Perkiomen Valley survives Owen J. Roberts’ challenge in overtime

GRATERFORD >> Both defenses were the story at Perkiomen Valley on Friday night.

Vikings quarterback Pat MacDonald ensured his teammates received top billing.

MacDonald kept around left tackle for a one-yard touchdown run, ending a low-scoring but thrilling Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division opener with Owen J. Roberts, 13-7 in overtime.

“Cole (Euker) and our H-back Stephen Tracanna, made great blocks,” said MacDonald. “I wasn’t touched.”

It was one of the few times all night an offensive player could make such a claim.

Defense was the story throughout, with each side rising to the occasion in a game with more twists and turns than a Formula 1 racetrack.

Perkiomen Valley dominated possession throughout the first half but had a slim 7-0 halftime lead to show for their troubles. What the Vikings did have was a 37-16 advantage in offensive snaps in the first 24 minutes, a factor that loomed large as OJR went three-and-out to start the third quarter.

Instead, Wildcats freshman Matt Gregory showed poise and skills beyond his years as he intercepted MacDonald around his own 25, weaved toward the sideline and returned the ball to the PV 38, giving Owen J. its’ best field position since the opening minutes.

The momentum would be short-lived, as Carter Euker and Richie Strano came up with big tackles for loss to turn possession over once more.

“We have a bunch of dogs on this defense,” said Carter Euker, who led PV in tackles Friday night. “Turnovers, field position – no matter what happened, we showed out and we held them to seven.”

Those seven came for OJR at the start of the fourth quarter, after the third period ended with a low snap on a designed PV punt where the kicker was able to scoop the ball, but not without his knee touching down at the Vikings’ four-yard line.

The ensuing drive wasn’t easy, with Euker and Brett McDonnell registering tackles for loss and OJR losing five more yards on a penalty, but senior quarterback Derek Hinrichs scrambled on fourth down from the PV 11 and found Mekhi Graham through a crowd to bring the Wildcats even with eleven minutes to play.

Hinrichs finished with 148 yards passing, 91 of those plus the ‘Cats lone score to Graham.

Both defenses rendered their opposite number somewhat one-dimensional. OJR limited MacDonald to just 80 yards passing, with 54 of those coming in the final two drives of regulation.

For their part, the Vikings allowed only three yards total in rushing over 17 carries.

“We made too many mistakes on offense,” summarized OJR head coach Rich Kolka. “Penalties put us behind the chains, we ran some poor routes. We had every opportunity to win this game, and we did not take it.”

PV’s two-minute drill yielded a 28-yard field goal attempt that drifted just wide with seconds to play, sending the contest into overtime.

“We’ve got one heck of a defense,” said Kolka. “They play with intensity and excitement.

“But this was a missed opportunity. It was there for the taking.”

The overtime period started with Hinrichs repeatedly pressured and forced into three incompletions by a PV defense that only had Carter Euker’s twin brother Cole available for a handful of snaps Friday.

“I’m working through an ankle problem, so I didn’t play much on defense tonight,” Cole Euker said. “But these guys stepped up all night and set the tone. They picked us up when we were struggling on offense.”

After an OJR field goal fell short, Cole Euker returned to his familiar left tackle spot to seal the edge for MacDonald on the decisive run after Nathan Reedy’s (19 carries, 73 yards) nine-yard run on first down got PV to the doorstep.

“Steve (Tracanna) helped me seal that guy – great block,” Cole Euker said.

The visiting Wildcats got a jump on the game’s opening possession, gaining 56 yards on their first two snaps via a Hinrichs keeper followed by his 41-yard pass to Graham.

But PV’s Anthony Rodriguez thwarted the early threat, jumping an out route and taking possession for Perk Valley at their own 17. It would be the first of five forced turnovers for the two defenses on the evening.

PV’s ensuing 15-play drive came up empty after OJR stiffened inside the five-yard line, stopping consecutive runs and deflecting a 21-yard field goal attempt. As the Wildcats took over at their own 20, a battle of field position ensued.

Both sides punted twice, with Anthony Miceli ripping off a pair off strong returns for the Vikings. But the OJR defense rose to the challenge once more, keeping the contest scoreless despite the Vikings beginning consecutive possessions inside the ‘Cats 40.

But when Dimitri Toman’s interception gave the ball back to PV at the Wildcats’ 28, the hosts finally broke through.

It wasn’t for a lack of effort from the OJR defense, who forced PV to use a dozen snaps to traverse those 28 yards, but the Vikings rode the arm and legs of quarterback MacDonald to a first-and-goal, where Anthony Miceli took a pitch across from the 1-yard line for a 7-0 lead just forty seconds before halftime.

The Vikings (4-1, 1-0 PAC Liberty) host Methacton in the Battle Axe Game next week. Xavier Nunez added 78 yards rushing on just nine carries, showing rare explosion in a game built on short gains and stingy defense.

Matt Gregory added four catches for the Wildcats (4-1, 0-1 PAC Liberty), while Lorenzo Satiro’s impressive start to his junior season continued with double-digit tackles plus a ten-yard reception.

Things get no easier for OJR as they head to Spring-Ford Saturday for the Rams’ Homecoming game.

“We’ll be ready to go for another big game,” said Kolka. “I don’t think (tonight’s result) will affect it either way.”

Notes: Perkiomen Valley observed their annual Salute to Service Night, as the school and football program recognized former football players, band members, and cheerleaders who currently serve or have served in the United States military.

PV lost Anthony Miceli, who scored the opening touchdown and gave the Vikings solid field position throughout the first half, to a fourth-quarter leg injury. “Hopefully it’s not serious,” said Pat MacDonald. “Anthony is a big loss for us.”

BOX SCORE

Perkiomen Valley 13, Owen J. Roberts 7 (OT)

Owen J. Roberts —    0   0   0   7   0—   7

Perkiomen Valley —   0   7   0   0   6 —   13

SCORING PLAYS

PV — Miceli 1 run (Avery kick)
OJR — Graham 11 pass from Hinrichs (Touhey kick)
PV — MacDonald 1 run

TEAM STATISTICS

OJR              PV
First Downs                 8                 16

Rushing Yards             3                180

Passing Yards           156               80

Total Yards                 159              260

Passes C-A-I           16-35-2        11-19-1

Fumbles-Lost             1-0               2-2

Penalties-Yards         6-30             4-30

Punts-Avg.              5-34              5-26.7

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Owen J. Roberts – Hinrichs 12-2, Brower 4-1, Graham 1-0.

Perkiomen Valley – Reedy 19-73, MacDonald 12-47; TD, Nunez 9-78, Miceli 3-2; TD, Hal 1-(minus-8), Corropolese 1-(minus-12).

Passing

Owen J. Roberts – Hinrichs 15-34, 148 yards. TD, 2 INT; Graham 1-1, 8 yards.

Perkiomen Valley – MacDonald 11-19, 80 yards, INT.

Receiving

Owen J. Roberts – Graham 7-91; TD, Gregory 4-28, Daubert 3-18, Satiro 1-10, Yurick 1-9.

Perkiomen Valley – Keough 5-17, Sturges 2-40, Hall 2-15, Reedy 2-8.

Sacks: Owen J. Roberts – Mazzerle, Calamaro.

Perkiomen Valley – Koehler, McDonnell, Cole Euker, Carter Euker.

Interceptions: Perkiomen Valley – Rodriguez, Toman.