Pennridge can’t finish rally, falls to Pennsbury for 3rd straight close loss

BRISTOL TWP. >> Down three points late in the fourth quarter, the Pennridge football team had a second-and-goal just two yards for the end zone.

Pennsbury, however, did not yield.

The Falcons defense knocked the Rams back on consecutive plays and after a penalty pushed the ball to the 13, Pennridge went for it on fourth only for Pennsbury junior defensive back Eric David to cut in front of a receiver to make an interception.

“My coaches always put me in a great position to make a play, they always do – every single play call they make is right on the spot offense or defense,” David said. “He made a great play call. I mean, we were in four, we watch film on it, they run Flood all the time, I sat on it, he threw it up and I got it.”

Pennridge forced a punt to get the ball back at its own 49 with 42 seconds remaining only for Cade Gabbett to pick off a pass over the middle on the drive’s first play, securing the Falcons’ 27-24 victory in the Suburban One League National Conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Truman.

“It really all just comes down to, honestly, just drive,” Pennridge senior running back Brenna Fisher said. “What do you want to do at the end of the game? I’m not going to lie, I think they wanted it a little bit more. It’s been a problem for us all year, we’ve been working on it but we can’t click yet. We’ll get it done for sure.”

Galamama Mulbuh returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown as Pennsbury (6-1, 4-0 conference) raced out to a 21-6 lead early in the second quarter. Pennridge (2-5, 1-3) scored the next two touchdowns to cut the margin to 21-18 with 3:22 before the half but the kicking game helped the Falcons going into the break up nine.

After Dan Zelenko’s 28-yard field goal with two seconds, Pennsbury squibbed the ensuing kickoff and recovered it along the left sideline at the Rams’ 24. The Falcons opted to try a 41-yard field goal and Zelenko put it through the upright to make it 27-18.

“Our guys got to jump on that I guess there,” Pennridge coach Chuck Burgy said. “I think he believed it went out of bounds. I didn’t get a clear story in that moment. It was unfortunate cause it was enough of a swing.”

In the second half, Pennridge cleaned up on its penalties – committing just one after being flagged seven times for 78 yards before intermission – while the defense forced three turnovers in holding the Falcons off the scoreboard.

But after Fisher’s 12-yard touchdown run on the third quarter’s first drive made it 27-24, the Rams could find a way to get in front and fell just short for the third straight game.

“We talked at the half, we all talked, the leaders talked and then it did tighten up in the second half,” Burgy said. “I thought we were more focused. We did everything we could and we’ll get back at it on Monday and we still got a lot of season left to play.”

Pennridge lost in double overtime to Central Bucks East 16-13 Sept. 23 while seven days later Neshaminy edged the Rams 7-6. Pennridge also lost to Souderton 24-21 Sept. 2.

“We’re right there,” Burgy said. “All our (last four) losses are (by a combined) 10 points. That’s the difference, that’s the margin between totally different season in the record books.”

Fisher had three touchdown runs and finished with a game-high 148 yards on 20 carries. Freshman quarterback Noah Keating – making his second varsity start – was 12-of-19 passing for 186 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

“We put a lot on Noah, on the kid and he’s stepping up,” said Burgy of Keating. “He’s a leader. We have full faith in him. He’s doing everything he needs to do. Two big weeks in a row for him and big moments on a big stage and he doesn’t flinch, he just keeps pushing.”

Mulbuh had a pair of rushing TDs as he collected 131 yards on 27 carries for the Falcons, who are making an impressive turnaround in coach Galen Snyder’s second stint with the program.

Pennsbury was winless in both 2020 and 2021 and falling to Coatesville in the season opener stretched its losing streak to 17 games. The Falcons have not lost since.

“Coach is just putting us in the right places,” David said. “Like I was a defensive end last year, 160 pounds but now I’m kind of in a better position for me to play in and that’s for everybody.”

Both teams are on the road for SOL National games Friday – Pennsbury is at North Penn while Pennridge visits Central Bucks West.

“The one thing we can’t do is think we’re done,” Fisher said. We’re definitely not done.”

Mulbuh put the Falcons up 7-0 just 14 seconds in, fielding the opening kickoff at the Falcons 7 and finding a seam on the right side to dash 93 yards for a touchdown.

On Pennridge’s first drive, a holding penalty wiped out a touchdown run and the Rams ended up punting. Pennsbury doubled its lead to 14-0 the next possession, quarterback Shane McGurrin keeping the option around the left side and sprinting 50 yards to the end zone at 5:33 in the first quarter.

The Rams made it 14-6 just 19 seconds later, Fisher taking a pitch left on first down for a 59-yard touchdown run at 5:14.

“I saw that the d-end was crashing inside which means I can hit the outside,” Fisher said. “By then it’s just all speed and I’ll take that any day.”

Pennsbury pushed its lead to 21-6 on the first play of the second quarter as Mulbuh crossed the goal line on a run from five yards out.

On a 4th-and-5 from Pennridge’s 25, Xavier Dantzler picked up a first down on a fake punt run, although a 15-yard penalty put the Rams back to their own 20. Seven plays later, Fisher’s 12-yard touchdown run made it 21-12 at 8:03.

Facing a 3rd-and-Goal from the 23, Keating connected with Nate Mossbrook for a touchdown with 3:22 left in the half.

After Zelenko’s two late field goals made it 27-18 at halftime, Fisher collected his third TD run, scoring from 12 yards out to pull the Rams within 27-24 with 9:12 in the third.

The first play of the fourth quarter, Pennridge tried to convert a 4th-and-1 from the Falcons 37 but were stuffed. Pennsbury turned the ball over on downs the next series, fumbling on 4th-and-2 at the Rams 27.

On 3rd-and-9 at the Pennridge 45 Keating found Mossbrook for 20 yards then hit Mossbrook the next play for 16 more. A 10-yard Keating to Tyler Wetzel completion made it 1st-and-Goal at the eight with a Fisher running for six to put the ball at the two.

But two runs for losses, a five-yard penalty and David’s pick maintained the Falcons’ three-point edge.