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Academy Park Overcomes Late Adversity Stuns Chichester

 
Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News

| October 4, 2026

BOOTHWYN: Football teaches you to overcome adversity. For the first 36 minutes of Saturday afternoon’s Del Val League opener, the Academy Park faced little to no adversity, jumping out to a 21-7 lead. Then came the fourth quarter, and Knights didn’t just see their comfortable lead completely evaporate; they found themselves trailing with under a minute to play, only to rally back and score with under ten seconds left to stun the homecoming crowd at Chichester and walk away with a dramatic 27-22 victory over the Eagles, giving their Head Coach Jason Vosheski his 150th career victory.

“We preach all the time: fight adversity, fight adversity because you are going to have it at some point in time. Historically, we haven’t always done it.” Vosheski said, adding, “The kids could have very easily packed it in, but they didn’t, and that’s a testament to them.”

Third-year starter QB Marquise Spross and WR Mace Watts-Crews, in his first season at the varsity level, played the hero role. The duo connected with 4 seconds left on a 27-yard touchdown, a mere 46 seconds after the Eagles completed the improbable comeback to take the lead out of the Knights’ grasp

When asked about the touchdown, Watts-Crews said, “ It just feels great I was able to make it happen.“ Spross never had any doubt that his team could win the game, saying, “We thought we could get it, Our receiver took advantage of what he saw, we ran it, and it worked. We made a play.”

Right from the start, the Knights set the tone, taking the game’s opening drive and marching right down the field 80 yards on 10 plays before My’les Boone capped the drive with his 9-yard touchdown, putting the Knights up 7-0.

The Knights’ defense then quickly forced the Eagles to a three-and-out, and back to work went the Knights’ offense, marching all the way down to Eagle 1 before one of the only things that didn’t go the Knights’ way in the first three quarters happened when Spross was stopped on a sneak and fumbled the ball, which the Eagles recovered in the endzone for a touchback.

The Eagles couldn’t do anything following the turnover, quickly going three-and-out. On the Knights’ next play from scrimmage, Zane Guillory extended the Knights’ lead to 14-0, busting through the Eagles’ defense and racing 46 yards for the touchdown.

Following a six-yard punt by the Knights that put the ball at the Knights’ 33, the Eagles’ offense finally showed some signs of life, putting together a nine-play drive that was capped by Anthony Newman with a one-yard touchdown, making it 14-7 in favor of the Knights heading into the locker room at halftime.

On the opening possession of the second half, Newman was intercepted by D’Vonte Ross, setting the Knights up with the ball on Eagles 16.

The Knights needed only four plays to extend their lead to 21-7, with Guillory taking it in from 4 yards out, setting the stage for the chaotic fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter started with the Knights appearing to be going for a potential game-sealing score, driving down to the Eagles’ 4. On fourth-and-goal from the 4, the Eagles managed to stop Guillory two yards short of the goal line for the turnover on downs.

Two plays later, Newman, who for the majority of the game was bottled up by the Knights’ defense, made a highlight-reel play to keep the ball on a read option and zig-zagging his way through the Knights’ defense and going the distance for a 98-yard touchdown, making it 21-14 in favor of the Knights.

On the ensuing Knights drive, the Eagles defense again stepped up when Trey Richardson sacked and forced Spross to fumble, which the Eagles recovered, giving them the ball back with 4 minutes left.

The Eagles offense then went on a 15-play drive that saw them converting on a third and 12 from the Knights 22 when Newman connected with Victor Nabieu, picking up 19 yards, moving the chains and setting the Eagles up at the Knights 3. On the next play, Maurice Dantzler Jr., whom the Knights’ defense did a great job containing all afternoon, was stuffed for a loss of a yard, but then on the next play Dantzler wasn’t going to be denied, powering his way in for the score. The Eagles then called a timeout to discuss things and decided to come out and go for the win rather than the tie, and their gamble paid off when Newman faked the handoff to Dantzler and rolled right towards his sideline, getting to the pylon and putting the Eagles up 22-21 with 50 seconds left to play.

As he did all afternoon, Ross burned the Eagles kickoff return team with a big return, allowing the Knights to start possession at their 37. On second down, Spross connected with Watts-Crews for 23 yards, bringing the ball to the Eagles’ 38. On the next play, Spross connected with Zion Abney for 11 yards, putting the ball at the Eagles’ 27. Following an incompletion on the next play, Spross rolled out to his right towards his sideline and, while on the run, delivered a perfect ball to Watts-Crews around the Eagles’ 5; Watts-Crews somehow managed to tight walk the sideline, brushing the pylon for the score with 4 seconds remaining.

Next week the Knights (4-2)will look to carry the momentum for this victory with them when they travel to take on the perennial Del Val League favorite Chester in another Saturday showdown with kickoff being schedule for 11 am at the Chester Athletic Complex while the Eagles (4-2) will look to bounce back from the heart breaking loss when the travel to District 11 Friday night to battle Executive Educational Academy with kickoff being scheduled for 7 pm

 
 
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