Susi, Ortega spark rout of OJR to add to Coatesville’s playoff success

CALN >> Coatesville won its 14th District 1 playoff game since 2016, Friday night, and while there are dozens of reasons for that success, stability and excellence at the quarterback position is at the forefront.

Transitioning from superstar QB, Ricky Ortega, to rising star, Harrison Susi, is a blessing few teams experience.

Susi has been Coatesville’s catalyst all season, while the supporting cast continues to grow and form into a dangerous unit, as the season has progressed. Against No. 14 Owen J. Roberts, Susi ran for three touchdowns and threw another as the No. 3 Red Raiders cruised to a 48-10 win in the first round of the District 1-6A playoffs.

Coatesville (10-1) will host No. 6 Perkiomen Valley in the quarterfinals, next week, but had to shake off the hangover from defeating rival, Downingtown East, in the regular season finale.

“We had a big win last week and we had a rough start, (Friday),” Susi said. “We started sloppy, but we just had to wake up and get over it.”

The Wildcats (6-5) scored their first two drives, capitalizing on a short field with a two-yard TD run by quarterback Michael Reed, and then adding a 36-yard field goal by Carson Johnson.

Susi’s first TD was sandwiched between OJR’s scores, and after he found the end zone with one second left in the first quarter, Coatesville never looked back.

“I was proud of the effort,” OJR coach Rich Kolka said. “I thought we fought and played pretty well in the first half. It seemed like Coatesville didn’t think we were very good, but they made some adjustments and ran the option in the second half, and that gave us trouble. They have lots of good athletes everywhere, and we’re just not at that level yet.”

Susi is up to 958 yards and 15 TDs, running the ball, and has passed for 1,382 yards and 21 scores, with just two interceptions, this season. The junior has been pretty much been a given, heading into every game. It’s who is going to step up beside him that isn’t always clear.

That’s not to say Coatesville has struggled to make plays outside the QB position, there just isn’t that go-to guy, necessarily.

Tommy Ortega is becoming that, in the pass game, as he caught three passes for 59 yards and a TD. He has scored in five straight games and seven of his 10 catches in that stretch went for six. For whatever it’s worth, an Ortega has accounted for a TD in all 17 of Coatesville’s District 1 playoff games, since 2016.

“I’m very confident in our passing game,” Susi said. “I think we’re good at running and passing, and we may be better running the ball, but I’m confident in all our receivers.”

James Taylor nearly doubled his season stats with three receptions for 67 yards, and Coatesville has scored 90 points the last two games with its top two receivers, Dowayne Molina and LeBron Bessick combining for one catch for seven yards.

Ashon Wesley had another productive night, running the ball, with 90 yards on nine carries, and Bryan Lacey scored his first touchdown since week 5, adding 75 yards on the ground.

“We knew at the start of the season we were happy with our two running backs,” Coatesville coach Matt Ortega said. “Lacey carried the load for us before he got injured, and Ashon has come back and had a couple of strong games. We have two backs who feed off each other, and our wide receiver group has grown as the season’s gone on. I’m happy with where we’re at, and most of all, that we’re healthy.”

Bessick returned his fourth punt of the season for a touchdown, in the third quarter, and Coatesville’s defense held OJR’s star running back, Avrey Grimm to just four yards at the half and 11 by the time the running clock started. 

The Red Raiders will now face a Perk Valley team, hungry for revenge, after Coatesville came back from a 27-14 halftime deficit to defeat the Vikings, 36-27, in week two.

“It’s going to be a great football game,” Matt Ortega said. “Coach Rob Heist has a great program and a great culture and we know we’re going to get a top District 1 football team next week. We need a great week of practice and hopefully get a packed house for a big game.”

Coatesville 48, Owen J. Roberts 10

Owen J. Roberts   10 0 0 0-10

Coatesville  14 6 21 7-48

                                     Scoring

First Quarter

OJR- Reed 2 run (Johnson kick)

CV- Susi 1 run (Ashbee kick)

OJR- Johnson 36 FG

CV- Susi 9 run (Ashbee kick)

Second Quarter

CV- T. Ortega 21 pass from Susi (pass failed)

Third Quarter

CV- Susi 11 run (Ashbee kick)

CV- Lacey 15 run (Ashbee kick)

CV- Bessick 67 punt return (Ashbee kick)

Fourth Quarter

CV- Turner 1 run (Ashbee kick)

                                      Team Totals

                         OJR       CV

First downs 10     20

Yards rushing 25-49   43-311

Yards passing  111          191

Total yards      160          502

Passing      11-20-0    10-13-0

Fumbles-lost    0-0           0-0

Punts-avg. 6-21     0-0

Penalties-yds 9-50     12-114

                                    Individual Statistics

Rushing: Owen J. Roberts — Grimm 14-36; Reed 6-5, TD; Whitlock 2-5; McCoy 1-3; Hinrichs 2-0. Coatesville — Susi 16-118, 3 TDs; Wesley 9-90; Lacey 7-75, TD; Bessick 1-16; Turner 3-7, TD; Watson 6-7; team 1-(-2).

Passing: Owen J. Roberts —  Reed 11-20, 111 yards. Coatesville — Susi 9-12, 145 yards,  TD; Galarza 1-1, 46 yards

Receiving: Owen J. Roberts — Cashman 7-70; Shrum 1-36; Perry 1-5; Grimm 2-0. Coatesville — Taylor 3-67; T. Ortega 3-59, TD; Huch 1-46; Turner 1-9; Bessick 1-7; O’Hara 1-5.

Interceptions: none