A big win: Frankford defeated Samuel Fels, 39–14, on Friday afternoon in a Public League Class AAAA Liberty Division contest at Northeast High. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
Football is unlike any other team sport because there are so few games on the schedule. Each one is a separate entity with its own individual story line.
So before Frankford met Samuel Fels Friday afternoon in a Public League Class AAAA Liberty Division contest at Northeast High, Pioneers coach Will Doggett’s key concern was whether or not his players would bring along the same attention to detail as they had during a very productive week of practice.
If they did that, he said, then the rest would take care of itself.
“You can’t look behind and you can’t look ahead,” Doggett said. “I knew the guys seemed prepared and ready to play.”
Doggett was proven correct. The Pioneers executed some big plays from scrimmage, were consistently physical on defense, and relied on their deeper bench to provide a 39–14 victory.
While a 25-point win “always feels good,” Doggett emerged with an admiration of his opponent.
“We had the advantage of putting some players in and out, and that wore them down,” Doggett said. “I had seen some tapes on them, and they did some things that surprised me.
“They kept fighting the whole game, and I was impressed. They played hard.”
While Frankford (2–2 overall, 2–0 league) was coming off a 53–8 shellacking of Mastbaum, Fels (0–4) was looking for its first win.
An inspired effort by Fels junior quarterback Aasim Campbell kept the tally respectable. On the ground, Campbell gained 64 yards on 21 carries, which kept the Pioneers from blitzing and allowed him to improvise through the air. Campbell connected on a pair of short TD tosses — a four-yarder to senior running back Wesley White (11 carries, 38 yards) and a nine-yarder to sophomore Ben Rosario.
Unfortunately for Campbell, his quarterback foe was just as productive, and Frankford’s potent running game — buoyed by the return of previously injured junior Ralph Hyland (four carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns) and further aided by senior Nizir Graham’s 48 yards on three carries — took its toll on an undermanned Fels squad.
Senior quarterback Randell Solis threw only nine passes, but six completions went for 202 yards and a pair of long touchdowns to senior Devontae Lee (three catches for 171 yards). Including his performance last week, Solis’ passing numbers are now an electric 10-of-15 for 380 yards and four touchdowns.
Doggett was particularly pleased with Lee, who is also a standout as either a cornerback or strong safety in Frankford’s improving secondary.
“He does nice things on both sides of the ball,” Doggett said. “On offense, he’s able to get wide open and then he’s just so fast. On defense, he’s really good, and I expect him to get even better.”
Doggett described this season as a rebuilding effort because Frankford graduated a host of starters from last year’s Public League championship squad. With Simon Gratz up next, Doggett said Frankford faces “a big challenge.”
“There’s a learning curve, so we will see where we’re at,” Doggett said. “Right now, we’re playing a little bit better than the week before. As long as we do that, we’ll be OK. We will struggle here and there, but we will keep working hard in practice and hopefully will see the results on the field.”
Doggett commended his coaching staff as “the best group in the city,” although he qualified that laudatory comment by admitting he “might be a bit biased.”
“We prepare them the best we can and then put the rest in their hands,” Doggett said. “We can’t play the game for them.” ••
