Unionville clubs Kennett, 34-14, behind Graham's three TDs
10/17/2016 02:13PM ● By Richard Gaw
By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer
To many who follow Kennett High School football, Kerry Tomasetti, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior, is the most valuable player on the team.
On defense, he is first on the team in quarterback sacks, and heads a linebacker corps that has shown signs of shut-down capability at various times this season. On offense, Tomasetti is the team's tight end, its leader in receptions, and ranks third in total yardage behind quarterback Jake Dilcher and running back Myles Robinson. In short, he is a key play maker on a young Kennett squad that is holding its head above water in a competitive Ches-Mont season.
While Tomasetti played a big part in holding cross-town rival Unionville to just one touchdown in the first half of an eventual 34-14 loss to the Indians last Friday night, he was a non-factor on offense, held to no catches, while on the other side of the field, Pat Clark's team ran over Kennett in the second half with a series of punishing runs by quarterback Joe Zubillaga and three touchdowns by running back Dante Graham.
Despite a considerable height advantage over Indian defensive back JT Hower, Tomasetti was persona non grata in Kennett's offensive plans in the first quarter, which was dominated Kennett's inability to move the ball into scoring position. An interception by defensive back Aidan Boyle snuffed out one Kennett drive. Unionville didn't fare any better, as Zubillaga was sacked by Tomasetti to end an early Indian scoring threat at midfield.
Unionville got on the scoreboard in the second quarter, on a 69-yard drive that began with a 15-yard sprint by Zubillaga, and a 40-yard strike from Zubillaga to Howser that was downed at the Kennett 10-yard line. It was spectacular grab by Howser, and set up a pitch to Graham and a one-yard touchdown plunge by Zubillaga with 7:40 left in the first half.
After kicker Matthew Mainwaring's extra-point kick veered wide of the posts, Kennett drove 65 yards, which was highlighted by a 43-yard run by running back Connor Hyzny that got the ball to the Unionville four-yard line. After Hyzny carried the ball to the one-yard line, Dilcher plunged into the end zone with 3:05 left in the half. An extra point by kicker James Tuley gave Kennett a 7-6 lead going into halftime, after a 35-yard field goal attempt by Mainwaring went wide with three seconds left in the half.
Despite two long runs by Robinson and Dilcher, Kennett's first possession of the second half was snubbed out by four penalties that led to Unionville inheriting the ball on the Kennett 20-yard line. On the first snap, Zubillaga ran in for the touchdown with 6:50 left in the third quarter, to give the Indians a 13-7 lead.
On Unionville's next set of downs, Graham was handed the ball six times, the last of which led to a one-yard touchdown run with 1:02 remaining in the third quarter that extended the Indians' lead to 20-7. At the start of the fourth quarter, a 73-yard scramble by Zubillaga led to Graham's second TD of the evening – an eight-yard run with 7:40 left in the game.
After Dilcher's one-yard TD keeper with 6:17 left cut down Unionville's lead to 27-14, the Indians again went to Graham, who ran nine yards for Unionville's final score.
With the victory, Unionville (5-3 overall) now stands atop the Ches-Mont American Division with a perfect 4-0 record, with an Oct. 21 home game against 1-7 Octorara next on its schedule. Kennett's loss puts them in the middle of the Ches-Mont American pack with a 1-3 divisional record and a 3-5 overall mark. It will look to get back to its winning ways on Oct. 21 in Oxford, for a game against the 1-7 Hornets.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].
Staff Writer
To many who follow Kennett High School football, Kerry Tomasetti, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior, is the most valuable player on the team.
On defense, he is first on the team in quarterback sacks, and heads a linebacker corps that has shown signs of shut-down capability at various times this season. On offense, Tomasetti is the team's tight end, its leader in receptions, and ranks third in total yardage behind quarterback Jake Dilcher and running back Myles Robinson. In short, he is a key play maker on a young Kennett squad that is holding its head above water in a competitive Ches-Mont season.
While Tomasetti played a big part in holding cross-town rival Unionville to just one touchdown in the first half of an eventual 34-14 loss to the Indians last Friday night, he was a non-factor on offense, held to no catches, while on the other side of the field, Pat Clark's team ran over Kennett in the second half with a series of punishing runs by quarterback Joe Zubillaga and three touchdowns by running back Dante Graham.
Despite a considerable height advantage over Indian defensive back JT Hower, Tomasetti was persona non grata in Kennett's offensive plans in the first quarter, which was dominated Kennett's inability to move the ball into scoring position. An interception by defensive back Aidan Boyle snuffed out one Kennett drive. Unionville didn't fare any better, as Zubillaga was sacked by Tomasetti to end an early Indian scoring threat at midfield.
Unionville got on the scoreboard in the second quarter, on a 69-yard drive that began with a 15-yard sprint by Zubillaga, and a 40-yard strike from Zubillaga to Howser that was downed at the Kennett 10-yard line. It was spectacular grab by Howser, and set up a pitch to Graham and a one-yard touchdown plunge by Zubillaga with 7:40 left in the first half.
After kicker Matthew Mainwaring's extra-point kick veered wide of the posts, Kennett drove 65 yards, which was highlighted by a 43-yard run by running back Connor Hyzny that got the ball to the Unionville four-yard line. After Hyzny carried the ball to the one-yard line, Dilcher plunged into the end zone with 3:05 left in the half. An extra point by kicker James Tuley gave Kennett a 7-6 lead going into halftime, after a 35-yard field goal attempt by Mainwaring went wide with three seconds left in the half.
Despite two long runs by Robinson and Dilcher, Kennett's first possession of the second half was snubbed out by four penalties that led to Unionville inheriting the ball on the Kennett 20-yard line. On the first snap, Zubillaga ran in for the touchdown with 6:50 left in the third quarter, to give the Indians a 13-7 lead.
On Unionville's next set of downs, Graham was handed the ball six times, the last of which led to a one-yard touchdown run with 1:02 remaining in the third quarter that extended the Indians' lead to 20-7. At the start of the fourth quarter, a 73-yard scramble by Zubillaga led to Graham's second TD of the evening – an eight-yard run with 7:40 left in the game.
After Dilcher's one-yard TD keeper with 6:17 left cut down Unionville's lead to 27-14, the Indians again went to Graham, who ran nine yards for Unionville's final score.
With the victory, Unionville (5-3 overall) now stands atop the Ches-Mont American Division with a perfect 4-0 record, with an Oct. 21 home game against 1-7 Octorara next on its schedule. Kennett's loss puts them in the middle of the Ches-Mont American pack with a 1-3 divisional record and a 3-5 overall mark. It will look to get back to its winning ways on Oct. 21 in Oxford, for a game against the 1-7 Hornets.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].
