For most everyone, this is the best week of the entire high school football season. Sure, aside from the old cliché that it’s the only time during the campaign that quite literally everyone has a 0 beside their name under the loss column on the season ledger, it’s the promise that a new season, a new journey is set to unfold that is ripe with hope and promise. And quite frankly, for the two teams that found themselves kicking off the 2024 slate inside the village of West Grove on Friday evening, promise is exactly what the doctor would’ve ordered.
For the home team, the Avon Grove Red Devils, 2024 likely couldn’t have come soon enough as far as they figured to be concerned. For a program that is understandably itching at the chance to finish above water in the terms of the .500 mark once the dust finally settles, it looked for all the world heading down the stretch of last season that their long-awaited calamine lotion was at finally their disposal. Until it wasn’t unfortunately.
Upon heading into the month of October last fall, Avon Grove appeared to be sitting pretty while owning a 4-2 record through the first six weeks of the season collectively. However, the Devils would unfortunately be shutout through the duration of the tenth month of the calendar year by going 0-4 down the final furlong, including coming up excruciatingly close in a pair of those games via cruel overtime defeats at the hands of Bishop Shannahan and Interboro respectively.
Even still, for a Red Devil team that brought back it’s fair share of talent from a squad that seemed poised to finally finish with a winning record a year ago, here sat their first opportunity in terms of making sure 2024 that would at long last be the year that the Red Devils, well, vanquished their devils and demons of old quite frankly.
In many ways, the same could be said for their opponents on opening night as well.
For the longest-tenured varsity football coach currently in Lancaster County, Warwick’s Bob Locker, he’s seen a thing or two –or three– over the past 24 years. There’s obviously been the various peaks and valleys that come with overseeing a public high school football program along the way for sure, but the highs have been incredibly high, but particularly of late. Granted, aside from the talent within the program itself which has sent scores of alums into the collegiate ranks, both of the 5-star variety and otherwise, not the least of which includes one currently fighting for a roster spot in an NFL training camp at the moment, the team success of late has also been unparalleled in terms of the program’s history in general. In fact, had it not been for an ill-timed COVID outbreak at the school that forced a forfeiture in the 2020 District 3 championship game, one could make an argument that the Warwick Warriors could’ve easily made the state championship game, if not won it outright, had it not been for a once-in-a-generation pandemic standing in their path. And perhaps that was why more than ever Warwick was eager and set to get a jump start on the 2024 campaign considering how their 2023 venture, one which resulted in a final 3-7 overall mark come the end of it, had served as the lone outlier in terms of this school’s golden age on the football field over the last decade or so if you will.
Suffice to say, for two programs that seemed to be entering 2024 with eerily similar vibes and narratives, a close encounter figured to be afoot. Sure enough, that’s exactly what transpired over the course of 48 minutes in Chester County on Friday night. And as it turned out, it would be the home team that would leave the happiest come the end of it.
Perhaps it could’ve been a harbinger of things to come as the game itself was concerned, but the opening play from scrimmage foretold a storyline that would largely develop for both teams over the duration of the evening—offensive struggles.
On said play, while nonetheless invigorated by a marvelous 36-yard kickoff return by Warwick junior wideout, Bode Madara, which allowed the Warriors to set up shop squarely at the midfield stripe, a botched snap on the first play understandably set the guests behind the proverbial 8-ball. In fact, while only being able to pick up three yards over the course of the next two plays from there, a three-and-out allowed Avon Grove to begin their first drive of the season, albeit way back at their own 7-yard line with 10:20 showing on the first quarter clock.
Conversely, as far as the Red Devils were concerned, their first offensive play would be far better in comparison considering how it would result in a 28-yard pitch and catch between a pair of AG seniors, quarterback Frank Hoogerwerff and wideout Sebastian Binstead respectively, ushering the hosts out from the shadows of their own goalposts.
Of course, Avon Grove wouldn’t turn down unsolicited help if it happened to present itself either.
In that regard, while it appeared as if Warwick had successfully turned AG’s opening march away with a sack on 3rd & 10 from the very same 35-yard line in the aftermath of the opening play, a facemask call whistled against the Warriors gave Avon Grove a fresh set of downs of which to work with. Yet while AG would be able to eventually penetrate into Warwick’s side of the field, a later incompletion on 3rd & 14 brought on the Avon Grove punt team.
However, the punt itself never got off the ground. Why? For Warwick’s Vinny Bagonis no doubt as the Warriors’ junior defensive lineman came charging through the Red Devil’s protection unit and came away the block for his efforts, setting his offensive mates up at the 50-yard for the second time in as many possessions.
Even still, Warwick would get halted yet again despite their auspicious field position.
In this instance, the nail in the coffin for the Warriors’ second series was inserted by way of Avon Grove senior linebacker, Zach Sheridan, on 4th & 7 at the AG 29-yard line, giving the ball back to the Devils’ offense with a fast-moving first stanza quickly wrapping itself up.
But here too was Warwick’s staunch defensive unit serving as an equal opportunity employer when it came to halting their opponent’s second series.
Like their counterparts found on the opposite sideline, Avon Grove would also fall victim to a sack, this courtesy of Warwick’s Owen Hursh, on a 3rd & 10 play which effectively saw the Devils net negative yardage over the course of three plays and out.
Needless to say, if someone could find their offensive footing and work free from some early molasses, it would figure to be nothing if not vital.
Well, it at long last seemed as if Warwick had been the fortunate ones to cease the initial slog as a 62-yard pitch and catch from Thomas Myers to the aforementioned Owen Hursh, this from his tight end position, resulted in a touchdown on the first play of the Warriors’ ensuing offensive drive. That was of course until a piece of yellow cloth was found sitting back well behind the ongoing celebration in the distant endzone as a block-in-back out on the perimeter tagged against the guests brought everything back entirely which seemed apropos for an opening dozen minutes which ended with a 0-0 stalemate.
Speaking of offensive mojo, the shoe would be on the other foot come the beginning of the second frame.
After being awarded with marvelous field position following a low snap on a Warwick punt which forced the punter to have his knee touch the ground just prior to getting the kick off marking him down in the process, the Devils began their third drive just outside the Warwick redzone at the 28-yard line.
Yet here again, even when they too looked prime to punch things in, they were met with staunch defensive resistance.
In fact, despite penetrating as deep as the Warwick 9-yard line following a sweet 11-yard scoot by Sebastian Binstead on a 3rd & 2 play earlier in the drive, a tipped pass on third & goal later on resulted in Warwick’s Tyler Musser coming away with the theft at the goal line as the Warriors’ junior safety’s interception helped Avon Grove settle for nothing in this ongoing defensive slugfest.
And while it may only be the first game in a very long season, the upcoming Warwick drive following the takeaway may perhaps serve as to how the Warriors figure to bring the fight their remaining nine opponents the rest of the way.
Behind a methodical, run-first and sprinkle in the pass game as needed formula, the Warriors gradually reasserted command of the game’s narrative throughout much of the second period. Case in point, a triumvirate of successful third down conversions being utilized to prolong it, one by the legs of junior running back, Malachi Rodriquez, for 5 yards on a 3rd & 2 play, and two via the right arm of fellow junior, quarterback Thomas Myers, on a pair of 3rd & 10’s and 9’s respectively, Warwick plodded their course to the Avon Grove 5-yard line after eating up nearly eight minutes of the second quarter clock in the process.
That said, despite an impressive march, it would end without six. Yes, in a game where points were presenting themselves as extremely hard to come by, three wouldn’t be so bad all things considered. For that, out came Warwick sophomore kicker, Evan Hartel, as the Warriors’ underclassman not only broke the current stalemate with his right foot, but he also authored the only points of the entire first half as it turned out as Warwick carried the 3-0 lead with them into the dressing room over the course of the final 91 seconds in the aftermath of his 22-yard field goal.
Without a doubt, if you fancy yourself as someone who enjoys hard-nosed defenses being the ones to write the game’s overall narrative, you were experiencing football nirvana thus far. And hey, the third quarter too wouldn’t exactly lessen your current high either as three-and-outs, punts, and some sacks tossed in the recipe too just for good measure eventually resulted in that same 3-0 Warwick lead upon entering the final 12 minutes on Friday night at the campus of Avon Grove Middle School.
By this juncture, it was obvious that was Warwick’s defensive prowess was getting under the Red Devils’ collective skin. Aside from the visible frustration that came after unsuccessful after unsuccessful negotiations with the Warriors on the opposite side of the ball, there was the audible instances of, “Let’s go O” that came when the Devils’ offensive 11 retired to their sideline with the punt team marching on the field past them.
But whether you consider patience to be a virtue in life or not, it most certainly paid off for Avon Grove on the football field on Friday night.
As if to be birthed by a fresh start that came with the onset of a brand-new quarter of play, the Red Devils quite literally wasted little to no time in finally getting their offensive track shoes on.
Sure enough, on the very first play of the final period, Avon Grove was able to puncture the Warwick defensive bubble once and for all as a gorgeous 48-yard touchdown toss lobbed from Frank Hoogerwerff into the mitts of Sebastian Binstead and over top of a pair of Warwick defensive backs in the process made it a 6-3 contest with 11:52 left to be played and momentum clearing reside on the home sideline albeit the ensuing PAT which doinked off the left upright.
Did we mention Avon Grove had seized momentum? If that hadn’t already become apparent, it would over the course of the next few minutes for certain.
After holding Warwick to a timely three-and-out on the Warriors’ ensuing offensive series following the initial score, the Red Devils went right back to work while eager to capitalize on their newfound mojo.
Speaking of mojo, the connection of Hoogerwerff to Binstead proved vital in its overall concoction as Binstead sat himself down inside the Warwick zone on a key 3rd & 12 play, securing the 14-yard reception, while also helping usher the hosts within a whisker of penetrating the redzone in the process. And truth be told, but that’s all the further Avon Grove needed to go from there as Hoogerwerff proceeded to call his own number from his quarterback spot by first going to his left, then careening across the face of the Warriors’ flowing defense, all before the senior triggerman’s 21-yard zigzagging touchdown run which made it a gargantuan nine-point advantage at 12-3 following an unsuccessful two-point try with 9:12 left to be played.
By this juncture, it became readily apparent that Warwick needed to find something offensively of which they hadn’t yet discovered on the evening as a whole. And for a moment, it seemed as if they indeed found something tangible to work with in Thomas Myers using his physically imposing frame to run between the tackles when the situation called for it, often creating a rugby scrum of sorts in the process with a host of defenders trying to bring him to the turf. Beyond that, the Warriors’ two-minute drill operation seemed to be relatively good form in keeping the Devil’s defense off-kilter as well considering that would largely be the catalyst for Warwick drumming up some offensive success, not the least of which included a dynamite throw from Myers to Owen Hursh down the seam on a 4th & 7 play for a 32-yard pickup which moved the visiting troops inside the Avon Grove 20 and time becoming a huge factor.
That said, as if to be a microcosm of sorts when it came to the night at large, just when it seemed as if Warwick could get something in gear, Avon Grove just as quickly threw the car right back into neutral.
Here too, despite getting all the way down to the Red Devil 5-yard line, Avon Grove’s defense would refuse to yield once more and turn away one more serious Warwick threat to put a lasting stamp on an impressive defensive display once the dust had finally settled following a final 4th & 5 pass attempt at the 13-yard line which in and of itself seemed to be a missed connection.
And once that dust did settle, the scoreboard lights displayed Avon Grove being the ones to successfully author the first chapter in their 2024 storyline as the Red Devils walked away with a hard-fought 12-3 victory to start the year 1-0 over their visitors from Warwick.
NEXT UP: From here, Avon Grove will look to keep their good vibes going as the Devils enter Week 2 while not only looking to start 2-0, but by also knocking off Penn Wood for what would be the fourth consecutive year in the process, as AG travels to take on a Patriots’ squad fresh off a tough 28-24 setback at the hands of Norristown on Friday evening.
For Warwick, to road to ho doesn’t exactly get any easier come next weekend either. Come Friday night, the Warriors will find themselves on the road again, this time in Lampeter, as they tangle with one of the perennial stalwarts of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, Lampeter-Strasburg, a team who just posted a resounding 26-point road victory over their southern neighbors from Solanco for the “Milk Jug” in their season lid-lifter. That said, while obviously the Warwick offense still needs time to get up to speed somewhat if this past Friday night was to serve as any larger indication, the good news is that the Warriors’ defense appears ready to shoulder the burden for as long as that might require. For if Warwick can consistently pair a defensive showing the likes of Friday night against Avon Grove the rest of the way, the Warriors will nonetheless find themselves in every single fight this season without being overmatched in the slightest. And once the offense does indeed figure to get on track as the compliment to it, Warwick figures to be headache for the rest of Section Three of the Lancaster-Lebanon League to contend with this season. Or, in other words, getting Warwick right back to the place they’ve always seem to reside when it comes to recent memory.
