The Archbishop Carroll varsity football team fell to the Spartans of Springfield Township High School Friday night, 27-6, at Spartan Stadium in Flourtown, Montgomery County.
As the Patriots opted to kick off the game, they looked to figuratively kick off a new era of Carroll football as the defense stood strong on their first drive of the season. After Springfield punted it away, freshman quarterback Jayden Boyd gained only a net of five yards but gave the majority-Carroll crowd something to cheer about as he bobbed and weaved multiple defenders to unleash a thirty-yard bomb to sophomore Xavier Johnson that was just barely broken up by a Springfield defender.
On the next drive, the Springfield offense marched downfield to make it 7-0. It looked like more of the same on Springfield’s next drive before senior defensive back Hassan Bailey picked off Spartans QB Jack McGuckin to set up the offense for its third drive of the game, which would end with yet another punt even after an incredible fake attempt from senior James Wright that netted the Pats 20 yards. The offense couldn’t get anything going as junior receiver Luke Watson dropped two key passes that would’ve kept the drive alive.
After punter Gavin Wray pinned the Spartans deep in their own territory, Wright came up big for the Pats as the senior DB forced a Springfield fumble and set up the Carroll offense for one last drive before halftime in the Spartan’s red zone.
With only six seconds to go in the half, Boyd lofted one up to Watson, who raked it in over two Springfield defenders to shorten the Patriot deficit to just one and bring in the first touchdown of the season for Carroll.
As halftime came to a close, the Pat’s received the ball to start the second half but even with momentum on their side struggled to get much going. Boyd f0und senior Jesse Ventre for a 20-yard gain on 3rd and 19, yet saw the play called back by a holding penalty, something that plagued the Patriot offense all day as the offensive line struggled to come to form. Boyd would run it out on 3rd and 25, going east to west and somehow finding his way to a cipher gain as Carroll would punt it away again. Springfield marched downfield to score a quick touchdown, making it 15-6.
The Carroll offense would continue to struggle. At the forefront of the fourth quarter, a snap went directly over Boyd’s head into the back of the endzone, awarding Springfield with a safety and pushing the divide to 17-6 Springfield. The Spartans then went on to drive downfield, scoring the put-away TD, making it a 24-6 game with just two minutes to go.
Boyd made it interesting on the final drive, taking the Pats all the way to their own 10-yard line, much to the credit of a 30-yard catch and run to Xavier Johnson as time expired.
“The defense did a good job today,” assistant coach Mark Mounayar said. “The offense struggled at times but showed some potential. It was definitely a step in the right direction. Hopefully, we can fix our mistakes and make the right changes headed into Game Two.”
With the loss, the Pats fall to 0-1 (0-0 PCL) on the young season, and will look Friday’s contest with High School of the Future at Conshohocken A Field. The club’s first home game has a 7 p.m. kickoff.
William O’Donnell, director of football operations at Carroll, said Carroll fans can expect to see some changes seasons to help turn around the disappointment stemming from recent losing seasons.
“We brought in some guys,” O’Donnell said. “I know we’ve had our struggles in the last few years but we brought in some dudes, man, and we’re excited. Oh, and watch out for Number Five, Jay Boyd. That kid is special.”