Friars Prep for Bonner with 55-7 Win

MALVERN—Saturday's non-league meeting between Penn Wood and the Friars of Malvern Prep was a classic example of two teams heading in different directions.

The Patriots, with no returning varsity starters, are rebuilding and looking to establish themselves as a program. Malvern Prep is preparing to embark on a journey aimed at claiming the Inter-Ac title.

The Friars got on the board early, as sophomore tailback Shawn Wilson scurried around the left side and shuffled into the end zone from 22 yards out on the opening drive of the game.

In what would be a recurring theme, Penn Wood, stifled by the Friars defensive front four, went three and out, giving Malvern Prep great field position, which they quickly took advantage of. Senior quarterback Tom Rumer guided them down the field completing three of four passes, culminating with senior fullback Joe Nilan pounding it in from four yards out, posting Prep to a 13-0 lead as the first quarter concluded.

Rumer boosted the Malvern lead to 20 points when he connected on the first of two 33-yard touchdown strikes on the day to Eric Purnell.

The lone bright spot of the afternoon offensively for Penn Wood, which did not earn a first down until their final possession of the game with four minutes remaining, was an 80-yard burst by Rich Ringgold (9 carries, 93 yards) following another deep kick off by Dennis Gabert to draw the Patriots back to within 13 at 20-7.

“We knew they were a young team coming in,” said Malvern Prep head coach Kevin Pellegrini. “It’s important in games like this that we focus on getting the job done early so we can get some of our reserves some valuable game experience, which may be helpful down the stretch if we can get some of our guys playing just one way. I think our line did an outstanding job today.”

The Friars poured it on in the second period, posting 28 points in the quarter, to take a 41-7 lead into the locker room at the intermission.

Following Purnell’s second TD reception, Nilan adding his second touchdown run from four yards out and a 17-yard interception return for a touchdown by Dan Riordan.

“We take every team seriously,” said Nilan. “Our running backs could have a better offensive line to run behind; these guys are awesome. The defense today played unbelievable, they completely shut them down, and it seemed like every time we got the ball we were in the red zone.”

Thanks in large part to outstanding kicks by Gabert and the coverage team, the Patriots started seven consecutive possessions inside their own 20 and had to feel like the shadow of the goal posts were tattooed on the white jerseys.

As the second half got underway, junior signal caller Billy Ford led the Friars down the field in their opening possession on a 71-yard scoring drive, culminating with him calling his own number on a sneak, plunging in from the 2-yardline. 

A 20-yard touch down run by Jim Gentile with 2:15 left in the third quarter closed out the scoring at 55-7, and put an exclamation point on thoroughly dominating performance. The Friars will now have two weeks to get ready for a yearly battle with Philadelphia Catholic League power Monsignor Bonner.

“This is an important two weeks of practice,” added Pellegrini. “I don’t think any of our guys would say that they are satisfied with our level of performance yet. We need to keep working hard in practice; there is really no time to coast through any days of work. We have one goal and to get there we have to be ready when our league schedule starts.”

Notes: The Malvern Prep offensive line, led by Northwestern recruit Connor Mahoney and recently committed to University of Virginia recruit Mike Mooney, helped the Friars generate 16 first downs and more than 300 yards in offense.

Penn Wood        0            7           0           0       — 7

Malvern Prep     13          28          14         0       — 55

Scoring

First quarter

9:37     MP            Wilson            22 yd run (Tiberi kick)

  :33     MP            Nilan 4 run       (kick failed)

Second quarter

10:02   MP            Purnell 33 yard pass from Rumer (Tiberi kick)

  8:53   PW            Ringgold 80 run            (Jordan kick)

  2:58   MP            Nilan 4 yd run   (Tiberi kick)

  1:35   MP            Riordan 17 yd interception return (Tiberi kick)

    :35   MP            Purnell 32 yard pass from Rumer  (Tiberi kick)

Third quarter

  7:33   MP            Ford  2 yd run   (Gabert kick)

  2;15   MP             Gentile 20 yd run (Gabert kick)