Full Story: Phantoms Fall to Spring-Ford

The Spring-Ford High School football team defeated the Phoenixville Phantoms on Wednesday night, 27-21, at Washington Field. The win gave Spring-Ford its first outright PAC-10 Championship since 1995.

It was a back-and-forth game with lots of excitement, despite the bitter cold weather.

"They don't make it easy, but give credit to Phoenixville for playing a tough game," second-year head coach Chad Brubaker said of the Phantoms, who will face Pottsgrove in the district title game on Saturday. "When you make it to states, you're always going to be in the game because of your offense. We got one possession in the first quarter. If you make mistakes and let them drive, that's the predicament you put yourself into."

The Rams honored one of their own in Class of 2005's Vincent DePaul of Mont Clare, who passed away recently in an automobile accident. As a student and a football player, he was honorable—winning awards and making contributions to the team. His family came out as honorary captains and his number 26 jersey hung on the Spring-Ford bench for all to see.

In the game, the Phantoms came out of the gates with a methodical eight minute and 14 second drive that turned into seven points; however, the Rams soon came back with a defensive stop in which senior Andrew Scanlan caused a fumble that Ian Hare would take back for a 38-yard score.

By halftime, the Rams led by just a point, as the Phantoms failed to complete the PAT on their second touchdown. At the end of the half, there was a skirmish in the endzone for the ball, as both the receiver and corner came down with it. Brubaker thought his receiver, Nick Ondo, came down with the ball. It was ruled an interception: half over.

Both the opportunity to tie the game up with the extra point for the Phantoms, and the opportunity for the Rams to take the lead with the touchdown could have proved costly. However, when Phoenixville scored a third time with just 10:49 left in the game, they were able to get the two-point conversion to knot it up at 21—making it an even game, once again.

The Rams took the lead with 7:15 left with a Jarred Jones 31-yard rushing touchdown, which was created after a recovered fumble by Travis Daywalt. Ryan O'Hara's extra point was blocked.

Phoenixville had a chance to come back and win it on the next possession, but quarterback Alec McQuiston fumbled the ball. It was recovered by Nick Friel. Senior quarterback J.J. Paige and the Rams' offense ran the remaining time off the board with eight plays. On a third down, the Phantoms could have stopped the Rams from doing so, but they had too many men on the field and were penalized five yards, giving the Rams the first down and ending the game.

On Saturday, the Phantoms will vie for the district title in a game against Pottsgrove. The teams will face off at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School at 4 p.m. Stay tuned to Phoenixville Patch for more football coverage.