Resilient Effort from Rustin Helps In Victory Over Downingtown East

Tagged under: District 1

Willie McGonigle | October 4, 2025

WESTTOWN: When you’ve been around the game as much as West Chester Rustin Mike St. Clair has been, you know what it takes to win big games, and you develop a style that works for your program. For Rustin, it’s tough, hard-nosed run heavy offense with stellar defense. On Friday night, that’s what St. Clair’s Golden Knights delivered, jumping out to a first-half lead and showing never-say-quit attitude to rally from a second-half deficit to knock off the visiting Downingtown East Cougars 31-14.

“Most of our guys go both ways, and tonight they were tired, but they kept fighting and fighting, and they got the win over a great football team.” St. Clair said of his team’s effort.

After trading punts on the first four possessions of the game, the Golden Knights got something going on their third drive of the game, piecing together a 10-play 91-yard drive that ended with Max Blane connecting with Luke Matthias in the end zone for 4 4-yard touchdown.

On the ensuing drive Golden Knights again forced the Cougars to go three and out, but then on the punt, Nicky Santangelo managed to get his hands on the punt, and the Golden Knights took over on the Cougars’ 37. From there, the Golden Knights drove down to the Cougars 1 1-yard line before having to settle for a 19-yard field goal by Owen Schaddt to send the Golden Knights into the locker room leading 10-0.

In the first half, the Golden Knights ran the ball at will against the Cougars, rushing for 141 of their 210 yards.

In the third quarter, the Cougars came out, fired out, and wasted no time cutting into the Golden Knights’ lead. On the first play from scrimmage, their dangerous playmaker Juelz Chiron Robinson busted through the Golden Knights for a 75-yard touchdown. Following a Golden Knight punt on their first possession of the second half, the Cougars put together a 14-play 73-yard drive that was capped with a 15-yard touchdown by Robinson, giving the Cougars the 14-10 lead after three quarters of play. Robinson finished the game with 188 yards on 35 carries.

In the second play of the fourth quarter, the Golden Knights had to punt the ball to the Cougars who appeared to have all the momentum going for them but then the Cougars fumbled the return and Zak Impriano fell on it for the Golden Knights giving them possession on the Cougars 4 yard line and three plays later the Golden Knights took the lead back with touchdowns run by Colin Baldesari.

“Special teams are a big part of the game and (East has) good special teams,” St. Clair said, adding, “But when you are dealing with 16 and 17-year-old kids, things happen, and tonight we got the turnovers. Coach (Mike) Matta likes to pound the ball just like we do, and our kids have been in a lot of big games, and they battle and battle.

On their next drive, the Golden Knights extended their lead with two-yard touchdown runs by Will Garner, putting the Golden Knights up 24-14. Following an interception by Santangelo, Garner added a second touchdown run, icing the victory for the Golden Knights.

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