Defensive struggle culminates with 72-yard interception return with :06 left
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Daquan Worley rushes to the outside for a short gain. Both teams were content to run the ball and keep possession throughout the night.
WEST CHESTER – Even in a matchup where both teams hold each other to short gains nearly all night and every yard seems like a struggle, one play can negate all of a team’s efforts and decide the outcome of a game.
Coatesville’s junior linebacker Steven Pawling came up with that play in Friday night’s 21-10 win at West Chester Henderson.
His interception and touchdown on the return with six seconds left stopped Henderson’s potential game-winning drive and sealed the victory for Coatesville.
The evening started on a somber note. Rev. Paul E. Chaya of Windsor Baptist Church led the teams in a show of solidarity in response to the recent texting scandal. He asked the teams to show respect for each other and led the stadium in prayer.
Coatesville’s opening drive gave the impression that the night would be another blowout for the undefeated visitors. Starting at midfield, senior running back Daquan Worley carried his team down the field with assistance from a fourth-down conversion on a pass from sophomore quarterback Jordan Young to senior linebacker Tyler Burke. The 11-play drive culminated with a 2-yard quarterback sneak by Young to give the visitors the early lead.
Though Henderson could only produce two scoring drives in the game, the Warriors did have success controlling the ball and field position for much of the night. Mixing up the running game with quick fullback handoffs, option plays, and misdirections, the home team was able to find success against a defense that has specialized in tackling running backs behind the line.
Coatesville did not help itself, either. Henderson’s varied snap counts and motion kept the defense off balance and drew a number of encroachment calls.
“They just executed really well,” said Steven Pawling. “First half, our defense came out kind of slow.”
Both teams seemed content running the ball and playing field position all night. However, when Henderson took to the air near the end of the first quarter, Coatesville took advantage.
Dropping back on a first and 10, Henderson’s sophomore quarterback Matt Dinacci looked for his tight end over the middle. But Coatesville’s senior safety Ricky Southcott had a step on the slight overthrow and made a diving catch to intercept the ball.
Starting near midfield, Coatesville took advantage of the field position from the turnover. Once again, Worley provided consistent gains for his offense, and once again the drive finished with a Young sneak for a touchdown.
Though Coatesville was up 14-0 near the beginning of the second quarter, the lead looked far from comfortable.
Henderson showed its toughness on the following drive. Giving quick handoffs to senior fullback Garrett Girafalco negated Coatesville’s ability to penetrate the offensive line. After driving past midfield, the Warriors completed a third-down pass, which combined with a roughing the passer penalty to put the offense deep in Coatesville territory. A three-yard run by Girfalco pulled Henderson back within one touchdown. Taking 13 plays and seven minutes, it was the longest sustained drive Coatesville has given up all year.
“It’s definitely tougher now. Every team’s playing us like it’s the Super Bowl,” said Pawling. “They think if they beat us, they can beat anyone.”
With the score 14-7, the decision was still very much in the air at halftime. Injuries to Young and junior running back Jalen Hudson did not help Coatesville’s situation, though some defensive adjustments did.
“Our defense definitely played our hearts out in the second half. At halftime, the coaches told us what to do, and we just came out and did it,” said Pawling.
Loading up the box, Coatesville opted to stuff the running lanes, rather than attempting to penetrate.
But Henderson made its own adjustments, swarming Coatesville’s running backs and holding the visitors scoreless after the break.
The teams struggled throughout the half, but by the fourth quarter, Henderson jumped on Coatesville mistakes and looked close to taking the lead.
Coatesville forced a Henderson punt at the beginning of the quarter, but a muffed catch attempt gave the Warriors the ball back at the Coatesville 20. They nearly took advantage with the resulting field goal attempt bouncing off the crossbar but not making it through.
They would have another try soon enough.
A sack-fumble on Coatesville’s ensuing drive gave Henderson the ball back at the visitors’ 27. Once again, the defense held, but this time the Warriors were able to convert the field goal attempt, putting the score at 14-10 midway through the fourth quarter.
“We gave them two short fields in the second half, which is where they got their points,” said Coatesville Coach Matt Ortega.
Coatesville allowed Henderson to get the ball back with three and a half minutes left and ensured the game would come down to the wire.
“We knew we had to win; we had to play our most physical game ever,” Pawling said about his defense’s mentality going into the drive.
Starting from their own 34, the Warriors ran the ball and took advantage of the space the defense gave them. With less than a minute left, the home team was in Coatesville territory with momentum on its side. A sack by Coatesville’s senior linebacker Tyler Burke and then an incomplete pass put Henderson at the 28 with 20 seconds left.
Henderson looked for an inside screen pass, but Pawling read it all the way.
“I saw the quarterback staring the running back down; I just jumped on the ball and took it to the house,” he said.
Pawling got into the backfield and put himself between the quarterback and running back to grab an interception, run the ball back for a 72-yard touchdown return, and seal the Coatesville victory.
“We weren’t panicking because we had faith in our defense,” said Ortega.
Though Coatesville has been lacking the big-play offense this year, the outstanding defense has carried the team to 8-0. In the final regular season home game next week against West Chester East, Coatesville will look to sustain momentum on defense and find the breakout players on offense.
