Turk's Take Football 2010   Joseph Turkos is a sports writer for the Roxborough Review and has done occasional stat work for the Daily News for several years.   Now, Joe is in his second season of taking part in the website fun and filing reports on games he sees. We thank him!   Joe may be reached at jrturkos@gmail.com.

NOV. 7
PUBLIC AAA SEMIFINAL
Roxborough 50, Gratz 14
  The entire Roxborough team deserves a share of the credit for Saturday night’s 50-14 shellacking of Gratz at Marcus Foster Memorial Stadium.
  Roxborough hammered Gratz in every aspect of the night’s 3A semifinal game. Smart plays, superior strength, capitalizing on opportunities, a chance to play for a championship and the regular-season loss to the Bulldogs were all factors in the Indians’ win.
  Jeremiah Kendrick anticipated the game all week. So when the game finally kicked off, adrenaline inside the 5-foot-8, 190-pound senior soared and Kendrick played as if he was trying to beat the Bulldogs single-handedly.
  Kendrick recovered a blocked punt, returned it for a touchdown, intercepted two passes (one of which led to a Roxborough touchdown), and scored another touchdown on a 19-yard run with 1:39 in the game.
  “I was thinking about this all week. I couldn’t breathe this morning. I was waiting,” Kendrick said.
  All night long, Kendrick and his teammates suffocated Gratz in just about every aspect of the game.
  In the first meeting between the two teams, big plays hurt the Indians. Gratz scored on touchdown runs of 67 and 42 yards, and on a 90-yard TD pass. With a chance to pull closer late in the fourth quarter, Roxborough turned the ball over deep in Gratz territory. On Saturday, the big plays belonged to Big Blue.  
  The blocked punt that Kendrick returned 17 yards for the game’s opening touchdown on the Bulldog’s first possession of the game came courtesy of Josh Anderson. Adrian Johnson-Pope intercepted two passes that Roxborough converted into touchdowns. Defensive end Rasheed Bailey picked off a pass that he returned 74 yards for six points. And backup defensive end Eric Laws-Baron pounced one of the many errant Gratz snaps in the end zone for a fourth-quarter TD. The Indians also relied on some trickery, running the hook and lateral to perfection.
  As Roxborough’s highlight reel plays mounted and Gratz unraveled, the Indians stuck to their game plan.  
  Kendrick played nose guard for most of the season but moved to linebacker Saturday, replacing Johnson-Pope. Starting corner back Vince Bennett missed the game after suffering an ankle injury against King the previous week so Roxborough head coach Mike Stanley moved Johnson-Pope from linebacker to corner back.
  On offense Kendrick assumed the fullback spot from Bernard Avery, who has had a sore back and is playing exclusively at linebacker. Kendrick carried the ball three times for 17 yards. But more importantly he cleared the way for running back Tymere Blue. Blue rushed for 85 yards on 12 carries and scored on a 23-yard run with 7:33 to play in the game.
  In addition to the changes in the defensive backfield, Stanley said that he made a few adjustments on the D-line, moving tackles Ben Chapman (6-foot-1, 225 pounds), Anthony Ebo (5-foot-8, 235 pounds), and Rasheed Dandridge (5-foot-8, 160 pounds).  
  Gratz answered Roxborough’s first touchdown with a five-play, 63-yard drive, culminating with a 4-yard touchdown run by Spencer Moses.  The Bulldogs didn’t cross the goal again until scoring on a 22-yard pass from third-string quarterback Daryll Johnson to Ali Rashed Ahmed with six minutes left in regulation.
  Roxborough knocked Gratz starting quarterback Khalil Brown out of the game near the end of the first half. Brown later retuned, splitting QB duties with Johnson and Davone Cornish.
  In the Bulldogs’ 34-20 victory over Roxborough on Oct. 22, Brown completed 5 of 12 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Saturday the Indians held Brown (3 of 10) to 37 yards with two picks. Brown also led Gratz on the ground (9 carries for 60 yards). Most of the time, he was trying to escape the mobs of blue and white clad defenders. Anderson, a linebacker, led the Indians’ defense with 11 tackles and two sacks. Avery recorded seven stops.
  The game turned for Roxborough after Gratz tied the game at six. Johnson-Pope returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to the 42. Blue followed with a 36-yard run. After a near turnover, Roxborough faced a 2nd-and-10 at the Gratz 35. Quarterback Nick Butts (2 of 6 for 44 yards and 2 touchdowns) hit Bailey (2 catches for 18 yards) along the sideline at the 25. Bailey lateraled the ball to Dre’von Williams, who trailed Bailey, at the 26. Williams raced the remaining distance to the goal line.   
  Butts and Bailey were responsible for Roxborough’s next three touchdowns. The two connected again in the second quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass. The TD resulted from one of Johnson-Pope’s interceptions. Bailey’s aforementioned pick six added more points the tally. And Butts scored from a yard out early in the fourth quarter after Kendrick intercepted Johnson at the Gratz 11.

OCT. 29
PUBLIC AAA
Roxborough 12, King 6
  Roxborough reached the playoffs for the third-consecutive season on Friday with a 12-6 win over the Martin Luther King Cougars at Benjamin L. Johnston Stadium in Germantown.
  Needing a win to make the playoffs after a 34-20 loss to Gratz on Oct. 22, Roxborough responded by capitalizing on King’s mistakes.
  Roxborough (4-3 3A, 6-3) turned a recovered fumble into six points as Dre’von Williams scored the game-winning touchdown with 8:05 to play in the fourth quarter, breaking a 6-6 tie. On 4th-and-goal from the 10-yard line, Williams ran a reverse around the right side of King’s defense and fought his way into the end zone.   
  In nine possessions, King (3-4 3A, 3-5) entered Roxborough territory four times only to come away empty, the Cougars’ lone touchdown came via a 61-yard pass.
  On King’s first two ventures into Indians’ territory, Roxborough’s defense held their ground. On the host’s other two visits across midfield, King fumbled under a defensive landslide.
  After a scoreless first quarter, Nick Butts (7 for 15, 124 yards and 2 interceptions) hit Adrian Johnson-Pope on an 18-yard touchdown pass to give Roxborough the lead.
  The nine-play drive nearly stalled at the King 47. On 4th-and-11 Roxborough was set to punt but a low snap was mishandled by punter Ty Renninger. Renninger found center Anthony Ebo, who was lined up as an eligible receiver, for a 13-yard gain to prolong the possession. Roxborough scored five plays later.
  Offensive mistakes in enemy territory have hounded Roxborough all season. Friday was no different. Penalties and turnovers – both of Butts’ interceptions occurred in Cougars’ territory - follow the Indians over the 50-yard line on just about a weekly basis. Renninger’s pass saved what looked to be another doomed possession.
 The Indians held their lead midway through the third quarter. After Roxborough went four-and-out on the first possession of the second half, King quarterback Curtis Witherspoon (3 of 7, 104 yards) connected with Randy Siler, the recipient of all three of Witherspoon’s passes, in stride, to even the score.  
  Roxborough’s game-winning score resulted from a Cougar fumble, their second of three on the day, as safety Charles Ivey picked up a Jaeson Dooley fumble at King’s 28.
  Tymere Blue (16 touches, 62 yards) carried the ball six times on the possession and carried the Indians to the 1-yard line. A penalty, a loss and incompletion left Roxborough 10 yards from the end zone when Williams scored the contest’s deciding points.
  After Williams’ touchdown, another Roxborough trip past midfield broke down. With a chance to put King away as the clock ticked under six minutes, Blue ran for 12 yards on third down, giving the Indians a first down at King’s 32. But the play came back because of a block in the back. When Renninger attempted to punt two plays later, he mishandled the snap. This time he decided to run for the first down. King’s defense was ready and stopped him short of the first down.

OCT. 16
CATHOLIC AAAA
Roman 36, Ryan 0
  Roman Catholic junior running back Marcus Kelly and junior quarterback Anthony Johnson each rushed for 109 yards Saturday afternoon. The duo’s performance pushed the Cahillites past Archbishop Ryan, 36-0, at a wind-blown George Washington High School.
  With the win, Roman improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in Catholic League 4A play. It was also their second-straight victory after back-to-back losses. 
  Kelly carried the ball 17 times, while Johnson ran the ball on 12 occasions.
  Since sophomore starting quarterback Mike Keir left the La Salle game with a knee injury over two weeks ago, the Cahillites have been relying on their running game. Two weeks ago, against a then undefeated Father Judge squad, Kelly gained 189 yards on 17 carries.
  Against Judge, Johnson attempted six passes, completing three for 50 yards. Against Ryan, Johnson threw seven passes, again completing three, but for only 37 yards. Two of his completions on Saturday resulted in touchdowns. Sophomore William Fuller caught Johnson’s first TD pass in the first quarter, a 20-yard completion, to start the day’s scoring. In the second quarter, Johnson found senior wide receiver Dennis Regan for an 11-yard scoring strike.
  Roman recovered a Ryan fumble at the host’s 20 late in the first quarter, leading to Johnson’s TD pass to Fuller. The Cahillites threatened on their first two possessions. Senior kicker Kyle Haber missed field goals from 28 and 38 yards. The gusting winds pushed each kick wide left.  
  Special teams led to Roman’s second touchdown. Dan Pellicciotti blocked a Ryan punt in the second quarter at the Raiders’ 30-yard line. It was Roman’s second blocked punt of the game, the first came via senior Corey Bronson.  
  Kelly scored on a 47-yard run midway through the second quarter and the Cahillites headed into halftime leading 20-0.
  Less than a minute into the second half, Kelly scored his second touchdown on a 43-yard jaunt. Roman added a fourth quarter touchdown on a 6-yard run by junior running back Taishan Tucker.
  Roman looks to run their winning streak to three against St. Joe’s Prep (3-4, 1-1 CL 4A) Friday night.

OCT. 15
PUBLIC AAA
Roxborough 14, West Phila. 13
  Two weeks ago, Roxborough lost one of those games that sticks in a player’s gut and drives coaches crazy.
  Against Ben Franklin, the Indians held a lead with 1:39 to play. A bad snap on a punt put Franklin on Roxborough’s 5-yard. They cashed in with a touchdown, stunning Roxborough with a 16-13 defeat.  
  Against West Philadelphia, Roxborough led 14-7 late in the fourth quarter and were driving for a score to ice the game. But a turnover led to a West touchdown with 22 seconds to play, pulling West to within a point. Even a missed extra point wasn’t enough to end the drama. The Speedboys recovered the ensuing onside kick, giving them another chance at victory. But Roxborough senior safety Charles Ivey had another idea.
  Ivey picked off a desperation pass by West quarterback Larry Richardson as time expired, sealing Roxborough’s 14-13 win.
  With the victory, Roxborough (5-2, 3-2 3A) improved their chances at capturing one of four playoff spots in 3A play.
  Coming off of the disappointing loss to Ben Franklin, Roxborough head coach Mike Stanley stressed the importance of Friday’s game all week in practice. The team carried their positive attitude from the practice field in Roxborough to the Speedboys' home field in West Philadelphia.
  “They were focused. They were ready to play. They wanted to win,” Stanley said.
  The implications of a loss to West resonated with the Indians as they prepared for Friday. Ivey said that teamwork was the key to the win.
  Roxborough scored on the opening possession of the game. Their 15-play drive drained nearly the entire quarter and culminated with a 1-yard TD run by junior quarterback Nick Butts.
  West Philadelphia (3-4, 2-3 3A) answered on a 2-yard run by Robert Andrews.
  The Indians then responded with another long drive (13 plays). Butts (7 of 10 for 83 yards) hit senior tight end Rasheed Bailey from 11 yards out just before halftime.
  Roxborough’s two extended scoring drives ate up most of the clock in the first half. In the second half, the Indians touched the ball five times, four times driving deep into West territory. Roxborough drives stalled at West’s 20, 38 and 24-yard lines. Their fourth entrance into scoring territory ended with a Tymere Blue (15 carries for 43 yards) fumble at the 17 with just over three minutes to play.
  With the exception of their touchdown lone touchdown drive, West Philadelphia’s offense experienced little success against Roxborough until recovering Blue’s fumble.
  Richardson (5 of 14 for 60 yards) responded by engineering an 11-play drive, hitting senior wide receiver Christian Southern, who slipped to the outside beyond Ivey’s coverage, on an 18-yard TD pass with 22 seconds to play, cutting Roxborough’s edge to one.
  During West’s drive, Roxborough’s defense pressured Richardson each time he attempted a pass. West faced third and long and fourth and long twice in the drive but Richardson managed to keep the drive alive with his arm and his legs, running for 13 yards and a first on fourth-and-10.
  Just when it looked as if the Indians would experience a repeat of the previous week, fate granted the Indians a reprieve as West committed a false start on their 2-point attempt. The Speedboys then opted for the extra point. Lee Barry’s kick rose just a few feet above the ground. 
  West recovered the ensuing onside kick at the 50. Richardson completed an 8-yard pass and with no timeouts remaining, the Speedboys lined up for one last play. Richardson took the snap and rolled right, pursued by the relentless Roxborough pass rush, something he had experienced all day when attempting a pass. Richardson’s heave fell short of his target and into Ivey’s hands.