Donnelly a hit in C.R. South win

Council Rock South is immensely thankful that Brian Donnelly chose football over baseball for his fall pursuit.

"It was a real tough decision," the senior quarterback said. "But I couldn't leave my teammates stranded like that. They work too hard every day for me not to show up. I had to be a part of this."

Saturday, with Donnelly carrying 16 times for 225 yards and three scores, C.R. South outlasted host Father Judge, 35-34, in a nonleague contest at sunbaked Lincoln High.

The 6-foot, 185-pounder, who took over at QB after the graduation of Billy Fleming, scored on runs of 4, 79, and 45 yards to help the Golden Hawks (2-0) overcome a 21-7 deficit.

"He's been great for us," senior two-way lineman Andrew Cohen said. "If we don't have him, our offense wouldn't be as productive as it is. It all revolves around him."

C.R. South's wishbone attack netted 320 rushing yards. Junior fullback P.J. Steinmetz chipped in 27 yards on six attempts.

"Our offensive line does a great job of creating gaps," Donnelly said. "We rely on them in a big way. The guys up front came though for us against a very physical Judge team."

The difference, late in the third quarter, was Donnelly's 45-yard touchdown scamper and an extra-point boot by Ben Solis.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Judge's Rob Daniels connected with John Landis for a 32-yard score that made it 35-34. On a two-point conversion try, Anthony Walker caught and then dropped, the officials ruled, a right-side toss from Tim Mills.

Donnelly, of Collegeville, is a Division I prospect in baseball. Over the summer, the centerfielder and pitcher played for the All-Star Baseball Academy. He thought seriously about continuing with the squad in the fall months.

"I sat down with my parents about 15 to 20 times to discuss what to do," he said. "I think they wanted me to play baseball, mostly because that's the sport I'll be playing in college."

Last season, as a halfback, Donnelly rushed 86 times for 561 yards and two TDs as the Golden Hawks went 11-2 and advanced to the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA semifinals.

"I've been waiting for two years for the opportunity to play quarterback," he said. "You can be very successful running this offense if you do what you're supposed to do and stay within yourself."

In the first quarter, thanks to a 41-yard pass from Ron Daniels to Raul Quinones and Matt Smalley's 76-yard jaunt, Judge (1-1) was in front, 14-0.

Early in the second, after C.R. South's Anthony Alimenti had posted an 86-yard TD on a kickoff return, Daniels (14-for-23 passing, 247 yards, 3 TDs) found Mills open in the left flat for a 24-yard score that made it 21-7.

The Golden Hawks responded with Donnelly's 4-yard burst and Ian McDermott's 19-yard dash to make it 21-21 at the break,

In the third quarter, the Crusaders (1-1) answered Donnelly's 79-yard TD run around left end with Quinones' 1-yard scoring dive. Four plays later, Donnelly, after faking to Steinmetz, found daylight again.

Council Rock South   714140-35

Father Judge   14776-34

FJ: Quinones 41 pass from Daniels (Foley kick)

FJ: Smalley 76 run (Foley kick)

CRS: A. Alimenti 84 kickoff return (Solis kick)

FJ: Mills 24 pass from Daniels (Foley kick)

CRS: Donnelly 4 run (Solis kick)

CRS: McDermott 19 run (Solis kick)

CRS: Donnelly 45 run (Solis kick)

FJ: Quinones 1 run (Foley kick)

CRS: Donnelly 45 run (Solis kick)

FJ: Landis 32 pass from Daniels (pass failed)