Scott Huff previews the Quakertown/Hatboro-Horsham game and also includes the district playoff picture and Huff’s predictions.
By Scott Huff
And the beat goes on…
The Hatboro-Horsham/Quakertown rivalry may not be the most storied rivalry in the area, but both the Hatters and the Panthers have deep roots in area scholastic football history.
Hatboro-Horsham and Quakertown both joined the Suburban One League back in 1986 – but both the Hatters and the Panthers played for decades back in a day in the old Bux-Mont League.
And now the Hatters and the Panthers will do battle once again in 2018 on the iconic Alumni Field in Quakertown, and the contest has major 6A PIAA District One playoff implications.
Hatboro-Horsham and Quakertown both share a unique situation this season. Both the Hatters and the Panthers were only able to schedule nine games of the permitted 10 games prior to playoffs – and H-H and Q-town are two of the three teams in the SOL American Conference that are part of the 6A format.
Plymouth Whitemarsh is the only other 6A team, while Upper Dublin (5A), Cheltenham (5A), Wissahickon (5A), and Upper Moreland (4A) comprise the remainder of the conference. Victories over teams from a lower classification count as 120 points (5A) and 100 points (4A), while wins over 6A teams count as 140 points.
As a result, Quakertown at 6-2 has the same amount of (average) points as 5-3 Neshaminy and 5-3 Council Rock South. Hatboro-Horsham – despite having a winning record at 4-3 – is behind 4-4 Pennsbury, 4-4 Souderton, 4-4 Pennridge, and 4-4 Central Bucks East in the district rankings.
And the Hatters have an exciting 8-7 victory over Souderton on their 2018 resume.
“We really don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it,” said Hatboro-Horsham head coach Michael Kapusta. “Our sole focus each game is to be doing our job and trying to win the game we have that week.
“Sure, we want to get into the playoffs,” added Kapusta. “We have a team that believes it can win every game, but we know it comes down to execution.
“Quakertown is always tough and is extremely well coached, and we look forward to playing them,” continued Kapusta. “It can be a hostile environment playing at Quakertown with the stadium being right there in the borough. It is going to be an electric atmosphere.”
“We are going to treat the Hatboro game as a playoff game,” said Quakertown head coach George Banas. “It would be great if we could get closer to a number eight seed with a win and get a home game in the playoffs.
“When Springfield decided not to be part of the league again this year, it made it hard for us to find another game,” added Banas in reference to the Spartans playing an independent 4A schedule. “It is what it is – and we need to just take care of ourselves.
“Hatboro-Horsham is a very physical team that comes hard at you every play,” continued Banas. “It will probably come down to a low scoring, one score game – there should be no shootout in this one.”
Just another fiercely competitive Hatboro-Horsham/ Quakertown SOL football game –and a rivalry game just like the ones played back in a day in the old Bux-Mont League.
Stay tuned.
ROAD MAP TO THE PIAA DISTRICT ONE 6 A PLAYOFFS
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters/Quakertown Panthers
Current Record (W-L)
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (4-3)
10/19/18*Hatboro-Horsham @ Quakertown (6-2)
10/26/18*Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-6) @ Hatboro-Horsham
Quakertown Panthers (6-2)
10/19/18*Hatboro-Horsham (4-3) @ Quakertown
**Note**Both Hatboro-Horsham and Quakertown have tentative games scheduled on Thanksgiving morning – the Hatters would host Upper Moreland, while the Panthers would host Pennridge.**
Suburban One Sports.com ‘Big School’ District One Football Quiz
In the last 25 years (1993-2017), North Penn has won the most district titles of any school in District One. How many championships have the Knights won in the last quarter of a century? [A] 5 [B] 6 [C] 7 or [D] 8.
Sneak Peak @ PIAA District One Playoffs
6 A – Top 16 Teams Qualify
Seed Team Record Ranking
1 North Penn Knights 8-0 176.250
5. Truman Tigers 7-1 154.750
11. Quakertown Panthers 6-2 128.750
Neshaminy Redskins 5-3 128.750
Council Rock South Hawks 5-3 128.750
15. Pennsbury Falcons 4-4 118.750
16. Souderton Indians 4-4 115.000
*******************************************************
17. Pennridge Rams 4-4 112.500
18. CB East Patriots 4-4 108.750
20. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 4-3 102.85
5A – Top 16 Teams Qualify
5 A – Top 16 Teams Qualify
2. Upper Dublin Cardinals 6-1 160.000
7. Cheltenham Panthers 5-3 126.250
4 A – Top 4 Teams Qualify
4. Upper Moreland Bears 3-4 95.714
*****************************************************************************
5. Springfield Spartans 43 94.286
ROAD MAP TO THE PIAA DISTRICT ONE 6 A PLAYOFFS
CR South/Neshaminy/Pennsbury/Abington/Souderton/Pennridge/CB East
Current Record in (W-L)
CR South Golden Hawks (5-3)
10/19/16*CR South @ Neshaminy (5-3)
10/26/18*CR South @ CR North (1-6)
Neshaminy Redskins (5-3)
10/19/18*CR South (5-3) @ Neshaminy
10/26/18*Pennsbury (4-4) @ Neshaminy
Pennsbury Falcons (4-4)
Abington Ghosts (4-4) @ Pennsbury
Pennsbury @ Neshaminy (5-3)
Abington Ghosts (4-4)10/19/18*Abington @ Pennsbury (4-4)
10/26/18*CB West (2-6) @ Abington
Souderton Indians (4-4)
10/19/18*Souderton @ CB West (2-6)
10/26/18*Souderton @ CB South (3-5)
Pennridge Rams (4-4)10/19/18*Truman (7-1) @ Pennridge
10/27/18*Pennridge at CB East (4-4)
CB East Patriots (4-4)10/19/18*CB East @ William Tennent (2-6)
10/27/18*Pennridge (4-4) @ CB East
Answer to the Suburban One Sports.com ‘Big School’ District One Football Quiz.
[C] North Penn has won 7 District One titles in the last 25 years. The Knights won championships in 2016, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2005, 2003 (State Champions), and 2002.
This Week in the Suburban One League
American Conference
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (4-3, 3-1) @ Quakertown Panthers (6-2, 3-2)
Last Week:
Hatboro-Horsham defeated Cheltenham 7-6
Quakertown defeated PW 17-14
Last Year:
Quakertown defeated Hatboro-Horsham 26-20
Prediction: Hatboro-Horsham 17 – Quakertown 14
Cheltenham Panthers (5-3, 2-2) @ Upper Moreland Bears (3-4, 2-2)
Last Week:
Cheltenham lost to Hatboro-Horsham 7-6
Upper Moreland Did Not Play
Last Year:
Upper Moreland defeated Cheltenham 34-9
Prediction: Cheltenham 20 – Upper Moreland 13
Upper Dublin Cardinals (6-1, 4-0) @ Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-6, 1-3)
Last Week:
Upper Dublin defeated Wissahickon 47-12
PW lost to Quakertown 17-14
Last Year:
Upper Dublin defeated PW 28-14
Prediction: Upper Dublin 38 – PW 14National Conference
CR South Golden Hawks (5-3, 3-1) @ Neshaminy Redskins (5-3, 4-1)
Last Week:
CR South lost to Pennsbury 22-19
Neshaminy defeated Bensalem 41-7
Last Year:
Neshaminy defeated CR South 28-0
Prediction: Neshaminy 24 – CR South 21
Abington Ghosts (4-4, 2-3) @ Pennsbury Falcons (4-4, 3-1)
Last Week:
Abington lost to Truman 42-27
Pennsbury defeated CR South 22-19
Last Year:
Pennsbury defeated Abington 42-28
Prediction: Pennsbury 28 – Abington 24
CR North Indians (1-7, 0-4) @ Bensalem Owls (0-8, 0-4)
Last Week:
CR North lost to Souderton 39-6
Bensalem lost to Neshaminy 41-7
Last Year:
Bensalem defeated CR North 42-14
Prediction: CR North 17 – Bensalem 14Continental Conference
Central Bucks South (3-5, 2-2) @ North Penn Knights (8-0, 4-0)
Last Week:
CB South lost to CB East 23-18
North Penn defeated CB West 20-6
Last Year:
North Penn defeated CB South 40-9
Prediction: North Penn 35 – CB South 14
Souderton Indians (4-4, 3-1) @ Central Bucks West (2-6, 1-4)
Last Week:
Souderton defeated CR North 39-6
CB West lost to North Penn 20-6
Last Year:
Souderton defeated CB West 21-14
Prediction: Souderton 38 – CB West 21
Central Bucks East Patriots (4-4, 3-2) @ William Tennent (2-6, 0-5)
Last Week:
CB East defeated CB South 23-18
WT lost to Pennridge 55-20
Prediction: CB East 42 – William Tennent 21
Non-League Games
Pennridge Rams (4-4) @ Harry S Truman Tigers (7-1)
Last Week:
Pennridge defeated William Tennent 55-20
Truman defeated Pennsbury 22-19
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Prediction: Pennridge 28 – Truman 27
Wissahickon Trojans (0-8) @ Eastern York (2-6)
Last Week:
Wissahickon lost to Upper Dublin 47-12
Eastern York lost to Susquehannock 43-42
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Prediction: Eastern York 24 – Wissahickon 21
Springfield Spartans (4-3) @ George School (1-5)
Last Week:
Springfield lost to New Hope Solebury 34-21
George School lost to Tower Hill (DE) 38-6
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Prediction: Springfield 34 – George School 13
Suburban One Sports.com
Top Ten
Rank Team Record Ranking Last Week
1. North Penn Knights 8-0 1
2. Truman Tigers 7-1 2
3. Neshaminy Redskins 5-3 4
4. CR South Golden Hawks 5-3 3.
5. Upper Dublin Cardinals 6-1 5.
6. Pennsbury Falcons 4-4 10.
7. Quakertown Panthers 6-2 7.
8. Souderton Indians 4-4 9.
9. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 4-3 NR
10. Cheltenham Panthers 5-3 6.
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