Reynolds leads South to the top of the league
By beating North Penn, the Titans are National Conference champs and top seed in the playoffs.
Eric Reynolds put forth another dazzling performance and the Central Bucks South football team silenced any remaining skeptics.
With Reynolds totaling 395 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, the undefeated Titans downed North Penn, 41-27, last night to claim the Suburban One League National Conference championship and earn the No. 1 seed in the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA playoffs.
South, ranked No. 3 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, finished the regular season with a 10-0 overall record and 7-0 league mark. The fourth-year program, which entered this season with a 6-24 record, has outscored foes by a combined score of 368-218.
After the win, South fans swarmed the field and celebrated with head coach Bart Szarko and his players.
"It's almost above being able to describe the feeling," Szarko said. "It's wonderful to see the players, the coaches, the students and the community this happy."
Had they won last night, the fifth-ranked Knights (8-2, 5-2) would have earned a share of the National Conference crown.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Reynolds carried 22 times for 259 yards (an average of 11.6 yards per carry) and three scores. He also had a 79-yard TD reception, and returned three kicks for 57 yards.
"It's always good to beat North Penn," Reynolds said. "It's even better to be 10-0 and National Conference champs."
For the season, the quick-footed Reynolds has rushed 197 times for 2,292 yards and scored 32 TDs. He has scholarship offers from Bowling Green, Connecticut, Delaware, Temple and Toledo.
Colin Donnelly also came up huge for the Titans. The senior returned a kickoff 73 yards for an early fourth-quarter score that put the hosts ahead for good, 34-27. Late in the third quarter, he was on the receiving end of a 53-yard TD.
North Penn, the defending conference champion, netted 242 rushing yards and 188 passing yards. "We gave up some yardage," Szarko said, "but I thought our defense came up big when we needed it."
Reynolds ran for scores of 64, 30 and 50 yards. Overall, the Titans gained 339 rushing yards and 144 passing yards.
On the fourth play of the game, Reynolds dashed off right tackle and went 64 yards for his 29th touchdown of the season. His other rushing scores covered 30 and 50 yards. The 50-yarder came with 5 minutes, 13 seconds to play and made it 41-27.
The game was tied, 13-13, at halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, North Penn quarterback Justin Davey found wideout V.J. Crouse in the right corner for a 20-yard score that evened things at 27.
Donnelly took the ensuing kickoff back for a score.
North Penn6 7 7 7 - 27
Central Bucks South13 0 14 14 - 41
CBS: Reynolds 64 run (White kick)
NP: FG, McManus 25
CBS: Reynolds 79 pass from Johns (kick failed)
NP: FG, McManus 47
NP: Smith 43 pass from Davey (McManus kick)
CBS: Reynolds 30 run (Donnelly kick)
NP: Katch 1 run (McManus kick)
CBS: Donnelly 32 pass from Turchick (Donnelly kick)
NP: Crouse 20 pass from Davey (McManus kick)
CBS: Donnelly 73 kickoff return (McManus kick)
CBS: Reynolds 50 run (Donnelly kick)