After racking up 150 yards in penalties in its opening week loss, Exeter didn't need a rocket scientist to calculate where its focus would be heading into Week 2.

 

“We paid the price for it this last week,” quarterback Gavin McCusker said of the penalties. “We ran some hills for it.”

 

After all that running, the Eagles ran up 79 fewer yards in penalties Friday night. Their more disciplined effort resulted in a 37-0 non-league blowout win at Boyertown.

 

“We’re on the right track now,” McCusker said. “We just gotta keep the momentum going.”

 

In his second game as Exeter’s starting quarterback, McCusker looked like a star. The junior threw for 170 yards and four touchdowns on 8-for-11 passing.

 

He also pulled down a key interception in the end zone at the close of the first half to kill the Bears' best drive of the night.

 

“Great game by the defense,” McCusker said, deflecting attention from himself. “D-line destroyed tonight, and I can’t thank them enough. That puts less pressure on us in the secondary.”

 

The Exeter defense, which limited high-powered Berks Catholic to 14 points in last week’s loss, held the Bears to one first down and four three-and-outs in their first five possessions. That kept Boyertown’s defense on the field, and the extra work quickly took its toll.

 

Exeter (1-1) opened the second quarter with a quick three-play scoring drive capped by a 22-yard McCusker to Devon Scott touchdown pass. The Eagles scored on their next two possessions, with McCusker finding Alex Javier for a 53-yard score down the left side of the field, then Jeremiah Nixon racing 14 yards off left tackle to make it 21-0.

 

Boyertown (1-1) got some life late in the second as an Aaron Tidd kick return and a personal foul put the Bears on the Exeter 27. The Bears drove to the 1, but failed to capitalize as McCusker intercepted Noah Segal’s throw into the end zone.

 

“You can’t make those mistakes against a good Exeter Township team,” said Boyertown coach T.J. Miller.

The Bears (1-1) had hoped for a better result on the night they christened their new field at Memorial Stadium. They had some momentum after their opening-week win at Upper Perkiomen.

 

But the Eagles limited them to just six first downs and 133 yards, with 54 of those yards coming on a late fourth quarter run by sophomore Trevor Moise when both teams were playing their backups.

 

“The great part about this is this is a great growth experience for us,” Miller said. “When you get an opponent like Exeter Township to come to your place, and this happens to you, what a great growing moment for us.

 

“Our pieces are there, we just gotta put them together.”

 

Exeter sacked Boyertown’s passers seven times, with Jaylin Miller picking up two sacks, and Solomon Brown adding a fourth-quarter safety.

 

Also for Exeter, Nixon ran for 122 yards on 16 carries, Javier had five catches for 97 yards and two scores, and Scott grabbed three receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

 

“The line came out, they did a great job,” McCusker said. “Receivers caught all the balls. Running backs ran hard. It was just a team effort tonight.”