Runyan strong on kicks in Prep rout

Jon Daniel Runyan does not look like your average kicker.

At 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, the Michigan-bound lineman looks, well, like his father, Jon Runyan, the former Pro Bowl tackle for the Eagles turned congressman.

But there was Jon Daniel Runyan on Saturday afternoon at Northeast, lining up for a 60-yard free kick after a fair catch just before halftime of St. Joseph's Prep's 35-14 victory over Father Judge in Catholic League football.

The three-point attempt fell just short, but the Prep's newest kicker did go a perfect 5 for 5 on extra points.

"It's the funniest thing ever," said Hawks quarterback Jack Clements, who gave Runyan plenty of chances by throwing four touchdown passes. "Just seeing a lineman going out there with his knee braces and kicking the ball completely out of the field."

Runyan stepped in at kicker after starter Nick Bill was injured two weeks ago in a win over Malvern Prep.

"I know how to kick, so they just put me in there," Runyan said. "It's pretty cool."

Runyan excelled at his day job, too, helping clear the way as the Prep, ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, piled up almost 475 yards of total offense.

Clements threw a beautiful, 32-yard strike to Justin Montague midway through the second quarter to give the Hawks the lead for good, 14-7. Montague also had an interception, and John Reid caught two touchdowns for the Hawks (4-3 overall, 2-0 Catholic AAAA).

No. 21 Father Judge (4-3, 0-2) lost star running back Yeedee Thaenrat to an apparent knee injury just after halftime. Thaenrat earlier had returned a kickoff 80 yards to set up his own 1-yard score that tied it, 7-7, in the first quarter.

As for that free kick, the rules allow for one immediately after a fair catch on a kick, from the spot of the catch.

The Hawks attempted it because there were seconds until halftime, the wind was at their backs, and they had just made a fair catch on a punt, allowing the attempt of the little-utilized and little-known, play.

Both Runyan and Clements said they'd never heard of the rule that made the free kick - on which the defense isn't allowed to line up - possible.

"That's why Coach [Gabe] Infante knows football better than anyone," Clements said. "We all joked that [Runyan] should have made it."

St. Joseph's Prep 7 14 14 0 – 35

Father Judge 7 0 7 0 – 14

SJP: John Reid 19 pass from Jack Clements (Jon Daniel Runyan kick)

FJ: Yeedee Thaenrat 1 run (Joe Gallagher kick)

SJP: Justin Montague 32 pass from Clements (Runyan kick)

SJP: D'Andre Swift 35 pass from Clements (Runyan kick)

SJP: Reid 30 pass from Clements (Runyan kick)

SJP: Benny Walls 7 run (Runyan kick)

FJ: Justin Gies 11 pass from Rob King (Gallagher kick)