By Scott Huff
We are the champions, my friend
And we’ll keep on fighting ‘til the end…
---Queen
The Suburban One League finished the 2019 season with three outright champions – and those champions will continue to fight for the right to own a PIAA District One title.
Central Bucks West was crowned the champion of the SOL Continental Conference despite a loss to Souderton. There was a three-way deadlock for second place between Central Bucks South, North Penn, and Souderton – each with two conferences losses. The Bucks (No. 2), Titans (No. 8), Knights (No. 9) & Indians (No. 10) all qualified for the 16-team 6A field.
Cheltenham was crowned the champion of the SOL American Conference with an unbeaten conference record. The Panthers earned the top seed in the 5A field, while Plymouth Whitemarsh (6A – No. 11), Upper Dublin (5A-No. 10) & Upper Moreland (4A-No. 4) also earned playoff invitations.
Abington was crowned the champion of the SOL National Conference with an unbeaten conference record. The Ghosts (No. 6) and Pennsbury (No. 16) were the only teams from the National Conference to qualify for the 16-team 6A field.
Close but no cigar…
Central Bucks East (6-4) was the lone team with a winning record in the 6A District One field that did not make the postseason.
The Patriots opened the season with three non-league wins – but then lost four in a row to Pennsbury, North Penn, Souderton, and CB West. CB East closed the season with an impressive win over No. 8 CB South and victories over William Tennent and Pennridge – but it wasn’t enough.
CB East was ranked 17th in the district with 133.00 points – Pennsbury was the 16th and final team to make the district field with 135.00 points. The Patriots lost to the Falcons 21-14 in a non-league game earlier in the year.
Central Bucks East will have to be content to be the best of the rest in the 6A field in 2019.
Wait until next year!
In addition to Central Bucks East, there were seven other Suburban One League teams that saw the 2019 season come to an end last week.
Neshaminy (5-5), Council Rock South (2-8), Council Rock North (2-8), Bensalem (3-7), Harry S Truman (4-6), William Tennent (3-7) & Wissahickon (2-8) each saw seasons come to a close.
Council Rock South finished the season, however, on a high note winning the Unity Cup in a 14-7 victory over district rival Council Rock North.
Turkey Day Special?
Quakertown & Pennridge will play in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game as both teams will close out painful 2019 seasons. And if nothing else – the game should be an extremely spirited and competitive one.
Quakertown finished the regular season with a 3-7 record and collected 95.00 points and a final ranking of 23rd in the 33-team 6A district. Pennridge finished the regular season with a 2-8 mark and collected 93.00 points and a final ranking of 24th in the 33-team 6A field.
Pennridge won the game last year 37-6.
Kudos to both Quakertown and Pennridge for continuing this valued community tradition. But with the District One playoff schedule, it will be 35 days, that’s correct 35 days - between the last regular season game and the Thanksgiving morning contest for both the Panthers and the Rams.
Ouch!!
Hatboro-Horsham & Upper Moreland will also renew their rivalry on Turkey Day.
The Hatters (1-8) and the Golden Bears (5-5) also played a SOL American Conference game in September – a game won by Upper Moreland 38-26. But the communities still look forward to the rematch on Thanksgiving Day – and that’s the game that really counts.
Hatboro-Horsham won the Thanksgiving game last year, 28-12.
The Hatters will have that dreaded 35-day gap between its last regular season game and Turkey Day. The Golden Bears, however, will have at least one more game as Upper Moreland plays Springfield (Montco) in a PIAA 4A semifinal game this week.
Stay tuned.
PIAA DISTRICT ONE 6A PLAYOFF SNAPSHOTS
FRIDAY – 7 PM
No. 16 PENNSBURY FALCONS (6-4) @ No. 1 DOWNINGTOWN WHIPPETS (9-1)
Season Resume:
Pennsbury finished the regular season as the 2nd place team in the Suburban One League National Conference.
Downingtown West finished the regular season as Tri-Champion of the Ches-Mont League National Conference.
Offense/Defense Points Per Game:
Pennsbury has scored an average of 25.8 points per game. The Falcons have allowed 18.6 points per game.
Downingtown West has scored an average of 43.0 points per game. The Whippets have allowed 18.0 points per game.
Signature Wins
Pennsbury – none
Downingtown West has signature wins over No. 3 Garnet Valley (42-19), No. 8 CB South (34-13), No. 13 Perkiomen Valley (33-17) & No. 4 Downingtown East (63-35).
Losses:
Pennsbury has lost games to No. 9 North Penn (13-3), Academy Park (13-0), Penn Wood (38-35) & No. 6 Abington (49-28).
Downingtown West lost to No. 7 Coatesville 29-21.
Winner Gets:
The winner of the Pennsbury/Downingtown West game will play the winner of the game between No. 8 Central Bucks South & No. 9 North Penn.
No. 9 NORTH PENN KNIGHTS (7-3) @ No. 8 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH TITANS (7-3)
Season Resume:
North Penn finished the regular season tied for 2nd place in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
Central Bucks South finished the regular season tied for 2nd place in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
Offense/Defense Points Per Game
North Penn has scored an average of 35.8 points per game. The Knights have allowed 21.6 points per game.
Central Bucks South has scored an average of 27.8 points per game. The Titans have allowed 20.3 points per game.
Signature Wins:
North Penn has signature wins over No. 16 Pennsbury (13-3) & No. 10 Souderton (47-21).
Central Bucks South has signature wins over No. 5 Spring-Ford (34-24), No. 9 North Penn (36-35), & No. 10 Souderton (24-14).
Losses:
North Penn has lost games to La Salle (42-3), No. 2 Central Bucks West (28-27), & No. 8 Central Bucks South (36-35)
Central Bucks South has lost games to No. 1 Downingtown West (34-13), No. 2 Central Bucks West (42-28) & Central Bucks East (16-14).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the North Penn/CB South game will play the winner of the game between No.1 Downingtown West and No. 16 Pennsbury.
No. 15 RIDLEY GREEN RAIDERS (7-3) @ No. 2 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST BUCKS (9-1)
Season Resume:
Ridley finished the regular season as the 4th place team in the Central League.
Central Bucks West finished the regular season as the outright champion of the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
Offense/Defense Points Per Game:
Ridley has scored an average of 31.4 points per game. The Green Raiders have allowed 24.8 points per game.
Central Bucks West has scored an average of 34.5 points per game. The Bucks have allowed 14.4 points per game.
Signature Wins:
Ridley – none
Central Bucks West has signature wins over No. 8 Central Bucks South (42-28), No. 9 North Penn (27-26) & No. 6 Abington (45-28).
Losses:
Ridley has lost games to Strath Haven (49-13), No. 12 Haverford (44-14) & No. 3 Garnet Valley (42-24).
Central Bucks West lost to No. 10 Souderton (28-27).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the Ridley/CB West game gets the winner of the game between No. 7 Coatesville and No. 10 Souderton.
No. 10 SOUDERTON INDIANS (8-2) @ No. 7 COATESVILLE RED RAIDERS (7-2)
Season Resume:
Souderton finished the regular season tied for 2nd place in the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
Coatesville finished the regular season as tri-champion of the Ches-Mont League National Conference.
Offense/Defense Points Per Game
Souderton has scored an average of 27.5 points per game. The Big Red has allowed 18.6 points per game.
Coatesville has scored an average of 32.7 points per game. The Red Raiders have allowed 15.0 points per game.
Signature Wins:
Souderton has a signature win over No. 2 Central Bucks West (28-27).
Coatesville has a signature win over No. 1 Downingtown West (29-21).
Losses:
Souderton has lost games to No. 9 North Penn (47-21) & No. 8 Central Bucks South (24-14).
Coatesville has lost games to Harrisburg (14-6) & No. 4 Downingtown East (28-24).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the Souderton/Coatesville game will play the winner of the game between No. 2 Central Bucks West and No. 15 Ridley.
No. 11 PW COLONIALS (8-1) @ No. 6 ABINGTON GHOSTS (8-2)
Season Resume:
Plymouth Whitemarsh finished the regular season as the 2nd place finisher in the Suburban One League American Conference.
Abington finished the regular season as the outright champion of the Suburban One League National Conference.
Offense/Defense Points Per Game:
Plymouth Whitemarsh has scored an average of 36.8 points per game. The Colonials have allowed 11.6 points per game.
Abington has scored an average of 35.5 points per game. The Ghosts have allowed 18.3 points per game.
Signature Wins:
Plymouth Whitemarsh – none.
Abington has signature wins over No. 1 (5A) Cheltenham (19-7) & No. 16 Pennsbury (49-28).
Losses:
Plymouth Whitemarsh lost to No. 1 (5A) Cheltenham (28-24).
Abington lost to No. 2 Central Bucks West (45-28) and Northeast (34-13).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the PW/Abington game will play the winner of the game between No. 3 Garnet Valley and No. 14 Owen J Roberts.
PIAA DISTRICT ONE 5A PLAYOFF SNAPSHOTS
FRIDAY – 7 PM
No. 16 SPRINGFIELD COUGARS (3-7) @ No.1 CHELTENHAM PANTHERS (9-1)
Season Resume:
Springfield (Delco) finished the regular season as 8th place finisher in the Central League.
Cheltenham finished the regular season as the outright champion of the Suburban One League American Conference.
Offense/Defense Points Per Game
Springfield scored an average of 10.7 points per game. The Cougars allowed 22.7 points per game.
Cheltenham scored an average of 34.7 points per game. The Panthers allowed 14.3 points per game.
Signature Wins:
Springfield (Delco) – none
Cheltenham had signature wins over No. 10 Upper Dublin (41-7) & No. 11 (6A) Plymouth Whitemarsh (28-24).
Losses:
Springfield (Delco) lost to Penn Wood (42-8), No. 15 (6A) Ridley (22-6), No. 3 (6A) Garnet Valley (42-7), No. 12 (6A) Haverford (35-7), Strath Haven (21-0), Conestoga (33-14), & Upper Darby (7-0).
Cheltenham lost to No. 6 (6A) Abington (19-7).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the Springfield (Delco)/Cheltenham game will play the winner of the game between No. 8 Marple-Newtown & No. 9 Unionville.
No. 10 UPPER DUBLIN CARDINALS (5-4) @ No. 7 WEST CHESTER RUSTIN (7-3)
Season Resume:
Upper Dublin finished the season as the 3rd place team in the Suburban One League American Conference.
West Chester Rustin finished the season as the 3rd place finisher in the Ches-Mont American Conference.
Offense/Defense/Points Per Game:
Upper Dublin scored an average of 19.7 points per game. The Flying Cardinals allowed 27.2 points per game.
West Chester Rustin scored an average of 29.7 points per game. The Golden Knights allowed 13.9 points per game.
Signature Wins:
Upper Dublin – none
West Chester Rustin – none
Losses:
Upper Dublin lost to Penn Charter (56-0), No. 1 Cheltenham (41-7), No. 11 (6A) Plymouth Whitemarsh (38-7) & Quakertown (14-13).
West Chester Rustin lost to No. 7 (6A) Coatesville (36-7), No. 2 West Chester East (27-7), & No. 4 Kennett (12-7).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the Upper Dublin/WC Rustin game will play the winner of the No. 2 West Chester East and No. 15 West Chester Henderson game.
PIAA DISTRICT ONE 4A PLAYOFF SNAPSHOT
SATURDAY – 7 PM
No. 4 UPPER MORELAND BEARS (5-5) @ No. 1 SPRINGFIELD SPARTANS (8-2)
Season Resume:
Upper Moreland finished in 5th place in the Suburban One League American Conference.
Springfield Township played an independent schedule.
Offense/Defense/Points Per Game:
Upper Moreland scored an average of 18.5 points per game. The Golden Bears allowed 17.5 points per game.
Springfield Township scored an average of 36.9 points per game. The Spartans allowed 14.8 points per game.
Signature Wins:
Upper Moreland – none
Springfield – none
Losses:
Upper Moreland has lost games to Quakertown (31-6), No. 11 (6A) Plymouth Whitemarsh (28-6), Sun Valley (27-23), No. 1 Cheltenham (34-6) & No. 10 (5A) Upper Dublin (14-6).
Springfield Township has lost games to Kensington (34-28) & Academy of the New Church (29-13).
Winner Gets:
The winner of the Upper Moreland/Springfield game will play the winner of the game between No. 2 Pottsgrove and No. 3 Bishop Shanahan for the District One 4A title.
PIAA DISTRICT ONE
FOOTBALL FORECAST
CLASS 6A
DOWNINGTOWN WHIPPETS 42 – PENNSBURY FALCONS 14
NORTH PENN KNIGHTS 34 – CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH TITANS 28
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST BUCKS 42 – RIDLEY GREEN RAIDERS 17
COATESVILLE RED RAIDERS 35 – SOUDERTON INDIANS 20
ABINGTON GALLOPING GHOSTS 38 – PW COLONIALS 21
CLASS 5A
CHELTENHAM PANTHERS 42 – SPRINGFIELD (DELCO) COUGARS 14
WEST CHESTER RUSTIN KNIGHTS 38 – UPPER DUBLIN FLYING CARDINALS 13
CLASS 4A
SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) SPARTANS 24 – UPPER MORELAND GOLDEN BEARS 17
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