BOOSTERCLUB3

GAME 11

RAMS CAN'T CAGE THE JAGS

RAMS 7

GARNET VALLEY 21

Rams hang tough against No. 2 seed

By ED KRACZ

GLEN MILLS — Pennridge's football team must not have gotten the memo, the one that said, as a 15th seed in the PIAA District One Class AAAA playoffs, it wasn't supposed to be in the game with No. 2 seed Garnet Valley.

If the Rams did get it, they ripped it up, because they went toe-to-toe with the unbeaten Jaguars — a team that went to the Class AAA state final last year — on their home field. While Pennridge controlled the clock, the Rams couldn't manufacture enough points and lost, 21-7, Friday night.

“They're definitely a good team, I'll give them that, but we made some mistakes here and there,” said Rams quarterback Brad Herrmann, who found the going tough on the ground, needing 26 carries just to get 88 yards.

Perhaps the biggest mistake was a pass interference penalty that nullified an interception by junior Dan Wolfe near midfield.

The penalty/interception came midway though the fourth quarter and just minutes after the Rams had drawn within 14-7 on Herrmann's 1-yard touchdown plunge with 84 seconds to play in the third quarter.

The penalty/interception also came on the next play after sophomore Brandon Cope sacked GV quarterback Mark McHugh to put the Jaguars (11-0) into a second-and-22 situation.

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“Yeah, that was definitely a penalty,” said Herrmann, “but if [the Pennridge defender] didn't hit [the Garnet Valley receiver], maybe he could've caught it, but I think it would have been an interception either way. I don't know, it's tough to read.”

The Rams (6-5) got the better of time of possession, but two long first-half drives that reached deep into GV territory fizzled on downs. Pennridge also endured two turnovers.

“We fought hard, played with pride, but just came out a little short,” said Pennridge captain Matt Pattison, who suffered through a 3-9 season last year. “We have a lot of team unity. Everyone is friends and practices are so much better than last year, so much more focused.”

That focus couldn't win a playoff game, but it may serve the Rams well when they play Quakertown in their traditional Thanksgiving morning game.

“I'm proud of our kids,” said Pennridge coach Randy Cuthbert. “They battled their tails off, scrapped the whole time. We had our opportunities.”

Pennridge 0 0 7 0 - 7

Garnet Valley 7 7 0 7 - 21

First quarter

GV - Bonacquisti 55 yard run (Acchione kick)

Second quarter

GV - Irving 24 yard run (Acchione kick)

Third quarter

P - Herrmann one yard run (O'Neill kick)

Fourth quarter

GV - Palaio 27 yard run (Acchione kick)

Pennridge Garnet Valley

First downs

Rushing yards

186

254

Passing yards

Total yards

256

306

Passing (c-a-i)

(7-15-1)

(6-8-0)

Fumbles-lost

2-1

1-0

Punts-avg

2-30

1-45

Penalties

2-25

2-20

RUSHING

Pennridge - Herrmann 24-86, TD; Walbridge 9-45; J. Knepp 9-32; Metzler 3-12; Pattison 3-11

Garnet Valley - Bonacquisti 12-131, TD; Palaio 8-81, TD; Irving 6-68, TD; McHugh 5- -26

PASSING

Pennridge - Herrmann 6-14-1 - 49; Z. Knepp 1-1-0 - 21

Garnet Valley - McHugh 6-8-0 - 52;

RECEIVING

Pennridge - Swartley 4-48; Weichel 1-21; Walbridge 1-6; Metzler 1- -5

Garnet Valley - Dunn 2-28; Woods 2-13; Palaio 1-9; Bonacquisti 1-2

GAME SUMMARY