NETHER PROVIDENCE — The challenge for Denzil Lezenby Friday night was abundantly clear.
Against a pass-happy Harriton team averaging 30-some dropbacks a game, without fellow defensive end Kyree Fuller missing due to injury, the Strath Haven senior would have to loom even larger than his 6-3, 206-pound frame.
That’s exactly what Lezenby did in his limited engagement on the field.
Lezenby was a constant fixture in the Harriton backfield in the first half, with three sacks, a batted-down pass, several quarterback pressures and the signature performance in a dominant day for Strath Haven’s defense in a 48-14 Central League thrashing of Harriton.
Lezenby’s evening was over just after halftime, he and his fellow starters ceding to the reserves after compiling a 42-0 cushion.
“They seemed a little intimidating at first,’ Lezenby admitted. “They seemed like a very good offense. But I just got in my zone and came out here and played my best.’
The numbers need no embellishment. Strath Haven (3-6, 2-6 Central) entered the break with a 35-0 lead, a margin only so close thanks to two lost fumbles by the Panthers. They’d accumulated 253 yards of offense, including an uncharacteristically prolific 54 through the air.
The other side of the ball, though, illustrated the disparity most conclusively. Harriton (1-8, 1-7) finished the first 24 minutes with minus-17 yards of total offense. The high-powered passing attack led by Patrick Stewart generated just eight yards, the signal-caller completing as many passes to teammates as to members of Strath Haven’s hawking secondary.
In the first half, Strath Haven’s offense had just nine snaps in its own territory, churning out yards on the ground that led to three scores by Nick Milone and two by Anthony Myers. Harriton, meanwhile, didn’t escape its territory. The Rams didn’t even get past their 35.
By the time Harriton registered its first first down, with the George L. King Field clock reading 3:38 in the third quarter, Lezenby was sitting on the bench, his helmet off, basking in the glow of senior night.
“This was a real challenge for our defense tonight, especially pass defense, which is something we’ve struggled with this season,’ coach Kevin Clancy said. “I think our defense made a real improvement tonight and really was the key to the victory.’
Lezenby, who missed portions of two games this season with a shoulder injury, has seen the 2014 season deviate from the preseason plan, on both the individual and team levels. That made Friday’s game, the second straight catharsis against a downtrodden program from Lower Merion (the Panthers beat the Aces, 53-0, last week) for a team that trudged through the first seven weeks of the season with a 1-6 record that belied its ability, all the sweeter.
“It feels amazing,’ Lezenby said. “It’s exactly what I wanted. This season hasn’t been great, but just trying to have fun.’
The fun in the running game was furnished by the three-headed monster of Milone, Myers and Alex Bratsis. On this occasion, Myers got the yards, finishing with a game-high 113 on 17 carries. He added a pair of hard-nosed, four-yard touchdown runs, the latter of which involved bulling through a defender and carrying him into the end zone.
Milone was the finisher early. He slithered into the end zone from eight, three and 15 yards in the first quarter, finishing the day with 67 of the team’s 321 rushing yards.
“We all just have one goal, and that’s to win,’ Milone said of the Haven backfield. “So we have the best relationship. We just go out there and do what we need to do.’
They got in on the defensive act, too. Bratsis and Milone picked off Stewart in the first quarter, Bratsis returning his interception 22 yards to the seven and Milone driving his 12 yards to the 33 to set up short fields. Myers and Paul Somaru also provided steely coverage in the secondary.
The reserves continued the job offensively with the running clock. Rob Magee capped a 13-play drive in the second half with a two-yard plunge, and Niem Bobo spun in from five yards out to cap a methodical 11-play march in the fourth quarter.
Stewart’s numbers eventually rebounded against the backups, with his injury-riddled line under less constant duress. But his final marks — 16-for-27, 155 yards — ring pretty hollow given the offense’s impotence against the first unit.
Stewart found six receivers in the second half, connecting on 14 of his last 17 attempts, including a 10-yard scoring hookup with Jack Veasey. Chris Bianchi added a 4-yard touchdown run.
Despite the injuries, there were no excuses from the Rams’ sidelines.
“It’s a community,’ Veasey said. “We need to work together. I’m not blaming it on the injuries. We have guys who can fill in. When the coaches tell us what to do, we have guys who can do it for us. It’s just about execution. Sometimes we fail to execute.’
