CLAYMONT – Archmere and Wilmington Friends normally play entertaining football games, and this year’s was no different. The Auks and Quakers were neck and neck throughout the game, and the final result was in doubt until the final minute in a 21-13 Archmere win.
A quick first quarter was dominated by the running game, but the Auks took to the air as they went up by a touchdown late in the first. After the Quakers pinned the Auks at their own 15-yard line after a punt, Archmere faced a third and 10 when quarterback Shane Harding let a pass fly down the right side. He hit Kevin Kozicki (St. Mary Magdalen Parish) in stride for an 85-yard touchdown.
The Auks’ defense forced the Quakers to punt on their next possession, but Archmere fumbled it away, leading to the tying score. Running back Chukwuma Chukwuocha took a pitch from quarterback Matthew McKenzie and found Dylan McBride for a 21-yard touchdown. The drive lasted two plays.
The defenses took over for the remaining 11 minutes of the first half and into the final minutes of the third quarter. The Auks forced a Quakers punt and started the go-ahead drive at their own 47 with 3:34 to go in the third. Nate Blessington (St. Mary Magdalen Parish) opened with a three-yard run, followed by a 22-yard pass reception. Archmere faced a fourth and two at the 20, and Wyatt Beekley ran off left tackle, then crossed to the right side for a touchdown with 40 seconds to go in the quarter.
The Quakers struck back immediately. Facing a third down and 17, they executed a flea flicker, with McKenzie connecting with Bryce Jackson at the Auks’ 27. Three running plays later, Chukwuocha found a hole in the middle and cut the Archmere lead to a point. The extra point attempt, however, was wide right, and the Auks held a one-point advantage.
Archmere’s Maxxwell Chapman came up with a big stop on fourth down to end Friends’ next drive, and the offense went back to work at midfield with six minutes to go in the game. The Auks stuck with the ground-and-pound approach. Beekley, Harding and Blessington did the ball carrying. Blessington covered the last 22 yards, going 20 on one rush before scoring from the 2 with 1:45 to go.
Down by eight, the Quakers needed to cover 72 yards in order to tie the game. They got out to their 43 before the drive fizzled, and a fourth-down pass attempt fell incomplete.
Beekley led the Auks with 50 yards rushing, and Harding completed three passes for 110 yards. Chapman, Chase Lengkeek and Luke Luzader each had seven tackles. Archmere (4-1) visits nearby Mount Pleasant on Oct. 17 at noon.
Ronald Berry led the Quakers in rushing yards with 40 and tackles with 9. McKenzie completed four passes for 67 yards. Friends (3-2) hosts Mount Pleasant on Oct. 24 at 2:30 p.m. after a week off.
Photos by Mike Lang.
