Craig Needhammer had a national-tying record 99-yard TD run.
Photo courtesty of North Penn HS
Needhammer, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound junior, finished with a career-best 219 yards rushing on 20 carries, including a school-record 99-yard touchdown run with roughly nine minutes left to play in the fourth.
Down 7-0 midway into the first quarter, junior defensive back Matt Donovan, replacing Ryan Hessenius (who was injured during training camp), recovered a fumble inside the North Penn 20, which turned the whole course of the game around. North Penn converted that opportunity into a field goal — and scored on the next six possessions.
"I think we learned how much heart we have, being down 7-0, and they were about to score again and go up 14-0, when we turned everything around," North Penn senior quarterback Todd Smolinsky said.
Last year, North Penn opened the season with a 23-15 win over Liberty but fell to the Hurricanes, 21-14, in the state Class AAAA semifinals.
"We understand it’s a huge win, because a lot of people didn’t expect us to play as well as we did," Smolinsky said. "We learned a lot about ourselves, and we have to stay focused. We can’t get too ahead of ourselves, but it is a big confidence booster."
The one major setback for the Knights was losing junior tailback Brandon Mercer, who broke his right collarbone in the opening quarter and could miss up to six weeks.
Enter Needhammer.
The tiny, balanced runner either blew through the Liberty defense or ran by them. His legs churned for runs of 99 yards, and an 81-yarder that set up another score, and catches of 16 and 15 yards. He was a multiple threat that Liberty couldn’t answer.
"I knew we had a pretty good team coming in, but we had nine guys making their first varsity start on both sides of the ball," Needhammer said. "I don’t look at individual things. I just wanted to do my job in order for us to win. I think we answered a lot of questions Friday night, especially on our offensive line."
Needhammer cited the play of tackles Willie Kye and J.D. Dzurko, center Steve Tribanas, and guards Kevin Harrell and Tyler Scherer. Dzurko is the only starter back, and he actually played center last year, so he’s learning a new position.
"For our O-line and four guys who never played at this level before, in front of that crowd, they did they did a great job," Needhammer said. "They opened up some huge holes. You probably could have driven a truck through some of those holes."
And it looks as if Needhammer will make the job of others go smoothly.
"Craig certainly makes my job a lot easier," Smolinsky said. "I didn’t think I threw a ball more than 20 yards. They brought pressure and we just got people in open spaces and let them make plays."
GREAT BEGINNINGS II
The tempo of the varsity game came blazingly fast to Bret Gillespie. The 6-2, 210-pound Downingtown West senior quarterback was beginning his first year as a varsity starter and he had to process the game differently last season.
By the fourth game last year, Gillespie looked good, gaining a quick grasp of the varsity speed. This year, he looks even better. He certainly got off to a great start in directing the Whippets to a 40-37 win over a very good Penncrest team in the season-opening game for both teams.
Gillespie completed 17-of-24 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns, running for another score. What marked a big difference in Gillespie from last year to this one came on a fourth-and-six play with just over four minutes to play, trailing, 37-33. Gillespie appeared trapped for a loss — which would have probably spelled a defeat for the Whippets.
But Gillespie rolled free, looked down field and caught Louis Smith in his sights, and hit Smith with a dart on the run, which he converted into a 54-yard touchdown and the winning score. That one play changed the course of the game and could change the course of the Whippets’ season.
"I don’t think I had the vision to make that play, and the pocket presence, at the same time last year, to make that play," said Gillespie, who is receiving attention from Pitt, Temple, Akron, Holy Cross, Marshall and Villanova. "I think that one play did change a lot of things, especially momentum-wise. There were nine lead changes, and for our offense to score on a play like that, it felt like after making that play, they looked around and had to wonder, 'What (do) we have to do to stop these guys?'"
It won’t get any easier for the Whippets, who will host a tough Glen Mills team Friday, and then play Chester and Great Valley (which lost star Brian Pommerer, who broke his collarbone in a scrimmage and will be out for six weeks), before they begin their Ches-Mont League season.
"Friday’s game was huge for us, and it showed people throughout the whole area we really have kids who can play and shows people even out of our league that will have to contend with these guys in the district playoffs," Gillespie said. "I hope it gives us a higher seed in the playoffs, hopefully, but it’s all about building and getting better and better every week. I believe we will. We have a lot of young guys on offense and know they know they can play varsity football."
It helps when you have someone like Gillespie calling the shots.
MORNHINWEG DOES IT ALL
Skyler Mornhinweg carries a little pressure with him each time he steps on the field. For one, he happens to be the eldest son of Eagles’ offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. For another, he’s just a sophomore — and the starting quarterback of Philadelphia Catholic League powerhouse St. Joseph’s Prep.
Skyler proved he’s more than up to the task. He drove the Hawks to two fourth-quarter touchdowns in leading St. Joe’s to a come-from-behind 27-26 victory over McKeesport on Saturday, in Wheeling, W. Va.
The Hawks trailed 26-14 when the 6-4, 200-pound Mornhinweg struck first in the fourth quarter by connecting with Bob D’Orazio for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Then, with less than two minutes to play, Mornhinweg rallied the Hawks for another score, completing a 38-yard scoring pass to Desmon Peoples for the winning score.
Mornhinweg, who started as a defensive back as a freshman for Prep last year, secured his first varsity victory as a quarterback by intercepting a pass from McKeesport in the final minute.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Top 10
September 12, 2009
1. LaSalle (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 1)
2. North Penn (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 6)
3. St. Joseph’s Prep (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 3)
4. Pennsbury (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 4)
5. Quakertown (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 5)
6. Neshaminy (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 7)
7. Abington (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 8)
8. Downingtown West (1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: unrated)
9. George Washington (0-1. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 2)
10. Garnet Valley (1-0. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 10)
Joseph Santoliquito covers high schools for the Philadelphia Daily News and is a contributor to MaxPreps.com. He can be contacted at JSantoliquito@yahoo.com.
