Spring-Ford smashes Phoenixville, 58-7
PHOENIXVILLE >> Spring-Ford continued its fast pace to start the scholastic football season with a 58-7 Pioneer Athletic Conference victory over host Phoenixville Friday night at Washington Field.
Selwyn Simpson rushed for three touchdowns and 76 yards on just five carries as Spring-Ford followed up a 16-0 first-quarter lead with a 44-0 halftime cushion that put the running clock in motion. The Rams then tacked on 24 points in the fourth period.
The Rams started the PAC-10 season in fine fashion after starting the year with a non-league win over powerful State College last weekend. The Rams rushed for 236 yards and passed for 149 more yards to close out the game with 385 yards of total offense.
“We are doing great,” said Simpson. “We are doing well right now. The line is blocking great and we’re running well. We are finding holes. Overall, I think we are playing great. Our JVs did, too.”
Quarterback Ricky Venuto completed 10 of 13 aerials for 151 yards and one touchdown. Venuto completed a 30-yard scoring pass to Bryce Dorsey. Simpson scored on runs of 53, 11 and nine yards.
Matt Gibson had a 1-yard scoring run, and Quinn McKenna recovered a bad snap in the end zone for another touchdown. Jason Wilson had a 1-yard scoring plunge, and Matt Booth capped the scoring with a 21-yard TD run.
Phoenixville’s lone score camme on a 39-yard pass from Matt Palubinsky to Nasir Green in the fourth quarter.
“Coach (Chad Brubaker) has been saying all week to not underestimate an opponent,” said Simpson. “But we came out a little slow. They (Phantoms) came out fighting, but then we got going. Our defense did awesome. Hopefully, they can keep it up, and offensively we can keep on scoring.”
“We jusgt expect to get a great performance, no matter who the opponent is and what the score is,” said Brubaker. “We executed and playeda good hard game and covered defensively. We didn’t move the ball offfensively the first two drives, but then we opened it up and started to be successful. We had a nice completion to Stone Scarcelle, and then Selwyn had the long run, and we settled down a little bit.”
Brubaker explained that he went for the two-point conversion throughout the eening because two of his varsity kickers were competing at a boys soccer game at the same time.
Palubinsky rushed for 49 yards on six carries and had one burst of 31 yards. Quarterback Troy Rossman completed seven of 16 throws for yards. Green had four receptions for 51 yards and one score.
“Spring-Ford is an excellent football team,” said Phoenixville coach Evan Breisblatt. “They are well-coached. They have tremendous depth. We came out after them in the firsrt quarter, but then they took over and dominated us. I don’t think we can dwelllon this. They are a quad-A team and we are a triple-A football team.
“We are going to have a tough September. We got banged up pretty good tonight.”
