Solanco’s run game wears down Pottstown in 36-6 win

September 3, 2016

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POTTSTOWN >> Run, after run, after run, after run.

Solanco kept feeding the ball to their tailbacks, Pottstown couldn’t stop it and the end result reflected that as the Golden Muhls emerged with a 36-6 victory over the Trojans Saturday afternoon.

Solanco senior fullback Eric Hopkins was the standout on offense, rushing for a game-best 177 yards on 22 carries with two scores. Hopkins’ 40-yard touchdown run, stemming from a fullback dive, got the tide turning in Solanco’s direction, making it 15-0 midway through the second quarter.

Pottstown's Isaiah Mayes scores on a 15-yard run during the fourth quarter. (Sam Stewart - Digital First Media) — Pottstown’s Isaiah Mayes scores on a 15-yard run during the fourth quarter. (Sam Stewart – Digital First Media)

“He (Hopkins) was an impressive kid,” Pottstown head coach Gary Rhodenbaugh said. “In general, watching them on film, they are the type of team that you know what you’re going to get. If you can stop it then great. But the danger with a team as consistent as they are, they don’t give you unforced turnovers. That’s what they did today. They did a great job executing on both sides of the ball.”

Utilizing the flexbone formation, the Golden Muhls took to the ground 59 times for 399 yards. They scored on five of their eight drives, chewed up nearly 30 minutes of clock and kept moving the chains, converting 27 first downs in the win.

Running back Alex McDonald finished with 60 yards on 10 carries while quarterback Joel McGuire finished with 51 yards on 12 rushes with two scores. McGuire also made the most of his single completion (1-for-3), connecting with McDonald, who beat two high safeties, for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 22-0 at the half.

Pottstown only crossed the 50-yard-line once and was limited to 58 total yards of offense in the first half (132 total). The Trojans broke through in the fourth quarter as senior Isaiah Mayes bruised his way to a 15-yard touchdown run that capped off a 9-play, 79-yard drive. Mayes finished with a team-best 89 yards rushing on 14 carries.

“We need consistency,” Rhodenbaugh said. “That starts with me. I have to do a better job in terms of expecting that consistency and making sure everything we do is geared toward it.

“The first half was a real difficult thing to go through. For them come back (in the second half) and put together a drive and punch it in and then play tough defensively throughout the game, there are some real positives there.”

Stat It

Solanco's Alex McDonald prepares to hurdle over a Pottstown defender during the second half. (Sam Stewart - Digital First Media) — Solanco’s Alex McDonald prepares to hurdle over a Pottstown defender during the second half. (Sam Stewart – Digital First Media)

Ryan Yaletchko finished with 84 yards rushing on eight carries for the Golden Muhls. … Pottstown punted the ball six times. Solanco didn’t punt at all. Solanco averaged 6.7 yards per rush, Pottstown 4.4

Track Star?

Alex McDonald delivered one of the best … yet illegal plays … in the game as he hurdled a Pottstown defender during the middle of his 10-yard run in the second half. Unfortunately for McDonald, hurdling is illegal in the high school game and he was penalized 15 yards.

Working out the Kinks

Solanco had some first-game kinks that needed to be worked out as the team was penalized 10 times for 75 yards. The majority of those calls came on false start penalties. The team had four in its opening drive which resulted in a missed field goal.