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Hornibrook sets season yardage mark for Malvern Prep in win over PC

Alex Hornibrook directs Friars to 44-16 victory, pulls close to school career mark in passing yardage.

Malvern Prep's James Keating tries to shake Penn Charter's Luke Stansfield (50) after a screen pass. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)
Malvern Prep's James Keating tries to shake Penn Charter's Luke Stansfield (50) after a screen pass. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)Read more

ALEX HORNIBROOK wrote his name into the Malvern Prep record books twice yesterday against host Penn Charter. Fortunately, for posterity's sake, the senior quarterback's first signature was in pen; the second, pencil.

After the Friars ran away from the Quakers, 44-16, the 6-4, 212-pound senior was congratulated by an assistant coach on becoming the school's single-season passing champ.

For a few minutes anyway, it was thought Hornibrook also owned the school's career yardage mark, but not quite yet.

"I wasn't really thinking about it too much today," Hornibrook said, "but I guess the one thing is it's awesome that I can do it at home. It would have been great to do it here, but it'll be even better to do it in front of our home crowd."

The West Chester resident finished 19-for-25 for 264 yards and two scoring tosses. That total leaves the University of Pittsburgh-bound QB with 2,966 career passing yards, 28 short of Ryan Polley's 2,994 set in 1994.

And to think, Hornibrook, who completed 13 consecutive passes at one point, was yesterday's secret weapon.

"Actually, the plan today was to run the ball," he said. "We were going to come out and pound 'em, but a couple things opened up in the passing game, I had a lot of time up front and a lot of people made plays."

Senior wideout Trevor Morris (three catches, 96 yards) started the scoring with a 35-yard reception from Hornibrook in the first quarter. Morris added another tally on a short screen pass, which he turned into a 55-yard touchdown that give the Friars (4-4, 2-1) a 27-0 lead in the third.

Hornibrook has played an ancillary role in the past, but has enjoyed more responsibility this season.

Last season, Hornibrook and the Friars rode the ample legs of senior running back Troy Gallen, who rushed for 1,536 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. With Gallen now toting for Delaware, Hornibrook has filled a bigger role.

"Just give the ball to Troy and he'd score every time," Hornibrook joked. "Yeah, it's a little different. Last year we would do some checks [or audibles], but now, sometimes I can call the play at the line. Definitely throwing the ball a lot more, so it's a lot different."

Hornibrook said he's grown as a signal-caller within the new system and with head coach Aaron Brady's new coaching staff, which took over after Kevin Pelligrini stepped down at the end of last season.

However, yesterday's assault wasn't entirely aerial. Senior running back Dymond Wright returned from an injury to rush for two touchdowns, while sophomore back Zac Fernandez netted 104 yards and a score on only eight carries.

"It's crazy, sometimes I can throw a 2-yard pass and they'll take it 60 yards, like Trevor did today," Hornibrook said. "We definitely have some good guys out there that can take it."

The Quakers' defense held strong for a quarter, but the Friars force was too great. At one point in the second quarter, Penn Charter public address announcer John Burkhart announced that Mike McGlinchey had made a tackle. Instead, it was senior linebacker Frank McGlinchey. Perhaps the thinking was wishful, or maybe it was because Mike, the 6-7, 310-pound Notre Dame offensive lineman, was in attendance, cheering on his alma mater.

Penn Charter (5-4, 0-3) was led by sophomore QB Michael Hnatkowski, who threw for 150 yards and two scores. Sophomore wideout Steven Lorenz added a 77-yard scoring reception and junior Jake McCain added another late. The Quakers also benefited from a late Malvern safety.

However, the Friars left with victory in hand and will face Episcopal Academy next week. As for Hornibrook, he's headed to Pittsburgh today for the Panthers game against Georgia Tech.

Undoubtedly, he'll have his eyes on both quarterbacks. After all, he comes from good QB stock.

John Hornibrook, the uncle of Alex's father, was a stud at Ridley in '60s and played quarterback at Miami. Another family standout is Ben Davis, Alex's uncle, who starred for the Friars baseball squad in the '90s and played major league baseball.

Family fame and career passing records are great, but Hornibrook is still focused on finishing the season in style.

"I think we have a lot of momentum going right now," he said, "we just have to keep on moving and win out, and I definitely think we can do that."