Scott Huff previews the four district games featuring SOL teams.
By Scott Huff
The PIAA Quad-A District One playoffs went ‘chalk’ the first round with all eight higher seeded teams advancing to the second round.
# 1 Coatesville defeated # 16 Haverford 35-12; # 2 Pennbury defeated # 15 Downingtown West 63-55; # 3 West Chester Rustin defeated # 14 Conestoga 47-13; # 4 Quakertown defeated # 13 Pennridge 14-10; # 5 Downingtown East defeated # 12 Perkiomen Valley 27-24; # 6 Upper Dublin defeated # 11 Council Rock North 48-14; # 7 Garnet Valley defeated # 10 Central Bucks South 35-15; and# 8 West Chester Henderson defeated # 9 North Penn 40-13.
The most surprising games from a Suburban One League perspective were the performances of SOL National Conference co-champions – Pennsbury and North Penn. The Falcons – minus three of their top defenders – gave up a shocking 55 points but still won behind a remarkable seven-touchdown outing by Charles Snorweah as Pennsbury needed every one of its incredible 63 points. And the Knights – even though not the Knights of old – lost a playoff game in the first round by a hard-to-imagine 27 points.
Congratulations to both Quakertown and Upper Dublin for writing school history with first-ever playoff victories. Both the SOL Continental Conference champion Panthers and the SOL American Conference champion Cardinals are an impressive 10-1 and will venture into precarious unknown waters in the second round.
Let’s see – if the second round goes chalk – it is great news for both # 2 Pennsbury and # 4 Quakertown as both host games against # 7 Garnet Valley and # 5 Downingtown East respectively. And not such good news for the # 6 Cardinals will fly to Chester County to play # 3 West Chester Rustin.
The PIAA Class AA District One final is set and will feature Springfield and Bristol. Both the SOL American Conference Spartans and Bicentennial League champion Warriors were higher seeds as # 2 Springfield topped # 3 New Hope 39-15 and # 1 Bristol defeated # 4 Valley Forge Military Academy.
And the beat goes on…
PIAA Quad-A District One Quarterfinals
Friday – November 14, 2014
[#7] Garnet Valley Jaguars (9-2) @ [#2] Pennsbury Falcons (10-1)
Winner Gets the winner of [#3] West Chester Rustin vs. [#6] Upper Dublin Cardinals
Season Highlights:
Garnet Valley – finished the regular season as the second place finisher in the Central League * key wins came over Ridley (21-14), Haverford (44-41), and Conestoga (27-14) * lost to Unionville (8-6) and Springfield-Delco (7-0).
Pennsbury – finished the regular season as the co-champions of the Suburban One League National Conference * key wins came over Pennridge (41-14), Central Bucks South (55-7), and Council Rock North (57-20) * only loss of the season came against North Penn (24-21).
Last Game:
Garnet Valley – the Jaguars rolled to a 35-15 victory over Central Bucks South in a PIAA Quad-A District One first round playoff game * Derrick West ran for a game-high 160 yards on 31 carries and scored four touchdowns * Garnet Valley ran for 318 yards rushing and only attempted three passes.
Pennsbury – the Falcons held on to a wild 63-55 victory over Downingtown West in a PIAA Quad-A District One first round playoff game * Charles Snorweah had an unreal outing with 433 yards rushing and seven touchdowns * Pennsbury had 607 yards of total offense * the Falcons’ short-handed defense allowed DW quarterback Tyler McNulty to complete 21 passes for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
Stat Track:
Garnet Valley – Points Scored Per Game – 31.1 * Points Allowed Per Game – 15.1 * Margin of Victory + 16.0
Pennsbury – Points Scored Per Game – 43.1 * Points Allowed Per Game – 14.0 * Margin of Victory + 29.1
Players To Watch:
Garnet Valley – Derrick West * Stephan Flanagan * Tom Cleary
Pennsbury – Charles Snorweah * Mike Alley * Raheem Thompson
Pennsbury Head Coach Galen Snyder says:
“Garnet Valley is a very well coached team on both sides of the football. They are a run-first offense – much like us – but they run a lot of option. I hope we can continue to focus on what we have to do to win football games. Last week was crazy – and a very long game. With the way that both teams will play the game this week – it should be a much shorter game.”
[#5] Downingtown East Cougars (8-3) @ [#4] Quakertown Panthers (10-1)
Winner Gets the winner of [#1] Coatesville vs. [#8] West Chester Henderson
Season Highlights:
Downingtown East – finished the regular season as the second place finisher in the Ches-Mont National Division * key wins came over West Chester Rustin (28-12), Downingtown West (34-14), and West Chester Henderson (28-7).
Quakertown – finished the regular season as the champions of the Suburban One League Continental Conference * key wins came over Truman (24-21), Council Rock South (19-7), and Council Rock North (48-32) * lone loss of the season came against Central Bucks East (35-21).
Last Game:
Downingtown East – the Cougars needed a 25-yard field goal by Drew Brennan in the game’s closing seconds to secure a 27-24 PIAA Quad-A District One playoff victory over Perkiomen Valley * DE quarterback Andrew Hudson completed 11 of 31 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns * the Cougars gave up 307 passing yards to the Vikings.
Quakertown – the Panthers captured a 14-10 victory over rival Pennridge in a PIAA Quad-A District One playoff game * quarterback Alec Vera threw a pair of touchdown passes for Q-town and passed for 109 yards * Rob Burns led the Panthers in rushing with 70 yards.
Stat Track:
Downingtown East – Points Scored Per Game – 29.5 * Points Allowed Per Game – 20.3 * Margin of Victory + 9.2
Quakertown – Points Scored Per Game – 27.8 * Points Allowed Per Game – 13.8 * Margin of Victory + 14.0
Players To Watch:
Downingtown East – Cary Angeline * Andrew Hudson * Keith Connor
Quakertown – Rob Burns * Alec Vera * Nick Bonomo
Quakertown Head Coach George Banas says:
“We played a good game against Pennridge, but we have to be smart enough to know that it won’t be easy this week. They have a couple of big receivers – especially (6-7) Cary Angeline. They are going to be the biggest test we have faced all year in the passing game. Plus they have some big linemen. They are physical – but so are we – that’s how we’re built.”
[#6] Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals (10-1) @ West Chester Rustin Golden Knights (10-1)
Winner gets the winner of [#2] Pennsbury vs. [#7] Garnet Valley
Season Highlights:
Upper Dublin – finished the regular season as the champion of the Suburban One American Conference * key wins came over Coconut Creek (36-28), Truman (28-21), and Plymouth Whitemarsh (34-28) * only loss of the season came against Abington (27-20).
West Chester Rustin – finished the regular season as the champion of the Ches-Mont American Division * key wins came over West Chester Henderson (28-27), Unionville (41-20), and Conestoga (47-13) * only loss of the season came against Downingtown East (28-12).
Last Game:
Upper Dublin – the Cardinals soared to a 48-14 victory over Council Rock North in a PIAA Quad-A District One first round playoff game * Upper Dublin relied on its running game as Kaleif Lee scored four touchdowns and John Lee rushed for a game-high 174 yards * the Cardinal defense limited explosive Brandon McIlwain of CRN to just 144 yards of total offense.
West Chester Rustin – the Golden Knights marched to a 47-13 victory over Conestoga in a PIAA Quad-A District One first round playoff game * Terry Loper had a terrific game rushing for a game-high 284 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries * Evan Wylock completed 3-of-4 passes – two for touchdowns.
Stat Track:
Upper Dublin – Points Scored Per Game – 35.5 * Points Allowed Per Game – 15.2 * Margin of Victory +20.3
West Chester Rustin – Points Scored Per Game – 39.5 * Points Allowed Per Game – 14.4 * Margin of Victory +25.1
Players To Watch:
Upper Dublin – Ryan Stover * Kaleif Lee * John Lee
West Chester Rustin – Terry Loper * Evan Wylock * Steve Franks
Upper Dublin Head Coach Bret Stover says:
“West Chester Rustin equates to a Pennsbury in that they commit to the run offensively. They have very good size – the only team that we have played that big all year has been Plymouth Whitemarsh. (Terry) Loper is a tremendous running back with breakaway speed. There is really no secret when you play Rustin – they are going to run right at you and you have to stop them. We will have our hands full, but we will be ready to go.”
PIAA Class AA District One Finals
Friday – November 14, 2014
[#2] Springfield Spartans (5-6) vs. [#1] Bristol Warriors (8-3)
Winner gets the winner of the District 12 championship
Season Highlights:
Springfield – finished as the fifth place team in the Suburban One League American Conference * key wins over Lower Moreland (35-0), Hatboro-Horsham (27-21), and Upper Merion (40-20) * losses came against Penn Charter (23-20), Wissahickon (48-21), Upper Dublin (46-14), Cheltenham (14-0), Upper Moreland (25-20), and Plymouth Whitemarsh (30-13).
Bristol – finished as the champions of the Bicentennial League * key wins over New Hope-Solebury (42-0), Jenkintown (49-3), and Lower Moreland (50-7) * losses came against Middle Township (44-17), Academy of the New Church (28-27), and Buena Regional (41-6).
Last Game:
Springfield – the Spartans marched to a 39-15 victory over New Hope-Solebury in a PIAA Class AA District One semifinal playoff game * Springfield led 21-0 at the end of the first quarter * senior quarterback Chris Stone threw for two touchdown passes and ran for another.
Bristol – the Warriors rolled to a 39-12 victory over Valley Forge Military Academy in a PIAA Class AA District One semifinal playoff game * Donte Simmons rushed for two touchdowns for the high powered Bristol offense and scored on runs of 71 and 15 yards * the Warriors had defeated VFMA 54-0 earlier in the Bicentennial League season.
Stat Track:
Springfield – Points Scored Per Game – 23.5 * Points Allowed Per Game – 23.0 * Margin of Victory + 0.5
Bristol – Points Scored Per Game – 36.3 * Points Allowed Per Game – 14.6 * Margin of Victory + 21.7
Players To Watch:
Springfield – Chris Stone * Martin Worgan * Justin Hill
Bristol – Donte Simmons * PJ Collins * Samir Brisbon
Springfield Head Coach Chris Shelly says:
“Bristol has a running back in (Donte) Simmons that is a combination of all the really good running backs we have seen this season in the Suburban One League. He has the breakaway speed of Wissahickon’s Josh Smith – the slipperiness of Upper Merion’s Shannon Carnard – and the toughness of Upper Moreland’s Tyler Whitmore. He is one special back – and are all going to have to play our best football defensively to contain him.”
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