Exeter run game sprints past Boyertown
BOYERTOWN >> Exeter bounced back from a frustrating loss in its season opener with a 56-8 non-league win over Boyertown Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
The Eagles (1-1) scored on their first two possessions and exploded for 35 points in the second quarter with Colin Payne going 6-for-8 in the air for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Cabraun Woody came off the bench for 113 rushing yards and two TD’s and Messiah Robinson ran for 96 yards, including a 45-yard TD run on the game’s opening drive. Lucas Palange led the Exeter defense with three sacks.
Leo Egbe ran for 91 yards for the Bears, including a 52-yarder, and Anthony Panarello scored Boyertown’s lone touchdown.
“We took a tough loss, but just came back strong today,” said Robinson, referring to last Saturday’s 35-28 setback to last year’s PIAA Class 6A runner-up Central York. “Whoever was up next was going to get it.”
“That’s a good sign,” Exeter coach Matt Bauer said of his team’s rebound performance. “Obviously, last Saturday left a bad taste in our mouths. They were just hungry.”
Robinson’s 45-yard TD burst ended a 5-play, 65 yard drive. Then the Eagle defense forced a quick punt and took over at the Bear 42-yard line. Payne passed 24 yards to Joey Schlaffer to the four and Ty Yocum ran it into the end zone from there on the next play.
Yocum scored again on a 5-yard run early in the second quarter and Payne ran in from 16 yards and threw 65 yards to Jacob Wolfe and 88 yards to J.R. Strauss to make it 42-0. A 33-yard run by Woody with four seconds left boosted the lead to 49-0 at the half.
“That’s a state contender team,” said Boyertown coach T.J. Miller, whose team was coming off a 35-12 season-opening win at Upper Perkiomen. “That’s why we schedule this game instead of somebody else for an easy win. We want to see what we have to work with.”
Boyertown fumbled the ball away twice in the first half and Palange shot through a depleted Bear line for his three sacks.
“He’s a real athlete,” Robinson said concerning junior linebacker Palange. “He plays lineman and linebacker. He’s a real athlete.”
“He’s a tough kid, a two-way player for us,” added Bauer. “He’s one of our leaders for sure.”
The Bears scored on a 12-yard run midway through the fourth quarter by quarterback Panarello, who ran for a two-point conversion.
The Eagles were practically unstoppable on the ground early in the contest and wound up with 271 rushing yards on 38 carries.
“Excellent blocking,” said Robinson. “It was there every time. We’re a good program. Everybody’s solid. There’s not a spot that needs to be filled in.”
“Our line’s our heart and soul,” said Bauer.
Exeter wrapped up the scoring on a 35-yard run by Woody and finished with 495 total yards and touchdowns by five different players.
“We definitely spread it around,” added Bauer. “It’s nice to have options, for sure. They’re unselfish. It was a good team win.”
Boyertown was down three offensive linemen and a wide receiver.
“That’s no excuse,” said Miller. “Mike Ricci stepped in at guard and Jake Carney played really well stepping in as a starting lineman. I’m really proud of the way they filled in. They’re a great football team. A solid football team. We’re not as far away from them as the score indicates. I’m prou of our guys. I’m proud of the effort they gave. We learned a lot of positives today going against this team.”
