CALN – At the end of the regular season, something was missing for the Coatesville football team, and it was more than just the loss of three-year starting quarterback Matt Ortega, Jr., to a leg injury.
Whether it was confidence, swagger or belief, the Red Raiders struggled in back-to-back shutout losses to Downingtown East and Downingtown West in recent weeks. Coatesville had lost its collective mojo.
But Friday was the start of the second season. And with Ortega, Jr., back in the lineup, the fourth-seeded Raiders looked a lot more like the behemoth that opened the season 7-0 during a solid 27-10 victory over No. 13 Perkiomen Valley in round one of the District 1 6A Playoffs.
“We feel a lot better just having our quarterback with us. We had more rhythm on offense and we just came together,” said senior wide receiver Elias Hanson.
“It’s been an up and down season in terms of starting off hot and suffering some injuries,” added Coatesville head coach Matt Ortega. “But we bounced back and that’s awesome for this team. It just shows the character of the team – it’s a special group.”
Now 9-2 overall, the Raiders advance to next Friday’s quarterfinal round where they will play host to fifth-seeded Council Rock South, who eliminated Havertown 27-7 on Friday. The Vikings season ends with a 6-5 mark.
“It’s a one-and-oh mentality for us. We got this game and now it’s on to next week for another home game,” Ortega said.
“After the game I talked to my seniors who have given us so much of themselves for the last four years,” added Perk Valley head coach Rob Heist. “They’ve sacrificed a lot to be a part of this program because we have high expectations.”
With Ortega, Jr., back and nearing full strength, the Coatesville offense was more productive and balanced. But the good vibes also extended to the defense, who managed to limit the Vikings to 52 yards of total offense, and negative-19 on the ground. Perk Valley’s only touchdown was a momentum-stealing kickoff return for a TD in the first quarter.
“Defense travels wherever you play. We believe in our coaches and what they say, and we’re bought into what we are trying to do,” said Hanson, also a defensive back.
“Good teams find ways to complimentary football, and defensively did that,” Ortega added. “And then the offense took advantage of it in the second half, which was what we talked about at halftime.”
Trailing 10-7 at the break, the Raiders took the lead for good on the opening series of the second half. A 73-yard reception from Ortega, Jr., to Hanson put Coatesville into the red zone, and senior runner Zaden Green finished it off with a three-yard TD run to make it 13-10.
Hanson then broke it open with a 10-yard scoring catch early in the fourth quarter to culminate an 11-play march. He finished with a career-high 128 receiving yards on seven catches.
“We came in knowing everyone was going to doubt us,” Hanson said. “But we didn’t stop believing in each other, and now it feels like we have our mojo back.”
Ortega added: “(Hanson’s) battled injuries. No one knows what he has to battle through to get out there on Fridays. I am so proud of him – he deserved (the game ball) tonight.”
Linebacker Josh Van Orden broke up a fourth down pass on the Vikings’ next possession, and then fellow senior linebacker Terry Wiggins blew up the next with a strip-sack, fumble recovery and 12-yard return to round out the scoring.
“Coatesville has an excellent program,” Heist said. “They have a ton of size, strength and speed and they utilized it tonight.
“Their defensive front has a kid, (6-foot-6, 300-pound junior Max Hiller) who anchors that defense and he is a lot to handle for any high school player. We tried a lot of different things but he is a game wrecker.”
The Raiders benefitted from a roughing the punter call against Perk Valley and marched 12 plays, and covered 65 yards to take a first quarter lead. Coatesville also converted a fourth down situation, and Ortega, Jr., scored from three yards out on a keeper.
But on the ensuing kickoff, the Vikings’ Joey Keogh burst up the middle and went 85 yards to knot the score.
“The kick return was electric,” Heist said. “Joey Keough is our captain for a reason. He is one of our most explosive kids and he’s been making plays like that all season. We had great blocking and it put us right back in it.”
Perkiomen Valley then took a 10-7 halftime lead with a late possession that ended with a 38-yard field goal by Sebastian Santangelo in the final minute. The scoring drive included three penalties against Coatesville that covered 35 yards.
“We have guys playing positions that they won’t play in college, but they are doing it for the team,” Ortega said, likely referencing Hiller, who is one of the nation’s top offensive lineman but is also a force on defense.
Nicknamed ‘Buggy,’ Ortega, Jr., was 10-for 18 for 158 yards and a TD running and throwing. He was also pickled off twice by the Vikings’ Juliun Corropolese deep in Perk Valley territory.
“We knew getting Buggy back, that it was going to take some time,” Ortega said. “He was a little rusty.
“But of all the kids we’ve had over the years, his teammates just love him and he’s a great leader. He’s got some moxy and the team feeds off of him. They are confident in him and he is confident with his teammates.”
With starting running back Qwan James slowed by a knee injury, junior Andre Watson took over much of the load and finished with 107 yards on 29 carries. Sophomore Sage Bradshaw chipped in 49 yards on the ground – all in the second half.
Coatesville, however, was whistled for 14 penalties for 137 yards.
“It’s definitely a concern, but we will clean it up,” Ortega said.
Coatesville 27, Perkiomen Valley 10
Perkiomen Valley 7 3 0 0 – 10
Coatesville 7 0 6 14 – 27
Scoring
C – Ortega, Jr., 3 run (Bernardo kick)
PV – Keogh 85 kickoff return (Santangelo kick)
PV – Santangelo 38 FG
C – Green 3 run (kick blocked)
C – Hanson 10 pass from Ortega (Bernardo kick)
C – Wiggins fumble recovery and 12 return (Bernardo kick)
Team statistics PV C
First downs 4 18
Rushing yards (-19) 162
Passing yards 71 158
Total yards 52 320
Complete-Att-Int 8-21-0 10-18-2
Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0
Punts-ave. 4-39.7 2-24
Penalties 5-45 14-137
Individual statistics
RUSHING – PV: Sturgis 4-6; Messatzzia 3- (-19); McCabe 3- (-11); Gambone 3-5. C: Watson 29-107; James 3-3; Ortega, Jr., 1-3, TD; Green 1-3, TD; Bradshaw 6-49; Beckett 1- (-3).
PASSING – PV: Messatzzia 8-21, 71 yards. C: Ortega, Jr., 10-18, 158 yards, TD, 1 Int.
RECEIVING – PV: Keough 6-59; Stein 1-5; Sturgis 1-7. C: Hanson 7-128, TD; Beckett 1-15; James 1 (-1); Watson 1-6; Wiggins 1-11.
Interceptions – PV: Carropolese 2.
Sacks – Van Orden 2, Salient, Wiggins.
Source: Berkshire mont
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