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Upper Darby holds off Conestoga, 25-22

A heavy rainstorm muddied the grass field at Memorial Stadium and caused a 50-minute delay to the start of a Central League showdown Friday night between Conestoga and Upper Darby.

Conestoga's Corey Manning on his 9 yard run against Upper Darby's  Naiquan McKenzie during the 1st quarter in Upper Darby, Friday, October 9, 2015.
Conestoga's Corey Manning on his 9 yard run against Upper Darby's Naiquan McKenzie during the 1st quarter in Upper Darby, Friday, October 9, 2015.Read more(STEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer)

A heavy rainstorm muddied the grass field at Memorial Stadium and caused a 50-minute delay to the start of a Central League showdown Friday night between Conestoga and Upper Darby.

But the Royals' Isaiah Bruce was barely slowed by the sloppy conditions, as the 5-foot-8, 178-pound workhorse showed when he plowed over a defender en route to a 57-yard, second-quarter touchdown reception.

With Bruce rushing for 216 yards on 31 carries and delivering three scores, Upper Darby, after leading by 19-0 at halftime, escaped the never-say-die Pioneers, 25-22, before a sparse crowd.

Late in the third quarter, Bruce, who spent much of the summer in the weight room, found left-side daylight and raced 68 yards down the sideline for the deciding score.

The Royals improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Central League action. Conestoga slipped to 3-3 and 2-2.

Down the stretch, the Pioneers threatened to pull off the comeback. But a holding penalty negated Tim Miller's 21-yard TD pass with a little over a minute remaining. And on fourth down from the Upper Darby 37, Tyler George's sack of Miller forced a fumble that lineman Malakhi Maddox recovered at the 48.

For Conestoga, Corey Manning, who also has a bruising running style, carried 28 times for 200 yards and a pair of TDs.

Royals quarterback Christoff Minott threw for 212 yards and two TDs. Late in the second quarter, his 75-yard connection with wideout Brandon Morton made it 19-0. On the second play after intermission, Manning found a seam and dashed 58 yards to cut Upper Darby's lead to 19-7.

After the Pioneers' defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing series, Manning rumbled 43 yards to the Royals' 16. Five plays later, Miller connected with Pete Jean for a 7-yard TD.

Upper Darby's botched center snap on a punt attempt then gave Conestoga the ball 11 yards from pay dirt. After a pass-interference call against the hosts, Manning went five yards to give the Pioneers a 22-19 advantage.

Conestoga 0 0 22 0 - 22

Upper Darby 6 13 6 0 - 25

UD: Isaiah Bruce 39 run (kick failed)

UD: Brandon Morton 75 pass from Christoff Minott (Derrick Korboi kick)

UD: Bruce 57 pass from Minott (kick failed)

C: Corey Manning 58 run (Christopher Smith kick)

C: Peter Jean 7 pass from Tim Miller (Smith kick)

C: Manning 6 run (Jean pass from Miller)

UD: Bruce 68 run (kick blocked)

robrien@phillynews.com

@ozoneinq www.philly.com/ozone