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Indians receiver steps up, scores two touchdowns in win
by Jake Hallman, Special to the Pottstown Mercury
Posted on September 22, 2007
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| NHSCA Sports Network photo/Joe Evans |
| UP's Ryan Connor had a game-high 120 yards on the ground, including one touchdown. |
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| NHSCA Sports Network photo/Joe Evans |
| Justin Kresge led the passing attack for the Indians, throwing for 128 yards with 2 scores. |
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| NHSCA Sports Network photo/Joe Evans |
| Pottstown QB Jim Cassel threw for 85 yards and ran for another 107 in the Trojans loss. |
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POTTSTOWN - There weren't many football fans, Upper Perk and Pottstown alike, who thought the Indians could replace go-to wide receiver Justin Horning.
But someone forgot to tell that to Horning's replacement, Upper Perk's Jordan Force.
While Horning continues to recover from a serious spleen injury he suffered last Friday night, Force got the chance to showcase his skills in Friday night's Pioneer Athletic Conference contest at Grigg Memorial Field.
And Force picked up right where Horning left off as the junior scored two touchdowns in his first varsity start, leading all receivers with five catches for 72 yards. His effort, behind a ground game that racked up 265 yards, led the Indians to a 35-14 victory.
"Before the game, I was a little nervous, but once I made that first catch, everything was fine," Force said, who will continue to play a starting role as Horning is expected to miss the bulk of the season. "I thought the ball would be distributed a little more, so I was surprised."
While Horning said he may have been surprised, the 6-foot-1, 160-pounder showed no signs of nervousness. Force's first catch, a 20-yard touchdown from quarterback Justin Kresge (6-8, 128 yards, 2 TDs), opened the scoring for the Indians, and he tacked on a 16-yard scoring grab right before the half to put the visitors ahead, 21-6.
The Indians (2-0, 3-1) got a one-two punch at quarterback from Kresge, who sat out the second half with an ankle injury, and Tom Paul (3-5, 56, TD). Nick Edmunson was the recipient of Kresge's other touchdown, a 35-yard aerial that spotted the Tribe a two-touchdown lead.
On the ground it was the ever-reliable Ryan Connor who shouldered the load for the visitors with 14 carries for 120 yards and a score. Shawn Wenhold racked up 69 yards on 14 lugs.
"What can I say about this team?" said Upper Perk head coach Keith Leamer.
"We've been through so much adversity and somewhere, somehow somebody steps up to get the job done with whoever goes down.
"We worked hard with Jordan Force, he comes in in his first varsity start and catches two touchdowns, that's unbelievable. It's a credit to the kids and the coaching staff for getting these kids ready to play football."
Upper Perk came ready to play football, but so did Pottstown. The Trojans (1-1, 1-2 overall) mustered just 14 points but saw three trips inside the Indians' 10-yard line come up short.
Senior quarterback Jimmy Cassel, who came into the contest 174 yards short of 1,000 career passing yards, showed he can get the job done with his feet as well. Cassel led the Trojans with 107 yards on 16 carries and added a 6-15 effort for 85 yards and a touchdown through the air. Cassel's offensive prowess showed at the half as the senior accounted for 178 of the Trojans' 183 total yards.
And first-year head Pottstown coach Brett Myers made it very clear he has no qualms about running his quarterback.
"Cassel's not a quarterback, he's a football player, and he's one of the better football players we have, so we'll use him as a football player," Myers said. "If you have a good football player you don't hold him back, you let him play."
What did hold Pottstown back were some key turnovers. Cassel scampered for a 57-yard keeper late in the first quarter to the Indians' 4-yard line. But on the next play, Upper Perk's Ty Frank recovered a fumble to thwart the drive. A later trip to the Tribe's red zone in the second quarter ended at the 11-yard line and Upper Perk's Michael Keller intercepted a pass on the 4-yard line to turn away one of the Trojans' best scoring chances in the third quarter.
The Trojans did find the end zone, though. Andre Brown hauled in a 31-yard offering from Cassel on a deep post in the second quarter, and Kelvin Garner ripped off a 72-yard touchdown off right tackle late in the fourth, capped off by a two-point conversion pass from Jeff Endy to Chris Yauger.
"Good football teams don't make mistakes and we obviously made mistakes," Myers said. "If we want to improve, we have to limit mistakes."
NOTES
Upper Perk's defensive efforts were highlighted by half-sacks from Alderfer, Dane Kress, Chase Fleming and Nick Hale. The Indians' Tom Artim recovered an onsides kick in the first quarter and Britt Kerr broke up a pass. Upper Perk running backs Ryan Connor scored on a three-yard plunge in the fourth quarter and Cody Fleming bulled his way in from nine yards out early in the final frame. ... Pottstown's Ivan Bookard, Raphael Hueber and Andrew Bonenberger all tallied tackles for a loss.
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