Scott Huff features CR North’s Brandon McIlwain and Harry S Truman’s Mark Lopez-Shescyk and lists some of the top returning players for the SOL Continental Conference.
By Scott Huff
The 2015 Suburban One League Continental Conference football season will be the final season under the ‘new’ alignment that was used the last two seasons. The 2016 SOL Continental Conference football season will change from the ‘new’ alignment based on school male enrollment figures back to the ‘old’ alignment based on geography. This change came about after both Norristown and Upper Merion decided to leave the SOL in 2016, dropping the number of SOL teams from 24 to 22 teams.
The 2015 SOL Continental Conference will consist of eight teams - Quakertown, Council Rock South, Truman, Council Rock North, Central Bucks East, William Tennent, Norristown, and Central Bucks West. The 2016 SOL Continental Conference will feature seven teams – North Penn, Pennridge, Souderton, Central Bucks South, Central Bucks East, Central Bucks West, and William Tennent.
“This is something that we really don’t focus on right now,” said Truman head coach Jon Craig as the Tigers would be moved to the SOL National Conference next season. “We are proud of the way our program has turned around, and our kids want to play teams like Pennsbury and Neshaminy – those are our neighborhood rivals.
“To be able to play that competition next year – which is perhaps the best in the state – would be a challenge,” added Craig, as HST would gain Pennsbury, Neshaminy, Abington, CR North, CR South, and Bensalem as conference games. “The players played against the current teams in our league – like Quakertown, CB West and CB East – and are excited to be playing against them again this year.”
“We really don’t have any control of what the league does,” said Council Rock North head coach Adam Collachi. “We just look at our schedule from year to year and get ready to play the teams on our schedule.”
And the beat goes on…
Player To Watch
Brandon McIlwain – Council Rock North Indians
There is absolutely no question that senior Brandon McIlwain is an elite quarterback – not just in the SOL – or the state of Pennsylvania – but also in the entire nation.
McIlwain was involved in the Elite 11 football program that began with thousands of quality quarterbacks this summer and finished with only 18 of the bluest of blue-chip college prospects. McIlwain advanced from the semifinals in Los Angeles and moved on to the finals held in Beaverton Oregon that evaluated the South Carolina recruit as one of the Elite 11.
“It is the most competitive quarterback competition in the country,” said McIlwain. “It was a week long competition that everything you did was evaluated – both physically and mentally. It was an amazing experience.”
“Brandon made the most of a great opportunity to participate in the Elite 11 program,” said Council Rock North head coach Adam Collachi. “He has come back this season with a better mental approach – and he is just a physically gifted athlete.
“The position he plays demands that he has great leadership qualities,” added Collachi. “And he has those qualities. He raises the level of all the players around him.
“We have asked him to take on more of the offense this year,” continued Collachi. “He has the option of changing the play at the line of scrimmage.”
“I like the ability to check the play at the line of scrimmage,” said McIlwain. “If I see a play might not work – I can change it to something that puts the ball into the hands of one of our playmakers.”
McIlwain – without doubt the biggest playmaker of all - has put both his commitment to South Carolina and his wonderful experience at the Elite 11 behind him.
“It is nice to be committed to college, and now I can focus on my final year of high school football,” said McIlwain. “We have some returning starters and some good young guys. I can’t believe that it is already my senior year.
“I will still be excited to see how South Carolina does this year,” continued McIlwain. “I still talk to the quarterback coach and to (Head Coach) Steve Spurrier by phone. But right now, all I want to focus on is this year.”
Player To Watch
Mark Lopez-Shescyk – Truman Tigers
Senior Mark Lopez-Shescyk has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly during his scholastic football career at Truman.
The good was last season’s 4-3 SOL Continental Conference record – 7-5 overall. The bad was a sophomore season that saw the Tigers finish with a 2-5 SOL National Conference record. And the ugly was a freshman season that saw HST finish with an 0-7 SOL National Conference mark.
“This is a group of seniors that have seen the tough times – and have stuck together,” said Lopez-Shescyk. “Corey McCloud, Maurice Jackson, Justin Fant, and Connor McAdams and I have talked about how we want to play this season with no regrets.
“The one thing for sure is that teams that play us won’t put a mark in the win column before the game is played,” added Lopez-Shescyk. “They know that they are going to be in a battle – there will be no easy wins when you play us.”
Head coach Jon Craig loves what he has seen from his senior quarterback.
“Our offense will go the way that Mark takes us,” said Craig. “He rushed for over 1000 yards – passed for over 1000 yards – and scored over 20 touchdowns. He will lead the way.
“This is a team that is heavy on seniors playing skill positions,” added Craig. “Mark will have a lot of weapons to use this year. Maurice Jackson is back at tailback, and that will be a huge help. Mark is just a great kid – and a great athlete. He can make a coach look awfully good.
“This coaching staff – and this group of seniors – have worked hard to put this program back together,” continued Craig. “We are at the peak of the mountain – and we are extremely excited about the season.”
“There have been seasons where we were looked at as the underdog in most of the games we played,” said Lopez-Shescyk. “I guess that might not be true anymore.”
List of Underclass All-Conference Players From 2014
Quakertown (9) – Rob Burns (RB); Nick Bonomo (RB, LB); Kyle Baskin (WR); Gavin Caroff (OL,DL); Aaron Besch (WR); CJ Bach (OL); Jake Bovard (P); Noah Wood (LB); and Jon Potynski (DB).
Council Rock North (8) – Brandon McIlwain (QB); Devin Bibbens (WR); Pat Bartlett (OL); Pat Sarullo (OL); Tyler Nowmos (WR); James Closser (LB); Thomas Hewitt (DE); and Seth Luez (LB).
Council Rock South (8) – John Anderson (OL); Rick Johnston (TE); Zach Blickley (OL); Joe Carter (OL); Mike Stock (LB); Kyle Hickey (DB); Goirgio Koulouris (DL); and Ryan McGramm (LB).
Norristown (6) – Khalif Sinclair (WR); Corey Davenport (RB); Lamont Sanford (OL); Lloyd Diavante (LB); Daryl Carr (DE); and Shane Hammer (P).
Central Bucks West (6) – Kenny Doak (PK); Max Cascerceri (OL); Noah Hill (DL); Jake Reichwein (LB); Kyle Taylor (DB); and Jacob Schiela (LB).
Harry S Truman (6) – Maurice Jackson (LB); Tim Kenny-Schwartz (PK); Mark Lopez-Shescyk (QB); Justin Fant (RB); Corey McCloud (RB); and Corey McAdams (OL).
Central Bucks East (5) – Alex Gibson (RB); Lamine Nouck-A-Nwal (OL): Tommy Strasburger (DB); Jack Lamb (LB); and Keith Becker (DB).
William Tennent (3) – John Ryan (WR); Dan Costello (RB); and Dylan Mannon (PK).
Final Standings for the 2014 Season
1. Quakertown Panthers 6-1 11-2
2. Council Rock South Golden Hawks 5-2 6-4
3. Harry S Truman Tigers 4-3 7-5
Council Rock North Indians 4-3 6-5
Central Bucks East Patriots 4-3 5-5
6. William Tennent Panthers 2-5 5-6
Norristown Eagles 2-5 4-7
8. Central Bucks West Bucks 1-6 2-8
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