Council Rock South, Szydlik secure district playoff win over Haverford
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NEWTOWN — Council Rock South senior Nate Szydlik has been on the sidelines for plenty of playoff games, but Friday was the first time he got to step on the field and make a major contribution.
The Golden Hawks got off to a slow start in their PIAA District One Class 6A first-round game with visiting Haverford, but Szydlik, on a long touchdown run soon followed by a Pick-6 interception, turned what had been a nail-biter into a rout.
The No. 5 seeded Golden Hawks (10-1) ended up rolling to a 27-7 victory over 12th-seeded Haverford (7-4). It was CR South’s first district playoff win since 2011.
Next up is a trip to No. 4 Coatesville, a 27-10 winner over Perkiomen Valley, in the district quarterfinals Nov. 7.
The Fords came into Friday night’s game on a two-game winning streak with victories over Radnor and Conestoga while the Golden Hawks’ had won eight straight since losing to North Penn in Week Two.
Both Nate’s grandfather, Chalie Szydlik (Frankford, North Catholic), as well as his uncle, current CR South head coach C.J. Szydlik, have been involved in numerous playoff games, with little Nate on the sidelines.
“I’ve been involved with football since I can remember,” said Nate Szydlik, a linebacker on defense and running back on offense. “I even remember going to Neumann (in South Philadelphia) games when my grandfather was the AD there. When we go home, we like to watch film.”
But Friday was Szydlik’s first playoff game as a player who was being counted upon.
“They told me to just treat it as another game,” said Szydlik.
However, whether it was nerves or just a tough opponent, CR South did not get off to a good start.
After a roughing-the-kicker penalty revived a Fords drive, Haverford ate up all but the final 90 seconds of the first quarter in a 68-yard touchdown drive, culminating in a quarterback sneak into the end zone by Adam Kilpatrick.
“Playing (defense) against them can be tiring,” said Szydlik. “But we do a lot of conditioning in practice. We do some additional little things that help. Our coaches are smart about it.”
A 37-yard run by Golden Hawks’ junior Gavin Lacey (10 carries for 108 yards) tied the score early in the second quarter, but there was no further scoring after that for a while.
With three minutes left in the third period, Szydlik (four carries for 92 yards) ran around right end 75-yards for a touchdown. The ensuing two-point attempt failed, which meant Haverford could take the lead with a touchdown and extra point. The Fords featured a powerful running attack, but had not completed a pass in the first three quarters.
Szydlik, an all-state selection at linebacker as a junior, showed the Fords they should have kept going to the running game.
With 4:43 left in the game, Szydlik intercepted a pass from Kilpatrick and ran 60 yards into the end zone.
“I was following the quarterback’s eyes,” said Szydlik. “We were sitting in a zone, so I was just in my area. Ben Myers was putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback and that affected the pass. I just saw it and grabbed it.”
A minute later, Lacey added a 43-yard touchdown run to punch the Golden Hawks ticket to the quarterfinals.
What’s next for Council Rock South
A matchup at No. 4 seed Coatesville in the District Class 6A quarterfinals on Nov. 7.
What’s next for Haverford
The Fords will play at Upper Darby on Thanksgiving morning.
Key play
Nate Szydlik’s 75-yard touchdown run late in the third period gave the Golden Hawks a lead they never relinquished.
Game balls
CR South defense: After Haverford scored in the first period, the Golden Hawks shut them out despite the Fords having excellent field position throughout the second half, including starting a drive on the CR South 15-yard line thanks to a fumble.
Gavin Lacy: The CR South running back showed breakaway speed with two long touchdown runs.
Liam Taylor: The Haverford running back was a workhorse for the Fords. He had 123 yards on 26 carries.
By the numbers
With a strong wind blowing through Walt Snyder Stadium, neither team looked to pass much. At halftime, there had not been a completed pass by either team. There were only 14 attempted passes, total, in the game.
They said it
“The O-line did a great job, all I had to do was make one turn and run,” said Szydlik on his 75-yard touchdown run.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Council Rock South earns playoff victory over Haverford
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