It was an opener in which Moorestown's football team didn't quite live up to its passing reputation, but nobody in Quaker land is complaining.
All off-season, we heard that Moorestown would be among the most explosive passing attacks in South Jersey.
So what happens?
The team that throws the ball with a no-huddle offense found a way to run, and more importantly earn what will surely be one of the biggest victories in the first week of the South Jersey football season.
Moorestown scored its four touchdowns on the ground to defeat host Paul VI, 28-12, in Friday's West Jersey Football League opening-night showdown between two of South Jersey's top programs.
Delaney Wallace scored three touchdowns for the Quakers, one fewer than he had on the ground last year.
"We are more balanced than people think," said Wallace, who ran 13 times for 105 yards. "We like to lull teams to sleep in scrimmages thinking we can only pass and then punch them in the mouth, and it feels good."
This is a Moorestown team that returned Andrew Lisa, who threw 24 touchdown passes last year. Many of the skill-position players also are back, including dangerous receiver Zac Frantz.
And keeping in line with the ground theme, Frantz scored on a 46-yard run that increased Moorestown's lead to 21-12 with 25.6 seconds left in the third quarter.
Paul VI is not known as a passing team, and when the Eagles connected on a 30-yard scoring strike from Chase White to Jamie Calhoun that cut Moorestown's lead to 14-12 midway through the second quarter, both teams were playing a little out of character.
Calhoun showed great hands because he caught the ball after it deflected off the hands of Moorestown defensive back Anthony Bonett, who had great coverage, and later earned a key interception.
Of course, Paul VI couldn't sustain the success in the air and Moorestown kept prospering on the ground.
Paul VI also received a 1-yard scoring run from Johnel Anderson, among the top breakaway backs in South Jersey. Anderson suffered an ankle injury late in the first half and didn't return, having rushed for 87 yards on 17 carries.
In his place was senior Max Albertus, a terror at strong safety who isn't bad carrying the ball, either. Albertus hits hard on defense and carries defenders on offense.
Midway through the third quarter, the Eagles, trailing by 14-12, had a first down at Moorestown's 13-yard line, but stalled.
