The Kensington Tigers ended their first varsity season on a high note, defeating neighborhood rival Edison 6-0 on Fri., November 14 at Thomas A. Edison High School (151 W. Luzerne Street).

“Our first year had a lot of ups and downs but it’s good to end with a win,” Kensington Head Coach Sean Ryan said. “Our expectations were a little high coming into the year but it’s something to build on. Today’s game was a close one, but that kept everybody in it.”

The game, played in honor of Veteran’s Day, featured Kensington High School’s pep band and cheerleading team on the sidelines as the young men of the neighborhood took to the field in 2014 one last time.

The match was a defensive struggle until the Kensington senior wide receiver Louis Graciani came down with a touchdown reception in the corner of the endzone to put the Tigers up 6-0 in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Chris Dantzler tossed up a fade route that Graciani jumped up for before coming down in bounds with both feet.

“I knew I was going to get the ball when coach called the play,” Graciani said. “It was just up to me to go up and make the play. It was crunch time so I knew I had to go up and make the catch.”

The Tiger’s defense and special teams handled the rest– one Edison drive late in the fourth quarter ended on downs when senior linebacker Julius Santos sacked the opposing quarterback to give the ball back to Kensington. It was Santos’ fourth sack of the game.

“It felt great, man,” Santos said. “The only thing I saw was [the quarterback’s] eyes open up when he was getting ready for me to hit him. I hit him hard and that was that. Our defense did everything we could and we stuck it through until the end.”

When the Tiger’s offense couldn’t get another first down to end the game on the next drive, their punt coverage team, led by senior defensive back Orlando Morales, forced a muffed punt, giving the ball back to the Tigers who knelt the ball to end the game. It was Morales’ second turnover of the game– he also had an interception in the first half– and his fourth in the last two contests.

“I had a job to do and I came here to do it on defense and special teams,” Morales said. “Each time I stuck to my man and that time I had an opportunity to make a play. I just saw the ball in the air and went for it. The fumble recovery was great too. It was a great way to end my senior year and my high school player career. I’ve been playing for three years now, it was an awesome feeling.”

“I had confidence in the defense,” Kensington coach Ellwood Erb said. “All season long it was a good group of kids who worked hard. I trusted them out there, especially when you have leaders out there who you can count to not let the team down. It’s easy to call plays on the sideline, it’s another thing to make it happen on the field and the fact that this is another shutout this season shows that these guys brought all season and I’m really proud of them all.”