October 27

Friday night football at McCaskey for the final time in 2017, the Red Tornado hosted Penn Manor in the season's last home game. Before the kickoff we had the usual Senior Night recognitions, nineteen members of the team and three cheerleaders were introduced along with parents and/or other family members. At halftime the senior members of the band and color guard (or as they say it: the "marching unit") received their moment, one of the assistant band directors handled those introductions (which didn't bother me in the least, it gave me a chance to take a walk and relax). The game itself began in electrifying fashion for JPM when Anthony Deleon returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, Nick Allen's PAT made it 7-0 seventeen seconds in. Penn Manor replied quickly with two scores of their own to lead 14-7 at the quarter break. In the second quarter Tallian Lehr found Eric Greenawalt with a 30-yard TD strike to tie the score at 14-up, after another PM touchdown Isiah Speller caught a pass from Ante Robinson and took it 89 yards to forge a 21-21 deadlock. The final round in the chamber belonged to the visitors, Penn Manor added another TD and led 28-21 at the half. The second half was scoreless except for a third-quarter Penn Manor field goal, the game ended with JPM on the short end 31-21. The club's mark drops to 2-7 overall, they finish up on the road on November 3rd. For me it marks the end of my thirtieth year on the PA and it won't be long before we're indoors on the hardwood. Take care, thanks for reading.