Central Bucks West is featured in a notebook that includes the SOL offensive leaders and a look ahead at this week's games.
By Scott Huff
Once upon a time – before North Penn became the feared football giant of the Bucks-Mont area – Central Bucks West was that feared giant.
CB West had won state gridiron championships on the field in 1991, 1997, 1998 and 1999. Prior to the playoff system, the Bucks were voted the best in the state in 1978, 1980, 1984 and 1985.
Legendary football coach Mike Pettine Sr. was the architect of those storied teams. Pettine – who passed away last year – was the first coach at CB West.
The Pettine dynasty saw the Bucks go a remarkable 326-42-4 during his glorious tenure. Included in that tremendous run were two amazing winning streaks of 53 and 45 games. CB West had 16 undefeated seasons under Pettine.
Those years of CBW scholastic football royalty have vanished. The Bucks – coming into the 2017 season – were 42-63 in the last decade.
Charles ‘Chas’ Cathers became the head coach of CB West three years ago. In his first season, the Bucks were 3-7 and improved to 4-6 in his second year at the helm.
This year CB West is an impressive 5-1 overall – ranked third in all of District One (145.000) – and will host Pennridge (4-2) this Friday at War Memorial Field in a critical Suburban One League Continental Conference game.
The Rams are ranked No. 14 in District One (121.667) and both Pennridge and the Bucks have lost to powerful North Penn (4-2) this season. The Knights – the No. 4 ranked team in D-1 (143.337) – defeated Pennridge 45-35 last week and defeated CB West 28-14 two weeks ago.
Included in the remarkable five victories thus far this season for CBW was a pair of wins over playoff contenders. The Bucks were impressive in a 20-0 victory over No. 8 Quakertown (5-1), and also came up with an offensive explosion in a 41-21 win over No. 16 Bensalem (4-2).
“We don’t talk about rankings, we don’t look at rankings,” said Cathers. “We’ll take a look at them after the Souderton game (last game).
“We need to stay focused on what we have to do to beat the team we play next,” added Cathers. “Pennridge is like every team in our conference – a very good football team – nothing is easy.”
CB West has been led this season by senior standout Jake Reichwein. Reichwein has been a cornerstone of the Cathers era and is a four-year starter for the Bucks.
“Jake is the ultimate team player,” said Cathers of his talented 6-4, 225-pound captain. “He is humble, unselfish, and a player that all 80 players on our team looks up to.
“He leads by example on the field,” added Cathers. “And off the field, he shows what a quality person he is by working with special needs kids.”
Cathers and Reichwein have done their part in restoring what once was the luster of the CB West program.
“The rich tradition of wearing the Black & Gold is in our blood,” said Cathers – a 2004 CB West graduate. “And that is a good thing.
“The players are aware of the tradition of CB West football – but times have changed,” added Cathers. “The players we have now are going to create their own legacy. We have a great community and a great school to represent.”
And that is a happy ending.
SOL National Conference Snapshot
Both Abington (2-4, 0-3) and Council Rock South (2-4, 1-1) may not be District One playoff teams when all the math is done at the end of the season. But both the Ghosts and the Golden Hawks did have potential playoff teams on the ropes last week. Abington led 28-27 in the fourth quarter before losing to conference leading Neshaminy by a 33-28 score, and CR South led Pennridge twice (21-7 & 28-21) before losing to the host Rams 35-28.
SOL Continental Conference Snapshot
North Penn (4-2, 3-0) completed a clean sweep of ‘teams to beat’ in the conference with a resounding 40-9 victory over Central Bucks South. It was the first loss of the year for the Titans (5-1). North Penn has also beaten contenders Central Bucks West (5-1) and Pennridge (4-2) in conference play. The remaining conference games are with CB East (3-3), Souderton (1-5) and William Tennent (0-6). No upsets looming on that horizon.
SOL American Conference Snapshot
Upper Moreland (6-0, 3-0) continues to impress the old fashioned way. The unbeaten Golden Bears punished Cheltenham 34-6 behind a grueling rushing attack that featured Sterlen Barr and Caleb Mead. Barr – the leading rusher in all of the SOL – rushed 26 times for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Mead – the second leading rusher in the SOL – added 77 yards on 9 carries and also scored a touchdown.
SOL ‘Fab Five’ Rushing
Att/Yds Avg. TD
1. Sterlen Barr (UM) 96/949 9.9 9
2. Caleb Mead (UM) 84/766 9.1 9
3. Malik Bootman (UD) 98/728 7.4 13
4. Michael Welde (CRN) 125/625 5.0 6
5. David Akinwande (HH) 73/616 8.4 7
SOL ‘Fab Five’ Passing
QBR A/C Yds TD/Int
1. Evan O’Donnell (CBE) 186.6 74/104 1132 10/4
2. Brody McAndrew (Nesh) 166.2 77/130 1232 12/2
3. Christian Jabbar (CRS) 163.6 53/ 84 738 8/2
4. Steve DePaul (NP) 146.6 59/108 885 10/4
5. Zach DeMarchis (Pbury) 144.1 59/111 841 11/3
SOL ‘Fab Five’ Receiving
Rec Yds Avg TD
1. Justis Henley (NP) 27 451 16.7 4
2. Cory Joyce (Nesh) 26 350 13.5 5
3. Chris Lochetta (CBE) 25 523 20.9 7
4. Tim Shevlin (Qtown) 23 350 15.2 3
5. Mike Garlick (Nesh) 22 468 21.3 4
SOL ‘Fab Five’ Offenses
Points Scored Per Game
1. Upper Moreland Golden Bears 38.6
2. Harry S Truman Tigers 38.2
3. North Penn Knights 35.5
4. Neshaminy Redskins 31.8
5. Pennridge Rams 31.3
SOL ‘Fab Five’ Defenses
Points Allowed Per Game
1. Central Bucks West Bucks 12.8
2. Central Bucks South Titans 14.2
3. Neshaminy Redskins 15.5
4. Central Bucks East Patriots 15.7
5. Upper Moreland Golden Bears 15.7
Sneak Peek @ SOL District One 6A Rankings
Top 16 Teams Make Playoffs
3. Central Bucks West Bucks 5-1 145.000
4. North Penn Knights 4-2 143.333
5. Neshaminy Redskins 5-1 141.667
6. Pennsbury Falcons 5-1 140.000
7. Central Bucks South Titans 5-1 138.333
8. Quakertown Panthers 5-1 136.667
10. Harry S Truman Tigers 5-1 135.000
14. Pennridge Rams 4-2 123.333
16. Bensalem Owls 4-2 113.333
Sneak Peek @ SOL District One 5A Rankings
Top 16 Teams Make Playoffs
3. Upper Moreland Golden Bears 6-0 158.333
11. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals 3-2 104.000
17. Wissahickon Trojans 2-4 78.333
SOL National Conference Schedule
#Game of the Week
Pennsbury Falcons (5-1, 3-0) @ Truman Tigers (5-1, 2-1)
Last Year: Pennsbury 17 – Truman 6
Last Week:
Pennsbury 34 – Bensalem 13
Truman 56 – Council Rock North 28Council Rock South (2-4, 1-1) @ Bensalem Owls (4-2, 1-1)
Last Year: Bensalem 21 – Council Rock South 0
Last Week:
Pennsbury 34 – Bensalem 13
Pennridge 35 – Council Rock South 28
Council Rock North (1-5, 0-3) @ Abington Ghosts (2-4, 0-3)
Last Year: Abington 35 – CR North 13
Last Week:
Truman 56 – CR North 28
Neshaminy 33 – Abington 28
SOL Continental Conference Schedule
#Game of the Week
Pennridge Rams (4-2, 1-1) @ CB West Bucks (5-1, 1-1)
Last Year: Pennridge 30 – CB West 21
Last Week:
Pennridge 35 – Council Rock South 28
CB West 28 – William Tennent 7
Central Bucks East (3-3, 2-1) @ North Penn Knights (4-2, 3-0)
Last Year: North Penn 33 – CB East 14
Last Week:
CB East 10 – Souderton 7
North Penn 40 – CB South 9
William Tennent (0-6, 0-3) @ Souderton Indians (1-5. 0-3)
Last Year: Souderton 38 – William Tennent 20
Last Week:
CB East 10 – Souderton 7
CB West 28 – William Tennent 7
SOL American Conference Schedule
#Game of the Week
Upper Dublin (3-2, 2-1) @ Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-4, 1-1)
Last Year: Plymouth Whitemarsh 24 – Upper Dublin 21
Last Week:
Upper Dublin 42 – Wissahickon 7
Plymouth Whitemarsh – Did Not Play
Hatboro-Horsham (2-3, 0-2) @ Wissahickon Trojans (2-4, 0-3)
Last Year: Hatboro-Horsham 42 – Wissahickon 13
Last Week:
Quakertown 26 – Hatboro-Horsham 20
Upper Dublin 42 – Wissahickon 7
Cheltenham (0-6, 0-3) @ Quakertown (5-1, 3-0)
Last Year: Quakertown 43 – Cheltenham 6
Last Week:
Quakertown 26- Hatboro-Horsham 20
Upper Moreland 34 – Cheltenham 6
SOL Non-Conference Schedule
#Game of the Week
Neshaminy Redskins (5-1) @ CB South (5-1)
Last Year: Neshaminy 42 – CB South 14
Last Week:
Neshaminy 33 – Abington 28
North Penn 40 – CB South 9
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