WEST CHESTER — West Chester Henderson opened Friday night with an impressive defensive performance that carried the host Warriors to a 14-6 win over Upper Darby at J. Oscar Dicks Stadium. The win was not sealed until Jake Ball picked off a Joseph Sarjoo pass on a fourth-and-five play with 20 seconds left to play.
“I knew they were going to have to go long because there was not much time left,” Ball said. “And I was playing zone coverage and I just turned into a wide receiver when the ball was in the air. I thought our coaches had us really prepared for their offense tonight.
“We practiced well and just took that out to the field tonight. It feels different around this team this year. I feel we are much closer to each other and are more of a family this year.”
Henderson turned an Upper Darby fumble into the first points of the game when the Royals botched a pitch from Sarjoo, and the Warriors’ Charlie Watson recovered the ball at the 9-yard line. Three plays later Brady Collins bulled his way in from seven yards out and the Warriors had a 7-0 lead early in the second period.
Meanwhile, the Warriors’ defense, which allowed the Royals just eight first downs for the game, was in overdrive from the start. Lineman Logan Goodwin was all over the field, putting constant pressure on Sarjoo and running down the Royals’ running backs.
The teams traded punts late in the second period and then with just 10 seconds left in the first half, Warriors’ quarterback Braden O’Connell threw a perfect 40-yard touchdown pass to Seamus Murphy with only 2.2 seconds to go in the first half and Henderson had a 14-0 lead at intermission.
“I changed positions and last year I did not have the best technique as a D-lineman, but I worked my butt off in the offseason, and I am more comfortable now rushing the passer and causing trouble in the backfield,” Goodwin said. “I’m getting more confident, with the more plays at the position. So tonight was a good night for us.”
The Warriors took the second half kickoff and marched down the field, chewing up more than six minutes of the third period clock. O’Connell was having success throwing the short ball to Evan Kearney, who caught five balls for 48 yards for the game.
After a 27-yard strike to Kearney put the ball at the Upper Darby 16, O’Connell threw into the end zone but was picked off by Jaylen Johnson, and the drive went for naught.
Upper Darby did not quit. Johnson, who rushed for 91 yards on 17 carries, started to pick up yardage and the Royals finally scored with 6:24 to play in the fourth period when Johnson skirted the right side for a 21-yard TD run. The point after conversion was blocked and Henderson held a 14-6 lead.
“I thought Upper Darby played very well in the second half,” Henderson head coach Bob Brice said. “But our defense stayed strong and the kids played relentlessly and went after the football.”
Upper Darby got moving again late in the fourth, as Sarjoo hit Martin Corona with two short passes and the Royals moved the ball to midfield. But two penalties on Upper Darby forced the Royals into a fourth and five at their own 45. Sarjoo had to go deep and Ball was there to pick the ball off at the Henderson 10 to clinch it.
