'Would Today Be the Day?' Rick Knox '92 Reflects on Football Championship

By Rick Knox
SCH Football Coach

As I have had a few weeks now to reflect on our championship football season, I was moved to share a few of my thoughts with our community. Reflecting on Saturday, November 8, some of my favorite memories—beyond the action on the field—are of the many alumni I met during the post-game celebration. Connecting with former players, alumni, students, and families cemented for me how powerful a moment it was to beat Malvern Prep in overtime, 21-20, to win the Inter-Ac championship. 

As a history teacher, I naturally look to the past to understand the significance of this day. Interacademic League football began in 1887 with Chestnut Hill Academy (CHA) joining the league in 1923, but a combination of the Great Depression and World War II meant that the team's membership in the league was short-lived. CHA did not rejoin the league until 1962, while Malvern Prep had its inaugural season in 1950. Nonetheless, the '60s were one of the most successful decades for CHA football as the team earned three winning records in league play during those years. Interestingly, the last time CHA beat Malvern Prep was in 1968 when Chestnut Hill Academy posted a 1-4 league record and Malvern Prep 0-5.  

The teams went in drastically different directions after that: CHA withdrew from Inter-Ac play in 1972 due to low numbers and did not rejoin until 2006. By contrast, Malvern Prep became a league juggernaut and statewide power, winning 24 Inter-Ac titles from 1969 to 2005. This included 7 straight undefeated league seasons—a 28-0 run from 1974 to 1980. Talk about a dynasty!

During the 2005 school year, much deliberation went into the decision for CHA to rejoin the Inter-Ac for the 2006 season. The team went 7-3 overall and 2-3 in Inter-Ac play that year, validating the move. The Blue Devils then went on to have their best 5-year run in the school's Inter-Ac history, posting an 18-6 record and earning their first league title in 2009. The caveat to that success, however, was that CHA never beat Malvern Prep; in 2009, the Blue Devils shared the title with Malvern at 4-1. Fast forward to 2025—the 20th season since CHA (now SCH Academy!) returned to the league—and we still had not beaten Malvern Prep.

As many former players, parents, and alumni know, there were several games in which the Blue Devils lost to Malvern when victory seemed so excruciatingly close. In fact, in 2006, Malvern Prep drove the length of the field in the waning moments of the game and ran a 2-point conversion to steal the victory. Then, as recently as 2 years ago in 2023, the Blue Devils looked to return the favor, driving deep into Malvern territory late in the 4th quarter, hoping to score the winning touchdown. Unfortunately, a turnover dashed those hopes. After 20 years, it seemed we might never beat Malvern again. 

However, there we were, on November 8 in the 4th quarter, winning 13-6 over Malvern, ranked 3rd in the state at the time. Would today be the day? But just like many other heartbreakers, Malvern tied the game up 13-13 and started driving again for the win. Today would be a different story. A big sack on 3rd down forced Malvern to punt, but after a penalty, our drive started at about our own 10-yard line. Maybe today wouldn't be the day?  

And that is where what seemed to be a fate-driven script kicked in. The Blue Devils methodically drove down the field and called a timeout with 2 seconds left for a straight 35-yard field goal. At that moment, the rest of the game went into slow motion. The anticipation was palpable, with the biggest crowd I can remember ever seeing at Landreth Field and Maguire Stadium. We lined up, the snap was good, and the hold and kick went off like clockwork. Would this be the moment? No, the kick was blocked, and we went into overtime. To be honest, at that moment, I could not help but remember all the other heartbreaking moments we had against Malvern over the past 20 seasons. That was only intensified when Malvern scored on its first play of overtime and went up 20-13. 

The rest of the game was surreal and a moment in school history that will live forever. On our first play, our quarterback ran untouched into the endzone. At that moment, it was crystal clear what we had to do. Go for 2 and win the game. We called a timeout to make sure everyone was on the same page with the play. We called 12 personnel, Jacks X to B, papi curve man X flat. To most people, that may sound like a foreign language, but to the 2025 Blue Devils, that phrase will always be synonymous with the 2025 Inter-Ac Championship. 

The play called for a fake to the running back and a pass to our wide receiver, who had motioned into the backfield before the snap. It worked like a charm, and that is when pandemonium broke loose. [Watch the final play.] As our players ran to the end zone to celebrate, SCH students, parents, alumni, and fans also rushed to join the celebration. After we gathered everyone to shake hands with Malvern, I took a moment to walk away from the action to soak it all in. My quiet reflective moment did not last long as the iconic moment of the coach getting the Gatorade ice shower ensued. What followed that was a grand celebration. This was more than just a regular championship celebration. This had so many more layers to it. Nearly 60 years of history suggested that one of the smallest schools in the Inter-Ac could not overcome the league's largest and most dominant program. November 8 would prove to be different.

During that celebration, one of my fondest memories was a picture taken in front of the scoreboard with my entire coaching staff. This is a group of men who sacrifice time away from their families and professions; they pour their hearts and souls into our players, program, and school. The group also includes 4 CHA alumni: Andrew Ciukurescu ’06, Mike Lonergan ’08, Alex Logue ’07, and Mike Hayes ’12. The collective effort of the coaching staff required to win the 2025 Inter-Ac championship was monumental, and this picture stands as a lasting symbol of that shared work.

The other memories that keep coming back to me are the elation of our players who made history. As I told them after the game, they did not just win this game and championship for themselves; they won it for every other CHA/SCH player who had aspired to the same goal but fell short. Many of these alumni were in attendance on November 8, and those unable to attend passed along their sentiments. Their messages flooded my phone and email for days. 

The 2025 Blue Devils players not only learned firsthand what can happen when you set a lofty goal and work tirelessly toward it, but they also realized that goal for so many in our school community. I will carry that with me forever, and I am eternally grateful to those players and assistant coaches for allowing me to experience what I have preached for 21 years as the head football coach of this great institution.