By Scott Huff
Friday Night Lights will be shining as the teams of the Suburban One League begin the 2009 scholastic football season on September 4th.
Suburban One American Conference
Those brilliant lights will be cast on the gridiron field at Cheltenham for the very first time during the 22-year head coaching tenure of coach Joe Gro.
“We are all pretty excited about our first night game,” said Gro as his Panthers will host Truman in a non-league game with a 7 p.m. kickoff. “It is something that should have always been, and finally it is here.
“We have been working hard at this for over a year,” added Gro. “We went to a school board meeting in March, and myself and some of the players spoke. It must have had an impact.”
Cheltenham hosted a night scrimmage with Coatesville last Friday for a test run.
“The lights on the field itself were great,” said Gro, “We had some issues with lighting off the field, but that should be corrected. It’s a go for the Truman game.
“Truman should be much improved and should be an interesting team to watch,” added Gro. “We are hoping that we can compete right away and compete with the better teams in our league.”
The Panthers will be led along both the offensive and defensive line by senior captain Jameer Jones. Jones is a 6-foot 250-pound offensive guard and defensive tackle.
“The beginning of the season is always exciting,” said Gro. “And this year will be special,”
SOL American Conference Schedule
Truman (2-10 in ’08) @ Cheltenham (5-7 in ’08)
Last season: Cheltenham 33 - Truman 0.
Prediction – Cheltenham 24 – Truman 6.
Northeast (7-5 in ’08) @ Norristown (5-5 in ’08)
Last season: Norristown 20 - Northeast 11.
Prediction – Norristown 21 – Northeast 14.
Wissahickon (5-5 in ’08) @ William Tennent (0-10)
Last season: Wissahickon 40 – William Tennent 14.
Prediction: Wissahickon 20 – William Tennent 7.
Upper Dublin (8-2 in ’08) @ Perk Valley (4-7 in 08)
Last season: Upper Dublin 55 – Perk Valley 42
Prediction – Upper Dublin 20 – Perk Valley 17.
LaSalle (9-3 in 08) @ Plymouth-Whitemarsh (0-11)
Last season: LaSalle 45 – Plymouth-Whitemarsh 0.
Prediction: La Salle 28 – Plymouth-Whitemarsh 14.
Upper Merion (5-4 in ‘08) @ Neumann (3-8 in ’08)
Last season: Upper Merion 41 – Neumann 0.
Prediction: Upper Merion 34 – Neumann 13.
Upper Moreland (11-2 in 08) @ Strath Haven (7-4)
Last season: Did Not Play
Prediction: Upper Moreland 14 – Strath Haven 13.
Suburban One National Conference
The Friday Night Lights have been on for years at Neshaminy where the Redskins have been a Lower Bucks power for decades.
The lights will shine on a young core of Neshaminy players this season as the Skins start six underclassmen on offense and seven underclassmen on defense.
“This is one of those years where we will have to have the program take over,” said Neshaminy head coach Mark Schmidt. “We are much younger than we have been for a while, and the kids are going to have to step up and have a good year.
“We had a good junior varsity team and those players are going to have to perform if we want to keep this program going,” added Schmidt. “We have a great group of kids and they have worked very hard.”
Last season the Skins dropped a tough 14-13 contest to host Souderton in its season opener. Neshaminy rebounded with 12 straight wins that included a 16-13 win over rival Pennsbury and playoff wins over Ridley (31-3) and Garnet Valley (21-14). The season
ended with a 28-0 loss to North Penn.
“We open again with Souderton and they have an excellent football program,” said Schmidt. “Last year they beat us, and they deserved to win the game.
“Our goal right now is continue to get better every day,” continued Schmidt. “And I think we will do that.”
SOL National Conference Schedule
Souderton (5-6 in ’08) @ Neshaminy (12-2 in ’08)
Last Season: Souderton 14 – Neshaminy 13.
Prediction: Neshaminy 24 – Souderton 14.
Conwell-Egan (8-4 in ’08) @ Pennsbury (9-3 in 08)
Last Season: Did Not Play
Prediction: Pennsbury 28 – Conwell Egan 6.
Abington (10-3 in ’08) @ CB East (4-6 in ’08)
Last Season: Abington 28 – CB East 13.
Prediction: Abington 34 – CB East 20.
Rock North (3-7 in 08) @ Father Judge (9-4 in ‘08)
Last Season: Father Judge 35 – CR North 20.
Prediction: CR North 28 – Father Judge 21.
CB South (4-6 in ’08) @ Rock South (6-4 in ’08)
Last Season: Rock South 34 – CB South 27.
Prediction: Rock South 21 – CB South 20.
Overbrook (5-7 in 08) @ Bensalem (4-7 in ’08)
Last Season: Did Not Play
Prediction: Bensalem 20 – Overbrook 12.
Truman (2-10 in ’08)@ Cheltenham (5-7)
Last Season: Cheltenham 33 – Truman 0.
Prediction: Cheltenham 24 – Truman 6.
Wissahickon (5-5 in ’08) @ William Tennent (0-10)
Last Season: Wissahickon 40 – William Tennent 14.
Prediction: Wissahickon 20 – William Tennent 7.
Suburban One Continental Conference
Central Bucks West will travel to the Lehigh Valley to face Lehigh Valley Conference power Bethlehem Freedom. It will be the varsity debut for head coach Brian Hensel.
“Freedom was one play away from beating state champion Liberty last season,” said Hensel in reference to the 20-14 loss. “For us to open the season against them will be a daunting task.
“From Day One we have challenged the kids to be leaders, no matter what grade they are in,” added Hensel. “These seniors told me that they don’t want to be successful in 2010 – they want to be successful this season.”
Hensel has learned a lot during his brief tenure as head coach of the Bucks.
“Everything funnels through the head coach,” said Hensel. “If there is an issue – no matter what – it has to be addressed.
“I have a great staff that works with all the players in the program,” continued Hensel. “Our numbers are up from last year to the low 60’s, but we have a couple of injuries. But we are ready to go.
Under the Friday Night Lights …
SOL Continental Schedule
Central Bucks West (3-7 in ’08) @ Freedom
Last Season: Freedom 41 – Central Bucks West 7.
Prediction: Freedom 35 – CB West 13.
Central Bucks South (4-6) @ Rock South (6-4)
Last Season: Rock South 34 – CB South 27
Prediction: Rock South 21 – CB South 20.
Abington (10-3 in 08) @ Central Bucks East (4-6)
Last Season: Abington 28 – CB East 13.
Prediction: Abington 34 – CB East 20.
Souderton (5-6 in 08) @ Neshaminy (12-2 in 08)
Last Season: Souderton 14 – Neshaminy 13
Prediction: Neshaminy 24 – Souderton 14.
Methacton (5-6 in ’08) @ Quakertown (9-3)
Last Season: Quakertown 13 – Methacton 6.
Prediction: Quakertown 24 – Methacton 7.
Pottsgrove (11-2 in ’08) @ Pennridge (6-6)
Last Season: Did Not Play
Prediction: Pennridge 21 – Pottsgrove 14.
Hatboro-Horsham (5-7 in 08) @ Frankford (9-3)
Last Season: Frankford 14 – Hatboro-Horsham 13.
Prediction: Hatboro-Horsham 14 – Frankford 13.
Liberty (15-1 – state champs) @ North Penn (14-1)
Last Season: NP 23-Liberty 15 & Liberty 21-NP 14
Prediction: North Penn 20 – Liberty 17.
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