Penn Wood’s Johnson sets county passing mark in win over Interboro

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GLENOLDEN — Des Johnson was close enough to the flag to know he didn’t have to celebrate.

It would’ve been an apropos capper. The Penn Wood quarterback, on fourth down from the 23-yard line, sitting exactly 23 yards shy of the Delaware County career passing yardage mark, escaped pressure with an Interboro defender grabbing a fistful of his jersey, only to burst out of the pocket and heave a deep ball to the waiting Ameen Stevens for a touchdown.

But the flag, a spot holding foul that stepped off 30 yards, was close enough that Johnson had an idea before he’d even released the missile that it would be called back.

So, as Johnson’s rugged physicality, howitzer arm and uncanny escapability have done time and again, he got the job done the more difficult way, and on fourth-and-35, no less.

Johnson’s final pass of Friday’s 48-15 win over Interboro was the record-breaker, a 53-yard strike to Jordin Jones to etch Johnson’s name into history as the most prolific passer in county history.

“It means a lot, just to have my name up there,” Johnson said. “It means a lot.”

Johnson threw two touchdowns, going 8-for-16 for 138 yards. He’s the first Delaware County passer to cross the 7,000-yard mark, breaking the record for career yards set in 2017 by Marple Newtown’s Anthony Paoletti (6,994). Johnson has 7,024 yards.

Penn Wood’s Malik Brooks runs in the first quarter against Interboro. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

Though it was his second crack at the record, Johnson’s history-making strike was no less impressive. Jones made a great play on the ball, coming back to the 20 and out-jumping a pair of Interboro defenders. He came down with it, then scurried the final yards to pay dirt.

Johnson made a bee line for the official game ball, then joined teammates and his parents on the sidelines as they unfurled a banner commemorating the event.

“Just the fact that it was a touchdown makes it much more special,” Johnson said. “Right after I break the record, I get to come off the field with the game ball. It means a lot. It felt good.”

That Jones did the honors is a source of some bragging rights in the wide-receiving corps.

“We always talk about being that catch, because we knew it was going to happen,” Jones said. “Me and Ameen, we talked about it. He wanted the catch. But when I saw it called back, I saw my opportunity.”

It wasn’t a forgone conclusion that Johnson would get the record Friday, but it was something coach Ato Troop wanted to get both out of the way, mainly since his team travels to Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, D.C. next week. Though Interboro (0-8, 0-2 Del Val) has struggled mightily on defense, allowing an average of 46.6 points per game, the Bucs gifted Penn Wood (5-3, 2-1) a bevy of short fields early, hampering Johnson’s ability to accumulate yards.

It didn’t stop them from putting up points, though, and the efficiency of the Patriots’ running game also dented Johnson’s cause. He ran for a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, and Malik Brooks added a 26-yard scoring dash.

On the Patriots’ first possession of the second quarter, after an incomplete pass, Elijah Gleplay dashed 71 yards down the sidelines for a score. While only playing sparingly after halftime, Gleplay (seven carries for 106 yards) and Brooks (six for 137) tallied 100-yard games. The Patriots had 304 rushing yards.

Brooks busted a 61-yard run on the series after Gleplay’s score, and Johnson dropped a perfect corner route into the hands of Mike Price from 33 yards out for his first touchdown and a 35-0 lead. The edge increased on the next snap when Jones jumped an out route by Michael Zane and took the interception 38 yards untouched to the house.

Johnson tossed an interception on the next possession, a deep ball to Johnson that Ray Scanlan tipped and Jahel Butler picked. Getting the ball back with 2:38 left and the ball on the 28 — and Johnson needing exactly 28 yards to tie Paoletti — Penn Wood pressed the issue. Penalties helped gain (or lose) the breathing room necessary for the scoring strike to Jones.

“I was thinking about it,” Johnson said. “But I knew it was more important to get the win than for the record. I know I’ve got three more games left. I was more focused on winning the game.”

Interboro continued to battle. The Bucs entered halftime with just 25 yards of offense and two first downs (both by penalties). Playing without two senior captains and down five starters, they started to move the ball after half. Bubba Phillips ran for a one-yard touchdown in the third quarter, and Sean Meyers added a four-yard dive in the fourth, part of 114 rushing yards. Zane was 2-for-13 for five yards, not helped by five drops.

But Friday was about Johnson. As much as he excelled in an All-Delco junior season, he was surrounded by a passel of veteran receivers. This year, he’s the same stalwart QB, but he’s also the unquestioned leader on the offensive side, on and off the field.

He’s seen the kind of team success inspired by great leaders in Penn Wood’s recent past. And he’s embracing that expanded role, which makes Friday’s record about more than just his personal stats.

“We all look up to him like a big brother to us,” Jones said. “We don’t really know stuff, and he’s more experienced, starting since he was a sophomore.”

“We’ve just got to keep this pace going,” Johnson said. “This is Penn Wood football. If we keep playing Penn Wood football, we’re going to keep winning games.”

Matthew De George

Matthew De George
Matthew De George is the Asst. Sports Editor and the lead Union writer for The Daily Times.

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