SAFR Football Helmet Covers: Safer Through Science
 
PA Football News Scoreboard powered by Circle W Sports
 
Leading Edge Fundraising
 
 
 

Downingtown East Makes Statement in Win Over Spring-Ford

 
Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

| September 19, 2026

DOWNINGTOWN: At times, the Downingtown East Cougars have shown signs of being a team with the potential to make a long run in the District 1 playoffs. On Friday night, the Cougars, who entered play undefeated at 2-0 and as the 7th-ranked team in 6A by PFN, made a statement that they are to be considered serious contenders come District 1 playoff time, overcoming an early deficit to earn a dominant 35-7 victory over the visiting Spring-Ford Rams in a non-league showdown. The Rams also entered play on Friday undefeated and were ranked among the Honorable Mentions in 6A by PFN.

“It’s been a while since we played a complete Downingtown football game against a quality opponent, “We’ve had some against other folks, but (Spring-Ford) is a quality team. I’m pretty proud of our guys. We challenged them. We’re playing a little bit here, a little bit there, but we haven’t really put it all together. I think we played complementary football.” Cougars head coach Michael Matta said of his team performance.

On offense, Julez Chiron-Robinson was his usual self, rushing for 150 yards and a total of three touchdowns. On defense, the Cougars were led by their pair of Defensive Ends, Abraham Sesay (Notre Dame commit) and Michael Schlachter (Villanova) terrorize the Rams’ offense; it was Madden Miller who shined the brightest on both sides of the ball.

On offense, Miller hauled in four passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, while on the defensive side he added two interceptions.

After both teams traded three-and-outs on their opening possessions, it was the Cougars’ defense that made the first big play of the game with Miller intercepting Kaden Pickersgil on the fourth play of the Rams’ second drive. Miller returned the ball to the Rams 33.

The Cougars took advantage of the short field, needing just four plays for Chiron-Robinson to find the endzone from 21 yards out, putting the Cougars up 6-0 after one.

The Rams countered that on their next drive, marching 80 yards on nine plays, with Phoenix Martin capping the drive with his eight-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, giving the Rams the 7-6 lead.

The Cougars’ offense exploded from that point on, scoring on their next three possessions to build a comfortable 28-7 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.

The Cougars took the 13-7 lead with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Chiron-Robinson hauling in an Ethan Ellis swing pass for a 6-yard touchdown.

Cougars’ defense got their second interception of the day, this one from Shane Keenan setting up the Cougars at the Ram 17. Six plays later Chiron-Robinson found the endzone for the third time in the half, this time from 3 yards out, making it 20-7.

A Ram three-and-out quickly ensued, and the Cougars took over once again and found the endzone when Ethan Ellis connected with Miller on a slant that went for the 41-yard touchdown. Chiron-Robinson added the two-point conversion and the Cougars headed into the locker room up 28-7.

“No one knows about Madden, but the man is a freak. He’s a freak of an athlete. He does that stuff all the time. He doesn’t look like much, but he’s a freak.” Matta said of Miller.

When asked about what he has learned from his team the first three weeks of the season, Miller said, “We play smashmouth football; we come out do our job 100 percent. 110 percent every play.” Miller added, “every week we need to come out and do the same thing it was a great night to get a win versus a great team.”

Ellis capped the scoring in the third quarter with his three-yard touchdown run. Ellis finished the game with a career-high 131 yards on 8 of 15 passing.


In the fourth quarter, the Rams had two chances to get on the scoreboard, but Miller’s second interception of the day this one in the endzone ended the Rams first chance, while the Cougars defense stopped the Rams for a second time with the clock expiring to prevent the Rams from getting any closer.

Next week both the Rams and Cougars open league play. The Rams open their PAC schedule by traveling to Boyertown. The Cougars open Chest-Mont league play with a cross-division game against Oxford. The Cougars will then open Chest-Mont North play against Bishop Shanahan on October 2.

 
 
PA Football News Scoreboard powered by Circle W Sports
 
Showcase by Circle W Sports
 
 
 
x