Clutch performance by Eric Nangle leads Exeter to first championship game
By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
CAMP HILL – Eric Nangle clutched the game ball tightly to his ribs and wrapped his index finger around the point. It was a force of habit. A way of holding on to a prized possession.
Exeter’s running back didn’t fully understand what he just accomplished. He heard a rumor that he scored six touchdowns. That was true. The rest of his stat line was a wonderful mystery.
“I don’t know how many yards at all,” he said as he stood alone on the West Shore Stadium turf. “I’m lost there.”
Maybe that’s the only way a night like this can happen. Maybe if a player was counting, he could never get that high.
Nangle rushed for a program-record 332 yards, caught an 83-yard screen pass and willed No. 7 Exeter over sixth-seeded Cedar Cliff 42-35 in the District 3 Class 5A football semifinals Friday.
“Eric is something special,” senior center Kyle Helm said. “He’s up there with the top backs in the state. He comes in day in and day out and works hard. He balls out.”
Exeter (9-3) earned a rematch with No. 1 Gov. Mifflin for the championship at Shillington next week. Nangle’s performance immediately took its place on a pedestal in program history.
What was most remarkable is the Eagles needed all of those yards and all of those touchdowns. Without them they might have fallen short.
“It was just a huge game,” Nangle said. “It was big for the whole team. It was big for the school. First time we’ve ever won three games in the playoffs. That’s what really feels good. That feels amazing.”
On a night when Nangle’s totals needed to be added up on a calculator, one set of 10 yards was most important. Those were the 10 everyone knew he needed. The 10 Cedar Cliff’s defense sold its soul to stop.
Exeter held a seven-point lead when it took possession at the Colts’ 48 with 3:20 left. If the Eagles could get one first down, it was basically over. They could drain the clock.
Everyone in the huddle knew they were getting those 10 yards.
“We’re looking at the scoreboard, looking at the time,” Helm said. “We’ve just got to seal the deal. Up front we work for it all year. Ten yards. We’ve got to be able to get it. We got it done.”
Exeter built a 21-7 lead in the second quarter and never relinquished it. That doesn’t mean the Eagles were comfortable. They spent the whole night looking over their shoulders.
Cedar Cliff (10-3) was relentless. The Colts cut it to 21-20 at one point before Exeter stretched the lead to 15 points. It was 35-28. Then 42-35.
Ethan Dorrell completed 17-of-27 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns. Trenten Smith caught eight passes for 137 yards and two scores. Jontae Morris rushed 20 times for 143 yards and a TD.
Every time Exeter’s two-score advantage became one score, the Eagles knew they couldn’t give the ball back. They never did. When Nangle wasn’t running free, quarterback Colin Payne was connecting on 11-of-16 passes for 264 yards.
“It was a great feeling,” tight end J.R. Strauss said. “We were just dominating on the line and getting down blocks. There were wide open holes throughout the game. It was really successful for us.”
It doesn’t take much to spring Nangle, a 5-10, 175-pound senior. One small crease and he’s full speed into the secondary. He spun out of tackles. He jumped over them. He ran away from them in becoming the first player in program history to score six touchdowns in a game.
This was a showcase for Exeter’s front five: Helm, right tackle Anthony Caccese, left tackle Sam Orzolek, right guard Kyle Lash and left guard Lucas Palange. Strauss helped out at tight end with Ty Yocum as the lead blocker. Ryan McConnell was in at left tackle on the final drive.
“Beasts,” said Nangle, who raised his season total to 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. “They all put their bodies out there. They played amazing today.”
Once the interviews and pats on the back were complete, Nangle had a phone call. It was from running backs coach Brandon Monk, who couldn’t be there because he was ill. Monk paid to watch the live stream on his computer. It was worth whatever the price.
There were fireworks after the game. They weren’t intended for Nangle but they could have been. Then head coach Matt Bauer handed out that ball.
There was no question who was going to receive it and no way Nangle could ever let it go.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Exeter | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Cedar Cliff | 7 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 35 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Exeter | Nangle, 83 pass from Payne (Moser kick) | 10:52 |
| 1 | Cedar Cliff | Smith, 13 pass from Dorrell (Witmer kick) | 4:03 |
| 1 | Exeter | Nangle, 46 run (Moser kick) | 0:46 |
| 2 | Exeter | Nangle, 4 run (Moser kick) | 1:23 |
| 2 | Cedar Cliff | Paradine, 27 pass from Dorrell (kick blocked) | 0:15 |
| 3 | Cedar Cliff | Smith, 24 pass from Dorrell (Witmer kick) | 9:14 |
| 3 | Exeter | Nangle, 5 run (Moser kick) | 6:52 |
| 4 | Exeter | Nangle, 59 run (Moser kick) | 11:49 |
| 4 | Cedar Cliff | Morris, 18 run (Morris run) | 10:01 |
| 4 | Exeter | Nangle, 9 run (Moser kick) | 7:44 |
| 4 | Cedar Cliff | Robinson, 7 pass from Dorrell (Witmer kick) | 3:22 |
Team statistics
| Exeter | Cedar Cliff | |
| First downs | 26 | 22 |
| Rushes-yards | 35-372 | 31-170 |
| Passing yards | 264 | 239 |
| Total yards | 636 | 409 |
| Passes | 11-16-0 | 17-27-1 |
| Fumbles-lost | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Punts-average | 1-43 | 4-30.8 |
| Penalties-yards | 10-87 | 5-50 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Exeter: Nangle 27-332, Payne 2-27, Yocum 3-18, Team 3-(-5).
Cedar Cliff: Morris 20-143, Dorrell 10-27, Smith 1-0.
PASSING
Exeter: Payne 11-16-0–264.
Cedar Cliff: Dorrell 17-27-1–239.
RECEIVING
Exeter: Yocum 3-95, Schmidt 3-25, Strauss 2-41, Schlaffer 2-25, Nangle 1-83.
Cedar Cliff: Smith 8-137, Paradine 3-48, Maisonet 2-13, Lusk 1-17, Robinson 1-7, Tirado 1-4, Morris 1-(-1).
INTERCEPTIONS
Exeter: Miller.
