Duck Tales, Football 2009

NOV. 26
THANKSGIVING RIVALRY
Germantown 36 Martin Luther King 0
OK, it's Turkey day and everybody wants to see some good football and eat a good meal. The meal was great and the football that preceded included some good play. Only regret was that the game was not that competitive. First the good football was played as the score indicates by the Bears of Germantown. Quarterback Ramadan Abdullah was pretty terrific once again for the Bears, in fact, the senior signal-caller was able to break the school record for passing yardage in a single game with 290 yards on 13-24 accuracy. Abdullah was able to connect with senior receiver Dominique Twiggs on a 33 yard pass play that set up the Bears’ first score which came in the form of a one yard run from Abdullah. The Bears led eight to zero after sophomore halfback Willie Parks was able to add the two points with a conversion run. The next score came when Abdullah found junior receiver Tavio Thomas with an absolute rope from 12 yards out. The Bears would receive another touchdown from Abdullah, again with a one yard run. This drive was amazingly impressive as G-Town marched downfield with only 1:53 on the clock and scored with 0:15 remaining. Abdullah added the two points with a successful conversion run. All of this scoring occurred in the second period, effectively deciding this game by halftime. Second half and more scoring resulted as Abdullah found Parks from six yards out. For good measure Parks scored on a five yard run in the fourth and Abdullah jumped into the end zone from roughly two yards out to add the conversion run. Twiggs made four catches for 133 yards. Twiggs showed his athleticism on a couple of catches, he has ‘hops’. The amazingly consistent John Ellis was able to snag 3 balls for 67 yards. Ellis, on the defensive end, was able to register 7 total tackles with a sack included. Parks, only a sophomore was a consistent performer with 9 carries for 52 yards and 3 receptions for 52 yards. The Bear defense, coordinated by Montik Goodwin, was able to keep MLK scoreless for the second consecutive Thanksgiving. The aforementioned Ellis was the unit’s leader and he received plenty of support from Derrick Jackson, Dominique Simmons, Taylor Bailey and Matthew Henderson, all seniors playing in their final game on the high school level. For the Cougars, senior Joe Montouth tried his best to will the Cougars to success with some hard runs and loud tackles. Montouth and fellow captain James Colbourne played hard all day but the Cougars were outmanned. Sophomores Jadonte Richardson (quick little halfback in the mold of Kendell Coleman) and John Wilson made several positive plays but they were not enough to get on the scoreboard. Junior lineman Mark Ryles is a prospect. Ryles is 6’5 190 and is quite effective as a defensive end. Frosh quarterback Harold Alexander was victimized by several drops as the Cougars were unable to complete a pass. Furthering the future plight of the program is the fact that of the thirty players on the roster, an incredible nineteen are seniors. Montouth was number six for the Cougars and Abdullah wore that number for the Bears, the last three seasons they both wore those numbers proudly and played extremely well for their schools. Montouth is a big back and a hard hitter at the linebacker position; Abdullah is a rifle-armed quarterback with dancer’s feet. Both were extremely fun to watch and as good as anybody I saw in the league at their positions. It has been extremely fun watching you, gentlemen!!!! Ellis was an underrated performer who was truly devastating at times whether catching the ball then running over a defensive back or running through an offensive lineman and then grabbing a quarterback; Ellis was a terror on the football field. Both senior classes had some very good players and I’m pretty sure both Coach Mike Hawkins and John Sheroda are going to miss a whole lot if not all of them.
Sidenotes- Well the crowd was good. A lot of luminaries on the sidelines, including Lance Johnstone (former NFL linebacker with the Raiders). He seemed to be impressed with a few players…. Nice halftime presentations from both cheerleading squads. Their coaches, Shannon Perlotto (King) and Jennifer Bashem (G-Town), need to be commended…The G-Town band was nice as well… Emotional moment of silence at the beginning of the game in memory of Jimmie Sykes (G-Town mid-'90s star) and Barbara Marlotto (counselor at Lankenau)….Those of you who have attended this game are well aware of who normally wears the white hat. That man attempted to officiate this game but his health would not allow it. Keep him in your prayers…..King punter Darrell Archer uncorked a 47-yarder…… Nice halftime presentation to Coach Hawkins from the National Field of Dreams committee…. Plenty of game highlights. None could top Michelle Grace inserted on a conversion play and almost getting open on the pass play. Grace was a little timid running off the line of scrimmage. A little crisper route running and I think the ball was headed her way…. Jaquwual Ottey snagged an interception for King….. Ladies everywhere and I mean everywhere. I said this before: I will always cover this game.

NOV. 14
PUBLIC AAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Simon Gratz 8, Murrell Dobbins 2
Where to begin? We will start with the truth, this was not the prettiest game on the eyes - penalties, turnovers, missed opportunities and key players missing. We can continue with some more truth: two teams gutted it out with the thoughts of winning a PL championship and the right to play Archbishop Wood for the City 3A Championship with a journey into the state tournament on the line. Also, each game has heroes and that was no different in this one. They were numerous heroes but if I had to single out one hero for the Bulldogs it would be -Michael Mobley. ‘Young’ Mr. Mobley is likely the ‘toast of Nicetown’ today. The 6’1 180 lb senior was vital in the Bulldogs capturing their first title since 1949. Mobley had the first tackle from scrimmage, dumping a Dobbins’ back for a three yard loss. Mobley shouted over to his teammates, “Let's go!” But Mobley came up huge on the offensive side of the ball when with star quarterback Khalil Brown out for a key juncture of the gamiest taking a hard hit - Mobley got the Bulldogs on the board with a 25 yard scamper. On the play, star receiver Stanley Baylis gave Mobley a key block. On the very important conversion play, Mobley ran through a tackle from Dobbins junior Terrance Stafford to convert the two points. Immediately, Ahmen Thomas took the ensuing kickoff sixty-six yards to the Gratz 5. The Mustangs appeared close to scoring but a huge fumble was recovered by Javonte Reed on the 4. The next big play was made by Dobbins, as a mishandled shotgun snap went into the end zone and Stafford tackled Mobley for a safety. The safety kickoff resulted in prime scoring position again for the Mustangs. The key drive/stand began on the Gratz 32 yard line. After a 13 yard completion from Martin Culbreth to Jamil Thomas, Dobbins has the ball inside the twenty yard line at the 17. The Mustangs advance to the 9 for a fourth down play. Culbreth fires towards J. Thomas incomplete. Thomas was covered by Thomas Jones on the play. With 5:18 remaining, the Bulldogs have the ball and fall to advance it. After a 0 yard punt, the Mustangs struggle with a penalty, then another fumble recovered by Jamil Morgan. Gratz has dodged another bullet and this time they advance the ball past midfield with K. Brown making a majestic 36 yard run. After four more downs, Brown punts and pins Dobbins on their 12 yard line. The Mustangs have only 55.6 to work with no timeouts. After a pass completion and a pass incompletion, Mobley closed this one out with an interception. Mobley on defense, busied himself with 6 tackles, a sack amongst them. The Bulldogs move on to a showdown with Archbishop Wood. Other stars for Gratz were Brown, the linemen who played well all game long. A special nod to Malik Joe who as usual was consistent on both sides of the ball. Karon "Ron-Ron" James mustered 68 yards on 13 carries. Dobbins was missing four key players -- including the starting center and quarterback -- due to school issues.
Sidenotes- Archbishop Wood and Gratz are going to be a fun match-up but I have to admit Gratz-North Catholic could have been the MEGA bowl. Before NC started the rivalry with Frankford, they played Gratz and the schools are not that far from each other…..I know it was a different game but I have to comment. Sharrif Floyd pushed two linemen back, jumped 35 inches in the air and batted a pass to a teammate resulting in an interception. That play, my friends, showed one of my all-time favorite sitcom stars on two shows, Tony Danza, “Who’s the Boss?” I apologize. Could not resist.

NOV. 13
CATHOLIC AAAA
St. Joseph’s Prep 42, Roman Catholic 7
Friday the 13th, many strange things have occurred on this date in history. Many people construe it as bad luck and I would say it is a perfect time for tales of a Duck. How long has it been since I’ve covered a Catholic League playoff? Answer: 2002 season, St. Joe’s Prep vs. Cardinal O’Hara. Anyway, this report is going to be brief because this game was over at the coin toss. Roman won the flip and deferred. Prep marched downfield with precision and scored on a two-yard run by Skyler Mornhinweg. Mornhinweg is the real deal (or as Hockey would say, weal deal). Mornhinweg is excellent in going through his progressions, and throws tight spirals. He has capable pass receivers all around, in particular Pete Hurley. Hurley caught two touchdowns. Mornhinweg has verbally committed to the PAC 10 and Stanford. Mornhinweg is only a sophomore as is fellow star Desmon Peoples. Peoples is a speedy player who rushed 12 times for 142 in only a half of action. Mornhinweg was an accurate 8-13 for 149. The Hawks showed a diversified offense with Pistol, I-formation and Pro-style formations. As always the Hawks have excellent play on the line of scrimmage. Boston College commit Seth Betancourt is a mountain to say the least and the rest of the line is steady and sturdy. One other player I left with a heightened impression of was Mike Labor. Labor does yeoman work for the Hawks at fullback. On defense the stars were Bill Mancini, Mornhinweg and senior defensive back Kushmir Miller, who returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown. Second half the Prep went to their second unit and they performed well. Spencer Reid ran 15 times for 74 yards and a touchdown. Roman got on the board with a 70-yard fumble return from senior defensive back Roemel Morrison. Morrison played well all game long and also had an interception off of a tipped pass. Dennis Regan also had some moments on defense for the Cahillites. Freshman quarterback Mike Keir will have better days. The talent is there.
Sidenotes -- Nice atmosphere provided by Prep announcer Bill Connors . . . What a rainy, windy, cold day.

NOV. 7
PUBLIC LEAGUE AAA SEMIFINAL
Murrell Dobbins 20 Mastbaum 12
Oh how I have missed covering 3A. Last season Pub 3A was the most fun Division to cover. This season I have not been able to cover a match-up between 3A teams until this throwdown between rival vocational schools that met in last year’s Pub 3A title game. Mastbaum and Dobbins are always a fun match-up and this time was no different. The Panthers struck first and surprisingly they were more effective in the air than on the ground. Tyree Stone-Davis was capable behind center and found his twin brother Tyrin Stone-Davis for a 59 yard touchdown play in the second quarter. The Panthers were in control deep in the third quarter when Tyree Stone-Davis threw another touchdown to senior Fermin Castellanos. This scoring play was something else, the pass was in the air for seemingly a minute, at least three players jumped for it and then the ball somehow fell untouched into Fermin’s hands while his feet were planted to the ground. The Mustangs then responded and in doing so really showed their mettle. Senior wingback James Glover was able to set up a score with a 46 yard run. With a little under two minutes remaining, the Mustangs got on the board with a 3 yard run from Terrance Stafford. Although, the extra point was blocked, Stafford’s score set up an exciting fourth quarter. A 4th quarter dominated by the Mustangs. The Panthers faced a 4th and 9 from their 42 yard line with 9 minutes plus remaining, instead of punting the Panthers decide to go for it with a home run pass from Tyree to Tyrin that almost works. The Mustangs took over and on the first play; Glover turned the corner for 27 yards. Stafford got into the end zone again, this time from one yard out. On the important conversion play, Karon “Ron-Ron” James added the two points putting the Mustangs ahead. After some hard hitting from defense another score comes with James crossing the end zone. The Panthers tried but the Mustangs started to settle in on defense and held them and advance to a second straight PL 3A final appearance were they will play the Bulldogs of Simon Gratz, in a North Philly football bowl. Coach Lou Zambino has a slew of quality juniors namely Stafford, Aaron Walker ( 5’10 225), quarterback Kevin Butler, and Ernest White (5’10 210); but his seniors James, defensive back Joshua Bangura and Glover came up big today and will also be counted on big against the Bulldogs. Mastbaum would have been difficult to beat in a seven-on-seven. The Stone-Davis twins (6’3 180 apiece) are obviously nice athletes, Castellanos has nice hands and Juwan Morrison and Jacob Lockley despite not having much stats are solid performers. Besides Castellanos, they are all juniors.
Sidenotes- Lots of characters and great atmosphere. The two sidelines are among the most active in the city and that is a good thing constant instruction from coaches to players… Lou Zambino has been called Disco before for good reason today he was upstaged, Al Coleman showed up with a buckskin Cowboy Hat and coached with it on. Next time Dobbins plays Mastbaum it should be billed as Disco Lou meets Rodeo Al… Referees please don’t frustrate me. For the most part the game was well officiated but there was a play when a quarterback just threw the ball out of bounds. The entire stadium was awaiting a flag, but no dice. One of the photographers on the sideline asked the back judge about the play and he responded with something to the effect of, "That call is not in high school - intentional grounding." Why are you fudging the truth? Anyway, can’t let that ruin a good day… After Stafford scored the go ahead score, he told me “Yo, Duck, write him up 23 [Tyrin Stone-Davis]. That was the best hit I got all year….” Aaron Walker nearly had a fumble return for a score but had it taken away by a block in the back.

NOV. 6
NON-LEAGUE
Overbrook 12, Germantown 6
Thus far, Overbrook has not had a season that they have become accustomed to in their recent history. However, in this game they not only were victorious they did so in comeback fashion on the road nonetheless. Let's start in the early going with Germantown scoring on their first possession with quarterback Ramadan Abdullah finding tight end John Ellis then Ellis turned up field for a 44 yard touchdown play. Overbrook would threaten early but was denied on the Germantown one yard line. Nonetheless, when the second half started you could sense that Overbrook was going to find a way to take control of the game. Early 3rd quarter, Overbrook quarterback Andre Sheppard connects with Rodney Hall on a pass play and Hall takes the ball all the way to the house from 74 yards out. On the ensuing kickoff, Germantown’s Matthew Henderson took the ball sixty yards to payturf -- but wait a minute, bring it back -- a block in the back negates that play and Germantown is unable to score on that very key possession. Fourth quarter, Overbrook appears to be stopped deep in their own territory and line up for a punt, they fake the punt on a 4th and 2 from their 15 yard line and succeed. The Panthers marched all the way downfield and score on an 18 yard touchdown run from David McCants with 5:42 remaining. McCants, only a junior, is a two-way warrior for the Panthers. Not only is he effective running the ball in short yardage situations he makes big tackles on defense. Germantown threatened late as Abdullah marched them to Overbrook’s twenty yard line with roughly a minute remaining. After Abdullah scrambled 16 yards on a fourth down to get four downs from the twenty, G-Town left themselves open to second guessing by running the ball twice, before Abdullah tried to make something happen on 3rd and 4th down. On 4th down McCants and two teammates tackled Abdullah as he tried to pass, game over. Overbrook was led on the ground by Keenan Clark, who rushed 16 times for 72 yards.
Sidenotes- Its strange watching Germantown play a game during the day . . . Overbrook’s line was led by Jared Watson and Dante Branham . . . Terrance Prince (OVB) and Tyrone Jones (GTOWN) had nice interceptions… Abdullah was 9-14 for 140 yds passing almost exclusively on 3rd down… Germantown’s Tamir Young (6'4 270) played well on defense.

NOV. 5
NON-LEAGUE
School of the Future 12, Martin Luther King 7
This game was fun to watch - a true defensive struggle that was packed with a nice amount of solid tackling. The first score came on a sixteen yard run from Sterling Taylor in the second quarter. The Firebirds are an interesting team they play intelligent football and keep the ball on the ground because they do not seem to possess a substantial passing attack. And while they led only 6-0 for a large portion of the game, they did not seem to be in jeopardy of losing the game or the lead. Early fourth quarter it was still a six point margin when star Khalil Hobson scored from a yard out to extend the lead. The Cougars responded immediately with a 62 yard kickoff return from Donye Rosser. Two plays later King’s workhorse back Joseph Montouth plunged in from one-yard out. Darrell Archer nailed the extra point. The Cougars had some good moments but did not really threaten with a winning score. The Firebirds, as one might suggest given their success appear to have a strong nucleus. Hobson and Taylor are backs who compliment each other really well. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Robert McDonald, defensive linemen Jaleel McCray and David Rogers are consistently near the ball. For King, as usual Montouth runs for significant yardage. Frosh quarterback Harold Alexander was 7-12 passing and is beginning to improve. On defense, the eye catcher was defensive lineman James Colbourne, who made seven tackles and was also near the ball.
Sidenotes- Not much in the form of a crowd… Future’s Shaquille Johnson made a great interception.

OCT. 30
PUBLIC AAAA QUARTERFINAL
Frankford 35, Germantown 14
This one got started with a bang on the opening kickoff Taron Mills bobbled the kick at his fifteen yard line and then eluded several tacklers and raced 85 yards for a touchdown. The Pioneers would not be done yet, as a fumble on Germantown’s first offensive play led to a six-yard scoring run from Zaire Anderson. The visitors would score two more times and get the score to 28-0. Germantown would finally get on the board in the middle of the second quarter with quarterback Ramadan Abdullah scrambling in from thirteen yards out. At the half, Frankford leads 28-8. 3rd quarter and the Pioneers pick up another score from Anderson to take a commanding 35-8 lead into the 4th quarter. The vaunted Wing-T of Frankford was terrific in large part because of dominant play on the line of scrimmage. Talented back Tyrell Martin carried 11 times for 118 yards and on a late 38 yard run brought back memories of former Frankford backs, namely Brandon Norris. (Hey, there was only one Eddie Gaskins.) Also shining were promising junior quarterback Mike McGroarty and two sophomores on defense -Azario Frost (2 interceptions) and Aaron Allison (numerous disruptive plays on the defensive line of scrimmage. McGroarty was 4-5 passing for 79 yards and a touchdown; in a more passer friendly offense he could have done more damage. As for the Bears, Abdullah was still impressive despite a lack of protection and numerous dropped balls. The Bears did score late when Dominique Simmons picked up a fumble and sped 79 yards for six points. Frankford moves on to another matchup with the Vikings of Northeast in the Public League AAAA Semifinals.
Sidenotes - Good crowd on hand and excellent warm-up music… Did you hear the earth move? For a few plays not only was Frankford star tackle Tauheed Smith (6'5 370) on the field but Germantown had inserted Kwame Miller (6'4 430).

OCT. 24
PUB/D-12 SEMIFINAL
Delaware Valley 56, Communications Tech 8
Yuck!!!!! Milli Vanilli once lip-synched “Blame it on the Rain,” a timeless classic phrase that has been used time and time again to describe many different situations. Guess what, I can use it as well. I could not stand the game and it was mainly because of the rain. The Warriors controlled this match-up from the onset and let's just keep this report brief. The Phoenix played this one with 19 players and not included were stars Rolando Ransome and Kyle Quinn. The Warriors were fully stocked and quarterback Sean Williams was able to toss for four touchdowns. As usual, wide receiver Brad Wilson was solid as a deep pass catcher. Other standouts for the Warriors were Ameer Selden, Fred Ruff (6’5 300lb) and Markeese Walker, who rushed 16 times for 113 yards. CT got a score in the first quarter when Tirik Trent took a kickoff 76 yards to pay turf. Trent and freshman Terrance Brown both had some moments. Delaware Valley advances to a Class A title matchup with the Firebirds of High School of the Future.
Sidenotes- The cheerleaders from both schools need to be commended . . . Delaware Valley’s final touchdown was a beautiful pass from Williams to AJ Johnson with 7:05 remaining in the game.

OCT. 23
PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE
Germantown 30, Abraham Lincoln 12
The name of the game in this one was playoffs. Both of these teams were viewing this one as a ticket into the playoffs. In the early going, Lincoln was able to get on the board with a Joe McCausland pass connecting with senior standout Omar Black from 16 yards out. The Bears would answer later in the first quarter on a fourth down touchdown pass from Ramadan Abdullah to Eddie Callendar. On the play, Abdullah made a tough pass through traffic and the 6’6 Callendar made a nice grab. Prior to that play, Abdullah scrambled 24 yards on a 3rd and 7. After an empty possession for Lincoln, Abdullah runs in a touchdown. Following a Lincoln turnover, the dagger was applied when on another 4th down, Abdullah finds junior Tavio Thomas from 32 yards out. Germantown continued to impress on offense and scored again with Callendar hauling in a pass from 20 yards out from Abdullah. The score swelled to 30-6 by halftime. Obviously, Abdullah was terrific. He is absolutely deadly in big situations and getting two touchdowns for his team on 4th down is not something to be taken lightly. On the eve of an unofficial visit to watch Morgan State play at Delaware State, Abdullah was 10-20 for 190 yards with 3 touchdowns. Callendar, a first-year player, had his best outing to date with the two touchdown snags. Callendar’s fellow receiver and basketball forward, Dominique Twiggs, caught 3 balls for 64 yards and since Twiggs joined the team the Bears are 5-0. Tight end John “Keith Jackson” Ellis snagged a conversion pass and caught 3 balls for 63 yards. On the ground senior Demetrius “Chico” Saunders rushed 21 times for 112 yards. The Bears defense was led by Derrick Jackson, who involved himself in 10 tackles (including one sack) and 1 pass defended. Promising sophomore cornerback Willie Parks did a good job on the always dangerously Black, limiting the Lincoln star to only on reception (the touchdown play early in the game.) Speaking of Black, he was sensational while busying himself with 9 total tackles on defense, including a late touchdown-saving play when he was able to stop Parks on a long run. McCausland was more than respectable with 130 yards passing on 10-for-23 throwing.
Sidenotes- Lots of happenings at the field tonight . . . It was Germantown’s Senior Night and there was a nice halftime presentation in which players were called down to the field with their parents and presented by Coach Hawkins . . . About 900 people outside in the rain . . . G-Town’s Michelle Grace got a tackle late in the game and the crowd went crazy . . . Fullback/linebacker James Slayton and defensive end Taylor Bailey are two unsung heroes for the Bears . . . The same can be said of Lincoln’s Hakeem Cooper and Dylan Gallagher… On a conversion play, Abdullah hurdled over a Lincoln linebacker . . . Lincoln showed a Wildcat formation with Black taking snaps- I called it the "WildBlack" . . . The Lincoln kids were noticeably down after the game. It was obvious that they really wanted to send retiring coach Gene Kelly to the playoffs . . . Good job, as usual, by G-Town announcer Stephany Tate-Yancy . . . U-City Coach Lou Williams clarified his team plays Interboro next week, not Edinboro . . . The game started without a white hat.

OCT. 17
PUBLIC AAAA RED
Frankford 45, Overbrook 0
Who changed the calendar? October 17th is normally prime for Indian summer, this year it is much more like December 17th. Anyway, in this odd fall of football, this game was strange as could be. The Pioneers took control from the onset with their classic Wing-T offense, dominating the early going. Tyrell Martin and Jeffione Thomas were both game-long rushing threats. As the 1st quarter wound down, the Pioneers led 18-0 with Thomas, Martin and Peace McLain already registering scores. The Pioneers' dominance extended into the second half with two more scores coming from junior quarterback Mike McGroarty. Then the Panthers started to make some plays on defense and halftime came. The second half included two more scores and the Pioneers coasted. A really strange game -- at times Overbrook did not look that far from the Pioneers at times the Pioneers looked like world beaters. The Pioneers were solid throughout on the offensive line and a lot of big holes were opened up by senior lineman Tauheed Smith (6’5 370). On defense the eye catcher was Azario Frost, a sophomore defensive back. Frost, listed at 6’3 180, packs a wallop. Taron Mills snared an interception and played solid on defense as well. The Pioneers have not had a typical season for them but they still have time and the playoffs to remedy that. The Panthers are very complex to figure out. They run a nice offense and as usual have athletes, however I only saw one lineman (Jared Watson) who seemed interested blocking and tackling. Backup quarterback Ehramis Chism gave the team a boast when inserted briefly in the second quarter but was not used at all in the second half. Keenan Clark had a couple of nice kickoff returns and David McCants showed flashes as well.
Sidenotes- Frankford backup quarterback Keone Berry ended the scoring with a 58-yard pass to Tyrell Allen. The crowd was involved and Frankford has some talented hecklers. McGroarty has a lot of potential at Quarterback.

OCT. 9
PUBLIC BLUE
South Philadelphia 22, Martin Luther King 7
This game was going to determine who was going to have the fast track to the Blue Division Championship. South Philly and King both came in unbeaten in league play and seemingly ready to duke it for ‘pole’ position. Anyway, the teams started extremely tentative with the Rams and Cougars appearing more like Lambs and Geese. The game’s first big play was in the second quarter with the Rams pinned against the end zone and ready to punt. The punter and quarterback is Shaq Gaskins and he inexplicably tried to make a play from the 9 and was tackled on the 11. The Cougars got in the end zone but had the score called back because of a penalty and ultimately did not score and turned the ball over when Lamar Williams made his second interception of the day (he would have 3 picks). Gaskins then took over on his 20 and marched the Rams downfield for a score. Gaskins found Desmond Thomas in the end zone from 17 yards out. The Rams would double their advantage when Gaskins found Mac Stokes streaking down into the end zone for a majestic 39-yard pass play just before the halftime buzzer. The next major play came from the Cougars and precocious sophomore tailback John Wilson was able to burst through for a score from 26 yards out. (Wilson added the extra point, with a kick.) The Cougars could not get any closer and SP’s senior halfback Sean Allen burst through the middle for a 68-yard touchdown as the game wound down. Allen carried 12 times for 84 yards. Richard White was a consistent force on defense. Gaskins is a D-I caliber athlete probably at defensive back, but at quarterback he was 5-14 for 111 yards. King was led by the hard running/tackling of Joe Montouth who carried 21 times for 80 yards and as usual got his nose dirty on defense. J. Wilson added an interception. The sophomore is becoming a true two-way threat and is one of the Cougars to watch long term. South Philly moves closer to the playoffs and another chance in the Public League White next year.
Sidenotes- A nice sized crowd was on hand for this one. I love to see that Gaskins and Stokes, who are basketball players, are contributing to this football team.

OCT. 2
PUBLIC AA
Imhotep 44, FitzSimons 0
Okay, this one was not very competitive but let me get into some details. Imhotep junior quarterback Chris Lewis was 6-9 for 127 yards and tossed some lovely deep balls to open receivers. Leland Smith continues to impress as a receiver. He is a difficult cover and one of the Pub’s top receivers. Devin Sanders snagged a touchdown and corralled two interceptions. Junior halfback Maurice Palmer is an exciting runner; he had a touchdown from scrimmage and a 75-yard kickoff return. However, the Panthers are going to have to improve on the line of scrimmage if they want to enjoy playoff success. Furthermore, they had an early turnover in this one and they cannot afford that against teams like Bok and Franklin in the AA knockout rounds. FitzSimons was horrible. I can try and sugarcoat it but I have to be honest. They looked extremely overmatched. One bright note is junior quarterback Richard Williams. Williams did not have good stats but he is surely an ELITE athlete with poise and skills. Punter Jordan Skinner and Tight end Sean “Jay-Z” Carter also showed the potential to be solid performers and in all likelihood Dasmond Smith and Rodney Morris are capable athletes as well. There is much work to be done and it needs to be done urgently because the Rams look more like lambs.
Sidenotes- This was Imhotep’s Homecoming and they had a nice crowd on hand. Homecoming was dedicated to Saladine Walker, a former Imhotep star lineman who passed away last year at Valley Forge Military Academy.

OCT. 2
PUBLIC AAAA WHITE
Lincoln 36, Univ. City 14
Today was a treat. …. Far too often in the Public League, teams rely on the run too damn much. Today was not going to be one of those days. Lincoln threw the football 16 times and the Jaguars threw the ball 23 times. That is heaven for pass-happy yours truly. The Railsplitters were able to get on the board first when senior quarterback Joe McCausland aired it out to stud wide receiver Omar Black. Black made a great catch and a wonderful move after the catch and went to the end zone. The 53-yard pass and catch highlighted the skills of both the much improved McCausland and the 6’2 200 lb wideout Black. The Jaguars would not be done. They were able to respond in the early stages of the second quarter when quarterback Michael Adens scored on a two yard run. Lincoln was not deterred as they marched down the field and scored with McCausland finding Hakeem Cooper for a touchdown. McCausland did a good job of game management during this drive which was essentially a two minute drill type situation. The Railsplitters scored with 37.8 seconds remaining in the second stanza and added the two point conversion in the form of a McCausland toss to Dylan Gallagher. Lincoln was not finished as they scored at the death of the half when Cooper scooped up a fumble and jetted 50 yards for a touchdown. Second half and U-City’s took its turn to excite the crowd with a crowd pleasing play. Adens throws a rope to Tariq “Pop Tart” Gordon and Tart makes a sensational catch to draw the Jaguars within striking distance at 20-14. On the ensuing kickoff, Black took the ball from his 20 yard line and 80 yards later crossed the goal line untouched. WOW!!! The Jaguars threatened a couple of times later but were not able to overcome the inspired Railsplitters. Black and McCausland looked terrific. McCausland passed 12-16 for 150 yards. Black was worth the price of admission. The Jaguars, who are surprisingly winless, are not a bad unit. Adens is an obvious talent at the quarterback position. He passed 10-23 for 140 yards. Also, Gordon is an elite caliber tailback he carried 10 times for 81 yards and added that terrific touchdown. The Public League White Division is promising to be one of the most exciting Divisions in recent PL history. Each school has a quality signal caller on offense and each team has players that can complement the quarterbacks.
Sidenotes- University City had a fan bus and a sizeable amount of student and teachers were in attendance. That showed excellent initiative on the part of the School Administrators. Only one thing though: Have a concession stand because people should not be asking a lady for Good and Plenty candies at halftime . . . Let's go over the PL White triggermen - Lincoln (McCausland), Olney (Jaron “Snoop" Turner), Germantown (Ramadan Abdullah), Central (DeVonne Boler) and U-City (Adens) -- Astounding!!!!!! Omar Black and "Pop Tart" Gordon are D-1 material if you ask me . . . Finally, is it me or is every high school named after Abraham Lincoln nicknamed Railsplitters.

SEPT. 25
NON-LEAGUE
Simon Gratz 32 Delaware Valley 6
Where was I? Texas?!!! This one had the ambiance of a major throw down. Both Delaware Valley and Simon Gratz have involved fans and competitive cheerleaders. The atmosphere was terrific. The players, well, they are not too shabby either. This game was packed with plenty of athletes. The game’s first score was a testament to that when Delaware Valley quarterback Sean Williams went deep to speedy wide receiver Brad Wilson for an absolute 50-yard bomb. Wilson, a junior, has to be in the 4.4/40 range or lower, and the strong-armed Williams found him in stride and Wilson sped away for a touchdown. The Bulldogs had a response in their system, and it was quite impressive. The Bulldogs took control in the second quarter behind their offensive line. The ‘Dogs have several large athletes (big men that move people and can move) and they took control of this game in a large way. The blocking of the line was bolstered by the hard running of Spencer Moses. Gratz marched into the end zone for a second quarter touchdown run from Moses. After the nice halftime break, it was time for the second half. Midway through the 3rd quarter, Williams is sacked and it appears that it is a safety. The official on my side of the field signaled a safety and then after some deliberation the call was changed and Williams was deemed sacked outside the end zone. However, the Warriors remain pinned near the goal line after only minimal advancement, they punt the ball and it sets up the Bulldogs on the attack. The Bulldogs march the ball into the end zone for another score, this time Stewart ran in from three yards out. A key Warrior player was thrown out of the contest when he had a small exchange with a Bulldog player. Gratz star Malik “Milk” Joe added two touchdowns, one on a reception and another on a majestic 52 yard run. The Bulldogs have a chance in the ultra-competitive 3A Division. As I mentioned before the Bulldogs are big up front. Tamaric Richardson is an obvious headliner but also contributing heavily are Jamil Morgan (6’1 360) and Laquan Everett. Richardson also shines on the defensive line as does Nate Gore. The Bulldogs also received some hard hitting from Michael Mobley and Khalil Brown. On offense Stewart appears to be solid and Moses ran hard 19 times for 135 yards. Wide receiver Stanley Baylis is a quality player who showed glimpses of the talent that helped him to the Public League single game receiving record last week. Gratz has some things to work on but they should do well this season. Delaware Valley needs to get over this setback and get back on track because the tools are there. Williams is a solid quarterback and Wilson is a true threat all over. They have capable linemen and Ameer Selden, is one of the top players in the Public League. Selden hits people hard and often (11 tackles). One thing, I think the Warriors found themselves in some quicksand and they needed to stay positive.
Sidenotes- Khalil Brown had a 59 yard punt . . . Huge crowd on hand and they were up and dancing. I know this crowd was having so much fun that people tried to get in and didn’t . . . It seemed like every jersey in the city was represented in the stands as well. .. At halftime, I received a text from Amar that was a picture of Tony Danza at the Bartram-NE game and it said Who's the Boss? Speaking of Who's the Boss, why Tony Danza instead of Alyssa Milano. Just like if Wonder Years came with Kevin (Fred Savage) teaching at a Philly school instead of Winnie (Danica McKellar). We need those ladies teaching!!!!

SEPT. 18
NON-LEAGUE
William Penn 14, Martin Luther King 8 (OT)
Beautiful weather makes this Duck sing. A good football game can do the same thing. This one was not too rough on the eyes. The Lions prevailed in overtime, but they were extended by the improving Cougars. The Lions under second year coach James Ockimey are a pesky team who are looking to play a part in the Public League AAA. The Lions got on the board almost immediately when senior halfback Erik Simmons scampered 35 yards for a touchdown. On the conversion play, junior quarterback Anwar Mathis found Dequan Felton for two points. King responded in the second stanza when Donye Rosser forced a fumble and Frank Wilson snagged up to the lose ball and rumbled 70 yards for a touchdown. On the conversion quarterback Donavon Bowman was able to find John Wilson. Then it was defense ruling everything. Penn’s defense features a couple of hard hitters in junior linebacker Malik Harrison and junior defensive tackle Richard Underwood. King’s defense has likewise in Rosser and linebacker Joe Montouth. In regulations late stages King was able to stop Penn as Lions drove to the nine yard line with only seconds remaining. On the first play of Overtime; Mathis found Felton for a score. King used Montouth’s only carry of the game to get to the five yard line, then sputtered on the final three downs. Penn celebrated a big win heading into 3A action.
Sidenotes- Bowman was pressed into duty at quarterback because of a mix-up between King and the Charter school that the normal starter attends. John Wilson was able to snag two interceptions. Penn quarterback Mathis was victimized by several drops.

SEPT. 17
NON-LEAGUE
Neshaminy 42, Germantown 14
This game was on the strange side. Neshaminy is generally considered one of the power teams in the state and rightfully so. They have an excellent team; in fact their junior fullback Corey Majors is a helluva prospect. However, it has to be said from the start of this report Germantown’s mistakes hurt them more than anything that the Redskins did. The Bears turned the ball over five times including twice deep in Neshaminy territory, when it appeared that they would score. The Bears got off to a great start when senior defensive lineman John Ellis hammered Neshaminy’s star back Brian Dean to force a fumble. Brent West scooped up the loose ball and then speed 42 yards to pay turf and the Bears were on top. The Redskins responded and took a 28-6 lead into the half. The Bears have a lot of fine tuning to do before the Public League White season begins but they have a lot of good to take from their difficult early season schedule. In this game against Neshaminy for significant amounts of time, Germantown quarterback Ramadan Abdullah was the best offensive player on the field for either team. Also, on the defensive side of the ball, Ellis was outstanding with 11 total tackles, and was clearly the best defensive player in this game, as well. Senior Dominique Simmons ripped off a 62 yard kickoff return. Abdullah, a true dual threat quarterback, threw for 97 yards on 6-17 accuracy and rushed 11 times for 60 yards. Simmons added 6 stops on defense.
Sidenotes- Neshaminy had this really good band that must have had about 100 members of the band. Germantown sold out concessions. Germantown senior Jason Glover had a wicked block on a kickoff return.

SEPT. 11
NON-LEAGUE
Cardinal O’Hara 41, Germantown 6
This was an interesting match-up between Catholic League and Public League foes. The Lions took control early on their second play from scrimmage when Adam Dempsey took a handoff and went 46 yards for a touchdown. The Lions feature a very balanced offense and one of the area’s top players in senior Corey Brown, a talented tailback on offense and defensive back on defense. Brown was able to tally 109 yards in 22 carries on the ground and he accounted for two touchdowns. Brown is tough, but what I like about is that he accelerates through holes and with his obvious 4.3 speed; he is truly dangerous anytime he touches the ball. The other members of the Lions’ backfield are extremely solid as well. Fullbacks Major Everett and Dan O’Hara are extremely effective. Everett is a great blocking back and O’Hara runs hard through tackles mostly on fullback dives. The quarterback Ryan Laughlin was solid and he has capable receivers in Brown and Dan Curry. Brown and Laughlin added interceptions on defense. The Lions defense was solid as well, but in all fairness they were not on the field for any substantial amount of time. Drew Formica was a clear standout for the Lions’ defense. The Bears have several things to correct; first penalties the Bears had 13 penalties for 100 yards. The Bears also had several of passes dropped or overthrown. That being said both teams stand to be pretty good as the years go on. The Bears have to sharpen their offense that could make things interesting in the Public White (and beyond?) if the young players grow up. The Lions scored last on a 70 yard run from Demiere Shaw. If the depth on the Lions continues to increase they can play a factor in the Catholic Red race. They have nice overall team speed and nice balance on offense. The Bears got on the scoreboard on a 90 yard kick-off return from tenacious senior Dominique Simmons. The Bears defense was on the field for a majority of the game, and despite the score they generally played well on the defensive end. Seniors Derrick Jackson (6’1 207) and John Ellis made several key tackles and senior Brent West snatched an interception. Jackson was terrific on defense registering some loud hits among his 9 tackles. Ellis added 9 tackles as well and a catch on offense. Quarterback Ramadan Abdullah was 2-13 from the field as he was victimized by several drops. On a fourth down West batted a pass in the air and the ball fell right into Brown’s lap as he laid on his back in the end zone. That score made the count 34-6- Lions.
Sidenotes- Germantown played several young players on their final two series- one sophomore Kwame Miller is listed at 6’4 430. If my memory serves me right the largest player in City History was Job Lawson (Frankford '01), who was 6’11 380. … It was fun to share a press box with Willie “Big Willie Style” McGonigle, yet another legendary character from this site.