After a scoreless first half, the Golden Knights put up 21 in the third and fourth quarters.
The Bayard Rustin football team opened their season Friday night in Penncrest with a convincing 21-0 victory over the Lions. The Golden Knights got touchdowns from CJ Steinmetz, Duke-bound senior Anthony Nash, and 22. Senior quarterback Mike Delaney threw a pair of touchdown passes in his second career start.
IN SHORT
In the early going, Penncrest appeared to have the advantage--driving methodically and consistently converting long third downs on the strength of the right arm of junior quarterback Shane Donnelly. The Lions failed to convert yardage into points though, as their two long first half drives stalled inside the ten and kicker Jeremy Gonzales missed the subsequent field goals.
After the scoreless first, Rustin took over. Sophomore Eric Dunion blocked a Lion punt two minutes into the third quarter and Rustin, unlike their opponent, capitalized on the opportunity: on third down, Delaney found a wide-open Steinmetz up the seam for a 29-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
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Seven minutes later, the Golden Knights scored again on a beautiful 22-yard touchdown rush by halfback Joe Palladino. The senior leapt over one defender and bowled through another for the score.
With 7:35 remaining in the game, wide receiver Anthony Nash caught a pass in the flat and tore up the visiting sideline to give Rustin a 21-0 lead and put the proverbial nail in the coffin.
GOLDEN KNIGHT OF THE GAME
Mike Delaney--With star receiver Anthony Nash facing steady double-teams, Delaney checked down thoughtfully and fed slot man CJ Steinmetz to the tune of a 100-plus yard
night.
OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
CJ Steinmetz--In addition to his touchdown, the senior caught a 71-yard pass in the final period that set up Nashʼs score.
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Eric Dunion--The sophomores blocked punt swung the momentum, irreversibly, in the Golden Knights favor.
COACHʼS TAKE
“Our top receiver was under heavy coverage the entire game, but our quarterback adjusted and took what they gave him,” said head coach Mike St. Clair.
THEY SAID IT
“I just ran through the line, they tried to get a running back to chip me, and I ran right in front of the kick. It got me right in the bicep,” said Eric Dunion of his game changing
blocked punt.
