#WissNation
Jaden Randall Shines Running the Ball in Wissahickon's Thrilling Win
By: Noah Stomsky | September 1, 2023
Eighty-one combined points between the two teams. Non-Stop scoring, what seemed like almost no defense was being played all came down to one final kick. Both Wissahickon and Hatboro looked like two completely different teams than what they did a year ago. On Wissahickon's side, QBs Nolan Pounds and Jaden Randall each had a great game combining for 5 touchdowns, two passing and three rushing. On Hatboro's side, Luke Foley and Mason Bynum also combined for five touchdowns. Wissahickon with their spread-out gameplan while Hatboro's game plan being almost all rushes.
"First I want to say hats off to Hatboro-Horsham they're really really well coached and that's going to be a program that's really really good in the near future. I'm just kind of proud of our guys, we faced some serious adversity tonight but we kind of overcame it together and I think it’s a big step for our football program. We're nowhere near where we need to be but I think this is a step in the right direction," said Coach Rory Graver on how he describes their performance.
10 Rushes, 118 yards, and 3 touchdowns were what Randall totaled on the ground. Coming to Wissahickon a few months ago from Neuman-Goretti and missing the first game of the year due to injury, this was a game to remember for him. No matter the play, even if Hatboro knew which side Randall would be rushing towards he still found a way to escape and score. Randall showed everyone his talents on his first snap and the second play of the game. Taking a QB sweep to the right and took the ball fifty-five yards all the way into the end zone fifty-two seconds into the game. Randall's other two touchdowns came from sweeps to the left. Randall made running the ball as a QB way easier than it should be, finding his footing after nearly falling over and scoring on his second rush for seventeen yards and his third touchdown only being six yards, Randall was moving like no other QB.
"I'm very grateful for that, all week we executed and we played hard this game I'm just proud of us," said Randall on how he felt about his three-touchdown performance.
"Naturally it was because of the area I was in but even after we moved and I was around the guys and we were practicing and stuff like that I seen this was more than a family this was a brotherhood and we stuck together through thick and thin. They had a really bad season last year and I could see the hard work and dedication they had throughout the off-season," Randall said on what led him to transfer to Wissahickon.
While Randall had a great game, not mentioning Pounds and Jaden McLean for Wissahickon would be a crime. Pounds had a rougher second half once Wissahickon's run game started to develop, but his first half was something. The duo of Pounds and Clean in the first half combined for 91 yards on the two touchdown throws. Their first touchdown came on a fly route with Clean running down the sideline beating his man for the catch and run to tie the game up at fourteen in the first. The deep balls that Pounds had to Clean were things of beauty. On his second touchdown pass, Pounds dropping the ball right in the hands of Clean on a perfect catch and run was what Wiss needed last year. Pounds finished with 172 passing yards while Clean finished with 113 receiving yards and 160 total yards.
"Definitely got to clean up my interceptions. Can't turn the ball over, we're gonna play better teams down the line so can’t turn it over," - Pounds on how he felt about his game performance.
"I think Nolan Pounds did a great job, that number five for Hatboro-Horsham made a heck of a play there that was a great football play that kids a heck of a player. I think Nolan Played really really well for us, I think the most important thing is that both him and Jaden (Randall) are very selfless and put the team before themselves, very competitive they both want to be out there but they know the team comes first and I’m very proud of them," Coach Graver said on Pounds and Randall.
For Hatboro, Foley totaled 129 yards on 13 rushes and a 38-yard receiving touchdown while his pear Bynum rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Wissahickon had no answers for either of them on the ground and needed to find a way to fix it quickly. Hatboro had a chance to win the game after a great play made by #5 Roman Marinucci where he jumped the screen pass and picked the ball off. They moved the ball down to the 24 for a field goal chance. One more try to win the game. The kick is up, and no good. Wissahickon escaped and won a 41-40 win.
"I was worried, but we played together and won together and that's all that matters," Pounds said on his thoughts before the field goal try.
Wissahickon advanced to 2-0 on the year and heads back home to take on Lower Merion next Friday. As For Hatboro, they fall to 1-1 and look to bounce back next week against Springfield Township.
"Lower Merion is a really really good football team they got a ton of talent over there, it's going to be a challenge for us," concluded Graver.
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