With all that being said, SCH’s game against PC was a clash between the two best records in the Inter-Ac. Both teams came into the game 5-0 in non-league play and were the two last undefeated teams in the ‘rac.

So, someone’s record was coming away with a stain on it.

With the Devils getting the ball first, their offense quickly went to work. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone, considering they’ve put up nearly 40 ppg during non-league play so far.

After driving the ball down to midfield, senior RB Finn Whittle watched as the Devils’ offensive line carved a path for him, and from there, followed behind a convoy of his blockers to the endzone for a 37-yard score on SCH’s 4th play of the game.

DEVILS – 7 , QUAKERS – 0

While the game started as per usual by SCH’s dominant offense, Penn Charter came back, moving the ball quickly before their drive stalled out on fourth down, thanks to junior DB Joe Flach making a diving tackle to stop PC’s QB in his tracks.

With the ball back in their hands, SCH returned to their game plan, as they kept handing the ball to Whittle, who took chunks of yardage on every bruising run. None of the runs broke for a big score like before, but Whittle kept running the rock, inching closer to a score.

Late into the drive, Whittle took a carry-on second down, bouncing off tackles as he kept his feet driving. And, in a mess of bodies, for the first time all season, Whittle coughed the ball up, and Penn Charter recovered. It was a rare mistake for the senior, who rarely fumbled the ball.

It was a sign to SCH, a wake-up call to remind them that, despite their prior success, the Inter-Ac was an entirely different breed of football.

Once again, SCH’s defense held firm, forcing a punt as they gave the offense another chance to take control of this game.

The Devils had a chance to answer quickly from the jump. With the ball on their own 40, they noticed junior Aaron Clark in single coverage, with no safety help. The pass was a foregone conclusion before the ball was snapped.

Junior QB Liam Zelman set up a play-action post, as Clark had a step and a half on the defender covering him. But Zelman rushed the throw, he never got his feet fully set before he threw the pass, and as a result, underthrew the ball, leading to a jump ball that was picked off.

SCH had two turnovers within the first quarter and was still making mistakes all over the field. They weren’t playing badly by any means but kept making that one mistake to keep things close.

Heading into the second, SCH’s defense held firm once more, forcing a punt again out of the Quakers, who just couldn’t seem to find their offense at the start of this one, despite averaging around 36 ppg.

Despite the early turnovers, SCH didn’t seem too fazed. The Devils came right back out, and once again, PC left Clark by himself, with no safety help once again. Most QBs would think a second before throwing up a fade after just throwing a pick. Zelman did not.

Zelman’s pass was right on the money, where only Clark had a real shot on the ball. And, despite being smothered, Clark leaped up, one hand swiped down by the defender, and pulled in the ball to his chest, fighting off the defender’s hand to secure a beautiful endzone snag to put the Devil’s back on the board in the second quarter.

DEVILS – 14 , QUAKERS – 0

SCH seemed to be right back on track again, with time slowly winding down as Penn Charter attempted to mount a drive. The Quakers drove down the field, slowly but surely taking first down after first down, mixing in passes and runs as they got into the red zone with time winding down.

But with a fourth and long situation for PC, the Quakers opted to not bring out the field goal team, instead throwing a pass that was incomplete and gave the Devils the ball right back. SCH’s drive stalled, however, and they punted it right back.

Still, both drives had eaten a lot of the clock, meaning Penn Charter needed to move the ball quickly. A big swing pass to their running back went for a huge gain, as the Devils simply couldn’t tackle him.

Short passes kept moving the chains, as the Devils couldn’t seem to tackle effectively throughout the entire drive. Despite that, Penn Charter couldn’t move the ball in the red zone and was forced into a 4th and 17 situation. They still refused to break out of the field goal unit.

Instead, they uncorked a deep bomb, tossing a pass for the back corner of the endzone, where it landed in the hands of a receiver with time running out, giving the Quakers their first score right before the half.

DEVILS – 14 , QUAKERS – 7

SCH was in a predicament. This was a first for them in a lot of ways. They hadn’t scored this few points in a half all year. They hadn’t played in a game this close all year. And most importantly, they’d never made this many mistakes all year.

They needed to regroup here, and they needed to come out strong defensively.

Penn Charter leaned on their run game to start the half, which was gashing a defense that had been stout against the rush all year. But leaned up on 4th and inches, Penn Charter tried a quick tush push, but their QB jumped, halting his momentum and allowing the Devils to push the pile, forcing a crucial fourth down stop.

Even still, SCH kept getting flag after flag, pushing back their promising start further and further back, all the way until the Devils faced 1st and 30. And despite some nice plays, they were forced to punt the ball back to PC, but they did pin them deep in their own territory.

Possession traded hands a few times, with both teams scoreless in the 3rd. But now in the fourth, SCH began to look like themselves again. They got deep in the red zone, before Clark and Zelman connected once again, this time with a great slant route, which Clark caught and ran into the endzone for a score.

DEVILS – 21 , QUAKERS – 7

With the game on the line, both teams kept scrapping for a victory, where SCH’s defense stepped up, tackling soundly, and playing solid defense, before yet again, the Quakers found themselves on fourth and short. Penn Charter tried to go to the flats, which had worked to pick up big chunks of yardage before, but this time, Whittle came flying out of his corner position, tackling the WR just short.

With a huge lead, the Devils controlled the pacing behind some great running from Whittle and Zelman, before kneeling the ball down to cap off the Devils’ first Inter-Ac victory of the 2024 campaign. SCH isn’t satisfied, however, as they search for their first league title since 2009.

Their campaign for a title continues on Saturday, as the Devils travel out to take on GA (0-1 in league play), attempting to extend their win streak to 7 games.

 

The warm-up is over. All the initial games, records, scores — none of that matters now. Inter-Ac football is a completely different breed from anything else, where teams open up their playbooks, players bring their hardest effort, and everyone fights for the league crown. Without a playoff, each game is a playoff game.