NEUMANN-GORETTI AT ARCHBISHOP CARROLL
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Radnor High School
RECORDS: Neumann-Goretti is 3-2, 0-0 after defeating Lansdale Catholic, 21-20. Archbishop Carroll is 2-3, 1-0 after defeating Conwell-Egan, 41-0.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: The Saints, fresh off knocking Lansdale Catholic from the ranks of the unbeaten, pose a major threat to the Patriots, who rolled up 41 points last week while racking up just 270 yards of offense.
“We had some breaks, but we also created breaks and our defense played real well,” said Carroll head coach Joe Powel. “We’re going to have to play well defensively again. Neumann-Goretti is a good football team.”
Powel is leery of the high-powered N-G passing offense, which is the third most efficient in the PCL (140 yards per game), and piloted effectively by QB Ray Lenhart (35-for-84, 707 yds., 10 TDs).
“They have receivers who are 6-3 (Eric Holt), 6-5 (Sharif Custis) and 6-7 (Jamal Custis), and they like to get the ball in their hands in the passing game,” Powel said. “This is a good challenge. We’re evenly matched, and whoever plays good defense will be successful.”
AC playmaker Danny Bier has scored touchdowns this season through receiving (four), a kickoff return, a punt return and an interception.
POPE JOHN PAUL II at POTTSTOWN
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Pottstown High School
RECORDS: Pope John Paul is 0-5, 0-4 after losing to Owen J. Roberts, 20-12. Pottstown is 2-3, 1-2 after losing to Phoenixville, 42-27.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pope John Paul won, 31-16
OUTLOOK: The Golden Panthers have a new sponsor – the new Einstein Medical Center Montgomery Hospital.
Just being facetious, folks, but while most teams watch their stat totals go up each week, the PJP coaching staff is counting additions to the injured list. This week, it’s starting NG/G Armen DiFilippo who will miss the game this week.
“It’s just one of those years,” said PJP head coach Mike Santillo. “We’re waiting for clearance for (injured RB) Nick DiPrinzio, so he might be back.”
As for Pottstown?
“They’re fast as all heck, a typical Pottstown team,” Santillo said, “and their quarterback (Sage Reinhart) has already gone over 1,000 yards.
“We just can’t let them get their speed in space.”
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT WISSAHICKON
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Plymouth Whitemarsh is 4-1, 2-0 after defeating Cheltenham in overtime, 34-28. Wissahickon is 4-1, 2-0 after defeating Springfield, 27-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Plymouth Whitemarsh won, 31-7
OUTLOOK: The leaders in the SOL American clash with both league supremacy and Class AAAA playoff positioning (presently PW is fourth, Wissahickon is tied for seventh) as major sidebars.
“I knew, going into the season, that PW would be a top team because they’re so well-coached and their kids are always so tough,” said Trojans head coach Jeff Cappa. “But when I saw them on film, they’re even better than I expected.”
One of Cappa’s concerns is the PW option offense.
“They run a lot of dive option,” Cappa said, “but they haven’t run as much option as they have in the past. They’ll line up and run power and a lot of different things, and we’ve had to make a lot of adjustments in practice this week.”
But if Cappa is impressed by PW, Colonials head coach Dan Chang is equally impressed with the Trojans.
“They do a lot of things well,” Chang said of Wissahickon. “We’ve really been impressed with their offensive and defensive lines. They all have good size and they explode off the ball.”
PW center Pat Mascio and DB Brian Afflick are out due to injury, while 600-yard RB Terry Brown is questionable with a knee injury.
“Regardless of whether (Brown) plays or not, we have our work cut out for us,” Cappa said.
BOYERTOWN AT SPRING-FORD
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Spring-Ford Middle School
RECORDS: Boyertown is 1-4, 1-3 after losing to Perkiomen Valley, 42-7. Spring-Ford is 4-1, 2-1 after losing to Pottsgrove, 26-0.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Spring-Ford won, 45-14.
OUTLOOK: The Rams are in rebound mode, trying to bounce back after last weekend’s shutout loss to Pottsgrove.
They face a Boyertown team that is the PAC’s worst against the run (322 yds. per game) and overall (432 yds. per game). That being the case, expect to see a lot of S-F RB Yousef Lundi (63 carries, 443 yds., 6 TDs) this week.
On the other side of the ball, the Bears prefer the overland route, with Matt Moccia (55 carries, 406 yds.) and Eric Heller (57 carries, 352 yds.) leading the way. But the Rams rank second in the PAC in stopping the run (228 yds. per game).
UPPER DUBLIN AT CHELTENHAM
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School
RECORDS: Upper Dublin is 3-2, 1-1 after defeating Norristown, 35-19. Cheltenham is 3-2, 1-1 after losing to Plymouth Whitemarsh in overtime, 34-28.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Dublin won, 19-7.
OUTLOOK: The Cardinals travel to Cheltenham, where the Panthers are still smarting after losing a two-touchdown lead and dropping a heartbreaker to Plymouth Whitemarsh in overtime.
Upper Dublin has gone the way of the chalk this year, winning three games it would be expected to win (Truman, Lincoln, Norristown), while losing decisively to CB West and Wissahickon. If the Cards are to challenge for an SOL title, they’re going to need an upset win within conference play. Is this the week?
If so, Upper Dublin is going to have to corral Panthers RB Mark Thompson, who scorched PW for nearly 200 yards on the ground in the first half before getting only a handful of touches in the second.
The Cards defense, led by LB Ben Winebrake, held Norristown to 120 yards on the ground last week, but the Panthers pose a bigger challenge.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY AT PENNINGTON SCHOOL
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Pennington School
RECORDS: Germantown Academy is 2-1 after losing to Blair Academy, 42-41. Pennington is 2-2 after losing to Lawrenceville, 48-14.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Germantown Academy won, 34-14.
OUTLOOK: Despite the wild loss last weekend, the Patriots seem to be a team to be reckoned with this season.
Like their close encounter with Temple recruit Jihaad Pretlow last week, GA gets another top running back this week in Red Raider Marcus Fulmore (62 carries, 355 yds., 5 TDs), who along with QB Ryan McGann (25-for-47, 271 yds.) and talented WR Kaison Randolph (12 catches, 121 yds.) give LB Rob Gorman and the Patriots defense another potent attack to try and slow down.
Of course, after last week, the Raiders will have to be mindful of GA QB Hayes Nolte (39-for-65, 665 yds., 8 TDs), who in throwing for 321 yards against Blair became the first Patriots signal-caller to top the 300-yard passing plateau in a game since Sean Grieve did it twice during the 2002 season.
PHOENIXVILLE AT PERKIOMEN VALLEY
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Perkiomen Valley High School
RECORDS: Phoenixville is 3-2, 2-1 after defeating Pottstown, 42-27. Perkiomen Valley is 4-1, 4-0 after defeating Boyertown, 42-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Phoenixville won, 14-9.
OUTLOOK: The Vikings find themselves in first place (along with Pottsgrove) in the PAC, but historically have their problems with the Phantoms.
“Two weeks ago they got beat by Owen J. Roberts, but last week they beat Pottstown,” said PV head coach Scott Reed. “So I don’t know what team we’re getting. We’ve always seemed to play close games with them, and it’ll probably be the same this week.”
Last week, the running game paved the way for Phoenixville, which got 204 rushing yards and four touchdowns from RB Ryan Yenchick, while limiting the vaunted Pottstown ground game to just 139 yards.
PV’s ground game, behind Mark Bonomo (62 carries, 470 yds.) and QB Rasaan Stewart (59 carries, 420 yds.), will provide another test for Phoenixville.
SPRINGFIELD AT UPPER MERION
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Merion Middle School
RECORDS: Springfield is 3-2, 0-2 after losing to Wissahickon, 27-7. Upper Merion is 0-5, 0-2 after losing to Upper Moreland, 35-20.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: The Vikings, seeking to snap a losing streak that has now reached 25 games, do battle with the Spartans, who are 0-2 in their first SOL action since 1994.
At press time there was no word on whether UM QB Carmen Fortino would return to the lineup, or if Bobby Landmesser, who filled in for Fortino last week, would be under center.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings defense better get used to playing the run. Springfield travels primarily on the legs of Jhaloni Johnson (43 carries, 410 yds.) and QB Chris Stone (55 carries, 324 yds.).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH AT NORTH PENN
TIME: Friday, 7:30 p.m., North Penn High School
RECORDS: Central Bucks South is 5-0, 2-0 after defeating Souderton, 44-28. North Penn is 3-2, 2-0 after defeating Quakertown, 42-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: North Penn won, 28-14.
OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider
POTTSGROVE AT METHACTON
TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Methacton High School
RECORDS: Pottsgrove is 5-0, 4-0 after defeating Spring-Ford, 26-0. Methacton is 2-3, 2-2 after defeating Upper Perkiomen, 35-6.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pottsgrove won, 21-19.
OUTLOOK: By now, everybody knows about Pottsgrove, and its incredible offense, which is averaging 45 points per game while winning its five games by an average of 40 per contest.
But there’s been nothing wrong with the Falcons’ defense, which is first in the PAC against the run (110 per game) and first against the pass (88 yds. per game).
“You watch Pottsgrove play, and they play fast in every aspect of the game,” said Methacton head coach Paul Lepre. “Every week you see them make something positive out of negative situations. They get off the ball, they get 11 hats to the ball and they don’t give you too many opportunities to do things.
“When you play them, execution is the key. You have to make tackles when you get the chance and you have to make plays when you get the chance.”
Meanwhile, Lepre said his Warriors have bounced back nicely after dropping their first three games of the year.
“I think the kids got a little shell-shocked with (the season opener against) Souderton,” Lepre said. “That was the most physical team we’ve played in my tenure here, and it took a while to recover from that. But through our kids’ dedication, I think they’re at a point where they feel they can play with anybody.”
Methacton will play without center Mike McGoldrick (concussion), but get OL Andrew Steven back off the injury. Steven will go to tackle, while tackle Jeremy Reid will move to center.
UPPER MORELAND AT NORRISTOWN
TIME: Saturday, 2:30 p.m., Norristown High School
RECORDS: Upper Moreland is 3-2, 1-1 after defeating Upper Merion, 35-20. Norristown is 1-4, 1-1 after losing to Upper Dublin, 35-19.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Norristown won, 38-28.
OUTLOOK: The Eagles face another tall task in the Bears, who like to run the ball with Robert Knox (100 carries, 573 yds.) and a tough offensive line.
“They just line up, tackle-to-tackle, and come right at you,” said Norristown head coach E.J. Smith. “They have a very good football team, and we’ll have to cut down on our mental mistakes if we expect to be in the game.”
Norristown RB Joe Smith is questionable with a groin strain.
LA SALLE AT FATHER JUDGE
TIME: Saturday, 2:45 p.m., Abraham Lincoln High School
RECORDS: La Salle is 5-0, 1-0 after defeating Archbishop Ryan, 31-0. Father Judge is 2-2, 0-0 after defeating Monsignor Bonner, 25-24.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won in regular season, 33-14 and in the PCL playoffs, 26-16.
OUTLOOK: Judge is coming off what many have called, “the best game of the year, “ a wild back-and-forth, one-point victory over Bonner in a game that wasn’t actually over even when it was over (an end-zone interception on a last-play Hail Mary saw the interceptor run/or not the ball out and drop it on the 10-yard line, a play later called a touchback).
The Crusaders have been a fun team to watch all year, particularly due to an offense, led by QB Ryan Mackiewicz (29-for-56, 493 yds.) and RB Samir Bullock (59 carries, 433 yds.), that rolls up 308 yards per contest and a defense that yields 335 per game.
La Salle continues to make gaining yardage look nearly effortless. QB Chris Kane (67-for-103, 1,103 yds., 12 TDs) cracked the 1,000-yard mark last week – and only connected with his top receiver, Sean Coleman, one time.
MONSIGNOR BONNER AT LANSDALE CATHOLIC
TIME: Saturday, 3:00 p.m., Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Monsignor Bonner is 1-3, 0-0 after losing to Father Judge, 25-24. Lansdale Catholic is 4-1, 0-0 after losing to Neumann-Goretti, 21-20.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Monsignor Bonner won, 54-22.
OUTLOOK: LC is no longer unbeaten, but its more-important league slate begins this week, and the Crusaders really need a bounce-back victory.
It won’t be easy against a Bonner team that is good for 313 offensive yards per tilt, and is led by one of the PCL’s best QBs in Jim Haley, the returning AAA co-MVP, who is a solid leader, and can probe defenses with his arm (19-for-46, 243 yds.) or his legs (35 carries, 298 yds.), but who has played only two full games this season (due to injury and a storm that suspended the Friars’ game against Roman).
RB Joe DePhillipo is a force, but left last week’s game in the third quarter after suffering an injury and did not return.
LC’s loss did not adversely affect its standing in the PCL. The Crusaders are second in points scored and first in defense (156 yds. per game).
LC RB/LB Kevin Sabo has rushed for 241 yards and scored nine touchdowns this year (eight rushing).
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