Balanced attack gives Malvern opening win

By Carol McIntire

Editor

Malvern Coach Matt Chiurco was excited to get the first win of the season out of the way Aug. 23 at home against a new opponent -Youngstown Valley Christian.

“It’s always good to get  a win week 1,” Chiurco said after his Hornets defeated the visiting Eagles 36-16. “That was a relief. Now we can just go play.”

 The Hornets went into the game knowing they were facing a very strong running back in Ja’Sean Lindsey, a 5-10, 190-lb. senior who ran over 1,300 yards last season, and they would have to keep him in check.

“He’s a heck of a back,” Chiurco noted. “We knew he’d be one of the better backs we’ll see this year. We really concentrated on containing him and we did.”

The Malvern defense bent, but didn’t break as the squad gave up 294 total yards to one of the finalists for the WKBN Big 22 in 2023 and kept Lindsey out of the end zone for three and a half quarters. Lindsey gained 69 yards on 20 carries.

Malvern built a 29-0 lead before they allowed Lindsey to find the end zone for the first time on a one-yard run with 5:46 left in the fourth period. He added another score with 4:13 left in the game on a three-yard run. 

Malvern, which was expected to utilize the arm of  All-Ohio quarterback Jared Witherow, found success on the ground with the one-two punch of Julius Gore and Drake Hutchison.

When asked about the pair of junior running backs following the game, the fourth-year coach was quick to give them credit.  

“They are two really good backs,” he said. “Sometimes they get the short end of the stick because we’ve had some really good passing teams the last few years. I think early on they (Valley Christian) were so focused on Julius that when Drake came in, they thought maybe we were going to throw to him, but hey, we’re going to run because he is good.”

Hutchison rushed for 108 yards on eight carries and Gore picked up 56 yards on 10 carries. 

Early in the contest, the Valley Christian defense was stingy in giving up yards on the ground. 

Chiurco looked to his veteran duo of Witherow and Rodney Smith to get things going.

Witherow, a first team All-Ohio pick last year, found Smith open down the right side for a 55-yard catch and run touchdown to open the scoring in the first quarter. Tyler Cobb’s extra point was blocked. Malvern led 6-0 at the 5:02 mark.

On Malvern’s next possession, early in the second quarter, Witherow and Smith teamed up again, this time for a 21-yard score. Gore added the two-point conversion to give the hosts a 14-0 lead. 

“Rodney was huge for us tonight,” Chiurco said. “When we needed him in the first half, he was huge. In the second half the run opened up and we took advantage of it.”

Smith caught four passes for 108 yards. Witherow completed 11 of 15 passes for 132 yards.

Malvern’s lead stretched to 16-0 when a fourth down snap on a punt sailed over the head of Eagle punter Deion Miller and out of the end zone for a safety.

The Hornets began pounding the ball on the ground. Hutchison scored on a 37-yard run following the Eagles’ free kick that came after the safety. Cobb’s kick was good to stretch the lead to 23-0. 

Gore found the end zone on Malvern’s next possession, scampering the final 10 yards after taking every handoff in a 37-yard drive. Cobb’s kick was good.   

Chiurco gave credit to his offense.

“We have a lot of weapons offensively,” he said assessing his team’s performance. “We had some guys who were… were just ok tonight, but when we all get going, I think we’re going to be pretty darn good.”

Up next is a road trip to Leesville to take on the Conotton Valley Rockets.

“It’s always fun to go there,” the coach said. “They are like us: small school football. They have  some nice skill players back. It’s going to be hot this week so we have to watch the cramping and make sure we have a good week of practice.”