WEST CHESTER, PA – Ja'Den McKenzie (Morton, Pa./Springfield) rushed for 135 yards and one touchdown while
Phil Poquie (Philadelphia, Pa./Haverford School) amassed 113 yards and two scores on the ground to lead West Chester to a 42-24 victory over visiting East Stroudsburg at John A. Farrell Stadium Saturday.
West Chester (5-2, 3-1 PSAC) kept alive its aspirations for an Eastern Division title with the win over East Stroudsburg (4-3, 2-2). The Golden Rams travel to Shepherd next weekend for a must-win tilt with the Rams if they are to continue that quest.
The Golden Rams pounded out season-best 326 yards on the ground, averaging better than 6.2 yards per carry. McKenzie and Poquie went over 100 yards rushing in the same game for the second time this season, and the home team registered three rushing TDs. In all, the Golden Rams eclipsed 500 yards of total offense for the first time this year and 52 of their 72 plays Saturday were running calls.
Rasheem James (Philadelphia, Pa./Ben Franklin) came open over the middle, snared a pass
from Shane Dooley (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) and raced 50 yards for the score to give the hosts a commanding 42-10 lead with 2:46 to go in the third quarter.
East Stroudsburg took advantage of a couple of blown coverage assignments in the fourth quarter to pull closer, but never really did threaten.
Dooley finished 12-for-20 for 181 yards and two TDs. He also ran for another score in the first half. James caught four balls for 83 yards and the long score.
Seth Degree (Philadelphia, Pa./West Catholic) had four catches for 32 yards, including a 4-yard TD reception to open the scoring in the first quarter.
Trench warfare played out well for West Chester Saturday. The Golden Rams' offensive line was the big reason the ground game was successful and that Dooley was able to find open receivers down field. Defensively, West Chester held the league's top rusher, Gunner Anglovich, to just 21 yards rushing, and if you take away ESU's two big TD plays in the fourth (85-yard pass play and 64-yarder) the Warriors only had 212 yards of total offense.
The Golden Rams' front four and pair of inside linebackers were all over the place
. Jackson Taylor (Glenside, Pa./Abington) finished the day with 12 tackles and a QB hurry.
Cole Zapf (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) had five tackles, one sack, one pass breakup and a pair of QB hurries. Defensive lineman
Joe DeSanto (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) registered the team's 30th sack of the season.
West Chester's defense recorded seven pass breakups and five QB hurries on the day.
