Football: West Deptford beats Sterling

By Phil Anastasia

Isaiah Worthy is a rare running back who would rather block than carry the football.

The sturdy senior did both in leading West Deptford to a 35-7 victory over Sterling on Friday night in a Colonial Conference Liberty Division clash of unbeatens.

Worthy's hard running and some powerful work by the West Deptford offensive line enabled the Eagles to seize command in the second half and secure their 26th victory in a row.

"He's the heart and soul of this team," West Deptford coach Clyde Folsom said of Worthy, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound athlete.

Senior Gerald Owens, a Michigan State recruit, carried 25 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns and senior Devin Bates ran 12 times for 89 yards and a touchdown for West Deptford (5-0), the No. 7 team in The Inquirer Top 25.

Sterling (4-1) got some strong running from junior Davon Tucker and some timely passes from junior quarterback Matt Mignano.

But the 15th-ranked Silver Knights couldn't slow West Deptford's punishing ground game in the second half.

"Their experience showed," Sterling coach Clint Wiley said of West Deptford. "They know how to win these games. They manhandled us a bit in the fourth quarter.

"They are who we want to be but we're not there yet."

Worthy didn't carry the football in the first half. He focused more on blocking and also was a standout as a linebacker on the defensive side.

Linebackers Kevin DeCaesar and Luke Cornelius also played strong games for the Eagles.

"I didn't mind," Worthy said of not touching the football in the first half. "I prefer blocking. I like to hit people, clear the way for my teammates."

West Deptford took the second half kickoff and went 63 yards in nine plays, with Bates finishing the drive with a 29-yard skirt around left end. Cornelius' extra-point made it 21-7.

The Eagles seized command in the fourth quarter as Worthy carried the football six times for 68 yards and a pair of scores.

"He was that little extra punch that we needed," Folsom said.

Running behind an offensive line that featured some heavy-duty blocking by junior Jake Kull, Worthy put the finishing touches on another Eagles' victory with a nine-yard touchdown run and a 32-yard dash to the one-yard line followed by another burst into the end zone.

"That was a great football team," Worthy said of Sterling. "But we do what we do. That's what coach preaches, just keep playing, keep working hard, keep at it."

Sterling 7 0 0 0 -- 7

West Deptford 7 7 7 14 -- 35

WD: Gerald Owens 1 run (Luke Cornelius kick)

S: Matt Mignano 2 run (Jurgen Bocoj kick)

WD: Owens 1 run (Cornelius kick)

WD: Devin Bates 29 run (Cornelius kick)

WD: Isaiah Worthy 9 run (Cornelius kick)

WD: Worthy 1 run (Cornelius kick)

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

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