Germantown Academy nips Father Judge in OT

Germantown Academy's Tanner Long went from being a frustrated ball carrier to an ecstatic receiver.

After being stuffed for no gain at the Father Judge 6-yard line late in regulation, Long hauled in an overtime screen pass and, pushing aside three would-be tacklers near the sideline, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior rumbled his way into the end zone.

Long's spectacular play lifted the host Patriots over the Crusaders, 21-20, in Saturday afternoon's nonleague contest at Carey Stadium. "I wasn't going down," he said, matter-of-factly.

GA had been given a golden opportunity to avoid an extra session when Shane Harkins returned his second fourth-quarter interception 36 yards. But Mike Capone's 20-yard field goal try as regulation time expired was wide of the mark.

"Football is a back-and-forth game," Long said. "You don't always capitalize on scoring chances. You have to put it behind you and move on."

On the first OT possession, Tim Weldon's 6-yard run put Judge ahead, 20-14. But a failed extra-point kick opened the door for the Patriots (1-1) to rebound from a 31-7 home loss to Simon Gratz.

After Long's bullish TD reception, Capone atoned for his missed field goal and set off a celebration with a boot that split the uprights.

Long was quarterback Colton Niedzielski's first option on the play-action call. "It worked out well," Long said. "It went the way we drew it up."

A hard-nosed fullback and inside linebacker who last season helped lead the Patriots to a share of the Inter-Ac League title, Long will continue his football career at Penn.

"He's one of the best leaders I've been fortunate enough to coach," GA coach Matt Dence said of the two-time captain. "More important, he's as good a person as you'd want to meet."

Late in the second quarter, the Patriots took a 14-7 lead on a 10-play, 56-yard drive that was capped by Trae Vance's 6-yard burst through the middle.

Judge, which dealt GA a 35-14 defeat last season at Northeast High, evened things with 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the third on Weldon's 4-yard run.

The Crusaders' Shane Dooley, under heavy pressure most of the afternoon, completed nine of 22 passes for 125 yards and a score. Weldon carried 18 times for 69 yards.

The Patriots' swarming defensive line featured Joe Cawley (two second-half sacks), Jimmy McGettigan (three hurries), Jack D'Ambrosio, Elijah Wroten, Mike McDonough, and Seamus Dean. Long, a defender in lacrosse, was involved in six tackles.

Judge (1-2) was penalized nine times for 87 yards. GA scored following two of the three pass-interference calls against the visitors in regulation.

Father Judge 0 7 7 0 6-20

Germantown Academy 7 7 0 0 7-21

GA: Colton Niedzielski 1 run (Mike Capone kick)

FJ: Mark Maguire 10 pass from Shane Dooley (Jack Isdell kick)

GA: Trae Vance 6 run (Capone kick)

FJ: Tim Weldon 4 run (Isdell kick)

FJ: Weldon 6 run (kick failed)

GA: Tanner Long 10 pass from Niedzielski (Capone kick)