By Scott Huff, Suburban One Sports Senior Writer
The non-league season is in the rearview mirror as the Suburban One League football teams began the long and arduous journey to the conference championships.
Norristown (American Conference), Pennsbury (National Conference), and North Penn (Continental Conference) will be defending conference championships this season.
“The seniors on this team very much want to carve out their own identity and be (conference) champions,” said Norristown head coach E.J. Smith. “We played a good non-league schedule, and we hope that pays off for us during our league schedule.”
Norristown – which won its SOL American Conference opener 41-0 over Upper Merion last week – lost to state ranked Downingtown East this season.
“When we had an open date the second week of the season, the players came to me and asked if we could schedule Downingtown East,” said Smith. “They knocked us out of the (district) playoffs last season, and our kids wanted another shot a them.”
The heart to play with the best was there, but the outcome was not a good one as the Eagles lost to the Whippets, 49-10.
“The players came out and played a good game against Upper Merion,” said Smith. “We have Wissahickon this week – and that’s all I worry about.
“This is a very tough league, and we have to stay focused and execute,” added Smith. “If we can do that, the seniors might have something to remember at the end of the season.”
If youthought that both Bensalem and William Tennent would be tied for first place in the SOL National Conference standings and that Pennsbury and Council Rock North would be in last place – raise your hand.
And if you have your hand raised – Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire.
“It is rather hard to believe,” said Bensalem head coach Dan McShane as his Owls flew by Pennsbury, 23-12. “We had some issues to deal with in the first three weeks, but we proved what we were capable of doing against Pennsbury.”
The Owls were clipped the first three weeks by Overbrook (26-7), Pennridge (34-24), and Archbishop Ryan (21-20).
“We have a talented group of players, but I didn’t expect us to be this successful, this soon,” said McShane. “The schedule maker didn’t do us any favors. We have Neshaminy this week, and that is going to be a huge test.”
Central Bucks East passed a huge test last week when the Patriots exploded for six touchdowns and routed Hatboro-Horsham, 42-20.
Justyn White did not play again this week for East, but the talented senior running back did not detract from the exceptional efforts of his teammates.
“Any year there is going to be some type of adversity,” said Central Bucks East head coach John Donnelly. “Whether here at East, or when I coached at Quakertown, there is always something that a team has to overcome.
“Players are very resilient,” added Donnelly. “We are dealing with a lot of positives on the football field.”
And for the first week, at least, CB East is one top of the SOL Continental Conference standings with North Penn and Souderton.
This is the Week that Was in the SOL
SOL American Conference
Norristown (2-2, 1-0) opened its defense of the Suburban One League American Conference with a 41-0 victory over rival Upper Merion (0-4, 0-1).
Junior tailback Brandon Shippen was magnificent with 135 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 21 and ten yards.
“We knew last year that Brandon Shippen was going to be a special tailback,” said Norristown head coach E.J. Smith. “We started out the season with three tailbacks – Brandon, Eric (Handy), and Anthony (DiNolfi) – but Brandon has moved up to # 1.
“We were then able to move Anthony to a wideout and that has really improved our passing game,” added Smith. “And Eric is also a good running back to help carry the load.”
Handy scored a pair of touchdowns for the Eagles in the win over the Vikings. Handy scored on runs of 12 and five yards.
Jalen Ramsey also scored a rushing score for Norristown on a 10-yard run.
“We really played much better on defense,” understated Smith as the Eagles gave up an even 100 points the last two ballgames. “We have to keep giving that effort out every game.”
Norristown also scored a defensive touchdown as – who else – Brandon Shippen intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards for a TD.
Wissahickon (0-4, 0-1) continues to look for its first win of the season. The young Trojans took a knockout punch from Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-2, 1-0), 42-10.
The scoring plays for Wissahickon came on a 26-yard field goal in the first half by Greg McDonough and a 27-yard touchdown run by running back Anthony Delegal.
Next: Norristown (2-2, 1-0) @ Wissahickon (0-4, 0-1)
Last Year: Norristown 20 – Wissahickon 15
Prediction: Norristown 38 – Wissahickon 13
Upper Moreland (4-0, 0-0) will open its SOL American Conference season this week as the Golden Bears host Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-2, 1-0). Upper Moreland defeated Interboro, 28-20, in a non-league game last week.
Greg Adamson had a fabulous night with 165 yards on 16 carries and a pair of touchdown runs. Adamson also scored on a 25-yard TD pass from Matt Sawick. Sawick concluded the Upper Moreland scoring with a 40-yard TD run late in the game.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-2, 1-0) led 35-3 at intermission and rolled to a 42-10 win over Wissahickon.
Xavier Ellington was brilliant for the Colonials with three touchdowns efforts of two, four, and 24 yards. Russhon Phillips scored on a 48-yard run, Kenny Williams scored on a 14-yard run, and Phil Bucci scored on a five-yard burst.
Next: Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-2, 1-0) @ Upper Moreland (4-0, 0-0)
Last Year: Plymouth Whitemarsh 19 – Upper Moreland 7.
Prediction: Upper Moreland 27 – Plymouth Whitemarsh 20
Upper Dublin (3-1, 1-0) opened its SOL American season with a thrilling 27-20 double overtime victory over Cheltenham (3-1, 0-1).
The game was tied at 13-13 at the end of regulation. Andrew Derr scored on a three-yard run, while Jino Park scored on a seven yard run in the first 48 minutes. Anthony Williams scored on a three-yard run in the first overtime, while Derr scored what proved to be the winning TD on a 10-yard run in the second overtime.
Upper Merion (0-4, 0-1) trailed Norristown (2-2, 1-0) by only 13-0 at the half, but the Vikings were sunk in the second half, losing by a 41-0 tally.
How bad is it getting with Upper Merion? How about having to move Dan Yarnell – a starting guard on the offensive line – to quarterback against the Eagles.
Next: Upper Merion (0-4, 0-1) @ Upper Dublin (3-1, 1-0)
Last Year: Upper Dublin 23 – Upper Merion 20
Prediction: Upper Dublin 42 – Upper Merion 13
Cheltenham (3-1, 0-1) lost its first game of the season with a 27-20 double overtime setback to Upper Dublin (3-1, 1-0).
Aquil Reed scored on a 38-yard pass from Kenneth Cropper and also scored on a six-yard TD explosion. The Panthers scored in the first overtime on a three-yard pass from Cropper to Dan Rouse. Rouse finished the game with 97 yards on five receptions.
Next: Chichester (0-4) @ Cheltenham (3-1)
Last Year: Did Not Play
Prediction: Cheltenham 35 – Chichester 7
SOL National Conference
Bensalem (1-3, 1-0) shocked the SOL world with a 23-12 conference win over host Pennsbury (2-2, 0-1).
“We did things in this game that we are capable of doing against every team we play,” said Bensalem head coach Dan McShane. “We have been improving every week – but to beat Pennsbury at Pennsbury?”
The highest-flying Owl on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball was senior tailback/free safety Christian Fernandez.
“Christian shows both physical and emotional toughness 24/7,” said McShane. “He is not fast, but very shifty. At 5-foot, 8-inches and 160 pounds he gets a lot of good things done.”
Fernandez rushed the ball 21 times for the Owls for a team-high 67 yards and a touchdown. He also excelled on defense with a critical 40-yard game-saving interception in the fourth period with Bensalem protecting a 16-12 lead.
It was the first win for the Owls over Pennsbury since 1998.
Neshaminy (4-0, 1-0) opened its defense of the SOL National Conference with a 28-10 victory over visiting Abington (2-2, 0-1)
Senior fullback/linebacker Corey Majors was dominating both offensively and defensively. Majors limited Abington quarterback Julien Ireland to less than a 100 yards total offense. He also scored on runs of 15 and 45 yards. Quarterback Charlie Marterella completed 14 passes for 220 yards and a pair of touchdowns – one to Dwight Williams and the other to Justin Andrews.
Next: Neshaminy (4-0, 1-0) @ Bensalem (1-3, 1-0)
Last Year: Neshaminy 34 – Bensalem 7
Prediction: Neshaminy 28 – Bensalem 14
Council Rock South (4-0, 1-0) kept its record spotless with a 35-0 thrashing of Harry S Truman (1-3, 0-1). The game was halted at the end of the first half by the Truman coach/administration.
In a half of football, the Golden Hawks jetted to 300 rushing yards. Quarterback Billy Flemming rushed five times for 122 and a score, while Mark Dimirgian added 94 yards and scored three touchdowns for South.
Pennsbury (2-2, 0-1) was stunned by visiting Bensalem (1-3, 1-0) in its defense of the SOL National Conference – 23-12.
The Falcons scored a pair of touchdowns during the game. Brandon Pepper rushed for a game-high 117 yards and scored a touchdown, while John Sibel scored in a 15-yard dash.
Next: Pennsbury (2-2, 0-1) @ Council Rock South (4-0, 1-0)
Last Year: Pennsbury 30 – Council Rock South 7
Prediction: Council Rock South 28 – Pennsbury 21
William Tennent (3-1, 1-0) played excellent football on both sides of the football as the Panthers handled Council Rock North (0-4, 0-1), 27-8 in the conference opener for both teams.
The WT defense swarmed to the ball and caused four turnovers. Shakat Kofa scored a pair of touchdowns for the Panthers, while Connor Geiger rushed for a game-high 62 yards and a TD.
Harry S Truman (1-3, 0-1) had the euphoria of its 20-12 win over Ben Franklin two weeks ago replaced by the despair of its 35-0 loss to Council Rock South (4-0, 1-0). The game was stopped at the half.
Derron Thompson led the Tigers with 52 yards rushing on 11 carries. Included in those stats was a 44-yard run from punt formation.
Next: Truman (1-3, 0-1) @ William Tennent (3-1, 1-0)
Last Year: Truman 34 – William Tennent 0
Prediction: William Tennent 34 – Truman 8
Abington (2-2, 0-1) had a tough trip to Heartbreak Ridge in a 28-10 loss to unbeaten Neshaminy (4-0, 1-0).
The Ghost spread offense featured the talents of quarterback Julien Ireland who was held in check with 96 total yards. Josh Lee scored on a 34-yard touchdown on a return of a fumble, and Ian MacMillan booted a 27-yard field goal.
Council Rock North (0-4, 0-1) is still in search of its first win after losing its conference opener to William Tennent, 27-8.
Indian quarterback Vincent Piacentino completed eight passes for 108 yards and a score. Ferguson Amo scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass.
Next: Abington (2-2, 0-1) @ Council Rock North (0-4, 0-1)
Last Year: Council Rock North 34 – Abington 3
Prediction: Abington 28 – CR North 7
SOL Continental Conference
Central Bucks East (2-2, 1-0) did not feature a potent offense the first three weeks of the season. But that all changed when the Patriots throttled Hatboro-Horsham (2-2, 0-1), 42-20 in the conference opener for both teams.
“The conference season is really a second season,” said Central Bucks East head coach John Donnelly. “We obviously have struggled scoring points, but the players worked hard.”
The Patriots had three players score two touchdowns each. Sean Reilly scored on runs of one and two yards; Josh Bernard scored on runs of seven and 60 yards; while Connor Bednarzyk scored on runs of one and 19 yards.
“We had a lot of players get involved in the offense, and that is a good thing,” continued the coach. “We had a really nice win, but we have a really tough game coming up this week against North Penn.”
North Penn is the defending SOL Continental Conference champion.
North Penn (3-1, 1-0) opened its defense of its conference title with a punishing 55-13 victory over visiting Central Bucks South (2-2, 0-1).
The Knights scored a staggering 35 points in the second period to cruise to a 48-6 halftime lead. Corey Ernst was a perfect 8-8 with a couple of touchdowns – one to Dominic Taggart and the other to Brandon Mercer. Taggart also scored on a 40-yard interception return.
Next: North Penn (3-1,1-0) @ Central Bucks East (2-2, 1-0)
Last Year: North Penn 41 – Central Bucks East 0
Prediction: North Penn 42 – Central Bucks East 14
Souderton (2-2, 1-0) rebounded from a tough 16-15 loss to Abington conquer previously unbeaten Central Bucks West (3-1, 0-1) – 34-24.
The Big Red blitzed the Buck defense for 430 yards of total offense – most on the ground. Tyler Scholl rushed for a game-high 140 yards and scored three touchdowns on runs of 40, 10, and four yards. Javon White also scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of 14 and 15 yards.
Pennridge (3-1, 0-0) also rebounded from a 31-0 thrashing handed to them by Council Rock South. The Rams scored 22 fourth period points to rally by Lansdale Catholic (1-3) – 34-8.
Kyle McCabe scored a defensive touchdown for Pennridge on a 37-yard fumble recovery. Brandon Cope scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of three and 13 yards, while Jesse Knepp scored a TD on a four-yard run. Rocky Ferrier scored on a 30-yard TD pass from Kyle Peters.
Next: Pennridge (3-1, 0-0) @ Souderton (2-2,1-0)
Last Year: Souderton 27 – Pennridge 7
Prediction: Souderton 27 – Pennridge 14
Central Bucks South (2-2, 0-1) had an impressive opening drive in its game against powerful North Penn (3-1, 1-0). The Titans completed an 11-play drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Matt Johns to Chris Veal to take a 7-0 lead.
But the Knights beat down the CB South defense the remainder of the half and routed the Titans 55-13. Johns completed 14 passes for 135 yards and a score.
Central Bucks West (3-1, 0-1) lost its first game of the season when the young Bucks were defeated by host Souderton (2-2, 1-0), 34-24.
Senior quarterback Ward Udinski had an excellent outing for CB West with 12 completions for 265 yards and pair of touchdowns. Rashaad Williams and Bill Bell each had TD receptions, while Joe DiStefano scored on a four-yard run.
Next: Central Bucks West (3-1, 0-1) @ Central Bucks South (2-2, 0-1)
Last Year: Central Bucks South 17 – Central Bucks West 7
Prediction: CB South 28 – CB West 21
Hatboro-Horsham (2-2, 0-1) could not contain the high-octane offense of Central Bucks East (2-2, 1-0) in a 42-20 loss. It was the conference opener for both teams.
Nick Dovidio ran for a game-high 120 yards and a score – a 25-yard run. Dom DeFazio scored on an eight-yard run, while quarterback Matt Hollenbeck scored on a two-yard run.
Quakertown (1-3, 0-0) will open its SOL Continental Conference season after a less than impressive 46-18 non-league loss to Downingtown West (1-3).
The Panthers trailed by just 13-6 at the intermission, but were outscored 33-6 in the second half. The offensive highlight was a 65-yard pass from Zac Gravelle to Nick Perrine. Q-town did generate 336 yards of total offense.
Next: Quakertown (1-3, 0-0) @ Hatboro-Horsham (2-2, 0-1)
Last Year: Hatboro-Horsham 26 – Quakertown 21
Prediction: Hatboro-Horsham 26 – Quakertown 21
Suburban One Sports.Com
Great Eight
1. North Penn Knights (3-1)
2. Neshaminy Redskins (4-0)
3. Council Rock South Golden Hawks (4-0)
4. Upper Moreland Golden Bears (4-0)
5. Souderton Indians (2-2)
6. Pennsbury Falcons (2-2)
7. Pennridge Rams (3-1)
8. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals (3-1)
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