MacDonald, Perkiomen Valley finish gritty football season in District 1 Class 6A semifinal loss

GRATERFORD >> Pat MacDonald’s teammates were lining up to hug him. Some teary eyed, others smiling through the pain.

Following a 14-13 loss to Central Bucks West in the District 1 Class 6A semifinals, Perkiomen Valley’s football season came to an end at Thomas J. Keenan Stadium.

But the season was one that was turned from murky water to fine wine, given the circumstances. MacDonald, a sophomore, filled in for Danny Koehler when the latter went down with an injury in Week 2.

From the third week of the season on, MacDonald has started for the Vikings and pieced together a quality campaign, taking a 7-6 win against rival Spring-Ford, claiming the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship over a loaded Pope John Paul II team and made it to the district semifinals for the third time, the first two dating back to 2013 and 2016.

The 2022 Vikings had come a long way navigating more injuries than just their starting quarterback by the time they embraced MacDonald near the end zone following the district semifinal. Much of that was in part by the sophomore signal caller’s preparation week-in and week-out, his execution and growth as a legit quarterback in District 1.

“I feel every week, with more experience, it’s different. There’s a different feel to it, more confidence,” MacDonald said. “Every guy is rallying behind you when they can see you winning big games. Everyone played well this season. It was a good season.”

MacDonald credited Koehler for his development and mentorship in helping him prepare throughout the season as he took the reins behind center.

“He didn’t sit out at practice. Every day he was there helping me get ready,” MacDonald said. “The coaching staff, coach Hiest, coach (Andrew) Miller, all the coaches helped me. They believed in me, had a great game plan going into every single week. Everyone on the team believing in me, rallying behind me when it’s easy to just count us out when Dan went down, it was a great season.”

As the No. 2 seed in the District 1 playoffs, MacDonald went 5-of-15 for 40 yards with one touchdown and one interception against No. 11 Central Bucks West. Tied 7-7 with 14 seconds left before halftime, the Vikings came out of a timeout and once again put their faith in the young gunslinger.

On fourth-and-18, MacDonald hit Andrew Keough in tight man coverage from 30 yards out, connecting with him in the corner of the end zone to take a 13-7 lead just before the break.

In a defensive game that saw a 27-yard pick-six of MacDonald from Jack Williams, as well as a Robert Sturges interception which set up a 21-yard rushing score from Ryan Klimek — both in the second quarter — the big play gave the Vikings some pep in their step heading into the locker room.

It was a full-circle moment in which MacDonald gave back the same faith and belief that his teammates had given him all year.

“We were talking about it in the timeout huddle and we went with it. I believe in my guy, Andy. I gave him a shot and he came down with it,” MacDonald said.

A quarterback sneak from Ganz Cooper (8-of-14, 117 yards, 2 INT) in the third quarter capped the scoring and spelled the end of Perkiomen Valley’s run.

A win would’ve advanced the Vikings to their first ever District 1 championship appearance in program history. A botched snap on the PAT following the splash play from MacDonald to Keough was the Achilles heel.

“They took us to the brink of the district championship game. This one stings. Looking at that scoreboard, having lost by one point in the third round of the playoffs, human nature. We’re gonna stew over this a long, long time,” Heist said. “We always talk about win, learn and grow, or lose, learn and grow. That’s life. That’s football and that’s life, and I think our kids believe that.”

Heist graduated from Perkiomen Valley in 1997 and has seen the glow up of his alma mater over the years. The Vikings won their fifth PAC title in seven years, carved out 11 wins and were a point away from reaching a new height.

Given the injuries all year and losing Koehler in Week 2, Perkiomen Valley continued to raise the bar that many may have set on it early. And in the middle of a freezing November night with snow whirling down from above, Heist wasn’t the only alum at Thomas J. Keenan Stadium.

Old heads from 50 years ago, to alumni of 15 years, to last year’s graduates, the stands were filled with students of Perkiomen Valley past who saw their team inching closer to a potential first district final. They felt the hype that at one point seemed a far cry in early September.

“We have an incredible community. I say that repeatedly, I sound like a broken record, but this is a football town,” Heist said. “This is a football school and our community comes out every night, rain, shine, snow, 23 degrees and they support us, and I can’t be more thankful.”

The Vikings are graduating a staggeringly large class of 31 seniors, who too may join the alumni in the stands to witness another hopeful district tournament run.

But there are key young returners, like linebackers Drew Kenworthy, Carter Euker and Sturges, or two-way lineman Cole Euker. And of course, the program’s new QB1 in MacDonald.

“I thought it went well, but a lot to work on,” MacDonald said. “Next year I’ll be better, bigger, stronger, faster and it was a great season to all the seniors. I love them all, they played amazing.”