What impressed me most about La Salle and St. Joseph’s Prep was, A) the size and talent on both lines, and B) the Prep sophomore running back Olamide Zaccheaus.
The battle in the trenches was worth the price of admission alone.
As for Zaccheaus, he had a few runs straight up the middle that he ended up breaking for long gains. “How the heck did he do that?” He makes people miss better than anyone I’ve seen this year. …
Swarthmore resident Dave Tracz, senior lineman on St. Joseph’s Prep, on the prospect of meeting La Salle again for the Catholic League 4A title.
“If we get there,” he said. “We don’t look ahead that far. We’ve got more games to play.” …
Because I didn’t have the chance to write much about this game, I’ll probably have some stats up later, if anyone is interest. My story focuses more on the atmosphere and the Delco connection on the Prep …
I told Strath Haven running back Tevon Howie Friday night that his team is 4-0 this season when he rushes for 100 yards. What does he make of that?
“I don’t know,” he said, “but I want to thank my offensive line.”
Well played. …
QUIRKY STAT: An interesting note from Radnor-Upper Darby: Radnor fumbled five times, but not once did UD actually force it. The fumbles came off pitches and handoffs. That has to be some kind of record …
Delco Football 
Fumbles all over the place. Seems like every other game, whether Delco or the region is loaded with fumbles by both teams.
Are coaches practicing hand-offs and pitches enough? Running backs and QB’s should be doing this after practice together along with passing/receiving drills with receivers on their own.
During practice throw in some strip drills. Are coaches doing rip and strip, gauntlet and hammer drills any more?
It’s real old school, but have backs and QB’s carry a football everywhere they go. Class, lunch, you name it. If anything, have them to do it as punishment for a fumble in a game, but given how politically correct schools are these days, that might be bullying…
@Andy maybe defensive coaches are doing a much better job at teaching how to secure the tackle and strip the ball. Obviously it’s a carry by carry basis. I’m just playing devils advocate here.
Yeah, but when I’m seeing 6 or 7 fumbles a game between two teams, I put it on the offense.
The whole point of strip and rip and gauntlet drills to practice to prevent stripping.
Matt just posted above about 5 fumbles without the other team touching the ball on hand-offs and pitches and I’ve seen a lot of fumbles in the games I’ve seen from standard tackles and not stripping. I’ve seen a lot of fumbles without the D stripping.
Andy how much time is spent coaching individual positions at this point of the season? How much time do position coaches actually get at the high school level? Again just playing devils advocate; but you are talking about a Royals(3-4) squad whose signature game thus far was actually an OT loss to Springfield and a winless Radnor squad. That shouldn’t be your measuring stick.
Look at LaSalle’s scores including The Prep game…you’re talking about a defense that has given up an average of 10 points per game with 5/7 games a TD or less. LaSalle has 6 INTS this season and scored 3 times defensively thus far (Ted Silary Site)
Same goes for The Prep for 6 games this season the Hawks have given up an average of 9.5 ppg…going 3/6 games a TD or less. The Prep defense has 11 INT’s this season and scored 4 times defensively thus far (Ted Silary Site)
Just saying those two defenses know how to “cause” turnovers.
Sure, when you have two dominant teams with bigger and faster players hammering lesser opponents, they will get turnovers.
And how many did they have against each other when they played?
It wasn’t pretty. From what I saw of the game watching it on and off on Livestream (can’t reference every turnover as I was doing other things while watching) there were some turnovers that just should not have happened.
High School kids should hold on to the ball when taking a solid hit – and I’ve seen a bit of it this year between relatively equal opponents. They should be able to pitch and catch. They shouldn’t throw the ball up for grabs on passes, but after watching Vick fumble and throw balls away for the Eagles, perhaps I’m being a little harsh.
Note, however, a lot of Vick’s fumbles and INTs are unforced errors. That’s what I’m talking about. Should not be happening so much at any level.