Pennridge goes to the Post in high-scoring win over Delaware Valley

EAST ROCKHILL >> At 6-foot-5, 195-pounds, Jonathan Post is hard to hide.

“In the scrimmage (against Abington), we kind of kept him hidden as much as possible,” Rams coach Cody Muller said with a smile, speaking of the Rams’ not-so-secret weapon. “Credit to him because he’s been working his butt off since he came to me in January from basketball, telling me he wants to play football.

“He’s been one of our hardest workers — in the weight room, on the field, everything. He’s really gotten it done.”

A two-sport star, Post was a slam dunk in his 2018 debut Friday night, hauling in three touchdown receptions as part of a robust offensive performance for the Rams in a 54-21 non-league win over visiting Delaware Valley. 

“All the credit to Zak Kantor — he threw those passes right on the money,” Post said of the Rams’ QB, who racked up 301 yards passing and five TD’s as the Rams went winging into the new season. “Connor Pleibel had a great game as well. We run the routes, Zak throws the pass, and, man, we all made the plays.”

Pennridge emerged from a wild first half with a 32-21 lead, then put it away in the third quarter when a 35-yard pass to Pleibel set up a 10-yard TD run by Shane Hartzell.

In the fourth, Hartzell broke free for a 69-yard score on a swing pass, making it 46-21 when Ryan Garner caught the two-point conversion. Stephen Yencha blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone, and then fittingly Post capped the scoring for the Rams (1-0) by catching the two-pointer.

“I just saw the opportunity with these guys,” Post said of coming back out for the team – he played as a freshman and sophomore but did not play last year. “I missed it. All I did was just stand up there in the stands and was like ‘I should be out there.'” 

Post caught four passes for 77 yards and three touchdowns, and the 6-foot-2 Pleibel wound up with three receptions for 112 yards and a score. 

“We have some athletic kids, some size, and they all just did really well,” Kantor said. “(Post and Pleibel) definitely have some size, both basketball players, and I definitely trust them. 

“Especially with the time the line was giving us, even with the large amount of people coming, it definitely helped.” 

Del Val had taken a 7-0 lead when quarterback Zach Scillia hit a wide open Jawon Foushe in stride for a 40-yard touchdown early in the first quarter. 

Pennridge answered quickly, a five-yard run by Ryan Garner and a two-point catch by Garner pushing the Rams in front, 8-7.

The Warriors (0-1) went back ahead when Scillia hit Foushe again, 50 yards for a score and a 14-8 lead. 

“We have some younger guys, but they are talented kids,” said Warriors coach Keith Olsommer.

Back came the Rams, tying it 14 all when Post gathered in a 37-yard pass from Kantor early in the second quarter.

It was 4th-and-26 at the Warrior 37. No problem. Kantor lofted it up for Post and the Rams’ tall target came down with it in tight coverage along the sideline. 

“We saw what was open, made some adjustments, and our coach did a great job of calling some plays that really drove us down the field real quick,” Post said of the Rams’ 24-point second quarter. “That fast-paced offense really started to get to (Del Val).”

Pennridge kept rolling, with Kantor hitting Post again — this time on a six-yard toss — to make it 20-14, and then the Rams widened the gap when Kantor hit Pleibel for 38-yard score and a 26-14 advantage. 

Del Val got within 26-21 when Scillia hit a streaking Caleb Dashner for a 57-yard touchdown down the seam, but then the Rams built their halftime advantage to 32-21 when Kantor hit Post for a third touchdown connection, this time from 30 yards out. 

“We have the kids to be able to do stuff like that,” said Muller, victorious in his Ram coaching debut. 

Said Olsommer: “(Pennridge) is a veteran group of kids and they responded as a veteran team should. They made big plays, their quarterback is outstanding, their receivers are outstanding, and defensively, they were pretty tough all night.

“That’s how you want a veteran team to respond.”