BEARS COME UP SHORT

PHOENIXVILLE BEATS BOYERTOWN IN SHOOTOUT

BY DAVE KUTCH READING EAGLE

10/25/1985 BOYERTOWN PA

Phoenixville and Boyertown played a far more entertaining game than most would have expected from teams with just three total victories entering Friday night’s Ches Mont League game at Boyertown. 

The Phantoms and Bears combined for 547 yards and 44 points. 

Phoenixville played what coach Andy Toto considered its best game of the season in winning 24-20. 

Toto, a teacher at Upper Merion, was brought in this season in an attempt to get the Phantoms program out of the doldrums.  Two weeks ago, Phoenixville parted company with an 18 game losing streak with a victory over Pottsgrove. 

But one victory can hardly be termed as a turnaround.  That proverbial corner may have been turned Friday. 

The Phantoms (2-5, 2-6) whose game plans in recent years were usually aerial circuses, moved 63 yards in 17 plays – all rushes—to score with the opening kickoff. 

Quarterback Brian Rife went the final yard on fourth down, and Matt Steadman kicked his first of three placements for a 7-0 lead at 4:03. 

“Our offensive philosophy is to get the whole thing going in the right direction,” Toto said.  We want to be able to control the ball by running.”

That has meant considerable change for Rife.  After having numerous games with over 30 passes as a sophomore, Rife has been cranking up his arm fewer than 10 times in several games as a junior. 

He capitalized on one of the rare passing opportunities Friday. 

After Boyertown had pulled within 7-6 on a 40 yard drive put in motion by Danny Hamm’s interception and 12 yard return of a first down pass, Phoenixville prospered from the same play on which the interception had occurred. 

Rife connected with Steve Brill for an 80 yard touchdown and a 14-6 halftime lead.  Jeff Laws seemingly had Brill well covered near midfield, but lost his footing.  Brill was never challenged after making the catch. 

“We thought we had the bootleg pass open during the first drive,” Toto said.  “Then, we used it on the first play of our next possession and threw the interception.  Then, two posessions later we tried it again and it went. 

The Bears (1-6, 2-6) had used seven rushes to score after the interception.  Brian Musselman went through the middle for the final six.  Rob Esdale, filling in for the injured Joe Dobry, was wide on the placement to leave the Bears trailing by a point. 

Boyertown put its offense in high gear, moving 62 yards in 10 plays with the second half kickoff.  Keith Grim hit Eric Irey for 24 yards on the only pass of the drive.  Grim scored on a 6 yard bootleg, then passed to Irey for the two point conversion that tied it at 14. 

Phoenixville came right back with a 12 play drive covering 52 yards after Hunt Lyon’s 18 yard kickoff return to his 48.  Brett Smiley, whose 12 yard run was the big gainer of the drive, scored from the 2 for a 21-14 lead. 

Smiley got the majority of his 104 rushing yards with a 58 yard run on Phoenixville’s next possession.  Musselman made a saving tackle at the 6.  The Boyertown defense dug in, forcing the Phantoms to settle for Steadman’s 36 yard field goal and a 24-14 lead with 6:32 left. 

“Musselman is so good,” said Boyertown coach Don Grim.  “Not many kids are going to catch somebody like that, coming all the way from the other side of the field.  He is so competitive.  It’s  a shame he hasn’t had more success.”

Irey, who finished with 95 yards rushing and five catches for 83 yards took a 15 yard pass from Keith Grim with 3:03 left to cap a 13 yard Boyertown drive.  The conversion pass fell incomplete, and Lyon covered the onside kick for Phoenixville. 

When the Phantoms had to punt, Lyon had to leap for a high snap, but got off a 37 yarder with about a minute left.  Mike Minor’s third down interception clinched it. 

“I was disappointed in our defense giving up so much yardage after holding some of the real powerhouses in our league down,” said Don Grim.  “I was pleased with the way our kids kept fighting back to the end. 

Phoenixville ran hard.  They have some good backs, and they blocked well.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHOENIXVILLE                                   7              7              7              3              --             24

BOYERTOWN                                     6              0              8              6              --             20

 

SCORING             PHX        RIFE 1 YARD RUN (STEADMAN KICK)

                                BOY        MUSSELMAN 6 YARD RUN (KICK FAILED)

                                PHX        BRILL 80 YARD PASS FROM RIFE (STEADMAN KICK)

                                BOY        GRIM 6 YARD RUN (IREY PASS FROM GRIM)

                                PHX        SMILEY 2 YARD RUN (STEADMAN KICK)

                                PHX        STEADMAN 35 YARD FIELD GOAL

                                BOY        IREY 15 YARD PASS FROM GRIM (PASS FAILED)

 

RUSHING: PHOENXVILLE: SMILEY 11-104, MOFFAT 18-74, STOFKO 3-19, WALLENCE 7-13, RIFE 5-(-16)

                   BOYERTOWN: IREY 25-95, HAMM 4-23, MUSSELMAN 3-15 GRIM 3-3

 

RECEIVING: PHOENIXVILLE: BRILL 2-86, LYON 1-10, MOFFAT 1-8

                      BOYERTOWN: IREY 5-83, LAWS 1-15, MUSSELMAN 1-11, WEISS 1-5, HAMM 1-(-1)

 

PASSING: PHOENIXVILLE: RIFE 4-7-104 YARDS 1 INTERCEPTION

                  BOYERTOWN: GRIM 9-24-113 YARDS- 2 INTERCEPTIONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATISTICS                                                          PHX                                        BOY       

FIRST DOWNS                                                    14                                           16

RUSHING YARDAGE                                        44-194                                   35-136

PASSING YARDAGE                                         104                                         113

TOTAL YARDAGE                                              298                                         249

PASSES                                                                 4-7-1                                      9-24-2

FUMBLES LOST                                                  2-0                                          0-0

PUNTS                                                                  2-35                                       3-31.3

PENALTIES                                                          3-35                                       3-17