Schilling scores 5 TDs as Unionville runs all over Sun Valley
EAST MARLBOROUGH >> Unionville football coach Pat Clark said of running back Connor Schilling, “He’s been our guy for four years.”
For at least one more night — and possibly the last time at home — Schilling was the tip of the spear of the Indians’ attack. He ran for nearly 200 yards to put him over 1,000 for the season and scored five touchdowns as Unionville rolled past Sun Valley, 56-14, in a Ches-Mont League American Division contest.
The Indians finished the regular season at 6-4, with a 4-3 mark in the division. They now set their eyes on the District 1 Class 5A playoffs. They came into the evening as the ninth seed. Barring any upsets, they could be set to visit No. 8 Marple Newtown next week.
“The seniors on our team will be playing in their ninth playoff game,” added Clark. “That’s a lot of playoff time. We hope to get a home game, but if we dont’t, we’ll prepare to go to Marple.”
On its first series, Unionville started on the Sun Valley 48-yard line. On the second play, quarterback Blake Charlton hit Declan Boyle for 33 yards down to the 11. After Schilling was thrown for a two-yard loss, he rambled in from the 13 for an early 7-0 lead.
His second score came shortly threafter as he completed a five-play drive with an eight-yard run.
After another three-and-out from the Vanguards, Unionville went on the march again. Charlton handled a high snap, faked to Schilling, and sped through the middle for a 40-yard TD and a 21-0 lead after one.
Sun Valley had its best drive in the second, going on a 12-play drive. They had a touchdown pass called back for an illegal man downfield penalty. Undeterred, they got on the board two plays later as Johnny Eskridge hit Ethan Parkhill for a 20-yard score to cut the deficit to 21-7 with 6:37 in the half.
“I’m proud of the way our kids fought in the second quarter,” said Sun Valley coach Greg Bernhardt. “We moved the ball well, it’s a shame we couldn’t get a score at the end of the half.”
Unionville extended the lead to 28-7, going 65 yards with Schilling accounting for 33 yards, including the final three for his third score.
The Indians kept right on rolling after the break, Schilling galloping 30 yards to make it 35-7. His penultimate run of the night showed his shiftinees and speed en route to a 51-yard to the Sun Valley 5. He completed his night on the next play for his fifth score of the night.
He had 20 carries for 197 yards.
Weston Grim spelled Schilling and promptly scored from the 30 to make it 49-7.
Sun Valley’s night was wrapped up in one play toward the end of the third. Eskridge rolled to his right and hit Ta’Zuan Thomas open, it looked like he was going to score on the 73-yard play, but he was caught from behind at the 2 and fumbled into the end zone where Unionville recovered.
Brendan D’Amico capped the scoring for Unionville with a 6-yard run. On the ensuing kickoff, Thomas notched another explosive play as he scampered 94 yards for the final score of the evening.
“Sun Valley had some injuries, but they’re going to be good,” said Clark. “Number 6 (Thomas) is exciting and number 11 (Antonio Rivera) is a good receiver, and they both will be back.”
The Vanguards fell to 1-9 and 0-7 in the American. They will face Chichester on Thanksgiving to wrap up the season.
