Bishop Shanahan PFN #7 Survives Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Predergast PFN HM to Advance to the 4A Quarterfinals

Tagged under: District 1, District 12, Gameday Hub, pfn

Marcus Sic | November 22, 2021

Halfway through the first Quarter it looked like the Shanahan Eagles were going to quickly depose of the Bonner & Pendergast Friars, after two Cooper Jordan scampers the Eagles led 14-0 , it looked like the Friars had no answer to the Eagles speedy offense or their smothering defense and the rout was on.  Then Bonner scored on a forth and goal from the one, Shanahan  was moving the ball between the 20s but the Eagles could not finish a drive, committed a costly turnover inside the Friar’s 3 yard line, somehow the first half ended 14-7. Suddenly the Eagles knew there was to be no rout and the Friars would fight to the end. Both defenses dominated the second half, neither team threatening to score and when a forth and 21 pass, with seconds to go in the forth quarter, fell harmlessly to the ground, the Eagles had survived a tough bunch from Bonner and moved on to the State Quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

Bishop Shanahan returned the opening kickoff to there own 36 yard line. The Eagles offense, with QB Cooper Jordan pulling the trigger, used a combination of off tackle power, jet sweeps and a pin point passing game. Shanahan’s no huddle offense seemed to befuddle the Friar’s defense. For the first 9 plays and 47 yards of the drive the Eagles RB/WR Colin McGrory did most of the damage, combining tough in between the tackles power running, scampering to the outside and key catches to move the ball to the Friars 17 yard line. Then on the 10th play of the drive, the City Champs got a taste of the quickness and vision of the Suburbs Champs QB. Jordan called his own number on a QB counter, and in a flash he was in the end zone, after kicker Zane Domsohm’s extra point  split the uprights, Shanahan led 7-0. Bonner took over after the kickoff at their own 24 yard line, with QB Shane Mulholland and Bonner’s single season rushing record holder Mason Peterson ready to test the Eagles stingy defense. It did not take the Eagles defense long to engage, after three plays the Friar’s were forced to punt. The Eagles were back in business at their own 32 yard line, this time it only took the Eagles two plays to score when Jordan dropped back to pass, then made an electrifying 62 yard scramble to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead. Again Bonner’s offense took the field trying to establish the run, Shanahan’s defense led by outstanding Senior linebacker Brandon Choi and Senior  defensive tackle Dylan Jones, once again held the Friars to three plays and a punt. The Eagles drove the ball down the field but made some costly miscues and were forced to punt. The Friars took over at their own 10 yard line. From there Mulholland took over and for the first time the Friars offense showed some signs of life, Mulholland dropped back and completed three passes to get deep inside Eagles territory for the first time. Bonner then faced forth down from the Eagles 34 yard line, Mulholland cooly hit wideout Mylachi Williams who took the reception to the Shanahan 7. Bonner employed a double wing wildcat formation, with Peterson taking the direct snap, after three runs up the middle Bonner was faced with a forth and goal from just inside the 2 yard line. This time Mulholland took the direct snap, did his best Tim Tebow impersonation, throwing a perfect jump pass to tight end Austin Cannon, Colin Finnegan added the extra point making it a 14-7 ballgame. What no one knew on a cold Chester County night was that, Finnegan’s extra point would end the scoring for the night.

Both teams traded punts, with Shanahan taking over on their own 10 yard line, with 2:11 to go until halftime. Instead of running out the clock, taking a touchdown lead into halftime, Coach Paul Myers decided to roll the dice and give Jordan a chance to make things happen. On the first play Jordan faded back then looped a screen pass to McGrory, McGrory weaved his way through the Friar defense then broke down the sideline, looking like he would give the Eagles a 14 point halftime lead. Then out of no where Bonner’s Armon Mapp made a diving tackle on the 7 yard line. With time left on the clock Shanahan ran two off tackle plays, leaving them with a third and goal from the 3 yard line. Jordan rolled left, finding no one open scrambled around the Friar defenders then threw what looked like  desperation throw into the end zone that was intercepted by Damir Williams-Bey, ending the first half.

After amassing almost 300 yards of offense in the first half, Bonner’s defense corralled the explosive Eagles for much of the second half. As it did in the first half Shanahan’s stifling defense hemmed in Peterson, while keeping constant pressure on Mulholland, consequently the teams spent the third quarter exchanging punts. The Eagles put together their only drive of the second half early in the 3rd quarter, reaching the Friar’s 14 yard line, from there Zane Domsohm’s 31 yard field was partially deflected floating off to the right. Bonner starting at their own 20 yard line mounted their best drive of the second half, as QB Shane Mulholland put his team on his back, starting with a 45 yard scramble that got the Friars into Shanahan territory. Peterson, who had 18 carries for just 63 yards, put together back to back runs resulting in a first and goal form the 6. But as it has all season the Eagles defense put up an unpenetrable wall, not allowing the Friars an inch on three plays. On forth and goal, the Eagles pressured Mulholland into throwing a floater that fell harmlessly to the turf. The Friars would have one more shot at tying the game in the waning moments of the forth quarter, Mulholland hit his wideout Saie with a strike, getting the ball across the 50, after a sack and an incompletion facing third and long Mulholland again hit Saie down the side line for what looked like a first down at the 27, on the play Saie was flagged for illegal participation, then a bad snap forced the Friars into a forth and 39. Mulholland through the ball over the middle, Shanahan was called for pass interference, after the penalty, on forth and 24, Mulholland once again would try a desperation pass, that fell quietly to the turf, ending the Friar’s hopes.

Bishop Shanahan will move on to the 4A quarterfinals against Valley View on Friday night.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews