Downingtown East outlasts Pennsbury

It was the fourth quarter, and Kyle Lauletta was still airing the ball out for the Downingtown East football team.

There's nothing unusual about the senior quarterback throwing the ball downfield for the Cougars, but until Friday night, he and the rest of the starters had never played in the fourth quarter this season.

And there he was with seconds remaining, still orchestrating the offense.

His explosive play behind center helped high-powered Downingtown East, ranked second in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, defeat Pennsbury, 42-28, at Kottmeyer Stadium.

"It's going great. I couldn't be more excited about where our team is going," Lauletta said. "My teammates put me in a position to succeed, and hopefully we can keep rolling."

The Cougars (3-0) entered the game with the margin of victory for their first two games averaging 23 points. This was the third week in a row that the Cougars scored 42 points.

In the first half, Lauletta went 13 for 19 for 207 yards and a touchdown. He also had success on the ground, with six rushes for 48 yards and a touchdown.

For the game, Lauletta completed 21 of 33 with four touchdowns and one interception. He has thrown 11 TDs this season.

"Kyle played real well," Cougars coach Mike Matta said. "When they took away the pass, he ran it well. He called that last touchdown he ran himself."

Six of Lauletta's completions were to Michigan State recruit Jay Harris, including the Cougars' first touchdown. Harris had 60 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Chris Beals caught nine passes for 142 yards, with two touchdowns.

"Beals is a great target," said Lauletta, a Richmond recruit. "He works really hard at practice. It is great to see him catch passes like that. He's really something else."

For the Falcons (1-2), it was the running tandem of Shawn Pepper and Sykeem Steward that provided the offense. The seniors carried the ball a combined 19 times in the first half, amassing 100 yards. Steward had a 48-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Pepper was a sparkplug in the return game for the Falcons, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns. One went for 91 yards, and the second went for 87.

Using a stutter-step and deceptive speed, Pepper fooled the Cougars' special teams unit.

"That's a breakdown on my part. I'll take full responsibility," Matta said of the runbacks.

Pennsbury   7 7 0 14 – 28

Downingtown East   7 14 0 21 – 42

DE: Jay Harris 4 pass from Kyle Lauletta (Chris White kick)

P: Chuck Snorweah 6 run (Mikhail Kniaziewizc kick)

DE: Josh Zahniser 1 run (White kick)

P: Shawn Pepper 91 kickoff return (Kniaziewizc kick)

DE: Lauletta 12 run (White kick)

DE: Chris Beals 6 pass from Lauletta (White kick)

P: Pepper 87 kickoff return (Kniaziewizc kick)

DE: Beals 27 pass from Lauletta (White kick)

DE: Harris 7 pass from Lauletta (White kick)

P: Sykeem Steward 48 run (Kniaziewizc kick)