Berks Catholic ride ends with 34-21 loss to Southern Columbia in PIAA 2-A quarterfinal

SHILLINGTON>> A pretty darned good ride by the Berks Catholic Saints ended Saturday afternoon at Governor Mifflin High School by the one team that was able to do what others could not this season — find a way to contain the ground game.

Never trailing, Southern Columbia parlayed a balanced offensive attack with a hard-hitting, fundamentally sound, wrap-and-tackle defense into a 34-21 win at Mifflin Stadium in a PIAA Class AA quarterfinal.

Berks Catholic’s loss officially wraps the 2015 county high school football season. The Saints (12-2) were the last team standing.

BC’s vaunted rushing attack, led by Isaac Lutz, Cooper Lutz and Marcus Wilson, had its moments Saturday,but were met with a defensive speed and pursuit off the edges not previously encountered. The Saints wreaked most of their havoc off the edges. Those edges were hard to come by in terms of daylight against the D-4 champs. More often than not, those edges were sealed at the point of attack.

“We lived on the perimeter all season,” BC head coach Rick Keeley said, “and they did a good job of taking things away from us out there.

“We were able to chip away at ’em a bit inside and get some yardage, but they did they things they had to do to win the game.”

Isaac Lutz closed his high school career with 115 rushing yards on 21 carries, but was kept out of the end zone and nullified, for the most part, by a Southern Columbia defense which had the athleticism to key on Lutz as the obvious focal point, then make it happen.

BC’s longest run from scrimmage didn’t come from Lutz, but rather from Marcus Wilson, who tagged a 36-yard burst between the tackles to the SC 2 in a late first half drive that sliced the deficit to 13-7.

Lutz finishes his career at or near the top in just about every BC rushing category. He fought off tears with the realization that the ride was over.

“They’re a physical team, but we came out and gave it all we had,” Lutz said. “I’m proud of everyone. They’re tough to play against. They knew what we were doing and they were clogging stuff up and it was hard, I’m not gonna lie.

“I thought we had more potential in us, but I’m still really proud of everything we accomplished this year.”

The District 3 champs mirrored their opposition in attack (wing-T) and even uniform colors (black and gold). The one area where the Tigers had a distinct edge was in offensive balance. Senior quarterback Nick Becker passed for 227 yards and ran for a pair of touchdowns. Becker reflected a facet of the game simply not available nor suited for BC’s style of attack.

“When you can key on the run, and not have to worry the pass as much, that’s a great advantage to have,” Becker said.

After edging to a 13-7 halftime advantage on the back of two long, draining drives, then pushing that 21-7 midway through the third quarter, the Tigers had to ward off a violent and sudden momentum swing in favor of the Saints.

BC responded to falling behind 21-7 with a nine-play, 75-yard march that was nearly knifed at the goal line. Lutz tried to go in from two yards out but fumbled into the end zone. Luckily, teammate David Jones was there to fall on the football to preserve the touchdown and cut it to a 21-14 game with 5:24 to play in the third quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Southern Columbia fumbled and the Saints recovered at the Tigers’ 23. Seven players later, quarterback Terrence Derr found tight end John reedy for a four-yard score off play action and the game was tied at 21.

But as quickly as the momentum wave appeared, it dissipated. SC running back Hunter Thomas, who had looked dangerous all afternoon, went off.

Beck found Thomas out of the  backfield for a 51-yard completion on the final play of the third quarter to the BC 23.  Two plays later, Becker rolled out on a keeper and scampered 18 yards to the end zone and a 28-21 SC lead.

Two possessions later — after the Saints failed to capitalize on a fumble recovery when Lutz was stopped on fourth down at the Tigers 27 — Thomas took a reverse 74 yards down the near sideline into the end zone for the dagger.

“There was one guy to beat,  and Nick made a tremendous block on the kid,” Thomas said. “He sealed him off and that gave me the edge. Once I broke it I didn’t see anyone in front of me. Oh man, it’s probably the best feeling there is.”

Thomas finished with 160 rushing yards on 17 totes.

BC’s head man couldn’t be anything but proud over what his kids accomplished this fall.

“It’s what keeps me in this game, the effort that these kids give,” Keeley said, “year in and year out. Weight room, the summer workouts we do. They’re all in.

“Hey, we were in the state playoffs. We had a great year.”

 

PIAA Class AA quarterfinal

at Governor Mifflin HS

Southern Columbia 34, Berks Catholic 21

Southern Columbia –  7  6  8  13 — 34

Berks Catholic –  0  7  14  0 — 21

First quarter

SC – Nick Becker 6 run (Tyler Keiser kick), 1:23

Second quarter

SC – Blake Marks 2 run (kick blocked), 3:25

BC – Marcus Wilson 3 run (Alex Gundersen kick), 1:33

Third quarter

SC – Jared Torres 7 run (Becker to Torres pass), 9:43

BC – David Jones fumble reocovery in end zone (Gundersen kick), 5:24

BC – John Reedy 4 pass from Terrence Derr (Gundersen kick), 1:20

Fourth quarter

SC – Becker 18 run (Keiser kick), 11:15

SC – Hunter Thomas 74 run (kick blocked), 6:03