Scott Huff previews the Pennsbury/Council Rock South game and also looks at the playoff picture.
By Scott Huff
And the beat goes on…
Council Rock South and Pennsbury will meet on Friday night at Walt Snyder Stadium in Newtown, and both the host Golden Hawks and the visiting Falcons have a great deal to play for in terms of both a Suburban One League National Conference championship and a date in the upcoming PIAA District One playoffs.
CR South (5-2, 3-0) is currently on top of the SOL National Conference standings and is ranked ninth in the district power points – a conference title and a possible home game in districts are within sight. The top eight teams earn the home field in the district playoffs.
Pennsbury (3-4, 2-1), despite a rare losing record at this point in the season, still has conference championship goals and a possible berth in the district playoffs. With just the one conference loss, the Falcons are both in the SOL National Conference title conversation and are the 16th ranked team in a 16-team district playoff field.
“We’ve had a very good year, but now we have to get ready for Pennsbury and Neshaminy,” said Rock South head coach Vince Bedesem. “Both of those teams have been king of the mountain year in and year out in our league.
“And then we get to finish the season with Council Rock North which is a huge rivalry game,” added Bedesem. “There are no easy games left on our schedule.”
The schedule for Pennsbury is just as challenging with games against CR South, Abington, and Neshaminy. If the playoffs were to start today – the Hawks, Ghosts, and Redskins would all be in the district playoffs.
“We have led 7-0 in every game we have played,” said Pennsbury head coach Dan McShane. “But we have been giving up leads, and we have to learn how to win those games.
“What I hear is that we still have a chance to get where we want to go,” added McShane in reference to championship and playoff hopes. “We’re still in the mix – that’s good – but we still have to continue to mature and win those close games.”
CR South has been out of the SOL National Conference title conversation the past few years. The Hawks are 20-38 over the last six seasons, but the glory days of 2011 & 2012 are still remembered. Rock South was 23-4 over those two seasons, and the Golden Hawks were co-champions with Abington both of those years.
“This season has a familiar feel to those years back in ’08, ’09, ‘10, ‘11, and ‘12,” said Bedesem. “But we have to continue to focus in the moment – we can’t look behind or look ahead.
“Pennsbury runs a great spread offense and wants to press tempo,” added Bedesem. “Defensively, they are big up front, and they are fast.”
“Those players at South love to play for Vince – they play the game hard,” said McShane. “I feel good about our effort, but we still have things we want to do better.”
Both the Golden Hawks and the Falcons have a great deal to play for on Friday – and the only thing for certain is that only one of those birds will soar a key victory.
Road Map to the PIAA District One Playoffs
CR South/Pennsbury
Current Record in ( X )
10/12/18 *Pennsbury (3-4) @ Council Rock South (5-2)
10/19/18*Council Rock South @ Neshaminy (4-3)
10/26/18*Council Rock South @ Council Rock North (1-6)
10/12/18*Pennsbury (3-4) @ Council Rock South (5-2)
10/19/18*Abington (4-3) @ Pennsbury
10/26/18*Pennsbury @ Neshaminy (4-3)
Sneak Peak @ District One Rankings
6A
Top 16 Qualify for Playoffs
Team Record Average
1. North Penn Knights 7-0 172.857
6. Truman Tigers 6-1 147.143
9. Council Rock Hawks 5-2 138.571
13. Quakertown Panthers 5-2 121.429
14. Neshaminy Redskins 4-3 121.429
15. Abington Ghosts 4-3 104.286
16. Pennsbury Falcons 3-4 101.429
Souderton Indians 3-4 101.429
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19. Pennridge Rams 3-4 100.000
20. Central Bucks South Titans 3-4 94.286
21. Central Bucks East Patriots 3-4 92.857
23. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 3-3 86.667
5A
Top 16 Qualify for Playoffs
2. Upper Dublin Cardinals 5-1 160.000
6. Cheltenham Panthers 5-2 140.000
4A
Top 4 Qualify For Playoffs
4. Springfield Spartans 4-2 98.333
*******************************************************************
6. Upper Moreland Bears 3-4 92.857
There are seven SOL teams on the 6A level that are on the proverbial bubble with either three or four losses to this point on the season. It looks like, and looks can certainly be deceiving, that four of those teams could enter the 16-team field.
Stay tuned.
Road Map to the PIAA District One Playoffs
Neshaminy/Abington/Souderton/Pennridge/CB South/CB East/Hatboro-Horsham
Current Record in (X)
Neshaminy Redskins
10/12/18*Neshaminy (4-3) @ Bensalem (0-7)
10/19/18*CR South (5-2) @ Neshaminy
10/26/18*Pennsbury (3-4) @ Neshaminy
Abington Ghosts
10/12/18*Truman (6-1) @ Abington (4-3)
10/19/18*Abington @ Pennsbury (3-4)
10/26/18*CB West (2-5) @ Abington
Souderton Indians
10/12/18*CR North (1-6) @ Souderton (3-4)
10/19/18*Souderton @ CB West (2-5)
10/26/18*Souderton @ CB South (3-4)
Pennridge Rams
10/12/18*William Tennent (2-5) @ Pennridge (3-4)
10/19/18*Truman (6-1) @ Pennridge
10/27/18*Pennridge at CB East (3-4)
CB South Titans
10/12/18*CB East (3-4) @ CB South (3-4)
10/19/18*CB South @ North Penn (7-0)
10/16/18*Souderton (3-4) @ CB South
CB East Patriots
10/12/18*CB East (3-4) @ CB South (3-4)
10/19/18*CB East @ William Tennent (2-5)
10/27/18*Pennridge (3-4) @ CB East
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
10/12/18*Hatboro-Horsham (3-3) @ Cheltenham (5-2)
10/19/18*Hatboro-Horsham @ Quakertown (5-2)
10/26/18*Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-5) @ Hatboro-Horsham
This Week in the Suburban One League
National Conference
Pennsbury Falcons(3-4, 2-1) @ CR South Golden Hawks (5-2, 3-0)
Last Week:
Pennsbury lost to Truman 29-24
CR South defeated Bensalem 54-14
Last Year:
Pennsbury defeated CR South 25-14
Prediction: Pennsbury 21 – CR South 20
Truman Tigers (6-1, 3-1) @ Abington Ghosts (4-3, 2-2)
Last Week:
Truman defeated Pennsbury 29-24
Abington defeated CR North 24-8
Last Year:
Abington defeated Truman 14-0
Prediction: Truman 24 – Abington 17
Neshaminy Redskins (4-3, 3-1) @ Bensalem Owls (0-7, 0-4)
Last Week:
Neshaminy defeated William Tennent 33-0
Bensalem lost to CR South 54-14
Last Year:
Neshaminy defeated Bensalem 48-27
Prediction: Neshaminy 49 – Bensalem 13
Continental Conference
CB East Patriots (3-4, 1-2) @ CB South Titans (3-4, 2-1)
Last Week:
CB East
CB South lost to Pennridge 21-7
Last Year:
CB South defeated CB East 37-28
Prediction: CB East 24 – CB South 17
CB West Bucks (2-5, 1-3) @ North Penn Knights (7-0, 4-0)
Last Week:
CB West lost to CB East 27-20
North Penn defeated Souderton 29-27
Last Year:
North Penn defeated CB West 28-14
Prediction: North Penn 45 – CB West 20
William Tennent Panthers (2-5, 0-4) @ Pennridge Rams (3-4, 2-2)
Last Week:
William Tennent lost to Neshaminy 33-0
Pennridge defeated CB South 21-7
Last Year:
Pennridge defeated William Tennent 35-26
Prediction: Pennridge 35 – William Tennent 13
American Conference
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (3-3, 2-1) @ Cheltenham Panthers (5-2, 2-1)
Last Week:
Hatboro-Horsham Did Not Play
Cheltenham defeated Plymouth Whitemarsh 28-14
Last Year:
Hatboro-Horsham defeated Cheltenham 45-20
Prediction: Cheltenham 28 – Hatboro-Horsham 21
Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-5, 1-2) @ Quakertown Panthers (5-2, 2-2)
Last Week:
PW lost to Cheltenham 28-14
Quakertown lost to Upper Dublin 14-13
Last Year:
Quakertown defeated PW 42-20
Prediction: Quakertown 42 – PW 13
Wissahickon Trojans (0-7, 0-4) @ Upper Dublin Cardinals (5-1, 3-0)
Last Week:
Wissahickon lost to Upper Moreland 25-15
Upper Dublin defeated Quakertown 14-13
Last Year:
Upper Dublin defeated Wissahickon 42-7
Prediction: Upper Dublin 38 – Wissahickon 14
Non-League Games
CR North Indians (1-6, 0-4) @ Souderton Indians (3-4, 3-1)
Last Week:
CR North lost to Abington 24-8
Souderton lost to North Penn 29-27
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Prediction: Souderton 38 – CR North 14
New Hope Lions (5-2) @ Springfield Spartans (4-2)
Last Week:
New Hope defeated Palumbo Academy 34-8
Springfield lost the Chestnut Hill 42-0
Last Year:
New Hope defeated Springfield 49-0
Prediction: New Hope 28 – Springfield 21
Suburban One Sports.com
Top Ten
Rank Team Record Ranking Last Week
1. North Penn Knights 7-0 1
2. Truman Tigers 6-1 2
3. Council Rock South Hawks 5-2 3
4. Neshaminy Redskins 4-3 4
5. Upper Dublin Cardinals 5-1 5
6. Cheltenham Panthers 5-2 6
7. Quakertown Panthers 5-2 7
8. Abington Ghosts 4-3 NR
9. Souderton Indians 3-4 10
10. Pennsbury Falcons 3-4 9
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