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In winning the 1961 and ’62 World Series, the New York Yankees heavily relied on sluggers Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Seeking their first Public League football championship, the Prep Charter High School Huskies, 1928 Point Breeze Ave., also will need outstanding performances from their alliterative duo, senior running back Jovan Matthews and sophomore defensive back Asa Manley.
The contributors accepted their tasks Friday at the South Philadelphia super site, 10th and Bigler streets, helping their West Passyunk school to blast the Communications Tech Phoenix 37-0. It means the Public League’s AA Division title will be up for grabs when Imhotep Charter (5-0 league, 7-0 overall) visits the Huskies 6 p.m. tomorrow.
“We had expected a great display like this,” Matthews, a resident of 24th Street and Oregon Avenue, said as he glanced at the scoreboard. “We plan to come even harder for our next game.”
Fourth-year coach Tony Beaty enlists Matthews, Manley and senior Anthony Wyche as his ball carriers and had figured his lauded offensive line would give his foes a tireless three-headed monster to tackle.
“I’m so hyped that I wish I could play,” the graduate of South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., said to his equally amped athletes. “Let’s do this quickly and confidently.”
Prior to the 2012 season, consistency had been a major issue for Beaty, a Drexel Hill resident, and his players, who had registered only one winning campaign. This year’s group, however, has disciplined itself and entered Friday with a 4-2 mark, including a 4-0 league run. The victory against the Phoenix, who had taken the two previous meetings, helped the home team match last year’s win total and set the stage for its first-ever crack at a crown.
Matthews and Manley made sure misery greeted their opponents immediately. The former ripped off a 43-yard run on the game’s first possession, with the latter, a West Philadelphia dweller, pounding home the pigskin from four yards out to give his gang a 6-0 lead. Though fond of destroying defenses, Manley prefers offending offenses, so switching to his defensive back role afforded him a chance to ground the Phoenix. The guest mounted no charge, and the host continued to unleash its attritional attack so efficiently that Beaty barely needed to counsel his contenders.
Matthews added a second-quarter score, with Manley, who also intercepted a pass during the session, heaving a two-point conversion attempt into the hands of junior wide receiver John Graham. The Huskies seemed sated but Beaty felt they had yet to prove their hunger’s depth.
“That was a solid half,” he said to his team. “However, the next two quarters will dictate our identity for the rest of the year.”
Even more enamored with its prospective date with the Panthers, who have dominated the last three encounters, Prep Charter hunted for more points. Eager to enjoy an ironman’s ultimate thrill of registering an offensive and a defensive score, Manley picked off another pass at midfield and galloped 50 yards untouched for his team’s third touchdown.
“This whole year, we’ve been talking about earning respect,” the greedy defender said. “I think that score really showed Comm. Teach we were for real and wouldn’t be letting them back in the game.”
The Huskies continued their exhibition of authenticity, with Wyche recovering two fumbles and earning a huge sack that drew a mammoth round of cheers, with especially boisterous congratulations coming from Matthews. At the start of the fourth quarter, the latter received his own shouts, as he raced for a 21-yard end zone meeting.
“I think we played to the best of our ability overall but really turned it on in the fourth,” Matthews said.
After a field goal by sophomore quarterback Vion Dolo, the defense settled in for its final test. Having snatched his third interception on a spectacular leap minutes earlier, Manley preserved the shutout by grabbing his fourth and bolting 53 yards for the night’s final tally.
“My offensive line came to work, my defensive line came to work, so I could not be happier,” Beaty said.
To sustain his joy, his Huskies must conquer Imhotep, which has yielded 12 points in five league games.
“Our approach is going to have to be different,” Matthews, who finished with 130 rushing yards, said. “But one thing will be the same.”
When asked what that will be, he and Manley responded in unison.
“We’re going to play smashmouth football,” they said.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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