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Chichester holds off Judge on the last play to win the first PA Spring football game. @chi_football5 @FatherJudgeHS @fjfootball27

Tagged under: District 1, District 12, Gameday Hub, News

| March 12, 2021

 

The Chichester parents filled the stands on a beautiful spring football Friday Night

 

It had been 15 months since the Father Judge and Chichester football teams played football. As of Friday at 7 pm they’d had 14 days of practice. That’s enough to make any head coach skeptical. “I just hope what we see resembles a football game” said Eagles head coach Bob Brice earlier this week.

Not only did what we saw resemble football, it was a pretty darn good football game.  With just 12.8 seconds left in the game trailing 27-19, the Crusaders were on the Chichester 15 and facing third down and 2. It was that close. The Eagles eventually held on for the win and bragging rights as the first team to win a spring football game in Pennsylvania.

The Eagles struck first when Zaquon Bruton hauled in a 40 yard td pass from Zachary Taylor halfway through the first quarter. The kick was good and Chi held a 7-0 lead.

 

Judge struggled to move the ball until midway through the second quarter. A few defensive plays forced a Chichester punt pinning the Crusaders on their 20. Judge went on an 80 yard drive with a nice balance of pass and run, culminating with a 3 yard td run by quarterback Mike VanHorn. “At times we looked like a good football team and at times we didn’t” said Crusaders Head Coach Frank McArdle. “We have to work on being more consistent.

 

On the ensuing Eagle possession, Taylor was picked off by Patrick Mcshea giving the Crusaders good field position at the Chi 35. Jordan Rhinehimer hauled in a 22 yard td pass to put Judge up 12-7.

 

It didn’t take long for the Eagles to strike back. Following a 45 yard pass to Marquise Fields, the Eagles scored on a 10 yard run from Bryen Hamm to put the Eagles back on top 14-12 just before the half.

At halftime, the parents of former Chichester quarterback Jacai Colson made a presentation in honor of their son who was killed facing a live shooter on March 13, 2016. Colson served as a patroman and later joined the Narcotics Enforcement Division.

Chichester started the second half with a bang. Ramir McDowell hauled in a short pass from Taylor and scampered down the sidelines, going 39 yards to give Chichester a 21-12 lead just 1 minute into the third quarter.

 

The Crusader defense stepped up and made a big play, sacking Taylor and stripping him of the ball. The visiting team then scored on a 2 yard run from running back Eric Smith to pull within 2. After forcing the Eagles to punt, Judge drove quickly to the Chichester 27, but while scrambling the Crusaders QB lofted a pass that was picked off by Staring Reaves and returned 75 yards for the final score of the game.

 

I have to say, the football played was leaps and bounds above my expectations. Cudos to both teams who played a good game with few penalties.

Next week Chichester hosts rival Chester while Father Judge travels to Reading.

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