McCaskey outlasts Bartram in OT

(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)

By Jeff Reinhart — LNP/Lancasteronline

PHILADELPHIA — If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

McCaskey senior quarterback Matthew Remash was behind center late Saturday afternoon, with the Red Tornado 3 yards from paydirt and a win in overtime against John Bartram.

When the play collapsed, Remash’s natural instincts took over, and he tried not once, but twice. When he drug a couple of would-be tacklers into the end zone on his second effort, McCaskey secured a gut-check, season-opening victory, a 30-24 sweat-fest over the Braves on a steamy day in the shadows of center city Philly.

“We were going to run a dive play, but the snap got a little wobbly and I had to do what I had to do,” Remash said about the game-winning play. “Thanks to my teammates, we got the win. It’s a good feeling to beat a good team like that on the road. And it was the first overtime game in my high school career, so it was a blast.”

It also took a while. The teams combined for 17 penalties for 140 yards, Bartram lost a pair of fumbles, there were multiple stoppages for injuries and cramps, and both teams used practically all of their timeouts to talk strategy. The game took nearly three hours, on a brutally hot afternoon on the turf inside Bartram Field.

“We’re really young, but they all stepped up and showed out today,” Tornado coach Ben Thompson said. “Right now we’re 1-0, but tomorrow we’re 0-0 and looking for the next one.”

The Tornado, which had a 24-8 third-quarter lead before Bartram rallied, had a shot to win in it regulation time. Remash hit Josh Monzon for a 23-yard gainer on third and 20 for a must-have first down. Later in the drive, Steven Lavender zoomed 32 yards to Bartram’s 25 with 31 seconds to go.

But with eight seconds remaining, Remash was flagged for intentional grounding, and McCaskey misfired on its Hail Mary attempt at the buzzer and the Tornado and the Braves shuffled off to OT. McCaskey won the all-important toss and chose to defend first. The Tornado’s D rose to the occasion, and stuffed Bartram QB Samad Robinson on fourth down to hold.

That set up McCaskey’s winning score, when Remash made a whole lot out of practically nothing, powering his way into the end zone to ice the Tornado’s win. It was the first time McCaskey and Bartram squared off in a football game in 75 years.

McCaskey struck first here Saturday; Michi Winters scooped up a fumble and returned it deep into Bartram territory, setting up Quineak Talton’s 5-yard run for a quick 7-0 lead. The Braves answered, when Robinson tossed a 14-yard TD pass to Rameer Owens. A 2-point play gave Bartram an 8-7 lead.

But the Tornado grabbed a 14-8 cushion at the half, when Remash (7 for 13 for 112 yards) zipped a 43-yard TD strike to De’Andre Jones. McCaskey tacked on in the third quarter; Liam Cox drilled a 27-yard field goal for a 17-8 advantage, and the Tornado made it 24-8 when Remash heaved a 30-yard TD toss to Jones, who had three catches for 80 yards.

Undaunted, Bartram got a 15-yard TD scamper from Jahmi Hargrove on the last play of the third quarter, and the Braves completed their comeback with 5:22 to go in regulation, when Robinson darted seven yards on a keeper — plus a 2-point run by Hargrove — and it was all tied up.

McCaskey’s defense and Remash did the rest.

“We had faith in our defense, and they got the stop,” Remash said. “The defense really did their thing, and honestly, this is just a great team win.”