Hatboro-Horsham stifles Frankford, 7-0

He wouldn't come right out and say it, but the time Dave Sanderson spent playing and coaching at Frankford could have paved the way for Hatboro-Horsham's 7-0 nonleague win yesterday over the host Pioneers.

Familiar with his old team's tendencies, Sanderson, back coaching the Hatters after taking a one-season leave of absence to attend to personal matters, employed a nearly perfect defensive scheme while limiting his alma mater to 84 rushing yards on 34 attempts.

"Our kids are starting to tackle and do the things they need to do on defense," Sanderson said. "I was pleased with our aggressiveness."

Sanderson, a center and middle linebacker in high school, played under a renowned Frankford coach, Al Angelo. The three-year varsity member helped the squad win Public League championships in 1980 and '81.

Angelo "was one of the reasons I got into coaching," the 1983 graduate said. "He said to me, 'Whatever you do, just be yourself.' "

Sanderson later joined Angelo's staff, working with the offensive and defensive lines. One of his fellow assistants was Mike Capriotti, a Frankford graduate who is now the Pioneers' sixth-year boss.

Last year, with Sanderson watching from afar, Frankford pinned a 14-7 season-opening defeat on the host Hatters. Tom Butts, back as the team's offensive coordinator, was the interim coach.

"The word revenge should never come into play when you're talking about high school football," Sanderson said. "Last year was last year. We just wanted to come in here and play solid football. For the most part, we did that."

At Large and Dyre Streets, Sanderson's former stomping ground, Hatboro-Horsham scored the only points it would need on its first possession. A seven-play, 56-yard drive was capped by junior running back Nick Dovidio's 10-yard burst into the end zone. Bob Stumpp's extra point made it 7-0.

In the first half, the Pioneers were limited to 30 yards rushing and 7 passing.

Late in the second quarter, after they had reached the Hatboro-Horsham 22-yard line, quarterback Mike McGroarty was sacked for a 2-yard loss, a mishandled center snap resulted in a loss of 5 yards, and McGroarty was sacked two more times for a combined loss of 13 yards.

McGroarty, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound junior, never looked comfortable in the pocket. He completed 3 of 7 passes for 12 yards.

Of the passing game, Capriotti said, "That's going to come. [McGroarty] is starting to gain some experience."

With halfbacks Darryl Neville and Matt Coyle carrying the load, the Hatters totaled 139 rushing yards. Neville had 11 carries for 69 yards, and Coyle nine for 69.

Tackle Mike Fitzpatrick, with two sacks, and linebacker Kevin James, with five tackles, led the defense.

Hatboro-Horsham 7 0 0 0 - 7

Frankford 0 0 0 0 - 0

HH: Dovidio 10 run (Stumpp kick)