FOOTBALL: Perk Valley beats Phoenixville with touchdown, interception in final minute
GRATERFORD >> In a tie game with less than four minutes to play, Perk Valley took over at its own 25-yard line. It took nine plays – all runs – and less than three minutes for the Vikings to score a touchdown and take a seven-point lead over Phoenixville.
The Phantoms responded with nine plays of their own. The final snap started with 6.5 seconds left on the clock and ended with a Perk Valley interception and a celebration on the home sideline.
The Vikings beat Phoenixville, 28-21, in the Pioneer Athletic Conference third-place game Friday night at Perkiomen Valley High School.
The game-winning touchdown drive started at Perk Valley’s 25 with 3:38 left in regulation. Xavier Nunez, Nathan Reedy and Juliun Corropolese took turns running the ball to eventually set up a first down at Phoenixville’s 11-yard line. After a run for no yards and a loss of three, it was 3rd-and-long with just over a minute to go.
Nunez took the third-down handoff left, cut back to his right, broke an arm tackle inside the 10 and raced into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown with 56.5 seconds left in the game.
“We just wanted to win,” Nunez said. “As a team, we wanted to win more than they did. We didn’t want to lose. We were set on winning and we weren’t going to let anything change that.
“Originally our goal was we wanted the ball in the middle of the field. We weren’t even trying to score there, we were trying to get better positioning, but I had Steve (Tracanna) lead blocking and it was a great block. I was able to cut off and I saw space and I was able to score.”
Phoenixville ensuing possession got to the Perk Valley 31-yard line in the final 30 seconds. After an incompletion on first down and a run for no gain on second, third down was going to be the final play of the game. Quarterback Ty Romance tried to tie the game with a deep shot to Hayden Tenbroeck, but Perk Valley’s Anthony Rodriguez was there to intercept the pass at the 5-yard line and secure the win.
“That ball went up,” Rogriguez, who’s usually a safety but moved to cornerback in the second quarter, said, “and we’re taught when that ball goes up – it’s yours. So I went down and got that ball.”
Nunez led the Perk Valley offense with two touchdowns and 134 yards on 18 carries. Reedy added 93 rushing yards as the Vikings totaled 313 yards on the ground.
“I have to give it to our o-line,” Nunez said. “Our o-line are dogs. They make holes for me. If it weren’t for them I wouldn’t have any yards.”
“Our o-line has been the heart and soul of this football team offensively for us all year,” PV coach Rob Heist said. “Our defense I thought was incredible again tonight – they’ve been balling all season long. I think we are playing good football right now at the right time of the year. I’m excited about our chances here next week.”
Phoenixville did most of its offensive damage through the air. Romance was 16-for-28 for 200 yards and two touchdowns. The lefty added a team-high 36 rushing yards on the ground.
“He is an amazing, amazing young man,” Phoenixville coach Anthony Ciarlello said of his quarterback. “Not just a football player… He’s humble. He’s hungry. He just wants to help his team win…I couldn’t be more grateful that he’s been my quarterback for four years.”
Tenbroeck was Romance’s top receiver, bringing in seven catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns. His scores put the Phantoms ahead 7-0 in the first quarter and 14-7 in the second. He also threw an 82-yard touchdown to Kevin Kingsbury on a trick play to tie the game, 21-21, in the fourth.
“Hayden Tenbroeck is a gamer,” Ciarlello said. “He threw a touchdown, he took a roughing the passer – that dude I’ve had for four years – I’ve been probably the luckiest football coach for the last four years. With the young men I’ve had the privilege and honor to hang out with, see in the hallways, in the community, smiling, laughing. They’re all great apples.”
Corropolese, the PV quarterback, threw for a pair of touchdowns in the second half – a 30-yarder to Colin Sturges and 25-yarder to Robbie Sturges.
Perk Valley finishes the regular season 8-2 and Phoenixville 7-3. Both teams are happy with where they are heading into the District 1 playoffs next week. The Vikings are in Class-6A and the Phantoms Class-5A.
“For us to win in this crossover,” Heist said, “I think it pretty much guarantees a home game here in front of our home community next week in districts. It was huge. Huge win for us.”
“Last year at this time it was 47-0 against Spring-Ford,” Ciarlello said. “We were going into a district playoff game just giving up 90 points in a row. This is not where we were a year ago. This is great. I think we’re in a good place.”
Perk Valley 28, Phoenixville 21
Phoenixville 7 7 0 7 – 21
Perk Valley 7 0 7 14 – 28
Scoring
First Quarter
PH – Hayden Tenbroeck 30-yard reception from Ty Romance (Ryan Jacobson kick) 8:19
PV – Xavier Nunez 10-yard run (Juliun Corropolese kick) :07.8
Second Quarter
PH – Hayden Tenbroeck 7-yard reception from Ty Romance (Ryan Jacobson kick) 7:02
Third Quarter
PV – Colin Sturges 30-yard reception from Juliun Corropolese (Juliun Corropolese kick) 5:00
Fourth Quarter
PV – Robbie Sturges 25-yard reception from Juliun Corropolese (Juliun Corropolese kick) 9:40
PH – Kevin Kingsbury 82-yard reception from Hayden Tenbroeck (Ryan Jacobson kick) 9:21
PV – Xavier Nunez 14-yard run (Juliun Corropolese kick) :56.5
TEAM STATISTICS
PH PV
First downs 15 19
Rushes-Yards 25-30 61-313
Passing yards 289 53
Total yards 319 366
Passing 18-30-1 3-7-2
Punts 4 3
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1
Penalties-Yards 5-40 4-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
PH: Ty Romance 10-36; Deacon Williams 13-(-6); Lanorde Wheeler III 1-(-1); Kevin Kingsbury 1-1.
PV: Xavier Nunez 18-134, 2 TD; Juliun Corropolese 17-54; Nathan Reedy 21-93; Colin Sturges 5-32.
PASSING
PH: Ty Romance 16-28-200-2-1; Hayden Tenbroeck 2-2-89-1-0.
PV: Juliun Corropolese 3-7-53-2-2.
RECEIVING
PH: Tre Lear 4-35; Hayden Tenbroeck 7-119, 2 TD; Shane Callen 1-1; Christopher Mull Jr. 1-6; Kevin Kingsbury 3-95, TD; Jackson Ford 1-26; Ty Romance 1-7.
PV: Joey Keough 1-(-2); Colin Sturges 1-30, TD; Robbie Sturges 1-25, TD.
INTERCEPTIONS
PH: Daniel Aselton, Tre Lear.
PV: Anthony Rodriguez.
