BOOSTERCLUB3

GAME 1

Peters, Smith shine in Pennridge loss

By: ED KRACZ

The Intelligencer

The quarterback-receiver tandem had some big moments, but Pottsgrove proved too much for the Rams.

WEST ROCKHILL TOWNSHIP - His varsity debut at quarterback ended with mixed results.

Kyle Peters posted some gaudy individual numbers for Pennridge, but was unable to lead his team to victory in the season opener Friday night at Poppy Yoder Field. Despite throwing for 154 yards and three touchdowns, Peters and the Rams fell to Pottsgrove, 34-21, in a non-league game.

"It would've been nice to come out with a win our first game, but it's nice to get the first game out of the way," said Peters, a junior who is replacing two-year starter Brad Herrmann, who graduated and is playing at Millersville University.

Peters' favorite target was 6-foot-1 senior Drew Smith, who hauled in everything thrown his way, accounting for five of the 11 completions Peters had on the night for 71 yards and a 25-yard touchdown reception.

Smith's first catch of the season was a dazzler. With the Rams struggling to move the ball through the opening quarter - their first three possessions netted them minus-10 yards - Peters lobbed one up for Smith, who was double covered inside the Pottsgrove 10-yard line.

Smith went up over the two defenders and pulled the ball in for a 19-yard reception at the 9. Three plays later, a Peters touchdown dart to tight end Brandon Cope pulled Pennridge to within 14-7 with 8:08 to go in the second quarter.

"For a young quarterback, Kyle really stepped up tonight," Smith said. "I give a lot of credit to Pottsgrove. They're really, really fast, with a bunch of real good athletes out there. We just underperformed tonight."

If it weren't for Peters and Smith, Pennridge may not have managed a first down, since its running attack was virtually invisible.

The Rams had just 11 yards rushing, with Ian Walbridge mustering a mere 16 yards on 12 carries and Jesse Knepp getting a paltry 13 yards on 12 carries.

The offensive line didn't seem to get much push and, when it did, it didn't seem to matter since Preston Hamlette was just about everywhere anyway. An all-state linebacker last year as a junior, Hamlette was too much for Pennridge to handle.

On offense, Hamlette was just as beastly, running for 75 yards and two touchdowns on just seven touches.

"Our linemen didn't play their best game tonight, but I know all those guys and they'll be ready to play next week (at Bensalem)," Smith said.

Pottsgrove was sparked by its junior quarterback Terrell Chestnut, who according to some, is being looked at by Penn State. He rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries while accounting for another 48 yards and a TD through the air.

"He's a very good athlete," said Pennridge coach Randy Cuthbert. "We come out of this with a lot of things we can do better. The first half, offensively we didn't play well. It looked like the first game for a lot of guys. But we kept fighting and there were some positives in the second half, some things to build on."

Pottsgrove held a 34-7 lead after a 24-yard touchdown burst by Maika Polamalu, the cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Tory Polamalu, with 9:21 to play in the game.

But the Rams got a touchdown on a Peters-to-Smith 25-yard throw with 2:07 left. After Ben Knipe recovered a fumble, they got another score, with 58 seconds remaining when Peters found Chad Moyer in the end zone from 5 yards away.

FALCONS FEED ON RAMS