Brody McAndrew leads Neshaminy football to key win over Pennridge

 

LANGHORNE – Neshaminy might be concerned about its rushing attack but it sure doesn’t have to worry about its passing game. First-year quarterback Brody McAndrew threw for a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and ran for another score in the second in the Skins’ annual non-league Skirmish with rival Pennridge.

His biggest plays of the night, however, may very well have been a pair of tough fourth-down passes –in which no one scored – that were critical to Neshaminy’s second win of the season.

With the Skins hanging onto a two-point lead, McAndrew tossed a 16-yard pass over the middle to senior Mike Garlick that kept Neshaminy’s scoring drive alive near the end of the third quarter. Two plays later, McAndrew plunged in from the one yard line, securing a 23-14 triumph for the Skins Friday night at Harry Franks Stadium in Langhorne, Pa.

Neshaminy had been hanging on to a 16-14 lead at halftime on the strength of a pair of TD passes from McAndrew to junior Cory Joyce and a Matt Leonhauser field goal. Capped off by a 35-yard TD pass, a 74-yard scoring drive put the Skins on top, 6-0 (failed extra point) when Joyce latched onto his fourth catch of the evening at the 15, and eluded several tacklers on his way to the end zone.

It took the visiting Rams only a minute to retake the lead, however, with Pennridge speedster Josh Pinkney racing 76 yards for the score on third down midway through the initial frame.

Both defenses seemed to take control in the second quarter with junior Marcus Griffin latching onto an ill-advised pass by Rams QB Oliver Jervis at the Pennridge 26 yard line on the third play of the period. Neshaminy couldn’t punch it in for six but managed a 27-yard field goal on its ensuing possession, putting the Skins back on top, 9-8.

A bad snap by the Rams on third down forced the visitors to punt from their own end zone. While the Skins took over at the 50, they didn’t get any points out of the good field position, turning the ball over on downs instead.

On its third possession of the quarter, the Neshaminy offense finally broke through, with McAndrews again connecting with Joyce, this time on a 25-yard catch and run with just 1:26 remaining in the first half.

The Skins’ defense broke down when senior Joe Devine caught a short screen pass from Jervis and took it 69 yards to the five. Two plays later, Pinkney was in the end zone again though he failed to convert on the 2-point play, leaving Neshaminy up two at the half.

Skins defensive jack Marcus Griffin grabbed two interceptions that were key to the home team’s defensive effort.

Neshaminy goes to 2-0 including last week’s 14-7 win over Roman while the Rams fall to 1-1.

The week two duel was a rematch of the Skins’ District 1 playoff win over Pennridge in the opening round of the 2016 postseason. Neshaminy also toppled the Rams in the regular season last year.

Pinkney led the Rams last week with 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries (14.9 avg.) in a 41-7 season-opening win over Norristown and junior Ryan Garner (45 yds./5 carries) added a pair of TDs. Senior Kyle Schetter (47/6) scored on an interception return while adding a touchdown on offense.

Neshaminy 23, Pennridge 14

(Sept. 1 at Neshaminy)

LINESCORES

NESHAMINY (2-0)            6              10           0              7 – 23

PENNRIDGE (1-1)             8              6              0              0 – 14

Summary

First Quarter

N – Joyce 35 pass from Brody McAndrew (kick failed)

P – Pinkney 76 run (Evan Exner pass from Oliver Jervis)

Second Quarter

N – Matt Leonhauser 25 FG

N – Joyce 25 pass from Brody McAndrew (Leonhause kick)

P – Pinkney 5 run (run failed)

Fourth Quarter

N – McAndrew 1 run (Leonhause kick)