Pottstown puts it all together in 39-20 win over Upper Merion
POTTSTOWN >> This week, Pottstown coach Jeff Delaney spoke at length about the issues troubling his squad, specifically the struggles in recovering when things go wrong.
“There’s a trend where we start out well, and then at some point things start to go downhill,” he said. “All the things we do well just suddenly stop.”
Delaney wouldn’t take all the credit, but Friday night, he oversaw a quick fix.
Freshman quarterback Joneil Oister recovered from an early interception to have an explosive evening, tallying five total touchdowns, including three connections through the air with wide receiver Jahzeel Watson, as Pottstown ambushed Upper Merion, 39-20.
The Trojans’ defense survived an early onslaught from Upper Merion running back Anthony Swenda, holding the standout senior to only 26 yards after the first quarter and becoming only the second team to hold Swenda below 100 rushing yards this season. Upper Merion struggled to generate a consistent passing game, as senior QB Dale Clayton was held to five completions.
It was going to be hard to top Pottstown’s season-opening, 14-13 victory over Octorara on a late touchdown and two-point conversion from Oister, but the completeness of Friday night’s performance just might make for the new highlight of the season — so far.
“This was the performance,” Delaney summarized, “we’ve been waiting for all year.”
Pottstown’s offensive line got a couple of key players back, while others filled into somewhat new positions seamlessly as the Trojans rushed for 292 yards on the evening, producing two 100-yard rushers (Oister, with 142 yards and two scores, and Daniel Darden with exactly 100 yards.)
The big plays came via the air, however, as all six of Oister’s completions went to senior Watson, who accumulated 107 yards and three touchdowns, including a 58-yarder in the second quarter that started a run of 26 unanswered points for the hosts.
“My best game so far,” agreed Watson. “Over the summer, through camp, our connection (between himself and QB Oister) has improved and now we’re balling.”
Upper Merion started fast after Ty Lobban intercepted Oister at the Trojans’ 26-yard line on the first possession of the game, setting the stage for four punishing Swenda runs, the last a three-yard scamper to the outside to put the Vikings on top, 7-0.
Pottstown would respond, with Daniel Darden and Oister doing most of the lifting on a 65-yard drive aided by an Upper Merion personal foul. The Trojans called timeout on a 4th and goal to draw up a keeper for Oister, who rewarded his coaches’ faith, fighting for every inch in tying the game at 7.
Upper Merion responded when Dale Clayton found younger brother Marc for an 18-yard score early in the second quarter, but Pottstown wasted no time getting it back in one play, ultimately the game’s turning point as Oister hit Jahzeel Watson for an untouched 58-yard score to tie it back up at 14, with 8:49 remaining in the half.
From that point the Trojans asserted their will, starting with their very next drive. An 81-yard journey featured 11 consecutive running plays and ended with Ezra Figueroa’s one-yard dive for the Trojans’ first lead, 20-14.
Halftime did nothing to slow the Trojans, as Oister scampered through the UM defense for 42 yards and a score just two minutes into the third quarter, then added his second TD pass of the night to Watson, a 15-yarder on the quarter’s final play. In between, the Trojans’ defense handcuffed Upper Merion, holding them to -1 yards of total offense for the stanza and taking a 33-14 lead to the fourth.
Upper Merion added a final highlight, as the Clayton brothers connected once more for a 43-yard score that briefly reduced the margin to two scores.
But Pottstown chewed up the clock on the ensuing drive, which ending with another 4th down score, this one a five-yard pass from Oister to Watson to put the big victory on ice.
Special teams contributed as well, with Bobby Richards converting three extra points for a Pottstown team that’s struggled in the kicking game at times this year.
“Just glad to be part of the team’s win,” said Richards, also credited with a pair of tackles on defense. “We’ve got longer-term goals as a team, but for now we take the games one at a time. This was a big one, though.”
Coach Delaney decided pregame for a different vantage point, calling the shots from upstairs rather than on the sidelines. He may be staying ‘up high’ for the foreseeable future.
“I’ve been upstairs for 25 years (as a coordinator and assistant), and coach (Mike) Santillo has lots of experience down on the field,” he said. “He did a great job, and the kids really executed.”
The Trojans improved to 4-3 (1-2 PAC Frontier) on the season, while the visitors fell to an identical 4-3 mark (2-1 PAC Frontier).
Upper Merion will need to recover quickly if they hope to keep their Division title hopes alive, as the Vikings travel to Pottsgrove next week before finishing the regular season at home against Pope John Paul II.
“Ironically, the things we stressed before the game were the areas where we struggled,” said UM coach Victor Brown. “As a team, we need to have some conversations, the players need to have some discussions with one another – we need to make sure we’re all on the same page, because this (potentially playing for a division title) is somewhat uncharted territory for us.”
Notes: Johnny Stiwell and Emme Wolfel were announced as Pottstown’s Homecoming King and Queen and honored at halftime.
PAC Frontier Division
Pottstown 39, Upper Merion 20
Upper Merion— 7 7 0 6 — 20
Pottstown— 7 13 13 6 — 39
SCORING PLAYS
UM – Swenda 3 run (Reinhardt kick
PT – Oister 2 run (Richards kick)
UM – M. Clayton 18 pass from D. Clayton (Reinhardt kick)
PT – Watson 58 pass from Oister (Richards kick)
PT – Figueroa 1 run (kick failed)
PT – Oister 42 run (conversion failed)
PT – Watson 15 pass from Oister (Richards kick)
UM – M. Clayton 43 pass from D. Clayton (kick failed)
PT – Watson 5 pass from Oister (kick failed)
TEAM STATISTICS
UM PT
First Downs 8 20
Rushing Yards 96 292
Passing Yards 79 107
Total Yards 173 399
Passes C-A-I 5-17-0 6-13-1
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 4-1
Penalties-Yards 8-70 3-33
Punts-Avg. 5-31.8 1-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Upper Merion – Swenda 16-87; TD, D. Clayton 4-5, Zielinski 1-5, Anderson 1-2, Lobban 1-(minus-3).
Pottstown – Da. Darden 18-100, Oister 17-142; 2 TD, Figueroa 6-30; TD, De. Darden 5-19, Richards 1-1.
Passing
Upper Merion – D. Clayton 5-17, 79 yards, 2 TD.
Pottstown – Oister 6-13, 107 yards, 3 TD, INT.
Receiving
Upper Merion – M. Clayton 3-68; TD, M. Zielinski 1-6, Lobban 1-5.
Pottstown – Watson 6-107; 3 TD.
Interceptions – Upper Merion: Lobban.
Sacks – none.
