Senior Leadership Sparks Big 2nd Half for Garnet Valley in Win Over Penncrest
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Willie McGonigle | September 6, 2024
GLEN MILLS: Garnet Valley Head Coach Eric Van Wyk knows his Senior Class, so his Jaguars entered the locker room at halftime tied at 14 with the visiting Penncrest Lions. He knew he could count on his seniors to step up and step up they did, turning a pretty even-matched game at halftime into a comfortable 49-14 victory at Garnet Valley’s Moe DeFrank Stadium.
“I think it was more of a credit to Penncrest in the first they were physical they were probably aggressors then the second half the senior leadership took over. They decided there’s a standard here and they needed to bring more energy and focus and the result of that showed it. Van Wyk said.
Those sentiments were echoed by Nolan Carroll who said “We were challenged at half weren’t they brand of football that we know and love. Coaches didn’t have to say much to us in the locker room. The senior class stood up and we knew it was on us. We stuck together, believed in our training and our coaching staff and we were able to get the job done just through the leadership of our senior class.
It was Carroll that jumpstarted the Jaguars onslaught of the Lions in the second half when he intercepted Zach Mullin and raced 35 yards for the touchdown that put the Jaguars up 20-14 a mere four plays into the second half.
“It was perfectly executed we ran scout reps just like that in practice, defense corners covered it perfectly, outside linebackers got great pressure forced a short throw and I just made a play on the ball and celebrated in the endzone with my best friends in the endzone. “Carroll said of interception.
The Jaguars added to their lead on their third play of the second half when QB Luke O’Donoghue kept the ball himself and bolted 65 yards for the touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, O’Donoghue connected with Caden Kohler for an 81-yard touchdown. It was the pair’s third time connecting for a touchdown in the game.
O’Donoghue added his second rushing touchdown of the game, this one from 15 yards out to cap the scoring.
The O’Donoghue-Kohler connection got the game’s scoring started with their 64 yard-touchdown. On the ensuing Lions drive Griffin Hays recovered a fumble setting the Jaguars up with the ball on the Lions’ 46. However, the Lions got a turnover of their own when Asher Wynne picked up a fumble and raced 55 yards to the endzone, tying the game at 7.
With under 30 seconds left in the first half O’Donoghue-Kohler connected for a 25-yard touchdown but the lead was short-lived on the ensuing kickoff Wynne returned it 87 yards to tie things up at 14 heading into the locker room at half.
Kohler finished the game with 212 receiving yards on 6 catches
The Jaguars return to action next Saturday when they travel to Lower Merion for a 1 pm kickoff. The Lions will travel to Springfield next Friday for a 7 pm kickoff.
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