Football: Bonner’s Session, Fowler help reel in Ryan

UPPER DARBY – Bonner & Prendergast coach Jack Muldoon likes to say junior linebackers Isaiah Session and Wykil Fowler don’t weigh 250 pounds combined.

He’s not far off, at least from the body numbers published on the team’s roster online.

Session is listed as 5-10 and 170 pounds and he plays in the middle of the Friars defense. Fowler is listed as 5-10, 160. Both listings are generous from a height and weight perspective.

Yet what Session and Fowler lack in physical stature they more than make up for in tenacity, athleticism and understanding of the defensive system. They put all those qualities on display Friday as the Friars rolled over Archbishop Ryan, 35-7, at the Class of ’69 Alumni Field.

Session and Fowler spearheaded a defensive effort that racked up 12 tackles for loss, one sack and three picked off passes, while holding the Raiders to 123 yards of total offense, 43 of which came in the first half.

The Raiders had no answer for the Friars’ relentless defense, especially Session. He was in on four of those tackles for loss. Ryan didn’t cross midfield until its final possession of the first half and that came as a result of an interception in Bonner & Prendie territory.

“Coach Muldoon told us that they were going to run the I-formation and come right at us and we were prepared for that,” Session said. “We came right back at them.”

Session also came up big on offense with a pair of touchdown runs out of the Wildcat formation.

Fowler was just as impressive. He picked off a pair of passes, both in the second half as the Friars (4-1, 3-0) held the Raiders (2-3, 1-2) to eight total yards after the break. Fowler also returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a score.

“I knew I had to make a play for our defense to get going,” Fowler said. “As a defense, we wanted to give our offense more chances.

The Friars piled up 285 yards of total offense, 217 of which came on the ground. Avery Hankey did yeoman’s work there, carrying the ball 20 times for 164 yards and a touchdown. He gained 80 of those yards on two carries to start the second half. He sprinted 50 yards on the Friars’ first play from scrimmage and they raced 30 yards to go up 28-7.

That was more than enough of a cushion thanks to the defense that received contributions throughout the unit.

Mylacchi Williams spent a lot of time in Ryan’s backfield. He was in on three tackles for loss. Zac Coneys was the first player to record a tackle for loss and also caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Shepherd.

“They were so stringent on running the I-formation it just made us think, ‘We have to hit that hole hard,” Coneys said. “That’s what Isaiah did. He met the whole and stood up the running backs.”

It was an effort that brought a smile to Muldoon’s face.

“We can win a lot of football games if we play defense like that week in and week out,” he said.