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.”