Reporter/Times Herald Week 9 Preview Capsules
North Penn at William Tennent
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Alumni Stadium, William Tennent High School.
On Twitter: @BeGood1219.
Records: North Penn is 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Suburban One League Continental Conference. William Tennent is 0-8 and 0-4 in the SOL Continental Conference.
What’s At Stake: A win by North Penn gives it the outright SOL Continental title.
Last Week: North Penn led Souderton 41-0 at halftime and cruised to a 48-13 victory last Friday. William Tennent trailed Pennridge 28-3 after a quarter last Friday as the Panthers fell 45-3.
Last Meeting: The teams last met on the field in 2000 with North Penn blanking Tennent 45-0.
Players to Watch: NP quarterback Reece Udisnki has thrown for 2,126 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. Sean Bragen runs tough for William Tennent, collecting a game-high 103 yards on 14 carries against Pennridge.
Prediction: North Penn 42, William Tennent 7.
Upper Dublin at Hatboro-Horsham
Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Hatboro-Horsham High School.
On Twitter: @ADRobinson3.
On The Air: The game will broadcast live on the radio on WNPV 1440 AM and online on www.wnpv1440.com.
Records: Upper Dublin is 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the SOL American Conference. Hatboro-Horsham is 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the SOL American Conference.
Last Week: Upper Dublin did not play, picking up a forfeit win over Springfield-Montco. Hatboro-Horsham lost its first conference game last Friday, falling to Plymouth Whitemarsh 35-13.
Last Meeting: Upper Dublin rolled to a 31-10 win over the Hatters in Week 9 last season.
Players to Watch: Upper Dublin quarterback Justin Horn had throw for 937 yards and 10 touchdowns and also lead the Cardinals in rushing with 338 yards and 7 TDs. Hatboro-Horsham quarterback Chris Edwards threw for 141 and a pair of touchdowns against PW last week.
Prediction: Upper Dublin 35, Hatboro-Horsham 20.
Central Bucks East at Central Bucks West
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, War Memorial Field, Central Bucks West High School.
Records: Central Bucks East is 6-2 overall and 2-2 in the SOL Continental Conference. Central Bucks West is 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the SOL Continental.
Last Week: CB East routed Council Rock North 45-13 last Saturday for a non-conference victory. CB West lost its second straight last Friday as the Bucks were edge by Central Bucks South 14-7.
Last Meeting: CB East cruised to a 42-16 win over the Bucks in Week 9 last season.
Players to Watch: East’s Wes Verbit could be a handful for the West secondary. The senior receiver hauled in seven passes for 118 yards and 2 TDs against CR North. Kevin O’Hanlon has been the top target for Bucks QBs this season with 28 receptions for 563 yards and five touchdowns.
Prediction: CB East 24, CB West 20.
Cheltenham at Plymouth Whitemarsh
Time/Place: 7 p.m., Friday, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
On Twitter: @emor09.
Records: Cheltenham is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the SOL American Conference. Plymouth Whitemarsh is 7-1 overall and 4-0 in SOL American Conference.
Last Week: Cheltenham put an end to a five-game losing skid last Friday with a 27-14 victory over Wissahickon. Plymouth Whitemarsh took sole possession of first in the SOL American with a 35-13 victory over Hatboro-Horsham.
Last Meeting: Plymouth Whitemarsh picked up 250 yards on the ground in a 35-14 victory over the Panthers in Week 9 last season.
Players to Watch: PW’s Blaise Gravinese ran for 112 yards and a TD on 11 caries in last week’s win over Hatboro-Horsham. Gravinese is second on PW in rushing with 364 yards and two touchdowns on 57 carries. For Cheltenham, Jarrett Jenkins (118 yards) and Yasin Abdul-Haqq (97) paced the ground attack in the win over Wissahickon.
Prediction: Plymouth Whitemarsh 24, Cheltenham 7.
Lansdale Catholic at Haverford
Time/Place: 7 p.m., Haverford High School.
Records: Lansdale Catholic is 2-5 overall and 2-3 in PCL Blue Division. Haverford is 5-3 overall and 5-2 in Central League.
Last Week: Lansdale Catholic’s offense finally broke out last Saturday, scoring all of its points the 41-8 win over Neumann-Goretti in the first half. Haverford had its five-game win streak snapped, losing to Marple Newtown 26-13 last Friday.
Players to Watch: Matt Casee leads Lansdale Catholic is rushing and scored three times on the ground in the Neumann-Goretti win. Haverford looks to get the ball in the hands of receiver Jordan Mosley, who has caught 39 passes for 750 yards and six TDs.
Prediction: Haverford 27, Lansdale Catholic 14.
Pennridge at Central Bucks South
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Central Bucks South High School.
On Twitter: @khunter10.
Records: Pennridge is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in SOL Continental Conference. Central Bucks South is 6-2 overall and 3-1 in SOL Continental.
Last Week: Pennridge cruised to its third straight victory, beating William Tennent 45-3 last Friday. South held off Central Bucks West 14-7 last Friday to end a two-game losing streak.
Last Meeting: Pennridge trailed 17-7 at the half of last season’s Week 8 meeting with CB South last before the Rams scored three touchdowns in the second half to earn a 28-17 win.
Players to Watch: Pennridge quarterback Jagger Hartshorn leads the Rams in rushing with 935 yards and 13 touchdowns. CB South’s Tyler Watson can make plays on offense — running for 107 yards in the West win — and at a safety in the Titans secondary.
Prediction: Central Bucks South 24, Pennridge 21.
Truman at Souderton
Time/Place: 7 p.m., Souderton Area High School.
On Twitter: @mpcabrey.
Records: Truman is 2-6 overall and 1-4 in SOL National Conference. Souderton is 4-4 overall and 1-4 in SOL Continental.
Last Week: Truman lost a shootout to Abington last Friday, falling 49-35 as the Tigers dropped their second straight game. Souderton dropped back to .500 overall with 48-13 loss to Souderton last Friday.
Players to Watch: Souderton’s Koby Khan went over the 1,000-yard mark on the ground last week and comes into Friday with 1,045 yards and 13 TDs on 155 carries. Truman will look to wide receiver Sayyid Saunders to make plays in the passing attack.
Prediction: Souderton 24, Truman 14.
Germantown Academy at Episcopal Academy
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Episcopal Academy
Records: Germantown Academy is 5-1 overall and 1-0 in Inter-Ac League. Episcopal Academy is 6-0 overall and 1-0 in Inter-Ac.
Last Week: GA rallied from a 10-0 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat SCH Academy 16-13 in overtime last Saturday on Kyle McCloseky’s 10-yard TD pass to Mike Reilly. Connor Ringwalt’s 29-yard field goal as time expired gave Episcopal a 37-34 win over Malvern Prep last Friday.
Last Meeting: Episcopal came away with a 27-24 win over the Patriots last season.
Players to Watch: Reilly is GA’s leading receiver with 17 catches for 391 yards and four touchdowns. Episcopal quarterback CJ McAnally threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns — two to tight end Kyle Virbitsky — and led the Churchmen with 92 rushing yards in the win over Malvern Prep.
Prediction: Episcopal Academy 24, Germantown Academy 17.
Upper Merion at Phoenixville
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Phoenixville High School.
Records: Upper Merion is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in PAC Freedom Division. Phoenixville is 3-5 overall and 1-3 in PAC Freedom.
Last Week: Upper Merion fell to Pottstown 20-6. Phoenixville lost to Pottsgrove 56-37.
Players to Watch: Tyrese Leach leads Upper Merion’s ground attack with 359 yards and one touchdown on 105 carries. Phoenixville’s Matt Garcia has collected a PAC-best 1,416 yards and 12 TDs on 189 carries.
Prediction: Phoenixville 24, Upper Merion 12.
Perkiomen Valley at Methacton
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Methacton High School
Records: Perkiomen Valley is 8-0 overall and 4-0 in PAC Liberty Division. Methacton is 2-6 overall and 2-2 in PAC Liberty.
Last Week: Perk Valley earned its second shutout win of 2016 as the Vikings blanked Norristown 43-0 last Friday. Methacton edged Owen J. Roberts 14-12 last Friday for a second straight win.
Last Meeting: PV kept the Battle Ax trophy by routing the Warriors 60-0 in Week 2 last season.
Players to Watch: Perk Valley quarterback Stephen Sturm leads has thrown for 2,150 yards and 25 TDs for an offense averaging 37.1 points per game. Methacton Ryan O’Toole leads the Warriors in both rushing (418, 3 TDs) and receiving (347, 4 TDs) yards.
Prediction: Perkiomen Valley 42, Methacton 10.
Wissahickon at Upper Moreland
Time/Place: 7 p.m., Upper Moreland High School.
On Twitter: @timhindin.
Records: Wissahickon is 1-7 overall and 0-5 in SOL American Conference. Upper Moreland is 4-4 overall and 1-3 in SOL American.
Last Week: Wissahickon fell to Cheltenham 27-14 for its sixth straight loss last Friday. Upper Moreland fell to Quakertown 21-7 last Friday.
Last Meeting: Upper Moreland finished 2015 regular season with a 35-16 victory over the Trojans.
Players to Watch: Marlyn Johnson leads Wissahickon in receptions (34), receiving yards (565) and receiving touchdowns (4). Sterlen Barr will try to get the Upper Moreland ground game going after rushing for 70 yards on 25 carries against Quakertown.
Prediction: Upper Moreland 28, Wissahickon 14.
Boyertown at Norristown
Time/Place: 1 p.m. Saturday, Norristown Area High School.
On Twitter: @amarcus515.
Records: Boyertown is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in PAC Liberty Division. Norristown is 0-8 overall and 0-4 in PAC Liberty.
Last Week: Boyertown was shutout for the third straight week, losing to Spring-Ford 52-0 last Friday. Norristown was also shutout last Friday, falling to Perkiomen Valley 43-0.
Players to Watch: Boyertown QB Jerry knapp has thrown for 676 yards and five TDs. Koran Butler and Eleazar Hill are the top targets in the Norristown passing attack.
Prediction: Boyertown 24, Norristown 6.
Pottsgrove at Pope John Paul II
Time/Place: 2 p.m., Saturday, Pope John Paul II High School.
Records: Pottsgrove is 6-2 overall and 4-0 in PAC Freedom Division. Pope John Paul II is 3-5 overall and 2-2 in PAC Freedom.
Last Week: Pottsgrove topped Phoenixville 56-37 for its fourth straight win last Friday. PJP II dropped its second straight game last Friday, falling to Upper Perkiomen 32-13.
Last Meeting: Pottsgrove won last year’s Week 2 matchup 44-20.
Players to Watch: Pottsgrove’s Rahsul Faison has carried the ball 148 times for 1,165 yards — second-best in the PAC — and 17 TDs. 32-410-2. PJP’s passing attack is led by QB Matt DeLaurentis, who has thrown for 1,288 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Prediction: Pottsgrove 38, Pope John Paul II 14.
St. Joseph’s Prep at La Salle
Time/Place: 2 p.m. Saturday, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
On Twitter: @khunter10.
Records: St. Joseph’s Prep is 6-0 overall and 4-0 in PCL Red Division. La Salle is 5-2 and 4-0 in PCL Red Division.
Last Week: St. Joseph’s Prep topped Father Judge 35-13 last Friday. La Salle edged Roman Catholic 17-16 last Saturday.
Last Meeting: La Salle denied Prep a chance at third straight PIAA title as Nick Rinella’s 24-yard touchdown pass with 49 seconds left gave the Explorers a 29-28 victory in last year’s PCL AAAA final at PW.
Players to Watch: Prep’s D’Andre Swift — who has verball committed to Georgia — is the nation’s No. 38 player in the Class of 2017 according to Rivals. Swift had a 50-yard TD reception in the win over Judge. Syaire Madden paces La Salle with 885 and nine touchdowns rushing.
Prediction: St. Joseph’s Prep 35, La Salle 24.
Owen J. Roberts at Spring-Ford
Time/Place: 2 p.m. Saturday, Coach McNelly Stadium, Spring-Ford High School.
Records: Owen J. Roberts is 4-4 overall and 2-2 in PAC Liberty Division. Spring-Ford is 6-2 overall and 3-1 in PAC Liberty.
Last Week: Owen J. Roberts’ two-win streak ended last Friday in a 14-12 defeat to Methacton. Spring-Ford bounced back from a loss to Perkiomen Valley by shutting out Boyertown 52-0 last Friday.
Last Meeting: Spring-Ford topped OJR 35-14 in Week 7 last year.
Players to Watch: Stone Scarcelle is the go-to receiver for Spring-Ford, catching 31 passes for 548 yards and eight touchdowns. OJR’s Hunter Hinrichs has posted 20 receptions for 321 yards and two scores.
Prediction: Spring-Ford 31, Owen J. Roberts 13.
Top Photo: North Penn’s Owen Thomas scores after pulling in a short pass during the Knights’ home game against Souderton on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
