Knights aiming to blunt injury factor, beat Rustin
SHARON HILL » Academy Park’s defense has not allowed a touchdown in two District 1 Class 5A tournament games.
The offense produced nicely in a 26-0 trouncing of Oxford in the first round, but struggled mightily in an 8-6 win over Penn Wood a week ago.
It has not been pretty, but the Knights are two wins away from the program’s fourth district title.
They have, for several weeks now, pushed along in a 10-2 campaign without two of their best players in running back/linebacker Devon Covert and defensive lineman Utensee Nankay, seniors who went down during the season with foot and ankle injuries.
The number of walking wounded on Calcon Hook Road has only increased in recent weeks. Last week the Knights were without one of their best wide receivers and defensive backs in Alphonso Hayes, as well as contributing running backs Glister Threadgill and Hykeem Green.
With so many notable players sidelined, AP’s offense has turned into a one-man show. Talented senior quarterback Barry Brown, who ran in a touchdown from one yard out on AP’s first offensive snap against Penn Wood, has put the offense on his back the last two games.
Despite missing key performers, the No. 2 Knights keep finding ways to win. The challenge only stiffens, however, when sixth-seeded West Chester Rustin visits Knight Park in a rematch of a quarterfinal round clash from
2018. Brown, who has thrown for
1,436 yards with 14 touchdowns while running for 1,040 yards and
10 scores, was not the Knights’ QB last fall.
In the 42-6 defeat, Academy Park was manhandled in time of possession and total offensive yardage (94 yards to Rustin’s 360). Rustin’s potent Wing-T offense set the tone with a lengthy opening drive that spanned 12 plays and more than six minutes of game clock.
With many returning starters back, the Knights haven’t forgotten the embarrassing season-ending loss of 2018.
“It means a lot more to the players because they were the ones who were on the field last year when we unraveled. From the beginning of the game, we unraveled. We can say whatever we want about it, but the fact is they were better than us from the start of the game to the end of the game,” AP coach Jason Vosheski said. “It means a lot more to them, and we’re home and there is a revenge factor. We get to go to work again.”
Rustin looks plenty different this year and, without question, is not as talented as the group that advanced to the district final. The Golden Knights are going to run the ball a ton. Leading the way are Nick Madonna (1,474 yards,
18 TDs) and Drew Gallen (733 yards, six TDs). Starting quarterback John Crispino is averaging only five attempts per game.
Academy Park’s stellar defensive line, led by tackles Xavier Newman and Isaiah Rogers, should have its hands full against a potent ground attack.
Defensively, Rustin had held opponents to less than 100 yards rushing in eight of 12 games and has given up only 204 total yards in two playoff wins. Matt Montgomery is a standout at defensive end.
In the District 1 Class 6A tournament:
Coatesville at Garnet Valley, 7
The third-seeded Jaguars (11-1) look to solve quarterback Ricky Ortega and the Red Raiders. GV is 0-2 against Coatesville in the District 1 tournament the last two years. Last season it was a 42-7 defeat in the semifinals.
Greg Reynolds ran for 220 yards and five TDs to lead the Jags to a 56-21 win over Plymouth Whitemarsh last week. Winner of 11 straight games, Garnet Valley is averaging 45.6 points and 345 rushing yards per game. Running back/linebacker Jake Morin is the team’s second-leading rusher and has a team-high 72.5 tackles.
Villanova commits Ortega and wide receiver Dapree Bryant pace the Red Raiders, who have won back-to-back district titles. Ortega has thrown for 1,910 yards with
20 touchdowns and only two interceptions, while Bryant has accrued more than 1,100 yards from the line of scrimmage, including
57 receptions for 836 yards and
13 TDs.
Haverford at Downingtown West, 7
The Fords (10-2) could be the most dangerous team remaining in the district tournament. Last week they earned their second straight road blowout with a 3512 pummeling of No. 5 Downingtown East.
The Fords return to Kottmeyer Stadium to play the top-seeded Whippets, who didn’t breathe easy last week until a late touchdown by star running back Tyriq
Lewis helped to dispatch No. 9 North Penn, 40-31.
Kansas State commit Will Howard has passed for 1,960 yards and 23 TDs. Lewis has amassed more than 1,500 yards on the ground.
All-Delco athlete Trey Blair has been sensational in the playoffs for Haverford. In two games the University at Buffalo commit has run for 419 yards on 26 carries with six touchdowns and is 8 of 14 passing for 147 yards and three scores.
Haverford’s defense, led by senior linebacker Will Higson, has been outstanding. The Fords have given up 14 points or less in 10 straight games and have seven takeaways in district playoff wins against Spring-Ford and Downingtown East.