The annual Council Rock North-Council Rock South game, sponsored by Sterling Limousine, will be the lead story in Friday night’s SOL Football Wrap.
“I’m five years removed and if I could just play one game of football again, I would play in that North-South game on Friday night. There’s nothing like it. I get goose bumps just thinking about it. I have played in a lot of big games, but there’s nothing like that game you’ll play on Friday night.” --Justin Pugh, Council Rock South graduate and starting right tackle for the New York Giants to the seniors at Tuesday’s Rock North-Rock South Senior Banquet.
There’s always something magical about the Council Rock North-Council Rock South game. Even if nothing is at stake.
But the stakes are decidedly high for Rock North in Friday night’s game. Win and the Indians will advance to the District One Quad-A playoffs. Lose and their season is over.
“We would be the third team in Council Rock North’s history to make the playoffs, and that’s a big thing to be able to say that,” Rock North senior captain Tyler Callender said. “We came into our last game against Truman and this game as playoff games because they could get us in the playoffs.
“What we want is to be in the playoffs. The fact that it’s North versus South and the playoffs are on the line makes it even better.”
Callender and his fellow seniors can remember the tough times – the Indians were 1-9 when they were freshmen before improving to 5-5 in both 2011 and 2012.
“I remember my freshman year we had the worst season in the history of Council Rock North,” Callender said. “To see the strides we’ve made since then with the new coaching staff we’ve had and starting as a sophomore to being a senior now - it’s tremendous even to see the coaches and the amount of time and effort they put into the program. Our seniors now have developed and got us to where we are.”
For a Rock South team that brings a 2-7 record into Friday’s game, a win over Rock North could salvage the Golden Hawks’ season.
“We’ve been going through a tough season, and when we realized we weren’t going to make playoffs, pretty much all we were saying is that this North-South game is our playoff,” Rock South senior captain Sean Frusco said. “We want to beat these guys more than anything.
“It’s going to be a great game. I’ve been dreaming about it almost every night, laying in bed late at night just thinking about what I have to do and how I have to do it. I think our whole team has set out that goal.”
Anything can happen in this game, and it usually does.
In 2010, the Golden Hawks, the SOL National Conference champs, brought an 8-1 record into the game while the Indians were 1-8. The Golden Hawks eked out a 27-25 win.
“It’s happened year in and year out – if both teams are up or both teams or down or one is up and one is down, once you get into the game, you basically are playing on an even field,” coach Vince Bedesem said. “I think both squads will be very well prepared.
“One of the greatest things about this is you throw out all your pregame speeches and everything. You don’t need them because everything takes care of itself.”
Rock South senior captain Tyler Anderson echoed Bedesem’s sentiments.
“Justin said it perfectly – it doesn’t matter what your record is,” he said. “One team can be undefeated and one have no wins at all – it doesn’t matter. It’s going to be a great game.
“Everyone looks forward to it all season. I know that was my number one goal this year – to beat North. It’s such a big game, and I know we’re all excited, and we’re all looking forward to it a lot.”
“This game means a lot to us and a lot to our community,” senior captain Greg Paprocki added. “This game I’ll cherish the rest of my life.”
While Friday’s Neshaminy-Pennsbury game will steal the spotlight, the Rock North-Rock South game just down the road will matter just as much to the Council Rock community and the players who will lay it all on the line.
“I grew up with all these guys – they were my best friends growing up,” Callender said. “It’s sort of like the friendship goes to the side for that time.
“Anything can happen. You could see the worst team in the league beat the best team in the league in this game. It’s a dogfight.”
A dogfight that is always worth the price of admission.
A look back:
2012 – Council Rock North (5-5) 13, Council Rock South (2-8) 7
2011 – Council Rock South (12-2) 17, Council Rock North (5-5) 0
2010 – Council Rock South (11-2) 27, Council Rock North (1-9) 25
2009 – Council Rock South (8-3) 35, Council Rock North (6-5) 28
2008 – Council Rock North (3-7) 20, Council Rock South (6-4) 18
2007 – Council Rock South (6-4) 42, Council Rock North (3-7) 37
2006 – Council Rock North (10-1) 42, Council Rock South (3-8) 20
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