Intelligencer/Courier Times 'Let's Talk Football' (Wk2)

Back for a third season is the popular Intelligencer/Courier Times ‘Let’s Talk Football,’ featuring high school football beat writers Kevin Cooney and Dan Dunkin.  Cooney, the Phillies beat writer, covers schools in the Intelligencer area while Dan Dunkin – who has been covering sports at the high school and professional level for 25 years - will cover teams in the Courier Times area. Both share their perspective on the teams in their coverage area. To stay on top of the high school football news in the area, visit the web site http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/

SuburbanOneSports.com: What are your overall thoughts after the first weekend of high school football?

Kevin Cooney:  “I think what we saw out of the first weekend is that some teams are just not in sync yet. I think La Salle is just a bad matchup for North Penn because no one can match up with the wide receiver for La Salle (Sean Coleman).

I thought Pennridge looked good, Souderton looked good, and CB East had a nice win. Actually, for the Continental Conference, it wasn’t too bad of a weekend.”

SuburbanOneSports.com: The North Penn – La Salle game was the weekend’s marquee matchup. Share your thoughts after covering that game.

Kevin Cooney:  “Coleman has been such a bad matchup for North Penn over the years, and out of these five games between the two teams, the four La Salle wins have a distinct trend. North Penn’s secondary is not big enough or quick enough to match up with La Salle’s taller receivers, and that’s a problem. I think what you saw is that problem got exploited.

“You look at a 20-7 game and think, ‘Wow, it’s not that bad a loss,’ but it felt a lot more lopsided when you were watching it because of the fact that La Salle was able to move up and down the field pretty much whenever they needed to. The other thing we were all talking about was that North Penn didn’t have any explosive big plays. You would expect with Kyle Mayfield that they would break a big play or two, and they just didn’t.

“Again, we’re talking premiere opponents that North Penn is playing. There’s a chance that they could get a little roughed up here because it’s a tough stretch, but I still think they’ll be okay. I don’t think it’s a panic. You’re looking at a La Salle team that’s one of the best in the state. I think that game says more about La Salle than it does about North Penn’s shortcomings.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  What are your thoughts about Saturday’s North Penn – Archbishop Wood game?

Kevin Cooney:  “You’re talking about a Wood team that went out and blitzed Bensalem. It’s a team that is very explosive because of its line. Their offensive and defensive lines have been their strength over this run for Wood. There’s a little bit of familiarity with North Penn because of (Wood assistant) Mike Carey, who has been around the program either coaching or broadcasting. I think that gives Wood a little bit of an idea of what will happen because Mike Carey has seen as many Dick Beck games as anybody. Carey has built Wood’s two lines into monsters. If you look at their heights, they might not be that big, but they have some big boys, and they’re strong. This team wins its games in the weight room, and it’s a real big challenge.

“Again, it’s a bigger challenge than North Penn will ever find in its own league.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Comment on Central Bucks South’s big win over Council Rock South on Friday night.

Kevin Cooney:  “We knew the Fleming/Donnelly era would be backed down this year, but you didn’t expect this. That’s not meant the way it might sound, but it is a surprise. To see CB South win a game with defense – they really did a number on CR South, and more impressive than the points scored total was the points given up. Defense has always been the question mark with CB South – whether their defense would make an impact. It was the other night, and that was a statement win for them. It shows that they’re going to hang around this year. Everyone was wondering how they would handle losing Matt Johns and Dan Brown. Well, the first impression is pretty good. Again, you can’t read too much into week one, but it’s a good, good start for them.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Central Bucks East opened the season with a big win over Boyertown. What are your thoughts about the Patriots’ performance?

Kevin Cooney:  “When you only win one game last year, to get the first win out of the way in week one is a huge lift. John Donnelly has been trying to get the program at a spot where it feels like it’s moving forward, and it will make people feel like they’ve taken a step forward. It was a statement game for them. They needed it to feel like there’s some progress being made. The proof is in the pudding long term, but it was a good start. It was a good start for all the Central Bucks programs. It really makes you feel like things are going in the right direction right from the start.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Pennridge picked up a big win over Haverford and now faces Bensalem. Comment on the Rams.

Kevin Cooney:  At Pennridge, Mike Class is coming in with a lot of expectations. They feel like they had something good at the end of last year, and they needed to get off to a good start and needed to get some momentum going. Remember that’s a team they lost to last year.”

SuburbanOneSports.com: Any games to watch this weekend?

Kevin Cooney:  “I guess I’m looking more forward to this weekend when you have a PW/Abington game that should tell you a lot about both teams right out of the chute. PW obviously is a contender within that American Conference. There’s a lot of question of whether they can stand up, especially after the way the playoffs ended for them last year (with a 52-24 loss to Central Bucks South). Abington is a perennial contender at this point. The winner of this game is in a really good spot because the winner is going to get a ton of bonus points down the road for a playoff spot. For a team like Abington that still has to play Pennsbury, still has to play Neshaminy and still has to play Council Rock South, you kind of need to get off to a good start, and that’s a big factor for Abington at this point.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  How important is the Central Bucks South game for a Council Rock North team that lost in week one?

Kevin Cooney:  “For Council Rock North, it almost takes on must-win implications because of the way the division is set up with three traditional powers and you still have CR South up there too. You’re talking about a team that had a lot of talk about them in the preseason, and for them to come out and lay an egg like they did, that’s a bad, bad sign. We have seen other North teams that have gone through this.

“In the grand scheme of things, week one doesn’t matter until it is followed up with an absolute clunker in week two. Then it becomes a trend. I think it’s a matter of Rock North playing better. If you then have another clunker, then it’s a problem. Now all the good feelings you came into the season with are gone. With Rock North, that is why this week is important. They need a bounce-back week. It may not even matter if they win - they just need to play better. This is the one team that’s on a little bit of a dangerous line.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Central Bucks South defeated Council Rock South 42-7. As a reporter who covered that game, what were your thoughts?

Dan Dunkin:  “I thought Council Rock South would grind them down like they did last year. They did lose most of their backfield and offensive line, but I did think they were in a position to reload relative to past years because they had brought their program to a pretty high point.

“You have to give CB South a lot of credit. They really prepared well, they have a very diverse offense under Dave Rackovan, and they did a tremendous job of keeping CR South off-balance with the pass and the run. They had a great mix, and it snowballed on CR South.  They found themselves in a track meet, and they’re not built to keep up in a track meet.

“For some of Rock South’s players who were not fulltime starters last year, it was a wake-up call. I think they’ll grow from it, and I think they’ll still be a good team, but I give CB South a lot of credit. That was quite an offensive performance and also a good defensive performance. They were pretty quick to the perimeter. After CR South had a pretty good opening drive, they really closed down the hatches and wouldn’t let them get outside on the triple option and did a really nice job.”

“Josh Adams is a terrific player. He’s only a sophomore, and he’s an eye-popper. He’s going to just keep getting better. He has a lot of natural talent, and his acceleration – when he sees an opening, he hits an extra gear. Late in the game, when they pretty much had the game in hand, he takes off for a 62-yard touchdown and just shed tacklers and showed that he had that much left in the tank after 20 carries.

“(Rock) South just wasn’t South like they normally are tackling-wise, assignment-wise.  I think CR South learned a lot from it, and I do think they will be a good team. There’s just too much character and fundamental soundness in that program for them to let that one game this early in the season dictate their season. They’re a strong program.

“I see CB South as a team to look out for now. When you beat the defending champion of the SOL National even though they lost a lot of people – they still have a lot of good players back, and that makes a statement.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Council Rock North, which suffered a disappointing loss to Haverford, will be playing Central Bucks South this week. Share your thoughts on Rock North heading into that game.

Dan Dunkin:  “That was a very disappointing start for Council Rock North. Their offense is still going to be a work in progress as we knew, and their freshman quarterback – Brandon McIlwain – is going to be a terrific player, but all those pieces need to grow around him. Meanwhile, their defense has to hold the fort like they did last year, and they didn’t well enough in Friday’s game. I think there’s going to be more pressure on the CR North defense now because it will take a while for their offense to grow. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens this week. After they finished 5-5 and gained respectability last year, they’re already facing adversity right off the bat.

“This week’s game against CB South is a huge game for CR North’s defense obviously. They have got to make a stand, and they’ve got to keep it a low-scoring game. They gave up 42 points to this team last year, and CB South just put up 42 on their rival, CR South. Their secondary is going to have to really be on their toes. They need to be very competitive in this game. They’re not into moral victories anymore. The thing about CR North – they just don’t have a lot of depth. They have some good seniors and good leadership, but the onus is on a handful of kids to play great. More kids are going to have to step up.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  After a tough loss to Easton, Pennsbury will be taking on Frankford. Your thoughts about Pennsbury?

Dan Dunkin:  “I am shocked that Pennsbury got steamrolled like they did. I have not seen Easton, but from all accounts, they are traditionally a tremendous program. They probably have one of their better teams this year. You’re going to have a game like that sometimes, and you have to give Easton a lot of credit. I think it’s more of a case of Easton being that good than Pennsbury being that bad.

“Similarly with CR South, I refuse to believe that Pennsbury – and I’m not being a homer for that conference – is going to let that loss dictate their season and be a so-so team. I think they’re going to be a very good team, and perhaps that shock to their system will really wake them up. Defensively, they’re supposed to be really good this year.Galen Snyder and his staff – they’re a very good coaching staff, and they’ll get it figured out. This game against a very solid Frankford team is one game in a very rugged pre-conference schedule that Pennsbury needs to win because they have Downingtown East after this, and that’s going to be a tall, tall order. I think this is a must-win for them already. It’s going to be a tough turnaround for them, but they have a proud defense, and they have to get their running game going. One good thing from that game last week – Shawn Pepper had a 64-yard touchdown run, which is a great sign because he was very limited last year as a runner with a foot injury, although he did a great job on defense as a linebacker. If they can get that kind of play out of him on both sides of the ball, he’s a big ‘X’ factor.

SuburbanOneSports.com:  William Tennent lost to Wissahickon 43-7. Share your thoughts about Tennent.

Dan Dunkin:  “It was really, really shocking that they got beaten that badly by Wissahickon. Tennent has some talented kids, they have some big linemen, and I really didn’t expect a whipping like that. From what I understand, the tackling was poor, and the clock was running for the mercy rule by halftime. That’s three teams in the SOL National that got huge wake-up calls last week. I don’t know about Tennent. They have an experienced quarterback in Joe Lutz, they have some big linemen, and they have some skill kids. They should be pretty decent this year, and they need to get it together very quickly.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Truman came away with a 13-7 win over Lincoln. Talk about the Tigers.

Dan Dunkin:  “I’m very happy for Ed Cubbage and his staff to win their opener after all the growing pains they went through last year. The thing about Truman is they do have a lot more kids committed to the program now. They’re starting to understand the importance of the offseason work, they have really developed in the weight room, and they have speed, so look out. This team could be interesting going forward. If they stay relatively healthy, they have some running backs who could really burn you. They had two 100-yard rushers in Friday’s game.

“It would be nice for Truman to build some momentum heading into the conference schedule. This is a year they could make some progress, and I will be interested to see what they can do. That program is a heck of a challenge for Cubbage and his staff, but they’re really working it. Even last year when they took their lumps, the kids stayed in there, and the coaches were happy with their effort and commitment. You have to root for a program like that, you really do.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  After taking on defending state champion Archbishop Wood, Bensalem will be traveling to Pennridge on Friday night. Your thoughts about that game.

Dan Dunkin:  “Pennridge is really strong. Bensalem played Archbishop Wood last week, and I give Kevin Kelly a lot of credit for scheduling them. They performed respectably. They hung in there and didn’t give up a ton of yards in the first half. They knew they would struggle for a while offensively, especially against a team like that. Wood is probably a strong favorite to win the state again in 3A. Put the score aside and look at the fact that the Owls competed hard. I hope their community was paying attention. This guy is serious about building a winning program there, and playing Wood showed it. You go out and play Wood in your second year as a head coach – that takes some brass, and I applaud that. I think that kids who are in middle school are going to see that, and they’re going to want to be Owls and they’re saying, ‘We’re playing the big boys, and we have to stick together.’ They can get more numbers out, and that’s how it starts.

“Last year Bensalem beat Pennridge. They beat them up, as a matter of fact – they knocked some kids out of the game. Bensalem will punch you in the mouth. They’re physical, and I like that about them. This is a really good Pennridge team. They’ve got a terrific running back in Mike Class, so I will be really curious to see how this game turns out. Bensalem is going to have to grow up fast. This is another big test for them that will benefit them in the long run.”

SuburbanOneSports.com:  Comment on the remaining two teams in the National Conference – Neshaminy and Abington.

Dan Dunkin:  Neshaminy had a solid game on both sides of the ball and did what they needed to do in its 24-0 win over Northeast. Alex Nicolas, their nose tackle, is the real deal. He disrupts the heck out of offenses, and he’s a big factor. I think they’re going to be a significantly improved team defensively. They’re going to cause havoc, and it starts with Nicholas. He had a heck of a game in the opener. Nate Hall is a real good running back, and they have a lot of weapons on offense, including Justin Andrews. They used two quarterbacks. Luke Carrezola is a terrific player at defensive end and receiver. I like Neshaminy. They’re playing with a chip on their shoulder this year after the erratic part of last year that was very un-Neshaminylike.  I look for them to have a strong performance against Hatboro-Horsham. They beat them very decisively last year. They’re usually on their ‘A’ game when they play the SOL Continental. This is a team that needs to be consistent this year. They have a strong junior class, and they’re developing some leadership. They need to get another ‘W’ with another solid effort.

“Abington is going to struggle some offensively, but their lines are so strong, and I think they’re going to be in every game. They have a mentality there, they have an expectation to win. Abington is going to be fine. They’re going to bring their skill guys along.

“I think the National Conference race is going to be wide open between four teams. I’ll be anxious to see how they all emerge out of the pre-conference schedule, especially Pennsbury. They have as tough a schedule as anybody in the state. They could show a lot by bouncing back this week.”

Correction:  Last week’s column erroneously noted that Pennridge had 38-39 players out for the team. The Rams actually have 48 players out for the squad this year.