By Christopher Vito
Garnet Valley players took a knee near the goal line, settling in to listen to Mike Ricci. A smile crept across Ricci’s face, and the usually reserved head coach couldn’t help but share in the celebration.
Garnet Valley, only moments earlier, had posted an improbable 42-14 victory over Neshaminy Friday in a District 1 Class 6A quarterfinal. The 10th-seeded Jaguars bussed to Bucks County and knocked off an undefeated team in dominating fashion.
“This is unbelievable,” said defensive end Rob Monachello.
The Jaguars got two touchdowns each from Nick Juliano and Danny Guy to pace the offense. Monachello’s six tackles for loss, including three sacks, led the defense. Not to be outdone, safety Sam Randolph returned a fumble recovery 60 yards for a second-quarter score.
“All around,” said Neshaminy coach Steve Wilmot, “they just played a great game.”
Garnet Valley (10-2) faces third-seeded Perkiomen Valley in next week’s semifinal round. Again, the Jaguars will be the underdog. That’s a role, Ricci said, that he can live with.
“I always love being the underdog. Give me that any day,” he said.
