PHOENIXVILLE >> For Norristown High, it was an incredible start to the season.
For Methacton, a lot less so.
The Eagles took full advantage of a rash of early Warriors turnovers to score 28 first-quarter points en route to a 43-13 win that saw the entire second half played with a running clock.
Norristown posted those 28 points in the span of a little over 6:00 as the young Warriors did just what young teams can’t do.
“The first game is all about ball security, and that just didn’t happen for us tonight,” said Warriors head coach Paul Lepre. “We put the ball on the carpet twice, then threw a pick, and the game just turned.”
Oddly, the initial possessions by each team were uneventful, pedestrian even.
But that changed quickly.
Norristown put together a drive on its first possession , with Cory Davenport breaking off runs of 22 and 21 yards, the second resulting in a touchdown.
Then the nightmare began for Methacton.
On the first snap from scrimmage following the Eagles score, the Warriors lost a fumble at their own 23-yard line. Eagles quarterback Diavante Lloyd needed one play to double the advantage, hitting Derik Cross for a 23-yard score. And it was 14-0.
Then, just two plays into their next series, the Warriors lost another fumble, and this time it was Jahleel Ray who cashed, bulldozing into the end zone for a 21-0 lead.
But the Eagles weren’t through.
An interception on the Warriors next possession turned into a 26-yard Lloyd to Rashon Wiggins TD strike, and the Warriors were on life support.
“We got off to a slow start, but we just kept moving on to the next play,” Lloyd said. “We have a fast-paced offense, and I like it.”
“Our guys talked about getting out of the gate fast,” said Eagles head coach Jason Powel, “and they stuck to the game plan.
“Once they scored once, they just said, ‘Here we go.’”
By the time the Norristown lead ballooned to 34- and then 40-0, the contest was decided.
Methacton got one score back on the final play of the first half, and put together an impressive, 11-play, 66-yard drive to score again on the opening series of the second.
The Warriors also got as close as the Norristown 4-yard line late in the fourth quarter before coming away empty.
That never-say-die attitude impressed their coach.
“After the shaky start, we came back strong in the second half,” Lepre said, “and that’s just Methacton.
“We were thrilled with the effort, and I think that finish gave us something to build on.”
