Speedboys pull off last second win over Hatboro (Video Recap)
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Billy Splain | September 13, 2025
West Philadelphia had bus issues and didn’t arrive to Hatboro-Horsham’s field until a little after 7. The late start was just the beginning of trouble for the Speedboys. An extended injury time out on the opening kick off further delayed the game so it was only fitting that this game nearly went into overtime and the outcome was also resolved late in the game. Following an interception by Xavier Howard the Speedboys had the ball on their own 10 yard line and just over 5 minutes remaining in the game. The Speedboys remained calm and drove the length of the field to the Hatter 24. With the score tied at 22 and 11 seconds remaining in the game Speedboy quarterback Ahmeir Green dropped back and launched a 24 yard prayer. Xavier Howard lept over a defender and answered the prayer with the winning td catch. Howard and Hatboro-Horsham defender Tripp Quigley both went to the ground with hands on the ball but possession was ruled in favor of the receiver giving West Philiadelphia a 30-22 win.
Hatboro opened the scoring with an 8 yard run by Thomas Gartland to take an early lead. West Philly battled back to take the lead on a 13 yard td run by Jahsir Newsome. They took the lead 8-7 with the two point conversion. West extended their lead to 16-7 on a 5 yard run by Green with 19 seconds remaining in the first half.
West Philly got a huge return on the kickoff to start the second half and on the first play Newsome busted loose for a 26 yard td putting the Speedboys up 22-7 with just 15 seconds off the clock in the second half. That’s where the wheels fell off. Hatboro responded with a 51 yard drive capped by a 1 yard td run by Nathan Gockley closing the score to 22-14. On the ensuing drive the Hatter defense forced a punt and the snap went over the punters head giving Hatboro the ball on the Speedboy 24. Quarterback Brendan Heaphy went into the endzone from 4 yards out but they didn’t get the two pointer keeping the score at 22-20 to start the fourth quarter.
More bad luck for the Speedboys on their next possession. Another bad punt snap tied the game at 22 as the ball rolled out of the enzone giving the Hatters a safety with 9:42 remaining. Hatboro got the ball on their 47 after the free kick and began what looked like a game winning drive but Howard lept up and intercepted Heaphy’s deep pass at the five yard line. He returned the ball to the 40 but several penalties on the return put the ball on the ten. Thirteen plays later they got the winning td.
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