Reichwein, QB duo lead CB West past Hatboro-Horsham

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DOYLESTOWN >> Those final few yards before the end zone can be the toughest for an offense to gain. And sometimes it is a matter of will more than scheme.

“When you’re on the goal line, it’s just a mind set,” Central Bucks West’s Jake Reichwein said. “You get in the end zone by any means.”

Reichwein has the size – the junior fullback is listed at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds – and skill to convert that desire into points, which he did Friday night in the Bucks’ opening contest of 2016. Reichwein collected a pair of touchdown runs from short range as CB West shook off a slow start to beat visiting Hatboro-Horsham 17-6 at War Memorial Field.

“He’s a big, physically running back for us. When we need a couple yards, we’re going to go to Jake,” CB West coach Chas Cathers said. “Cause he’s just an exceptional football player and he’ll dig deep and really get those yards for us when we need them.”

The Bucks’ quarterback tandem of juniors Ryan Moylan and Joshua Crecca made a handful of plays to continue drives, with Reichwein ending one of the second quarter with a three-yard score then capped another in the third with a one-yard TD plunge. CB West (1-0) collected the game’s first 17 points en route to winning its season opener for the first time since 2012.

“Going into this season we have a whole different attitude than last year We’re playing to win as many games as we can,” Reichwein said. “And our line is doing such a better job this year and I’m really proud of our guys, we did a lot better. It’s a great win.”

Hatboro-Horsham (0-1) never got going on offense until it was down double digits in the fourth quarter. Five of the Hatters’ eight series went into West territory, but only avoided a shutout due to Anthony Kwiatanowski’s 26-yard touchdown reception with 6:05 remaining.

“We made a good amount of mistakes. We turned the ball over. We had penalties that extended their drives,” Hatboro-Horsham coach Mike Kapusta said. “We had some breakdowns in protection, breakdowns in blocking schemes, weren’t able to run the ball the way that we wanted to run that ball. We just got to get back to the drawing board and get back to work.”

Moylan hurt Hatboro-Horsham primarily on the ground, running 13 times for a game-high 93 yards. Crecca, meanwhile, completed 4-of-5 passes for 79 yards.

Reichwein added 62 yards rushing on 16 carries for West, who hosts Council Rock South Friday.

“Both quarterbacks have been really battling this year,” Cathers said. “Ryan Moylan has done a great job and so has Josh Crecca. Ryan had a little trouble with his arm in our summer camps, so Crecca stepped up to the challenge, got some reps during our scrimmage but both quarterbacks did an exceptionally job tonight.”

Hatters quarterback Chris Edwards completed 9-of-20 passes for 177 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Edwards connected with Calvin Broaddus Jr. six times for 138 yards. Kwiatanowski ran 10 times for 45 yards to pace Hatboro-Horsham, which visits Central Bucks East Saturday.

“We just got to get back to work. As a coaching staff we got to do a better job or putting our kids in positions where they can make plays and they can be successful,” Kapusta said. “We can’t ask kids to do more than they can, ask some kids to do a little bit more. We’ll get that game plan right and we’ll get back to work.”

Neither side had things clicking early. West fumbled away possession after the game’s fifth snap only for Hatters gave it back in two plays on a fumble of their own.

In the second quarter, Crecca kept Central Bucks West’s first scoring drive alive by avoid pressure, working out of a defender’s grip and found Michael Kilkenny for a 34-yard reception on 3rd-and-9. Six players later, Reichwein worked past the goal line from three yards out a 7:26 for a 7-0 lead the Bucks carried into halftime.

Moylan’s time to come up huge on third down came in the third quarter, the junior darting down the right sideline for 49 yards on a 3rd-and-6 from the West 36. The drive continued until Reichwein plowed into the end zone from a yard out to make it 14-0 at 3:46.

“They both have exceptional athletic ability with their legs. They both can run and they both can throw the ball,” said Cathers of his QBs. “So it’s an extra threat in the backfield when you have two guys that are that athletic.”

After forcing a Hatters 3-and-out, Central Bucks West came close to collecting another touchdown. The Bucks had a 1st-and-goal from the five, but ended up settling for a Kenny Doak 22 yard field goal at 9:21 in the fourth.

Hatboro-Horsham post its first points on 2016 on the next series, driving 80 yards on eight plays, the last a short Edwards pass Kwiatanowski turned into a 26-yard touchdown.

“I think we kind of just started going with our strengths and what was working,” Kapusta. “Kids, to their credit fought hard and made plays. You know, as far as the mistakes and preparations, I take that upon myself. It all rests on me.”

The Hatters made one more late drive down the West 12, but Frank Amsler picked off an Edwards pass right in front of the goal line.

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Mike Cabrey

Mike Cabrey
Mike Cabrey is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Reporter and Montgomery News. Email him at mcabrey@thereporteronline.com.

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