After falling to the Fords last week, the Devils only had one option against the Churchmen.
WIN.
A loss for SCH would officially eliminate them from the title race, making their next game against Malvern pointless. Despite their injuries, they had to best the Churchmen to even stay in the race.
“Yeah, we understood the importance of this game.” said junior DT Sadiek Willis.
Last season, they were in the same situation. 7-1, coming off a loss to Haverford, and looking for a big win to advance to the title game against Malvern.
Junior QB Liam Zelman didn’t play against Haverford, but he returned to action oncemore against the Churchmen. His return to the Devils’ offense not only help the passing game, but his rushing skills are vital to the teams success.
In SCH’s last game, they had their worst rushing performance of the season, rushing for 1.39 YPC against the Fords, taking 28 carries for just 39 yards.
This game, it seemed SCH had erased that misstep from their minds. They ran the ball 7 consecutive times to open the game, breaking off a few big ones as they returned to their usual gameplan.
But the Churchmen quickly adapted. EA finally stopped the run, setting up a big 3rd and 8. Zelman had yet to throw a pass so far, but now EA had seemingly forced them to, needing a first down to not go 3 and out.
EA challenged Zelman, bringing 5 rushers, and leaving a QB spy. But with so much attention to Zelman, they made a critical error, leaving Zelman’s favorite target, junior WR Aaron Clark, 1-on-1 on the sideline.
Clark did what he does best, speeding up and leaving a defender on the floor, before catching a beautiful 45-yard bomb from Zelman, and then outrunning the safety for a 59-yard touchdown.
DEVILS – 7 , CHURCHMEN – 0
It was a great start for the Devils, but they had to be concerned. Their secondary was battered, with senior CB Finn Whittle out, alongside sophomore S Joey Scheirber.
Things might’ve been fine, except they were facing one of the best receivers in the Inter-Ac: junior Jackson Orcutt. Entering the game against the Devils, Orcutt had 942 yards and 13 TDS.
On the first drive however, the defense did their part. They picked up right where they left off against Haverford, forcing an instant 3 and out, and getting the Churchmen to punt.
After the punt, SCH went directly back to their brand of football, what the players have dubbed: “Big Boy Football”. They ran the ball 6 straight times, and scored swiftly on a QB power from Zelman to extend the lead.
DEVILS – 14 , CHURCHMEN – 0
The two teams traded punts, before the Churchmen now began to march on a lengthy drive. They found their own success in the run game, using a mix of QB power and direct runs to press down the field.
The Churchmen managed to get all the way down to the redzone, but stalled out on 3rd and goal, opting to set up for a quick field-goal.
But, the Churchmen pulled a play out their bag of tricks, faking the field goal and running it in for a much needed touchdown. It could’ve been a huge momentum changer, if there wasn’t a holding call.
Now set back at the 17, they attempted a field goal. But, in a massive swing of momentum, junior safety Joe Flach blocked the kick, and senior WR/LB Anthony Gentile scooped it up and ran it back for 6.
DEVILS – 21 , CHURCHMEN – 0
In desperate need of some sort of spark offensively, the Churchmen took to the air, slowly moving the ball down field, and picking up a quick first down.
But, things kept getting worse for EA. Sophomore Sean Simmonds forced a fumble, which was quickly scooped up, setting SCH up at the 50. Fortunately for the Churchmen, Zelman threw a pick trying to hit Clark on a deep post.
But, once again, it was SCH’s defense who stood tall. On the goal-line, junior DB Charlie McFadden jumped in front of a screen pass, taking it back for a quick pick-six.
DEVILS – 28 , CHURCHMEN – 0
“I’d watched film on that play countless times,” said McFadden when asked about the pick-six. “That play was thanks to my coaches.”
Neither team scored before the half, but when EA had the ball, despite being down 28, they kept fighting. Once again they put together a nice drive, getting down to the goaline, but faced 4th and 4.
They tried to pick it up with a QB run, but junior Harry Kull stepped up, bringing him down just shy of the first.
SCH put on a long, sustained drive, eating away at the majority of the clock in the 3rd quarter, but ended up punting the ball away after their drive stalled out on 3rd and 12.
In the 4th, EA once more couldn’t give their offense a spark, turning the ball over quickly. With the lead, and time winding dow, freshman RB Will Howard took a carry, though he coughed up the ball, giving EA another chance.
However, while trying to put something together, Clark, who was at DB, leaped up to snag an interception, halting their drive.
And while SCH punted the ball to the Churchmen, they once again had a drive halted, this time by Joe Flach, who lurked a throw to snag another interception, setting up the Devils to try and milk the clock.
They opted to kneel the ball repeatedly, before taking an intentional safety to give the team more room to punt.
DEVILS – 28 , CHURCHMEN – 2
From there, the Churchmen snagged one quick touchdown in garbage time.
DEVILS – 28 , CHURCHMEN – 9
“We had a lot of guys playing in different spots, and they made some big plays. We did a good job, came through with the win as a result,” Said Willis, who was quite happy with the result.
The victory sets up SCH to take on Malvern at 6:00 Friday, down at Malvern.
Come support your Blue Devils!
