Archbishop Wood rolls to district football crown
Jack Colyar didn't miss very often Saturday afternoon against Simon Gratz. As a matter of fact, the Archbishop Wood sophomore quarterback didn't miss at all in the first quarter of the District 12 Class 5A championship game at Northeast High.
Jack Colyar didn't miss very often Saturday afternoon against Simon Gratz.
As a matter of fact, the Archbishop Wood sophomore quarterback didn't miss at all in the first quarter of the District 12 Class 5A championship game at Northeast High.
The Vikings tamed the Bulldogs, 61-18, claiming their eighth city championship in nine tries. Wood's only loss during that span was to eventual state champion Imhotep last season in Class 3A play.
Next week the Vikings (8-2-1) will face Whitehall, which beat Abington Heights, 35-14, also on Saturday.
Colyar, who transferred from La Salle, finished with 309 passing yards and five touchdowns on 9-of-13 passing. In the first quarter, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore was 7 of 7 with 291 yards and those five scores.
"That was probably my best game statistically," he said. "But it's not all me. The [offensive] line played great. The receivers did a great job. These guys around me are special and it's a lot of fun."
Senior running backs Shawn Thompson and Raheem "Speedy" Blackshear were especially dangerous.
Thompson finished with 132 rushing yards and a TD on just seven carries (18.8 yards per attempt). The 6-foot, 195-pounder added two catches for 99 yards and two more touchdowns.
That's 231 yards and three scores on just nine touches (25.6 yards per touch).
Blackshear, a 5-foot-10, 180-pounder, caught two passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. That's 58 yards per catch. He also added 21 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
Fellow senior Mark Webb, a Georgia recruit, caught three passes for 74 yards and a touchdown, which came on the game's first play from scrimmage.
A play-action fake facilitated freedom in the secondary and led to Webb's 60-yard touchdown reception from Colyar 11 seconds into the game.
Blackshear, a Temple recruit, scored on a 45-yard bubble screen with 7 minutes, 36 seconds left in the quarter.
Thompson, who has yet to commit, added a 48-yard TD off a screen pass less than two minutes later.
Blackshear later broke free for 71 yards after a long pass near the Gratz sideline. Another screen pass to Thompson netted 51 yards and a score with 52.6 seconds left in the quarter.
"Sometimes it's just a bubble [screen] and Raheem will go for 60 yards," Colyar said. "Those guys, they're fast, they're strong, they're athletic, and they have all the tools, and that's why they're going to play college ball."
Wood's 55-12 lead at halftime could have been even bigger, but the Vikings took a knee at the Gratz 3 with about 19 seconds left in the half after a Tyler Smith interception return.
Gratz (7-5) was led by Qashah Carter's 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. The senior also returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and recovered a fumble. Junior running back Amir Gillis finished 10 of 33 for 109 yards. He also added a rushing touchdown.
Archbishop Wood 34 21 0 6 - 61
Simon Gratz 12 0 6 0 - 18
AW: Mark Webb 60 pass from Jack Colyar (Dan Zanine kick)
SG: Amir Gillis 11 run (kick blocked)
AW: Raheem Blackshear 45 pass from Colyar (Zanine kick)
AW: Shawn Thompson 48 pass from Colyar (Zanine kick)
AW: Blackshear 71 pass from Colyar (Zanine kick)
SG: Qashah Carter 1 run (pass failed)
AW: Thompson 51 pass from Colyar (kick failed)
AW: Thompson 27 run (Zanine kick)
AW: Blackshear 2 run (Zanine kick)
AW: Nasir Peoples 9 run (Zanine kick)
SG: Carter 91 kick return (pass failed)
AW: Leroy Pendleton 5 run (kick failed)
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