Owen J. Roberts makes quick work of Upper Merion

BUCKTOWN >> Playing in a Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division known for prolific offenses, Owen J. Roberts is going the other direction — establishing a stout defense as their program’s calling card.

The Wildcats picked off Upper Merion quarterback Dale Clayton on the first drive of the game and did all of their damage in the first quarter, eventually shutting out Upper Merion, 21-0.

It was the first shutout of 2018 for a defense that recorded four a year ago.

The Wildcats aren’t lacking offensively though — quite the opposite in fact, as quarterback Cooper Chamberlain accounted for 200 total yards (167 pass, 33 rush) and all three TDs (two passing, one rushing) on the evening to lead OJR (3-1). Marcus Martin added another 183 total yards and a receiving touchdown in the winning effort.

But it was the relentless defensive line who kept pressure on Clayton all night and limited Upper Merion to 112 yards of offense. OJR enjoyed good field position all night, starting inside UM territory on three of their five first-half possessions.

“Our defense, we give up a play here and there, but they always bounce back,” said OJR coach Rich Kolka. “That’s a big credit to our coaching staff.

“Hopefully, we’ll continue to play strong defense and do enough on offense to win games.”

After three straight road contests to open the 2018 campaign, Owen J. Roberts finally got to play host on Friday night.

It didn’t take them long to get comfortable, as Dante DeNardo picked off a pass in the opening minute and returned it to the Upper Merion 13-yard line, setting up Cooper Chamberlain for the opening score.

“All week we stressed not getting beaten deep,” said DeNardo, a sophomore playing his first varsity game at home. “So I played a little off the receiver, and the throw was wide. I just stepped up and made the play.”

After a quick three-and-out, the Wildcats took over inside Upper Merion territory and made quick work of their second possession, as Chamberlain found Marcus Martin on a slip screen. Martin did the rest, outracing two Vikings defenders 41 yards to the end zone for a 14-0 advantage.

The ‘Cats weren’t done. On the final play of the opening stanza, Chamberlain faked the screen to Martin, drawing Upper Merion’s linebackers towards the line of scrimmage, and threw a pop pass to a wide-open Sam Kuhl, who coasted 50 yards into the end zone to make it a 21-0 lead for the hosts.

The remainder of the game saw the dominance of OJR’s defense combine with a grind-it-out, clock-chewing offense that limited Upper Merion’s opportunities.

Kuhl added a late interception to thwart Upper Merion’s final opportunity and preserve the shutout.

Their opponents from Upper Merion came into Henry J. Bernat Stadium at 2-1, having already surpassed their 2017 win total, and looking to take a big step toward possible playoff contention.

The Vikings (2-2) also boasted a shutout streak that spanned two full games and nine quarters overall, all the way back to their opening game against Radnor.

But that streak only lasted about two minutes into this game, as the DeNardo INT gave OJR its best field position on a night when they traversed several short fields.

“Mental mistakes—that was the story,” summarized Upper Merion coach Victor Brown. “Turnovers, penalties … once things settled down after the first quarter, it was a 0-0 game, which is much more representative of how our defense has been playing.”

Michael Zelli led the way for Upper Merion offensively with 45 yards on eight carries.

“Michael’s another good running back,” Brown added. “Zaire’s been getting a ton of carries, so it helps to know we can use Michael as well.

“Most of our players are playing both sides of the ball—we need to be aware and keep guys fresh.”

The 3-1 Wildcats open PAC Liberty Division play next week at home against two-time defending league champion Perkiomen Valley, while Upper Merion welcomes Phoenixville for the Frontier Division opener.

“We’re excited to be back at home,” confirmed Kolka. “We don’t mind going on the road, but whenever you get a crowd like this, support from the community—that makes for a great night.”