Pottsville unveiled new wrinkles to its struggling offense Friday night, but the Crimson Tide fell victim to a big play.
Surrendering a 72-yard kickoff return for six points moments after pulling within two scores, Pottsville fell to its 18th straight defeat with a 42-20 setback to Conrad Weiser at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“Number 5 ran back one against Exeter last week. We knew we kind of wanted to avoid him, but it was a squib. We had guys in place, but he just made a play. That was a backbreaker,” Pottsville head coach Tom McGeoy said about Kwis Montinard’s return with 53 seconds left in the first half.
The touchdown and the fifth of Jake Roth’s six extra points in the game gave Conrad Weiser a 35-14 halftime edge.
“Special teams are good to us, so yeah, that was a big turning point,” Conrad Weiser head coach Alan Moyer said.
Before that, Pottsville (0-7, 0-4 Berks I) had scored two straight touchdowns and had proven it could move the football with an attack featuring both Eric Wapinsky and Darion Jacoby at quarterback during the game.
“We have Darion, who is a multi-dimensional player. We figured we’d get the ball in his hands a little more and spread it out a little bit,” McGeoy said.
Jacoby completed a 57-yard catch-and-run to Wapinsky for the game’s final touchdown. Wapinsky also scored the 3-yard touchdown run that immediately preceded Montinard’s return.
Jacoby accounted for Pottsville’s other touchdown with a 21-yard run to complete an 80-yard drive.
By then, Conrad Weiser had taken a 28-0 lead. Led by
Koran Jordan’s 108 yards rushing and four touchdowns, the Scouts (5-2, 3-1) scored on their first four drives.
“This is the first game defensively where we struggled a little bit,” McGeoy said.
A 26-yard run by Koran Jordan set up a 54-yard drive that ended with Tyler Hoss’ 13-yard scoring toss to Pierce Brosious.
Hoss then found Jordan alone in the left flat. Catching the pass, Jordan completed a 58-yard touchdown play.
On the first play of the next possession, only a desperate tackle by Nate Varano prevented Brosious from finishing an 81-yard touchdown run. One play later, Jordan dove 1 yard to score.
Pottsville then fumbled away the next kickoff. The Scouts took advantage, driving 37 yards to score on Jordan’s 19-yard run.
But the Crimson Tide came back with two touchdowns before Montinard took the kickoff and found a seam through the middle of the coverage to score on his kickoff return.
The Tide defense stiffened in the second half, allowing only Jordan’s 19-yard touchdown run in the third period.
Pottsville could not match that touchdown until 7:26 remained, when Jacoby tossed a pass in the right flat to Wapinsky, who ran down the home sideline to the end zone.
But the Crimson Tide outgained Conrad Weiser from scrimmage in the game and left an strong impression with Moyer.
“That’s a pretty good 0-and-7 football team. They lost to a lot of quality teams this year,” he said. “Hats off to Pottsville. They’re hanging in there.”
Game Summary
CW (5-2, 3-1) 14 21 7 0 — 42
Pot (0-7, 0-4) 0 14 0 6 — 20
CW — Brosious 13 pass from Hoss (Roth kick)
CW — Jordan 58 pass from Hoss (Roth kick)
CW — Jordan 1 run (Roth kick)
CW — Jordan 19 run (Roth kick)
Pot — Jacoby 21 run (Kol. Kleckner kick)
Pot — Wapinsky 3 run (Kol. Kleckner kick)
CW — Montinard 72 kickoff return (Roth kick)
CW — Jordan 19 run (Roth kick)
Pot — Wapinsky 57 pass from Jacoby (run failed)
CW Pot
First Downs 15 12
Rushes-Yards 41-260 32-211
Passes 6-11-0 9-19-0
Passing Yards 104 170
Total Yards 364 381
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 3-2
Penalties 3-25 6-66
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Conrad Weiser — Jordan 19-108, Brosious 2-85, Shivers 4-36, Morales 6-27, Montinard 3-20, Vega 1-3, Bosch 1-1, Hess 1-(-1), McFadden 2-(-2), Team 2-(-17). Pottsville — Jacoby 14-144, Wapinsky 9-41, Murhon 7-20, Ondeck 2-6.
PASSING: Conrad Weiser — Hoss 6-11-0, 104. Pottsville — Wapinsky 8-16-0, 113; Jacoby 1-2-0, 57; Messina 0-1-0, 0.
RECEIVING: Conrad Weiser — Jordan 4-89, Brosious 1-13, Shivers 1-2. Pottsville — Angelichio 4-46, Murhon 2-43, Wapinsky 1-57, Witman 1-12, Heckler 1-12.
INTERCEPTIONS: None.