Week 2 Football Recap: Owen J. Roberts starts 2-0 behind QB Derek Hinrichs

Waiting his turn at the quarterback position is nothing new for Owen J. Roberts’ Derek Hinrichs.

After spending his first two years on varsity as a wide receiver/outside linebacker, the Wildcats senior made his first career start behind center on August 25 at Conestoga.

Two 100-plus yard rushing performances later, OJR is 2-0 as the Wildcats look to contend in the Liberty Division and return to the District 1-6A playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Hinrichs isn’t a stranger to the quarterback position. It just seems to take him a while to find his way there.

“I’ve played football since I was eight years old,” he said. “But I played a lot of outside linebacker, running back, wide receiver.”

“In seventh grade, we held open tryouts for quarterback. I figured I’d try it, and since then I fell in love with it.”

Hinrichs played primarily quarterback through middle school and on the ninth-grade team, but when he arrived on the OJR varsity in 10th grade, the position was occupied by then-junior and close friend Michael Reed.

It was back to a wide receiver/running back role for Hinrichs, who would take occasional snaps as a change-of-pace quarterback – but never attempted a high school pass until a couple weeks ago at Conestoga.

“We never really discussed the quarterback position,” Hinrichs recalled. “We were fortunate, we already had Mike at QB. I’d go in and run the ball a few times, but I knew I was needed elsewhere. So I just waited for my chance.”

But as senior year approached, Hinrichs prepared for the opportunity to take the reins on the varsity team. “I waited for this opportunity, and I worked hard this offseason,” he said. “But I can’t take the credit for that – it was all the guys on the team, just about every receiver.

“During the offseason, we’d go to the field multiple times a week and work on everything. It helped me build a bond with my receivers.”

Matt Gregory, Mekhi Graham, Jayden Vigilante, Dylan Drumheller, Troy Swittenburg and others regularly attended the informal workouts, developing timing and cohesion with their soon-to-be starting quarterback.

“As far back as the warmer days last winter, we’d try to get out there,” said Hinrichs. “But we really stepped it up during the summer. We had fun with it, we’d do one-on-one drills, too.”

But it wasn’t only Hinrichs in a new role. OJR also graduated last year’s leading rusher (Hunter Rhoads) and receiver (Danny Cashman), meaning most of the skill positions on offense would be turning over in 2023.

“It’s a challenge, so many new faces on the offense,” Hinrichs admitted. “That’s why all the work in the offseason was so important.”

The Wildcats took off the training wheels on that new offense in the opener at Conestoga. Hinrichs – who again, had never thrown a varsity pass until that night – went 11-for-17 for 171 yards, throwing for two touchdowns and running in another as the Wildcats topped ‘Stoga, 25-22, for the first time since 2019.

A seesaw fourth quarter saw Hinrichs and wide receiver Graham connect twice for scoring passes that kept the visitors ahead despite Conestoga’s repeated rallies. For good measure, Hinrichs ran 22 times for 103 yards on the evening.

“If I can be a threat both throwing and running the ball, it opens up so many opportunities for our offense,” said Hinrichs. “It’s why I think we’re only scratching the surface of our capabilities. We’re still getting into the flow of things.”

This past Friday night at Pottsgrove, the Falcons tried to lock down on the passing game after an opening drive connection between Hinrichs and Graham for a long score. That meant back to the ground game led again by Hinrichs, who carried 24 times for 106 yards and the game-winning QB sneak in the fourth quarter.

Hinrichs has rushed and passed for over 100 yards in both of his first two starts and has a hand in all five Owen J. Roberts touchdowns on the season (three passing, two rushing).

“He takes control in the huddle – he understands more every week,” said OJR head coach Rich Kolka. “Derek is a natural athlete who runs the ball very well, and he has a cannon of an arm.”

Aside from his receiving corps, Hinrichs gave credit to his entire offensive line (Doug Keck, Andrew Calamaro, Trent Long, Jason Greiner, Kyle Miller, Gus Smith, plus H-back/tight end Colin King) plus his predecessor at the quarterback position.

“Mike [Reed] threw a lot with me this summer – he was working for college, me for high school,” said Hinrichs. “He gets a lot of credit for teaching me a lot about the offense. He’s a close friend of mine.”

Hinrichs admits the offense has work to do, but their next two games (at home with Avon Grove Friday, at Upper Merion on Sept. 15) will go a long way towards preparing the Wildcats for their Liberty Division slate, which starts off with fellow District 1 playoff squads Perkiomen Valley and Spring-Ford in back-to-back weeks – both road games.

“We want to host a playoff game, win a playoff game,” said Hinrichs. “I don’t know when the last time was that Owen J. Roberts won a playoff game. We need to change our standard from making the playoffs to winning playoff games, and the program can just start rolling from there.”

As for Hinrichs, he admits he’s excited to get some tape of himself playing quarterback out to colleges. But he’s keeping his options open.

“I would like to try playing quarterback in a college program,” he allowed. “But if it comes to it? I’d gladly play on the defensive side of the ball.”

Suburban One League: Central Bucks schools off to respective 2-0 starts, Wissahickon tops Hatboro-Horsham in a thriller

It looks like 2023 is going to be a great season in Doylestown.

While CB East gained their second consecutive shutout in a 36-0 win over Bensalem, CB West went two-for-two against defending District champions, dominating defending 5A champ Upper Dublin 37-7 one week after ending 6A champ Garnet Valley’s 34-game District winning streak.

Meanwhile, CB South moved to 2-0 with a 42-7 win over Harry S. Truman.

The round robin between the three schools starts September 14, when CB South hosts CB East. Both schools meet the Bucks in the final two weeks of the regular season.

One of the area’s most entertaining games saw Wissahickon outlast Hatboro-Horsham, 41-40. Both sides put up six touchdowns, with half of those scores covering 30 yards or more. The Hatters put up an45 astounding 430 yards rushing in the losing effort, with three different players eclipsing the 100-yard mark.

Central League: 5A contenders emerge, Lower Merion goes to 2-0

The Central League appears to have some bona-fide contenders at the 5A level this year.

Stalwart Strath Haven survived a slugfest with Springfield-Delco, 19-15, on Marco Kaufman’s 29-yard touchdown run with 1:46 to play. Meanwhile, Marple Newtown moved to 2-0 with a 56-7 win over Radnor.

Lower Merion moved to 2-0 for the first time in recent history with a 14-6 overtime win over Upper Darby. Mekhai Smith found CJ Morgan for the decisive touchdown before Zion Gray’s interception sealed the victory for the Aces.