Upper Moreland/CR North photo courtesy of Darryl Rule/JD Photography.
Football Forecast – Volume 1
By Scott Huff
The 2024 Suburban One League football season kicked off last week with three Suburban One League teams defending outright conference championships.
Central Bucks South (12-2 overall in ’23), however, will not be defending a Suburban One League National Conference title – but the Titans will be defending the PIAA 6A District One championship.
CB South (6-1 in the SOL National Conference in ’23) opened the season with a 35-0 victory over Archbishop Wood (1-8 in ’23). The Titans should be challenged when they travel to Souderton (11-1 in ’23) this week and close out the non-league schedule against Upper Dublin (7-5 in ’23).
Central Bucks West (7-0 in conference play in ’23) is the defending SOL National Conference champion. The Bucks (12-1 overall in ’23) plays a good non-league schedule.
CBW defeated Easton (3-8 in ’23) in the season opener by a 21-12 score. The Bucks will then play @ Upper Dublin (7-5 in ’23) and will host Souderton (11-1 in ’23) the next two weeks.
Souderton (6-0 in conference play in ’23) is the defending SOL Continental Conference champion. The Indians have a treacherous non-conference schedule.
SAHS lost to defending Pioneer Athletic Conference champion Spring-Ford (9-3 in ’23) to open the season by a 31-14 margin. The Big Red will host defending District One champion Central Bucks South (12-2 in ’23) and will travel to meet defending SOL National Conference champion Central Bucks West (12-1 in ’23) the next two weeks.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (5-0 in conference play in ’23) is the defending SOL American Conference champion. The Colonials will play five non-league games this year. PW opened the season with a 49-14 victory over Upper Merion (2-8 in ’23).
The Colonials close out the non-league season @ Wilson West Lawn (7-4 in ’23), home against Interboro (5-7 in ’23), home against Manheim Township (12-1 in ’23), and @ Penn Wood (2-9 in ’23).
Winning a Suburban One League football title is extremely difficult – repeating may even be more difficult for CB West, Souderton, & Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Stay tuned.
North Penn could once again be a ‘Knightmare’….
North Penn started the 2023 season with a dismal 2-4 record and finished the season an un-North Penn like record of 6-5. The Knights lost to Spring-Ford by a 42-35 score in the first round of the PIAA District One playoffs.
North Penn opened the 2024 season with an impressive 28-25 victory over Downingtown East. Last year the Cougars won the Ches-Mont title and reached the PIAA District One 6A semifinals.
The headliners for the Knights in the huge win over Downingtown East were quarterback Matt Bucksar and running back/defensive back Christian Johns-Wallace.
Bucksar passed for over 200 yards and threw a TD pass to Aidan Eves and also rushed for 70 yards and a score. Johns-Wallace scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and also came up a key interception late in the game.
North Penn will play Council Rock South (1-0) this week and will follow with a revenge game against Quakertown (0-1) who ‘upset’ the Knights in the second game of the season last year.
Is the ‘Big Blue Machine’ up and running in 2024?
Stay tuned.
You win some and lose some….
The SOL National Conference split its eight non-league games on opening night.
The winners included North Penn, Central Bucks South, Central Bucks West, & Neshaminy.
The losers included Abington, Pennridge, Pennsbury, & Central Bucks East.
The SOL Continental Conference also split its eight non-league games on the opening week of the season.
The winners included Harry S Truman, Bensalem, Council Rock South, & Upper Dublin.
The losers included Souderton, Quakertown, Cheltenham, & Council Rock North.
The SOL American Conference finished opening night with a 2-4 record.
The winners included Plymouth Whitemarsh & Upper Moreland.
The losers included Wissahickon, William Tennent, Springfield, & Hatboro Horsham.
No place like home…
Cheltenham has found itself a new conference home moving ‘up’ from the SOL American Conference to the SOL Continental Conference.
The Panthers completed the 2023 season with a 4-1 record in the SOL American Conference with only a single conference loss to champion Plymouth Whitemarsh.
The Black Cats finished the season with an overall record of 5-6 and lost in the first round of the PIAA District One 6A playoffs against Central Bucks West, 27-12.
*****
And Council Rock South actually played a home game on its very own campus in a 43-20 win over Frankford under the Friday Night Lights.
The good news was it was the first time ever that the Golden Hawks did not have to take that short bus ride to Walt Snyder Stadium – on the campus of Council Rock North – to play its ‘home’ game.
The bad news is that it will be the only ‘home’ game to be played @ CR South this 2024 season – the Golden Hawks will be back on the bus for the remaining ‘home’ games at Walt Snyder Stadium.
And the beat goes on…
SOL National & Continental
Crossover Games
North Penn Knights (1-0) @ Council Rock South (1-0)
*Thursday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Council Rock South [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 43-20 victory over Frankford [Philadelphia Public League].
North Penn [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with an impressive 28-25 win over defending [Ches-Mont champion] Downingtown East.
Prediction:
North Penn Knights 35 * CR South Hawks 17
Central Bucks West (1-0) @ Upper Dublin Cardinals (1-0)
*Thursday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Central Bucks West [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 21-12 victory over Easton [Eastern Pennsylvania Conference-Steel Division].
Upper Dublin [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 38-21 win over rival Wissahickon [SOL American Conference].
Prediction:
CB West Bucks 28 * Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals 17
CB South Titans (1-0) @ Souderton Indians (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Central Bucks South [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with a convincing 35-0 victory over Philadelphia Catholic League opponent, Archbishop Wood.
Souderton [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 31-14 loss to Spring-Ford [Pioneer Athletic Conference].
Prediction:
CB South Titans 27 * Souderton Indians 17
CR North Indians (0-1) @ Neshaminy Redskins (1-0)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Neshaminy [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 20-17 overtime victory over Emmaus [EPC-Skyline Division].
Council Rock North [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 35-7 setback against SOL American Conference opponent, Upper Moreland.
Prediction:
Neshaminy Redskins 38 * CR North Indians 13
Bensalem Owls (1-0) @ Pennridge Rams (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Bensalem [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 41-28 victory over Lower Merion [Central League].
Pennridge [SOL National Conference] opened its season with a lopsided 40-14 loss to Liberty [EPC-Steel Division].
Prediction:
Pennridge Rams 24 * Bensalem Owls 21
Truman Tigers (1-0) @ Abington Ghosts (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Truman [Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 42-0 shutout victory over Kensington [Philadelphia Public League].
Abington [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 21-7 loss to Conrad Weiser [Lancaster-Lebanon League].
Prediction:
Abington Ghosts 21 * Truman Tigers 14
Pennsbury Falcons (0-1) @ Quakertown Panthers (0-1)
*Thursday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Pennsbury [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 24-2 loss to Northampton [EPC- Steel Division].
Quakertown [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 31-13 loss to Southern Lehigh [Colonial-Schuylkill League].
Prediction:
Pennsbury Falcons 20 * Quakertown Panthers 13
Cheltenham Panthers (0-1) @ CB East Patriots (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Cheltenham [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 28-20 loss to Wilson West Lawn [Lancaster-Lebanon League].
Central Bucks East [SOL National Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 20-7 loss to Ridley [Central League].
Prediction:
Central Bucks East Patriots 27 * Cheltenham Panthers 21
SOL American Conference
Non-League Games
West Chester East Patriots (1-0) @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears (1-0)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
West Chester East [Ches-Mont Central Division] opened the 2024 season with a 20-0 victory over Academy Park [Delaware-Valley League].
Upper Moreland [SOL American Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 35-7 victory over Council Rock North [SOL Continental Conference].
Prediction:
Upper Moreland Golden Bears 27 * WC East Patriots 20
Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-0) @ Wilson-West Lawn Bulldogs (1-0)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Plymouth Whitemarsh [SOL American Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 49-14 victory over Upper Merion [Pioneer Athletic League].
Wilson West Lawn [Lancaster-Lebanon League] opened its 2024 season with a 28-20 victory over Cheltenham [SOL Continental Conference].
Prediction:
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials 31 *Wilson West Lawn 17
Hatboro Horsham Hatters (0-1) @ WC Henderson. Warriors (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Hatboro Horsham [SOL Continental Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 28-0 loss to Marple Newtown [Ches-Mont League].
West Chester Henderson from the [Ches-Mont League] opened its 2024 season with a 20-13 loss to Upper Darby [Central League].
Prediction:
West Chester Henderson 21 * Hatboro Horsham Hatters 20
Kensington Tigers (0-1) @ Springfield Spartans (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Kensington [Philadelphia Public League] opened its season with a 42-0 loss to Truman [SOL Continental Conference].
Springfield [SOL American Conference] opened its season with a 34-27 loss to defending District 1 4A champion Pope John Paul [Pioneer Athletic League].
Prediction:
Springfield Spartans 35 * Kensington Tigers 7
Archbishop Carroll Patriots (1-0) @ Wissahickon Trojans (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
Archbishop Carroll [Philadelphia Catholic League] opened its 2024 season with a 25-8 victory over William Tennent [SOL American Conference].
Wissahickon [SOL American Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 38-21 loss to Upper Dublin [SOL Continental Conference].
Prediction:
Wissahickon Trojans 28 * Archbishop Carroll Patriots 13
Methacton Warriors (1-0) @ William Tennent Panthers (0-1)
Friday – 7 pm
Last Week:
William Tennent [SOL American Conference] opened its 2024 season with a 25-8 loss to Archbishop Carroll [Philadelphia Catholic League].
Methacton [PAC-Liberty Division] opened its 2024 season with a 7-2 victory over Pottsgrove [PAC-Frontier Division].
Prediction:
William Tennent Panthers 14 * Methacton Warriors 13
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