Harry S. Truman runs past Avon Grove for 2-0 start

BRISTOL TWP. >> A year ago the Truman High football team put together a break-out season by tying a school record for wins with seven and advancing to the playoffs for the first time.

If the first two games of this season are any indication, the Tigers certainly appear capable of even more.

Taking full advantage of its speed on both sides of the ball, Truman easily retained its perfect start, crushing Avon Grove, 46-12, on the mercy rule on Thursday night.

Other than two long passes by Avon Grove quarterback JT MacDonald to Tyre Stead, Truman allowed nothing by a defensive unit spearheaded by lightning-quick inside linebacker James Koliyah.

And on offense Truman (2-0) unleashed a bevy of running backs behind an improved offensive line to consistently gain positive yardage out of a Wing-T formation before rocking the visitors with some big plays.

“We do have a lot of weapons and we have better size this year,” said Truman offensive coordinator Galen Snyder. “And another big thing is this year our lineman don’t have to go both ways.”

In last week’s season-opening win over Methacton, the Tigers blew it open early with 47 points in the first half. Against Avon Grove (1-1) it took a little longer for the rout to unfold, but there was never any doubt which team was in control at the Henry C. Morgan Stadium.’

In the first quarter, the Tigers scored one a 1-yard plunge by Enzo Poulson and a 31-yard scamper by Deondre Winton.

After the lead grew to 19-0 in the second quarter on a 1-yard burst by Winton following a 31-yard waggle pass from quarterback Dylan Snelling to Javeer Peterson, Avon Grove was able to strike when McDonald hooked up with Stead on a 71-yard scoring strike deep down the middle.

The problem for Avon Grove, however, was not once was it able to force a punt until Truman began inserting subs in the second half.

Truman was also the fortunate beneficiary of a fluke development when MacDonald fumbled the ball near the Tiger goal line in the last seconds of the first half. When the fumble rolled into the end zone, Cason Hearn scooped it up and raced 102 yards into the Avon Grove end zone to make the score 32-6 after the first half.

The Tigers didn’t wait very long to reignite the crowd in the second half either as Terrance Rogers took off on a spectacular 81-yard touchdown run on the first play from the line of scrimmage in the third quarter.

This was one of those runs in which Rogers not only covered nearly the entire length of the field, but also the width as he cut back and outraced any would-be tacklers.

Snelling completed only two passes on the evening, but make them count and closed out the Tiger scoring with a 17-yard pass to sophomore Zayyan Saunders, the younger brother of graduated Pennsylvania sprint champ Sayeed Saunders.

Truman used seven different backs while the first-team offense on the field. Rogers ended up leading the way with 137 yards on just 10 carries.

Avon Grove’s Dino Arhontakis came through with some hard inside running and McDonald completed five passes for 132 yards, but he also was picked off twice and sacked three times by the swarming Tiger defense.