Two-way lineman stars for bounce-back Bucs

In Week 6, a 21-7 loss at Penn Wood marked injury-riddled Interboro's fourth consecutive defeat and the beginning of the end to a run of 12 straight Del-Val League championships.

Three weeks later, a 28-27 overtime loss to Glen Mills left Steve Lennox's squad with a 4-5 record and in danger of not returning to the PIAA District 1 Class AAA playoffs.

"We could have easily given up hope at that point in the season," senior two-way lineman Zack McMenamin said. "But we stuck together, rallied around each other."

Interboro sneaked into the postseason with a Week 10 win. And last week, as the No. 7 seed, it upended No. 2 Upper Moreland, 7-6, in a district opener to earn a semifinal meeting Friday night with No. 3 Pottsgrove.

The 5-foot-10, 235-pound McMenamin, a right offensive guard and defensive end, has been a driving force for the Bucs. "He's a real physical presence," Lennox said. "As a pulling guard on traps, he flattens people. Defensively, he's a beast. He does all the right things."

A defensive tackle at the start of the season, the 17-year old has since moved to end. "I know I'm undersize, but I don't let it affect me," he said. "Because I don't have the size, I make sure to pick it up in the weight room."

McMenamin, who lives just four blocks from Interboro, has squatted 500 pounds, bench-pressed 285 and power-cleaned 245.

Against Upper Moreland, he rolled his ankle near the end of the first quarter and was limited to playing defense the rest of the way. Halfback Mitch Helmandollar sparked the hard-fought win with 223 rushing yards on 26 attempts.

"He's very determined, works hard in practice, and just wants to win," McMenamin said of Helmandollar.

For the 6-5 Bucs, McMenamin is joined on the offensive line by center Mike Spramelli, left tackle Mike Simmons, right tackle Felix Ortiz, left guard Sean Phillips and tight end Joe O'Mara. Neil Casey rotates in at guard and tackle.

Helmandollar shares the backfield with fullback Craig Blair, who provided a 20-yard touchdown run against the Golden Bears, wingback Chris Long and handyman Dave Kennedy. Junior Josh Breen has been the quarterback since Adam Smith injured his hand late against Glen Mills.

On defense, McMenamin is joined up front by nose guard Chris Goss, tackle Ortiz and end Rashon Fentress. Blair, Long, Justin Sminkey and Ryan Tambon are the linebackers. Smith is positioned at safety, and Helmandollar and Ryan Bailey are the cornerbacks.

McMenamin, who played youth football for the Prospect Park Termites and Folcroft Falcons, and Long are first cousins. They captain the Bucs along with Smith.

Friday's showdown at Pottsgrove is a rematch of last season's district championship, won, 28-21, in overtime by the Falcons. "We can't make any mistakes at all," McMenamin said. "We can't give up any big plays."

McMenamin competes in the throws, with the discus his best event, in track and field. For football, he has heard mostly from Division III schools, including powerhouse Mount Union (Ohio), Lebanon Valley and Allegheny. "I'm 100 percent positive I want to continue playing," he said.

Elite club. Central Bucks West senior tailback Rashaad Williams carried 27 times for a single-game school-record of 427 yards and five touchdowns as the No. 10-seeded Bucks ousted No. 7 Coatesville, 42-28, in the opening round of the District 1 Class AAAA tournament.

The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Williams fell just 61 yards short of the state record of 488 yards, set by Harbor Creek's Stephen Blose in a 2005 contest against District 10 rival Fort LeBoeuf. The Philadelphia-area record of 453 yards was set by Germantown Academy's Reed Marko in 2007.

In Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey, Williams became the ninth player to rush for more than 400 yards in a game.

Quotable. Northeast coach Chris Riley to his team during the Vikings' 13-6 triumph Saturday over George Washington: "Be like the '68 team: 'The Grinders.' "

In 1968, Northeast nipped Central, 8-7, on Thanksgiving to clinch the Public League crown.