CR NORTH FOOTBALL:Crusader roams free in Rock's opening loss

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Blocking and tackling. In football, it’s the name of the game.
Against Council Rock North last Friday in the season opener at Lincoln High, Father Judge senior RB Curtis Wortham rushed for all but 14 of the Crusaders’ 270 rushing yards including a first quarter 65-yard scamper that put the hosts up 14-0 and a 60-yard scoring strike that put Judge on top 35-14 midway through the fourth quarter.
“I thought the whole team fought really hard,” said Coates. “But defensively, we didn’t tackle worth a damn and we’re not going to win a single game if we don’t straighten that out--right quick.”
For the game, Worthen rushed 33 times for 260 yards including those two TDs. Coates wasn’t the only one standing along the sidelines who was impressed.
“Most people think he’s fast and he can get outside. The kid puts his shoulder down and still gets three or four yards. I think he’s a top level player,” said Coates.
“I know he’s small but the kid’s got as much heart as anybody we’ve seen.”
The Crusaders went ahead early in this one and never looked back. Anthony Tuscano’s 1-yard plunge into the end zone gave Judge an early 7-0 edge and Indians QB Tyler Hamilton turned it over when he threw a pick on the Rock’s next possession. That’s when Wortham peeled off with his 65-yard TD burst off right tackle.
The Indians got on the board late in the first half when Hamilton hit Bostain with a 31-yard strike--the first of his two scores. But the Crusaders took the 14-point lead back when QB Tony Smith hit Kevin Leneghan with a 28-yard touchdown.
North fans were wowed when Brandon Cottom took the ensuing kickoff 97 yards to the house but the tide of the battle seemed to turn when Smith hit WR Matt Geis with a 29-yard touchdown strike late in the third quarter.
North had just drawn within a TD when Geis found a breakdown in the Indians defense.
“Our corner stood there and let him run by. They threw up an easy touchdown pass. We didn’t even contest it,” said Coates.
The Rock had one last gasp when Hamilton hit Bostain with an 18-yard TD moments after special teams wowed the audience with another long kickoff return.
Then, with 8:30 to go, a fumble by Wortham on Judge’s ensuing possession suddenly had North coaches thinking of a way to get the sides even in the next eight and a half minutes.
”We gave up two easy scores in the first half by not tackling so we figured, OK, we have to do it the hard way--hold them down, chip away, even it up and let’s go to overtime,” said Coates.
The Indians went nowhere on the ensuing possession however, and were forced to punt after facing 4th-and-19 from their own 40. The Rock’s final drive into Crusader territory was thwarted when Judge picked off a pass intended for Bostain at the 25.
In game two, North returns to Newtown 7 p.m. Friday night in a battle against SOL Continental Conference rival CB South, a team that outpaced the Indians, 14-7, a year ago.
Hamilton says his team needs to bounce back--quickly.
“There’s no question about it,” said Tyler. “We have to come out and win that game--just for the sake of our season.”
After getting spanked, 31-7, by Council Rock South Friday night at the Rock, the Titans will also be looking to turn their season around. CB South surrendered a whopping 211 yards rushing including 139 yards to Hawks RB Billy Fleming, who also ran for two scores.
“It’s a good team for us to come off this loss with because I want to prove to our kids that they can go out and play with these teams,” stated Coates. “But [CB South head coach] Bart Szarko has a great staff and they coach their team very well; those kids come to play physical football.”
So, like the coach said, the Indians better straighten out that tackling problem--right quick.
***
NOTES: Senior two-way lineman Anthony Verrechia sustained an elbow injury early on in the contest. Brandon Cottam and Cal Parker suffered from cramped muscles during the game.