FOOTBALL: Upper Merion-Norristown game postponed at halftime due to parking lot altercations

WEST NORRITON — The game between Upper Merion and Norristown was postponed Thursday evening after a report of altercations in the parking lot at halftime at Norristown Area High School.

“In the best interest of everybody – the players, safety-wise,” Norristown athletic director Anthony Palladino said, “the administrators of both schools, in conjunction with the police department and our security office at Norristown Area School District, have decided the best course right now is to postpone the game to be played at a later date and time. That will be an empty stadium with just the two teams and an officials crew to finish out the second half.”

The game will be completed Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

The Battle of the Bridge was tied at halftime, 0-0.

Norristown (1-0) put together two long drives in the first half to get inside Upper Merion’s 10-yard line but were unable to come away with any points.

On the Eagles first possession, they went 70 yards in seven plays to set up 1st-and-goal at the 7-yard line. Marzon Carr gained five yards on first down and Brendan Farrell’s quarterback sneak on second advanced the ball to the one. Another sneak was stuffed on 3rd-and-goal before a delay of game pushed Norristown back to the 6-yard line. The fourth down pass attempt was incomplete.

The next time Norristown got the ball the Eagles covered 55 yards in eight plays – aided by a 15-yard defensive pass interference penalty. With another 1st-and-goal at the seven, they lost four yards on a low snap. After a two-yard loss on second down, the Eagles threw back-to-back incompletions on third and fourth down from the 13-yard line.

“We felt like we had the momentum with how we were playing,” Upper Merion coach Marquis Weeks said. “Defensively we were able to stop them. The way they came out – they came out really well. To have those two goal line stands – we were pumped about that. It’s unfortunate because our guys were really getting into the game and then they had to stop it and postpone. You already have to deal with halftime, now you have this long delay.”

Upper Merion junior Zion Cleveland made a pair of stops during the first goal line stand before sophomore Justin Aquilani defended the fourth-down pass.

“Zion was playing really, really well,” Weeks said. “We’re excited about him. He’s one of the guys we were saying this summer that we’re excited to get. First game he had a quiet game, so this game it’s great to see him come out of his shell and do what we know he can do.”

Junior defensive back Isaiah Robinson made a pair of stops on the second stand while junior linebacker Teddy Walmsley also defended a pass.

Both teams managed one takeaway in the first half. Walmsley and Norristown’s Rashaun Byrd-Williams each grabbed interceptions in the second quarter.

Norristown out-gained Upper Merion, 111-80, in the first half and earned eight first downs to Upper Merion’s three.

Carr led the Eagles ground attack with 42 yards on seven attempts while Marcello Pabon added 38 yards on six attempts.

Quarterback Jackson Solley was 8-for-15 for 54 yards for the Vikings (0-1).