Flags can’t slow down McAdams, Upper Darby in rout of Harriton
LOWER MERION — Upper Darby was leading 38-0 Friday night with the late-fourth quarter clock running. The referee called for time and went to talk to Harriton coach Justin Mellor for about two minutes. He then awarded him a timeout.
Royals coach Rich Gentile just laughed.
So it went Friday for Upper Darby, which dominated lowly Harriton by that very score despite being penalized a staggering 19 times for 195 yards. The game slogged. The game dragged. It was confusing.
Kareem McAdams rushed for 240 yards, a career high, and three touchdowns. The result was never in doubt. Yet, flags flew and pace flew out the window.
“You gotta keep the game moving,” said an exasperated Gentile. “Officials can help move the game forward or they cannot help move the game forward. And they didn’t help tonight.”
Kareem McAdams finishes off a drive where he did most of the work. This was on 4th down. Upper Darby 6, Harriton 0. 346 1q #Delcofootball pic.twitter.com/O51AAIXUhZ
— Todd Orodenker (@ToddO243) September 6, 2019
Gentile was quick to point out that many of the calls were correct. There were eight personal fouls — including one on Gentile for reminding the officials of the lopsided score — and a host of pre-snap penalties. His team brought some of this on itself. Yet it didn’t matter how many times Upper Darby (2-1 , 2-0 Central League) was penalized. McAdams made sure of it.
The senior back totaled 72 yards on the Royals’ opening series and scored from one yard out. Midway through the second quarter, he waltzed in for a 27-yard touchdown. On the opening possession of the third quarter, he capped a drive with a 10-yard charge. Three carries later, he hit 240 and was pulled.
“I ain’t do it, it was the line that did it,” McAdams explained. “If I didn’t do, they, I don’t know. They did it. They helped me.”
The opponent — Harriton (0-3, 0-2), which hasn’t won a league game since 2014 — was not relevant to the All-Delco running back.
“I think every game is going to be a challenge,” he said.
Upper Darby limited the Rams to 110 yards of total offense. Delva Jean-Baptiste returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown shortly after McAdams’ second scoring run. Midway through the third quarter, Kevin Kerwood hit Max Avoutsou for a 24-yard touchdown. Kerwood capped the scoring with a 31-yard pass to James Tuayemie later in the third.
In all, Upper Darby rushed for 404 yards. Kerwood passed for 118. But on this night, all it needed was McAdams.
“Kareem runs really well downhill and that’s what we need to get him moving, is moving downhill,” Gentile said. “He’s one of those backs that has a forward lean. If he gets that forward lean going, he’s tough to bring down.”
