By Scott Huff
Happy Thanksgiving
92 and still counting
The annual Pennridge-Quakertown clash will be contested again this year on Thanksgiving morning for the 92nd consecutive year.
And both loyal communities will come together at Helman Field – the home of the Rams - to support their hometown heroes with a fanatic passion.
Pennridge/Sell-Perk leads the series against Q-town with an overall record of 58-28-5. The Rams have won the last five Turkey Day contests including last year’s victory at Alumni Field.
In that game, Pennridge led 7-0 at halftime – trailed 14-7 at the end of the third quarter – and rallied to outscore the Panthers 14-0 in the final period to secure the 21-14 victory.
Pennridge head coach Cody Muller is a perfect 3-0 as head coach of the Green & White on Thanksgiving morning. In addition to last year’s win, the Rams under Mueller won 19-13 in 2019 and 37-6 in 2018.
Quakertown head coach George Banas is coaching in his 12th Thanksgiving rivalry game. Banas coached the Panthers to wins over PHS in 2014 (8-7) and 2015 (28-21) and has an overall mark of 2-9 in the classic.
Quakertown, however, will enter this 2021 Turkey Day meeting as a clear favorite.
The Panthers (12-1) have proven to be one of the elite teams in all of District One losing in the PIAA District One semifinals to Garnet Valley, 58-39.
The Rams (7-4) have also proven to be one of the better teams in all of District One losing in the PIAA District One playoffs to Central Bucks West, 19-17.
There is absolutely no doubt that Quakertown & Pennridge are two excellent teams – with equally excellent fan bases – and will collide once more to see who earns those cliché neighborhood bragging rights.
Stay tuned.
Quakertown Panthers (12-1) @ Pennridge Rams (7-4)
Thanksgiving Morning – 10:15 am
District One Playoff Resume:
Quakertown was eliminated in the PIAA District One 6A semifinals with a 58-39 loss to No. 1 seed Garnet Valley (13-0). The No. 5 seeded Panthers won an opening round game against No. 12 Souderton (33-7) and captured a quarterfinal victory against No. 4 Downingtown East (41-21).
Pennridge was eliminated in the opening round of the PIAA District One 6A playoffs with a 19-17 loss to No. 8 Central Bucks West. The Rams had earned a No. 9 seed in the playoffs.
Regular Season Resume:
Quakertown captured regular season victories over Southern Lehigh (42-7), Council Rock North (42-7), Council Rock South (41-13), Abington (36-20), Upper Dublin (31-0), Souderton (36-14), Neshaminy (35-10), Hatboro-Horsham (2-0 forfeit), & Bensalem (50-6).
Pennridge captured regular season victories over Pennsbury (35-0), Neshaminy (28-14), Council Rock North (35-0), Bensalem (45-0), Central Bucks East (24-7), Central Bucks South (35-10), & Abington (27-7). The Rams lost games to Downingtown East (14-7), North Penn (21-14), & Central Bucks West (28-24).
Panther/Ram Per Game Team Stats:
Quakertown Offense
Rushing Average-199.7 yards per game * Passing Average 136.4 yards per game * Total Yards-336.1 Yards per game * Scoring-36.2 points per game.
Pennridge Defense
Rushing Average-149.0 yards per game * Passing Average-72.3 yards per game * Total Yards-221.3 yards per game * Scoring-10.3 points per game.
Pennridge Offense
Rushing Average-272.2 yards per game * Passing Average-38.7 yards per game * Total Yards-310.9 yards per game * Scoring-27.4 points per game.
Quakertown Defense
Rushing Average-69.2 yards per game * Passing Average 72.2 yards per game * Total Yards-141.4 yards per game * Scoring-13.1 points per game.
Panther/Ram Players To Watch:
Quakertown
Rushing:
Tyler Woodman 201 attempts * 1439 yards * 7.2 average per carry * 19 touchdowns.
John Eatherton 89 attempts * 785 yards * 8.8 average per carry * 9 touchdowns
Passing:
Will Steich 115 completions * 189 attempts * 60.8% * 1726 yards * 24 touchdowns
Receiving:
Zach Fondl 51 receptions * 866 yards * 17.0 average * 14 touchdowns
John Eatherton 22 receptions * 439 yards * 20.0 average * 3 touchdowns
Pennridge
Rushing:
Brennan Fisher 72 carries * 777 yards * 10.8 average per carry * 8 touchdowns
Tyler Wetzel 95 carries * 700 yards * 7.4 average per carry * 3 touchdowns
Brayden Landherr 60 carries * 521 yards * 8.7 average per carry * 7 touchdowns
Nate Mossbrook 45 carries * 384 yards * 8.5 average per carry * 4 touchdowns
Phil Picciotti 41 carries * 240 yards * 5.9 average per carry * 4 touchdowns
Passing:
Xavier Dantzler 33 completions * 75 attempts * 44% * 329 yards * 1 touchdown
Receiving:
Adam Mossbrook 16 receptions * 178 yards * 11.1 average * 1 touchdown
Prediction:
Quakertown 21 – Pennridge 17
And the beat goes on…
SOL Countdown 11…10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…0
There were 11 Suburban One League teams that began the PIAA District One playoffs – and now there are zero.
Quakertown (12-1) was jettisoned from the PIAA District One 6A playoffs in the semifinals as the Panthers were defeated by Central League champion Garnet Valley (13-0), 58-39.
Q-town held a 24-20 lead at halftime against the No. 1 seeded Jaguars but was outscored 22-0 in the third period and was shown the playoff exit door.
Panther quarterback Will Steich had a terrific game as he completed 23 passes for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Steich fired touchdown passes to John Eatherton (52 yards), Zach Fondl (19 yards), and Tyler Woodman (11 yards). Eatherton scored on runs of 2 & 13 yards.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (10-2) was jettisoned from the PIAA District One 5A playoffs in the semifinals as the Colonials were defeated by Ches-Mont American Conference champion West Chester Rustin (11-1), 19-14.
PW held a 14-13 lead after 3 periods against the No. 1 seeded Golden Knights but allowed a score with 4:38 left in the final period and was shown the playoff exit door.
Phil Taormina caught a pair of touchdown passes for Plymouth Whitemarh. Taormina caught a 22-yard TD pass from quarterback Aiden O’Brien and also caught a 65-yard touchdown pass from Chris McLaughlin.
The loss snapped a 10-game Colonial winning streak.
Na…Na…Na…Na…..Na…Na…Na…Na…..Hey…..Hey-y…Goodbye
What does MaxPrep.com think of the SOL?
The SOL teams that rank in the Top 50 in Pennsylvania.
6A
9. Quakertown Panthers (12-1)
20. North Penn Knights (11-1)
24. Central Bucks West (9-3)
30. Pennridge Rams (7-4)
44. Central Bucks East Patriots (6-5)
46. Souderton Indians (6-5)
50. Central Bucks South Titans (6-5)
5A
22. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (10-2)
27. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals (9-3)
4A
48. Upper Moreland Golden Bears (7-4)
Just in case you wanted to know…….and even if you didn’t
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