Malvern unleashes Allison on unsuspecting Episcopal
NEWTOWN SQUARE >> Episcopal Academy figured it would get a heavy dose of Malvern Prep running back Zac Fernandez Friday night.
Fernandez did not play, but that wasn’t necessarily good news for Episcopal. The Churchmen instead had their hands full trying to contain O’Shaan Allison, Malvern’s electrifying sophomore tailback.
Allison rushed for 198 yards on 30 carries with three touchdowns and a 14-yard receiving score to lead the Friars to a 33-14 trouncing of host Episcopal in the Inter-Ac League opener for both schools. The Churchmen experienced defeat for the first time in 2015.
“We saw they were a very solid team defensively,” Allison said. “We had to take care of our responsibilities and we just kept flying around. It came down to executing our plays and we were able to do that most of the game.”
Allison ran downhill with tasmanian speed and only bounced outside when needed. What stood out the most about Malvern, which has an impressive victory over two-time defending PIAA Class AAAA champion St. Joseph’s Prep on its resume this year, was its speed.
While Allison broke off 6.6 yards per tote, Malvern quarterback Kevin Doyle dissected the Churchmen secondary. Doyle was a cool 21-of-33 for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns while completing a pass to seven receivers. Speedsters Chris Brown (43 yards) and Mike Fay (63 yards) were Doyle’s top targets, with six catches apiece.
Working out of the spread, Doyle was quick and efficient with his decisions, even though EA’s Dan Baker was able to pick him off twice in the first half.
“He does the good job getting the ball out and I thought we did a poor job of moving him off his spot and letting him sit back there,” EA coach Todd Fairlie said. “You can’t let a good quarterback sit back and have time, and with those athletes around him, you’re going to struggle. They dropped a couple, too. Honestly we thought we could get some pressure with our athletes up front and I didn’t think we were able to get good pressure the whole game, and that put our secondary in tough spots.”
Malvern had no trouble moving the ball most of the way. The Friars (5-1, 1-0) outgained the Churchmen (5-1, 0-1), 459-144, and amassed 21 first downs. They ran 73 plays and averaged 6.3 yards per snap. On the flip side EA hurt itself by turning the ball over five times. EA had excellent field position to begin the third quarter, trailing 20-6, but fumbled the ball on its second play from scrimmage.
It was that kind of night for the Churchmen.
“We had big plays and big drives, but we would make mistakes and turnovers at bad times. I think that’s what ended up killing us,” junior tight end/defensive lineman Kyle Virbitsky said. “I’ll tell you, I think for us against the rest of the league, we’re not stopping. I think 4-1 can (win the Inter-Ac League title) and we’re going to go after it.”
Malvern drove seven plays late in a scoreless first quarter and fired the game’s opening salvo when Allison pushed through the pile from a yard out for his first of four TDs. Brian Boyle intercepted Jon’avin Freeman later in the quarter to help set up Allison’s second touchdown dash.
Episcopal responded when All-Delco running back Dee Barlee (82 yards, two TDs) pounded his way across the goal line from 21 yards out.
Whatever momentum EA hoped to gain from Barlee’s hard-nosed run dissipated when Rashon Lusane leaped high into the air to grab a 33-yard touchdown pass with six seconds to play before halftime, extending Malvern’s advantage to 20-7.
