Bishop Shanahan handles Phoenixville in Phantoms’ 2021 opener

PHOENIXVILLE >> It was a game where areas of needed improvement were noticeable on both sides of Washington Field.

For Phoenixville, getting a late start to its 2021 schedule due to COVID-19 tracing issues, such could be expected. But even Bishop Shanahan, considered a contender in District 1’s Class 4A post-season picture, didn’t fully perform to the standards of its coaching staff.

The Phantoms faced the dubious task of opening Saturday against the Eagles, having lost its scheduled (Aug. 27) opener with neighboring rival Great Valley and having practices shut down for 10 days.  The absence of live-action preparation showed as it fell to Shanahan, 34-6.

“We had two weeks without pads, no hitting,” head coach Anthony Ciarlello said afterward. “Wednesday we were in the gym, but all we could do otherwise was Zoom. Losing the kids for two weeks affects your continuity.”

For Shanahan, the situation was one of not meeting the expectations of head coach Paul Meyers. Though the Eagles put together a 26-point lead at the half, and came close to getting a “running clock” for the game’s end, they fell short of achieving that, then saw the possibility vanish when Phoenixville scored with about 7-1/2 minutes left.

“I was a little upset we didn’t finish,” Meyers said of his team, which was coming off a 21-3 Week 1 win over Archbishop Ryan. “That’s one of things we have to work on.”

Shanahan took more of a hit than Phoenixville in terms of penalties. It was whistled 10 times for 95 yards — three of them were 15-yard majors — while the Phantoms, by comparison, were assessed 35 yards on five calls.

“Mental mistakes shot us in the foot,” Meyers said. “That was part of my speech at the half: To cut down on the penalties. That kills continuity.”

In a positive vein, Phoenixville played the final 7:38 in a reversal of fortunes of the previous 40:22. It left Shanahan empty on a nine-play series that was halted at the Phantom five, then covered 95 in 10 plays, the capper quarterback Ty Romance’s three-yard toss to Ahmid Malik Spivey.

After limiting the Eagles to a three-and-out, the Phantoms took the clock down to 2:12 with a six-play possession. Getting the ball back on downs at its 25, Shanahan finished the game off by taking a knee on three snaps.

“We’re playing a lot of freshmen and sophomores,” Ciarlello said. “The kids need to get used to varsity football, playing at a high level.”

Positives for Shanahan were the play of quarterback Cooper Jordan and Brandon Choi, who headed the point buildup that gave Meyers and his staff the option to get more skill players on the field in the second half.

Jordan was 13-for-20 passing for 237 yards, connecting with Evan Kapczynski, Colin McGrory and Walka Jordan on first-half touchdown strikes. The 66-yard toss to Kapczynski was his longest of the game, and Simmi Whitehill, who had an eight-yard TD run in the third, added 50 more stripes on three catches.

Choi got the visitors going in the first quarter, his one-yard run up the middle put the finishing touches on an 11-play, 45-yard drive set up by the Eagles stopping the Phantoms’ first possession on downs.

“It was a good team win,” Meyers said. “There was a lot of subbing. When we start playing the boys in the Ches-Mont League, we need to do that.”

Romance and Spivey headed the Phantoms’ offensive performance. Romance went 7-for-18 passing for 112 yards, his longest throw a 58-yarder to Trey Lear — the play went to the Shanahan 22 when it a personal foul was tacked on — and Spivey was on the receiving end of four throws for 31 yards.

NOTES >> Due to its sustained drives, Shanahan ended up punting just once while Phoenixville kicked the ball back four times. … Aidan Dearing keyed the Eagles’ defense with a pass interception in the third quarter. It set the stage for Whitehill’s touchdown run that ultimately closed out the visitors’ scoring. … The game was originally scheduled for play Friday evening, but the date was changed to give Phoenixville the required number of practice days once the restriction was ended.