Neshaminy goes old school during its game with Pennridge
MIDDLETOWN TWP. — Neshaminy put on an impressive performance against Pennridge on Friday night, more impressive than the final margin of 17-7 made it appear.
Neshaminy (3-3, 2-1 SOL National) played old-school, ball-control football, dominating the line of scrimmage while chewing up big chunks of yardage as well as the clock.
“The goal that we wanted to achieve was just being tougher than the D-line the whole game,” said junior Kyler Nelson, Neshaminy’s starting center. “Just driving forward every play, moving them back.”
The first procession of the game set the tone for the evening. The hosts took 19 plays to cover 78 yards while consuming 7 minutes, 48 seconds of playing time.
Colin Baker found Connor Frederick in the end zone with a 2-yard pass to give Neshaminy the lead.
“We were just moving the ball down the field,” Frederick said. “We weren’t getting tired. And if we were, we just kept pushing to get the touchdown and we did.”
The Rams (2-4, 1-2 SOL) had some early offensive struggles but got back in the game with 5:09 left in the first half when quarterback Noah Keating hooked up Sam Kuhns on a screen pass that turned into a 50-yard touchdown.
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Neshaminy responded with another long drive, this one covering 66 yards before concluding with Kaden Nicastro’s 25-yard field goal.
Neshaminy's first drive of the third quarter was a replica of their opening possession; a 77-yard, 15-play trek that ended when Travis Lavelah found the end zone from 2 yards out.
Game balls
Travis Lavelah, Neshaminy. In addition to his touchdown, the senior ran for 95 yards on 27 carries.
Connor Frederick, Neshaminy. The junior tight end caught six passes for 49 yards and a score.
Sam Kuhns, Pennridge. The senior scored his team’s touchdown on a second-quarter screen pass.
What it means
The win is Neshaminy’s second straight and puts it over the .500 mark in conference play. The postseason remains a realistic goal.
The loss was Pennridge’s second straight.
Key plays
Neshaminy’s drive late in the second quarter to take the halftime lead with a field goal before limiting Pennridge to one first down on its first drive of the second half.
They said it
“I’ve got to give Pennridge a lot of credit," Neshaminy coach Steve Wilmot. They have a tough defense. We saw them play CB East last week. “We knew the yards weren’t going to come in big, large chunks."
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Neshaminy grinds its way to victory over Pennridge
