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Upper Moreland Holds Off Springfield @UMBEARSFOOTBALL @STHSFootball_

Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News

| October 16, 2021

Head Coach CJ Szydlik addresses his team after their 28-21 victory

On Friday night there was an epic showdown in Willow Grove. Host Upper Moreland (6-1) (3-1) took on the Springfield Spartans (5-1) (3-1) of Montgomery County.  It was a clash of two District One AAAA squads and they did not disappoint. Heading into the game Upper Moreland was first in the PIAA rankings while Springfield was fourth. Upper Moreland’s only blemish on their season to date was a 32-21 loss to Cheltenham. Springfield’s only loss was to conference foe Plymouth Whitemarsh who is currently holding onto sole possession of first place in league play.  The emotions were high on both sidelines and the atmosphere was electric. Host Upper Moreland held their annual senior night and had a pink out which helped raise money for the Unite 4 Her Organization to fund their mission of education and support for breast cancer awareness. If you would like more info or to donate, please visit linktr.ee/unite4her.

While the game started a bit slow in most viewers eyes, I could tell the defenses had come to play. The entire first half was a chess match, and each team would exchange possessions multiple times without any success getting into the endzone.  Every time someone would gain a little momentum on offense, the defense would come up big on fourth down. I would like to point out that while I didn’t log every defensive statistic. Upper Moreland’s No. 10 Owen Dunleavy and No. 64 Joseph Hardee stood out the most on defense and were all over the field and in on what seemed to be every tackle. Springfield’s No. 2 John Adams and No. 40 Ryan Marcino played very well on both sides of the ball.

The second half started like the first, however I could feel that things were starting to change on the sidelines and each coaching staff was starting to make major adjustments to their play calling and the huge plays started happening for both sides.

The first score wouldn’t come until 9:33 left in the third quarter when Upper Moreland’s running back No. 28 Cameryn Jackson hit the hole and ran untouched seventeen yards. After a successful PAT it was 7-0. A few minutes later and a huge penalty would set up Springfield at the Upper Moreland ten yard-line.

Quarterback Ben Cooney would fake the handoff and take the ball himself untouched into the endzone and tied the score up at 7-7 after a successful PAT. On the ensuing possession and with only twelve seconds remaining in the third quarter Upper Moreland’s Quarterback No. 1 Byron Hopkins would take a designed QB keeper forty-eight yards to the house. After the PAT was good the third would close out with the score 14-7 in favor of the Bears.


The fourth quarter would see the Bears extend their lead to 21-7 with 5:31 left in the game after Quarterback Byron Hopkins crept in on the QB keeper from the five-yard line.

Upper Moreland botched the ensuing kickoff and Springfield would take over at the UM forty-eight-yard line. Not to be outdone and with their backs against the proverbial wall, Springfield’s Quarterback Ben Cooney found wide receiver No. 2 John Adams over the top of the defensive back. A great cutback and spin move resulted in Adams scoring and bringing the Spartans within a touchdown 21-14.

I kid you not, 15 seconds later Upper Moreland’s running back Cameryn Jackson would take the handoff, cutback to the right and race forty-nine-yards down the sidelines for the score!  The Bears lead extended to 28-14.

  A few moments later with only 3:47 left in the game and time dwindling, Springfield’s Ben Cooney connected with his wide receiver John Adams again. This time it was a floating dime from thirty-three-yards out.  Adams made the catch look effortless and easy, but I promise you it wasn’t. He tracked it well and it almost perfectly fell into his hands. After the PAT Springfield again was within a touchdown, now trailing 28-21.

Springfield tried the onside kick but was unsuccessful and each team would exchange possessions one more time in the quarter.  The Bears defense buckled down and refused to give an inch and stopped Springfield on what would be their last possession of the game. UM took over on downs and would run out the clock and secure the victory. After the game UM head coach CJ Szydlik spoke of his team’s huge win and wasn’t shocked at the outcome at all.  “The outcome, I’m not necessarily surprised by because of how hard we’ve practiced the last couple of weeks. When you’re finally starting to get healthy it changes everything for us. Obviously when you’re a smaller school just like Springfield and us, it comes down to nutrition and health. It seems for us we are getting guys back at the right time and hopefully down the stretch that will be big for us.”

Next week Upper Moreland (7-1) (4-1) travels to Plymouth Whitemarsh (6-1) (4-0) and Springfield-Montco (5-2) (3-2) will host George School (2-2) (Independent)

 

UM 00-00-14-14-28

SFT 00-00-07-14-21

 

*PLAYERS OF THE GAME

 

UM-Cameryn Jackson RB NO. 28

18 carries 142 yards, 2 TD’s

2 catches 15 yards

 

UM-Byron Hopkins QB No. 1

5-8 for 49 yards

12 carries 125 yards, 2 TD’s

 

SFT-Ben Cooney QB No. 3

9-15 for 179 yards, 2 TD’s

14 carries 55 yards, TD

 

SFT-John Adams WR No. 2

2 catches 85 yards, 2 TD’s

 

 

 

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