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Pottsgrove Shakes Off Rough Start Routs Sun Valley

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

| September 5, 2026

ASTON: It’s not how you start something but how you finish it. On Friday night, the Pottsgrove Falcons got off to a rocky start, finding themselves down 7-0 just three plays into their game against the Sun Valley Vanguards, but that was just a minor hiccup for the Falcons, who quickly bounced back, exploding for 49 unanswered points on their way to a 49-15 rout of the host Vanguards.

The Falcons won the toss and elected to defer giving the Vanguards the game’s opening possession and went right away to their bag of tricks with Shane Jackson attempting a Halfback pass that fell incomplete two plays later however the Vanguards found the end zone with Shane Steinmetz pitching the ball back to Zion Cuthorn who then proceeded to race 59-yards for the Vanguards touchdown and the 7-0 lead just 59 seconds into the game.

“Our defense came out; they had two trick plays in the first four plays. That’s a testament to Sun Valley, and that’s good coaching over there. But other guys responded; I thought they were stout the rest of the game. That offense they(Sun Valley) runs is tough; that’s alignment and assignment defense, and we did a heck of a job. I’m very proud of our guys.” Falcons head coach Billy Hawthrone said, “That’s a good Sun Valley team over there, and they are going to be a force.”

The Falcons responded instantly on their first play of the game. Ellijah Scalafford took the handoff from Ryan Lucci and raced down the Falcon sideline before being brought down at the Vanguard 13-yard line. Three plays later, Lucci was in the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7.

The Falcons quickly forced the Vanguards to a three-and-out on their next possession, and the Falcons needed just four plays to take the lead when Jarel Phinnessee took an option pitch from Lucci and scored from 12-yards out.

In the second quarter, Lucci added to the Falcons’ lead with a QB sneak, making it 21-7 heading into the locker room at halftime.

 


The Falcons’ opening possession of the second half ended in a turnover when Mason Scharrer hit Lucci as he was throwing, and DL Tyler Fall was able to come up with the interception. The Falcons’ defense responded to the turnover, forcing a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession. On the first play of the ensuing  Falcons drive, Lucci kept the ball on an option and raced 70 yards for the touchdown and the 28-7 lead.

“Ryan Lucci is my kind of Quarterback; he does everything we ask him to do, he stays within our system, and plays our triple option about as well as you can. He makes our offense go by doing exactly what we want and by my playing in our system. “Hawthorne said of Lucci’

On the ensuing Vanguard drive, the Falcons defense got in on the scoring when Marquis White intercepted Steinmetz and returned it 30 yards for the touchdown, making it 35-7 with 2:13 left in the 3rd quarter.

“I just saw the receiver do that hitch route; I saw the QB look his way, and I jumped it,” White said of the interception.

The Falcons needed just one play on their next possession to extend their lead to 42-7 when Lucci took to the air and connected with Montee Johnson for a 48-yard touchdown. “Once we got our run game strong and we got our reads, I tell my line to keep up the good work, then we throw one deep on them,” Lucci said of the offense, adding, “I can always count on my line to block for me; they are strong throughout the game always. ”

Colton Milone capped the scoring for the Falcons with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown. Quadir Kenney capped the scoring with a touchdown run for the Vanguards.

The Falcons will look to improve to 3-0 when they host West Chester Henderson in their home opener next Thursday, while the Vanguards will look to get back in the win column when they travel to Pottstown also on next Thursday.

 

 
 
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