Coatesville dominates Avon Grove gets share of Ches-Mont National title

CALN >> Friday night at Coatesville Memorial Stadium the host Coatesville football team tuned up for what is hopefully a long playoff run with a 35-7 Ches-Mont National Division game over Avon Grove.

Coatesville jumped out to a commanding 35-0 lead at halftime and then Red Raiders’ head coach Matt Ortega cleared his bench for the entire second half. The win gives Coatesville a share of the Ches-Mont National Division crown with Downingtown West, a 31-28 winner over Downingtown East.

“We did what we wanted to do and this team is used to November games,” Ortega said. “We wanted to get our guys out early and stay healthy and that is what we did tonight and now it is on to the next step for us.”

Coatesville (3-0 Ches-Mont, 8-1 overall) scored on the fourth play of the game after taking the opening kickoff. After three successful runs by hard-charging Spencer Ferguson, Red Raiders quarterback Harrison Susi hit a streaking Armon Richardson for a 42-yard touchdown pass and an early lead.

The Avon Grove (1-3, 4-6) offense could not generate much as the Red Devils had just one first down in the first half and totaled just 64 total yards for the game. The Devils punted away after a three-and-out and Susi marched the Raiders down the field with help from running back Damon Watson, who rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on the night.

Avon Grove then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Coatesville was in business again with the ball deep in Red Devils’ territory. Watson rushed for a nine-yard gain down to the Red Devils’ 19 yard line and Susi hit fleet-footed Amir Haskett with a pretty 19-yard touchdown pass in the end zone and it was 14-0.

After another Red Devils three-and-out, Coatesville went on a 62-yard scoring drive with Watson doing the bulk of the work. He carried the ball the final two yards for a 21-0 Coatesville lead after one period.

“We really felt good in the first half tonight,” Susi said. “We wanted to get a big early lead and get our guys out and stay healthy and that is what we did. We are looking forward to the playoffs and I honestly feel we are the team to beat. We feel really good about our team.”

Coatesville continued to stymie the Avon Grove offense as sophomore Takiyah Lynch and senior Brad Lentz recorded sacks against Avon Grove quarterback Frank Hoogerwerff. The Red Devils only garnered five first downs for the game, and only one against the first team Coatesville defense.

Coatesville put up two more scores in the second period to make it a 35-0 game at halftime. Javon Scott caught a 21-yard slant pass from Susi for the fourth Red Raiders touchdown, and a 21-yard strike that made it a 28-0 game.

Watson finished off a long Coatesville scoring drive with an easy one yard run round the left side and the Red Raiders had a 35-0 halftime lead and the entire second half was played under the mercy rule. Avon Grove scored on a five-yard run by Hoogerwerff with nine seconds to play in the fourth period to provide the final score.

“Our defense is proud about how we play,” Lynch said. “We play with a lot of passion and we are a brotherhood on defense. My game is one where I use power, a lot of power. I think we can make a run and make states with this team.”

Coatesville 35, Avon Grove 7

Avon Grove              0 0 0 7 — 7

Coatesville                21 14 0 0 — 35

Scoring

C — Richardson 42 pass from Susi (Ashbee kick)

C — Haskett 19 pass from Susi (Ashbee kick)

C — Watson 2 run (Ashbee kick)

Second Period

C — Scott 21 pass from Susi (Ashbee kick)

C — Watson 1 run (Ashbee kick)

Fourth Period

AG — Hoogerwerff 5 run (Okonowicz kick)

Team Totals

AG            C

First downs         5              18

Yards rushing    41             199

Yards passing   23              129

Total yards        64              328

Passing          4-6-1           7-18-0

Fumbles-lost      3-2           0-0

Punts-avg        3-34.5         0-0

Penalties-yds    3-20            3-20

Individual Statistics

Rushing: AG: Binstead 9-32; Watson 4-16; Hicks 2 (-1); Olander 1-1; Brown 1-3; Hoogerwerff 10 (-10), TD. C: Watson 17-117, 2TD’s; Green 9-30; Ferguson 4-42; Haskett 1-9; Susi 3-3; Brown 2 (-2).

Passing: AG: Hoogerwerff 4-6-23. C: Susi 4-10-89, 3TD’s; Ortega 3-8-30.

Receiving: AG: Hicks 1-9; Brown 2-14; Binstead 1-0. C: Mozzone 2-24; Richardson 1-42, TD; Ellis 1-7; Haskett 1-19, TD; Scott 1-21, TD; Van Orden 1-6.

Sacks: AG: Walsh. C: Lentz, Lynch.

Interceptions: AG: None. COAT: Scott.