McDevitt QB Bryson basks in 411-yard performance

One way to lose a game but still beat out a 300-yard rusher for the spotlight is to nearly throw for more yards than any other Catholic League quarterback in history.

Such is the case for Bishop McDevitt's converted quarterback Max Bryson, a junior who launched a school-record 411 passing yards in the Lancers' 35-32 loss to Steinert High (N.J.).

Roman Catholic's Phil DiWilliams owns the top spot with a 415-yard performance last season.

On Saturday, Father Judge senior Yeedee Thaenrat rushed for 313 yards and four touchdowns in a win against Springside Chestnut Hill.

However, Bryson, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound lefty, also threw five touchdown passes, and 279 of his passing yards came in the second half.

He also helped senior wideout Dontae Mason set a Lancers record. Mason caught 10 passes for 236 yards, breaking Matt Welsh's single-game mark of 191 in 1973, according to TedSilary.com.

Despite disappointment following the loss, Bryson recognized improvement in his team and himself.

"Something positive is that we know that we can score points," he said. "We just have to execute correctly every time. We know we're dangerous."

He added: "It means a lot because over the previous years, I haven't been as good of a quarterback."

In fairness, he had been learning on the job.

Bryson was a freshman receiver getting varsity minutes when head coach Pat Manzi put him under center.

"Before practices, I'd just be throwing the ball around and I guess they saw something in me to put me at quarterback," Bryson said.

"This year, with the help of assistant coaches [Drew] Gordon and Collin Leach, they're helping me out a lot at the quarterback position. And I'm getting used to it."

Gordon, a former McDevitt (1968) and Villanova QB, stepped down as La Salle High's coach after last season.

Another former McDevitt QB whom Bryson has learned from is his older brother Sean, who made a few starts under center before graduating in 2012.

"He likes to think that he taught me some stuff about quarterbacking," Max joked of Sean, who now plays rugby at Millersville. "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. He just wants me to keep working hard to see where I can get."

Against Steinert, Bryson had 132 passing yards at halftime. His 204 fourth-quarter yards fell just three short of victory. From the 3-yard line, his final pass was batted down with the Lancers threatening to score with three seconds remaining.

"I wanted to go for two," he said. "I wanted to go for the win. It would have been a great way to win it."

Others stars from the weekend: Mike Waters (Imhotep) rushed for 234 yards on 19 carries. Terrell Brent (Mastbaum) ran for 194 yards on 12 totes. Javier Buffalo (Ben Franklin) caught five passes for 132 yards.

A 71-0 loss on Thursday left Academy at Palumbo head coach Scott Pitzner upset, but the game's final play made the defeat even tougher to swallow.

Ahead 69-0 with less than 45 seconds left on a running clock, Del-Val Charter settled into an alignment for an extra-point kick, but the holder took the snap, rose up and completed a pass for a two-point conversion - the game's final play.

Pitzner called the play "classless."

Del-Val coach Troy Gore said he did not call for the play. Gore also said the player who threw the pass would be disciplined and would not start the Warriors' next game, Thursday against Strawberry Mansion.

"We apologize for the play," Gore said. "It wasn't good sportsmanship."