Lower Moreland 17, Calvary Christian 0
Lower Moreland, which returned only one starter on offense and two on defense, was thumped by Bishop McDevitt, 35-0, in its season opener. That, many believed at the time, was just the beginning for the young Lions in the lopsided-loss department.
Lower Moreland, which returned only one starter on offense and two on defense, was thumped by Bishop McDevitt, 35-0, in its season opener. That, many believed at the time, was just the beginning for the young Lions in the lopsided-loss department.
Since then, however, longtime coach Mark Mayson and his players have rallied with four consecutive victories. The most recent win, yesterday's 17-0 shutout of host Calvary Christian, was spearheaded by an undersize, yet sturdy and quick-footed performer.
Frank McGarry, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound senior, was impressive on both sides of the ball. At quarterback, the first-year starter clinched the Bicentennial Athletic League game with a jaw-dropping, 93-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. At cornerback, he made two interceptions and had the same number of shutout-saving tackles.
Because of his size, McGarry entered Lower Moreland with a plan to join the golf team. A desire to continue a football career that was molded while playing for the Somerton Youth Association changed that idea.
Against Calvary Christian, McGarry produced, on nine carries, 110 of Lower Moreland's 191 rushing yards. The 17-year-old southpaw passed only once.
In the fourth quarter, with the Lions holding a 10-0 lead, McGarry showed his strength while escaping along the left sideline for his 93-yard score. Early in the run, he incredibly shook loose two would-be tacklers in a 5-yard stretch.
"You just have to keep your legs moving," McGarry said. "Eventually, if you keep at it, you'll get through."
On offense, McGarry was a running back last season. When the Lions' first-team all-league quarterback Mike Grimaldi graduated, Mayson, seeing No. 22's determination, pointed in his direction.
"We felt coming into the year that he was going to be a guy that was going to do a good job for us," Mayson said. "He's been unbelievable. He's a competitor, a real gamer."
In the fourth quarter, McGarry twice caught running backs from behind after long gains to deny scores. On the second, a 58-yard burst by Jacob Heilman, he corralled Heilman at the Lower Moreland 6-yard line.
Less than two minutes into the game, after a fumble recovery by end Steve Turetsky at the Cougars' 23, senior running back Mike Clauss (18 carries for 58 yards) bulldozed his way off right tackle for a 7-yard touchdown.
The Lions (4-1, 2-0 Bicentennial League) held Calvary Christian (2-3, 0-1) to 53 rushing yards in the first half and 131 overall. Junior inside linebacker Nick Grimaldi posted a team-high 12 tackles, including seven solo stops.
Lower Moreland 7 3 0 7 - 17
Calvary Christian 0 0 0 0 - 0
LM: Clauss 7 run (Norton kick)
LM: FG Norton 25
LM: McGarry 93 run (Norton kick)