The Bok Wildcats football team will travel to Great Valley High in Malvern tomorrow night to play in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AAA subregional game. Kickoff is at 7:30.
Bok, the Public League South division champ (6-0 league, 7-2 overall), is the first football team to represent Philadelphia in the state playoffs. The fourth-seeded Wildcats passed up a shot at the Public League (PIAA District XII) championship to compete in the state tournament.
The Wildcats are averaging 18.8 points per game, while giving up 8.4. The squad will need to establish the run early against top seed Great Valley (6-0 Southern Chester County League, 10-0 overall).
Senior Cory Moultrie leads Bok’s running game with 855 yards — averaging 5.9 yards a carry — and nine rushing touchdowns. He is coming off a strong performance against Roxborough in which he tallied 129 yards and three touchdowns. Fellow senior Amir Nuriddin completes the backfield duo with 490 rushing yards — 4.5 yards a carry — and two touchdowns.
The Wildcats also have had some success with their passing game, despite averaging fewer than five passing plays a game. Senior quarterback Joe "Pepe" DeSalis and senior split end Nafis Edwards have connected on 10 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns. Edwards also leads the Bok defense with four interceptions, including three in a win over West Philadelphia.
Great Valley effectively mixes the run and pass. Running back Ryan Godec heads into the Bok game with 969 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Quarterback Anthony Parker Boyd has accounted for 1,476 yards of offense (744 rushing and 732 passing) and 20 touchdowns. Wide receiver Stan Kelly is the quarterback’s favorite target, catching 12 balls for 332 yards — averaging 27.7 yards a catch — and seven touchdowns.
On defense, the opponent has a strong linebacker in Drew Smith, who leads the group with 114 tackles and nine sacks.
Great Valley head football coach Gary Phillips said Bok presents a big challenge for his team.
"Offensively, they possess very good speed and skill positions and are explosive," he said. "We must be able to contain the running game and limit the number of big plays."
The winner of tomorrow night’s game will advance to face the winner of the other AAA subregional contest between third-seeded Upper Merion and second-seeded Upper Perkiomen.
Directions to Great Valley High: Take the Schuylkill Expressway West. Follow to Route 202 South. Take 202 South to the Route 401 exit. Bear right at the end of the ramp. Turn right on Phoenixville Pike (about 1/4 mile). Entrance to school is directly after the building.
Weather: 52 degrees.
