Strath Haven runs all over Interboro in opening win

NETHER PROVIDENCE — The calendar read August 27: ‘Just Because Day.’

So just because it was the first game of his senior season, Strath Haven’s Matt Shuler gained 186 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns, the first a 90-yarder on his first carry Friday night.

Just because it was the first game of his senior season, the Panthers’ Chase Barlow picked up 115 yards on seven rushes, with four of his final five tries ending up in the end zone.

Finally, just because it was his first varsity start, Haven junior linebacker Bobby Fooskas stole the ball from an Interboro back and ran 48 yards for six points as Strath Haven claimed a 49-7 season-opening decision at George L. King Field.

“It can be tough to win your opener,” said Kevin Clancy, who began his 31st season as Strath Haven’s head coach. “That’s why I’m pleased with the way the game came out. But I know we have things that we have to do better, like covering kickoff returns.”

Dennis Lux began his first full fall season as Interboro’s head coach. He knows his offense must generate more yards and his defense can’t allow opponents to have three rushers with more than 100 yards the way it did Friday.

Lux will be happy to look at the films of Zakee Brooks’s 68-yard return of the opening kickoff and his 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter as well as a 49-yard return by Abu Kamara following Fooskas’s score.

Interboro’s first offensive drive got as far as the SH 12 before an Aiden Sutherland interception. On second down, Shuler took a handoff, started right, cut back toward the middle of the field and was on his way to his first touchdown.

“Whenever I get the ball I want to try to score,” he said. “The guys on the line like Nick Filios, Ethan Barrar and Jake Millett were really doing their job. I know Ethan’s dad (Bob) was an All-Delco player for Interboro, so this was a big game for him.”

Barlow’s scoring runs in the first half were 10 and seven yards. His only carries of the second half were 19- and 42-yard TD rushes.

“All of us have been excited about being able to do things that we couldn’t do last year, like have training camp and starting the season on time,” Barlow said. “It was great to be able to run when you’re get holes to run through like our line gave us tonight.”

Fooskas closed out the scoring in the final second of the third quarter.

“Our line stood their guy up,” he said. “The ball was hanging out, so I just took it and started running with it.”

He stopped just because referee Bill Scanlan Sr. blew his whistle and gave the touchdown signal.

“Now we have to get focused on playing Marple Newtown next week in our first Central League game,” Barlow said.

Shuler put the finishing touches on taking a look ahead.

“They ruined our chance to play Garnet Valley (for the Central League title) last year,” he said. “We’re happy that our first league game this year will be against them.”