By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
EAST MARLBOROUGH – The 2024 West Chester Rustin football squad can, apparently, score a bunch of points in a wide variety of ways once again.
During Friday’s season opener, the Golden Knights used shockingly few plays at Unionville but still scored a lot, on their way to a dominating 44-6 victory over the Longhorns in what used to be an annual Ches-Mont American showdown.
The two squads are no longer in the same division – Rustin is in the Central and Unionville in the Southern — but these two programs have been trending in different directions in the last few years. In the previous two outings, the Knights have outscored the ’Horns 88-20.
“I am really pleased with the way we started and the way we finished,” said Rustin head coach Mike St. Clair. “We got a lot of kids a lot of playing experience. This group shows up every day in practice and it shows the way we played the game.”
Locked in a 7-6 battle early, the Knights scored the game’s final 37 points. Rustin had a dozen plays that went for at least 15 yards, and a majority of the second half was played with a running clock.
“We did well tonight, but you can always play better,” said star runner Chase Hatton.
The senior touched the football just nine times Friday, but found the end zone four times, gained 123 on the ground and had more than 200 yards of total offense. In all, the Knights’ deep group of runners rolled up 333 yards on the ground.
“Chase is a big play guy both catching and running the ball,” St. Clair said.
“Then we have (Ryan) Loper and Will (Garner) in the backfield. We have so many backs, there aren’t enough footballs. We practice with three footballs so there is enough to go around.”
Garner actually opened the scoring on defense with an interception and a 55-yard return for a touchdown on the game’s first possession.
“It was a great way to get everybody fired up. I just dropped into coverage and it was right to me,” the junior linebacker said.
“I don’t think the (Unionville) quarterback saw him,” St. Clair added. “He was able to step in front of it, and nobody was catching him in that situation.”
The Longhorns came right back, putting together a 12-play TD drive that ate up more than eight minutes, and included a scrambling 45-yard pass from Tommy McGinnis to tight end Nolan Holt. It set up a short scoring plunge by Owen Simcox, but the PAT failed.
“A pick-six like that to start really deflates you. But we were able to come back and answer,” said Unionville head coach Tim Murphy.
Hatton notched his first touchdown on a first quarter jet sweep that went for 56 yards moments later. He added another on a six-yard run early in the second quarter, and then hauled in a 78-yard scoring toss from senior quarterback David McClain, which wound up as Rustin’s only first half completion.
“Dave McClain has an arm, so we are going to use it,” Hatton said.
“We do have a pretty good passing game, and when we go to it we have guys that can catch it and run,” McClain added. “We tried to show it off a little bit tonight and made a couple big plays with it.”
In the final minute of the half, Loper ran it in from 19 yards out. In the first half alone, the Knights ran just 11 plays and yet put 35 points on the board. And they did it with the early defensive TD, and with a slew of big plays.
“(Rustin) has some great runners, and a quarterback that can throw it and run the ball – it’s tough,” Murphy said. “They are balanced and deep. You have to be fundamentally sound to defend them. If not, you will be exposed.”
Hatton added the only TD in the second half to make it 41-6 late in the third, necessitating a running clock. Linebacker Caleb Schambers then added a safety to round out the scoring.
The ’Horns managed just 97 yards of total offense, picked off McGinnis twice and hounded him all evening with a ferocious pass rush.
“It took us a little time to get used to the scheme (Unionville) was running,” McClain pointed out. “We made a couple adjustments on our defensive front.
“And our secondary play was really good – those guys are all athletes.”
In addition to Hatton, Loper finished with 46 rush yards, Joey DiAntonio added 51 yards and Caleb Jacob 34. Garner carried it twice for 21 yards. In all, Rustin averaged 10-plus yards per carry.
“Our line is so good at blocking, so we have great holes to run through,” Garner said.
“We have, like, eight running backs, and each one is as good as the next,” Hatton added. “That kind of depth can work at any level.”
The Knights take on Interboro next Friday, while Unionville hosts Academy Park.
“Overall, we didn’t play the fundamentals in the first half on offense, defense or special teams,” Murphy said. “We talked at the half about getting back to the fundamentals, and it was a better second half in a lot of ways.
“We need to build off of that. This was week one, not week 10. We still have things to work on, obviously, but you can’t let your first game define your season.”
West Chester Rustin 44, Unionville 6
W.C. Rustin 14 21 7 2 — 44
Unionville 6 0 0 0 — 6
Scoring
R – Garner 55 interception return (Adler kick)
U – Simcox 1 run (kick failed)
R – Hatton 56 run (Adler kick)
R – Hatton 6 run (Adler kick)
R – Hatton 78 pass from McClain (Adler kick)
R – Loper 19 run (Adler kick)
R – Hatton 1 run (Adler kick)
R – Schambers tackle in end zone for safety.
Team statistics R U
First downs 12 6
Rushing yards 333 43
Passing yards 93 54
Total yards 426 97
Complete-Att-Int 3-8-0 2-6-2
Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0
Punts-ave. 0 3-30
Penalties 5-30 1-5
Individual statistics
RUSHING – R: Garner 2-21; Hatton 8-123, 3 TDs; Loper 3-46, TD; DiAntonio 5-51; McClain 5-22; Alexander 1-7; Boland 2-4; Magolon 1-15; Baldesari 2-7; Jacob 2-34; Impriano 1-3. Totals 32-333. U: McLaughlin 11-42; McGinnis 14-9; Simcox 5-10, TD; Gilday 3-0; DiMatteo 1-(-14); Hovington 2- (-4). Totals 37-43.
PASSING – R: McClain 3-8-0, 93 yards, TD. U: McGinnis 2-6-2, 54 yards.
RECEIVING – R: Hatton 1-78, TD; Loper 1-9; Iacone 1-4. U: Holt 1-45; Wenturine 1-9.
Interceptions – R: Garner, Pechin.
Sacks – R: Spitzer, Cunningham, McFarland.
