Academy Park hopes to keep rolling in Disrict 1 AAA semifinals

At the very least, the Academy Park football team has fared better than most anticipated.

The Knights, who were expected to endure some rebuilding pains after going 6-5 last season, are 8-3 and two wins away from a District 1 Class AAA championship.

"The kids are determined to keep this going," seventh-year coach Jason Vosheski said. "They don't want it to end."

In a district semifinal Friday night, Academy Park, seeded No. 7, will visit No. 3 Phoenixville (8-3). The victor will take on either No. 1 Pottsgrove (9-2) or No. 5 Strath Haven (8-3) in the final.

Last Friday, the Knights overcame an early deficit while burying No. 2 Springfield (Delco), 35-10. "After giving up a long touchdown on a pass play, our defense was relentless the rest of the night," Vosheski said.

On offense, Academy Park, spurred by wideout-turned-running back Mark Doe, is averaging 29.3 points per game.

Vosheski said he moved Doe, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior projected to be a slot receiver at Delaware, to running back when Demetre Carter suffered a leg injury in a 35-0 win over Del-Val League rival Penn Wood last month.

"He's handled it well," the coach said of Doe, who has carried 74 times for 499 yards and eight TDs. "He hits the hole hard and, with his breakaway speed, can score at any time."

The other skill-position players are running back Caleeh Jeffrey (108 carries for 634 yards, eight TDs), quarterback Tyler Street (49-for-133 passing, 736 yards, five TDs), and receivers Eddie Towah and Earl Hargrove.

Though the Knights use a spread offense, they run the majority of the time. Street went to the air only five times against Springfield.

The anchors up front are left guard Matt Ruggear (6-4, 240), center Derek Robinson (6-0, 225), and right guard Jeremiah Lowery (6-3, 230). "Our offense has been pretty consistent this year," Vosheski said.

On defense, the Knights, who went 4-3 and placed third in the six-team Del-Val League, yield 10.4 points a game. The unit, switching between a 4-3 and 4-4 scheme, has pitched three shutouts.

Lowery and Robinson, both tackles, and weakside end Towah lead the charge. Ruggear, Frank Calabro, and Emmanuel Day-nuah head the linebacking corps. Doe, a strong safety, and cornerback Daryl Jones, are the secondary stalwarts.

Lowery, also a wrestler, is being recruited by the Division I-AA likes of Old Dominion and Villanova. "He's big and strong," Vosheski said. "And he's a tremendous athlete. For us, he's the total package."

Vosheski, a wide receiver and defensive back for Ridley in the early 1990s, said Ruggear is hearing mostly from Division II programs.

Phoenixville, of the Pioneer Athletic Conference, likewise has a run-oriented offense. Fullback Vinnie Nattle (191 carries for 1,180 yards, nine TDs) and QB Alec McQuiston (61-for 110 passing, 677 yards, four TDs) are among the catalysts.

Hello again. In a District 1 Class AAAA quarterfinal Friday, former Suburban One League National Conference rivals Neshaminy and North Penn will meet in the 16-team tournament for the fifth straight year.

With three straight victories over the Redskins, including last year's 42-6 title win, the Knights hold a 3-2 advantage in the playoff series.

Since Mark Schmidt took over at Neshaminy in 1995, the overall series is tied at nine wins apiece.

Honored. Public League coaches selected George Washington's Hakeem Sillman (Gold), Central's Richard Drayton (Silver), Dobbins' Daquan Brown (Class AAA), and Bok's Shaquil Sammons (Class AA) as the most valuable players in their respective divisions.

Alumni file. In Kutztown's 21-14 triumph Saturday over Slippery Rock, Golden Bears senior QB Marshall Vogel, a Hatboro-Horsham product who has served mostly as a backup, completed 25 of 39 throws for 300 yards and two scores.

Vogel entered in the second quarter of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference final after Abington graduate Kevin Morton (8,220 career yards passing, 85 TDs) suffered a knee injury.

Extra points. In Harriton's recently completed season, Pat Moriarty completed 136 of 242 passes for 2,040 yards and 22 TDs. Over the last two years, the junior has thrown for 4,003 yards and 35 scores. . . . Council Rock South QB Brian Donnelly has rushed 152 times for 1,172 yards and 20 TDs. . . . For Hill School, Adam Regensburg notched 40 catches, setting a new single-season school record, for 410 yards and five TDs. On defense, he posted 73 tackles and eight interceptions. . . . West Chester East receivers Mike Brown, Eddie Anderson, and Pat Whalen combined for 142 catches, 2,150 yards, and 22 TDs.