CALN>>The Red Raiders busted big play after big play, scoring long touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams as Coatesville (6-2) blew past visiting Shanahan (4-4) by a score of 55-25 Friday night in front of a capacity homecoming crowd.
“We had a lot of moving pieces tonight, but we had some guys really step up for us,” said Coatesville coach Matt Ortega. “We’ve kind of been playing musical chairs this season with guys getting hurt, but this group had the will and found a way to get it done.”
With quarterback Matt Ortega, Jr. out with a concussion, Amir Haskett was thrust into the limelight, and came up big for the Red Raiders, leading all rushers with 129 yards and three touchdowns on just ten carries.
Haskett wasted no time at all in setting the tone, taking the first play from scrimmage 56 yards for the score, and Coatesville was up 7-0 before fifteen seconds came off the clock. Haskett also had scoring runs of 37 and 46 yards.
“My linemen broke open some big holes, and I just tried to explode through,” said Haskett. “That’s what I try to do every time I run the ball—find that hole, explode through, and score touchdowns for my team.”
Before the end of the first period, the Red Raiders added a 53-yard interception return from Jake Van Orden, and a 67-yard punt return from Jayvon Tucker Scott.
Many teams might have been demoralized by the rough start, but Shanahan simply punched back, scoring the next two touchdowns of the game on an 81 yard kickoff return from Anthony Aquila, and a 19-yard scoring strike from Landon Wright to Aiden Civatella. All of a sudden, it was 21-12.
But that’s when the Coatesville defense stepped it up, virtually shutting the Shanahan ground attack, limiting the Eagles to just 15 yards rushing in the game, and picked off four passes, two of which were returned for touchdowns, one by Van Orden, the other 82-yards by Terry Wiggins.
“We can’t turn the ball over the way we did,” said Shanahan coach Paul Myers. “You give the ball away against a good team like Coatesville, you aren’t going to win.”
Wiggins pick six came as the Eagles were driving deep into Coatesville territory, but Wiggins had it read all the way.
“We were really good in coverage tonight,” said Wiggins. “I had it read, got the ball, and saw I was getting a good block from Cody Cross. Once I got to the fifty, I almost fell down, but caught myself, and knew I was going all the way.”
Shanahan is the only Class 4A team, in a Ches-Mont National division comprised of some of the top Class 6A teams in District 1. But Myers wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love playing the schedule we play,” said Myers. “We battle with the big boys all year and it has us well-prepared for the post-season.”
Coatesville 55 Bishop Shanahan 25
Shanahan 0 12 6 7—25
Coatesville 21 14 7 13—55
First Quarter
CV—Haskett 56-run (Shaeffer kick)7-0
CV—VanOrden 53-INT return (Shaeffer kick)14-0
CV—Tucker-Scott 67-punt return (Shaeffer kick) 21-0
Second Quarter
BS—Aquila 81-kickoff return (kick failed) 21-6
BS—Civitella 19-pass from Wright (run failed) 21-12
CV—Watson 61-run (Shaeffer kick) 28-12
CV—Haskett 37-run (Shaeffer kick) 35-12
Third Quarter
BS—Gallagher 1-run (pass failed) 35-18
CV—Haskett 46-run (Shaeffer kick) 42-18
Fourth Quarter
CV—Wiggins 82-INT return (Shaeffer kick) 49-18
BS—Aquila 36-pass from Wright (Salvi kick) 49-25
CV—Jordan 14-run (run failed) 55-25
Team statistics
BS—CV
First downs 13—8
Rushes-yards 18-15 28-265
Passing 23-47 3-9
Passing yards 271 49
Total yards 250 314
Punts/avg 3-28.6 3-30.3
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties-yards 3-15 5-45
Individual statistics
Rushing—BS Ferraro 3-12; Wright 5-0; Gallagher 10-3, TD; CV—Haskett 10-129, 3TD; Watson 7-79; Green 7-28; Jordan 4-29, TD
Passing — BS Wright 16-30-2, 220, 2TD Ferarro 7-18-2, 51 CV Haskett 3-9, 49
Receiving—BS Barbadora 6-25; Civitella 5-105, TD; Gallagher1-12; Keenan 3-29; Olivo 2-12; Aquila 3-52, TD, Engel 2-24; Bracken 1-12; CV Miles 2-31; Wiggins 1-49
Interceptions—CV Van Orden, Wiggins, Richardson, Kelly
Sacks—BS Bracken; CV Luton
