Rain doesn't damper spirited football battle in Believe & Achieve Valor Bowl - The Mercury
By Bruce Adams
DOWNINGTOWN – Wednesday evening’s cool, wet weather didn’t dampen the heated spirit of the competitors at the 2025 Believe & Achieve Valor Bowl at Downingtown West High School.
In a down-to-the-wire finish, Team Carroll earned a 20-19 win, stopping Team Allison’s two-point conversion attempt just short of the end zone with 26 seconds left.
In the raucous Team Carroll locker room after the game, several players reflected on the meaning of this annual contest, which began in 1999.
Quarterback Tim Bruder of Conestoga, who was named the Offensive MVP for Team Carroll, said, “Winning this award is awesome, and being to play one more time (in high school) is great. And that ending, the two-point conversion at the 1 yard line, that was a lot of fun.”
Linebacker Jerry Wang of Conestoga, who was named the Defensive MVP for Team Carroll, said, “This game meant a lot. Being with a group of guys who didn’t really know each other, we bonded really quickly. We got to know each other, and (tonight) was a really great time.”
Team Carroll head coach Matt Diamond said, “I think for both sides, it was a great high school football game, a great way for these kids to finish their high school career.
“I think (the Valor Bowl) is special; the way they work with the Believe & Achieve Foundation, the pep rally on the Monday night before the game, it’s all just the right things of what sports is about. And then to have a special night like this where the community comes out, it’s really special for everyone involved.”
Linebacker/tight end Ben Kumpon of Malvern Prep, a Towson University-bound senior who won the Coaches Award for Team Carroll Wednesday evening, said, “I’m grateful to know that I have my team behind me. It was hard to play offense and defense after just a few days (of practice), but we got it done, we locked in.”
For Team Allison, who almost pulled out the victory in the closing seconds, this game meant a lot too.
Lineman Jayden Snook of Bishop Shanahan, who was named Defensive MVP for Team Allison, said, “It means everything to me to win this award. I put so much heart and soul into this game. It means the world, it’s all God.”
Another lineman, Ben Rosell of Downingtown East, who received the Coaches Award for Team Allison, said, “We put a lot of time and effort into this team. I’ve watched former players, former teammates of mine play in this game, and it felt awesome to play in this game.”
The game’s MVP, wide receiver Luke Hardy of Malvern Prep, grabbed two long touchdown passes for Team Carroll. On the first TD, Hardy teamed with Bruder for a 90-yard score, giving Team Carroll a 14-0 lead.
Bruder said, “Luke was running a fly pattern, and I knew if I gave Luke a chance with that ball, he’s going to go up and get it. We used to play at T/E Middle School together, and I know what he’s capable of.”
The second scoring pass to Hardy was thrown by quarterback Nate DeRosa of West Chester East for a 75 yard touchdown. DeRosa hit a wide-open Hardy and the Malvern Prep receiver ran the rest of the way for the touchdown and a 20-7 lead for Team Carroll with 8:45 to play.
“Winning this game is definitely cool; it’s up there with a lot of my Malvern Prep (victories),” said Hardy, who will be playing football in the fall for Fordham University.
Team Carroll never trailed in Wednesday’s contest. Carroll scored first midway through the first quarter on a 1 yard plunge by Bruder. Midway through the second quarter, on 2nd and 20 from the Carroll 10 yard line, Bruder hit Hardy for the 90-yard scoring play, then Fred Adler’s extra point made it 14-0.
Team Carroll’s 14-0 lead held up for the first three quarters.
On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, on 4th and 10 from the Carroll 20 yard line, Team Allison quarterback Aiden Kane of Oxford hit wide receiver Zach Lindsay of Downingtown East with a 20-yard scoring strike on the back right corner of the end zone. Ryan Hornak’s extra point cut Team Carroll’s lead to 14-7.
Lindsay, who was named Team Allison’s Offensive MVP, will be playing football for West Chester University in the fall.
“This game means a lot to me,” said Lindsay. “Growing up, and excelling (in football) through the years, and finally getting a chance to play in this game means a lot.”
Just two plays after Lindsay’s score, Team Carroll came right back with the 75 yard touchdown pass from DeRosa to Hardy, and Carroll held a 20-7 lead with 8:45 to play.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Team Allison’s offense heated up, with a 74-yard scoring drive led by quarterback Mason Ippolito of Downingtown East. Ippolito, who will be playing football for Stevenson University in the fall, mixed a series of short-to-medium range passes and some timely QB runs to bring the ball to midfield. On 3rd and 20 at the Carroll 48 yard line, Ippolito competed a 33 yard pass for a first down. On the next play he ran 12 yards to the Carroll 3, then followed it up with a 3 yard touchdown run to cut Carroll’s lead to 20-13 with four minutes left.
Team Allison then successfully attempted an onside kick, recovering the ball on its own 46 yard line. From there, Allison ran seven consecutive running plays, keeping the drive alive with a couple of key runs on third down.
On 3rd and 8 from the Carroll 30 and just 1:19 to play, Kane ran for 12 yards and a first down, then two plays later hit running back Aiden Ritch of Kennett for a 10 yard pass completion down to the 8 yard line.
On the following play, Kane scrambled left and into the end zone to make the score 20-19. On the conversion, Team Allison went for the victory with a running play to the right, and Team Carroll’s David Jacobs of West Chester Rustin and Bernard Blakey of Malvern Prep stopped the potential two-point conversion run.
Diamond said, “I thought our defense played outstanding, especially at the end of the game, getting the big stop they needed.”
With just 26 seconds to go, Team Allison attempted another onside kick, but this one was recovered by Carroll, who then ran out the clock.
To prepare for Wednesday’s Valor Bowl, Team Carroll had two live practices lasting three hours each, and weekly Zoom meetings starting at the beginning of May.
“We were constantly going over play calls, terminology,” said Diamond. “At the end of the day, these guys know how to play, they just need to understand the terminology.
“I thought as a team over this past month, they worked hard and I’m really happy for them.”
Originally Published:
