Font ResizeDespite a delayed start because of a faulty light at Small Field, Friday night looked like just another blowout for the William Penn football team.
But someone forgot to tell South Western it shouldn't be in this YAIAA Division I contest.
After falling behind by two touchdowns early, the Mustangs had the ball with a chance to win the game.
However, a key defensive stand allowed the Bearcats to escape, 32-27, and remain undefeated with a 9-0 overall record and 6-0 mark in the league.
Credit South Western's defense, which frustrated William Penn despite
allowing three big touchdown plays.
Bearcat running backs Steffonte Doby (126) and Brandon Walker (124) topped the 100-yard rushing plateau, but at times the offense looked out of sync.
Penalties and an aggressive, no-holds-barred approach by Mustang coach Don Seidenstricker, including two fake punts, short kickoffs and constant pressure on standout quarterback Jordan Davis, held William Penn to its lowest offensive output of the season.
Doby's second touchdown run of the game, a 49-yarder two plays after the second fake punt failed in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, put the Bearcats up, 32-14.
But, South Western (3-6, 2-4) quarterback Dave Sager hit Zac Scott on the first play after a long kickoff return by Chris Helwig for a 30-yard touchdown pass, cutting the gap. Another defensive stand gave the visitors the ball back.
Eight plays later, Sager hit Drew
Another hold gave the Mustangs the ball back at their own 10-yard line, and although they managed a first down, William Penn held on, with Sager's final two passes falling incomplete.
In the game's first minute Davis hit Malik Generett in stride, and the senior receiver caught the ball sandwiched by two defenders and zipped between them for a 36-yard touchdown.
The next Bearcat possession was capped by Walker's 78-yard burst up the middle past a stunned defense for a second score just 5:25 into the game.
South Western responded on a Sager quarterback sneak with 1:06 to play in the first quarter, capping a 12-play, 65-yard drive aided by a face mask penalty and the first fake punt.
The Mustangs then made a big statement by halting the next two William Penn drives.
Unfortunately for South Western, two plays after the second stall, the ball popped out of J.R. Mummert's hand and right to Barry Bowman, who returned it 38 yards for a score, making it 20-7.
Doby capped the Bearcats first drive after the intermission with a 24-yard touchdown run, and all looked well for the home team.
Until a blocked punt late in the third gave the Mustangs the ball on William Penn 10.
Sager, who was 10-of-26 with three touchdowns, hit Sneeringer for the first of his scores on the next play, and South Western was back in the game, 26-14.
Although rushed from the pocket possibly more times Friday than in their first eight victories combined, Davis managed to go 10-for-15 with a touchdown.
The senior signal caller found favorite target Generett four times, although all four were in the first half when a spotlight from the York City Fire Department lighted the south end of the field.
Still, good teams find ways, and William Penn did just that. Coach Matt Ortega will have some things to work on with his team finally in a game for four quarters, just in time for next Friday's meeting with rival Central York.
South Western 7 0 7 13 -- 27
William Penn 14 6 6 6 -- 32
First Quarter
WP -- Malik Generett 36 pass from Jordan Davis (Ethan Fair kick), 10:35.
WP -- Brandon Walker 78 run (Fair kick), 6:35.
SW -- David Sager 1 run (Zak Kruger kick), 1:06
Second Quarter
WP -- Barry Bowman 38 fumble return (kick failed), 7:52.
Third Quarter
WP -- Steffonte Doby 24 run (run failed), 6:39.
SW -- Drew Sneeringer 10 pass from D.Sager (Kruger kick), 2:24.
Fourth Quarter
WP -- Doby 49 run (pass failed), 11:14.
SW -- Zac Scott 30 pass from D.Sager (pass failed), 10:52.
SW -- Sneeringer 1 pass from D.Sager (Kruger kick), 5:49.
-- SW -- WP
First downs -- 15 -- 13
Rushes-yards -- 33-121 -- 35-248
Passing -- 10-26-0 -- 9-15-0
Passing yards -- 105 -- 81
Total yards -- 226 -- 329
Punts -- 4-35.3 -- 8-22.2
Fumbles-lost -- 2-2 -- 3-0
Penalties-yards -- 6-47 -- 11-92
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- SW, Jeb Shipley 8-44, Chris Helwig 7-35, J.R. Mummert 10-21, Levi Sager 2-17, Kyle King 1-10, Zac Scott 2-2, David Sager 3-(-8); WP, Stefonte Doby 15-126, Brandon Walker 9-121, Javaughn Murphy 1-8, Barry Bowman 1-1, Jordan Davis 8-(-2), Andre Callum 1-(-6).
Passing -- SW, D.Sager 10-26-0-105; WP, Davis 10-15-0-81.
Receiving -- SW, Drew Sneeringer 4-39, Kyle Mahorney 3-18, Shipley 2-12, Scott 1-30, Jimmy Nicklas 1-12, Helwig 1-(-6); WP, Malik Generett 4-62, Callum 2-13, Walker 1-13, Doby 1-(-6), Bowman 1-(-1).
