For an offense that doesn't profess to throw much, and one that coach Dennis Decker said recently would look to run the ball 80 percent of the time, the Ridley Green Raiders sure know how to break big plays that can win games through the air.
After trailing for the first 30 minutes of their season opener against visiting Malvern Prep, the Green Raiders downed the No. 7-ranked Friars, 21-20, with a comeback in the final minutes at home Friday night.
Malvern led by 13 points with a little more than 10 minutes to go after tailback Shawn Wilson ran for a 7-yard score.
Ridley looked dead in the water. After struggling to garner any consistency for the vast majority of three quarters, the Green Raiders found themselves on the precipice of a season-opening loss, one that would extend their losing streak to three games dating to last season, when they began 10-0.
But with 10:21 to go, Ridley quarterback Matt Davis hit Mike Smoluk for a 58-yard touchdown pass. Some four minutes later, Davis connected with receiver Mike Crowley on a 78-yard gain that set up a Crowley 9-yard TD run on the next play, and the Raiders had their victory.
Davis finished the game 5 for 13 with 237 yards and two touchdowns. Star running back Jalen Randolph gained just 13 yards on nine carries for a Ridley team that was supposed to be driven by its run game, despite returning just one offensive lineman from last year.
The game began slowly, with both sides punting on a combined six possessions in the first half. The home side got a break when a pass by Malvern QB Thomas Rumer was deflected and picked off by Ridley junior defensive back Daquan Hill in Malvern territory. Ridley, though it assumed possession on the 7-yard line, ran three futile plays before lining up for a chip-shot field goal that would have given the Raiders the lead.
Malvern, however, with its strong and speedy special teams, blocked the attempt. Blake Gunther scooped up the loose ball and returned it 90 yards untouched up the Ridley sideline to give the Friars a 7-0 lead with 2:51 to go in the first half.
Though it took a spectacular special-teams play to give the Friars a lead, Ridley responded with a game-breaking play of its own when Randolph caught a bubble screen from Davis, taking it 74 yards up the very same sideline 18 seconds of game clock later.
Malvern marched on several first-half possessions with Shawn Wilson, Paul Finely, and Joe Nilan combining for 57 yards on 11 carries. But the Friars killed three first-half drives with careless penalties that halted momentum when it looked as if points were on the way.
Nilan sparked the Malvern offense early in the third quarter, barreling up the gut of the field for a 44-yard gain (breaking three tackles) to set up a 4-yard TD run by Finley, putting the Friars up, 14-7.
Rumer finished with two interceptions.
Malvern Prep 0 7 7 6 – 20
Ridley 0 7 0 14 – 21
MP: Gunther 90 FG block recovery (Tiberi kick)
R: Randolph 74 pass from Davis (Heverly kick)
MP: Finley 4 run (Tiberi kick)
MP: Wilson 7 run (kick failed)
R: Smoluk 56 pass from Davis (Heverly kick)
R: Crowley 9 run (Heverly kick)
Contact Evan Burgos at rallysports@phillynews.com.
