D-LIGHTFUL

Neshaminy’s defense posts shutout of P-W in district opener

By STEPHEN CORNELL COURIER TIMES
 

    LANGHORNE — Neshaminy’s going to have to wait a little longer for its first stiff test of the 2005 postseason.

    The Redskins treated visiting SOL American Conference champion Plymouth-Whitemarsh like just another SOL National also-ran in the first round of the District One Class AAAA tournament.

    Second-seeded Neshaminy manhandled No. 7 P-W, 38-0, on Friday night.

    The Redskins (10-1) face the winner of tonight’s Downingtown East-Pennsbury game next week in the district semifinals.

    P-W (8-3) had won eight straight games and scored 231 points in its previous five games. Neshaminy held the Colonials to 221 yards of total offense.

    P-W senior running back Da’Rel Scott entered the game with 2,440 rushing yards and 36 TDs in 10 games.

    The Redskins limited him to 81 yards on 24 carries. Scott had one 36-yard run in the middle of the third quarter with his team already down, 24-0, and pretty much out.

    Scott gained two yards or fewer on 17 of his 24 carries and was stopped behind the line of scrimmage six times.

    “The defense played great,” Neshaminy coach Mark Schmidt said. “I was a little disappointed that we gave up the yards we did, but we stepped up and made plays and kept them out of the end zone. That shows the toughness our kids have.”

    The Colonials drove inside Neshaminy’s 15-yard line three times but couldn’t get any points.

    On fourth down from the Redskins’ 13-yard line early in the second quarter, Neshaminy defensive back Max Parkhomchuk sacked P-W quarterback Lance Wilson for a 12-yard loss.

    The Redskins also stopped Wilson inside the 1-yard line on the final play of the first half, and Jarred Kinney intercepted Wilson at the goal line with 3:54 left in the third quarter.

    “They came close [to scoring], but they came into the game scoring 30 points a game,” Kinney said. “To get a goose egg, a big zero, on the board against an explosive offense like that is huge. I think we made a statement going into the next round.”

    On offense, it was business as usual for the Redskins, who are averaging 37.3 points a game and have scored 35 points or more eight times in 11 games.

    Kinney ran for 136 yards on 14 carries and had touchdown runs of 46 yards and 12 yards.

    He has 1,475 yards this season on 175 carries and has scored 18 TDs.

    Junior quarterback Andrew Flogel completed eight of 10 pass attempts —eight straight after two early incompletions — for a season-high 173 yards and hooked up with Jason Kinney on a 36-yard TD in the third quarter.

    Flogel has completed 57 of 100 pass attempts this season for 1,050 yards and 13 TDs with only three interceptions. In his last five games, he has completed 67.3 percent of his passes (35 of 52) for 641 yards and six TDs.

    “Sometimes I wish I could change the plays and throw the ball more,” said Flogel, who is averaging only 9.1 passes a game. “But as we get deeper into the playoffs, we’ll have to throw the ball more.”

    Senior receiver Doug Rosnick had three catches for 77 yards and Jason Kinney caught three balls for 73 yards.

    They’ve combined for 50 receptions this season for 961 yards and have almost identical numbers. Rosnick has 25 catches for 480 yards and Jason Kinney has 25 catches for 481 yards.

    “Flogel threw the ball nice,” Jarred Kinney said. “[P-W] came in trying to stop our run and we capitalized with the pass. We have a balanced football team. Our receivers want to make plays and because their numbers aren’t called as much, when they do get the ball, they’re big.”