Unionville Football Rushes in to the Playoffs

The Unionville Longhorns delivered one of their most memorable victories in recent years on September 26th, snapping a four year losing streak to the Kennett Blue Devils in a dramatic 20-14 overtime thriller during Homecoming week. The win was emotional and was a testament to the hard work the boys put in week in and week out. Led by coach Tim Murphey and seniors Brett Patroni, now committed to Brown University, and Alex “Papi” Gonzalez, Unionville has surged to an electric 5-3 record.

Even so, the season has still had its ups and downs, week one was a heart breaking overtime loss; however, the Longhorns have stayed resilient. This resilience was needed in their heated rivalry matchup when Kennett struck first, connecting on a passing touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. But Unionville refused to let the momentum slip away, and with the final few seconds of the first half winding down, Gonzalez broke multiple tackles and exploded for a 30-plus-yard touchdown, sending the crowd into a frenzy at the half.

In the 3rd quarter, Junior quarterback Chase Johnson found Sophomore Grant Furey for a 14-yard touchdown. Furey said that the crowd brought “a lot of the energy and helped [them] gain momentum.” Eventually, Kennett later answered with a touchdown of their own, which left the game all square, closing into overtime tied at 14.

Kennett received the ball first, but Unionville’s defense, determined to end the four-year drought, rose to the moment. Ryan Quinlan, senior, had a strip sack, which set up breakout junior Liam Guidotti to run in for a touchdown shortly after. Guidotti said the moment felt “euphoric.” He said that such a rivalry comes with pressure, but “the boys handled it well.”

For Unionville, the win was more than just a Homecoming celebration, it was a statement and a testament to the hard work they had put in all season. Furey commented “it was a great team win and the defense really showed out. We’re gearing up to, hopefully, make a deep playoff run.” With a win the following week against High School of the Future Academy, the Longhorns are poised and ready to play their best football of the season when it matters most.