By DENNIS C. WAY

POPE JOHN PAUL II AT BOYERTOWN
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Boyertown High School
RECORDS: Pope John Paul II is 0-8, 0-7 after losing to Phoenixville, 40-19. Boyertown is 1-7, 1-6 after losing to Methacton, 24-20.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pope John Paul won, 27-14.
OUTLOOK:  Desperate for a win, the Golden Panthers finish up the season with one-win Boyertown and winless Upper Perkiomen.
“We absolutely have to get a win,” said PJP head coach Mike Santillo, “and hopefully we can get it this week.”
Unlike PJP, which has struggled due to injury, the Bears are short on experience.
“They only have four or five seniors,” Santillo said. “They have a real young team, and they felt they might struggle a little bit this year.”
Where the Bears have struggled the most is on defense, where they’ve yielded a conference-worst 405 yards per game. Offensively, their ground game is fourth in the PAC, with Matt Moccia, Cody Richmond and Eric Heller all surpassing the 450-yard mark.
By contrast, the Panthers have nearly 300 passing yards more than any team in the PAC, which says a lot about sophomore QB Matt Mesaros, who has been improving since being forced to fill in for the injured James Bleming.
“Matt’s been getting better by the week,” Santillo said. “He got thrown to the wolves, but he’s learning by fire.”

NORRISTOWN AT WISSAHICKON
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Norristown is 1-7, 1-4 after losing to Plymouth Whitemarsh, 28-0. Wissahickon is 5-3, 3-2 after defeating Upper Merion, 49-22.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Wissahickon won, 28-16.
OUTLOOK:  The Trojans are still in the district playoff hunt, and can’t afford to slip up against the Eagles.
Meanwhile, Norristown knows what it’s up against this week, and that is a stellar and talented Wissahickon front, described by Upper Dublin head coach Bret Stover as, “the most physical we’ve faced all year.”
“Their front is really good,” said Eagles head coach E.J. Smith, “and their team goes off the play of that front. They’ve got that real good, tough back (Dan Murphy) and they come right at you.
“They’re a Wing-T team, but with wrinkles.”
Smith, who has worked backup QB Carlton Brown into some games, said usual starter Sonny Brewer will be under center this week.

POTTSTOWN AT SPRING-FORD
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Spring-Ford Middle School
RECORDS: Pottstown is 4-4, 3-3 after losing to Pottsgrove, 55-20. Spring-Ford is 7-1, 5-1 after defeating Owen J. Roberts, 33-6.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Spring-Ford won, 27-20.
OUTLOOK:  While the Pioneer focus this week is in Pottsgrove, the Rams still have a huge game this week, needing a victory against a dangerous Trojans squad to stay in the conference title chase.
The matchup this week pits the PAC’s two most prolific passing quarterbacks in Pottstown’s Sage Reinhart (94-for-161, 1,492 yds., 13 TDs) and Spring-Ford’s Hank Coyne (92-for-160, 1,151 yds., PAC-best 17 TDs).
Meanwhile, the Rams defense has been stingy of late and is yielding just 205 yards per contest.
Should PV surprise Pottsgrove this week, the Rams’ date with Perk Valley next week would be for a potential share of the PAC crown.

PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT UPPER DUBLIN
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Dublin High School
RECORDS: Plymouth Whitemarsh is 7-1, 5-0 after defeating Norristown, 28-0. Upper Dublin is 5-3, 3-2 after defeating Springfield, 50-21.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Plymouth Whitemarsh won, 23-7.
OUTLOOK: The Colonials locked up at least a share of their second straight Suburban One League American Conference title last week, and now look to take another step toward their goal of going unbeaten in league play.
In their way are the Cardinals, fresh off a blowout win over Springfield, and hoping for the return of RB Khalid Weems, who has missed the last three games because of injury. Reed Rapine has filled in admirably in Weems’ stead.
“Reed has had an awesome year for us, offensively and defensively,” said UD head coach Bret Stover.
As for PW?
“They’re good, it’s tough to find a weakness,” Stover said. “They’re not going to beat themselves. We have to play a perfect game to beat them, and not turn the ball over, which has been a problem for us lately.”
With seven underclassmen starting on defense, Stover is thrilled about the Cardinals’ future, but also knows an upset win this week could put UD in range of a spot in the district playoff field.
“Our goal when we began building this program was to play meaningful games late in the year,” Stover said, “and that’s what we’ve been doing the last five or six seasons.”

PERKIOMEN VALLEY AT POTTSGROVE
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Pottsgrove High School
RECORDS: Perkiomen Valley is 7-1, 7-0 after defeating Upper Perkiomen, 47-14. Pottsgrove is 8-0, 7-0 after defeating Pottstown, 55-20.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pottsgrove won, 34-6.
OUTLOOK:  See Sideline Insider

UPPER MERION AT CHELTENHAM
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School
RECORDS: Upper Merion is 1-7, 1-4 after losing to Wissahickon, 49-22. Cheltenham is 5-3, 3-2 after losing to Upper Moreland, 28-21.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Cheltenham won, 34-20.
OUTLOOK:   The Vikings, who are yielding better than 37 points per game, have held only one foe under 27 points this season. That’s not the best resume heading into a matchup with the Panthers, who feature an explosive offense headed by QB Hyneef Dockery and RBs Mark Thompson and Ryan Phillips.
Panthers senior LB Dwayne Bowser has drawn raves from opposition coaches all season.
Upper Merion’s best means of moving the ball seems to be through the air via junior QB Carmen Fortino (63-for-152, 1,187 yds.) while WR-KR Michael Grant has been a big-play threat throughout most of the season.

LA SALLE AT WEST CATHOLIC
TIME: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Widener University
RECORDS: La Salle is 7-1 after defeating Roman Catholic, 28-14. West Catholic is 5-2 after defeating Neumann-Goretti, 42-0.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won, 24-0.
OUTLOOK:  Last week’s game, while a win, was costly for the Explorers, who saw QB Chris Kane and RBs Jared Herrmann and Jordan Meachum go down to injury, and along DB Dad Poquie and lineman Andrew Carlone, will not play this week.
The bad news is, none of them are certain to be back for the start of next weekend’s playoffs.
“This is going to be a challenge for us,” said La Salle head coach Drew Gordon, “and we’re going to have to rely on our defense and our offensive line, which are both senior-laden, to get us through.
“This week is a good test against a real good team.”
If Kane sits, it will give soph Jimmy Herron (5-for-8, 100 yds. 2 TDs) his first start under center.
Meanwhile, West doesn’t seem to miss standout RB David Williams, who transferred to Imhotep Charter. His replacement, junior Greg White, leads the Burrs and the PCL in rushing (117 carries, 1,050 yds., league-best 19 TDs), while QB Antwain McCollum (55-for-99, 783 yds., 9 TDs) and receiver Ron Womack (23 catches, 292 yds.) are enjoying fine seasons and OT Jaryd Jones-Smith (6-7, 320 lbs.) is impressing everyone in sight.

CENTRAL BUCKS WEST AT NORTH PENN
TIME: Friday, 7:30 p.m., North Penn High School
RECORDS: Central Bucks West is 5-3, 3-2 after defeating Hatboro-Horsham, 31-14. North Penn is 4-4, 3-2 after losing to Pennridge, 28-21.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: North Penn won, 40-14.
OUTLOOK:  The Knights have their first four-loss season since 2000 (7-4) and their district-best run of 10 straight playoff appearances is in major jeopardy.
On top of that they’re facing a West team that has won three in a row and features a spread offense that averages 31 points a game. That offense is led by QB Cody Riemenschneider (120-for-188, 1,401 yds., 12 TDs), RB Sherrod Higginbotham (110 carries, 889 yds.) and the receiving trio of Mark Ciaudelli, Kurt Logan and Corey Schott which has combined for 74 catches and 859 yards.

CARDINAL O’HARA AT LANSDALE CATHOLIC
TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Cardinal O’Hara is 5-3, 1-1 after defeating Monsignor Bonner, 9-7. Lansdale Catholic is 4-4, 0-2 after losing to Archbishop Ryan, 34-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK:  It’s no secret the Crusaders have dropped four in a row after opening the year at 4-0. Now, they would like to get a PCL AAA win heading into next week’s playoffs.
“We knew it was going to get tougher every week,” said LC head coach Tom Kirk, “and we’ve been in every game in the fourth quarter up until last week.”
With O’Hara, LC has a very tough challenge. The Lions feature QB Dashawn Darden (81-for-145, 1,189 yds., 14 TDs), a team full of playmakers like Thaddius Smith (53 carries, 323 yds., 25 catches, 342 yds.) and an oversized group of linemen.
“Their speed and their size gives us some difficult matchups,” Kirk said, “and we could struggle physically with some of those matchups. But it’s not any different than any other week.”

OWEN J. ROBERTS AT METHACTON
TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Methacton High School
RECORDS: Owen J. Roberts is 3-5, 3-3 after losing to Spring-Ford, 33-6. Methacton is 3-5, 3-4 after defeating Boyertown, 24-20.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Methacton won 13-7.
OUTLOOK:   The Warriors, coming off a solid win over Boyertown, seek their second two-game win streak of the season against a Wildcats team that has beaten likely playoff team Phoenixville and that is coming off lopsided losses to Pottsgrove and Spring-Ford (in  a contest shortened by lightning).
Owen J. is led by QB Jarrad Pinelli (63-for-118, 1,001 yds., 14 TDs) and RB Wyatt Scott (137 carries, 744 yds.).
Methacton has been getting late-season production in the passing game from QB Brandon Bossard (66-for-151, 871 yds., 9 TDs) and receivers Dillon Alderfer (18 catches, 242 yds.) and Cooper Given (16 catches, 338 yds.).

SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY AT GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
TIME: Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Germantown Academy
RECORDS: Chestnut Hill is 1-6, 0-2 after losing to Episcopal Academy, 21-0. Germantown Academy is 3-3, 0-2 after losing to Haverford School, 20-14.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Chestnut Hill Academy won, 33-7.
OUTLOOK:  The Patriots face a Blue Devils team that has scored just 53 points in seven games while rushing for just 448 yards.
These days, SCHA seems content to move by air, and QB Michael Hayes (44-for-112, 656 yds.) has proven to be a capable pilot while Bobby Keyes has 22 catches for 402 yards.
GA QB Hayes Nolte (70-for-139, 1,141 yds., 10 TDs) has thrown for more yardage than any other Inter-Ac League quarterback this season. 

ARCHBISHOP CARROLL AT BISHOP MCDEVITT
TIME: Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School
RECORDS: Archbishop Carroll is 3-5, 2-1 after losing to Archbishop Wood, 62-7. Bishop McDevitt is 1-7, 0-3 after losing to Conwell-Egan, 28-6.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Bishop McDevitt won, 34-29.
OUTLOOK:  With only two teams eligible for the PCL AA playoffs, the Patriots know this a big game.
“We’d like to be able to finish 3-1 in the league,” said Patriots head coach Joe Powel. “That puts us in the (AA) championship game, and would help us, points-wise, if they take a second Catholic League team to the (District 12) playoffs.”
McDevitt is led by the versatile Tymere Wilder, who has rushed for 216 yards, passed for 119, caught 10 balls for 246 yards, scored six touchdowns and intercepted three passes.
Along with winning, Powel would like to see Carroll kickstart its offense.
“The last couple of weeks have been a struggle offensively,” Powel said. “We have to do a better job running the football so defenses can’t pin their ears back and come after our quarterback.”
Carroll will play without WR Dan Bier (concussion).