High school football: CB West falls to Garnet Valley in district title game
GLEN MILLS — As he raced down the sideline, running over one defender and hurtling another, Central Bucks West senior Eli Boehm epitomized what the Bucks had been about all season.
"I wasn't going to be stopped," Boehm said. "We all worked so hard this season and I just wanted to get in the end zone.
"We gave it everything we had and tonight we just made too many mistakes and you can't do that against a really good team like that (Garnet Valley)."
The Bucks did give a gallant effort, but in the end, the Jaguars and their relentless ground attack (323 rushing yards) were too much as host Garnet Valley won going away 35-7 in Friday night's PIAA District One Class 6A championship game.
Take a look:High school football: Here's how CB West went from 1-3 start to district semifinals
The loss ended the season for the 11th-seeded Bucks at 9-5 while the undefeated (14-0) and top-ranked Jaguars, who celebrated their second straight district title, will face Saint Joseph's Prep, which handled District 11's Parkland 52-21, in next week's PIAA semifinals.
"We talked about having to play a nearly perfect game against them and that's hard to do because they put so much pressure on you," CB West head coach Rob Rowan said. "And we just made too many mistakes. You can't do that against a team like that — it won't work. But take nothing away from our guys. They had just and incredible season and they have so much to be proud of."
The Jaguars, who also beat the Bucks 14-7 on Opening Night, took a 14-0 lead to halftime before West sliced its deficit in half on its first possession of the third quarter.
That's when Boehm took a short pass from junior quarterback Ganz Cooper and worked his way down the far sideline, running over, around, and over again before finding the end zone from 33 yards out.
"We didn't want our season to end," Boehm said. "I'll remember these guys and this season for the rest of my life."
Three things we learned
The Jaguars are as good as advertised. Garnet Valley's option ground game comes at you from so many different angles that trying to stop it is next to impossible. Senior quarterback Matt Mesaros runs the Jaguars' offense to perfection and keeps defenses guessing as to who has the ball.
The loss of junior wide receiver/defensive back Conor McFadden to a broken collarbone really hindered the Bucks. McFadden, a dynamic playmaker who had 10 catches the first time the Bucks played Garnet Valley on Opening Night, broke his collarbone late in last week's semifinal against Perkiomen Valley.
The future is bright for the Bucks. Central Bucks West started seven non-seniors on both offense and defense and will return a boatload of talent in 2023.
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Game balls
Central Bucks West junior Matt Cleland. The do-everything athlete, who plays on the kickoff team, along with offense and defense, also punts for the Bucks and his boots, into a strong wind, forced the Jaguars to work for their touchdowns.
Central Bucks West sophomore A.J. Gerace. All he did was record a quarterback sack and recover a fumble, both in the first half, to help keep the Bucks close.
They said it
"With the way we started out, going 1-3, I really didn't think playing in the district final was in our future," CB West running back Eli Boehm said.
Take a look:High school football: CB West edges Perkiomen Valley to reach district final
Drew Markol: dmarkol@theintell.com; @dmarkol
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: H.S. football: CB West toppled by Garnet Valley in district final
