Joseph Santoliquito: Springfield’s Craig gives his heart to football

ANYONE WHO has ever seen Matt Craig run would never question his heart. The Springfield 5-10, 175-pound junior tailback could either run through you, or blow by you. It usually takes two or three tacklers to drag him down.

Craig is a reason the Cougars have reached a level of respectability in the Central League in head coach Dan Ellis' second season.

But Craig, who's rushed for career-bests 210 yards and 198 yards in victories over Harriton and Upper Darby, respectively, did have his heart questioned once. He sat in duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. a few years ago wondering whether a heart murmur would stop him from ever playing football again.

"It was a tense time, and I was going through a lot of stress back then," recalled Craig, who transferred from Penncrest after his freshman year and has scored six touchdowns this year. "I was 15 and I thought that people my age didn't have heart problems, but they told me the stress on me from my mother dying from heart trouble and the history of heart problems in my family was the reason. I was scared."

The heart murmurs passed a few weeks later, and Craig was given a clean bill of health to continue playing football, though he was placed on a diet that for some teenagers would be considered difficult, to say the least: No junk food, something which Craig may still treat himself to every few weeks.

"We knew right away when Matt came to us he'd be a very, very good player," Ellis said. "My expectations for him are still higher than his own. I don't think he knows how good he can be. He's had almost two 200-yard games. Matt is starting to realize he can be a pretty good football player. By the end of next year, he's going to be really good."

Now he scares opposing teams. Through five games this season, Craig has rushed for a Delaware County-best 685 yards, including a 144-yard, two-TD performance in a 34-19 loss to Garnet Valley last Friday.

"Craig is very good," Garnet Valley coach Mike Ricci said. "Dan Ellis is doing some good things at Springfield and he has something good in Craig. He has great vision, he runs hard, he's elusive and he's fast. He's someone you certainly have to defend against and be aware of where he is on the field."

For now, Craig is trying to stay away from the sweets each time he works his weekend shifts at a movie theater.

"I pick my spots," he said. "Our line is blocking well, and Coach Ellis is calling the right plays at the right time. I'm looking to rush for 1,000 yards this year, and I think I have a shot. I reach that, yeah, I may treat myself."

Huge win, wanting more

Academy Park coach Jason Vosheski had no problem calling Saturday's 13-10 victory over previously undefeated Penn Wood the biggest of his 5-year coaching career. But Vosheski wants a little more, and that's a big step when defending Del Val League champion and perennial area power Interboro visits the Knights Friday night at 7 o'clock.

The Penn Wood victory nudged Vosheski and his coaching staff that they may have something special. Academy Park is 5-0 for the first time since 1996.

"There were a couple of things, it's a neighborhood rivalry for one, and they were 4-0, like we were, going into the game," Vosheski said. "I think it was a huge confidence builder. It was the first game this year that we were down, and we needed to come out in the second half and needed to control the game. The fact that we did that was huge."

Senior Kabongo Bukasa had two catches, including a 34-yard game-winning touchdown reception, pulling the ball down with two defenders in his vicinity.

"It was big, because everyone thought we were going to lose," Bukasa said. "We have Interboro this week and we have to stay confident in ourselves. We know we can play hard. Interboro doesn't make mistakes. You have to play almost perfect against them."

Against Penn Wood, junior wide receiver Carl Coleman had four catches for 43 yards, while senior linebacker Corey Jackson, junior defensive end George Thompson, junior linebacker Joe Richburg and senior safety Darragh Allebach all played well defensively.

"This was huge for our kids," Vosheski said. "It was a Super Bowl atmosphere for our kids. The kids tried to get me, but we ran out of water, and we had ice left, so they dumped that on my back. I didn't mind it at all."

Now the Knights face "The Beast," an Interboro team that scored 60 points against Oxford last weekend.

"My kids have a shot, and just as much of a shot as they do of beating us, we just have to believe in ourselves," Vosheski said. "The kids are starting to believe in themselves, and when you hear them huddle up and regurgitate the same things we're saying, they're starting to believe. They're getting it."

The Knights are getting that they can win.

Delco 7

1. Ridley (Record: 5-0. Weeks rated: 5. Last week: No. 1)

2. Garnet Valley (Record: 4-1. Weeks rated: 5. Last week: No. 2)

3. Interboro (Record: 5-0. Weeks rated: 5. Last week: No. 4)

4. Strath Haven (Record: 4-1. Weeks rated: 5. Last week: No. 5)

5. Academy Park (Record: 5-0. Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 7)

6. Penncrest (Record: 3-2. Weeks rated: 5. Last week: No. 6)

7. Penn Wood (Record: 4-1. Weeks rated: 4. Last week: No. 3)