Malvern

There was a chance that St. Joseph's Prep, less than two weeks after a heartbreaking loss to archrival La Salle, would have little left in the motivation tank for its Thanksgiving Day game against Malvern Prep. "You would think that would be the case, but that's not the way we function," senior defensive tackle Paul Johnson said. "The guys on this team are freak competitors. " With a lights-out defensive effort that produced two touchdowns and six sacks, the still-driven Hawks easily downed the overmatched Friars, 35-6, at Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Steve Addazio's eyes grew wide when he was asked this week about Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib. "He's a first-round draft pick," said Addazio, whose Temple football team hosts the Orange on Friday at Lincoln Financial Field. "He's the best quarterback in our conference. Best. And he can throw the heck out of it. I've never seen a guy throw so few inaccurate passes. They are always on the money. " Nassib, a former Malvern Prep star, has made similar impressions on just about every other opposing coach.

It was a lights-out performance by Episcopal Academy. Friday, in the first night game at the Pellegrini Athletic Complex, the Churchmen repeatedly stymied Malvern Prep's offense and easily downed the Friars, 26-7, in an Inter-Ac League contest. "This is the game we worked for all year, really," Episcopal senior quarterback Adam Strouss said. "These guys are always at the top of the league, always tough, big kids. " Episcopal's defense held the hosts to 121 yards rushing and 81 passing.

Malvern Prep's first game under the lights at the Pellegrini Athletic Complex coincides with a key Inter-Ac League matchup with unbeaten Episcopal Academy. Episcopal arrives for Friday's 7 p.m. clash with a 7-0 record. The Churchmen, defending-champion Friars (5-2), and Haverford School (5-3) are tied atop the league standings, each at 2-0. "It has to be an exciting time for Episcopal," Malvern coach Kevin Pellegrini said. "They're undefeated and in the hunt for a league title.

Malvern Prep's first game under the lights at the Pellegrini Athletic Complex coincides with a key Inter-Ac League matchup with unbeaten Episcopal Academy. Episcopal arrives for Friday's 7 p.m. clash with a 7-0 record. The Churchmen, defending champion Friars (5-2), and Haverford School (5-3) are tied atop the league standings, each at 2-0. "It has to be an exciting time for Episcopal," Malvern coach Kevin Pellegrini said. "They're undefeated and in the hunt for a league title.

In some families, Troy Gallen would have been unceremoniously ostracized. In others, he might have been forced to take out the trash every hour and/or cut the lawn three times a week. His crime? Turning his back on the school where his father and brother experienced football success. The 5-11, 175-pound Gallen, a junior, is now a dual-threat running back at Malvern Prep. But until 3 years ago, he always dreamed of attending Cardinal O'Hara and, who knows, he might be there now if not for one of Malvern's players.

Troy Gallen ran 8 yards for a touchdown with two minutes to play Friday, breaking a tie and sending Malvern Prep to a 27-20 victory over host Penn Charter in an Inter-Ac League football game. The TD was Gallen's third of the day. He also hauled in scoring passes of 43 and 30 yards from quarterback Bill Ford. Running back Connor Bohs scored the other Friars touchdown. Penn Charter quarterback Patrick McCain hooked up with West Virginia-bound senior Daryl Worley for two touchdown passes, covering 63 and 47 yards.

Connor Bohs ran for 103 yards and a touchdown and Troy Gallen added 68 rushing yards and a TD as Malvern Prep rode its ground game Saturday to a 24-7 victory over Germantown Academy in the Inter-Ac League football opener for both teams. Quarterback Billy "Moose" Ford also scored on the ground for the host Friars (4-2 overall). Running back Eric Purnell added 75 yards on 14 carries. Rob Gorman scored the only touchdown for Germantown Academy (3-2) on a 6-yard run in the third quarter.

Despite having a spotless record and Southeastern Pennsylvania's No. 1 ranking, Mike Eife and his La Salle teammates entered Saturday's nonleague matchup against Malvern Prep feeling, he said, a bit underappreciated. "There was so much talk about [Catholic League rival] St. Joe's Prep, and a couple of the newspapers had picked us to lose this game," said Eife, a senior fullback and linebacker. "So we kind of had a chip on our shoulder. " In what coach Drew Gordon and several of his players referred to as a "statement" game, the visiting Explorers put up 31 points before intermission and buried the No. 9-ranked Friars, 38-6, at the Pellegrini Athletic Complex.