Turnovers doom Shanahan in loss to Phoenixville
DOWNINGTOWN >> Bishop Shanahan football opponents this season don’t care that they lost 30 seniors from last year’s team. Especially if a team lost to them in 2021, they have one thing in mind.
“Revenge from last year,” Phoenixville’s Ahmid Spivey simply put it.
The Phantoms turned the Eagles over seven times in the first half en route to posting a 35-7 nonleague victory Friday at Jack Mancini Stadium.
“I told the team at halftime, if you turn the ball over seven times, you won’t beat a fourth grade team,” said Shanahan coach Paul Meyers.
The Eagles (0-1) thought they had started the game off with a bang as Trevor Barbadora took the opening kickoff 81 yards for an apparent touchdown. However, the play was called back due to a block in the back penalty and the score was taken off the boards.
After going three-and-out, Shanahan punted to the Phantoms, and they pulled off a big play of their own that stood.
On second down, quarterback Talon Romance, playing in place of his injured brother, Ty, hit a wide open Ahmid Spivey open over the middle and the senior did the rest. The speedster pulled away from the Shanahan defense to complete the 77-yard catch-and-run score for a 6-0 lead.
Then the turnovers started, Hayden Tenbroeck intercepted a Landon Wright pass and returned it 12 yards for a TD and a 13-0 lead. Following a Shanahan fumble on the first play on the next possession, Phoenixville was poised to increase the lead, but Romance was picked off by Patrick Gallagher for a temporary stay.
That didn’t last long, though, on the first play of the second quarter, Romance and Spivey hooked up again. This time, it went 55 yards to the end zone and the Phantoms grew the lead to 20-0.
Spivey caught five passes for 193 yards and two scores, while Romance was 8-of-10 for 221 yards.
“We lost our quarterback and our leader last week, “said Phoenixville coach Anthony Ciarlello. “But, his brother eats at the same table and drinks the same milk, so we have confidence in him.”
The defense came up with a big play again on the next series. Darius Watson stepped in front of a Wright pass and brought it back 45 yards to the Shanahan 9-yard-line. Two plays later, Sam Moore slashed in from the four to extend the lead to 27-0.
Phoenixville invoked the mercy rule near the end of the half as Moore broke free for a 40-yard run. He scored on a two-point conversion to bring the half to an emphatic end.
“We did well, but this week we had to force the issue of who was going to be the leader and set the table,” added Ciarlello. “They set the table and I love them.”
Shanahan averted the shutout midway through the fourth as Gallagher finished off a six-play drive by sprinting in from 11-yards out to make it 35-7.
“I told them we have to win the second half and we did,” said Meyers. “Baby steps right now. We didn’t turn the ball over in the second half and we outscored them, 7-0.”
Shanahan hosts Philadelphia Central next week.
