Photos provided courtesy of Karla Donohoe (CB South/PW), Kim Supko (CB West), Keith Clemens Photography (NP) & Michael Rice Photography (Springfield Twp). Visit the photo gallery for galleries of each game: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f732406078
Football Forecast – Volume 12
By Scott Huff
SOL Football Countdown 6…5...4…
The Suburban One League began last week with 6 teams remaining in the PIAA District One playoffs…and this week there are 4 surviving teams still in the hunt for a district title.
In the 6A playoffs, No. 1 Central Bucks South, No. 3 Central Bucks West & No. 4 North Penn all captured quarterfinal victories and will advance to the D-1 6A semifinals.
In the 5A playoffs, No. 6 Upper Dublin captured a quarterfinal victory and will advance to the D-1 5A semifinals.
Fight of the Century?…Thrilla in Manila?
The greatest all time sporting rematch in my memory featured heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali & Joe Frazier back in the 70’s.
Alright – I’m old.
In 1971, Frazier captured a unanimous decision over Ali in the much-anticipated Fight of the Century, & Ali won the classic rematch in 1975 with a technical knockout over Frazier in the Thrilla in Manila.
Two Suburban One League National Conference heavyweights will battle it out this week on the scholastic gridiron for a second time this 2024 season in the PIAA District One 6A semifinals.
Unbeaten Central Bucks South (12-0) will host North Penn (10-2) @ Titan Stadium under the Friday Night Lights.
In the first clash between the Titans & the Knights back on Oct. 4 @ CB South – the Titans captured a hard-fought 14-6 conference decision over North Penn in a game that featured dominant defensive performances by both teams.
After a scoreless first period, CB South quarterback Owen Pinkerton scored a touchdown in the second quarter on a gutsy 9-yard run on a fourth down play to give the Titans a 7-0 lead.
North Penn placekicker Ryan Bocklet split the uprights with a 21-yard field goal with just 20 seconds remaining in the second period to cut the CBS lead to 7-3 @ halftime.
A clutch 38-yard field goal by Bocklet sliced the lead even further to a single point @ 7-6 by the close of the third period, and it was truly anyone’s contest to win going into the fourth period.
The Titans delivered what proved to be the knockout punch in the final period with a decisive 79-yard drive that featured sophomore running back Braylen Cape.
Cape – who raced for a huge 26-yard scamper during that critical scoring drive – capped the drive with a 5-yard touchdown burst.
The first fiercely combative Titan-Knight encounter was awarded to Central Bucks South by a knockout in the fourth period.
Who will win this potentially momentous rematch?
Stay tuned.
West Is Not Best….Yet???
Central Bucks West & Downingtown West will face each other for the first time in West coach Rob Rowan’s tenure at the helm with the winner getting a shot @ winning a PIAA District One 6A championship.
And both the Bucks and the Whippets will get a golden opportunity @ the D- 1 title without winning a conference championship.
CB West finished the regular season as the second-place finisher behind CB South in the SOL National Conference. The Bucks lost a crucial contest back on Sept. 20 to the Titans, 22-17.
Downingtown West finished the regular season as the second-place finisher behind Bishop Shanahan in the Ches-Mont North. The Whippets lost a crucial contest back on Oct. 10 to the Eagles, 28-22.
Both Central Bucks West & Downingtown West have recent history to elevate hopes for a PIAA 6A D-1 championship.
Last season, Central Bucks South won the district title without winning a conference championship.
The Titans finished the 2023 season as runner-up to Central Bucks West in the SOL National Conference.
Stay tuned.
How about those Flying Cardinals?
No. 6 Upper Dublin is the lowest seeded team remaining in all of District One after the Cardinals soared past No. 3 Phoenixville, 35-28.
There is no doubt that the players on the field ultimately win or lose football games.
And Upper Dublin quarterback Kevin Etkin proved that point with a spectacular performance throwing for 306 yards and 4 touchdowns – including the game winner to Ryan Sullivan with 32 seconds remaining in the game – and that outstanding performance produced a Cardinal victory.
But you can’t tell me that head coach Bret Stover & his veteran coaching staff don’t play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome.
Stover was deservedly inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in the Class of 2024.
Stover has coached Upper Dublin to 9 SOL championships since taking over the Cardinal program in 2003.
The 2015 season was the most magical season during his tenure as Upper Dublin won the PIAA District One 4A (now the 6A – big school) championship.
In that season, the Cardinals defeated the 3 schools with the highest male enrollment in District One – Upper Darby (45-14), Pennsbury (24-14) & North Penn (46-21).
Stover and his Flying Cardinals have captured District One 5A championships every 2 years in 2018, 2020 & 2022.
Is 2024 in the ‘Cards’ for another 5A title for Stover and Upper Dublin?
Stay tuned.
HC to AC
Central Bucks South head coach Tom Hetrick boasts a talented group of assistant coaches – one being former Titan head coach Bart Szarko.
Szarko was the very first CB South head coach and coached the Titans to a SOL National Conference championship in 2007 with a 7-0 record.
Szarko ‘retired’ in 2009 after 6 seasons as the head coach & is currently the offensive coordinator for the 2024 Titans.
Upper Dublin head coach Bret Stover also boasts a talented group of assistant coaches – one being former Abington head coach Tim Sorber.
Sorber ‘retired’ in 2015 after 15 seasons as the head coach of the Ghosts & is currently the offensive line coach for the 2024 Cardinals.
Sorber (104-86 career record) coached Abington to conference championships in 2010 & 2011.
Both Szarko & Sorber might have gladly relinquished the head coaching title – but both have not given up their respective passion for coaching high school football.
And both the CB South & Upper Dublin football programs are all the better for it.
Harsh Night for the SOL American Conference
Plymouth Whitemarsh & Springfield-Montco both saw magnificent seasons come to an abrupt conclusion on the road under the Friday Night Lights.
The No. 8 seeded Colonials traveled to 6A top seeded Central Bucks South in the D-1 quarterfinals and were overwhelmed by the powerful Titans, 35-0.
The No. 2 seeded Spartans traveled to 4A top seeded Pope John Paul II in the D-1 finals and were overwhelmed by the powerful Golden Panthers, 42-7.
Both SOL American Conference champion Plymouth Whitemarsh and SOL American Conference runner-up Springfield-Montco finished the 2024 season with excellent 9-3 records.
And the beat goes on…
PIAA District One 6A Semifinals
No. 4 North Penn Knights (10-2) @
No. 1 Central Bucks South Titans (12-0)
Last Week:
North Penn advanced to the PIAA District One 6A semifinals with a 29-21 victory over the No. 5 Haverford Fords.
*Matt Pownall scored on a 79-yard (no typo) run and also scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Matt Bucksar.
*Bucksar also threw a touchdown pass to Aiden Eves, while Josiah Coleman scored on a 41-yard touchdown run.
*Defensive player of the game – Vinnie Montmore.
Central Bucks South advanced to the PIAA District One 6A semifinals with a stunning 35-0 victory over the No. 8 Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials.
*Owen Pinkerton scored 2 touchdowns – one on a 20-yard run – and the other on a 7-yard run.
*Braylen Cape scored 2 touchdowns – one of a 60-yard touchdown pass from Cade Crim – and the other on a 2-yard run.
*Jimmy Wade excelled on defense and also scored a touchdown on an 8-yard run.
*Defensive player of the game – Eddie Bowen.
Playoff Resume:
North Penn opened the PIAA District One 6A playoffs with a 24-14 victory over the No. 13 Ridley Green Raiders.
Central Bucks South opened the PIAA District One 6A playoffs with a 49-7 victory over the No. 16 Spring-Ford Rams.
Season Resume:
North Penn has defeated Downingtown East (28-25), Council Rock South (34-6), Quakertown (35-12), Neshaminy (37-7), Pennridge (31-0), Central Bucks East (42-21), Pennsbury (22-14) & Abington (44-7).
*The Knights have lost games to Central Bucks South (14-6) & Central Bucks West (17-14).
Central Bucks South has defeated Archbishop Wood (35-0), Souderton (21-6), Upper Dublin (33-7), Central Bucks East (34-15), Central Bucks West (22-17), Pennsbury (12-7), North Penn (14-6), Abington (63-0), Neshaminy (35-7), & Pennridge (34-6).
Scoring Summary:
North Penn has scored an average of 28.5 points per game and has allowed an average of 13.5 points per game.
Central Bucks South has scored an average of 32.3 points per game and has allowed an average of 6.5 points per game.
Winner Gets:
The winner of the game between North Penn & Central Bucks South will play the winner of the game between No. 2 Downingtown West & No. 3 Central Bucks West.
Prediction:
Central Bucks South Titans 20 * North Penn Knights 13
No. 3 Central Bucks West Bucks (10-2) @
No. 2 Downingtown West Whippets (11-1)
Last Week:
Central Bucks West advanced to the PIAA District One 6A semifinals with a 35-21 victory over the No. 11 Downingtown East Cougars.
*The Bucks found paydirt on some big plays to secure the victory.
*Ryan Clemens carried 12 times for 104 yards and scored on runs of 50 & 16 yards.
*Noah Miller carried 27 times for 176 yards and scored on runs of 45 & 5 yards.
*Vance Morelli scooped up a blocked field goal and raced 70 yards for the touchdown.
*Defensive player of the game – Matt Berman.
Downingtown West advanced to the PIAA District One 6A semifinals with a convincing 41-7 rout of the No. 7 Owen J Roberts Wildcats.
*The Whippets rolled up 519 yards to total offense (382 rushing) in the win and limited OJR to just 150 yards of total offense.
*Amari Cannon rushed 12 times for 153 yards and scored 2 touchdowns, while Cole Bricker completed 8 passes for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Playoff Resume:
Central Bucks West opened the PIAA District One 6A playoffs with a 17-0 victory over the No. 14 Pennsbury Falcons.
Downingtown West opened the PIAA District One 6A playoffs with a 28-21 victory over the No. 15 Coatesville Red Raiders.
Season Resume:
Central Bucks West has defeated Easton (21-12), Upper Dublin (35-14), Abington (38-6), Neshaminy (21-10), Pennsbury (27-6), Pennridge (38-7), North Penn (17-14) & Central Bucks East (35-7).
*The Bucks have lost games to Souderton (20-13) & Central Bucks South (22-17).
Downingtown West has defeated Lincoln (30-14), Smyrna – DE (42-6), Perkiomen Valley (35-13), Spring-Ford (21-12), Avon Grove (40-19), West Chester Rustin (14-7), Great Valley (35-0), Coatesville (14-7) & Downingtown East (14-13).
*The Whippets lost its only game of the season to Bishop Shanahan, 28-22.
Scoring Summary:
Central Bucks West has scored an average of 26.1 points per game and has allowed an average of 11.6 points per game.
Downingtown West has scored an average of 28.0 points per game and has allowed an average of 12.3 points per game.
Winner Gets:
The winner of the game between Central Bucks West & Downingtown West will play the winner of the game between No.1 Central Bucks South & No.4 North Penn.
Prediction:
Central Bucks West Bucks 24 * Downingtown West Whippets 14
PIAA District One 5A Semi-Finals
No. 6 Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals (9-3) @
No. 2 West Chester Rustin Golden Knights (11-1)
Last Week:
Upper Dublin advanced to the PIAA District One 5A semifinals with a thrilling 35-28 victory over the No.3 Phoenixville Phantoms.
*Quarterback Kevin Etkin had a night to remember passing for 306 yards and 4 touchdowns.
*Ryan Sullivan caught 3 of those scoring passes that included a 22-yard TD catch with just 32 seconds left in the game.
*Jordan Fields scored 2 touchdowns for the Cardinals – one on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Etkin – and the other on a 2-yard run.
*Defensive player of the game – Tyler Greenberg.
West Chester Rustin advanced to the PIAA District One 5A semifinals with a 45-16 victory over the No. 7 Chester Clippers.
*The Golden Knight running back Chase Hutton carried 18 times for 101 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 12, 3 & 6 yards.
*Quarterback David McClain fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to Luke Matthias.
Playoff Resume:
Upper Dublin opened the PIAA District One 5A playoffs with a 31-21 victory over the No.11 Unionville Longhorns.
West Chester Rustin opened the PIAA District One 5A playoffs with a 42-7 victory over the No. 15 Oxford Hornets.
Season Resume:
Upper Dublin has defeated Wissahickon (38-21), Council Rock North (42-7), Council Rock South (24-7), Harry S Truman (35-0), Quakertown (37-34), Cheltenham (20-14) & Bensalem (17-10).
*The Flying Cardinals have lost games to Central Bucks West (35-14), Central Bucks South (33-7) & Souderton (47-21).
West Chester Rustin has defeated Unionville (44-6), Interboro (43-0), Pope John Paul II (20-13), Norristown (56-7), Kennett (38-3), Downingtown East (14-7), Great Valley (49-0), West Chester East (43-0) & West Chester Henderson (48-14).
*The lone loss of the season for the Golden Knights came in a 14-7 loss to Downingtown West.
Scoring Summary:
Upper Dublin has scored an average of 29.1 points per game and has allowed an average of 20.1 points per game.
West Chester Rustin has scored an average of 37.4 points per game and has allowed an average of 6.4 points per game.
Winner Gets:
The winner of the game between Upper Dublin & West Chester Rustin will play the winner of the game between No.1 Springfield-Delco & No.5 Garnet Valley.
Prediction:
West Chester Rustin Golden Knights 24 * Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals 17
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