Churchmen Fumble, Penn Charter Rolls

By Pete Schnatz, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: November 08, 1993

PHILADELPHIA — With his team facing one of the top quarterbacks in the area, Episcopal Academy coach Jim Auch couldn't have asked for more ideal weather Friday when the Churchmen went to Penn Charter.

Overcast skies, steady rain and increasingly muddy conditions dictated a grind-it-out football game.

But Auch watched in dismay as Episcopal (2-5-1 overall, 0-3 Inter-Ac) turned over the ball six times and played suspect defense in a 35-6 loss to the Quakers (7-0, 3-0).

"I didn't have any visions of grandeur," Auch said. "Penn Charter's skill people are excellent, and we were starting a freshman at quarterback. I was just hoping for a good effort, but we made several crucial mistakes in the secondary."

Mike Samuel threw for 202 yards and three scores as Episcopal Academy's secondary learned firsthand why college scouts across the country are salivating over the 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback.

Samuel's 55-yard pass to Steve Ley set up Penn Charter's first score, a 9- yard run by Brandon Shepherdson. When Episcopal fumbled away its next possession, the Quakers seized the opportunity, with Shepherdson going over

from 4 yards out for a 14-0 lead with less than a minute left in the first quarter.

After another Episcopal fumble, Samuel fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to Mike Sposato. The Quakers got the ball back on an interception, and Samuel responded with a 28-yard scoring strike to Ley. Ley took a screen pass from Samuel and raced 59 yards for another score to open the second half.

Episcopal, with freshman Brian Person throwing three interceptions in his first start at quarterback, finally broke through early in the third quarter when Doug Davies ran 31 yards for a touchdown.

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