Central wins defensive battle

WHILE MANY families were warm and toasty at home waiting for NFL football on Thanksgiving, Central senior Sam Reid Jr. was playing his Super Bowl at rival Northeast.

The 4-year starter had tasted defeat in three previous turkey tussles. In fact, the team's last win on the holiday came back in 2004, 20-6.

Walter Pegues' walk-off, 1-yard plunge in a overtime changed all that and gave the Lancers a 6-3 triumph.

"There's nothing better," Reid Jr. said of the win. "Especially after losing to them for 3 years - there's nothing better. It's like winning the Super Bowl."

Charles Martin Memorial Field was just as frigid as other sites around the city, but Reid Jr., a 6-2, 235-pound right tackle, was just fine.

"Everybody else said it was really cold, but I guess because my adrenaline was rushing, I wasn't cold at all," said the 17-year-old from Mount Airy.

Well, intelligent layering also helped. Two pairs of socks, two T-shirts and some long underwear were the inventory. The tightly contested defensive battle also helped.

Reid Jr. tallied seven tackles (one for a loss) and a sack.

Pegues rushed 18 times for 75 yards. Sophomore QB Jeff Coplin went 6-13 for 51 yards.

"I thought it was going to be a [high-scoring] game," Reid Jr. said. "I thought our offense would do better, but I guess both defenses were at their peaks."

Senior Solomon Fields had a pick for the Lancers. Northeast QB Hakim Coles, just a sophomore, had an interesting two for one. On offense he completed one pass all game, but as a defensive back, he picked off two.

NE junior Asa Manley managed 72 yards on 25 carries, but clearly offense wasn't going to win this one. It was 0-0 at the end of regulation!

Or . . .

Tyler Gormley's 20-yard field goal in overtime for NE broke the drought. And a Pegues' 9-yard run on his team's first touch opened the floodgates. Not exactly. In overtime, each team starts at the opponent's 10. A yard later and it was time to celebrate, head to warmer homes and throw down at the dinner table.

"I'll probably eat like five plates," Reid Jr. said, adding with a laugh, "something small."

He earned it. He played both ways. Maybe he should be used to it though. He started at center as a freshman, and as a sophomore he picked up defensive tackle duties and has double-dipped ever since.

Versatility has become natural. Actually, for college, Reid Jr. is looking at football and/or track and field (shot put and discus). He has touched base with Rhode Island, Kutztown, West Chester and East Stroudsburg about opportunities in both sports.

Back to dinner . . .

Per her nephew, Aunt Sandy Cobb knows her way around the kitchen and her place in West Philadelphia will be the go-to spot for Reid Jr. and Co. (Mom Stephanie, Dad Sam Sr., sister Charlene and grandmother Vera).

Macaroni and cheese, turkey, ham, greens and sweet potatoes will find their way onto the business end of his fork, Reid Jr. said.

Food, football and family - and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Well, since we won the game they'll probably congratulate me and talk about the game," Reid said. "But we also like to joke around and watch the NFL games."

In other Thanksgiving squabbles: Martin Luther King knocked off Imhotep Charter, 32-30, at Ben Johnston Memorial Field. Imhotep, which faces Catasauqua tomorrow in the PIAA playoffs, played its starters for a half and led 22-6 at intermission. King went on a 26-8 run in half No. 2. Joseph Walker's 28-yard TD pass to Delane Hart with all zeros on the clock was the game-winner. It also gave Hart 15 receiving scores on the season, which broke the Pub record of 14 set by Germantown's Akil Stokes back in 2002. Hart finished with 45 catches and 1,179 yards on the season. Back then G-town and King were Thanksgiving rivals.

Also, Jylil Reeder from Samuel Fels finished with 14 TD catches this season after a 53-18 Thanksgiving loss to Frankford. Reeder had six catches for 101 yards. He also ran, threw and caught for touchdowns. He finished with 54 catches for 1,076 yards.