with somebody, I just keep pushing,” said Utsey, who dragged his share of tacklers throughout the contest. “I have my linemen and my fullback pushing me in, and I won’t stop until I get there.”
The Rams weren’t done.
A 37-yard punt return by Drew Ferguson helped set up a one-yard sneak by quarterback Bobby Croyle, putting Pennridge in front, 12-10.
Pennridge then converted a successful onside kick, as kicker Alex Lelii recovered his own kick, and the Rams were in business again.
On a drive that began in the third quarter and spilled into the fourth, the Rams extended their lead to 19-10 when Utsey surged through the middle on an eight-yard score.
“I’d probably say, like from Week Six on, all that kid did was look at me and say ‘I got you, coach,'” Muller said. “Every time we needed something, every time we needed some yards, whatever it may be, he always rose to the challenge. That kid plays with so much heart, it’s not even funny.”
The Panthers, who built their first-half lead on a 30-yard field goal by Gavin Croissette and a one-yard sneak by quarterback Will Steich, sliced the margin to 19-13 on a 33-yard field goal by Croissette, with 4 minutes, 30 seconds to play.
But Pennridge came up with one more defensive stop and could kill the clock.
“The nice thing is, for these seniors, to go out with a victory, it’s kind of like a last ride for them,” Muller said.
Pennridge 19, Quakertown 13
Quakertown 3 7 0 3 – 13
Pennridge 0 0 12 7 – 19
First Quarter
Q – Gavin Croissette 30 field goal, 8:37.
Second Quarter
Q – Will Steich 1 run (Croissette kick), 11:05.
Third Quarter
P – Taj Utsey 3 run (kick failed), 7:22.
P – Bobby Croyle 1 run (kick failed), 4:41.
Fourth Quarter
P – Utsey 8 run (Tyler Myers kick), 11:31.
Q – Croissette 33 field goal, 4:30.
Q P
First Downs 8 17
Rushes-Yards 26-134 51-195
Passing 5-17-0 10-18-0
Passing Yards 38 81
Total Yards 172 276
Punts 5 5
Penalties-Yards 5-46 13-120
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 0
Rushing
Quakertown: Aidan Sylsberry 13-57, Tyler Merwarth 3-67, Will Steich 6-6, TD, Tyler Woodman 1-2, Josh McGovern 3-2.
Pennridge: Shane Kihm 2-12, Brayden Landherr 3-1, Taj Utsey 26-100, 2 TD, Jack Garner 1-0, Jack Ferguson 4-39, Alex Lelii 1-0, Bobby Croyle 10-34, TD, Joe Muntz 4-9.
Passing
Quakertown: Steich 5-17-38-0-0.
Pennridge: Croyle 10-18-81-0-1.
Receiving
Quakertown: Ben Kave 1-6, Merwarth 1-13, Ethan Ericksen 3-19.
Pennridge: Elias Dantzler 1-14, Adam Mossbrook 2-12, Gio Iadonisi 2-18, Connor Pleibel 3-16, Josh Garis 2-21.
Interceptions
Quakertown: Trevor Gray.
