Football: Super sophs Hall and Johnson lead Bonner-Prendie to sixth straight win

UPPER DARBY — Neither Jalil Hall nor Jalyen Johnson wanted to go first when they were asked to do a postgame interview following Bonner & Prendergast’s 42-14 romp over Lansdale Catholic Friday night.

Hall deferred to Johnson. Johnson did the same before stepping up and finally going first.

“I thought he had a better game,” Hall said of Johnson.

That’s debatable. Both were terrific as the Friars (6-1, 5-0 Catholic League Blue) extended their winning streak to six games.

Hall set the tone early, catching a pair of touchdown passes as the Friars jumped out to a 28-7 halftime lead. He pulled in a 37-yard scoring toss from Colin Finnegan in the first quarter and a 25-yarder in the second period from Justin Shepherd.

The sophomore used his 6-4 frame to his advantage both times.

“I just tell my QBs to put it up there and I’ll go get it,” said Hall, who finished with six receptions for 153 yards.

Johnson then helped deliver the knockout blow with a pair of long touchdown runs. He took a sweep 84 yards for a touchdown with 2:42 left in the second quarter to give the Friars that 21-point cushion at the break. He then raced 47 yards for a core in the third quarter to up the advantage to 35-7.

That was his last carry of the game. Johnson finished with 160 yards rushing on just seven attempts, an average of 22.8 yards a pop.

“Lil made two big catches to get the offense going,” Johnson said. “They I just followed up behind and we started rolling from there.”

Hall and Johnson paced an offense that piled up 466 total yards, 299 on the ground. Avery Hankey ran for 96 yards and a touchdown. But it was the play of Johnson and Hall, both sophomores, that gave the offense the lift it needed.

Bonner & Prendie coach Jack Muldoon has been trying to get the pair more involved in the offense.

“We got our two Drexel Hill Raiders going,” Muldoon said. “They’re just spectacular athletes. They work really hard and they’re just extremely talented. We’ve had Jalil involved but we’ve been kind of bringing Jaylen along slowly but you saw what he can do when given the chance. He’s a special kid.”

While the offense put on an impressive show, the defense was its normally stout self. The Friars held the Crusaders (5-3, 2-3) to 38 yards rushing and 195 yards of total offense. Much of that yardage came the fourth quarter when the outcome had already been determined.

For most of the game the Crusaders struggled to find a rhythm on offense.

“They’re a good team,” said LC quarterback Cole Meehan, who threw for 157 yards and two scores. “I feel like we didn’t play as good as we were supposed to tonight. If you don’t do what you’re supposed to do you’re not going to come out with the dub.”

The Friars did what they had to do to come out on top, including leaning on their talented sophomores.

“It’s the whole team,” Johnson said. “We have playmakers everywhere. We can pass, run, anything we want to do.”