Head Coach Bill Zwaan led West Chester to the national semi-finals for the second time (Photo Bert Garbutt)
The defense was phenomenal in the first and third quarters during which they only allowed 54 and 46 points respectively on the season. However, opponents scored 131 points in the second quarter and 94 in the fourth. While it’s not clear if this was due to conditioning, loss of mental focus to play for an entire half, or the other teams’ ability to make in-game adjustments, the fourth quarter letdown was not due to playing reserves, as most of those points came in closely contested battles.
On the other side of the ball, the offense amazingly scored in 49 of the 60 quarters of football that were played this season. One minor concern was that of the 11 quarters in which they were shut out, nine of them came after halftime. And what do the late-game one-point win against Kutztown, the late-game three-point win at Shippensburg and the three-point loss to Bloomsburg have in common? West Chester failed to score on their opening possession of the game. The only other time that happened was at Cheyney, which was more of an anomaly. On the first offensive drive of West Chester’s 15 games, they scored touchdowns nine times and field goals twice. Getting off to a fast start on offense was an obvious key to success.
To advance deep in the playoffs, a team needs a few key things – balance on both sides of the ball, big plays from their big players, health, and a little luck. Overall, the team was very balanced – offensively and defensively, rushing and passing and they did a good job of controlling turnovers and penalties. On the subject of turnovers, consider Harlon Hill finalist Rondell White had almost 500 touches, fumbled only five times and lost only one. White, quarterback Sean McCartney, linebackers Mike Labor and Ronell Williams and cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz all played consistently well. And while there were a few season ending injuries - Byron Cooper, Brandon Spatz, Kevin Malone - unlike last season, none affected the starters.
So 2013 was truly a phenomenal season. The most wins ever in a single season. The fewest losses in over 20 years. Running back Rondell White and kicker Shawn Leo each broke numerous records, some of which had stood for decades. With 6,922 yards, it was the most prolific offense in school history (second best in PSAC history). And 564 points, including one special teams and three defensive touchdowns, was also a West Chester best (fourth best in PSAC history).
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