Smink powers Henderson past WC East
WEST GOSHEN >> West Chester Henderson’s Eddie Smink may not be as celebrated as other quarterbacks in the Ches-Mont League, but he is quietly having a tremendous season. Friday night, Smink was front and center in a more than satisfying win against their crosstown rivals.
Smink ran for three scores and accounted for three others as the Warriors posted a 41-20 Ches-Mont League American Division victory over West Chester East at Harold I. Zimmerman Stadium.
“I was very excited for this game because it’s the kids we grew up playing with when we were little,” said Smink. “It’s always been a rivalry game. They’ve gotten us the last four years, so I’m happy that for my senior year, we finally got to give it back to them one time.”
Smink got the scoring started right off the back as the Warriors (3-3 American, 4-5 overall) marched 65 yards on the opening possession. Smink worked his way in from the one to cap it off and a 7-0 lead just as the fans were settling in.
That was the way the first quarter ended. Henderson stopped East running back Mitch Ragni on a 4th-and-2 and took over on its 16. They set sail on a 12-play drive that Smink slithered in from the 11 to make it 14-0. That kicked off a scoring spree that must of had fans thinking that a Big XII game broke out. The two teams combined for TDs on the next five possessions and seven of eight.
“Not good for my blood pressure,” said Henderson coach John Lunardi. “The second quarter, the was going up and back on both sides. They made some tremendous plays offensively and we came back and matched them.”
The Vikings (1-5, 1-8) got on the board as Ragni plowed in from the five. The extra point was blocked. The big play on the drive was when Ryan McIntire hit Brady Laird (5 catches, 75 yards) for a 33-yard gain to the five.
The Warriors came right back and took four plays to extend the lead. Smink started to scramble, stopped just before the line of scrimmage and fired a pass to Terrance Turman, who slipped past the defense. His journey to the end zone was aided as an East defender fell down and Turman stepped in for a 59-yard score.
Back came the Vikings, who got a long pass of their own for a TD. McIntire found Wileczek for a 42-yard score. The two-point conversion made it 21-14 late in the second.
East had two kicks go out of bounds and set up Henderson on the East 41. Three plays was all it took to cash in the great field position. Smink hit Logan Krapf who leaped to grabbed the 14-yard pass for a 28-14 advantage with nine seconds in the half.
“He just make plays for us,” Smink said of Krapf, who along with Turman had a 100-yard reception game. Krapf had 100 yards and Turman 113.
The scoring frenzy continued after the break as Ragni scored his second of the night, and then Smink recorded hit Krapf for a 27-yard score.
Smink capped the scoring in the fourth with his third rushing score of the evening.
Henderson wraps up its regular season next week against Oxford, while East will host Kennett.
“We always talk to our kids about playing a full 48 minutes,” said Lunardi. “We have a really good opponent coming in. It will be an important game for Oxford and for us as well. We just have to keep putting together 48 minutes of football.”
West Chester Henderson 41, West Chester East 20
WC Henderson 7 21 6 7 — 41
WC East 0 14 6 0 — 20
First Quarter
Henderson — Smink 1 run (Smink kick)
Second Quarter
Henderson — Smink 11 run (Smink kick)
WC East — Ragni 5 run (kick blocked)
Henderson — Thurman 59 pass from Smink (Smink kick)
WC East — Wileczek 42 pass from McIntire (Ragni run)
Henderson — Krapf 14 pass from Smink (Smink kick)
Third Quarter
WC East — Ragni 2 run (pass failed)
Henderson — Krapf 27 pass from Smink (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
Henderson — Smink 1 run (Smink kick)
team statistics
WCH WCE
First downs 21 19
Rushes-yards 38-173 37-188
Passing 12-14-0 8-16-0
Passing yards 267 131
Total yards 440 319
Punts 1-36.0 0-0
Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0
Penalties-yards 9-95 8-65
Individual statistics
Rushing — WC Henderson: Smink 17-88 3 TD; Foster 11-25; Thurman 7-43; Killoran 3-17. WC East: Ragni 33-180 2 TD McIntire 3-9; Wileczek 1-(-1).
Passing — WC Henderson: Smink 12-14-0 267 yards 3TD. WC East: McIntire 8-16-0 131 yards TD.
Receiving — WC Henderson: Krapf 6-100; Thurman 3-113 TD; Grim 2-45; Porter 1-9. WC East: Laird 5-75; Wileczek 2-50 TD; Porter 1-6.
Sacks — WC Henderson: Turek.
