SOL Football Notebook (9-20-18) – Suburban One Sports

Scott Huff previews Friday’s Souderton/Pennridge game, which features Pennridge coach Cody Muller – a Souderton alum – going against his former coach. (Photo provided courtesy of Kim Supko Photography)

By Scott Huff

And the beat goes on…

The Pennridge-Souderton rivalry is without question the most intense rivalry contest played by the two neighboring schools – with exception of Thanksgiving morning.

The highly anticipated 2018 contest – to be played Friday night on Helman Field on the campus of Pennridge High School – will throw a brand-new spotlight on the rivalry.

Pennridge head coach Cody Muller will be the sideline coaching the Rams as an energetic first-year head coach, while Souderton head coach Ed Gallagher will be coaching the Indians as a successful veteran coach of 29 years.

Gallagher, who is in his 16^th season as head coach of the Big Red, coached as an assistant coach at both Pennridge (6 years) and Allentown Central Catholic (3 years).

Muller is 27 years old.

“If you do the math, I have been coaching longer than Cody has been alive,” said Gallagher who coached the talented Muller at Souderton – a 2009 graduate. “I knew right away from the type of player that Cody was that he was going to be a head coach someday.

“I really didn’t know that it would happen this quickly,” added Gallagher. “His Dad (Chuck) was a great coach and Cody really gets it. He understands the game of football.

“Cody might be young, but he is very mature,” continued Gallagher. “Pennridge made a great choice as both a teacher in the classroom, and as a coach that will lead that program in the future.”

Muller has learned more than the X’s and O’s from Gallagher.

“Coach Gallagher has taught me how important it is to pay attention to detail,” said Muller. “His organization skill is the biggest thing that I have taken from him, and the importance of getting things done on and off the field.

“When I played at Souderton we went to the playoffs all three years I was there,” added Muller. “And I got a chance to have that great experience of the Pennridge-Souderton game my senior year.”

Souderton and Pennridge did not play each other in Muller’s junior and sophomore years as the Indians and the Rams were in different conferences in the Suburban One League.

“Souderton and Pennridge is a great rivalry,” said Gallagher. “And there is a little trash talk that comes with the game.”

“There is no question that there is a little extra juice to this one,” agreed Muller. “You can throw the records out.”

At this point, both Gallagher and Muller would like to throw their respective 1-3 records to date out.

Souderton opened the season with losses to Penn Wood (42-10), Quakertown (28-14), and Hatboro-Horsham (8-7). The Indians rebounded with a victory over William Tennent (35-16) in the SOL Continental Conference opener.

“We had good chances to win both the Quakertown and Hatboro-Horsham games,” said Gallagher. “We have a talented team, but we didn’t finish those games.”

Pennridge opened the season with a huge victory over Delaware Valley (54-21),

but lost on successive weeks to Neshaminy (27-14), Perkiomen Valley (18-12), and in the SOL Continental Conference opener to North Penn (42-20).

“I told our A.D. (Dave Babb) that I didn’t want any cupcakes on our non-league schedule,” said Muller. “We wanted to challenge ourselves by playing some of the top teams around and see where we stand.”

And where the Rams stand right now is hosting the archrival Indians under the Friday night lights.

Pennridge-Souderton Time Capsule (2008-2017)

                        2008                Souderton 20              Pennridge 19
                        2009                Souderton 27              Pennridge. 7
                        2010                Souderton 10              Pennridge 7

2011 Pennridge. 27 Souderton 7

2012 Pennridge. 45 Souderton 35
2013 Souderton 32 Pennridge 29

2014 Pennridge 28 Souderton 17
2015 Pennridge 14 Souderton. 8

2016 Pennridge 38 Souderton 10
2017 Pennridge 34 Souderton 3

This Week in the Suburban One League

SOL Continental Conference
Souderton Indians (1-3, 1-0) @ Pennridge Rams (1-3, 0-1)
Last Week:
Souderton defeated William Tennent 35-14
Pennridge lost to North Penn 42-20
Last Year:
Pennridge defeated Souderton 34-3
Prediction: Pennridge 35 – Souderton 20

Central Bucks East Patriots (2-2, 0-0) @ North Penn Knights (4-0, 1-0)
Last Week:
Central Bucks East lost to Pennsbury 35-34
North Penn defeated Pennridge 42-20
Last Year:
North Penn defeated CB East 57-43
Prediction: North Penn 45 – CB East 28

Central Bucks West Bucks (1-3, 0-1) @ William Tennent Panthers (2-2, 0-1)
Last Week:
CB West lost to Central Bucks South 27-21
William Tennent lost to Souderton 35-14
Last Year:
CB West defeated William Tennent 28-7
Prediction: CB West 27 – William Tennent 20

SOL National Conference

Neshaminy Redskins (2-2, 1-0) @ Truman Tigers (3-1, 0-1)
Last Week:
Neshaminy defeated CR North 47-14
Truman lost to CR South 20-6
Last Year:
Neshaminy defeated Truman 56-7
Prediction: Neshaminy 49 – HST 17

Council Rock South Hawks (3-1, 1-0) @ Abington Ghosts (3-1, 1-0)
Last Week:
CR South defeated Truman 20-6
Abington defeated Bensalem 41-10
Last Year:
CR South defeated Abington 28-14
Prediction: Abington 21 – CR South 20

Pennsbury Falcons (1-3, 1-0) @ CR North Indians (1-3, 0-1)
Last Week:
Pennsbury defeated CB East 35-34
CR North lost to Neshaminy 47-14
Last Year:
Pennsbury defeated CR North 35-13
Prediction: Pennsbury 34 – CR North 14

SOL American Conference

Cheltenham Panthers (3-1, 0-0) @ Quakertown Panthers (4-0, 1-0)
Last Week:
Cheltenham defeated Norristown 17-7
Quakertown defeated Upper Moreland 49-14
Last Year:
Quakertown defeated Cheltenham 40-6
Prediction: Quakertown 45 – Cheltenham 20

Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (1-3, 1-0) @ Upper Moreland Bears (1-3, 0-1)
Last Week:
PW defeated Wissahickon 28-14
Upper Moreland lost to Quakertown 49-14
Last Year:
Upper Moreland defeated PW 41-7
Prediction: Upper Moreland 27 – Plymouth Whitemarsh 21

Wissahickon Trojans (0-4, 0-1) @ Hatboro-Horsham (1-3, 0-1)
Last Week:
Wissahickon lost to Plymouth Whitemarsh 28-14
Hatboro-Horsham lost to Upper Dublin 34-7
Last Year:
Hatboro-Horsham defeated Wissahickon 21-12
Prediction: Hatboro-Horsham 20 – Wissahickon 13

SOL Non-League Games

Bensalem Owls (0-4) @ CB South Titans (1-3)
Last Week:
Bensalem lost to Abington 41-10
CB South defeated CB West 27-21
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Prediction: CB South 21 – Bensalem 14

Upper Dublin Cardinals (3-0) @ Penn Charter (3-1)
Last Week:
Upper Dublin defeated Hatboro-Horsham 34-7
Penn Charter defeated Central 35-6
Last Year:
Did Not Play
Prediction: Upper Dublin 28 – Penn Charter 27

Springfield Spartans (2-1) @ Dover [NJ] (0-3)
Last Week:
Springfield lost to ANC 35-21
Dover lost Parisppany [NJ] 55-20
Last Year: Did Not Play
Prediction: Springfield 35 – Dover 20

Suburban One Sports ‘Great Eight’

Record Ranking Last Week