Photo by Kevin Barrett
By Matt Smith
Marco Kaufman was too young to remember the last time Strath Haven defeated Garnet Valley in a football game.
The senior running back/linebacker considers the year 2010 ancient history, a bygone era before teams were permitted to carry around tablets on the sideline. Back in those days coaches exchanged game film on relics such as DVD and VHS.
When the game went final Friday night, and Strath Haven players congratulated themselves on a 28-19 victory over Garnet Valley to take sole possession of first place in the Central League, Kaufman showed a lot of emotion.
“It feels so great. I’ve been waiting for this since I was a little kid,” Kaufman said. “We’ve never beaten Garnet, not since I have been playing football. It’s incredible.”
The Panthers’ previous win over the Jaguars transpired Oct. 15, 2010, a 21-20 decision at George L. King Field. Thirteen years later, the Panthers came to Moe DeFrank and dealt the Jaguars their first Central League loss since 2017. Garnet Valley is the five-time defending league champion, but they are no longer in the driver’s seat. Strath Haven, which shared the title with Garnet Valley last season (the teams did not meet), is seeking its first outright championship since 2010.
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