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.