Neshaminy’s Brody McAndrew leads all passers in Southeastern Pennsylvania
LANGHORNE – With graduation in June, the Neshaminy high school football team saw the departure of quarterback Mason Jones, who left the Langhorne campus for the University of Delaware.
Last season, Jones threw for 2,756 yards, surpassing Errol Faunce’s 2,200 yards back in 1954. Mason also threw 33 touchdown passes, breaking Pete Cordelli’s record of 24 set in 1971.
It’s only four weeks into the high school football season and Jones’ protege – sophomore Brody McAndrew – is at the top of the list of statistical leaders among quarterbacks in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Thus far, McAndrew has thrown for 860 yards and seven touchdowns on 56 of 97 attempts (57.7%).
“Brody is a competitor. I say that every week,” said Skins head coach Steve Wilmot. “Sophomore year, he’s not going to be perfect. He’s going to make mistakes. What we expect him to do is to go out and compete the best way that he can.
“We think he’s going to be pretty good down the line. He just has to work through his growing pains.
“The most important thing is he’s learning and he’s getting that experience that he needs.”
Three Neshaminy receivers have benefited from that experience including senior Mike Garlick, who is eighth among receivers with 310 yards on 19 catches. Only one receiver from the area has more catches than Mike – West Chester East’s Michael Gray – though Garlick’s 16.3 yards-per-catch far outpaces Gray’s, which is 10.1.
Senior tight end Oleh Manzyk is 12th among receivers after catching 15 balls for 260 yards. Junior wideout Cory Joyce comes in at 17th, with 16 catches, good for 220 yards.
A pair of Conwell-Egan Catholic players made the stats list with junior running back Patrick Garwo placing 21st among rushing leaders with 332 yards on 54 carries, an average of 6.15 yards-per-attempt.
CEC sophomore Jack Barreras is 11th among placekickers with 17 points on 14 point-after-attempts and one field goal.
Coming off three straight losses, the 1-3 Eagles will travel Friday night to Schuylkill Valley, whom they defeated 49-14 in a week four battle last season.
Based in Leesport, the Berks Conference rival Panthers enter the upcoming battle with Egan at 2-2. After starting the season at 2-0, Schuylkill Valley has lost two straight including last week’s loss to Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Pope John Paul II (4-0), which is unbeaten on the season.
Both teams will look to right their respective ships at 7 p.m. Friday night at Hamburg High School as Schuylkill Valley’s Panther Pride Stadium remains under construction.
Neshaminy (3-1, 1-0: Suburban One National League), meanwhile, is coming off a 32-0 win over Council Rock North and hosts unbeaten Harry S Truman (4-0, 1-0: SONL), which is coming off a 42-0 triumph over CR South.
It’s Homecoming on Heartbreak Ridge with the game slated to kick off at 1 p.m. at Harry E. Franks Stadium in Langhorne.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
TOP PHOTO: Neshaminy sophomore Brody McAndrew is at the top of the list of statistical leaders among quarterbacks in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
(J.S. Garber – For 21st-Century Media)
