Football: Bonner & Prendergast gets special win in District 12 Class 4A final

PHILADELPHIA – Every victory is special to a high school football team.

Some of those wins turn out to be just a little more special than others.

A pair of special teams plays following an outstanding defensive effort midway through the second quarter of the District 12 Class 4A championship game turned momentum solidly in favor of Bonner & Prendergast, who claimed the crown with a 53-8 decision over John Bartram at the South Philadelphia Supersite Saturday afternoon.

The Friars (10-1) had scored on their first two possessions and had just surrendered a first down to the Maroon Wave (5-6) at the Bartram 40. Quarterback Samad Robinson dropped back to throw a first-down pass, but the ball was jarred loose. B-P’s Jaelyn Allen continues the story.

“I just picked it up and started running,” the 6-0, 265-pound senior said. “It was nice seeing nothing but green ahead of me. That was my first touchdown. I got back to the bench and everyone was so energetic.”

It was the second time a Bonner & Prendie player reached the end zone in the second quarter, and it started a succession of scoring plays in which the Friars got four TDs in the final six minutes of the opening half.

“Our defense did things for us, our offensive line helped us do things, and special teams made big plays,” delighted BP head coach Jack Muldoon said, clutching the District 12 championship plaque tightly to his chest. “We had a great week of practice and were so focused. When we play with that kind of focus, I don’t think anyone can stay with us.”

The next team that will get the chance to do that will be District 1 champion Interboro (10-2), the Friars opponent when the PIAA playoffs resume. The date, time and site of that contest has yet to be determined.

Bonner & Prendie’s determined special teams played a big part in the two TDs which were scored not long after Allen got to the end zone. Robinson had trouble with a bad snap and could not get off a punt at the Bartram 19. On first down, Jalil Hall stayed just inbounds in the back of the end zone as he pulled down a Justin Shepherd toss for six points.

The next Bartram punt attempt found Robinson in his end zone. When he couldn’t come up with that snap, B-P’s Nick Smith fell on the ball for six more points.

Shepherd, who finished 9-for-10 passing for 166 yards and three touchdowns, put a 37-yard scoring pass into the hands of Jalyn Johnson 39 seconds before halftime.

Bartram didn’t cover the ensuing kickoff, and it took Bonner & Prendergast one play – a 30-yard Shepherd to Zac Coneys completion – to make the halftime score 47-0.

“It was interesting playing them for the (district) championship two years in a row,” Shepherd said. “Last year it was freezing here, and today we played in such great weather.

“We wanted to win the (Catholic League) Blue Division and we did. We wanted to defend our district title, and we did. Everyone talks about the goal of playing in December, but honestly we just want to win our next game. We had been a little sloppy in our last two games. But today we showed what can happen when we play well in practice all week and carry it over to the field when we play a game.”

Colin Finnegan, who had scored on a short run in the first half, got BP’s only TD of the second half on a short run. Bartram’s only points came 15 seconds before the final whistle when Amir Pender scored on a 17-yard pass from Robinson, who also ran for a two-point conversion.

“The next goal will be getting ready for the next game,” Muldoon said, and his player roared a loud ‘yes” in response.