Archbishop Wood rules in the rain

It's hard to describe the rain that mauled the field during the first half Friday night at William Tennent.

Torrential downpour? Whipping sheets of precipitation? Stinging rain? Sideways rain?

Regardless of what you call it, it was the type of rain that doesn't bode well for a high school football team that relies on throwing the football, such as St. Joseph's Prep.

For a gritty, smashmouth team such as Archbishop Wood, the rain was something of a 12th man. The 12th man helped, for sure, but it was the return of another player that had the biggest impact in Archbishop Wood's 42-7 victory.

Senior Desmon Peoples returned for Wood, The Inquirer's top-ranked team in Southeastern Pennsylvania, after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 1. He was a major piece of the vaunted Vikings running game in the routing of seventh-ranked Prep (3-1).

Peoples ran for 111 yards on 11 carries, including a 57-yard touchdown run with 8 minutes, 57 seconds left in the first half to put the Vikings up by 28-0.

"I had the time of my life out there," Desmon Peoples said. "I felt great. Tonight was just a fun, great night."

His cousin, senior Brandon Peoples, helped carry the load, rushing for 112 yards on 11 carries.

"It was great having my cousin in the backfield with me," Brandon Peoples said. "We love being back there together, and we both play for each other."

Wood attempted just four passes, completing three.

The Prep entered the game averaging 47 points through three games. But the Wood defense shut down the Hawks in the first half.

Prep senior quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg was under constant pressure - and when he was dealing with a charging Wood defender, he also was dealing with the pouring rain.

Mornhinweg finished the first half just 6 for 15 passing for 50 yards.

With the rain slowing down, Mornhinweg did not complete a pass in the second half, finishing 6 for 18.

On the Hawks' final drive of the first half, Mornhinweg failed to convert on four consecutive throws, prompting Wood (3-1) to kneel on the ball and go into the locker room ahead by 28-0.

After forcing a three-and-out on the second half's opening drive, Wood took the ball 94 yards on seven plays, in less than four minutes, to take a 35-0 lead.

The drive was highlighted by a 44-yard run by Brandon Peoples to the 1. The senior punched the ball in on the very next play, enacting the mercy rule (running clock).

"We had a lot of success controlling the line today," Wood coach Steve Devlin said. "And in football, you have to win up front. . . . I'm so proud of our kids. This is as satisfying a win as I've had here."

The Prep didn't get on the board until the final play of the third quarter, when Mornhinweg kept the ball up for a 1-yard TD.

St. Joseph's Prep   0 0 7 0 – 7

Archbishop Wood   14 14 14 0 – 42

AW: Adkins 8 pass from Monaghan (Visco kick)

AW: Smith 50 punt return (Visco kick)

AW: B. Peoples 28 run (Visco kick)

AW: D. Peoples 57 run (Visco kick)

AW: B. Peoples 1 run (Visco kick)

AW: McMullin 35 run (Visco kick)

SJP: Mornhinweg 1 run (Battin kick)

Contact Chris Melchiorre at rallysports@phillynews.com.