By Todd Bradley, DCSportsFan.com
Special to MaxPreps.com
OLNEY, Md. – Playing in front of a national audience on ESPN2, Good Counsel scored four first quarter touchdowns and never looked back, defeating DeMatha 42-21 Thursday night.
The Falcons were led by senior running back and Maryland commit Caleb Porzel, who carried the ball 14 times for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Senior quarterback Tyler Campbell also had an impressive night, completing 9 of 9 passes for 174 yards as the Falcons improved to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.
"It was our night tonight," Good Counsel head coach Bob Milloy said. "But you know you're going to have to deal with [DeMatha] somewhere down the line again."
With much of the pregame attention going toward Good Counsel senior Jelani Jenkins (52 rushing yards, 36 receiving yards), it was the future Terrapin Porzel who stole the show early. Porzel scored three times in the first quarter on runs of 7, 19 and 56 yards.
Not to be outdone. Jenkins scored a touchdown of his own after Tim Anderson hit DeMatha quarterback Tom Chroniger (13-24-213), which forced the ball loose. Jenkins picked the ball up and returned it 19 yards. By the end of the quarter, Good Counsel's offense had scored 28 points and posted 181 yards while the defense held DeMatha to just 29 yards.
"We were getting caught inside when we shouldn't have been." DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor said. "Now we have to go from here and do what we have to do."
DeMatha, however, was able to regroup after the first quarter and score the next two touchdowns of the game. Chroniger hit Stag wide receiver Emmanuel McPhearson (4-128) on a 61-yard strike to get the Stags on the board. After holding the Falcons scoreless in the second quarter, DeMatha cut the lead in half on a 20-yard run by Chroniger, but that would be as close as DeMatha would come.
Good Counsel quarterback Tyler Campbell hit Louis Young on a 32-yard touchdown strike with 4:06 left in the third quarter to increase the Falcon lead to 35-14. DeMatha fought back with Chroniger and McPhearson connecting for another touchdown, but the Stags couldn't stop Good Counsel from making the big play.
With the Falcons facing a fourth down situation, Milloy called a fake punt and Hamilton ran 20 yards for the first down. The gutsy play would prove to be the difference, as Good Counsel eventually scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jenkins, which was set up by another Campbell to Young connection. The victory capped an eventful week leading up to Good Counsel's biggest football game in recent history.
"It's pretty exciting," Milloy said. "It's great for our community, great for our league and great for our area. We're just thankful to be here."