MARPLEY – There may not be as much on the line in the ranks of the Catholic League as Bonner and Prendergast and Cardinal O’Hara venting their frustrations at each other.
The hoops still pop, stares — and occasional taunts — at downed opponents, and many who attended the Friars’ 49-21 win over host O’Hara were injured and headed home Friday night.
The Friars (3-1, 2-0 PCL Blue) built a 28-0 lead late in the second quarter and had a 35-7 edge in the third quarter. But the Lions bounced back by a touchdown every time their penalty clock saw them.
“We had some penalties at the wrong time and were a little undisciplined,” Bonner and Prindy coach Jack Muldoon said. But we came together again at the right time.
“Mike (Ewing, O’Hara’s first-year head coach) is doing a great job with a young team. They played really hard, and his grandfather (former O’Hara head coach Bobby Ewing, who died in 2021) was very proud of him.
The Lions (0-5, 0-2) held the Freys to a three-and-out on their first possession of the game, then unloaded a 55-yard punt after Lions freshman punter Gavin McLean transferred to B&P. 1-yard line.
Justin Shepard needed just eight plays to lead the team into the end zone, and his 32-yard pass to Jalil Hall set up the first six points.
Mylachi Williams set up the next TD for the visitors with an interception on the second play of the second quarter. Avery ran 50 yards on the sixth play after Hankey picked off Williams.
The blocked punt put the Fruits back to work 14 yards from the end zone a minute later, and Isaiah Sessions had his first field goal seven minutes before halftime.
A Mick Johnson hit separated O’Hara quarterback John Weld from the ball, and Shepherd and Zach Coney connected on a 20-yard pass play for a first down.
“You know about the Bonner-O’Hara rivalry every year,” Coney said. “It turns out this is our next game and we’re looking for our next win.
“(Thursday) was practically the calm before the storm. Coach did his usual job and gave us his speech. It was business as usual today.”
Welde (18-for-41 for 185 yards passing) put O’Hara on the board with an eight-yard completion to Ethan Schulch (seven catches, 61 yards) before halftime.
Jaylen Johnson’s 22-yard run gave the Friars their only score of the third quarter, which they did not attempt to pass.
“We couldn’t let anything get in our way,” said Sessions, who had a field goal in the fourth quarter. We came here to prove we were the better team and our (offensive) line did a great job moving the ball.
Welde added a 49-yard fake punt from McLean to Tommy Duggan on a 49-yard fake punt from McLean to Tommy Duggan in the fourth with a touchdown pass to O’Hara and a TD run to O’Hara in the final minute of the third quarter.
