Malvern shocks Episcopal Academy
Running back Troy Gallen tallies 372 yards on 25 carries in a huge win for the Friars over the Churchmen.
MALVERN SENIOR fullback Hunter Paulus is responsible for ensuring that defenders don't hit his starting running back Troy Gallen.
He has never felt better about not being needed.
Gallen, a senior who is committed to Delaware, rushed for 372 yards and five touchdowns as Malvern dominated Inter-Ac power Episcopal, 49-21, Friday night.
After Gallen sprang for a 40-yarder to make it 35-14 with 4:46 left in the third, Paulus came to the sideline and delivered the line of the night.
"He's making my job real [bleeping] easy," the PG-version went. Gallen amassed the yardage on only 25 carries for an absurd 14.8 per carry.
Paulus, a 6-2, 230-pounder who also plays linebacker, committed to play football at Stetson next season. But before his high school career ends, his teammate treated him to the fourth-best rushing performance in city history.
"Obviously, our job is to create holes for Troy, but he was phenomenal tonight," Paulus said. "Even if the hole wasn't there, he would cut back. It was unbelievable. It was the easiest time I've ever had blocking for him. He was just on another level tonight."
Save for a brief stint that ended the second quarter, Malvern dominated from start to finish.
The Friars (6-2, 3-1) went up, 14-0, after twin 23-yard ground scores by Gallen and Matt Brown. Fraternal twins, however, as Gallen broke free on a sweep left, and Brown squirted through on a sweep right.
Reigning Inter-Ac champion Episcopal (8-2, 3-1), which hadn't lost a league game since 2011 appeared to rebound with a late flurry just before halftime. A fumble recovery by junior linebacker Kevin Morgan at the Malvern 30 was followed by a 15-yard pass interference penalty. Junior QB Ryan Whayland capitalized one play later with a strike to Christian Feliziani for a score. Whayland punctuated an 81-yard, seven-play drive with a 1-yard score with 54 seconds left in the half. The Churchmen sprinted to the locker room, momentum apparently in tow. However . . .
"We came into the locker room like, 'Hey, we're not giving up,' " Paulus said.
Gallen scored on a 59-yard rush on the team's first play of the third quarter. He went 32 yards for pay dirt with 6:04 left in the third, and then took one 70 yards for another.
It could have been six after he rushed 27 yards down to the 1. He, of course, got the next carry, but his helmet came off after he was stymied at the line. By rule, he had to come out, so QB Alex Hornibrook sneaked in from a yard away.
Malvern, Haverford and Episcopal now each have one blemish. Paulus and Co. face Springside Chestnut Hill next week and can ensure at least a share of the title with a win.