Shorthanded Calvary can’t catch Pius X

ALLENTOWN - Though anchored by its defense all year, Calvary Christian simply didn't have the manpower or ability to hang with District 11 champ Pius X on Saturday.

Calvary, depleted and overmatched, fell to the Royals, 55-20, in the first round of the PIAA Class A football playoffs at Salisbury Township High School.

Before the state playoffs, the Cougars defense had allowed just eight points a game, never more than 21, and accounted for four shutouts

But against the Royals - ranked No. 5 in the state in Class A by The Inquirer - and with a roster cut to 23 players because of injury, Calvary allowed touchdowns on each of Pius X's first seven possessions, 449 yards of total offense, and countless big plays.

Sophomore quarterback A.J. Long dominated, completing 18 of 21 passes for 363 yards and five touchdowns. Five Royals receivers went over 50 yards on the day, led by Matt Camilletti's seven catches and 119 yards.

Camilletti, Joe Dalessandro (two), Petey Hernandez, and DuBois Ross all caught touchdown passes for the Royals. Long added 71 yards rushing, including a 46-yard TD scamper on the fourth play of the game.

"We don't have a lot of speed and we knew that going in the game," Calvary coach Mike Reichenbach said. "We knew they were going to stretch us and spread us out. . . . They have a lot of weapons and it's hard to cover them all."

Meanwhile, the Cougars, falling for the second straight year in the first round of the state tournament, garnered just 153 total yards. Running back Micah Cordon carried the ball 17 times for 45 yards to finish the season with 898. Quarterback Doug Smith was 6 for 9 passing for 48 yards and a touchdown. Backup quarterback Degan Reilly, who spelled Smith in the second quarter when the starter's knee began to swell after a hard hit, was 1 for 4 with a 10-yard TD completion to Josh Medvic.

Smith added 19 yards on the ground and a 4-yard rushing TD.

The Royals scored on each of their meaningful possessions before kneeling out the game on its eighth and final one.

District 1 champ Calvary (8-3) was in the game early, tied at 7-7 after Smith's 4-yard keeper. After two more Pius X scores, the Cougars drew to within a touchdown 1 minute, 23 seconds before intermission on Medvic's touchdown catch.

The Royals (12-1) promptly marched for another TD right before the half, going in with a 28-14 lead. They scored again on their first possession of the third quarter. Then, on the ensuing drive, after a Calvary three and out, Royals linebacker Abu Shaw blocked a Tyler Scheuer punt, and Dalessandro scooped up the ball for a 12-yard touchdown return, his third score of the day, and a 41-14 lead.

Smith hit Sam Heath on a 12-yarder for Calvary's final score late in the third quarter. Pius X scored twice more, the mercy rule going into effect when it went up by 55-20 with 7:30 remaining.

"They were super fast, they caught us off guard a few times on some routes," senior linebacker/running back Zach Caldwell said.

Long pushed his season totals to 3,335 yards and 45 passing touchdowns.

The Cougars were shut out in their two other losses this season.

Calvary Christian   7 7 6 0 – 20

Pius X   13 15 20 7 – 55

SPX: Long 46 run (Camilletti kick)

CC: Smith 4 run (MacIntyre kick)

SPX: Ross 13 run (kick failed)

SPX: Ross 40 pass from Long (Camilletti pass from Long)

CC: Medvic 10 pass from Degan (MacIntyre kick)

SPX: Hernandez 20 pass from Long (Camilletti kick)

SPX: Dalessandro 24 pass from Long (Camilletti kick)

SPX: Dalessandro 12 return of blocked punt (kick fail)

CC: Heath 12 pass from Smith (pass fail)

SPX: Camilletti 59 pass from Long (Camilletti kick)

SPX: Dalessandro 25 pass from Long (Camilletti kick)