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Roman Catholic stifles East Stroudsburg South to claim first-ever state playoff win

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

| November 16, 2024

Philly powerhouse takes a trip up into the Pocono’s and faces a hard-nosed Cavalier squad and earns the school’s first ever state playoff win in football.

EAST STROUDSBURG- The Roman Catholic Cahillites, a long time staple on the hardwoods, picking up four state titles in the ten years, took their first step Friday night on the road to Cumberland Friday night on the gridiron with a hard-fought 41-13 win over a valiant effort from the Cavaliers of East Stroudsburg South Friday night at Edward H. Christian Stadium, otherwise known as “The Purple Pit” in the opening round of the PIAA State 5A football playoffs.

The Cahillites came in with no less than six legitimate Division I college recruits, led by quarterback Samaj Beals, who has offered from Ohio State, Penn State and Alabama, to name a few, and he is only a junior.

A plethora of penalties, especially by the visitors, bogged down the high-powered offense for much of the first half. Thirteen yellow flags for 120 yards, kept the Cavaliers hanging around. The problem was for Matt Walter’s squad was finishing drives as twice the South’s offense drove deep into Roaman’s territory only to come up empty inside the ten yard line.

The speed of play and the athleticism of the kids from Philadelphia began to take control of the game. Roman Catholic snapped the ball between 9-12 seconds on every play. Much of the home team’s guys are two-way players and that took its’ toll, also the fact that running back Charles Capers, coming off an injury against Whitehall last week and did not practice this week and Xavier Pusateri was also injured in the first half before coming back later in the contest.

Neither team could sustain drives on their opening possessions but Roman struck first with a six yard touchdown by running back JoJo Deleece and a point-after conversion by Eli Pollack made it 7-0 with just under five minutes left in the first quarter.

Then with just over minute to play in that opening quarter, and facing a fourth-and-one from the South 26, rugged back Mykell Ford blasted over the left side of the line and cashed in for the second score of the game for a 14-0 lead.

East Stroudsburg South had three drives in the first half that would be stopped on fourth down attempts, two coming near the five yard line, but despite that they were just down two scores before Beals would hook-up with Rayshawn Scott, who took a pass across the middle on a play that started on the Cahillites 16, and raced in for an 84 yard score making the score 20-0 at intermission.

To start the second half, South used a surprise onside kick and recovered it, but could not take advantage. Roman would use that to put up three scores in the third quarter alone, to pretty much ice the game. Beals who threw for 316 yards on night completing a half a dozen passes for over 20 yards.

A fourteen yard pass from Beals to Elisa Neely started the scoring barrage with 6:57 left in the quarter made it 27-0. Then Beals used his legs as he rolled right could not find a receiver then scrambled left and took it in from 16 yards out making a the score 34-0 at the 4:49 mark. Finally, Beals dropped in a dime to Malik Williams in the back corner of the end zone about a minute later as the Cavalier defense began to wear down and the visitors up 41-0 heading into the final twelve minutes.

Pusateri did have over 140 yards receiving on the night for the Cavaliers and Capers rushed for nearly 75 yards coming up just short of his quest of 2,000 yards on the season. South made it interesting in the fourth quarter as they did get two touchdowns, one by Capers from 4 yards out and a Matthew Mercado score with still 7:52 left to play.

The Cavaliers did force another Cahillite turnover inside Roman territory but could not take advantage and the game would end. South finished the season at 10-3. Roman Catholic now 9-4 will move on to face Holidaysburg, of District 6 next week at a site and time TBD. The Golden Tigers stayed unbeaten with 24-23 win over District two’s Abington Heights 24-23 Friday night.

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