Archbishop Carroll replaces Neumann Goretti in PIAA Class 3A football playoffs
The Patriots take the place of the Saints, who will be unable to compete in the playoffs because of a positive coronavirus case.
Archbishop Carroll will replace Neumann Goretti as the District 12 representative in the PIAA Class 3A football tournament because of a positive coronavirus test to a Neumann Goretti player, two athletic directors in the Catholic League confirmed on Tuesday.
Carroll (1-2), which lost to Neumann Goretti, 28-21, on Saturday in a game to determine the District 12 Class 3A champion, will meet District 1 representative New Hope-Solebury (2-3) Friday night at Cardinal O’Hara in the first round of the state tournament.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Neumann Goretti athletic director Chalie Szydlik confirmed via text when asked if the Saints were out of the state tournament because of a COVID-19 case.
O’Hara athletic director B.J. Hogan, the PCL’s football chairman, confirmed that Carroll will replace Neumann Goretti in the state tournament.
Carroll coach Kyle Detweiler said he felt badly for Neumann Goretti.
“I can’t imagine how we would feel if we were in this situation,” Detweiler said. "To think you have punched your ticket and then to have something you earned taken away from you ...
“Our thoughts go out to Neumann Goretti and the young man who was affected. Hopefully it’s not anything serious and he has a prompt recovery.”
Detweiller said his players were “ecstatic” to have a chance to play in the state tournament.
“They’re super-pumped,” Detweiller said. “We’ve been going week to week, not really knowing who we were going to play, and now they find out we’re playing in the state tournament.”
Carroll opened the season with a 40-6 win over Archbishop Ryan on Oct. 17. The Patriots have lost their last two games to Bishop Shanahan, 14-7, and to and Neumann Goretti.
Quarterback Nick Lamey leads the Patriots. He passed for 205 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to Neumann Goretti.
Neumann Goretti (1-0) played its first game of the season in Saturday’s victory over Carroll, as the Saints' debut had been delayed an extra two weeks because of coronavirus cases at the school in South Philadelphia.
Neumann Goretti coach Albie Crosby declined to comment.
In a Class 4A first-round game on Friday night, District 12 champion Bonner-Prendergast (3-0) will host District 1 representative Upper Moreland (4-1).
In Class 2A, Bishop McDevitt (2-1) is the District 12 representative and will travel to meet District 2 champion Dunmore (3-2) on Friday night.
St. Joseph’s Prep (3-0) will be the District 12 representative in the Class 6A tournament. The Hawks, who have won the last two state titles and three of the last four, will meet the District 1 champion in the state semifinals the weekend of Nov. 20.