Football Forecast – Volume 3
By Scott Huff
“That’s why they play the games!”
Sometimes a cliché can say it all.
The numbers sure didn’t add up to a Souderton victory over Central Bucks West last week.
As I pointed out last week, Souderton had lost to defending PAC champion Spring-Ford 31-14 in the opening week of the season, and in the second week of the season that same Spring-Ford team was crushed by Easton, 49-7.
And consider that the same Easton team that routed Spring-Ford lost to defending SOL National Conference champion CB West in Week One, 21-12.
So…
Souderton head football coach Ed Gallagher is an accomplished math teacher at SAHS and the savvy veteran coach and teacher somehow came up with a winning formula as the Indians secured a 20-13 victory over the seemingly heavily favored Bucks.
And now the defending SOL Continental Conference champion Big Red can go about defending its title this week.
The Indians should be considered strong favorites as they host winless Harry S Truman on Friday in their SOL Continental Conference opener.
But like I said last week…
All you know is that … you don’t know!!
Ed Gallagher and Souderton proved that point last week against CB West.
Stay tuned.
No cupcake on the menu this week for Plymouth Whitemarsh
Plymouth Whitemarsh has scheduled 6A power Manheim Township and will host the powerful Blue Streaks (love the name) under the Friday Night Lights this week.
Manheim Township (12-1 in 2023) finished as the PIAA District 3 champion and lost in the PIAA state 6A semifinals last year to Harrisburg, 34-28.
The Blue Streaks (3-0) are off to a terrific start to the 2024 season.
Manheim Township opened the season with a 42-14 victory over Cumberland Valley (2-1 this season) and followed with a 28-10 win over Central York (2-1).
Last week the Blue Streaks prepped for Plymouth Whitemarsh with a 42-0 win over winless William Penn, while the Colonials (2-1) prepped for the Manheim showdown with a 51-6 win over winless Interboro.
Both programs are state playoff teams year after year – and let’s hope it’s a good one.
Stay tuned.
Not to brag ….but… (part 2)
Last week there were 14 Suburban One League non-league games. and I was 13-1 with my predictions.
The only game I missed was the Souderton-CB West game which the Indians won – 20-13.
Two weeks ago – my first making picks - I was also 13-1. And now for the season I own a gaudy 26-2 record the last two weeks.
And by my calculations that’s a winning percentage of 0.9285714…
Take that Drew Markol!!!
And the beat goes on…
SOL National Conference
Conference Openers
Friday – 7 pm
Neshaminy Redskins (3-0) @ North Penn Knights (3-0)
Last Year:
North Penn 22 * Neshaminy 14
Last Week:
Neshaminy remained unbeaten with a hard-fought 21-14 victory over Cheltenham.
North Penn remained unbeaten with a 35-12 victory over Quakertown. Aidan Eves scored a pair of touchdowns for the winners, while Christian Johns-Wallace added a rushing score. The Knights also scored a defensive touchdown.
Prediction:
North Penn Knights 28 * Neshaminy Redskins 20
Central Bucks South Titans (3-0) @ Central Bucks East Patriots (2-1)
Last Year:
Central Bucks South 13 * Central Bucks East 6
Last Week:
Central Bucks South cruised to a 33-7 victory over Upper Dublin. Owen Pinkerton threw 3 touchdown passes – one to Brayden Cape – one to Dan McCusker - and the other to Danny Gies. Gavin Graham and Pinkerton also scored rushing touchdowns for the winners.
Central Bucks East cruised to a 38-13 victory over Council Rock North. Logan Simkiss threw a pair of touchdown passes – one to twin brother Connor – and the other to Sam Pizel. Mike Price, Chase Ingram, and Eden Wong all scored rushing touchdowns for the winners.
Prediction:
Central Bucks South Titans 28 * Central Bucks East Patriots 10
Pennsbury Falcons (2-1) @ Pennridge Rams (2-1)
Last Year:
Pennridge 15 * Pennsbury 14
Last Week:
Pennsbury registered a ‘special’ win over Council Rock South, 23-15. Placekicker Angelo Pereira connected on 3 field goals from 30 yards – 26 yards - & 18 yards. Chris Karamis returned a blocked punt 34 yards for the first Falcon score. Kaden Brown scored a touchdown on a 2-yard run.
Pennridge captured its second win this season as the Rams shut out Harry S Truman, 19-0. Noah Keating completed 12 passes for 170 yards and fired a touchdown pass to Zach Swanson. William Dougherty scored a pair of rushing touchdowns for the winners.
Prediction:
Pennsbury Falcons 20 * Pennridge Rams 14
Central Bucks West Bucks (2-1) @ Abington Ghosts (1-2)
Last Year:
Central Bucks West 49 * Abington 14
Last Week:
Central Bucks West was knocked out of the ranks of unbeatens as the Bucks were defeated by defending SOL Continental Conference champion Souderton, 20-13. CBW led 10-7 at the half – and were tied 13-13 in the fourth quarter – but failed to secure the win.
Abington trailed 21-0 early in the game – rallied – but fell short in a 28-20 loss to Bensalem. Ayden Turner returned a punt for a special team score for the Ghosts.
Prediction:
Central Bucks West Bucks 38 * Abington Ghosts 13
SOL Continental Conference
Conference Openers
Friday – 7pm
Bensalem Owls (2-1) @ Quakertown Panthers (0-3)
Last Year:
Quakertown 38 * Bensalem 14
Last Week:
Bensalem captured its second win of the season with a 28-20 victory over Abington. Owl quarterback Myles Annan fired 3 touchdown passes – 2 to Thomas Bailey and 1 to Aiden Mayfield.
Quakertown remained winless as the Panthers were defeated by North Penn, 35-12. An offensive highlight for Q-town was a 36-yard touchdown pass from Brady Martin to Aiden Burgy.
Prediction:
Bensalem Owls 21 * Quakertown Panthers 20
Harry S Truman Tigers (0-3) @ Souderton Indians (1-2)
Last Year:
Souderton 49 * Harry S Truman 21
Last Week:
Harry S Truman lost for the second consecutive week as the Tigers were shut out by Pennridge, 19-0. HST scored 42 points in its season opener against Kensington but has scored just 6 points the last two weeks in losses to Abington (7-6) and Pennridge.
Souderton ‘upset’ defending SOL National Conference champion Central Bucks West, 20-13. Ben Walsh rushed for a touchdown and tossed a touchdown pass. A Walsh to Hunter Smeltz TD strike proved to be the game winner in the fourth quarter. Houston Marshall scored a long-distance rushing touchdown for the Big Red.
Prediction:
Souderton Indians 35 * Harry S Truman Tigers 13
Upper Dublin Cardinals (1-2) @ Council Rock North Indians (0-3)
Last Year:
Upper Dublin 17 * Council Rock North 0
Last Week:
Upper Dublin lost for the second week in a row as the Flying Cardinals were defeated by defending District One champion Central Bucks South, 33-7. The lone score of the game for Upper Dublin came on a touchdown run by Ron Shepherd.
Council Rock North remained winless as the Indians were defeated by Central Bucks East, 38-13. Rock North has been outscored 107-33 so far this season.
Prediction:
Upper Dublin Cardinals 31 * Council Rock North Indians 13
Saturday – 3:30 pm @ Wissahickon
Council Rock South Hawks (1-2) @ Cheltenham Panthers (0-3)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Council Rock South lost for the second week in a row losing to Pennsbury, 23-15. The Golden Hawks trailed by just 13-7 at halftime thanks to a 28 yard touchdown pass from Marley Emerson to Jake Maurer.
Cheltenham remained winless but played to a one-score game in a 21-14 loss to unbeaten Neshaminy.
Prediction:
Cheltenham Panthers 21 * Council Rock South Hawks 14
SOL American Conference
Non-League Games
Friday – 7 pm
Sun Valley Vanguards (1-2) @ Wissahickon Trojans (2-1)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Sun Valley lost a non-league game to Upper Perkiomen, 48-21.
Wissahickon routed Lower Merion, 56-28. Quarterback Nolan Pounds threw for 3 touchdowns, Quasir Sampson ran for 162 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Dom Sheppard-Harvey had 4 touchdowns – 3 on the ground and 1 in the air.
Prediction:
Wissahickon Trojans 38 * Sun Valley Vanguards 14
Manheim Twp. Blue Streaks (3-0) @ Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-1)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Manheim Township remained unbeaten win a huge 42-0 non-league victory over William Penn.
Plymouth Whitemarsh rebounded from its 21-7 loss to Wilson West Lawn to rout Interboro, 51-6. The Colonials led 44-0 at the close of the first half. Caiden Leszcynski fired 4 touchdown passes before intermission.
Prediction:
Manheim Township Blue Streaks 24 * PW Colonials 21
Upper Darby Royals (2-1) @ Hatboro Horsham Hatters (1-2)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Upper Darby lost for the first time this season as the Royals were routed by Marple Newtown, 40-14.
Hatboro Horsham captured its first victory over the season as the Hatters topped the Lincoln Rail Splitters (love that name), 34-32. Luke Foley turned in a monster performance for the Hatters, rushing for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns and also pulling in one reception for a TD.
Prediction:
Upper Darby Royals 21 * Hatboro Horsham Hatters 17
Upper Moreland Golden Bears (3-0) @ Interboro Bucs (0-3)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Upper Moreland remained unbeaten with an impressive 41-8 victory over the Maroon Wave (love that name) of Bartram. The Golden Bears had an impressive solo performance from Aidan Tuffy who scored 4 touchdowns – 2 rushing scores – 1 TD pass reception – and a 90-yard ‘scoop & score’ on defense. Elijah Davis & Braden Moore also scored for the winners.
Interboro remained winless as the Bucs were routed by Plymouth Whitemarsh, 51-6.
Prediction:
Upper Moreland Golden Bears 42 * Interboro Bucs 6
Haverford Fords (2-1) @ William Tennent Panthers (1-2)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Haverford won big with a 50-0 victory over (4A) Harriton.
William Tennent played Radnor even for most of the game but dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker to the Raptors
Prediction:
Haverford Fords 27 * William Tennent Panthers 14
Non-League Game
Saturday, 2 pm
Elizabethtown Bears (0-3) @ Springfield Spartans (2-1)
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Last Week:
Elizabethtown remained winless as the Bears were caged by JP McCaskey, 7-0.
Springfield routed New Hope-Solebury 54-0 in a non-league game. In the last two games against NHS and Kensington, the Spartans have outscored the opposition 95-0.
Prediction:
Springfield Spartans 31 * Elizabethtown Bears 6
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