Spring-Ford’s defense takes care of Pottsgrove in 22-13 victory

ROYERSFORD >> Spring-Ford’s record remained unblemished Friday night.

The Rams have their defense to thank for that.

Six sacks, including a two-sack night by Tim Rudderow, and holding PAC-10 leading rusher Tyrell Barr to under 30 yards sparked the Rams to a 22-13 victory over Pottsgrove Friday night at Coach McNelly Stadium in a game that was marred by penalties and mental miscues from both squads.

“It’s a pretty big game,” Rudderow said. “We were preparing for it all week, our minds were set on trying to win and we got the ‘W.’ It was very nice.”

“Our defense played really well and bailed us out,” Spring-Ford head coach Chad Brubaker said. “We had way too many penalties, way too many mental mistakes, but our defense bailed us out a couple of times. They did a great job.”

Rudderow’s two-sack effort was the highlight for the Rams defense that saw five players register at least a half sack in the win. Dan Kelchner added 1.5 sacks, Tanner Romano 1, with Nick Salomone, Steve Rice and Joe Campbell all adding 0.5 sacks. The run defense was also a catalyst to the team’s win, holding Barr to 29 yards on 10 carries and the Pottsgrove offense to 143 yards on the ground — 100 yards less than their season average.

Senior quarterback Ricky Venuto was solid through the air, throwing for 258 yards on 13-for-21 passing with two scores. Lee Albert finished with a team-high 87 yards receiving for a Rams team that accrued 13 penalties for 115 yards, fumbled the ball twice and punted three times.

“He did a nice job,” Brubaker said of Venuto. “They (Pottsgrove) play a lot of straight man and we talked all week about finding the matchup we wanted and he did a good job of that. There were a couple of really nice catches by guys in key situations. Ultimately we didn’t finish a lot of drives and that’s upsetting but we’ll take the win and build off of that.”

The win snaps Spring-Ford’s (5-0 PAC-10, 6-0 overall) three-game losing streak to Pottsgrove (3-2 PAC-10, 3-3 overall), and keeps them tied atop the conference with Perkiomen Valley, which toppled Pope John Paul II on its homecoming night.

Pottsgrove, meanwhile, will need upsets if it plans on grabbing at least a share of a title that eluded its grasp last season.

Venuto crunched on the sideline. Fourth and goal pic.twitter.com/khSapftd4v

— Sam Stewart (@Samuel_Stewart7) October 10, 2015

Quarterback Deyon Doctor finished with 167 yards passing and a touchdown while Wyatt Porter hauled in a game-high three receptions for 109 yards and a TD in the loss. Much like Spring-Ford, the Falcons were unable to get it rolling offensively, turning the ball over on downs twice while punting four times. The Falcons were denied on a crucial 4th-and-1 at their own 40 yard line while trailing 7-0 late in the second. The Falcons ballcarrier was tripped up behind the line, resulting in the Rams going down the field on a quick four-play, 40 yard drive that culminated with a Trey Jarmon nine-yard touchdown reception to make it 15-0 with two minutes remaining in the half. “We couldn’t get a fourth-and-one (converted), that’s not Pottsgrove football,” Pottsgrove head coach Rick Pennypacker said. “We have done that for 30 years, we’ve gone for it on 4th-and-1 at our own 10-yard line and have gotten it. If we can’t get fourth and half-a-yard, we don’t deserve to win the ball game.

Venuto sacked! Pottsgrove holds. Smith with the sack pic.twitter.com/tQFJXV9OFN

— Sam Stewart (@Samuel_Stewart7) October 10, 2015

“Give them credit, they played well. They got after us a little bit, were physical up front We new sooner or later that was going to get to us a little bit. We had dropped passes, mistakes, on one drive gave away 40 yards in penalties.

The Falcons remained in the game throughout the second half after Porter rushed for a 17-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to make it 15-7. Spring-Ford’s Quinn McKenna then answered with a diving 21-yard reception from Venuto for a score to make it 22-7 early in the fourth before Porter hauled in a screen pass from Doctor and scurried 66-yards to make it 22-13 after the PAT was missed.

From there, the offense went flat.

The Falcons were held to negative four yards on their next drive before Ryan Finn replaced the injured Doctor on the final drive with no results, allowing the Rams to ice it with Matt Gibson (14 carries, 69 yards) rushing for two-first downs in the waning minutes.

NOTES >> Pottsgrove finished with six penalties for 55 yards, including three-straight defensive penalties. … Selywn Simpson finished with 62 yards rushing on eight carries. … Stone Scarcelle finished with 76 yards receiving on four receptions. … Jarmon also added an interception. … The Rams finished with 405 yards of total offense to Pottsgrove’s 281.