Schoonmaker ‘King’ in Wash High win

After catching a 35-yard pass on Washington’s first drive Friday night against Bentworth, Isaiah Schoonmaker fumbled the ball only five yards from the end zone.
After that blunder, the rest of the game went about as well as possible for Wash High and Schoonmaker. The host Prexies scored 55 points and forced four turnovers in the first half alone to beat Century Conference foe Bentworth, 55-7, for their 35th straight regular-season victory. Schoonmaker led the Prexies, catching two touchdowns, intercepting two passes and being named Homecoming King during halftime.
On offense, Schoonmaker caught six passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns, utilizing his 6-2, 200-pound frame and speed to create separation and elude tacklers.
“He can do a lot of things,” said Washington head coach Mike Bosnic. “He’s athletic and fast, and we want to try to get him the ball as much as possible.”
On defense, Schoonmaker, who is projected as a defensive back in college, had two impressive interceptions that led to two Wash High (4-0, 6-0) scores. The first was a diving, one-handed interception, and on the second, he found a way to get a foot in bounds on a tipped pass near the sideline.
“It’s just being in the right place in the right time,” said Schoonmaker, who is committed to Miami (Ohio). “Watching film, doing what you’re told, executing, reading my keys and being in the right spot.”
Junior wide receiver Dan Walker, who has an offer to play football at Louisville, scored the first touchdown of the game on a 51-yard seam route from sophomore quarterback Zack Swartz.
Running back Nick Welsh then flashed his elite speed, running on a 44-yard touchdown. The junior ran for 138 yards on nine carries and eclipsed 1,000 yards on the season during the first half.
“Our offensive line did a great job blocking for Nick, and they’ve been doing a great job all year long,” Bosnic said. “They’re a part of that, too.”
Schoonmaker’s two touchdowns came on passes of 4 and 21 yards, respectively, from Swartz, who completed 11 of 13 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Swartz also added a 1-yard rushing touchdown on a QB draw late in the first half.
Sophomore Dylan Asbury ran for a 24-yard score early in the second quarter, and senior Curtis Gardner plunged in from 2 yards out late in the first half. Welsh completed the Prexies’ scoring with a 28-yard dash with a minute to go in the half.
Bentworth’s lone touchdown came midway through the fourth quarter when senior Ben Peternel ran for a 15-yard score.
Bentworth (2-4, 2-5) has played the top four teams in the Century Conference – Charleroi, Beth-Center, Burgettstown and Washington – in its last four games.
“We’re just playing a lot of young kids and it’s very difficult for us to play a team like Washington. We don’t have a lot of experience, and it’s us just making a lot of mistakes as well,” head coach Ron Skiles said. “This has been a tough stretch. The last four games have been against very good football teams.”
The Bearcats host Waynesburg in a nonconference game Friday, while Wash High hosts Chartiers-Houston. Both kickoffs are set for 7 p.m.
For Wash High, the Prexies look to be in a battle with Burgettstown for first place in the Century Conference. The Blue Devils beat Beth-Center Friday night, leading up to an Oct. 20 matchup between Burgettstown and Wash High for what is likely to be the conference title.