By Scott Huff
Any Suburban One League team with PIAA state title aspirations must first be crowned PIAA District One champion.
And that journey begins this Friday as seven SOL Quad-A teams – and one SOL Class AAA team - begin District One Tournament play.
# 9 Abington (7-2) @ # 8 Neshaminy (8-2)
Friday 7 pm
The season –
Abington came up with huge wins over both Neshaminy (28-24) and Pennsbury (27-13). The Ghosts lost out on a chance to be SOL National Conference champions with losses to both Council Rock South (41-38 in overtime) and Council Rock North (34-3).
Neshaminy lost a pair of key SOL National Conference games to Abington (28-24) and champion Pennsbury (27-20 in overtime). The Redskins’ two most impressive wins came over Rock South (42-17) and Rock North (14-13).
The stats –
Abington quarterback Sam Kind completed 115 passes for 1584 yards and 17 touchdowns. His favorite target was Anthony Hensley who caught 44 passes for 652 yards and 10 touchdowns. Julien Ireland led the rushing attack with 1014 yards on 195 carries and 10 touchdowns. Ireland also caught a TD pass.
Neshaminy running back Bryan Dean was the featured back for the Redskins with 1370 yards and 16 touchdowns. Dean also scored on three touchdown passes. The quarterback tandem of Brian Titus – 53 completions and eight TD passes – and Charlie Marterella – 34 completions and eight TD passes – has been very effective.
Abington coach Tim Sorber says –“It is going to be great playing at Heartbreak Ridge, with all that history, in front of 7,000 people,” said Sorber. “The kids are excited about getting to play in an environment like that.
“From a preparation standpoint, we both know pretty much what to expect since we played each other this year,” added Sorber. “Bacically, we have to get the mental stuff down to get ready. It should be a great football game.”
Neshaminy coach Mark Schmidt says –
“Considering that they beat us the first time, it should be an emotional game for our kids,” said Schmidt. “We surely don’t have to get their attention to get ready for this game.
“I’m sure that we will have a good game plan, and so will they,” added Schmidt. “It will be great to get the support from our home fans. In a game like this, it always helps.”
#16 Council Rock North (6-4) @ #1 North Penn (10-0)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The season –
North Penn rolled to a perfect 10-0 mark and was never really tested during league play, outscoring its SOL opponents 261-45 in six league contests. The Knights’ biggest win was a 28-14 non-league win over St. Joe’s Prep. North Penn is ranked first in most state polls.
Council Rock North notched an impressive 34-3 win over Abington and came within a missed extra point of sending its game against Neshaminy into overtime before falling 14-13. The Indians – who also fell to Pensnbury (26-6) and Father Judge (35-21) - thought their season was over when they fell to neighboring Council Rock South 35-28 last Friday but found out hours later they had earned the final district spot.
The stats –
North Penn senior Todd Smolinsky has emerged as a standout high school quarterback, throwing for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for 417 yards and four TDs. Dom Taggart has been Smolinsky’s favorite target, hauling in 27 passes for 479 yards and five touchdowns. Tight end Ralph Reeves has 236 receiving yards. Running back Craig Needhammer has been unstoppable on the ground, accumulating 1,122 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Council Rock North junior Brandon Cottom is coming off a 291-yard rushing effort against CR South with 222 of those yards coming in a dazzling first half. For the season, the junior running back has 783 yards and 10 TDs. Quarterback Tyler Hamilton, who has been slowed by an injury, has passed for 1,220 yards and 13 TDs. He also has 417 yards on the ground. If he’s unable to go on Friday, Kevin Hacker will take over the quarterbacking duties.
North Penn coach Dick Beck says –“After watching the (Council Rock) South game, the key is going to be to stop Cottom. He’s very special. I have been hearing about this kid since he was in ninth grade. I think his coming out party was last week. You have to believe anyone who sees last week’s film – the kid’s going to get 50 scholarship offers.
“We’re starting this as a new season. We’re doing a little more film study, we’re doing a little more game planning. In weeks past, we did more work on what we do. Now we’re reacting a little more to what the other teams do. Council Rock North is a very talented team. I think it’s a big challenge.
“The kids are excited.”
Coach Tom Coates says -
“The biggest thing is our quarterback – for such a terrific career he’s had – ended on an (intercepted) pass, and I felt so bad for him. It gives him an opportunity to re-write that. We have our fingers crossed that he’ll be able to play.
“Brandon Cottom is running very well in practice. The confidence level seems to be rising. He’s going to go against a very good defense, but he’s a very good player, and he can make a big difference.
“When you look at North Penn, they obviously put a lot of formations out there, but at the same time, they’re sort of like the old C.B. West teams. They run the same plays over and over and over and execute extremely well. I’m watching film looking for special plays, and the reality is it’s not in the plays – it’s in the players and their execution. That’s where their specialness lies.
“We’re going to have to be consistent. We’re going against a bunch of kids that don’t make mistakes.
“Our goal was to get to the playoffs. We’re not just happy to be here. Eventually, if you want to do anything, you have to go through North Penn. We might as well start with the best first. We’re anxious to get up there and play the game.”
# 11 Downingtown East (8-2) @ #6 Norristown(9-1)
Friday 7 pm
The season –
Downingtown East finished its season in a three-way tie for the Ches-Mont League National Conference title with a 5-1 record. The Cougars were atop the league standings along with Downingtown West and Avon Grove. East handed Avon Grove its only loss of the season, 32-21. But the Cougars lost to cross town rival West, 26-14.
Norristown won its first outright title since 1957 as the Eagles collected a Suburban One League American Conference championship with a 5-1 record. The only loss of the season for the Eagles was an 18-15 setback to defending conference champion Upper Dublin.
The stats –
Downington East features a balanced attack that is led by junior quarterback Trey Lauletta who fired 15 scoring passes. The biggest weapon, however, is sophomore running back Drew Harris who rushed for 1435 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. Taj Alexander anchors a physical Cougar defense.
Norristown has a ‘big-play’ offense that has been spearheaded by dynamic senior running back Sheldon Mayer. Mayer has rushed for a team-high 1415 yards and has scored a total of 18 touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Shannon Mayer had thrown seven scoring passes for the Eagles – three to senior Anthony Robey.
Norristown coach E.J. Smith says –
“Downingtown East is a well-rounded team and very big up front,” said Smith. “They like to spread you out, and then they will attack you on the inside.
“We’re Norristown and we have no secrets,” said Smith. “Everyone knows that we are capable of the big play. The kids love playing football, and we hope to keep right on playing.”
# 12 Quakertown (8-2) @ #5 Avon Grove (9-1)
Friday 7 pm
The season –
Quakertown finished the season in second place in the Suburban One League Continental Conference behind champion North Penn. The Panthers lost against the Knights 42-13, and also lost a conference game against Hatboro-Horsham, 26-21. Q-town beat Souderton 21-16 in its last game.
Avon Grove was involved in a three-way deadlock at the top of the Ches-Mont League National Conference standings with a 5-1 record. The Red Devils defeated tri-champion Downingtown West 35-21, but lost to tri-champion Downingtown East, 32-21. Avon Grove has won its last five games going into the playoffs.
The stats –
Quakertown features a balanced offensive attack with the talents of quarterback Ryan Tincknell and running back Tony Latronica at the forefront. Tincknell has passed for eight touchdowns and has run for four scores, while Latronica has rushed for a team-high 1139 yards and has scored 17 touchdowns. Running backs Joe Able and Tyler Burke have combined for 700 yards and eight rushing scores for the Panthers.
Avon Grove has used the talents of three running backs to punish opponents this season. Branden McLaughlin has rushed for 1042 yards and 13 scores – Brandon Monk has rushed for 931 yards and 14 scores – and Jordan Harris has added 721 yards and 12 scores. The Red Devils run an explosive offense out of the Wing-T offense.
Quakertown coach John Donnelly says –“Our seniors remember last year, and we don’t want a repeat of that,” said Donnelly in reference to the 21-0 Panther loss to Ridley in the first round last season. “I think that the experience that we gained from playing in the game is going to help us this season.
“The players are all excited to prove that we deserve some respect,” added Donnelly. “We want to go on the field and play with a lot of emotion. Avon Grove is a very good football team.”
#10 Council Rock South (8-2) at #7 Ridley (9-1)
Friday 7 p.m.
The season –
Council Rock South closed out its regular season with an emotional 35-28 win over Council Rock North. The biggest win of the season for the Golden Hawks was their 41-38 upset in overtime of then undefeated Abington. Rock South overcame a series of potentially devastating injuries to win eight games and suffered its only losses at the hands of Neshaminy (42-17) and Pennsbury (30-7).
Ridley shared the top spot in the Central League standings with Garnet Valley, the lone team to beat the Green Raiders during the regular season. Ridley fell to Garnet Valley 20-14 in the second last game of the regular season. The Green Raiders boast four shutouts and allowed an average of just over five points a game in their wins.
The stats –
Council Rock South runs the triple option as well as anyone, and its three-pronged attack features quarterback Billy Fleming, fullback Braxton Ambrose and running back Greg Welch. Welch is the team’s leading ground gainer with 743 yards (7.9 yards per carry) and 16 touchdowns. Fleming has accounted for 644 yards on the ground and 459 in the air and has 16 touchdowns. Ambrose has 571 yards on the ground, averaging six yards a carry.
In the absence of running back Sam Dixon-Dougan, who was sidelined the last two weeks with a strained knee, Jalen Randolph has received the starting nod for Ridley. The gifted sophomore, who also plays outside linebacker, has 421 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns. He also has two receiving TDs. Quarterback Colin Masterson has completed 101-of-161 passes for 1,553 yards and 17 touchdowns. Norm Donkin, who has 26 receptions for 469 yards and 5 TDs, is Ridley’s top receiver.
#15 Unionville (7-3) @ #2 Pennsbury (9-1)
Friday 7 pm
The season –
Unionvillefinished the Ches-Mont League American Division season in second place behind champion West Chester Rustin. The three Indian losses were to Rustin (35-7), Avon Grove (20-14), and Garnet Valley (15-14). Unionville has won its last six games and over the span has averaged 38.5 points per game while allowing 13.5 points per game.
Pennsbury emerged as the champion of the Suburban One League National Conference. The Falcons claimed the title on the last day of the season with a thrilling 27-20 overtime victory over archrival Neshaminy. The Falcons’ only loss during the season was against Abington, 27-13. The Falcons have quality wins over both Council Rock North and Council Rock South.
The stats –
Unionville features a running attack that is led by both Greg Carroll and Mason Pophan. This tandem represents most of the production from the high-powered Indian Wing-T offense. The Unionville defense is spearheaded by linebacker Ryan Focht and defensive end Zack Lawson.
Pennsbury generated most of its offense behind a punishing offensive line and a 1000-plus rusher in fullback Dante Devine. Quarterback Brandon Pepper is more of a threat as a runner and has rushed for 500-plus yards. The Falcons have a terrific defense that is showcased by the play of senior defensive back Eric Williams – a University of Pittsburgh recruit.
Pennsbury coach Galen Snyder says –
“We exchanged three tapes of games,” said Snyder. “That is about all we could do as far as scouting them goes. They have a good football team.
“The players are ready for the new challenge that the playoffs give us,” added Snyder as the Falcons claimed the Suburban One League National Conference with the 27-20 overtime win over Neshaminy. “Going into the playoffs with a win over Neshaminy is huge, and we are ready to begin our second season.
#8 Upper Moreland (5-4) @ # 1 Pottsgrove (10-0)
Friday 7 pm
The season –
Upper Moreland gained entrance into the PIAA District One Class AAA Playoffs by finishing the season with a winning record. The Golden Bears finished behind both Norristown and Upper Dublin in the Suburban One League American Conference. UM lost games this season to Strath Haven (10-6), Upper Dublin (20-13), Plymouth Whitemarsh (19-7), and Norristown (27-0).
Pottsgrove ended its Pioneer Athletic Conference season both unbeaten and as conference champions.
The Falcons also claimed non-league wins over both Pennridge (35-21) and Wissahickon (45-0). Pottsgrove scored 62 points in a win over Upper Perkiomen.
The stats –
Upper Moreland senior running back Chris Smallwood is a sensational back that raced for 1096 yards and 12 scores despite missing three games. QB Matt Sawick has thrown three touchdown passes – all to Ronye Dennis. Dennis leads the team in receptions with 31 for 624 yards.Pottsgrove has a three-headed rushing monster in Maika Polamalu, Terrell Chestnut, and Kayvon Greene. Polomalu has rushed for 1115 yards and 15 touchdowns – Chestnut has rushed for 710 yards and 15 touchdowns – and Greene has rushed for 635 yards and nine touchdowns. All three also excel on the Falcon defense.
Upper Moreland coach Adam Beach says –
“It is a great opportunity for our team – especially our seniors,” said Beach. “We have a lot of players that have been through this before, and we are excited to get a chance to play Pottsgrove.
“They have three excellent running backs, and that is going to be a huge challenge for our team,” continued Beach. “We have played teams with their speed – such as Norristown – and we know that we have to limit our mistakes.”
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