By D. Matt Dale
MaxPreps.com
Concord (7-2) came into Saturday afternoon’s game against Pencader Charter (7-2) unbeaten against Blue Hen Conference Flight B foes. With a 20-8 lead at halftime, it looked as though the Raiders were on the verge of their fifth-straight win.
But Pencader had other ideas and stormed back for a come-from-behind, 41-39 victory.
Titan receiver Darrell Miller-Smith had a huge day with 194 yards on nine receptions and four touchdowns. Miller-Smith’s fourth and final touchdown came as the clock expired to give Pencader a two-point victory.
Concord started the game by taking a 20-0 lead thanks to seniors Travis King and Justin Brown. The pair combined for six total touchdowns. Five of those six touchdowns were thrown by quarterback Ryan McCarthy.
The Raiders were rolling, but Pencader quarterback Malik White found Miller-Smith in the end zone and receiver Brandon Norman caught a two-point conversion just before the end of the first half. The Titans carried that momentum into the second half.
Pencader took its first lead of the game in the fourth quarter when Jayvonn Booker returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown. Booker’s effort gave the Titans a 35-33 fourth-quarter lead.
With hope fading, Brown picked the Raiders up by responding with a 33-yard touchdown run to make it a 39-35 game.
Unfortunately for Concord, Brown’s touchdown only set the stage for Miller-Smith’s game-winning, 33-yard touchdown reception.
As a result of the Raiders’ loss, Howard is now in first place in Flight B, with Concord facing Howard next weekend.
Friends Beats Lions in Battle of Unbeatens
Wilmington Friends (9-0) was able to hold on to a late-game lead and remain undefeated against Red Lion (7-1) 28-26 on Saturday in a great game between two of the state’s best teams.
Friends running back Ryan Procaccini ran for 186 yards and scored three touchdowns against a stout Red Lion defense. Procaccini’s performance helped the Quakers outgain the Lions on the ground by over 120 yards (252-131).
The Lions entered the third quarter with a 20-13 lead. But before fans had even returned to their seats, Friends had taken the lead 21-20 on two plays – a 22-yard run by John Taggart and 40-yard touchdown run by Procaccini. Red Lion added the two-point conversion off a fake kick by placeholder James Baczkowski.
Procaccini carried the Quakers on the next drive, racking up 60 yards and ending it with a 15-yard touchdown run to give Friends a 28-20 lead.
Red Lion answered back with a 28-yard touchdown catch by Francis Drummond to close the gap 28-26 with just over six minutes remaining in regulation. Friends stuffed the two-point conversion attempt to preserve the victory.
