[BuckNutty]

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/high_school/9578134.htm?1c

Aces Deal Shocker


If the Lower Merion players were doubting themselves going into yesterday's nonleague football opener against Harriton, it would have been understandable.

The Aces had a 17-game losing streak strapped to their backs, showed up with only 25 players in uniform, and had lost to their Main Line neighbors by 23 points last season. Optimism, if it existed, was hiding well beneath the white-and-maroon jerseys that had yet to see their first grass stain.

Lower Merion was also faced with the daunting task of dealing with Harriton's Callahan Bright, a two-way lineman with the power of a wrecking ball. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Bright was rated the third-best defensive tackle in the country by the recruiting Web site rivals100.com.
Indeed, the deck appeared to be stacked in Harriton's favor. But, after going winless a year ago, the visiting Aces opened the 2004 campaign in near-perfect fashion. They romped to a surprising 31-6 victory.

Afterward, there were hugs everywhere. An assistant coach was doused with water. Proud parents hurried to meet exhausted, yet excited sons. Meanwhile, the Harriton players, shocked at what had happened, slowly made their way back to the school's locker room.

Lower Merion won its first game since it beat Central League rival Haverford High, 12-7, almost two years ago. Last year's squad went 0-11 overall, 0-9 in league play.

"This is great," Lower Merion coach John Vaccaro said while cradling Allie, his 8-week-old daughter, in his arms. "We've been working hard to get this program going in the right direction."

Vaccaro is in his third season as head coach. After going 2-8 in 2002, the Aces lost 11 games last season by a combined score of 436-96. Only twice did they score more than nine points. Yesterday, that mattered little to Lower Merion two-way lineman Jake Munick. "It's a completely new season," he said. "We can't worry about what happened in the past."

Under Vaccaro, it was the first time the Aces had scored more than 30 points in a game. And, after allowing nearly 40 points per contest last year (Penncrest handed Lower Merion a 73-6 league defeat in the second week of the season), holding a foe to six points was a major accomplishment.

"They went out and won the game," Harriton coach Harold Smith said. "There are no excuses."

Smith could have used one. Bright, coveted by high-profile Division I-A programs such as Miami and Texas, played at less than full strength. According to Smith, the massive senior lineman played with injured ligaments in his right foot.

"He was about 70 percent today," Smith said. "If he's not 100 percent (for Friday's nonleague game at Steelton-Highspire), we're going to sit him."

A hobbling Bright only played defense in the first half. In the second half, the standout right tackle doubled as a left guard on offense.

Despite his injury and being regularly double-teamed by Lower Merion center Ben Gage and left tackle Max Labowitz, Bright posted a team-high 12 tackles, including seven solos.

Gage, a 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore, made his first varsity start. "He put on about 50 pounds in the off-season," Lower Merion teammate Ben Ellison said. "He was really committed."

Ellison, a senior running back and linebacker, rushed 19 times for 114 yards, made a first-quarter interception, and recorded three solo tackles.

Lower Merion senior quarterback Sam Stabert, a third-year starter, completed 7 of 14 passes for 128 yards. His two first-half touchdown runs, propelled the Aces to a 24-0 lead.

The Aces were similarly sharp on defense. They intercepted four passes, and held the Rams to 44 yards rushing.

With fewer than 30 players, Lower Merion knows that breaking a 15-game losing streak in the talent-heavy Central League will be more difficult than beating a young and error-prone Harriton club. Still, after yesterday, there was optimism.

"It only takes 11 guys," Ellison said. "We're really committed to winning."