The Funding Zone
 
SAFR: Safer Through Science
 

#2 Bishop McDevitt meets #4 Bishop Shanahan for a trip to Hershey: 4A Eastern Finals Preview @McD_Football_ @BSHS_Eagles_FB

Tagged under: District 1, District 3, Gameday Hub, News

| December 3, 2021


Crusaders look to unleash Stone Saunders

Reaching the Eastern Finals of the PIAA playoffs is old territory for the very talented Crusaders of Bishop McDevitt, out of Harrisburg. When players come in as freshmen for summer camp, they expect they will compete for the State Championship multiple times, with the Semifinal game just a necessary stop, on the road to Hershey. 10 times in the last 28 years the Crusaders have reached the Semifinals, sometimes playing for the Eastern Title, sometimes playing for the Western Title. For the Bishop Shanahan Eagles, of Downingtown 11-3, getting to the Eastern Finals is uncharted, once believed mythical waters. That was until 4 years ago when a group of 30 talented freshmen, who had competed against each other on the C.Y.O. fields of Chester County, gathered together for their first practice. Reflecting back on his 30 Seniors Eagles Coach Paul Myers recalled, “When they were freshmen, we knew they were going to be a special group by going undefeated 8-0. Their sophomore season many were starters and we won the District Title. So this year marks 3 years as starters for many of them.” Friday night Harrisburg will travel past Hershey to Coatesville High School, expecting to make the short ride to Hershey next Thursday night. Shanahan will make the 15 minute ride down Route 30 to Coatesville, dreaming of making the trip to Hershey.

Coach Jeff Weachter’s Crusaders come into the game with an 11-1 record, scoring an average of almost 50 points a game. McDevitt’s only blemish on their record is a loss to Philadelphia powerhouse LaSalle College High School, in week one of the season. The next nine weeks the Crusaders have won by an average score of 55-5, up until last week’s 7-0 defensive struggle District 3 championship game against Lampeter-Strasburg, to advance to the Eastern Finals. While McDevitt’s offense has put up gaudy numbers, their real strength maybe their defense. In the last four weeks McDevitt has yielded just 7 points. Lead by DT Riley Robell, DE Jamani George-Huron and DE Nate Kinsey, the defense has recorded 116 Tackles for Loss. McDevitt has a very strong linebacker corps anchored by senior Ryan Russo, the team’s leading tackler with 107 tackles on the season. When the Crusaders have the ball freshman QB sensation Stone Saunders, who already had multiple D1 offers, will distribute the ball to his bevy of talented receivers. Speedster Mario Easterly (Old Dominion commit) leads the uber talented group of receivers with 48 receptions for 896 yards and 13 TDs, Kamil Foster (offers from Marshall, ODU and 5 MAC schools) has 33 grabs for 808 yards and 13 TDs, Rico Scott has amassed 522 yards and 9 TDs on 28 catches. For the year Saunders has thrown for 2,711 yards with 42TDs and has only thrown 3 ints. When keeping the ball on the ground McDevitt will rely on junior standout RB Marquese Williams, (offers from PSU, Notre Dame among others) who has rushed for 1,549 yards and 24 TDs. Williams’30 yard scamper was the lone score, in last week’s quarterfinal win.

Cooper Jordan will need to keep pace with Saunders

Shanahan’s offense flows through their electric senior signal caller Cooper Jordan, who has thrown for over 2,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000. Myers on his QB, “Cooper has a great work ethic, he leads by example. Every drill and every play is done at 100%, he has total command of the huddle.” Shanahan features a committee of interchangeable RBs and receivers in their spread, no huddle offense. RB Brandon Choi(multiple Ivey Offers) along with RB/WR Colin McGrory handle most between the tackles running, while McGrory , Simmi Whitehill, Evan Kapczynski, Nick Romano, Trevor Barbadora use their quickness to run jet sweeps, and are the main targets for Jordan. Shanahan’s line is an impressive group that handled last week’s opponent Valley View’s, large physical defensive line, on the way to scoring 35 points. The Eagles offense line featuring Dylan Jones, Charles Adams, along with undersized bulldog Brendan McGrory, have been opening holes all season long for the Eagles. Like the Crusaders, the Eagles strength maybe their defense, the Eagles defense has time and time again have forced multiple key turnovers per game. Shanahan has allowed just 7.9 points per game in their 11 wins. With Liam Blakely, Dakendrick Daniels (Colorado offer) and Jones on the line, and Choi roaming the middle, Shanahan’s front seven have stood very stout against the run, while constantly pestering the opposing QBs. Shanahan averages over two interceptions per game, last week’s pick six, late in the 4th quarter, sealed the game for the Eagles. DBs Romano, McGrory, Sean Bracken and Barbadora, have made it difficult on opposing receivers, but they have not faced a group with the talent of the Crusaders, yet this year.

Friday night will feature two drastically different teams, one that is littered with Division 1 FBS talent, that expects to compete at the highest level every year and one team who will depend on their grit and brotherhood to carry them on to dream of Hershey.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
GoRout
 
Rainbow Lettering
 
Turf Tank
 
x