Council Rock South rolls over William Tennent

WARMINSTER – Some days, you’re the windshield and some days, you’re the bug.

Visiting Council Rock South was surely the windshield in last night’s shutout win over Suburban One League (SOL) Continental Conference rival William Tennent.

The Golden Hawks, who remain unbeaten in league action, rolled over the Panthers with five touchdowns tallied before the intermission including three they scored in the first seven minutes of the first quarter on their way to a 39-0 victory Oct. 16 at Alumni Stadium.

“I think it was a learning experience because we can’t play down to anybody; we just have to play everybody the same each week,” said South senior fullback Brendon Patterson, who scored three times in the contest. “I think it’s a momentum-builder for us and it’ll lead us into next week’s game with Quakertown.”

Things could not have gone more wrong for Tennent in this game, especially in the beginning. Meanwhile, everything seemed to go Rock South’s way.

The Hawks got a 90-yard return for a touchdown by Patterson (15-61, 2 TDs) on the opening kickoff. The Panthers, after going 3-and-out, failed to get their first punt away cleanly and the result was a zero-net yard kick and a CR South ball at Tennent’s 42 yard line.

It took the Hawks just six plays to reach the end zone again. Bouncing around the left end, senior halfback Brandon Broe (4-44, 2 TDs) took the ball 17 yards down to the two yard line before capping the drive off with a 2-yard TD burst up the middle. Kyle Hickey’s 2-point conversion run put South on top, 14-0 less than four minutes into the game.

“We’re that triple and sometimes quadruple threat,” said Hawks head coach Vince Bedesem. “(Quarterback) Shaun (Stackhouse) is also making reads and getting himself in the action.

“That’s when we know things are rolling on all cylinders.”

On the ensuing kickoff, the Panthers failed to handle a liner down the right side and senior John Smyth smartly jumped on the loose ball at Tennent’s 25 yard line, giving South yet another chance to score.

The Hawks made the most of the opportunity, using just six run plays to reach the end zone again. Patterson capped the drive off with a 1-yard burst up the middle, putting his team on top 20-0 with a full five minutes showing on the first-quarter clock. A pass to junior tight end Shawn Mackin that netted 33 yards was a key play on the drive and the 11th-grader made the most of it by breaking through multiple tackles.

The Panthers finally got a first down when senior wideout John Ryan held on to a 4th-down pass from junior quarterback Tyler Lynch. Caught with a leaping grab he made along the right sideline, the 26-yard aerial gave the home fans something to cheer about as it gave Tennent the ball at South’s 35 yard line.

The Panthers failed to move the chains gain on the drive however and linebacker Mike Stock ended the drive when he sacked Lynch for a loss of five yards at the 40 yard line.

Six plays later, Patterson was in the end zone again, capping a 60-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown plunge into the pile that put the visitors on top 26-0 less than two minutes into the second quarter.

On Tennent’s next possession, the Panthers went with a 3rd-down pass to senior Mike Pitcher, who hauled in a 36-yard Lynch aerial at the Hawks’ 27 yard line. A penalty set the home team back 10 yards however and Nick Gallo and Stock brought Lynch down in the backfield on fourth down, giving South the ball back at midfield.

It took the Hawks just five plays to reach paydirt again with Broe capping the drive off with a 20-yard TD run around the left end. Brett Gold’s extra point, the only one of four he made in the contest, put South up 33-0 at the half.

After the break, South needed just two plays to reach the end zone on its first possession. Sophomore Elias Mayo (5-44, TD) burst around the ride side and took off for a 42-yard touchdown jaunt that sent the score to its final.

“We’re a triple option team so we use all three options,” said Patterson. “I think it’s working great. Defenses don’t really know who to key on and who to stop. Everybody is getting their touches everybody is getting touchdowns.”

Mayo’s TD sent the game to a running clock and South’s defense took over from there, forcing either a turnover on downs or a punt on three of the Panthers’ four possessions in the second half.

“The defense has been very, very good. Sometimes, I think they’re overshadowed a little bit,” said Bedesem. “The defense has been working hard all year, week to week, scheme to scheme.

“The kids have just been doing an outstanding job.”

Tennent’s best chance to score came on its final drive as the Panthers rode some dazzling runs by sophomore Sean Bragen all the way down to the 10 yard line. With 1:25 remaining, Bragen (8-69) coughed the ball up however and sophomore Vednat Bajaj picked the ball up and raced 66 yards downfield before being brought down by a defender.

After beginning the season at 1-2 against non-league foes, South pushes to 4-0 with a battle looming large next week against Quakertown which is unbeaten on the season. The Q-town Panthers pushed their record to 7-0 with a 28-7 triumph over CB West last night in Doylestown.

After winning its first three, Tennent falls to 0-4 in the SOL Continental Conference. Tennent’s Panthers get back to work with a battle pending with Norristown Oct. 23 in Warminster.

Contact the author at ssherman@buckslocalnews.com,  or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter

Council Rock South 39, William Tennent 0

(Oct. 16 at William Tennent)

CR SOUTH 20 13 6 0 – 39

TENNENT   0 0 0 0 – 0

SUMMARY

CRS — Patterson 90 kickoff return (conversion failed)

CRS — Broe 2 run (Hickey run)

CRS — Patterson 1 run (kick failed)

CRS — Patterson 3 run (kick failed)

CRS — Broe 20 run (Gold kick)

CRS — Mayo 42 run (kick failed)

TEAM STATS

CRS        WT

First Downs        10           7

Yards Rushing    226         119

Yards Passing     46           93

Total Offense    272         212

Comp. Passes, Int            2-3-0      7-14-0

Fumbles-lost      3-0          4-1

Penalties-yards 1-10       1-10

Punts-Avg.          1-34       2-13

Sacked-Yds. Lost              0-0          4-33

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Council Rock South

RUSHING: Patterson 15-61, 2 TDs; Hickey 1-11; Nordenholt 1-1; Broe 4-44, 2 TDs; Mayo 5-44, 1 TD; Scannapieco 3-21; Stackhouse 1-6; Diaz 8-38

PASSING: Stackhouse 2-3-0, 46 yards

RECEIVING: Mackin 1-33; Murray 1-13

William Tennent

RUSHING: Costello 15-32; Lynch 2-6; Bragen 8-69; Mendez 1-12

PASSING: Lynch 7-14-0, 93 yards

RECEIVING: Diaz 2-7; Ryan 4-84; Pitcher 1-2