Central Bucks South, Dispatches Coatesville 21-20 in PIAA District 1, 6A playoffs
Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs
Mike Livingston | November 4, 2023
WARRINGTON. PA – It’s been seven years since the Titans of Central Bucks High School won a playoff game. those fortunes were changed tonight.
Coming into their District 1, 6A, first-round playoff matchup, on the heels of a magical 9-1 campaign, the Titans were riding a high. Though they’d be faced with one of the toughest challengers around, in the form of perennial contenders; the Red Raiders of Coatesville High School. The Raiders, winners of seven consecutive Ches-Mont championships and back-to-back District 1, 6A titles in 2017 and 2018 were the underdog coming into the contest, but not by a lot.
After the Titans began the game with a three-and-out, the veteran Coatesville club struck first. Sophomore quarterback Matt Ortega hit senior wide receiver Amir Haskett for a 25-yard touchdown pass to make the score 7-0 Raiders early.
Despite the quick shift in momentum, which left a rowdy Central Bucks crowd silent, the Titans struck right back in a big way. Quarterback Owen Pinkerton hit Anthony Leonardi on a short route, Leonardi broke a few Coatesville tackles and was off to the races, tying the game at seven a piece on a 55-yard catch and run touchdown.
As the second quarter progressed, the offenses fell silent, with both defenses taking center stage forcing three-and-out after three-and-out. Finally, as the half came to a close it was Leonardi once again making his mark. This time with a 60-yard touchdown run with only 15.7 seconds to go in the half, giving C.B. South a 14-7 lead heading into the break.
Following a few more three-and-outs to begin to the second half, it was Coatesville who decided to take their shot. Senior defensive back, Donte London blocked the C.B. South punt at the 40-yard line, setting up C-Ville in prime field position.
The Raiders waned the clock down to the final minutes of the 3rd quarter as they knocked on the door of the Titan endzone. After being stopped on 1st, 2nd and 3rd-and-goal, Coatesville called a timeout to dial up the game tying score. However, on 4th-and-goal from the three yard line, runningback Damon Watson was stuffed on the goaline by the C.B. South defense. Forcing a Titan takeover up agaisnt their own endzone.
After a quick C.B. three and out, from their own goalline, Coatesville took control once again and this time didn’t miss. Ortega let it fly for Haskett once again on a 30-yard score to bring the tally to 14-14 as time expired in the 3rd period.
On the ensuing drive, it was C.B. who nearly struck back, driving down to the Coatesville 20 yard line before opting to attempt a field goal. However, the attempt was blocked as the Raiders took over once again with a chance to take the lead.
But as the story had gone for most of the game, the Raiders would punt following a three-and-out, eventually earning a personal foul penalty that set the Titans up on the C-Ville 30-yard-line. Then, on the first play of the C.B. South drive, running back Corey Moore broke through the Raider defense to score the go-ahead touchdown making the score 21-14 Titans with only a few minutes remaining.
With the crowd, the clock and the Titans against them, Coatesville took over on one last drive to keep their season alive, and tie and game or go ahead. The Raiders began to drive but had their backs against the wall in a 4th and 1 situation, however it was Haskett once again who broke free and set the Raiders up in the redzone as they looked to close the deficit.
An Ortega pass and then run on back to back plays set Coatesville up with 1st and goal, where who-else but Haskett would rush one up the middle for the touchdown, bringing his Raiders within one (21-20) and leaving all of southern Bucks County in stun silence.
Though just as the football gods give, they taketh away, and that’s what happened as Coatesville opted to go for two following the score. The Raiders ordered a pitch to Haskett on the right side, and saw their season go down the drain as their star receiver was swarmed before he even got back to the line of scrimmage, all but sealing the game for the Titans of Central Bucks South.
The playoff win, while marking an important moment for school also marks the first in the career of C.B. South head coach, Tom Hetrick.
“This is one of the top three or four wins I’ve ever been a part of in thirty years of coaching,” coach Hetrick said following the win. “This is a great gorup of kids, it’s an outstanding group of football players and it’s just so exciting I get share in what their feeling out their today.”
While emotions were high following the game, none may have been higer than those of senior running back Anthony Leonardi, who caught a 55-yard touchdown and rushed for another 60-yard score in the win.
“I think we really executed our plays better, it really came down to that,” said Leonardi. “But the emotions are crazy man, my senior season, to be able to get a playoff win, it means the world.”
The Titans got their first playoff win since 2016 and will move on to the second round of the District 1, 6A playoffs to face Spring-Ford High School next weekend.
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