Stream Pennsylvania High School Football on the NFHS Network
 
 
 
SAFR: Safer Through Science
 
CoachComm Cobalt Plus
 
Turf Tank
 

St. Joe’s Prep just too much for Parkland

Tagged under: District 11, District 12, Gameday Hub, Playoffs

| November 23, 2024

Perkasie-

It was a cold, rainy, snowy night in Perkasie for this PIAA 6A Quarterfinal matchup.  Prep came in to the game fresh off a blowout victory over Imhotep Charter looking to take another step towards back-to-back state championships.  Parkland was fresh off a dominant 6A District 11 championship victory over Emmaus, a team who had previously handed Parkland one of their two regular season losses.

As for this game, Prep won the coin-toss and elected to receive the opening kick.  Starting at their own 40 yard-line after a solid return, Hawk sophomore QB Charlie Foulke led his offense deliberately down the field, finding wideouts Jett Harrison and Jamir Rowe to cross over in to Parkland territory.  Later in the drive, Khyan Billups found a hold and rumbled 21 yards deep in to Trojan territory.  It was looking like Prep was about to take an early lead, however the Parkland defense had other ideas, linebacker T.J. Lawrence blitzed and caused a strip sack on Foulke and Parkland’s Matthew Dorsey was there to fall on it for the Trojans.

On the following offensive possession, Parkland was able to get out of the shadow of their own end-zone, but not mount much of a drive after picking up an initial first down.  A punt gave the ball back to Prep just on their own side of the 50.  Prep looked to have busted a big gain via a run by Khyan Billups, but a yellow hankey for a hold brought back what would have been a 35 yard jaunt by the back.  The Hawks couldn’t get anything going after the holding call and the Parkland defense once again was able to get the ball back in to the hands of their offense.  This offensive series for the Trojans saw more of the same with the Prep defense dictating the action and forcing another punt by the Trojan offense which was the first play of the 2nd quarter.  Prep made a solid return on the play bring the ball all the way back to the Parkland 48 yardline.  Billups took the hand-off on the first play of the drive around the left side of the line for a big gain. On the next play Foulke found Harrison for a quick 6 yard strike which was followed up by another Billups run to convert another first down.  Foulke then found wideout Rameir Hardy over the middle on third down for a 16 yard score to finally break the scoreless.  The extra-point attempt was blocked which left the score at 6-0 tie with 10:36 remaining in the half.

On the ensuing Trojan possession, quarterback Osmany Guzman looked to find some success through the air finding Dauberman for a gain of 15 and then T.J. Lawrence for a solid pickup on the very next play.  However, 2 incompletions later, the Trojans were facing a 4th and 4 and they decided to go for it.  Prep linebacker Cam Smith put an end to the drive on that 4th down play, sacking Guzman on a blitz around the outside.

The Prep offense took the field and made quick work of the Parkland defense on this drive.  On the 3rd play of the drive, Foulke found Jett Harrison down the seam for a 33 yard score to put Prep up 13-0 over Parkland with 6:58 remaining in the half.

The Parkland offense wasforced in to a 3-and-out on their next drive.  On their ensuing possession, Prep had fantastic field position after a great punt return all the way to the Parkland 33.  However, penalties and a big sack by Domenic Martrich forced Prep to punt.  The punt was then blocked by the Trojans which gave them great field position right around mid-field.  Prep’s defense came back out on the field and once again took care of business and forced a 3-and-out.  Once again, the punt was returned in to Parkland territory, this time to the Trojans’ own 35 yard-line. Billups got the ball on back to back rushes and get a Prep first down to start the drive.  Two plays later, Foulke found Hardy once again over the top for the 20 yard score to put Prep up 20-0 with just over a minute left in the first half.

Parkland looked to respond quickly before the end of the half, but Masiia Ackery had other ideas as he picked off Guzman on 3rd down.  Prep then ran out the clock to end the first half.

Parkland received the ball to start the 2nd half and Guzman took to the air completing his first 2 passes to get the Trojans and initial first down, but the Prep defense stiffened and forced a Parkland punt.  Prep kept the ball mostly on the ground this drive, handing the ball off to Billups 5 times and with his 5 carry of the drive found an opening in the Parkland defense for the 2 yard TD run to put Prep up 27-0 with 5:57 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

The Trojans, on their ensuing drive were once again be forced to punt after a 3-and-out by a suffocating Prep defense.  The ensuing Prep possession saw Foulke find Jamir Rowe for a long gain to get the Hawks in to Parkland territory.  Two plays later, Billups once again found pay-dirt.  This time, from 33 yards out up the middle of the Trojan defense to put the Hawks up 34-0 with 1:57 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

The Trojans took the field for their next offensive possession and Guzman quickly found Leo Dauberman for 2 consecutive completions to get Parkland a first down.  This was followed by a third consecutive completion to Preston Mertz for a second first down on the drive.  This drive then crossed over in to the 4th quarter and the Prep defense put the clamps back on forcing 3 consecutive incomplete passes and another Trojan punt.  At this point in the game, Foulke had been subbed out and backup QB Trey Henning had been given the reins to the Prep offense.  On his third pass attempt of the drive after picking up an initial first down through the air, and errant pass of his was picked off by Parkland’s Dauberman who was then stripped of the ball during the return and recovered by the Hawks.  Prep did not put this new opportunity to waste as a few plays later, Henning found Alijah Turner for a long score to put Prep up 40-0 with just over 6 minutes remaining in the game.

Parkland could not be denied on their next possession as Guzman lead the Trojan offense down the field and were able to avoid the shutout as T.J. Lawrence found the end-zone from 2 yards out to make the score 40-7 with 3:05 left in the game.

Prep received the ensuing kick-off and ran out the clock to end the game.  In what was a long night for Parkland, the Prep defense headed by linebackers Anthony Sacca and Cam Smith were just too much for the Trojan offense who couldn’t make the Hawks pay for their turnovers or untimely penalties.

With the win, St. Joe’s Prep moves to 9-2 on the season and in to the PIAA 6A State Semifinal to take on Downingtown West who are fresh off a 35-16 victory over North Penn.  Parkland sees their District XI championship season come to an end with a record of 11-3.

After the game Ryan Scipio was able to listen in on the post-game speech by Prep head coach Tim Roken and I was able to track down Prep QB Charlie Foulke for some words.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
PA Football News Scoreboard presented by NFHS Network
 
GoRout
 
Showcase by Circle W Sports
 
Football Legends board game
 
 
x