Kelly sparkles, Sun Valley opens with win

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MIDDLETOWN >> Julz Kelly was unaware that he came within striking distance of tying the Delaware County record for most touchdowns in a game.

Sun Valley’s do-everything senior was removed, along with quarterback Anthony Ellis and the rest of the starters, after Kelly’s sixth rushing score in Friday night’s season opener at Penncrest.

Kelly, who earned All-Delco honors last fall, was electrifying. He totaled 193 yards on 13 carries with six touchdowns to lead Sun Valley to a 54-13 rout.

Maybe, if the game wasn’t out of reach, Kelly would have stayed on the field and chased history.

The single-game scoring mark is held by former Sun Valley great Tony Canci, who scored eight TDs in a game against Oxford in 2004.

In typical Kelly fashion, he heaped praise on offensive linemen Dom Ellis, Jayvon Wilson, Dathan Poole, Rocky Albano and Rob Powell, who paved the way for Sun Valley’s 504 yards of total offense.

“They have been working hard the entire offseason,” Kelly said. “It clearly showed tonight.”

Kelly had three of his scoring jaunts before the midway point of the first quarter. When Sun Valley decided to unleash its aerial attack, second-year starter Anthony Ellis made the Lions pay. Ellis, who takes snaps from his uncle Dom, was an efficient 9-for-11 for 211 yards and a touchdown. He completed eight of his nine passes to fleet-footed wide receivers Lance Stone (four catches, 117 yards) and Dayon Belgrave (four catches, 61 yards). Belgrave leaped high in the air to pull in a pass from Ellis at the 3-yard line and ran in the end zone for the Vanguards’ fourth score of the opening quarter.

“They’re playmakers, so I can trust them with anything,” Anthony Ellis said. “I know they’re going to catch a lot of the balls that come their way.”
Defensively, the Vanguards made life difficult for new Penncrest quarterback Nick Benecke, who was 9-for-25 with 91 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Dom Ellis and Albano were among the Sun Valley defenders to provide consistent pressure. Stone, a defensive back, picked Benecke off in the second quarter.

“Due to our great coaching staff giving us really good film, they just made sure that we knew everything about their offense,” Dom Ellis said. “I just tried to stay on the other lineman throughout the week, to watch film and take what we learned in film and apply it to practice so that when we got out here on Friday night we could execute.”

Sun Valley held a 40-0 advantage with 8:30 to play in the second quarter. Penncrest finally got on the scoreboard on a nice pass from Benecke to Jay Brown in the corner of the end zone.

Kam Vaughn paced Penncrest with 57 rushing yards. Vinny Brown added 50 yards on 13 carries.

Second-year Sun Valley coach Greg “Bubba” Bernhardt couldn’t have asked for a better season debut.

“We know it’s going to get tougher, with Upper Moreland next week and then we have O’Hara,” Bernhardt said. “We’re getting better. I asked them after the game, ‘Have any of you ever scored 54 points in a game?’ This is a game we can build on. It’s a nice start.”

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Matt Smith

Matt Smith
Matt Smith is a sports writer with the Delaware County Daily Times. To contact him, email msmith@delcotimes.com or follow him on Twitter @DTMattSmith.

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