2 weeks Ago
Both matchups between Parkland and Nazareth last season were instant classics, including the Blue Eagles’ dramatic 24-17 win in the district championship game on a late 2-point conversion and a defensive touchdown as time expired for the exclamation point. There was no such drama in this regular-season rematch as the Trojans got their payback in a 31-6 rout on Friday night at Orefield Middle School. “It’s an old cliché but if you practice well, you play well,” Parkland coach Tim Moncman said.
“We had a great week of practice and came out – it’s about head and heart – with the right mindset. I told them there was going to be a point in this game where you’re hurting and you’re tired and that’s when you lean on each other and pick each other up like a family.” A 37-yard field goal with just nine seconds remaining in the first half not only pushed the Parkland lead to 10-6 but also seemed to pick everyone up and spark a dominant second half where the Trojans outscored Nazareth 21-0.
The difference was a stark contrast in the running game as Parkland, led by sophomore running back TJ Lawrence’s 110 rushing yards, outgained Nazareth 274-72 on the ground with most of the Blue Eagles’ yards coming on pass-play scrambles. “We made a switch after the Freedom game and slid Reid Andrush to defensive end and Julian Diaz inside and it’s been a world of difference,” Moncman said. “We’re big inside and athletic and we were trying to contain [Falzone] in the pocket and wanted him to step up and get a scramble here or there but force him to step up in the pocket and get pressure on him.
” The Trojans controlled the ball for most of the first half, running 41 plays compared to Nazareth’s 17, and struck first on its second drive of the game as Lawrence bounced outside to his right for a five-yard touchdown to give his team an early 7-0 lead. The run capped off an 11-play, 62-yard drive that was sparked by a 23-yard connection between quarterback Osmany Guzman and senior wide receiver Preston Mertz to convert a critical third-and-3. Mertz shined defensively in Parkland’s Week 3 win over Northampton, but it was this play on the opposite side of the ball that shined through on what turned out to be one of the biggest plays of the game for the Trojans offense.
The Blue Eagles responded quickly as offensive coordinator Rob Petrosky caught the Trojans in an all-out blitz with a quick screen to star running back Marquez Wimberly who followed blockers and busted loose for a 55-yard score. The ensuing extra point attempt missed wide left, keeping Parkland ahead 7-6 with a lead it never relented. Wimberly finished the night with four catches for 71 yards and a season-low in both carries (5) and rushing yards (10).
The long touchdown ended up being the last real sign of life from the Nazareth offense, which was stalled as much by its own mistakes as it was by an impressive Parkland defense. Mertz wasn’t just impactful offensively, shining again on the outside of the defense and holding Lafayette commit Caleb Newsome to just one catch for 19 yards. Standout defensive end Domenic Martrich tallied a sack for the fifth straight game to frustrate Falzone, who finished just 11-20 passing on the night with two interceptions.
He also added 60 yards on the ground despite Martrich sending him back 12 yards on a pivotal sack to back up the Blue Eagles. “[Martrich] is a huge powerlifter who was a linebacker last year and we put him up at defensive end where he doesn’t have to think as much and he just tees off,” Moncman said. “He plays with one motor, one speed, and is a hell of a football player.
” Junior Nassim Adams made his presence felt in all three phases but primarily on defense and special teams to set up Parkland’s first two touchdown drives of the second half. First, his 65-yard punt return gave the Trojans a short field that senior running back Reid Andrush capitalized on with his sixth rushing touchdown of the season on just his 10th carry. The 5-11, 200-pound bruiser is difficult to bring down in such tight quarters, but he pointed all of the credit elsewhere after another crucial score.
“I’ve got to give all the credit to the O-Line,” Andrush said. “Mason Marcks and everyone up on that line just does their job perfect and those [touchdowns] would not be possible if it wasn’t for them.” On the very next play, Falzone escaped the pocket and showed off his elite arm stretch with a 50-yard bomb on the run, but Adams was the one who high-pointed the ball to give Falzone his second interception of the night.
The Trojans proceeded to march down the field with ease and Leo Dauberman delivered the dagger with a touchdown run on fourth-and-goal to stretch the lead to 24-6 late in the third quarter. Dauberman finished fourth on the team with 26 rushing yards on six carries with Naquan Thomason (54 yards), who scored the final touchdown from 11 yards out, and Guzman (38 yards) falling behind Lawrence. Guzman also threw for 100 yards on the night on 6-16 passing.
It’s a statement win for Parkland coach Tim Moncman’s group who considered themselves the underdogs coming into the night. The win sends the Trojans to 4-1, and while they’ve yet to begin divisional play, this win should cement them as the favorite in the newly established EPC-Lehigh Division. “We definitely sent a message to all the teams out there,” Lawrence said.
“This is a big win.” Nazareth (3-2) hosts Pleasant Valley (0-5) in a Friday night contest at Nazareth High School at 7 p.m.
Parkland (4-1) will hit the road again next Friday when it travels to J. Birney Crum Stadium to take on Allen (2-3) at 7 p.m.
Derek Bast is a freelance writer who can be found on Twitter/X at @derek_bast. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
NAZARETH 6, PARKLAND 31 Nazareth: 6; 0; 0; 0 — 6 Parkland: 7; 3; 14; 7 — 31 ORDER OF SCORING First quarter P: TJ Lawrence 5-yard run (Doug Bell kick); 5:10 N: Marquez Wimberly 55-yard pass from Peyton Falzone (Owen Hall kick failed): 3:16 Second quarter P: Doug Bell 37-yard field goal; 0:09 Third quarter P: Reid Andrush 3-yard run (Bell kick); 8:52 P: Leo Dauberman 1-yard run (Bell kick); 4:03 Fourth quarter P: Naquan Thomason 10-yard run (Bell kick); 7:59 TEAM STATISTICS N; P First downs; 8; 22 Rushes-yards; 19-72; 52-274 Passing yards; 154; 100 Comp-Att-INTs; 11-20-2; 6-16-0 Punts; 2-39; 2-29.5 Fumbles-lost; 1-1; 1-0 Penalties-yards; 5-35; 5-40 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: (N) Peyton Falzone 9-60; Marquez Wimberly 5-10; Jacob Angione 3-9; TEAM 1-0; Caleb Newsome 1-(-7); (P) TJ Lawrence 23-110, TD; Naquan Thomason 9-54; Osmany Guzman 8-38; Leo Dauberman 6-26, TD; Caleb Corsa 2-26; Nassim Adams 1-18; Julius Silva; 2-6; Reid Andrush 1-3, TD. Passing: (N) Falzone 11-20-2, 154 yards, TD.
(P) Guzman 6-16-0, 100 yards. Receiving: (N) Wimberly 4-71, TD; Tanner Zelachowski 2-26; Newsome 1-19; Mason Marinelli 1-14; Angione 1-13; Luke DiPietro 1-9; Jayden Quach 1-2; (P) Marcel Burden 1-39; Lawrence 2-25; Preston Mertz 1-23; Dauberman 2-13..
