The old adage "third time's a charm" appropriately describes the Bishop McDevitt Crusaders 1994 season. The Crusaders qualified for District III playoff competition for the 1st time in 7 years.
The previous 2 seasons the Crusaders' hearts were broken on the last weekend of the season with playoff eliminating losses to Cumberland Valley. In 1992, the Crusaders traveled to Chapman Field and gave the eventual AAAA State Champion Eagles their toughest game to date before faltering in the closing minutes 42-27. The following season the Crusaders owned 1st place in Mid-Penn I for nearly the entire season. Late season injuries decimated the Crusaders' lineup, as McDevitt fell once again to District III Champion C.V. 24-17. Upon leaving McDevitt Field that damp November afternoon the returning Crusaders vowed that 1994 would be different. Indeed it was.
An unseasonably cool night greeted the Crusaders and the Middletown Blue Raiders on Labor Day weekend. A nervous 1st half performance by a young McDevitt squad with 16 new starters on offense and defense left the Crusaders behind 6-0. McDevitt rebounded nicely in the 2nd half. Raki Nelson led the charge with a dazzling, record-setting 108 yard interception return that gave McDevitt its first lead. The Crusaders held on to win 21-14.
In week 2, the Crusaders traveled to New Kingstown to take on defending champion Cumberland Valley. The Eagles' bruising running attack, led by fullback Dave Heckard, eventually wore down the out manned young Crusader defense. C.V.'s 14-7 half-time lead would swell to a 42-19 score by game's end. Despite the loss, the Crusaders offense did show some life. A nifty touchdown grab by Bryan Rohacek brought McDevitt to within a score at the half. Spencer Watters' lightning quick 88 yard kickoff return was definite highlight film material.
A more experienced Crusader club took McDevitt Field by storm in their home opener. Arch rival Central Dauphin played the role of prey as the Crusaders gobbled up the visiting Rams 41-22 before 3,500 sun-soaked fans. Jordan Scott threw for 283 yards and 2 touchdowns, 179 of those going to Raki Nelson.
The Crusaders traveled to Philadelphia
in Week 4 to tackle Academy Park. The Crusaders passing game overwhelmed
the man-to-man Academy Park defense for a 30-7 triumph. Scott completed
16 of 20 passes for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for another score.
Nelson caught 5 of those passes for 158 yards and I touchdown.
In week 5, the Crusaders defeated Red Land at West Shore Stadium 28-21.
Chambersburg was next on the agenda. The Trojans were having nightmares all week of 1993's last second loss at McDevitt Field. Chambersburg coach Don Folmer promised his squad history would not repeat itself. Determined to chase away the ghosts of October 5, 1993, the Trojans quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead. McDevitt struck back with a score of its own to take a 7-6 lead. Poor pass coverage on 3rd and long set up a Chambersburg score late in the 1st half. A successful 2-point conversion left the Crusaders trailing at the half, 14-7. Turnabout seemed to be fair play as the nightmarish finish the Trojans experienced a gear ago belonged to McDevitt in 1994. Three straight Crusader turnovers in their own territory broke open a close game as Chambersburg exploded to a 35-7 vindicating victory. To add insult was the injury to 2-way starting lineman Greg Sesny with a broken collarbone. Worse than the defeat itself was the way the Crusaders lost. Frustration and negative attitudes and emotions ran high. McDevitt's ship appeared to be sinking and they were heading straight for a big time battleship in fellow Market Street rival, Harrisburg.
Coach Chapman put out a challenge to the Crusaders. They must show discipline, attitude, and teamwork in order to have any chance of success against the league leading Cougars. The intense week of practice and the walk up Market Street to Severance Field appeared to be the tonic the Crusaders needed to revive their playoff hopes. Both teams played great team defense. Led by linebackers Jemar Coles (13 tackles), Mike Thornton, Tommy Mealy, and Kenny Borreli, the Crusaders stoned the Mid-Penn's most powerful and explosive offense. Confused and frustrated by a brilliant defensive game play devised by defensive coordinator Scott Feldman, the Cougars were forced to settle for a 7-7 halftime deadlock. The turning point in the game was prior to intermission when the Cougars turned the ball over on downs after starting their offensive series at the Crusader 3 yard line. That goalline stand lifted the spirits of the entire McDevitt team and left the Cougars to begin doubting themselves during the halftime break.
Two blocked punts gave the Crusaders
great field position in the second half. The offense, however, was victimized
by 2 fumbles deep in Harrisburg territory and were unable to put any points
on the board. Late in the 4th quarter the vaunted Cougar offense finally
got into gear. Harrisburg drove from deep in its own territory to the McDevitt
38 yard line. The Crusader defense then combined to sack or hurry Cougar
quarterback Quincy Wadley on the next 4 downs. McDevitt got the ball back
on its own 42 with just under a minute remaining. Halfback Julio Scherrer
picked up 8 yards on a 1 st down trap. Then the sky opened for McDevitt.
Nelson ran a flag route and made a tremendous grab of a Scott pass that
put the Crusaders in field goal range at the Cougar 10 yard line. On 2nd
down and single digit ticks remaining, Mike Thornton was called on for
a field goal try of 23 yards at a bad angle. With a Jason Reed snap &
a Scott hold, Thornton's kick split the uprights and the Crusaders pulled
off one of the biggest upsets and most incredible 1 week turnarounds in
Mid-Penn history.
The Crusaders came out of the clouds
in week 8 long enough and in time to stop a late Steel-High rally. Toronto
Dykes' electrifying kickoff returns (a 93 yard return for one score and
a 42 yard return that set up another) provided the needed punch in the
42-18 Homecoming victory.
McDevitt traveled to Carlisle in week 9 to take on the Thundering Herd. Tommy Mealy's 48 yard burst off tackle on 4th and one on the initial play of the 2nd quarter opened the scoring. Tight end Thornton's 49 yard reception and Dykes' 2nd kickoff return for a score in as many weeks gave the Crusaders a 21-7 lead at the half. Sparked by Mealy's 119 yards on 10 carries, McDevitt posted a 35-14 decision.
The 7-2 Crusaders still needed a victory over a tough and physical 7-2 Cedar Cliff squad on Parent's Day at McDevitt Field to secure of a playoff spot. Cedar Cliff, eliminated from post season play the previous week (in spite of the fact they, along with Chambersburg, were two of the best teams in District III and arguable the entire state), did not lie down for this contest. The Colts, led by All Mid-Penn running backs Sam Brinley and Coy Wire and a stellar offensive line, pushed in 2 late 1 st half scores. The critical score coming on a 40 yard desperation pass on the final play of the half that gave the Colts a 19-14 lead. To swing the momentum even further to the Cliff, Brinley returned the 2nd half kickoff back for a touchdown, making the game a 13 point difference. For the remainder of the contest, every time McDevitt got within 1 score, the 1-2 punch of Brinley and Wire and the nifty option plays by quarterback Sean Starner kept the Crusader offense on the sidelines. Final score: Cedar Cliff 37, McDevitt 27.
The Crusaders playoff hopes appeared
to be dashed. A tired and dejected McDevitt team walked off their home
field for the last time in 1994. While the players showered, the coaching
staff discovered that finally McDevitt had gotten a break. AnnvilleCleona
upset Conrad Weiser and, in spite of the loss to Cedar Cliff, McDevitt
qualified for the District III playoffs for the 1 st time since 1987.
The Crusaders entered the District
semi-final favored against undefeated Cocalico, the Lancaster-Lebanon Section
3 champion. Many football purists figured McDevitt's talent, speed, and
particularly, strength of schedule would get the best of their opponent
to the east. Cocalico's chances hinged on their ball control split veer
attack and their superior line play.
The latter was the case in the 1st half as Cocalico dominated the time of possession, taking a 7-0 lead into halftime. McDevitt stormed back in the 4th quarter with consecutive touchdowns to take a 14-7 lead. Cocalico, aided by a controversial unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and an 18 yard 4th down completion, scored from 5 yards out with 1:02 remaining. Rather than kick and settle for probable overtime, the Eagles went for the 2 point conversion to settle the outcome in regulation. A successful veer gave Cocalico a 15-14 lead. A short kickoff and 2 successive completions, including a 22 yard Dave McKenzie catch and run, put the Crusaders at the Eagles 20 yard line with just over 10 ticks remaining. With no timeouts, McDevitt was forced to attempt the game winning field goal on this play. Thornton's kick sailed wide left and the stunned and dejected Crusaders packed up and went home.
-Coach Rick Pierce
Mid-Penn Division I 1st Team
TE-Mike Thornton
WR-Raki Nelson
LB-Mike Thornton
Mid-Penn Division I 2nd Team
QB-Jordan Scott
Pennsylvania All-State 1st Team
WR-Raki Nelson
Pennyslvania All-State 2nd Team
LB-Mike Thornton