Unionville clinches Ches-Mont American with shutout of Great Valley

EAST MARLBORO >> The Longhorns rather enjoy playing a rough and tumble, grind it out kind of football game. Given Friday night’s torrential downpours, with wind gusts blowing the rain sideways, that meat grinder style was just about perfect for the conditions.

A pair of Longhorns rumbled for at least 100 yards, while the defense all but eliminated the Great Valley running game, as Unionville (9-1, 6-0) ground out a 21-0 victory over the visiting Patriots (3-7, 1-5).
With the win, Unionville clinched the Ches-Mont American championship, its first league title since 2017.
“It feels amazing to win the league,” said Longhorn co-captain Brendan D’Amico, who chipped in with a forced fumble and recovery and an interception on defense. “It was strictly business tonight. We knew what we were playing for, that Ches-Mont title, and this was just a team standing in our way. It’s something we’ve been working for our whole time in high school, so it feels great to realize that goal.”
After holding the Patriots to negative yards in a three-and-out first possession, the Longhorns took over at their own 21, following a Patriot punt. Mostly alternating runs between workhorse Ethan Bennink (20 carries, 101 yards) and quarterback Matt McCloskey, the Longhorns marched off a long, time-consuming drive deep inside Patriot territory. But this time, it was the Great Valley defense coming through, stalling the drive three yards shy of the goal line.

On the ensuing possesion, the Patriots were still unable to move the ball against the Longhorn defense, and Great Valley was forced to punt out of its own end zone. The snap eluded the punter, and Mick Levendis fell on it for the touchdown. Unionville tacked on two points with a trick play, D’Amico throwing to Nate Holt for the conversion and an 8-0 lead.
“We really needed to come up that way on defense,” said Bennink, who is a defensive back in addition to the team’s main running back. “It was tough to drive all the way down the field like that and come up empty, so to put up a score on defense was a real momentum changer.”

Bennink and McCloskey (12 carries for 129 yards, TD) anchored a Unionville rushing attack that rolled up 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 40-yard romp from McCloskey.

“When it’s rainy and windy like it was tonight, you know you’re in for one of those ground and pound kind of games,” said Bennink. “It’s hard to throw the ball when it’s wet and windy, so you come into the game knowing what is going to be expected of you, but that’s OK with us – we like running the football.”
Great Valley never really got going on offense, and all but abandoned the run game by the game’s end. The Patriots didn’t get out of negative yardage on the ground until late in the third period, when quarterback Andy Talone broke loose for a 22-yard gain. While they had some success with short passes, it also led to a pair of interceptions, one from D’Amico, and the other by Tucker Updahl.
“We’ve been real physical up front, and I knew we’d have to stop their quarterback and running game,” said Unionville coach Pat Clark. “Brendan D’Amico is such a great student of the game, he runs our defense, and we’re lucky to have him.”
The Longhorns can be forgiven if they take a few moments to enjoy a league championship, but a new season starts next week, with the beginning of the District 1 playoffs. Currently sitting No. 3, Unionville will host at least one round.
“I am so proud of these kids,” said Clark. “It’s a long season, and they work so hard. We’re league champs. That’s the first goal of every season. I am super happy for these kids.”

Unionville 21 Great Valley 0

Great Valley   0  0  0  0  –0
Unionville      8  0  13  0 –21
First Quarter

UN—Levendis Fumble recovery (Holt pass from D’Amico)  8-0

Third Quarter
UN—McCloskey 40-run (Dym Kick) 15-0
UN—D’Amico 1-run (kick fail) 21-0

Team Statistics

GV—UN

First downs 6  21

Rushes-yards 22-27    43-255

Passing 8-17  4-8

Passing yards 82   20

Total yards 99  275

Punts 3-22.67  0-0

Fumbles-lost 3-2  1-1

Penalties-yards 3-25  5-25

Individual statistics

Rushing—GV—Callahan 1-(-2) Coffey 6-2, Talone 8-22, Poggi 2-3 Pellicotti 3-2 UN—King 7-30, Bennink 20-101 McCloskey 12-129, TD, B D’Amico 2-4, TD, Brawley 2-(-9)

Passing — GV—3-8-43, INT, Talone 5-9-56, INT,  UN  McCloskey 4-8-20

Receiving —GV—Riccairdi 1-5, Callahan 4-50 Davis 1-17 Deegan 1-12 McDanile 1-(-2) UN Schriver 2-13, , B D’Amico 2-7

INT—UN  B D’Amico, Opdahl