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Cinderella run ends for the EEAC Raptors with loss to Trinity 35 to 17 at COBA Field !

Tagged under: District 11, District 3, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs

| November 26, 2022


A pick-6 by the Rocks Amil Way seals victory for Trinity with 35 to 17 win over a scrappy, very athletic, second year program Executive Education Academy Charter team.

In a game filled with penalty flags throughout the night, it was still thrilling to say the least. On the first play of the game following the kickoff to Trinity and huge return to the Raptors 48 by Trey Weiand, it would be Messiah Mickens off to the races for 48 yards and the score and with just 20 seconds off the clock, we had ourselves a 7 to 0 lead for the Shamrocks. An eleven play drive by the Raptors would come to a halt when on 4th and 2 at the 35, EEAC QB-Darmel Lopez would throw deep to Damon Young only to have it fall incomplete, turning the ball back over to Trinity. The Shamrocks would amount a 58 yard drive on 7plays before a 25 yard field goal would be blocked by the Raptors, giving EEAC some spark. Spark was just what they needed as on their ensuing possession, the Raptors would drive 87 yards on just 5 plays resulting in a 15 yard touchdown pass from Lopez to Emery Plummer, followed by a two-point conversion to put EEAC up 8 to 7, now in the second quarter with 9:12 to play until halftime.


Trinity would lose focus it seemed on their next possession as they would commit 5 penalties, looking at a fourth and 30 at their own 18, forced to punt. On the Raptors next possession, it would take them just 1 minute, 3 plays and 31 yards later to score on a  26 yard pass from Lopez to Jyhmiek Roman, followed by the PAT, the score now 15 to 7 Raptors leading the Rocks with 9:12 to go until halftime.


There would be one final score before the half following by punts from both teams, and with 5:21 to go till the half, the Rocks would have the ball at their 46. QB-Caleb Way would go 2 for 3 for 43 yards on the drive, capped off with a 23 yard touchdown pass to Trey Weiand to close the gap to a 15 to 14  lead for EEAC with 3:33 to play in the first half. Raptors now with the ball, would go 9 plays before Darmel Lopez would suffer his first of five interceptions for the game when Amil Way would snag the pass for his first of two picks on the evening. A kneel down by the Rocks would close out the first half with the score, Raptors leading the Rocks 15 to 14.


With the lead coming out of the half, it was looking like the Raptors were on the verge of winning until the defense of the Rocks came out rocking, holding the Raptors to a 3 and out on their opening drive of the second half. Trinity would soon take the lead for the second time of the game when a four play, all runs would end with a 40 yard touchdown on a reverse, finished off when Cole Cappawana would take off around the left end and scamper to paydirt with 8:52 to play in the third, and holding the lead now 21 to 15.


On the Raptors next drive, Lopez would suffer his second pick of the game when Jacob Ness would make the grab giving Trinity the ball at the 23. The Raptors would go for it on fourth down on that drive, a 4th and 11 at their 19 and would convert with a fake punt, pass to Cazhiere Richardson for 16 yards and the first down. Multiple flags and that interception by Ness ended the drive with 4:30 to go in the quarter. Trinity wasted no time to pull away in just two plays, going 22 yards, ending with a 16 yard touchdown run by Sophomore RB-Christian Joy to put the Rocks ahead 28 to 15. Following a touchback on the kickoff, the Raptors would ready go with 4:18 to play in the third but would once again by forced to punt, however, another fake punt, pass deep in EEAC territory would fall incomplete giving Trinity the ball in great field position at the 17 of EEAC. Unfortunately for the Rocks, they would suffer an interception of their own when the pass from Way would be picked by Cazhiere Richardson with 2:57 and the Raptors had some life back in them. The quarter would eventually come to an end with the Raptors driving, still trailing 28 to 15.

After 11plays that would go for 26 yards to the EEAC 34, we were headed to the final quarter of play. A big sack by Tucker Paynter and Jacob Ness for a -12 yard loss, followed by a tipped pass would have the Raptors staring at a 4th down and 21 yards to go with 10:53 to play. On the next play, the pass from Lopez to Jyhmiek Roman would fall just short of the first down marker, going 20 yards, that would turn the ball over to the Rocks on downs. Trinity would punt on the ensuing drive and EEAC would have the ball at their 8 yard line with 5:39 to go in the game. We all knew what was about to happen and sure enough, the passes started flying with one of them, ending up in the hands of Amil Way that would be return 96 yards for the score giving the Shamrocks a 35 to 15 lead with 3:38 left to play.


EEAC would run just one play before suffering yet another interception, this one by Payton Schaffner. Schaffner would eventually grab another pick on the Raptors next possession but not before a block punt, going out of the back of the endzone, resulting in a safety, with the score now 35 to 17 Trinity, with the ball going back to the Raptors with 1:32 left to play. On the next play however, Trinity would grab their 5th and final interception of the game when once again, it was Schaffner taking the ball at the 8 with just over 1 minute to play. Two kneel downs later would end the game with the final score reading Trinity-35, EEAC-17.

With the win, the Shamrocks advance to the PIAA CLASS 2A STATE SEMI-FINAL vs Southern Columbia(10-3), a Tigers team that earlier in the season, seemed to have fallen off but quickly rebounded and showed us why they are the 5x defending class 2a state champions. The Tigers also will return the Class 2A Eastern Final for a record 22nd time.

My Post-Game Interview with Sophomore OLB/WR Payton Schaffner:

Take a look at the brackets below to see who will be playing next week in the PIAA State Semi-Finals !

click to see brackets

GAME STATS, PHOTO GALLERY AND VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS LATER TOMORROW EVENING AT WWW.PAFOOTBALLNEWS.COM  !!

DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW @pafootballnews on twitter AS WELL AS @PFNDan570FB, @BPtashinski, @kfeger30, and @FasnachtBrayden FOR ALL YOUR DISTRICT XI HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE !

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