Bayard Rustin Golden Knights Roll Past Sun Valley Vanguards On Homecoming Night

Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News

Ted Podberesky | October 13, 2023

The Bayard Rustin Golden Knights hosted the Sun Valley Vanguards this Friday night, for their homecoming game. Rustin came into this game (5-1) looking for a win and to push their seeding higher for the playoffs, while Sun Valley (2-5) looked for an upset. The Golden Knights pull away in their homecoming game, winning over the Vanguards tonight 43-8. 

Sun Valley returned to start the game, showing off a new face at quarterback Matt Jackson. Rustin was calm and composed on the first drive of the game shutting down Jackson and running back Noah Griffin, forcing a three and out. 

Rustin received the ball and came out scorching hot, putting on a 57 yard drive down the field and into the endzone. Receiver Ryan Loper ended the drive with a 38 yard touchdown run weaving and bobbing in and out of traffic.

Sun Valley’s offense was shut down on their second drive of the game. The Golden Knights defensive line made multiple plays behind the line of scrimmage, stuffing the run and sacking Jackson in the backfield that led to another punt. 

With four minutes remaining in the 1st quarter, Rustin kept the run game pounding. Eventually, running back Chase Hatton found a hole and exploded up the middle and ran for a 41 yard touchdown. This put the Golden Knights up 14-0 with under two minutes remaining in the quarter.

Sun Valley started to move the ball after getting it back, Jackson hooked up with a couple teammates in Jack Penzone and Josh Yanonis. The Vanguards however, had an incomplete pass on third down around Rustin territory and were forced to punt to start the second quarter.

The Golden Knights went right back to their game plan after getting the football back. Run after run after run for the offense, but the Vanguards defense started to wake up. Linebackers Rocco Radico and Braden Kmett combined for a good tackle and forced a Golden Knights punt. However, Chase Hatton had a beautiful punt for Rustin pinning Sun Valley at their own one yard line. 

One play later Owen Shaadt broke through the line and sacked Matt Jackson for a safety, pushing Rustins lead to 16-0 while getting the football back. Rustin wasted no time after coming back onto the field, with just two plays later quarterback David McClain kept the ball and broke away to the outside for a 45 touchdown. 

Sun Valley tried to spread the field letting Jackson look for his targets, but ultimately nothing was open and Rustin was handed the ball again after a punt with five minutes remaining in the second quarter. It didn’t take long for the Golden Knights offense to get started again with momentum rolling, driving down the field and letting Ryan Loper punch in his second touchdown of the game from the one yard line.

Sun Valley got the ball back and quickly went into their no huddle offense trying to drive down field and put points on the board before halftime. Rustins defense had a different plan in mind however, cornerback LJ Beswick intercepted Jackson and ran down the field for around 20 yards.

The Golden Knights took advantage of this opportunity before halftime and let quarterback David McClain sling the rock, where he found Ryan Loper down the middle of the field on a busted coverage where he caught and ran into the endzone for a 40 yard touchdown before halftime. 

Rustin received to start the second half and immediately went back to what they know, running the ball. The first play of the third quarter Chase Hatton broke away for 50 yards, shedding off tacklers one by one. This drive ended with Hatton putting in an 8 yard touchdown run just two plays later to put the Golden Knights up 43-0 on the Vanguards.

Both teams went back and forth for the rest of the third and most of the fourth quarter. That was until quarterback Ben Romanoski for Sun Valley found Aidan Cook down the hashes on a 50 yard play with time winding down in the fourth quarter, Romanoski found his tight end Cook once again in the endzone the very next play. Romanoski then proceeded to keep it himself and run in for the two point conversion. 

After Rustin got the ball back they took one final kneel to take home a homecoming win over the Sun Valley Vanguards 43-8. 

Running back Chase Hatton for the Bayard Rustin Golden Knights, who ran for over 140 yards to pair with two touchdowns stated after the game that, “ There’s always gonna be room to improve, especially for myself but the key is to keep myself and my teammates focused on what’s next and how we can finish the season out on two more wins “.

Running back Noah Griffin for the Sun Valley Vanguards says that, “ You just gotta move on, tough loss tonight but picking your head up and being positive while not giving up is what matters “. 

Both teams are home next week with Sun Valley facing the Kennet Blue Demons while Bayard Rustin hosts the Great Valley Patriots.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews