Hinrichs, motivated Owen J. Roberts turn tables on Boyertown in 40-14 win

BUCKTOWN >> It wasn’t difficult for the Owen J. Roberts football team to find motivation this week.

Beyond the weekly pursuit of putting one in the win column, the Wildcats had some memories they wanted to purge.

Last year in Week 8, the Wildcats went into Boyertown and experienced one of the lower points of their season in a 34-21 defeat.

“It was embarrassing. Really, really, embarrassing,” junior linebacker Brody Mazzerle recalled from last year’s meeting. “I didn’t want to go through that again. We might as well beat them this time instead of it going the other way.”

Every phase of the game made sure there was no repeat as senior quarterback Derek Hinrichs threw for a career-best four touchdowns along with a rushing TD and Owen J. Roberts ran out to a 27-point halftime lead that carried it through to a 40-14 home victory over Boyertown Friday night at Henry J. Bernat Stadium.

Owen J. Roberts’ Mekhi Graham, center, follows his blockers and breaks away for a 34-yard touchdown reception during the first quarter against Boyertown on Oct. 13. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

“The energy was definitely different,” Hinrichs said. “Last year we went out and got our asses handed to us so we had that in mind this year. We had a great week of practice, everyone was ready, completely in the game, heads in the game. It was a very good all-around performance for us but we still have a lot to work on.”

Post game interview with @OjrWildcatFB quarterback @DerekHinrichs, who threw a career-best 4 TDs in the Wildcats’ 40-14 win over Boyertown Friday pic.twitter.com/fHA5ESVBYR

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) October 14, 2023

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Owen J. Roberts upped its record to 6-2 (2-2 PAC) and entered the game at No. 10 in the District 1-6A rankings. Boyertown dropped to 2-6 a week after suffering a painful 43-40 loss to Methacton on a final-minute score.

OJR first-year starter Hinrichs (9-for-15, 222 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT) connected with his favorite target, breakout freshman Mekhi Graham, on seven occasions for 152 yards and three touchdowns and he found fellow freshman Matt Gregory for another score.

“A lot of underclassmen are stepping up and doing the right things. They’re all helping us out on defense, on offense, everything,” Mazzerle said.

The first two hookups between Hinrichs and Graham were quick passes that the rookie receiver used his breakaway speed to burst past the secondary for scores of 41 and 34 yards in the first quarter.

OJR’s run game got into the act in the second quarter with Logan Brower (12 carries, 83 yards) and Hinrichs reaching the end zone on foot to build a 27-0 halftime lead. The blanking gave OJR six straight shutout quarters.

Logan Brower 9 yard TD up middle to up Owen J Roberts lead to 20-0, 7:35 2Q

Drive kept alive on sideline catch by Graham pic.twitter.com/2wMo2xZPqd

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) October 13, 2023

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Owen J. Roberts’ Jeremy Daubert (56) dives to tackle Boyertown quarterback Ryder Gehris on a keeper during their game on Oct. 13. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Owen J. Roberts’ Logan Brower rushes with the ball on a carry against Boyertown on Oct. 13. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

Boyertown came out renewed in the third quarter and scored on its opening drive through an 18-yard Cole Yesavage run. Yesavage added another 100-yard game to his resume, going 138 yards on 20 carries. He surpassed 1,000 yards on the season, becoming the first Boyertown ball carrier since Cody Richmond (2012-13) to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

The Wildcats reopened the passing game and quickly put the game to bed. Hinrichs found Gregory over the middle for a 57-yard score. Twelve seconds later, after Boyertown fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Graham was back in the end zone, his 22-yard TD reception boosting the lead to 40-7 with 1:13 left in the third quarter and effectively ending matters.

Boyertown QB Ryder Gehris (5-for-15, 47 yards, 2 INT) scored with 8:04 to play, denying OJR another game of allowing an opponent one score or fewer, something it’s done in five outings this year.

Last year’s scars may not have applied to some of the OJR underclassmen, but Hinrichs and the Wildcats other leaders have been successful in motivating and connecting the team across the full spectrum of classes.

“We have a lot of young kids on our team so they don’t necessarily understand what happened last year. But the older guys really took initiative of being leaders of the team, especially the senior class, to get everyone ready for the game,” Hinrichs said. “We have a great set of leaders in our senior class. We don’t have a large senior class, but the seniors we have really know how to lead a team. And we have very good freshmen that were not here last year. Everything came together in the offseason by putting in a lot of work.”

Things will have to break their way, but as long as they keep winning, the Wildcats are keeping their goals within reach.

“We’re hoping we can host a district game. That’s our goal for the season,” junior linebacker Lorenzo Satiro said. “We just have to get ready for Methacton next week, one game at a time.”

NOTES >> Justin Daubert and Dylan Drumheller had interceptions for OJR. Anthony Genovese had Boyertown’s INT. Gio Daddario caught four passes for 43 yards for the Bears.

Owen J. Roberts 40, Boyertown 14

Boyertown 0 0 7 7 – 14
Owen J. Roberts 13 14 13 0 – 40

First quarter

OJR-Mekhi Graham 41 pas from Derek Hinrichs (kick failed), 10:34

OJR-Graham 34 pass from Hinrichs (Ryan Touhey kick), 4:00

Second quarter

OJR-Logan Brower 9 run (Touhey kick), 7:35

OJR-Hinrichs 2 run (Touhey kick), 0:52

Third quarter

B-Cole Yesavage 19 run (Nicholas Morgan kick), 7:44

OJR-Matt Gregory 57 pass from Hinrichs (Julia Bold kick), 1:32

OJR-Graham 22 pass from Hinrichs (kick blocked), 1:20

Fourth quarter

B-Ryder Gehris 4 run (Morgan kick), 8:04

Team Statistics

B              OJR
First Downs                10                 18

Rushing Yards           173               151

Passing Yards           47                234

Total Yards                220               385

Passes C-A-I          5-15-2          10-16-1

Fumbles-Lost             3-2               0-0

Penalties-Yards        3-16              5-35

Punts-Avg.                  3-33.3              2-43.5

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Boyertown: Yesavage 20-138, TD; Gehris 8-22, TD; Famularo 3-20, Oakes 7-(-7)

OJR: Brower 12-83, TD; Hinrichs 7-21, TD; Graham 8-17, Schock 4-13; Arp 2-11; Murray 1-3; Daubert 1-3

Passing

Boyertown: Gehris 5-15-2-47

OJR: Hinrichs 9-15-1-222, 4 TD; Brower 1-1-0-12

Receiving

Boyertown: Daddario 4-43, Famularo 1-4

OJR: Graham 7-152, 3 TD; Daubert 2-25, Gregory 1-57.

Interceptions: B-Genovese; OJR-Daubert, Drumheller.