By Brian Carroll
“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” — Voltaire
In looking at the list of 5A football teams in District 1 this summer, it wasn’t hard to imagine that the Central League could be well-represented in the playoffs and potentially set up rematches galore. For a team like Strath Haven, whose Wing-T offense can give unfamiliar opponents fits, those rematches are not always necessarily welcomed, even if the results went well in the initial meeting. So when the playoff bracket aligned two weeks ago showing Haven’s path to potentially include Penncrest, Garnet Valley, and a Springfield/Marple Newtown winner, nobody was taking any wins for granted. To their credit, the Panther players and coaches prepared just as well and just as hard as always, and were rewarded with a shutout win of Penncrest in Round 1. But despite those same efforts leading into a rematch with an equally-prepared and determined Garnet Valley squad, the breaks did not land with the Panthers last Friday night, ending the 2024 season in heart-wrenching fashion.
From a pure football standpoint, fans could not have asked for a more exciting, competitive game. Each team had huge special teams plays in the first quarter, with Haven’s #8 Ben Milligan’s explosive 77-yard kickoff return to start the game setting up a #3 Caden Shuster to #81 Jahi Curtis touchdown pass, and Garnet Valley’s #9 Brendan McDermott blocking a Haven punt to set the table for the Jaguars’ first lead. Each defense forced second quarter turnovers, with the Jaguars’ #20 Nolan Carroll snaring an interception, and Milligan returning the favor for the Panthers with a pick of his own two plays later. #17 Quinn Kell’s interception stalled Garnet Valley’s first drive after halftime, and set up #5 James Fisher’s game-tying touchdown run late in the third quarter. On the next drive, Curtis’ stop on a third and short gave the Panthers a chance, and Haven took full advantage with a 45-yard scoring drive capped by a bruising 15-yard scoring run from #34 Vince Hales for their first lead. But with #32 FB/LB Shane Green sidelined with an injury for the majority of the second half, the Jags took full advantage, as #3 Gavin Rosello sprinted left for a 14-yard, game-tying touchdown of his own with just 3:19 to play in regulation. A holding penalty squashed a Panther drive late, and Garnet Valley responded with a 65-yard drive to set themselves up for a 20-yard field goal try on the final play of regulation.
