Phoenixville football vs. Owen J. Roberts on Sept. 25

Owen J. Roberts brings a 3-0 record in to face Phoenixville (0-3) at Washington Field in PAC-10 football Friday night.
The Wildcats are coming off a 13-7 victory over Spring-Ford in their league opener in Bucktown last Friday night while the Phantoms fell to St. Pius X, 21-14, at Coach Mich Stadium Saturday afternoon, ending the Winged Lions’ 23-game losing skid in the circuit.
The Phantoms’ Ducky Ryan, a senior, scored on a 3-yard run and sophomore Travis Andrews scored on a 4-yard return of a fumble recovery. Junior soccer player John McInally (14 points to date) kicked both placements for Phoenixville, which scored all 14 of its points in the fourth quarter. Pius X led by a 7-0 count at halftime and 14-0 at the end of three periods.
Ryan also led the defense with eight tackles and a fumble recovery while defensive end Brandon Johnson made one quarterback sack. The Phantoms rushed for 150 yards with Ricky Yenchick gaining 48 yards on nine tries and Sam McQuiston 41 yards on 15 attempts. Ryan chalked up 27 yards with seven rushes.
Sophomore Alec McQuiston (5-8, 160) filled in for starting quarterback Tom Romano, who suffered an arm injury in practice last Thursday. Sophomore Dominic Hooks (5-8, 140) took over Romano’s spot in the defensive secondary. With the injuries the Phantoms have suffered in the early going, some players are gaining valuable experience that could contribute to better depth when everybody is healthy later on this fall and in future years for the younger players.
“Alec was thrown into the fire and really came through it,” said Phoenixville head coach Bill Furlong, who is in his seventh year at the controls. “The one interception was tipped and the defensive back made an excellent play. He didn’t make a bad throw. It wasn’t a bad play. Now he is no longer a rookie. He has a game under his belt.”
Senior tight end/linebacker Vince Ciaverelli (6-0, 185) may return to action from a knee injury this week.
“They (Winged Lions) dominated the game,” Furlong said of last week’s contest. “We did come back, but it wasn’t close. They controlled the game from the outset and we fought back. They played a real good game.”
Owen J. Roberts, of course, is led by junior running back/defensive back Ryan Brumfield (5-10, 175), who gained 198 yards on 32 carries last week. Brumfield is the area’s leading rusher with 538 yards already on 75 attempts for a 7.2 average. He has scored seven touchdowns for 42 points.
His blocking back is senior fullback Rich Zazo (5-11, 235), who doubles at linebacker on defense. Sam Funk (6-1, 200) is a junior wingback/linebacker. The quarterback is senior Nate Walters (5-10, 175) with senior Francis Polignano (6-2, 195) at tight end and defensive back. Junior Kohl Batdorf (5-11, 175) was penciled in at quarterback and cornerback, but he has been slowed by an injury.
Tom Barr is in his 13th season as head coach of the Wildcats with Hank Coyne as his line coach and Dave Clarke as defensive coordinator and Charles Nesley serving as another assistant coach.
“We should be in the mix with any team in the league,” said Furlong. “But with Owen J., you have to stop Brumfield to be in the game. They (Wildcats) are sound and are well-coached.”

Phoenixville football

Phoenixville’s defense had its moments against Unionville despite a 23-9 non-league setback at Washington Field last Friday evening.
The Phantoms have started the season at 0-2 with defeats against Great Valley in overtime and Unionville. It is the first time in head coach Bill Furlong’s seven years at the controls that the Phantoms have started the year at 0-2, but there is still a long way to go in the campaign.
Ducky Ryan recorded a team-high 10 tackles against the Indians with one sack. Greg Porter had seven tackles, one for loss and one fumble recovery. Sam McQuiston had five tackles. Matt Viscuso had four tackles. Travis Andrews made two tackles and forced one fumble. Marcus Stokes had two tackles and one fumble recovery. Dennis Kelly finished with five tackles, two for losses.
Don Jackson is the Phantoms’ defensive coordinator.
Phoenixville opens its 24th season of Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) football Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against St. Pius X at Coach Mich Stadium in Lower Pottsgrove Township.

Phoenixville/Unionville football game

Phoenixville’s football team dropped a second straight close game to start the 2009 season with a 23-9 loss to Unionville last Friday night in steady rain at Washington Field.
Phoenixville held a 9-7 lead early in the fourth quarter on three field goals by junior kicker John McInally, but the Indians rallied with 16 points later in the fourth period.
The Phantoms rushed for 143 yards on 46 plays and quarterback Tom Romano completed 4 of 9 passes for 32 more yards, giving Phoenixville 175 total yards on 55 snaps. Unionville rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns on 33 attempts and had no passing attempts all evening.
The Phantoms’ Sam McQuiston rushed for 91 yards on 20 carries. Phoenixville recovered two fumbles and lost one fumble itself.
McInally, who doubles as a soccer team defender for the Phantoms, booted field goals of 32, 30 and 29 yards in the contest. He has also been contributing long kickoffs and is in his first year of punting for the gridders as well.
Unionville marched 67 yards in 12 plays after taking the opening kickoff and scored on a 1-yard plunge with 5:26 on the clock for a quick 7-0 lead. However, from that point forward, the clash turned into an even game.
Coach Bill Furlong’s Phantoms start their Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) schedule Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against St. Pius X at Coach Mich Stadium.
This will be Phoenixville’s final meeting against St. Pius X before the Winged Lions merge with Kennedy-Kenrick to form John Paul II High School in Upper Providence Township starting with the 2010 campaign.
Brandon Johnston played a good game at defensive end for the Phantoms in his first start, and Greg Porter doubled at tight end and defensive end for a full game for the first time and responded well. One of Porter's hard hits resulted in a Unionville fumble that the Phantoms recovered.

Phoenixville Football Game Preview

With both teams coming off difficult losses, Phoenixville hosts Unionville in non-league football action Friday night at Washington Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Unionville fell to Garnet Valley, 15-14, on a late, 96-yard scoring drive last week while Phoenixville surrendered a 21-7 third-quarter lead in bowing to Great Valley, 27-21, in overtime.
“They (Indians) are good, tough and they are big,” said Phoenixville head coach Bill Furlong Thursday afternoon. “They are going to be angry. They run play-action and they like to play smash-mouth football. They are very well-coached with their execution. They know what they are doing.”
Furlong hopes Phoenixville can create turnovers and capitalize on them in order to keep the game tight. Against Great Valley, the Phantoms recovered three fumbles and intercepted three passes. Ducky Ryan returned one interception 35 yards for the first Phoenixville touchdown in the first quarter.
“There are going to be a lot of opportunities for our young kids to step up and create some plays,” said Furlong.
Running back/linebacker Sam McQuiston had a big two-way performance against the Patriots and will be counted upon again. McQuiston was the team’s leading rusher with 60 yards on 10 carries, caught a 9-yard scoring pass from quarterback Tom Romano and made 10 tackles on defense.
Phoenixville will open its Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) season Saturday afternoon, Sept. 19, against St. Pius X at Coach Mich Stadium at 1 p.m.
The Phantoms’ first home league game is against Owen J. Roberts Friday night, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. at Washington Field.

Phoenixville football vs Great Valley

Phoenixville and Great Valley played another interesting non-league football season opener Friday night at Valley Stadium in East Whiteland Township. Phoenixville held a 21-7 lead at the end of three quarters, but Great Valley rallied to tie the game at 21 by the end of regulation time and then won, 27-21, in overtime.
Last year, Great Valley won, 7-6, at Washington Field and both teams went on to advance to the District 1 Class AAA playoffs. The same could hold true this season.
Phoenixville head coach Bill Furlong and Great Valley head coach Gary Phillips were both missing some injured players, but some other younger players stepped in to fill those spots.
The Phantoms recovered three Great Valley fumbles and intercepted three passes, but they did not capitalize on those six turnovers for enough points in the final outcome. Great Valley was also penalized nine times for 65 yards in the contest to Phoenixville’s four penalties for 25 yards.
Phoenixvllle led 14-7 at the end of the first period and 14-7 at intermission.
Great Valley outgained Phoenixville in rushing yardage 186-90 while Phoenixville held a 79-57 advantage in passing. The total yardage was 243 on 68 plays for the Patriots and 169 stripes on 49 snaps for the Phantoms.
Great Valley’s Casey Haines rushed 26 times for 97 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 1-yard plunge in overtime. Chucky Showers (11-68, 1 TD) and Colin Johnson (13-24) helped give the Patriots more of an inside-outside attack in the second half. Junior Dave Hausladen also made his first start as the GV quarterback and was more accurate in the passing game during the second half.
Phoenixville’s Sam McQuiston rushed for 60 yards on 10 carries, including one gain for 42 yards. McQuiston was also a team leader on defense for the Phantoms with 10 tackles from his linebacker position. Safety Ducky Ryan totaled 11 tackles, an interception return for a 35-yard touchdown for the first Phoenixville touchdown and two fumble recoveries. Sophomore nose guard Dennis Kelly had eight tackles for losses, four for losses, and 1 1/2 sacks. Linebacker Vince Ciaverelli had seven tackles, one for loss and forced one fumble. Quarterback Tom Romano doubled on defense in the secondary and came up with six tackles, one interception and one tackle for loss.
Linebacker Matt Viscuso had five tackles, one for loss and one-half sack. Tackle Ken Cenci had two sacks and four tackles with one for loss. End Greg Porter had four tackles with one-half sack and Sophomore defensive end Ernie Knight had two tackles for losses and one quarterback hurry.
Running back/linebacker Ricky Yenchick had two tackles, one for loss, before leaving the game in the first half with a rib injury. Sophomore Vinny Nattle had one tackle and defended one pass. Defensive tackle Marcus Stokes registered one sack.
Great Valley defensive tackle Anthony McFalls was in on three sacks with one tackle for loss. Haines doubled at linebacker and had one tackle for loss. Defensive lineman Zach Anderson notched two sacks. Jesse Horn had a sack. Steve Lochry intercepted a pass in the end zone in overtime and also made two receptions for 44 yards as a wide receiver. Mike Moules had two tackles for losses and one sack.
One of Great Valley’s assistant coaches is Joe Bogus, a retired Phoenixville Area High School teacher who still serves as the Phantoms’ head softball coach.
Junior John McInally is starting his third year as the Phoenixville placekicker and is also doing the punting chores. Romano also had a punt in the opening game. McInally booted three placements against the Patriots.
Phoenixville’s offensive line has Steve Carter at center with Viscuso and Cenci at guard and Kevin Bohl and Stokes at tackle. Ciaverelli and Porter are the tight ends.
Romano had a 9-yard scoring pass to McQuiston on a throw in the left flat and a 46-yard TD pass to sophomore running back Travis Andrews down the left sideline. Dan Kain caught one pass for 24 yards.
Great Valley, which plays out of the Ches-Mont League’s American Division, fell to Owen J. Roberts in double overtime in the first round of the district playoffs a year ago. The Patriots will host West Chester Henderson Friday night in their second scrum at 7 p.m.
Phoenixville, which has finished 8-4 overall the past two years, fell to Upper Moreland in the first round of the district playoffs last year. The previous season the Phantoms dropped a first-round game to Unionville, which pays a visit to Washington Field to start the 2009 home schedule this coming Friday evening at 7 p.m.