Upper Merion Game

By Bud Kern
Courtesy of The Free Press

Imagine this scenario it¹s late in the fourth quarter and your team in dead-locked with its opponent 8-8. Your team is laboring to break a losing streak and come up with a season's first victory. This was the portrayal facing the Quakertown High School Panthers last Friday evening as they met the hosting Upper Merion Vikings. Upper Merion, driving toward a score inside the Panther 10 yard line, came up with a pass play with Q-back Charles Dinolfi on the launching end. With the football air-bound to its intended receiver, Quakertown defensive back Zach Schoch had other plans for this particular pigskin as he briskly stepped in front of the Viking receiver, captured and tucked the ball away while bolting 100 yards for a Panther touchdown that sparked a
come-from-behind effort that eventually earned Quakertown a 21-15 decision over a stunned Upper Merion.
"I was on the opposite side, then their (Upper Merion) receiver went in motion. I followed as the Q-back rolled out and tossed the ball. I stepped in front, caught the ball, headed down-field and did not look back," said the multi-talented Schoch, who runs out of the tailback position and handles the punting chores for the Panthers. Upper Merion was leading 8-0 after back Eric Agular tallied on a 45-yard, first-quarter touchdown run, plus a tacked-on two-point conversion pass. Quakertown muffed a few opportunities to score in the first half, a drive stalled and a fumble turnover halted another attempt. The tide began to turn for the Panthers with about nine minutes left on the game clock.
Linebacker James Streapy stepped into the forefront, swiping a Dinolfi pass, that placed the football on the Vikings 25 yard line. Four plays later, Q-back Jon Ruch drilled a 12-yard pitch to tight-end Billy Whitehead that knotted the score at 8-8 after Ruch's two-point conversion pass to wideout Nate Cox.
Quakertown's Jim Bowman scored on a 1-yard plunge to end the Panthers scoring. Upper Merion added a final score with 30 seconds on the clock to get close.
"We played a complete game as a team, we cut down on the penalties and Jon Ruch improved at the Q-back position," said Quakertown coach John Donnelly. "I was pleased, we're looking forward to meeting Norristown in our Continental League opener this Thursday."
The Norristown contest is slated for Thursday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m. at Alumni Field.

Game Notes

Morgan Keller, Kevin Orr, Sean Viers, Jim Bowman, Dustyn Siefert, and James Streapy played standout defense for the Panthers.

Jon Ruch 5-7-1-87yds.-1 T.D.

Nate Cox 2-55 yds. receiving.

Zach Schoch¹s 100-yard pass interception return breaks the old record.

Bud Kern is a freelance sports writer for The Free Press.