Haverford School rallies past West Catholic, 35-13

Late in the third quarter, leading by 14 points, a normally raucous Haverford School sideline was nearly silent.

At the 40-yard line, quarterback Kevin Carter was in pain.

Carter, the Fords' senior leader and dynamite gunslinger, was pulled down awkwardly after he was flushed from the pocket during a 35-13 win on Friday afternoon over visiting West Catholic.

He did not get up for a dozen minutes. And when he did it was on a stretcher, his leg wrapped and his knee bent.

Head coach Mike Murphy's team took it hard.

"All 10 guys on the field were crying, or about to cry, because we just care so much about each other on this team," Haverford School linebacker Michael Kober said.

"He's a great player, probably one of the best kids in the school just to be around, and it's just tragic to see him go down."

And Carter wasn't just Haverford School's leader. He was also its engine. When Carter exited the game, he had already piled up 135 yards and two TDs.

So when West Catholic quarterback Joshua Evans launched a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jameer Bryson early in the fourth quarter, making it an eight-point game, the Haverford sideline wasn't just quiet anymore. It was anxious.

Except for one player.

It was time for Haverford School running back Malik Twyman to fix things on his own.

On the Fords' very next drive, Twyman took a pitch, turned up the field, and saw nothing but turf and opportunity.

Twyman broke a 69-yard touchdown run on the play to put Haverford School up, 28-13, with 10:24 left in the game.

In an instant, the Fords' sideline rediscovered its hysteria. Players held helmets high as they thundered down to congratulate the junior back, who finished with 21 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

"I looked at my teammates, and just said, 'We've got to do it for Kev,' " Twyman said. "I had faith in my teammates."

As the swarm of teammates in the end zone began to thin out, Twyman emerged with his hands in the air. He yelled, "1-7, 1-7," in honor of Carter's number, 17.

Haverford School 14 7 0 14 - 35

West Catholoc 0 7 0 6 - 13

HS: Malik Twyman 1 run (Tommy McNamara kick)

HS: Keyveat Postell 59 pass from Kevin Carter ( McNamara kick)

WC: Calil Wortham 6 run (Craig Jones kick)

HS: Micah Sims 9 pass from Carter (McNamara kick)

WC: Jameer Bryson 33 pass from Joshua Evans (kick failed)

HS: Twyman 69 run (McNamara kick)

HS: Tommy Toal 4 run (McNamara kick)

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