Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Next, Please
Red Raiders roll yet again, rout West Chester East
WEST CHESTER >> If Coatesville already has its eyes on the playoffs, they’re not showing it each and every week, as they line up against the latest overmatched opponent.
The Red Raiders kept their focus Friday night, and rolled once again, routing West Chester East, 56-7, at Harold I. Zimmerman Stadium.
Coatesville, now 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Ches-Mont National, travels to Avon Grove next week before hosting Downingtown East to end the regular season.
Coatesville entered the night outscoring opponents 332-88.
Now that obscene tally is 38895.
The only thing that seemed to go right for West Chester East was a 97-yard kickoff return by John Wileczek to open the second half, but the game was far out of reach by then.
The Vikings would struggle mightily getting the ball rolling on offense as they could only scrounge up 29 total yards.
“We challenged our defense today, they (West Chester East) had a great running game heading into today with their tailback (Pierre Marchant) averaging 10 yards a carry,” said Coatesville coach Matt Ortega. “So that was the challenge we laid down for our defense.”
Marchant was not as successful on the ground today versus the stifling Red Raiders defense, as he was only able to collect six yards total. The Coatesville defense would only allow six first downs all night and force two turnovers.
Switch sidelines and you find a much more potent offense, finishing with 321 total yards with 272 of them coming from the ground.
“The O-line blocked their butts off and so did the wideouts and tight ends and holes just opened up so we keep doing that and handing the ball off,” said running back Aaron Young.
Young would finish his night with an impressive 171-yard, twotouchdown performance, all of which came in the first half.
The scoring kicked off early for Coatesville as it would use its first possession to go five plays for 50 yards, capped off by a 16yard touchdown run by quarterback Ricky Ortega.
Ortega would finish the night going 11-14 for 79 yards and three touchdowns throwing the ball.
Forcing a three-and-out, Coatesville would get the ball back and score on its second drive with the help of Young as he dashed in for a 17-yard touchdown run.
West Chester East dug itself into an early hole on the next possession when Ryan Cassidy’s pass was intercepted by Frankie De Los Santos and returned all the way to the Vikings’ 4-yard line. Running back John Ruttman would then finish it off from four yards out on the next play.
In the second quarter, following a 4-yard touchdown run from Young to open the quarter, the Red Raiders would look like the Red Raiders of Texas Tech in the air raid offense, as Ortega would throw three touchdown passes to close out the half.
His first went to Dapree Bryant off of a beautiful leap and grab on a 12-yard fade route. Ortega would later find Dymere Miller on a 1-yard slant route. Finally, Ortega would end his night with a 4-yard screen pass to Bryant.
“Offensively we just keep doing it week in and week out and that’s taking advantage of what the defense is giving us and then we’re making plays, said coach Ortega.