Back for its fifth season, the popular Intelligencer/Courier Times ‘Let’s Talk Football’ features high school football beat writers Drew Markol and Dan Dunkin. Markol covers schools in the Intelligencer area while Dan Dunkin covers teams in the Courier Times area. Both share their perspective on the teams in their coverage area. Scott Huff, football writer for SuburbanOneSports.com, shares his thoughts about the American Conference squads. To stay on top of the high school football news in the area, visit the Intelligencer/Courier Times web site http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/
SuburbanOneSports.com: Pennsbury at North Penn on Friday is a rematch of one of last year’s District One quarterfinal game that North Penn won. Your thoughts about that game.
Dan Dunkin: “Well, here it is. Pennsbury has not been able to beat North Penn in recent years. This is the 800-pound guerrilla game for them. I’ve just thought from the beginning this was Pennsbury’s year, and they’ve done nothing to dissuade me or a lot of other people. They’ve been very consistent. They’ve steamrolled all the people they were supposed to steamroll. Their offense is really in wonderful harmony, and unless they turn the ball over in this game two or three times, they should win this game, and they should win it by a couple of touchdowns.
“I have a lot of respect for Dick Beck and North Penn like I do Galen Snyder and his program. This is not a vintage North Penn team – it’s still a good team, and I’m sure Galen is the first one, along with his staff, to tell his guys, ‘Look, we cannot underestimate this North Penn team.’
“Last year North Penn came in and upset them in the second round of districts, and I thought Pennsbury had a better team on paper, but they got outplayed that game. I think they’ve been targeting this game since that loss, and with the realignment and all the expectations of how good they were supposed to be this year, Pennsbury has had this game circled, and they play with an edge. If they just bring it like they should bring it in this game, they’ve got too much for North Penn.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Truman pulled off the big win over Council Rock North on Saturday. Your comments about those two teams after that game.
Dan Dunkin: “Finally a breakthrough for Truman - winning a close game against a quality opponent. What a game – 42-40. I knew this team could explode offensively, and actually, they were in control most of this game, so it said a lot for CR North that they came back after really playing uphill most of the night. Brandon McIlwain didn’t have a good passing game, and that’s a credit to Truman’s coverage and the speed they have on their defense. They didn’t make it easy for him as a runner either. Truman did a better job than any team all year of limiting McIlwain. Even though North ended up scoring 40 points, he was 12-of-35 passing and had around three yards a carry, so it way off his normal numbers.
“I wrote about CR North for this Friday’s Courier, and to me, they’re the most exciting team in Suburban One. They’re not the biggest or most physical, but they are the most exciting with the offensive style they play and their quarterback. Their skill players are emerging. Even though they lost a tough game to Truman, they’re 5-2 overall, 3-1 in the conference, so they have a great shot to win it or tie for the Continental conference championship. If they finish strong, they’re going to be seeded high in the District One playoffs. That’s a game they’re disappointed with the outcome, but they certainly shouldn’t be lacking any confidence offensively. Their defense just needs to batten down the hatches and become more consistent, which is what Adam Collachi told me last week, but they have had a propensity to make key plays and force turnovers. They’re a scrappy group. Again, they’re not big, but they get after you on both sides of the ball.
“I look for good things ahead for both of these teams, Truman and CR North.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Truman is travelling to Central Bucks East and Council Rock North will host Central Bucks West. How do you see these two teams responding after Saturday’s emotional game?
Dan Dunkin: “I would be shocked if Truman had a letdown after they’ve been knocking on the door at different times to win close games, and now they finally did it, and they’re right there in the playoff hunt. CB East has been down, and they’re decimated by injuries. Truman is riding a high. They have a lot of good players. a lot of depth and they have so much to play for. I like Truman in that game.
“I like North to beat CB West. They just have more to lose, and they play full throttle. They have more balance offensively than CB West, which has been an inconsistent team. This could be a high-scoring game because both defenses have been prone to give up big plays, but I look for the McIlwain factor and what they have to play for. CB West doesn’t really have a postseason to play for. They’re just trying to finish respectably. I think they’ll give CR North a good shot, but CR North’s offense is so difficult to deal with, and it’s getting better all the time. With their spread no-huddle, they really get you on your heels, and you’re out of gas by the fourth quarter.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Neshaminy is playing Bensalem after a big win over Souderton. Your comments about those two teams.
Dan Dunkin: “That was a much-needed win for Neshaminy. That program needs to finish the season strong knowing they’re out of the playoffs. They’ve got to see what they have coming back. They have some good players coming back, but they have to see what kind of attitude they’ve got, how much their kids care finishing this year strong and setting a good tone for the offseason.
“Neshaminy’s offense is going to give anybody problems. I think it’s going to be interesting to see how well D’Andre Pollard finishes his great career behind an offensive line that is young but developing. Also, Mason Jones and his receivers – he’s been one of the better stories this year with how he’s emerged.
“Bensalem – it’s been as tough a year as it could possibly be for any Class AAAA program. It’s the perfect storm of some inexperience at spots, the realignment and playing in a league full of perennial contenders. They’ve taken a step back this year. They’ve been outmanned in a lot of cases, but they’ve not been competitive. We’ll see if they can be competitive in these last few games.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Council Rock South, which is 3-1 in conference play, will travel to Quakertown to face a Panther team that hasn’t lost. Your thoughts.
Dan Dunkin: “That will be a great game. I saw South leave it all on the field in an epic, epic game against William Tennent last Friday. South won 46-41 in a game where they literally traded touchdowns the entire game. Vincent Alimenti has been one of the great stories of this season. He’s as productive a running back as there’s been in the entire area. We hear all about Josh Adams, D’Andre Pollard and Chuck Snorweah, but Alimenti is right up there with them. He’s carried that offense. They’ve had really good line play. Their fullback, Brendan Patterson, has been very good also. They’ve really got that wishbone rolling now, but I think Quakertown has been far more consistent, and they’re solid defensively. South has just had too many holes on defense. They’re putting together an improving season since last year, and credit to them. The heart they showed in that Tennent game, and their defense did make some plays despite the high score – they are capable of doing some things defensively, but they just have to be a lot more consistent.
“Really, Quakertown has been playing solid on both sides of the ball since the season started. They have too much to lose this game. They have to keep winning. They have the inside shot of winning the conference because of the CR North loss to Truman, so I look for Quakertown to take CR South’s best shot and establish control of the game and win it in what should be a decent game. I expect Quakertown to win it and keep pointing toward a league title.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Tennent comes off its tough loss to Rock South and will travel to Norristown. Your thoughts.
Dan Dunkin: “I’m really impressed with Tennent’s effort all year. They’ve been in so many games. They’re 0-4 in the conference, but they could easily be 2-2 or 3-1. They’ve been right there. Going back to the CR South game, it was just an incredible effort by their kids. They ran out of gas defensively dealing with Alimenti in that wishbone and a good offensive line by CR South, but they kept punching and they kept coming back. Nik Banks is a terrificquarterback. He was unbelievable in that game. John Ryan, a rangy receiver with good hands, gives people a lot of problems. This is a game Tennent should win. I think they’ll take out their frustrations on a Norristown team that can be explosive. They’ve established some things at Tennent now, and they’re competitive every single week. Now it’s just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. Some penalties killed them last week also. They probably could have won that game with CR South as they could have three or four other games. I think they’re going to come with a really good effort and finish strong.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Quakertown is the third-ranked team in the latest district power rankings. Your thoughts about the undefeated Panthers heading into Friday night’s game against CR South.
Drew Markol: “The fact that Council Rock North lost to Truman was big news for Quakertown because that was the other undefeated team in the Continental. They’re both chasing the league title. Of course, Council Rock North can still earn a share of it if they beat Quakertown when they play on Oct. 25, but Quakertown right now controls its own fate. You add in Tom Garlick, transferring from Wood – they have been playing him at wide receiver, and it adds a really good offensive weapon. He’s got good speed, good hands, and he’s about 6-3 or 6-4, so not only is he a target on long pass plays, but on the goal line, they now have someone they can throw the ball to, and he can jump up and get it. Not many teams can defend against a 6-4 receiver. You put him in the secondary – he’s a good athlete, and he can track people down and make some plays in the defensive backfield. Plus, on reverses, he can always throw the ball too. He just adds a lot of dimensions. Quakertown was good without him, and they’ve definitely gotten better with him. He was welcomed back with open arms.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Central Bucks West will travel to Council Rock North on Friday. Your thoughts.
Drew Markol: “CB West hasn’t quit. They played Quakertown tough for three quarters. They’re not a bad team. I don’t know if they get worn down a little bit. They can run, their quarterback Eddie Shields is a good runner, but it gets tougher for them. They lost to Quakertown, and they’re 2-5. Now they have to play a Council Rock North team that can’t afford another loss and is mad that they lost. It does not get any easier for West at all.
“You would have thought West would do better this season, but this is the first year of the new alignment. All the games in the conference are close. They just happen to be on the wrong end of a lot of them.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Central Bucks South will host Pennridge on Friday. Your comments about those two teams.
Drew Markol: “If you’re Pennridge, you already lost to North Penn, you’ve already lost to Pennsbury, you’re right in the thick of the district power rankings, and you want to stay there. If you beat CB South, you’ll do that. Beating CB South won’t be easy. Their only loss was to Coatesville, and they have a big game coming up with Pennsbury themselves. Pennridge is explosive enough. They can score, but it comes down to – can they stop Josh Adams? Most teams haven’t been able to do that. Will they be different? I don’t think so, but they can score with anybody. They have a lot of weapons. They’re a good team. They’re 5-2, and they’ve lost to two good teams – they lost to Pennsbury and North Penn.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: North Penn will host Pennsbury in a National Conference showdown. Your thoughts about that game.
Drew Markol: “This is the best Pennsbury team they have had in a long while. They were really good last year too, but they lost to North Penn in the second round of the district playoffs. If you’re North Penn, it helps a little bit that you’re at home. There’s a lot on the line for North Penn. They were in a hole because of their schedule. They started out 1-2, and it’s kind of like last year where they started out 0-3 and couldn’t afford any losses, but they’ve lost by a point to CB South.
“North Penn upset Pennsbury last year, and I’m sure Pennsbury remembers that and is being reminded about that this week at practice.
“Again, this is probably the best Pennsbury team in a long time. You have to give them the edge, but for North Penn, it looks like Nyfease West, their junior running back, is healthy. He’s been battling some nagging injuries, but apparently, he’s doing better, and that’s a plus. You have two similar teams that will try to pound it on the ground.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Souderton will travel to Abington for a battle of two teams looking for a win. Your comments.
Drew Markol: “You have two teams that are 3-4 overall and want to finish above .500, I’m sure. Both have struggled mightily in the conference. Souderton has a win in the conference – they beat Bensalem, and Abington is 0-4 in the conference. This is a game between two teams with pretty good programs that are just having down seasons. That happens sometimes.
“I have to give a slight edge to Abington. I have no good reason to say that.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Central Bucks East, which defeated Norristown last week, will host a Truman team coming off a big win over CR North. Your thoughts.
Drew Markol: “Good job by Truman. They are now at 2-2 in the Continental, the same as East – both of these teams are harboring hopes of perhaps getting into the 16-team Quad A district field. East had a ton of injuries but now they’re getting healthy and playing better. They have Alex Gibson back at running back.
“Truman pulled the upset over Council Rock North that really shook things up in the Continental. Truman had lost a bunch of close games, and finally, they won a wild one that was close. That should be a good one. I see a lot of offense. Maybe you give a slight edge to Truman, but that’s almost a coin flip.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Hatboro-Horsham is coming off a win over Wissahickon and will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh. Your comments.
Drew Markol: “This will be a tough chore for the Hatters with PW coming off a loss to Upper Dublin that took them down to 4-3. PW – like Truman and CB East – I’m sure they’re hoping they can sneak into the district field, but they can’t afford any slipups. They need to win every game. They need to win the next three.
“It’s been a struggle for the Hatters. They beat Wissahickon and they beat Upper Merion, but at 2-5, it’s been a tough go, and it doesn’t get much easier. The Colonials are going to be a little upset about what happened last week and looking to right things”
SuburbanOneSports.com: You covered the big win by Upper Dublin last week against Plymouth Whitemarsh. What are you thoughts on both the Cardinals and the Colonials?
Scott Huff: “Upper Dublin earned the win – and most likely the conference championship with the win over PW. And the Cardinals did it without solely relying on the talented right arm of outstanding junior quarterback Ryan Stover.
“Stover – for sure – played his part with a clutch fourth down touchdown pass to Matt Thompson for the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. And Stover completed three consecutive passes to set up the game winning score moments later. His leadership and calm demeanor was very much on display for the winners.
“But the key to the game, for me, was the ability for Upper Dublin to run the football. The offensive line was outweighed by the massive PW defensive line, but the Cardinals were able to run the football effectively the entire game. Junior Kaleif Lee darted for 160-plus yards and scored three touchdowns, and senior fullback John Lee (no relation) scored the game winner on a 23-yard touchdown run.
“The Upper Dublin defense – which yielded plenty of yardage and 28 points – came up with a couple of decisive stands to secure the win. PW had a first-and-goal from the UD 5-yard line late in the first half but failed to score. And the Cardinal defense forced a change of possession late in the game to set up the game-winning drive.
“Plymouth Whitemarsh – to its credit – did not relinquish its 25-game consecutive SOL American Conference winning streak without a tough fight. The Colonials had two 100-plus yard rushers in Nyfeese Nasir (111 yards) and Jake Winterbottom (105 yards). However, in the end, PW was not able to cash in on its considerable size advantage against a feisty Upper Dublin team.
“Both Upper Dublin and Plymouth Whitemarsh should win out – although Upper Dublin (6-1, 4-0) must play explosive Upper Moreland (5-2, 2-2) and PW (4-3, 3-1) must contend with improving Cheltenham (4-3, 3-1) before the close of the season.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Upper Moreland senior Tyler Whitmore had another spectacular game against winless Upper Merion with 261 yards and five touchdowns. Can he repeat that performance against first place Upper Dublin this week?
Scott Huff: “Tyler Whitmore has been the most explosive running back against all competition this year – and Upper Dublin is not an outstanding defensive team.
“The one huge difference playing against Upper Dublin is that the Cardinals have one of the most explosive offenses in the conference and can control the ball with Kaleif Lee – and can pass the ball using the gifted right arm of quarterback Ryan Stover.
“Upper Moreland quarterback Josh Abrams has been excellent all season and operates behind a terrific offensive line. The Golden Bears will score points – Whitmore will be outstanding – but can the Bear defense allow the offense to score at least one more point?”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Cheltenham has won three straight conference games. Can the Panthers make it four in a row against Wissahickon?
Scott Huff: “You bet. The Cheltenham’s defense was able to shut out a Springfield team last week that has some fine skill players in Chris Stone and Martin Worgan. The Panther offense features running back Greg Morris, who is one of the most productive and underrated backs in the conference.
“Wissahickon has had its problems ever since Josh Smith went down with injury. If he returns – the Trojans can be competitive – if he isn’t back the Blue & Gold chances of winning are drastically cut down.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Upper Merion is still winless. Do the Vikings sail to a win this week against Springfield?
Scott Huff: “This season has been a long and difficult one for Upper Merion, and those woes will most likely continue this week against a Spartan team smarting from a shutout loss to Cheltenham last week.
“Springfield is still in the hunt for a District One AA playoff berth, and the Spartans can’t afford a loss to the AAA classified Vikings. Springfield needs the win – and will get it.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Who wins this fifth week in the SOL American Conference?
Scott Huff: “How about [Upper Dublin 38 – Upper Moreland 21]; [Plymouth Whitemarsh 35 – Hatboro-Horsham 28]; [Cheltenham 27 – Wissahickon 14]; and [Springfield 31 – Upper Merion 13]?”
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