By Scott Huff
The 2015 Suburban One League American Conference schools will compete for a conference title for the final season under the ‘new’ alignment that began two seasons ago. The SOL American Conference will undergo a slight face-lift for the 2016 football season due to the exit of both Norristown and Upper Merion from the SOL next year.
The 2015 SOL American Conference will showcase eight teams – Upper Dublin, Plymouth Whitemarsh, Upper Moreland, Cheltenham, Hatboro-Horsham, Springfield, Upper Merion, and Wissahickon. The 2016 SOL American Conference will again feature eight teams – Upper Dublin, PW, Upper Moreland, Cheltenham, Hatboro-Horsham, Springfield, Wissahickon – and a newcomer, Quakertown.
“There really won’t be too much of a change in our conference,” said Plymouth Whitemarsh head coach Dan Chang. “We lost Norristown as a league game last year, but were able to play them non-league. Once they leave the Suburban One League, we hope that we can continue to play them – they are a huge rivalry for the players.”
“Change is always good,” said Upper Dublin head coach Bret Stover. “We come into this year with high expectations and want to be able to compete for a league championship. If we do that – things will take care of themselves as far as the playoffs are concerned.”
Player To Watch
Ryan Stover – Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals
The Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals flew to the Suburban One League American Conference title last season and a PIAA Quad-A District One playoff victory on the powerful right wing of quarterback Ryan Stover – son of Upper Dublin head coach Bret Stover.
“Our expectations are always high – but as a coaching staff we don’t want to create any pressure on the team,” said Coach Stover. “And that goes for how I deal with Ryan at the quarterback position. He had a great year last year – but I don’t want him coming into the season under a lot of pressure.
“We do put a lot on his shoulders, though,” added the coach. “The bar has been raised with what we did as a team last year and with what Ryan did at quarterback.”
Last season, the junior quarterback accumulated over 2,000 yards in the air and 21 touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his passes.
“It is no secret that we have a lot of returning players from a very good team,” said Ryan. “I worked hard in the off-season getting ready for this season – creating chemistry with the wide outs – and just trying to do the things that can make me better.
“This summer I focused on getting better by completing a circuit of college camps,” added the senior quarterback, who visited camps at Temple (D-1), Pittsburgh (D-1), Delaware (D-1AA), Lehigh (D-1AA), Richmond (D-1AA), and Kutztown (D-2). “I wanted a chance to see where I fit in the best at schools that compete at different levels.
“But that is all behind me now,” added Ryan. “My total focus is playing the best football I can play my senior year at Upper Dublin.”
“Right now – college is wide open,” said Coach/Dad Stover. “He has a number of schools he is interested in – and it is a process. All I know is that he will find a place – and it will be the right one.”
“The relationship that I have with my Dad has been great,” said Ryan. “I get the chance to talk football over the dinner table – and we think of things we can do to fix the things in my game that have to be fixed.
“And when the game is over we get to walk off the field together,” added the QB. “And that is what I might miss the most next year.”
Player To Watch
Luke Mascio – Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
Unlike the trendy pop song, it’s All About Those Hands when it comes to Plymouth Whitemarsh senior Luke Mascio.
“Luke has a great pair of hands that he uses extremely well on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball,” said Plymouth Whitemarsh head coach Dan Chang in reference to Mascio who earned all-conference honors both on the offensive (tight end) and defensive lines last season. “Luke has both the ability to catch the football on offense and to be able to fight off blockers and get to the ball on defense.
“Even as a tight end, Luke is a huge part of our blocking scheme on the offensive line,” added Chang. “He came into the program as an excellent basketball player and he uses those athletic talents to be an equally good football player.”
“I never even played football until my freshman year of high school,” said Mascio. “I had played basketball ever since I was six years old and just never got into football.
“I started on the offensive line – but now I have fallen in love with playing defense,” added Mascio. “We have a new defensive coordinator and we mix in a lot of blitzes and stunts. We are really flying to the ball.”
“Luke is really a hybrid of defensive end and linebacker,” said Chang. “We expect him to have a lot of success in this system.”
Both Chang and Mascio have high expectations for the 2015 Colonials.
“We have developed a culture of winning at PW,” said Chang, whose Colonials settled for second place behind conference champion Upper Dublin last year. “We expect to win and then go on and make some noise in the (district) playoffs.”
“We didn’t like that feeling of not winning a championship or going to the playoffs last year,” said Mascio. “I have been part of teams that have won league titles – and I want to get back to that position again. And if we work hard we can get there.”
Hands down.
List of Underclass All-Conference Players From 2014 Season
Upper Dublin Cardinals (9) – Ryan Stover (QB); Henry Winebrake (OL, LB); Kaleif Lee (RB); John Barrett (WR); Jack Rapine (OL, LB); Gary Fields (WR); Stacey Gardner (OL, LB); Kane O’Connor (OL, DL); and Mike Sowers (LB).
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (6) – Nick Schuck (OL); Casey Walsh (QB); Kingsley Nworu (RB. DB); Jin Kim (PK); and Luke Gehlhaus (DE).
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (5) – Nafeese Nasir (RB, DB); Luke Mascio (TE, DE); Jake Winterbottom (RB); Dom Procaccino (OL); and Mike Swider (LB).
Upper Moreland Golden Bears (4) – Connor Dolan (OL); Randy Meel (PK); Christian Leighton (OL); and Ryan Norton (DE).
Cheltenham Panthers (2) – Matt Tozi (WR) and Brenden Mack (DB).
Springfield Spartans (2) – Brett Righter (LB, RB) and Nick Gajdos (DL).
Upper Merion Vikings (2) – Marcus Elliot (OL, DL) and Isaiah Graham-Mobley (DB).
Wissahickon Trojans (1) – Yondel Dudley (OL).
Final Standings for the 2014 Season
1. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals 7-0 11-2
2. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials 6-1 7-3
3. Upper Moreland Golden Bears 4-3 8-4
Cheltenham Panthers 4-3 6-6
5. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 3-4 3-9
6. Springfield Spartans 2-5 6-7
7. Upper Merion Vikings 1-6 2-9
Wissahickon Trojans 1-6 2-8
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