Coach Matt Barr called the Rams’ September 2nd victory over Chichester “ugly,” but it was quite the opposite for Harriton fans looking for the team to build on the two-game winning streak with which they ended the 2010 season.

Admittedly, the first half was a rough affair for both teams. Both Harriton quarterback Pat Moriarty and his Chichester counterpart Laquan Lambert threw early interceptions, and penalties often offset big plays for the Rams, including a holding call that wiped out a touchdown by Andre Pendleton. Pendleton, a sophomore, was one of several young players who stepped up for the team to fill the gap left by the graduation of star seniors Spencer Reid and Mike Allen. The biggest impact, however, was made by junior Juwan Valentine, a player who had yet to score a varsity touchdown before Friday night. Valentine caught two touchdown passes from Moriarty to put the Rams up 21-14 at the half.

He didn’t stop there. After Dylan O’Donnell recovered a fumble in the end zone to extend Harriton’s lead, Valentine hauled in another touchdown from Moriarty and followed that with a 70 yard punt return score to put the game out of reach. It was a strong effort for the Rams, one that they will look to build on when they host Central League foe Springfield next week.

Barr was not nearly as satisfied. “Tonight was a real eye opener for us,” the coach said. “Chichester is tough. They beat us up pretty good. The film session is going to be very ugly.”

He later added, more optimistically, “We’re going to work it out.” The way his squad opened the season certainly shows promise for 2011, but they must do just that if the Rams hope to significantly improve upon last year’s 3-8 record. With talent like Moriarty and Valentine, the pieces appear to be in place for such a run. Next week’s matchup with Springfield should be very, very, interesting.