O’Brien throws 3 TD passes, Plymouth Whitemarsh rolls past Quakertown

QUAKERTOWN >> Aiden O’Brien knows the capabilities of the Plymouth Whitemarsh offense.

Friday night, the Colonials only needed a quarter to show it.

PW’s triple-option attack hit big plays early and often against host Quakertown, scoring four touchdowns in the opening quarter – the last three from 62 yards or more – to build a quick 28-0 lead.

The Colonials found the end zone twice more before halftime to go up 42-0 as they returned to .500 by rolling past the Panthers 49-0 at Alumni Field.

“We know we had that potential, we just got to work out the kinks, limit the mistakes,” said O’Brien, PW’s senior quarterback. “That’s what we did tonight, that’s our potential for every game, every week the rest of the season.”

O’Brien threw 0six passes, completing five for 211 yards and three touchdowns – hitting Seve Spruill for an 80-yard TD before connecting twice with Nazye Boggs for scores – as the Colonials bounced back a 35-13 loss to Ridley seven days prior to improve to 2-2.

“Last week at Ridley we played not our best – a lot of turnovers, it was a little sloppy so our focus this week was definitely on our execution,” Plymouth Whitemarsh coach Dan Chang said. “And I thought our guys came out and did a great job executing the game plan. There was no letdown, right from the start I think we were able to get on top of them and just proud of how these guys bounced back. Coming into this 1-2, now we got back to .500.”

Spruill had two catches for 100 yards while Boggs added 87 yards as both his receptions went for touchdowns. Tommy Hannon scored twice on one-yard runs and had an interception on defense while Luke Winterbottom collected 130 yards and a TD on four carries. Vincent Storti finished with 74 yards and a TD on two carries as PW amassed 272 rushing yards.

“We got some guys who have some breakaway capabilities,” Chang said. “And we were lucky to get the ball in their hands in some space and once they get a little bit of space those guys can move. Nazye is a threat, Luke Winterbottom, Tommy Hannon, Aiden, all those guys – Seve, Jared Kolsun – all those guys are pretty good with the ball in their hands.”

The Colonials took a 7-0 lead on the game’s first series, going 69 yards on seven plays. A 35-yard Winterbottom run had Plymouth Whitemarsh at the Quakertown five and two plays later Hannon plowed in from a yard out at 9:02.

PW needed only five more plays on offense to register its next 21 points – scoring on consecutive two-play possessions then needing one snap to make it 28-0 as O’Brien found Boggs for a 62-yard touchdown with 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

“We just did what we had to do,” Boggs said. “We executed what we needed to do.”

Kevin Hegarty joined Hannon in making an interception as the Colonials defense allowed Quakertown (1-3) just 82 total offensive yards – all on the ground as the Panthers did not complete a pass – in posting its second shutout this season.

“I thought our defense played well,” Chang said. “I think they played well all year – we put them in some bad spots in previous games but tonight I think we didn’t put them in any poor positions and they played like they do every week.”

The Colonials complete their nonconference schedule by heading out to Lancaster to face JP McCaskey Friday. PW then begins its defense of the SOL American Conference title hosting Cheltenham Sept. 30.

“It’s a long bus ride out there so we’re going to spend all week getting ready,” said Chang of taking on McCaskey. “I’m sure they’re going to be ready for us. First time playing them, we’ll see what it’s all about.”

Quakertown, which won the SOL Continental last year, starts its conference slate visiting Council Rock South Friday. The Panthers have now lost three straight since defeating Southern Lehigh in the season opener.

Winterbottom made it 13-0 Colonials as he found an opening on the right side and dashed 62 yards for a touchdown at 6:22 in the first quarter.

On PW’s next series, O’Brien fumbled on first down – the ball recovered by Boggs – but the senior QB responded on the next play with an 80-yard TD strike to Spruill at 2:52. O’Brien ran in for the two-point conversion to give the Colonials a 21-0 lead.

“They were stacking the box pretty hard,” O’Brien said. “A lot of people think that we can’t throw the ball but I think we proved them wrong tonight. And when we get downfield blocking and everyone executes, we get those big plays.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh needed just one play on its next possession to go up 28-0 – O’Brien finding an open Boggs, who proceeded to get upfield, cut past a tackle attempt and race to the end zone for a 62-yard score with 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

“It was just one of those nights where it felt like we were moving the ball and we could execute,” Chang said. “So I was just proud of how those guys kind of put it together.”

Hegarty’s pick set the Colonials up the Panthers 40 at 11:07 in the second quarter. A 20-yard O’Brien completion to Spruill gave PW a 1st-and-Goal at the five. Penalties pushed the ball back to the 25 but on 3rd-and-Goal, Boggs hauled in O’Brien throw along the right sideline of the end zone for a 25-yard TD at 8:55.

“I was looking for it, we practice that in practice,” Boggs said. “Was used to those kind of jump balls, was in my type of thing. I like those.”

Hannon’s interception and return gave PW the ball at the Quakertown five and on 3rd-and-Goal from the one Hannon carried it over the goal line, extending the Colonials’ advantage to 42-0 with 4:31 left before the break.

Plymouth Whitemarsh had another one-play TD drive in the second half, Storti taking an option pitch and sprinting 79 yards for the score at 8:31 in the third.

Plymouth Whitemarsh 49, Quakertown 0

Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-2) 28 14 7 0 – 49

Quakertown (1-3) 0 0 0 0 – 0

First Quarter

PW – Tommy Hannon 1 run (Seve Spruill kick), 9:02.

PW – Luke Winterbottom 62 run (run failed), 6:22.

PW – Aiden O’Brien 80 pass to Spruill (O’Brien run), 2:52.

PW- – O’Brien 62 pass to Nazye Boggs (Spruill kick) ) 0:45.

Second Quarter

PW – O’Brien 25 pass to Boggs (Spruill kick), 8:55.

PW – Hannon 1 run (Spruill kick), 4:31.

Third Quarter

PW – Vincent Storti 79 run (Spruill kick), 8:31.

 

PW Q

First Downs 11 6

Rushes-yards 28-272 31-82

Passing 5-6-0 0-12-2

Passing yards 211 0

Totals yards 483 82

Punts 4 7

Penalties-yards 5-40 6-55

Fumbles-lost 2-0 1-0

Rushing

Plymouth Whitemarsh: Luke Winterbottom 4-130, TD; Vincent Storti 2-74; Aiden O’Brien 4-20; Tommy Hannon 5-15, 2 TD; Nazye Boggs 2-12; Luke Laviola 1-8; Dorien Smith 3-8; Gregory Feinberg 1-3; Daniel Ajuz 4-3; Andrew Iannozzi 1-0; Anthony Iannozzi 1-(-1).

Quakertown: Cody Jefferson 6-29; John Eatherton 6-22; Jacob Wackerman 9-17; Vincent Micucci 4-9; Edward Bittner 2-5;Brady Martin 1-4; Declan Palmer 2-3; Gavin Mushrush 1-(-7).

Passing

Plymouth Whitemarsh: Aiden O’Brien 5-6-0, 211, 3 TD.

Quakertown: Vincent Micucci 0-7-2, 0; Brady Martin 0-3-0, 0; Gavin Mushrush 0-2-0, 0.

Receiving

Plymouth Whitemarsh: Seve Spruill 2-100, TD; Nazye Boggs 2-87, 2 TD; Jared Kolsun 1-24.

Quakertown: None.

Interceptions

Plymouth Whitemarsh: Tommy Hannon, Kevin Hegarty.

Quakertown: None.