Blog Post

SuburbanOneSports.com: Pennsbury advanced to the district final with its win over Upper Dublin. Your thoughts about Pennsbury's performance.

Dan Dunkin: "To Pennsbury's credit, which they have done the last two weeks, they pitched a shutout in the second half and made some really good adjustments at halftime. They have not been overly impressive in the playoffs because they have yet to put a complete, dominant game together, but sometimes you have to give the other teams credit. Like championship-caliber teams do, they get through the ugly spots and the spots when they're not playing that well, and when they have to do it, they really execute and totally outplay the other team as they have in the second half of the last two games. That bodes well for them and sets them up well for what should be one heck of a championship game.�

SuburbanOneSports.com: You covered the Quakertown/Downingtown East game last Friday. Your thoughts.

Drew Markol: "Quakertown turned the ball over early in the second quarter of a scoreless game, and if they had gotten that first touchdown, obviously, you get a 7-0 lead and a boost of confidence, but again, Downingtown East is very good. They were moving the ball whereas Quakertown had a hard time moving the ball. Especially in the second half, Quakertown could do very little offensively. They did not even cross midfield. Would it have helped if they had scored? Sure, but I'm not sure it would have made a difference in winning the game.

SuburbanOneSports.com: You covered the Council Rock North/Upper Dublin game. Your thoughts.

Dan Dunkin: "I saw this coming. CR North crested about midseason, and they just played poorly down the stretch, especially defensively. Their lack of depth and size showed up in a big way. They lost four of their last five games, and in each of those four games, they gave up 40 or more points. I was not surprised in the outcome of the Upper Dublin game.

SuburbanOneSports.com: Upper Dublin will host a PIAA Quad-A District One playoff game this week against Council Rock North. What are your thoughts?

Scott Huff: "Upper Dublin was 9-1 last year and did not host a playoff game - and the Cardinals lost in the opening round to Abington. This year Upper Dublin was 9-1 again and will host a playoff game - against Council Rock North. The Cardinals upgraded their non-conference schedule this year, and that upgrade both presented them with a home game and should prepare them better for the postseason.

"The game with Rock North will showcase two of the elite quarterbacks in the area in UD's Ryan Stover and CRN's Brandon McIlwain. Stover is a terrific passer, and the Cardinals of late have gotten wonderful running from both Khaleif Lee and John Lee. McIlwain is a stud - you don't become a coveted Division One college prospect by accident. McIlwain is a sensational passer - powerful runner - and an outstanding defensive player.

SuburbanOneSports.com: Your thoughts about Quakertown's big win over Council Rock North.

Dan Dunkin: "I undersold Quakertown all year. I knew they had a very good defense. Council Rock North absolutely took that defense apart the first quarter and a half. They were up 19 points (26-7), and their hurry-up spread offense gave Quakertown all kinds of trouble. I have - in my almost 30-year career covering sports at all levels - rarely seen a game turn like that one did where it was essentially like two different games. Before you knew it, Quakertown was within six at halftime, and they just totally dominated the last two-and-a-half quarters of that game. They scored 34 unanswered points. Council Rock North could not stop their running game led by Rob Burns. Quakertown's offensive line and Burns were just outstanding. He's a very determined, good all-around runner and had 321 yards.

SuburbanOneSports.com: Your thoughts about North Penn's upset of Pennsbury last Friday.

Drew Markol: "It's hard to be totally shocked when a team like North Penn had beaten Pennsbury 13 straight times. It's just remarkable that you have a program as good as Pennsbury has been forever that any team could beat them 13 times in a row and now 14 times in a row - it is eye opening. There's got to be more to it than North Penn getting lucky 14 times.

"North Penn head coach Dick Beck knows what he's doing, and his teams get better every year as the season goes along, and that's a sign of good coaching. They just seem to have Pennsbury's number. Pennsbury was 7-0, and they were dismantling teams along the way. North Penn kind of pushed them back and put them in some uncomfortable spots where they hadn't been, basically trailing. Playing from behind is a whole lot harder obviously than when you're up 35-6. Pennsbury just didn't have an answer when they needed to throw the ball and move quickly.

SuburbanOneSports.com: Quakertown is the third-ranked team in the latest district power rankings. Your thoughts about the undefeated Panthers heading into Friday night's game against CR South.

Drew Markol: "The fact that Council Rock North lost to Truman was big news for Quakertown because that was the other undefeated team in the Continental. They're both chasing the league title. Of course, Council Rock North can still earn a share of it if they beat Quakertown when they play on Oct. 25, but Quakertown right now controls its own fate. You add in Tom Garlick, transferring from Wood - they have been playing him at wide receiver, and it adds a really good offensive weapon. He's got good speed, good hands, and he's about 6-3 or 6-4, so not only is he a target on long pass plays, but on the goal line, they now have someone they can throw the ball to, and he can jump up and get it. Not many teams can defend against a 6-4 receiver.

SuburbanOneSports.com: Talk about the Pennridge-Pennsbury game.

Dan Dunkin: "Pennridge will be the best team Pennsbury has played so far. Pennsbury has steamrolled people with nearly a 40-point a game average margin of victory. And Pennsbury by far is the best team Pennridge will have played. Joe Unangst has been a real force for Pennridge. He's been running great. Their quarterback, DeVon Balmer, has played well. Even though they lost Mike Class, everybody knew Pennridge was going to be very competitive. Coach Jeff Hollenbach just really runs a really excellent program and gets his kids ready. Look at them - they're 5-1. They have found ways offensively, really leaning heavily on Unangst, and their play up front on both sides of the ball has been strong.

SuburbanOneSports.com: Council Rock South looks like it's heading in the right direction. Your thoughts on the Hawks:

Dan Dunkin: "I'm really impressed with how Council Rock South is turning this thing around after two tough years since they lost in the district final in 2011. They've really regrouped. They put up 46 points against CB East and came from behind the week before to beat a really good Truman team. Vince Bedesem has got his wishbone offense rolling. They have a good, young and tough offensive line that's really developing. Vincent Alimenti has become one of the best running backs in the area. He's having a terrific senior year, and he's led the way on and off the field. Their defense is better than the scoreboard showed in that game against CB East because Vince did take out some starters fairly early, and it bit him a little bit and suddenly East is in the game. They outlasted CB East 46-40, but they've played good defense in stretches.

SuburbanOneSports.com: North Penn will travel to Central Bucks South for one of the SOL's marquee matchups. Your thoughts about that game.

Drew Markol: "I'm leaning a little towards CB South there. I think CB South can throw the ball a little better than people think. They haven't done that yet. I don't know if they were kind of hiding and trying to ride Josh Adams, but they have a huge offensive line. When you have Adams, you have the best player on the field, and that's never a bad thing.