Elizabeth Forward blisters Quaker Valley

By: Jeremy Tepper
Friday, September 20, 2019 | 11:02 PM

Game by game, Elizabeth Forward is growing and getting better.

That much was evident in Week 3 when the Warriors handled Freeport, and it was evident once again in Week 4. The Warriors (4-0, 3-0) played their most dominating game of the season Friday night, dismantling Quaker Valley, 42-6.

“I think we’re getting better every single week. I think we made a statement tonight with our win,” Warriors coach Mike Collodi said. “We played a complete game. We were able to run the ball pretty effectively. We played great defense tonight and we passed it when we needed to.”

On both sides of the ball, Elizabeth Forward did precisely what it wanted to, winning the battle up front and subsequently winning the battle on the scoreboard. The defense was fast and got after Quaker Valley quarterback Michael Aspiotes. The offense ran the ball with ease and passed the ball well too.

In total, the Warriors outgained the Quakers 325-68.

Signs of an impending blowout were evident early on. Quaker Valley (0-4, 0-3) got the ball first and scored on a 65-yard, four-minute drive, finished off by a 4-yard touchdown run by Nick Hunnell. Leading the drive was an offensive line clearing massive holes and a pair of backs, Evan Lewis and Hunnell, taking advantage of them.

“The O-line did an outstanding job. We were able to run the ball really well,” Collodi said. “They were making some holes and doing their assignments and they were doing a heck of a job.”

The next drives were more of the same. Elizabeth Forward’s defense pinned Quaker Valley deep in its own territory and subsequently rewarded the offense with two straight drives that started within the Quakers’ 30-yard line. Both ended with touchdowns, the first on a 29-yard run by Lewis and the second on 1-yard run by Hunnell. The Warriors finished with 224 rushing yards on the night, with Lewis leading the pack with 121 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

“Offensively we (were) really good today. The play calls were great and we executed. I can’t ask for anything better,” Warriors quarterback Nico Mrvos said. “Since it’s a new offense, it takes time to learn, but once you get it, it starts to click. And the offense really worked today. Week to week, we’ve gotten progressively better.”

Elizabeth Forward added one more touchdown in the second quarter — a 4-yard run by Chase Whatton — to take a 28-0 lead into halftime. Jacob Prah caught a 5-yard touchdown and Lewis ran one in from 4 yards out in the second half. Prah had 80 yards, serving as Mrvos’ top target in what was perhaps his best throwing game of the year.

In his first year starting, Mrvos had looked shaky at times early on in the season, but he’s grown more comfortable by the game. Against Quaker Valley, he completed 5 of 7 passes for 101 yards, repeatedly putting tough throws on the money.

“He’s just getting better and better every single week,” Collodi said. “I know what he’s capable of, and we still haven’t even scratched the surface with him. The sky’s the limit.”

Quaker Valley scored its touchdown on a 93-yard kickoff return by Patrick Cutchember in the third quarter. Otherwise, the Quakers struggled to gain any traction against a stout Warriors defense.

“We just wanted to play fast and physical. That’s our gameplan every week,” Collodi said. “When you do that, good things happen.”

Tags: Elizabeth Forward, Quaker Valley