Delco Christian thriving behind option offense
Delaware County Christian School made a big splash last season, winning the PIAA District 1 Class A championship and making an appearance in the state playoffs.
Delaware County Christian School made a big splash last season, winning the PIAA District 1 Class A championship and making an appearance in the state playoffs.
With a strong cast of returning players, third-year coach Drew Pearson and the Knights are looking to equal or better last year's showing.
Saturday afternoon against Jenkintown, the squad forced six turnovers and, breaking open a close Bicentennial Athletic League contest in the third quarter, rolled to a 36-10 victory at windswept Benjamin L. Johnston Memorial Stadium.
After a 1-1 start, Delco Christian (4-1, 2-0 Bicen) has won three straight. "We're getting better each week," said Pearson, who was an assistant at Valley Vista High in Arizona for three years before coming to Newtown Square.
The Knights' wing-T/option attack is spurred by quarterback Devin Hill and running backs Nazim Trammell-Wells, Amir Dorsey, Jake Allen, and Dan Poirier. "We try to spread the ball around as much as possible," Pearson said.
Against Jenkintown, Dorsey carried 16 times for 80 yards and four touchdowns. With Delco Christian ahead by 15-10 at intermission, his two-third quarter tallies provided breathing room.
"The kids were a little disappointed at halftime that the game was so close," Pearson said. "We encouraged them to stay the course, be positive, and execute our plays."
Trammell-Wells, who ran for 1,600 yards and 17 TDs last season, has carried 53 times for 476 yards and five scores. He gained 128 yards on 11 attempts against the Drakes.
In the squad's first four games, Hill, a first-year starter at QB, carried 28 times for 328 yards and four TDs. "He's stepped in at that position and played really well," Pearson said. "He's been a game-changer."
Leading the charge up front against Jenkintown were center Kouadio Toukou, guards Jacob Gutowski and Jacob Favino, tackles Kyle Winters and Stephen Mitchell, and ends Jack Grim and Noah Peddy. Favino was filling on for Giho Park (elbow injury).
The Knights' 4-4 defense limited Jenkintown (2-3, 0-2) to 149 yards. A line made up of Winters, Mitchell, Toukou, and Gutowski helped limit Steve Charlemagne, the Drakes' leading rusher, to 46 yards on 13 tries.
Dorsey, Grim, and Favino patrolled the middle; Allen, Poirier, Hill, and Christopher Chung were in the secondary. Dorsey, Poirier, and Chung had interceptions.
Because Jenkintown's field was under water, Saturday's game was moved to the Northwest Philly Super Site.
Extra points. In Malvern Prep's 33-21 upset of St. Joseph's Prep on Friday night, sophomore O'Shaan Allison (30 carries for 163 yards, three TDs) and junior Zac Fernandez (13 for 108, one) combined for 271 rushing yards. The Friars' Pat Finley and Dan Sullivan made interceptions. For St. Joe's Prep, Kevin Shaw completed 11 of 24 passes for 149 yards and two TDs. . . . Upper Dublin (5-0, 2-0 Suburban One League American Conference) is averaging 47.8 points per game. . . . Pennridge sophomore linebacker Nick Tarburton made four solo tackles, including a sack, in the first half of Saturday night's 17-7 win over Suburban One National Conference rival Neshaminy. Teammate Judens Desrosiers, a senior running back and linebacker, plans to major in nursing in college. Both of his Haitian-born parents are nurses. . . . Archbishop Wood's Anthony Russo completed 15 of 18 passes for 378 yards and five TDs in Saturday afternoon's 41-0 win over Archbishop Ryan. For the season, the Rutgers recruit has connected on 56 of 79 throws for 1,227 yards and 18 TDs. . . . Marple Newtown is 5-0 for the first time since 1977.
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