Three Straight Wins

Phoenixville’s football team has won three straight games to continue its improvement for the 2008 season with a young squad. The Phantoms are still in the picture for the District 1 Class AAA playoffs since the top 10 teams qualify, based on points in power rankings. The Phantoms are currently 4-2 overall with 420 points for 10th place with several key games remaining on the schedule.
Phoenixville defeated Perkiomen Valley, 41-34, to help celebrate Homecoming Saturday afternoon at Washington Field. In the two prior weeks to that victory, the Phantoms blanked St. Pius X, 28-0, and defeated Pottstown, 35-14, in a pair of road contests. The victory over PV represented the Phantoms’ first home victory this season.
The emergence of sophomore quarterback Tom Romano as a passing threat has enabled the Phantoms to become more of a balanced offensive team. Romano passed for 225 points against Perkiomen Valley and 170 yards against Pottstown and now has 553 yards passing for the 2008 campaign.
Romano has completed 28 of 58 aerials for 553 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He completed 10 of 15 throws against Pottstown and was 8-for-13 against Perkiomen Valley. Romano has also rushed for 85 yards on 35 attempts.
The Phantoms capitalized on six turnovers committed by Perkiomen Valley, including three lost fumbles and three interceptions. Phoenixville continues to be the No. 1-ranked defense in the Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10). In six games, the Phantoms have scored 145 points while allowing just 76 markers, including shutouts against Chichester and St. Pius X.
For the season, the Phantom defense is plus-9 in the turnover category. Phoenixville has lost four fumbles of its own while recovering eight opponents’ bobbles ofr a plus-4 ratio. The Phantoms have been intercepted twice while pilfering seven passes themselves for a plus-5 ratio to total plus-9.
Anthony Nattle has scored seven touchdowns for 42 points, followed by Abdul Kelly with five TDs for 30 points and Ricky Yenchick four TDs for 24 points. Placekicker John McInally has 17 extra points.
Vince Ciaverelli and Will Killeen each have two TDs and Charles Mitchell one TD. Romano has scored on one conversion for two points.
Phoenixville has rushed for 1,379 yards and passed for 553 yards to give them 1,932 yards of total offense. Defensively, the Phantoms haye yielded 956 yards rushing and 639 yards passing for 1,595 yards of total offense with 567 of those yards coming in one game against explosive Perkiomen Valley. PV quarterback Zach Zulli, the league MVP last year, set a school record with 379 yards passing against the Phantoms.