Central Bucks East enjoying early success to high school football season
BUCKINGHAM — The Central Bucks East football team is off to a 2-0 start after beating visiting Bensalem, 36-0, in a nonleague game Friday night.
Patriots’ senior lineman Jake Maggio has his fingerprints all over that early success.
As the center on offense, Maggio helped open holes to allow East’s running game to accumulate 234 yards rushing, including 102 yards in just over a half by Dean Blackwell. He also blocked well enough to allow the Patriots’ passing pair of Dan Voglesong and Logan Simkiss to pick up 145 yards and throw for a couple of touchdowns.
Defensively, playing nose guard and tackle, Maggio helped his squad hold the Owls (0-2) to 35 yards rushing and 38 yards passing, leading to East’s second-straight shutout. He even picked off a pass, the second consecutive week that a Patriots’ defensive lineman recorded an interception. Luke Miller was the first.
About that interception. Toward the end of the first quarter, Bensalem quarterback Hollis Sanders threw the ball over the middle, trying to convert a fourth down. But Maggio popped through the line and the ball stuck in his hands. He rumbled up the middle for 45 yards headed for the end zone, but 6-foot-1, 235 pound standout was caught from behind. An Owls’ defender stripped the ball, Demarcus Burke recovered and Maggio’s shot at glory ended.
“I was thinking I was going to hit the running back first and then I saw the ball in the air and I thought I had a chance to pick it,” Maggio said. “So I got the pick and all I was thinking was just run, run, run, trying to get to the end zone. I was really shocked. I got it and I couldn’t even believe I got it. And then I just started pumping my legs and my arms.
“I did get caught. I wasn’t very happy. I looked and I saw Connor Simkiss was going to jump on it and he just missed it. So, disappointed, but we still got the punt down on the other side and it was still a good win, 36-0. We’re happy going into Souderton.”
He was also happy with the play of the offensive line. Maggio with guards Joe Collins and Mike Carroll along with tackles Chris Poulson and Christian Taormina and tight end Jack Donnelly are going to give opposing defenses fits this season.
“It’s a great brotherhood,” Maggio said. “We’re all about to go to the locker room and get all good to go. We just feel great. A great brotherhood. We hang outside of football through all months of the year.”
Game balls
Dean Blackwell, Central Bucks East running back. Blackwell was lifted during the Patriots first drive of the second half. But he managed to rush for 102 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 30 yards.
Demarcus Burke, Bensalem offensive lineman. Burke hustled downfield in pursuit of East lineman Jake Maggio who had intercepted a pass. Maggio was caught from behind and stripped of the ball. Burke’s fumble recovery prevented the Patriots from scoring their second touchdown in three minutes late in the first quarter.
What it means
East will be able to carry a 2-0 record into its nonleague game at Souderton next week. The Big Red are also 2-0 after beating Pennridge, 19-14. The Patriots have outscored their first two opponents, 78-0. Bensalem has yet to score a point this season, losing to Lower Merion last week, 6-0.
Key play
With 3 minutes, 24 seconds left in the first half and holding a 21-0 lead, East was trying to score to put Bensalem away. On the second play of the drive, Patriots junior quarterback Logan Simkiss threw a pass down the left sideline. The ball was batted around, but senior Nick Giordano managed to haul it in for a 55-yard touchdown strike to the shock and amazement of the East sideline. His score and a two-point conversion run by Dan Voglesong gave the Patriots a 29-0 advantage at halftime.
They said it
“We just told the guys we did what we had to do and needed to do the last two weeks,” East coach John Donnelly said. “But it gets real next week with Souderton and we’ve already got our minds squarely on them.”
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Central Bucks East football remains unbeaten
