Neumann-Goretti blanks Danville 28 to 0 to advance to the PIAA Class 3A Semi-Final next week ! Photo Gallery Added @NGsaintsFB

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Daniel Reed | November 27, 2021

Neumann-Goretti blanks Danville 28 to 0 to advance to the PIAA Class 3A Semi-Final next week !

The Saints win their 13th game of the 2021 season, a first for the Neumann-Goretti program, said Saints Head Coach Albie Crosby after the game. The Saints came into the game winners of 10 straight, Danville had won 2 straight.  For Danville, this would be the second year in a row the Ironmen made it to the State quarter-final game, last year being against Archbishop Carroll and winning 42 to 21, eventually falling to Wyomissing in the semi-finals. Before the game, I spoke with Ironmen Head Coach, Mike Brennan and he said in order to get back to the State semi-finals, his team ” would have to find a way to match their speed “, Coach Brennan was excited to back to the quarter-finals in back to back years, the first time Danville has done so since 1998-99, said Brennan. It’s not only exciting to get back here for our kids, but it also helps our young kids grow going forward since we only start four seniors. Danville has reached the State quarter-finals in both of Brennans first two seasons with the Ironmen, which says a lot of the coaching philosophy of Coach Brennan, who is a former 2-time State Champion head coach back when he was with Mount Carmel. When I spoke with Saints Head Coach Albie Crosby about getting to the quarter-finals, he said he “was very excited to get this opportunity, feels great to be here.” When asked what his team would need to do to win, and advance in the playoffs, Crosby would say, his team would have to ” play our style of football, just have fun, play the game pure. ”

Danville would begin the game at their 32 yard line, and would show signs of being able to move the ball against the talented defense of Goretti. On the first series, Ironmen QB-Zach Gordon would connect with his main target Carson Persing for 16 yards, following the first down play, Gordon would be sacked by Saints Anthony Johnson for a huge loss. Gordon would once again go to his main target Persing, and connect for another long gain, into Saints territory. Things were looking good for the Ironmen until a huge sack by Christian Williams for four yards on 4th down would turn the ball over on downs. Goretti would now get their chance on offense for the first time, starting at their own 49. A quick three and out for the Saints, and Danville would take over at their 45 following the punt and return. Shortly after, the Ironmen would fumble and Goretti would recover and take over in Danville territory at the 43 with about 8 minutes to go in the first quarter. A 10 yard run by Jayden Sumpter would have the Saints at the Danville 33 but the drive would stall and the Saints would punt once again. Danville would take over deep in their own territory at the 12. Gordon and Ty Stauffer would both have nice runs for a total of 17 yards before having to punt following a huge penalty, pinning the Ironmen back deep to the 14 and facing fourth down. Goretti would get the ball back in Danville territory following the punt and return but a big personal foul on the return, would have the Saints starting back at their own 30. Jasir Jefferson would get the call from QB Marqui Adams and gain about 16 yards on the reception before fumbling and the Ironmen recovering. This was much the scene for the first quarter as on the next play for Danville, they would fumble and the Saints would recover at the Danville 49. A deep pass to Jasir Jefferson would have the Saints at first and goal from the 2. A 5 yard penalty would have the Saints on the 7, and one play later, Goretti would score when the running back would fumble the ball, bouncing into the endzone and recovered by the Saints lineman Samier Bromfield to give the Saints the lead 6 to 0 after the 2 point run was stuffed. Danville would have to punt on their next series with about 1 minute to play in the quarter and the Saints would start the drive from their own 35, runs by Jayden Styles, Marqui Adams, and Sumpter would have Goretti to the Danville 20 just before the quarter would end, with the score still 6 to 0 Saints.

In the second quarter, the Danville defense would tighten up, only to break on a Saints fourth and 11 situation, when Shawn Battle would take it to the house from 7 yards out with 11 minutes to go till halftime. The 2 point pass conversion would be good and we ourselves a 14 to 0 game, Goretti leading. Danville would receive the kickoff and begin at the 35. Koren Robinson would come up big with a sack for a 6 yard loss and the Ironmen would once again be punting to the Saints. Goretti would return the punt back to where the drive stall, and would start their drive at the Danville 37. The Saints would get down to as far as the Ironmen 14 before turning the ball over on downs, and the Ironmen would start their drive deep in their own territory for the second time in the first half, at the 12. Danville would show signs that they can move the ball against this big, quick defense until, Khari Reid would pick off the Gordon pass and the Saints would have it first and 10 at the 48. A deep pass by Adams would be intercepted by Danville’s Persing and the Ironmen would take over at their 8 with just under 2 minutes to go till halftime. There would be no more scoring in the quarter, and would go into the half, 14 to 0, Goretti leading.

At the half, Danville HC Brennan said, we need to ” clean up the errors, we can’t turn the ball over, our defense has to keep battling.”

To begin the second half, Goretti would be getting the ball first and would start just shy of mid-field at the 48. It would take just two plays, both by Jayden Sumpter to put the Saints up 22 to 0, following his long touchdown run of 44 yards, and another 2 point conversion attempt by Jayden Styles. Couple more turnovers and penalties by both squads would play out for much of the third quarter following that Sumpter touchdown run, until late in the quarter, the Saints would add to their lead when Jayden Styles would rumble in from 7 yards out, extending the Goretti lead to 28 to 0 after the 2 point conversion attempt failed. Much of the work load for the Saints was placed on Jayden Sumpter, who finished with a game high, 152 yards on 17 carries and 2 touchdowns, followed by Jayden Style, who had 62 yards on 12 carries, and 1 touchdown. Danville just couldn’t get the running going, finishing with (-4) yards on 27 carries, while Goretti would tally up 266 yards on the ground, on 40 carries. If the Saints(13-1) hope to advance to the finals and defeat the winner of today’s Scranton Prep(12-0)/Wyomissing(13-0) game, they will definitely need to clean up the costly penalties, as the Saints totalled 12 penalties for 110 yards and 3 turnovers(2 fumbles lost, 1 INT).

Game Photos: @PFNDan570FB

https://pafootballnews.smugmug.com/2021-Class-3A-State-Semi-Final-Goretti-vs-Danville

Video Highlights will be shared later tonight…

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