By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
LONDON GROVE >> At the tail end of a challenging regular season, the Coatesville football squad had a lot of play for Friday at Avon Grove, and the Red Raiders performed that way.
Twelfth in the District 1 6A Power Rankings heading in, Coatesville may move up a spot of two after a dominating 42-7 road triumph. The Raiders (2-2 in the Ches-Mont National, 7-3 overall) have the kind of shutdown defense that can bode well for the postseason, and the offense looked better Friday with the return of sophomore quarterback Matt Ortega, Jr., who missed last week’s game with a concussion.
“We are very excited to get into the playoffs and see what happens,” said Coatesville head coach Matt Ortega.
“I think we are going to surprise some people and make a run here,” Ortega, Jr., added. “I don’t think anybody should overlook us.”
The district playoffs start next weekend, and the Raiders’ opponent has yet to be determined. But the squad’s defensive performance against the Red Devils was quite impressive. Avon Grove managed just 67 yards of total offense, and the team’s lone score came on special teams.
“When you start getting playoff weather, it’s about running the football,” Ortega said. “We are built to be able to stand up to run-heavy offenses, which is what you see in District 1.
“We are just hoping our offense gets better and better each week. We kept the scheme a little more basic this week and I think it really helped with the guys knowing what they are supposed to be doing.”
The Devils dropped their final four outings of the season and wind up 4-6 overall (0-4 in the division).
“There are obviously some good programs (in the Ches-Mont National) and (Coatesville is) one of them,” Avon Grove head coach Joe Coffey said.
Facing one of the better runners in the league, the Raiders defense limited AG’s Harrison Watson to 66 yards on the ground on 19 attempts, which is 3.4 yards per carry. Coatesville sacked quarterback Frank Hoogerwerff five times – with senior Francisco Hall notching three – and surrendered just 49 yards on the ground. The Raiders rushed for 221.
“Our defense is always fighting for us even when the offense is struggling,” Ortega, Jr., said. “They are always capable of shutting teams out.”
As a result, the Raiders seemed to have a short field on just about every possession, they controlled the football, and eventually wore out the Devils’ defense.
“We’re just happy to get out this game healthy and get the win,” Ortega said. “We were able to run it and throw it. And the defense was able to maintain what we’ve done all season.”
Coatesville’s first four possessions started in Avon Grove territory, and the Raiders scored twice. The first came just three plays in, when senior receiver Jayvon Turner-Scott grabbed a 36-yard toss from Ortega, Jr. Following a missed field goal and a turnover, Coatesville made it 14-0 when sophomore runner Nasir Jackson set up his own short scoring plunge with a 49-yard run.
The Devils’ lone score came on the ensuing kickoff when senior Trevor Dosenbach returned it 80-yards for a TD. But an AG fumble – recovered by Amir Haskett — set the stage for the Raiders’ final first half score, a 19-yard pass from Ortega to junior wideout Tristan Jackson.
“Coming off a couple losses (to Downingtown West and Downingtown East), we knew we had to come back and fight – and we did,” Ortega, Jr., said.
“All week we’ve been working on the offense to get things right because we know our defense has had our backs all season. We put up 42 points tonight and that felt good.”
At the half, the total offense numbers were lopsided in the Raiders’ favor: 223 to minus-3. Coatesville had 10 first downs and the Devils just one, and that was via a penalty.
The Red Raiders added TDs on their first three possessions of the second half before emptying the bench. Ortega, Jr., capped a seven-play march with an 18-yard keeper on the option to make it 28-7.
And then senior runner Damon Watson added touchdown runs of 17 and 97 yards. Watson wound up gaining 111 of his 141 yards on the ground in the third quarter. And Jordan added 57 yards on four carries.
“Our offensive line stuck with us tonight, we wore (Avon Grove) down and got a few big runs,” Ortega, Jr. said.
Ortega, Jr., was an efficient 12 of 21 for 163 yards, two TDs and an interception. His favorite receivers – Jayvon Tucker-Scott and Jack Qwan James – led the way with 42 and 57 yards, respectively.
Coatesville, however, committed 10 penalties for 80 yards, including a holding infraction that erased a second quarter TD by Tucker-Scott.
“All of the procedure penalties on offense is what bothered us a little bit,” Ortega said.
“But I’ve been telling our kids that most programs would kill to be 7-3. You have to kind of keep things in perspective.”
Hoogerwerff was running for his life much of the contest, completed seven passes for just 18 yards and was intercepted once.
“That’s been the tale of the past month with our offense,” Coffey said, “but our kids battled. We’ll take a long hard look in a week or two and see what we can do to get better.
“But our defense is strong. We were bend-don’t break – they fly around a lot and they battled. And a lot of credit goes to our defensive coaching staff of Brian Kirby, Matt Walsh, Eric Schuibbeo, Steve Lewis and Kyrie Rossiter.”
In addition to the kickoff return, Dosenbach added a fumble recovery and broke up a pass from his safety position.
“He is probably one of the best athletes in Chester County,” Coffey said. “He could play four sports if he wanted to. He will be missed.”
There are only 16 teams that have qualified for the District 1 6A Tournament, and the Raiders are in. Coatesville’s only other setback was back in early September at powerhouse Central Dauphin.
“It’s playoff football and nobody is overlooking anybody,” Ortega said. “Everybody knows we’ve lost to some good football teams, and they were close games.”
Coatesville 42, Avon Grove 7
Coatesville 7 14 21 0 — 42
Avon Grove 0 7 0 0 — 7
Scoring
C – Tucker-Scott 36 pass from Ortega (Shaeffer kick)
C – Jordan 2 run (Shaeffer kick)
AG – Dosenbach 80 kickoff return (Okonowicz kick)
C – Jackson 19 pass from Ortega (Shaeffer kick)
C – Ortega 18 run (Shaeffer kick)
C – Watson 17 run (Shaefer kick)
C – Watson 97 run (Shaefer kick)
Team statistics C AG
First downs 14 4
Rushing yards 221 49
Passing yards 163 18
Total yards 384 67
Complete-Att-Int 12-21-1 7-15-1
Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-1
Punts-ave. 2-29 7-30.7
Penalties 10-80 9-60
Individual statistics
RUSHING – C: Watson 7-141, 2 TDs; Ortega 4-14, TD; Jordan 4-57, TD; Haskett 1-3; Tucker-Scott 1-3; Green 2-3. AG: Watson 19-66; Laganelli 6-20; Hoogerwerff 5-(-33); Sebastro 2-(-4).
PASSING – C: Ortega 12-21, 163 yards, 2 TDs, Int. AG: Hoogerwerff 7-15, 18 yards, Int.
RECEIVING – C: Tucker-Scott 3-42, TD; James 4-57; Haskett 3-26; Jackson 2-38, TD. AG: T-Toe 2-5; Watson 4-8; Picard 1-5.
Interceptions – C: Richardson. AG: Stein.
Sacks – C: Hall (3); Wiggins 2.5; Rickabaugh .5. AG: Walsh.
