Rustin’s Madonna run wild against Great Valley; scores six TDs

WESTTOWN – Every week, there is absolutely no surprise as to what West Chester Rustin wants to do with the football. Figuring that out is the easy part. The challenge is trying to slow down the Golden Knights’ devastating ground game.

Visiting Great Valley had no answers on Friday as senior runner Nick Madonna ran wild, scoring half a dozen touchdowns – yes six — and leading Rustin to a convincing 47-7 Ches-Mont American triumph.

“We’ve had a number of really good running backs come through here and Nick is another one of them,” said Knights’ head coach Mike St. Clair. “I’d have to check the record books, but six is certainly up there.”

In all, Madonna amassed 197 yards on 23 carries to pace an attack that finished with 459 yards on the ground and zero through the air. In fact, Rustin only attempted one pass, which was incomplete.

“From the beginning, we knew we had to work hard on the runs,” Madonna said. “Our O-line showed it tonight, for sure. I just cut off the backs of our big-guys.

“Our coaches always tell us that we have to ground and pound, so that’s what we did. And the more we run it successfully, that will open it up for the pass.”

In short, it was the type of ground-based, control the clock performance that St. Clair prefers. And as a result, the Knights are now 2-0 in the division (2-0 overall) and it’s not even Labor Day yet.

“It’s very nice, but the season starts way too early, in my opinion,” St. Clair said. “I’m happy, but this is also kind of strange.”

The Patriots (0-1, 1-1 overall) hung in the game early, but were never really able to slow down a Rustin attack that included five different runners with at least 32 rushing yards. Junior Alex Pratzner chipped in 92 yards on 11 attempts, and the Knights went the entire game without attempting a punt.

“(Rustin) can give the ball to any of their running backs and they are going to get yards,” said Great Valley head coach Jeff Martin. “They have a big, strong technically-sound offensive line, they play solid defense … they are hard to beat.

“I think (Madonna) runs hard, he’s athletic and he’s good in the return game. He is a weapon.”

The Knights converted their first five offensive possessions into touchdowns, and Madonna finished each one off with scoring runs of 2, 5, 16, 1, 40 and 39 yards. In two games, he is averaging more than nine yards a carry and already has 345 yards.

“I’ve never done (six TDs) before. It’s kind of a crazy feeling,” he said.

“But we are not a one-person team. We have a great running back corps and we like to share the carries and all get it done together.”

St. Clair added: “Nick is a burner and he’s a very strong runner. Whenever we need tough yards, he can run inside or outside, and he can catch the ball. He is just an all-around good running back.”

A 31-yard punt return by Daniel Wethey set up the initial Rustin score, but the Patriots bounced right back with an 80-yard march that concluded with a 48-yarder on a perfectly executed reverse by Ryan Banavitch. But the Knights quickly matched the long drive with one of their own, which featured a 44-yard run by Pratzner.

On its first series of the second quarter, Madonna converted a fourth down run, followed by a 16-yard scoring jaunt, and then Rustin upped the margin to 27-7 at the half when Madonna bulled it into the end zone from a yard with 36 seconds on the clock.

Madonna added his longest run of the day to open the second half scoring, and then scored a 39-yarder for good measure. Junior Tucker Flynn rounded out the scoring with a TD run in the fourth quarter.

“This is our game,” St. Clair said. “We try to control the clock and limit the opposition’s possessions. We just have to clean up a couple things.”

Banavitch’s run accounted for almost half of the Patriots’ 99 rushing yards. Sophomore quarterback Andy Talone completed his first six attempts, but only connected on two passes in the second half.

“Jeff (Martin) is doing a god job with a young Great Valley team. They are a year away from being a very good team,” St. Clair said.

“Rustin is a very good program,” Martin added. “We have a young team. We obviously have to play better.

“Against a team like that you have to execute for four quarters and we did not do that. When it was 7-7 we need to ride that momentum. But that is part of being a young team, knowing how to respond to adversity. Our guys will get better with time.”

In all, the Knights were solid defensively, forcing Great Valley into six three-and-outs.

“Our defensive line coach, Mike Mohring, played with the (NFL’s San Diego) Chargers for a number of years and he has our kids schooled-up,” St. Clair pointed out. “They are playing blocks and not just reacting up-field. And our linebackers were on their game tonight.”