Tigers Endure Tough Loss to Penncrest, 35-0

By Chris McSweeney.
Tigers Radio Network

MIDDLETOWN, PA - Last Thursday marked the first step backwards in an otherwise very productive season for the Marple Newtown Tigers. The Tigers lost to the Penncrest Lions 35-0. Marking the first defeat and shut out for the Tigers all year.

It is almost impossible to go through a season without hitting any road bumps or losing a game here and there. When you look at Thursdays’ game, Marple Newtown can take a lot away from the contest.

It’s very important also that we mention the great job Penncrest did running the ball. They scored four rushing touchdowns, two of which came from standout Jerry Boyer. Boyer had a career night with ten rushes and 143 yards, he also made one catch for 35 yards. Boyer also recorded nine tackles from his middle linebacker position, and one sack. Helping Boyer in the offensive explosion was teammate Juhwan Young and quarterback Matt Atkinson, who both added to the rushing attack.

For Marple, it will be important to build on a young but very promising season. The mark of a winner is not always how many games you win, it is other things. It is about resilience, conquering what has stopped you before, overcoming past obstacles and learning from certain mistakes.

There were bright spots from Thursday’s game. There was good quarterback play at times. Although Johnson’s numbers were not overwhelming, he protected the ball. He was smart with it, took what the defense gave him and did not throw an interception. He kept his quarterback rating in the eighties all night and continues to show his maturity at the quarterback position.

There was also good running back play from Ryan Duffy who carried the ball sixteen times for 70 yards. Billy Weaverling punted very well and showed his continued consistency as the team’s punter. Also on special teams, Ryan White returned three kicks for 66 yards. The defense was led by Vince Christiana with eight tackles and Brian Kelly followed with six tackles. The defense held Penncrest in a very gut wrenching goal line stand.

The glaring positive to me is that the Tiger’s never gave up. This to me is the ultimate mark of a team wanting to get better and all being on the same page. To lose is one thing, to give up is another. Yes the game was lost, but the spirit and the belief are still strong with this group of coaches and players. When the final whistle blew it was tough to swallow at first for the players. But looking out to the team during their post game huddle, I could see heads up and players listening to the coaches as they gave their speeches. This is a good sign for the team, to see them still intent on listening and learning after a tough loss is a very key component to keep the season going strong.

Therefore, I feel very confident in saying that what happened on Thursday night will not be repeated.


Contact Chris McSweeney at cem5053@psu.edu.
Contact EyeOfTheTigersBlog.com at jma158@comcast.net.