North Pocono at Bishop Shanahan

Recap

NORTH POCONO 40, BISHOP SHANAHAN 36

In a wildly entertaining PIAA first round contest in Class 4A, North Pocono remained unbeaten by turning back Bishop Shanahan, 40-36. The Trojans will go on to face the winner of the game between Cardinal O’Hara and West Philadelphia next weekend at a time and site to be determined.

The Trojans owned the first quarter and looked as though they would run away with the ball game, jumping out to a 13-0 lead. North Pocono scored on their first drive as Josiah Gray pounded the ball in from 3 yards out, blasting off the right side and into the end zone. Shane Youngblood’s point after made it 7-0 with 8:44 remaining in the opening quarter.

After locking up Shanahan on downs, the Trojans drove 42 yards in 5 plays. Once again, it was Gray doing the honors from 3 yards out. A bad snap on the point after attempt left the score at 13-0 in favor of the Trojans after the first period.

Shanahan got on the board in the second quarter as lead back Nate Bracken carried in from 8 yards out. Salvi DeBellis added the extra point to whittle the North Pocono lead to 13-7 with 2:01 left before halftime.

North Pocono was able to add to their lead in the third quarter as Gray notched his third scoring run of the evening, this time on an 18-yard jaunt. Youngblood added one more to give North Pocono a seemingly comfortable 20-7 lead. But two Shanahan touchdowns in less than a minute’s time turned the game around completely. Shanahan led 21-20 after three quarters of play.

The fourth quarter was one for the history books, beginning with Cole West’s first touchdown of the evening. West took the direct snap in Wildcat formation and scooted 4 yards off the right side, putting North Pocono back in front, 26-21 just seconds into the game’s final period.

It was at that point that Bishop Shanahan’s passing attack found itself. Quarterback Anthony Aquila hooked up with Aidan Civitella on a 52-yard scoring aerial to put Shanahan back in front at 29-26 with 8:29 left to play.

The Trojans countered on a 5-minute drive that resulted in Chase Zimmerman’s 1-yard plunge, as the junior quarterback burrowed his way into the end zone. The Trojans had regained the lead by the score of 33-29.

But Shanahan was not yet done. The familiar combination of Aquila to Civitella struck again, this time from midfield, and things looked bleak for North Pocono as they trailed Shanahan 36-33 with just 2:14 left on the fourth quarter clock.

The Trojans quickly drove into Shanahan territory and had the football at the 21-yard line with just 55 seconds left in the football game. It was then that Cole West gave North Pocono fans the play of a lifetime, breaking tackle after tackle and dragging numerous Shanahan tacklers into the end zone to complete a 21-yard scoring run and add another highlight to his long list this season. Youngblood’s extra point made it 40-36 in favor of North Pocono with just 46 seconds left.

The last gasp for Shanahan came to an end when Aquila was sacked and stripped of the football with just 34 seconds remaining, touching off a wild celebration on the North Pocono sideline.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER

NP – Josiah Gray 3-yd run (Shane Youngblood kick)

NP – Gray 3-yd run (Kick failed)

2ND QUARTER

BS – Nate Bracken 8-yd run (Salvi Debellis kick)

3RD QUARTER

NP – Gray 18-yd run (Youngblood kick)

BS – Anthony Aquila 8-yd run (Debellis kick)

BS – Danny Keenan 24-yd interception return (Debellis kick)

4TH QUARTER

NP – Cole West 4-yd run (Run failed)

BS – Aidan Civitella 52-yd pass from Aquila (Bracken pass from Aquila)

NP – Chase Zimmerman 1-yd run (Youngblood kick)

BS – Civitella 50-yd pass from Aquila (Debellis kick)

NP – West 21-yd run (Youngblood kick)