The Sun Valley Vanguards (1-3) took the field under the lights of Dr. Wally Stadium, facing off against the Oxford Hornets (2-2). After a tough loss to Wissahickon, Sun Valley was looking for redemption, while Oxford rode the high of their victory over Pottstown last week. That momentum carried through, as Oxford stormed into the Vanguards’ home turf and claimed a 29-14 win.
The action kicked off with a spark from Sun Valley’s Jhamil Smith, who returned the opening kickoff 47 yards down the field, setting up what looked to be a promising first drive for the Vanguards. Quarterback RJ Scharrer took the reins, but the Hornets’ defense stood strong, forcing a quick turnover on downs.
On the flip side, Oxford’s quarterback Aidan Kane wasted no time establishing the ground game. Running back Joel McClain pounded through for short gains, though the Hornets couldn’t convert on third down, leading to a punt.
Scharrer came out hot on the Vanguards’ next possession, completing three straight passes. But just as momentum was building, Oxford’s Nate Winters picked off Scharrer and raced down to the Sun Valley 17-yard line.
Oxford Strikes First
Oxford capitalized immediately. McClain took the ball into the red zone and broke loose for a 16-yard touchdown, giving the Hornets a 7-0 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter.
Sun Valley answered right back. Scharrer found his target, Josh Yanonis, in the end zone on a 6-yard pass to tie it up 7-7. The Vanguards played smart, controlling the clock and limiting Oxford’s time with the ball as the first quarter ticked away.
Starting the second quarter near midfield, Oxford struggled to move the chains, thanks to a clutch third-down stop by Sun Valley’s Ben Romanoski. But the Hornets’ defense responded with a stop of their own, quickly putting the ball back in Kane’s hands. Their offensive line took control, creating openings for McClain, who punched in his second touchdown of the night. Oxford extended their lead to 14-7 with five minutes left in the half.
Sun Valley fought back, driving deep into Oxford’s territory. But a near-completion to Jhamil Smith was broken up by Nate Winters, who grabbed his second interception of the game, ending the Vanguards’ hopes of scoring before halftime.
Oxford maintained their 14-7 lead going into the break.
The Hornets came out of halftime on fire. Kane connected with Winters for a 32-yard strike, and after a few more successful runs, Winters finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown. Kane then took it himself for a two-point conversion, boosting the Hornets’ lead to 22-7 midway through the third quarter.
Sun Valley attempted to rally, keeping things simple by feeding playmakers like Jack Penzone and tight end Aidan Cook. Yanonis came through again with a clutch third-down conversion, moving the Vanguards into Oxford territory. But disaster struck inside the 10-yard line when Scharrer was stripped by linebacker Braden Hunt, allowing the Hornets to recover the fumble.
Kane and McClain milked the clock as the third quarter ended, with Oxford holding a commanding 22-7 lead heading into the final stretch. In the fourth, Sun Valley’s defense made a critical play. Jhamil Smith picked off Kane and raced 55 yards for a pick-six, narrowing the gap to 22-14 with just 10 minutes left.
Oxford Seals the Victory
Oxford, however, wasn’t rattled. Kane orchestrated a methodical, clock-draining drive, sharing the workload with McClain. Inside the Vanguards’ 10-yard line, Kane found a gap behind his offensive line and powered through for a 5-yard touchdown, pushing Oxford’s lead to 29-14 with only minutes remaining. Sun Valley’s last-ditch effort to mount a comeback fell short after another turnover on downs.Â
What’s Next?
Oxford now moves to 3-2 and will host Unionville next week, while Sun Valley drops to 1-4 and prepares to face Kennett at home.
