Rall's clutch plays seal SCH win over Penn Charter

If not for The Forrest, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy might not have seen its way to the tree of a football victory.

Forrest Rall, that is.

He's a 5-8, 165-pound junior and the hope going into the season was that he'd make significant contributions as a handyman on offense and corner-safety on defense. But a balky hamstring messed things up to some degree and then Rall was diagnosed with quite the unusual problem, at least for someone who doesn't puff two packs a day and/or isn't overweight and/or isn't up there in age.

"They don't really know what caused it, but my blood pressure was up," Rall said. "I'm on medication for it now."

Friday, Rall's BP probably spiked at least three times. That's what happens when you make clutch, exciting contributions that keep your team perfect in league play.

In beautiful sunshine, mixed with chilly winds, Rall helped SCH (still can't get comfortable typing that; CHA has merged with Springside, its cater-corner sister school) post a 28-14 win at Penn Charter.

The Blue Devils stand 4-0 in Inter-Ac play, with only next Saturday's game at ever-mighty Malvern remaining. The Friars would pull into a tie with a win today over visiting Haverford School.

Rall made each of his contributions in the final 13 minutes, following a 57-yard touchdown rumble by fullback Eric Berger that pulled PC within 21-14.

On fourth and four at PC's 36, Rall dropped back to punt . . . No, he didn't! The Quakers rushed no one and Rall scrambled 14 yards to the 22. Six plays later, there he was in the end zone, celebrating a 5-yard scoring run, accomplished on a reverse. Three plays after that, he recovered a fumble.

Quite the clutch trifecta, eh?

"I guess I liked the touchdown the best," he said, surprising no one.

The play itself? And the fact that it did produce six points? Absolutely shocking. To that juncture (9:58 remaining), star senior rusher Cedric Madden had scored 24 of SCH's 26 2011 TDs, including the first three in this one and the most recent 16.

When asked whether the Blue Devils ever kid Madden about his dominance, as in, "Hey, let us experience pay dirt [or pay turf] once in a while," Rall smiled and said, "Nah, we just watch him do his thing. And we enjoy it."

Rall was on the sideline when the coaches called for the reverse by informing quarterback Michael Hayes, who'd come to them to get it. Knowing he'd get the ball, he was pretty excited as he headed for the huddle.

Rall lined up as the right-side wideout. Madden accepted the ball, steamed in that direction and, zip, there went Rall the other way. Seeing an opening, he made an upfield cut and scored at roughly the left hash mark.

"It was bugging me all season not to be able to play," Rall said. "To finally get a chance and produce a touchdown, that's pretty exciting. Whoever was out on that left wing [tackle Terence Jones] gave me a great block.

"We'd been practicing that play all year. It was just a matter of when the coaches were going to use it. It was working great this week in practice, so I was confident it would go for a touchdown.

"We knew all along we'd use the fake punt today, too. That wound up working great."

Madden rushed 30 times for 142 yards and TDs Nos. 1 and 3. No. 2 opened the second half and came on an 84-yard kickoff return. He now owns 23 rushing TDs and 1,418 yards, produced on 221 carries. His grunts were center Chris Howard, guards Max Keyser and Desmond Johnson, and tackles Tyler Hightower and Jones.

PC's other score, providing a 7-0 lead, came on Eric Neefe's 17-yard run. John Moderski's fumble recovery set up that one and only 4 minutes earlier, he'd changed the field-position battle by forcing one that was pounced upon by Corey Kelley. Lineman Mike McGlinchey, a 6-8, 275-pound junior, imposed his will to the tune of one sack and four other behind-the-line smotherings.

Rall, who lives in Fort Washington, is mostly known for lacrosse, in which he's a midfielder. While waiting to return to action (this was his fourth game back), he alternated between waterboy and ballboy.

"Um, that's a tough one . . . but I guess I like waterboy the best," he said, laughing. "As the ballboy, you have to keep running up and down the field and they're constantly switching balls."

Then, finally, once you get healthy, you find one in your hands, and you get to score a TD.

IN OTHER GAMES:

In non-league action, Bartram collected its first win of the season, 32-12 over Furness, as newcomer Michael Washington (also an interception) turned three receptions into 107 yards and two TDs. Elijah Clark ran 17 times for 164 yards and two scores. Furness' highlight was Bor Bor Kessley's pick-six . . . King, which started the season 0-6, won its third straight, 34-14 over Del-Val, thanks to three defensive TDs. Andre Shirley (91 yards) and Akeece Jones tallied on interceptions and Melvin Hopkins did so on a fumble return . . . Daquan Bohannan passed 8-for-12 for 124 yards and three scores (two to Christopher Gary, one to fellow QB Harold Alexander) as Northeast numbed Prep Charter, 39-0 . . . Communications Tech's 24-6 success over Franklin featured three connections between Zaki Jamison (7-for-13, 147) and Tikir Trent (4-105). Rolando "Ro-Ro" Ransom added a trio of conversion runs.