By D. Matt Dale
MaxPreps.com
William Penn advanced through first round of the playoffs with a 20-6 win over Newark Monday night at Caravel Academy.
Running back Brian Fields came up big with 130 yards on 19 carries. Fields broke the game open late in the second quarter when he ran for a 76-yard touchdown to give William Penn a 14-0 advantage at halftime.
Receiver Lewis Toler scored the other two Colonial touchdowns on 46- and 10-yard receptions. Both touchdowns were thrown by quarterback Calvin Butcher.
William Penn’s defense held the Yellowjackets spread offense in check thanks to an outstanding effort by linebacker Thomas Davis, who recovered two fumbles. Davis’ first fumble recovery set up Toler’s 46-yard touchdown.
Brandon Norwood was Newark’s most potent offensive weapon with 135 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries. Norwood helped set up Newark’s only touchdown by throwing a 75-yard pass to David Ashby late in the third quarter.
In two games against Newark this season, the Colonials outscored the Yellowjackets 49-6.
No. 6 seed Newark’s season ends with a 6-5 record. No. 3 seed William Penn will play No. 2 Sussex Central this weekend. Sussex Central received a bye in the first round and should be well rested.
Football: St. Mark’s Knocks Off Defending Champs
St. Mark’s beat Middletown 20-15 on Friday night in a first round elimination playoff game. A late Middletown drive nearly ended the Spartans season, but a game-winning pass from quarterback Kenny Anderson slipped through receiver Cameron Thomas’ hands in the end zone as time expired.
The kickers on both teams played a major role in the game as 15 of the 35 total points were scored on field goals. Middletown’s Scott Adkins nailed kicks of 31, 26 and 30 yards, while Kyle Sullivan hit from 24 yards out and added a clutch 46 yarder in the third quarter to put the Spartans up 13-9.
Running back Rashaun Davis ripped a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to extend St. Marks’ lead to 20-9.
Middletown answered back with a 13-play drive that ended with Anderson finding the end zone on a 6-yard run. Anderson was unable to connect with a receiver on the two-point conversion try and Middletown had to settle for closing the gap to 20-15.
St. Mark’s went into time-killing mode, but Davis fumbled the ball with just over a minute left in the game and Middletown was given one more shot at victory.
Anderson drove the Cavs down the field, but it was not meant to be as Middletown’s season ended with a 7-4 record.
St. Marks will take on No. 1 seed Caesar Rodney in the next round this weekend.
Football: Quakers Defeat Howard
Wilmington Friends overcame a 20-6 halftime deficit to defeat Howard in the first round of the Flight B playoffs on Saturday at Tower Hill.
The Quakers scored 26 unanswered second half points (14 in the fourth quarter) to end Howard’s season with a 26-20 upset victory.
Ryan Procaccini gave Friends their first lead of the game with 15 second left in regulation. Procaccini tallied 124 yards on 22 carries and scored three touchdowns in what will go down as one of the greatest victories in Quakers history.
Procaccini’s touchdown came at the end of an epic 13 play 82-yard drive beginning with 3:27 left on the clock.
Although Procaccini is credited with the game-winning touchdown, the Quakers pulled this upset off thanks to a full team effort. Quarterback James Baczkowski put the weight of the season on his shoulders and managed to make something out of nothing time and time again. The Quakers defense came out of halftime fired up and kept Friends in the game by shutting out Howard in the second half.
Howard had a great season culminating with a huge win against Concord last week, but its season ends in the first round.
Wilmington Friends will play Milford on Friday after winning its first postseason game in 24 years.
