Upper Perkiomen's football team opened defense of its Pioneer Athletic Conference division title with a dominant performance last week against Phoenixville on the road, scoring on four consecutive second-half possessions and posting its third shutout of the season.
 

Zach Adam cuts past a Phoenixville defender on his way to a 65- yard touchdown run to open the scoring.  The Upper Perkiomen  senior collecte a game-high 170 yards on 13 carries.

            The Indians did few things wrong during a 41-0 victory in their Frontier Division opener on Friday, Sept. 25, at Washington Field. Only two minor blemishes in the kicking game spoiled an otherwise optimal performance.

            "This is an incredibly tough place to win in," head coach Dan Heinrichs said. "Phoenixville is an extremely physical team.

            Heinrichs credited the seniors for his team's ability to respond affirmatively from last week's lopsided loss to Kennett. He said the maturity of the players is something that can't be coached.
            "It shows we can overcome adversity," the coach said.
            The Tribe's offense scored six touchdowns. Senior quarterback Grayson Sabo continued his growth, running for two scores and throwing for another.
            Zack Adam scored a touchdown in each half for the team, which is currently 10th in the District One Class 5A power rankings. The senior running back, who averaged more than 11 yards per carry, collected a game-high 170 yards on 15 carries.

            Upper Perkiomen's defense forced two turnovers and limited Phantoms quarterback Lincoln DeFrain. Heinrichs credited Parker Munio and Braden O'Donnell for containing DeFrain, who Heinrichs described as dynamic on the run and as a passer on video.

            "The defensive line did a great job containing him," Heinrichs said.
            Munio, a junior linebacker, notched a game-high nine tackles, including 3 1/2 for a loss. O'Donnell, a senior defensive end, contributed seven tackles, including 2 1/2 for a loss and one sack for the Indians (1-0 PAC, 4-1 overall).

            Sabo led his team to the end zone on three consecutive possessions in the third quarter to extend a 14-0 halftime lead. He rushed for 44 yards on seven carries, including runs of 17 yards late in the first quarter and 15 yards late in the third quarter, while completing 6-of-8 passes for 160 yards. Aaron Maiden caught five passes for a team-high 104 yards, including a 19-yard TD reception that made it 34-0.  

            "We give Grayson more responsibility every week," Heinrichs said. "His confidence continues to grow. It speaks to his maturity and focus."

            Aiden Moyer, junior running back, had 53 yards on six carries during the fourth quarter. Hunter Guers, junior backup quarterback, capped the scoring with an eight-yard TD run with 38 seconds remaining.  

            Cameron Howard carried 18 times for 102 yards, 47 of which came on one play during the Phantoms' best scoring chance. However, the drive fizzled near Upper Perkiomen's goal line early in the third quarter. Quarterback Lincoln Defrain fumbled an exchange on first-and-goal from the two-yard line, and Estrela Kubola fell on it in the end zone.

            Corbin Engle's tackle ended Phoenixville's first offensive drive. He knocked Defrain out of bounds along the near sideline on fourth down to give his team possession.
            Two plays later, the Indians opened the scoring on Adam's first TD run, a 65-yard scamper. He cracked the line of scrimmage on a trap play, then juked a defender 15 yards downfield before racing untouched into the end zone.

            Sabo's 19-yard TD run with 18 seconds left in the second quarter opened a two-touchdown lead for the Tribe, which overcame 70 yards in penalties in the first half. He scored after faking a handoff to Adam before running untouched into the end zone off left tackle.

            Engle registered seven tackles. Nate Schramm posted five tackles, including a sack, while Kubola finished with five tackles.

            The team will host Pottstown at 7 p.m. Friday. Last season, it clinched the division title with a 21-6 road victory over Pottstown. According to Heinrichs, his team struggles against the Trojans because it has taken them for granted.