Times Herald week 1 football preview capsules
NORRISTOWN AT METHACTON
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m., Phoenixville High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Methacton won, 38-10.
OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider.
CONWELL-EGAN VS. ARCHBISHOP CARROLL
TIME: Friday, 4 p.m., Wildwood High’s Warriors Stadium, Wildwood, N.J.
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Conwell-Egan won, 46-21.
OUTLOOK: In their opener, the Patriots travel to the land of beach towels, beach tags and sunburn to take on an Eagles team that is experienced and talented.
C-E is strong, particularly in the trenches, where linemen Blake Morgan and Keanan Blaines reside, and should give Carroll’s run game some troubles.
Speaking of the Patriots’ offense, it has changed from Coach Joe Powel’s long-time favorite, the spread, to a more pro-style set.
Stalwart Rich Melito will have an impact at both fullback and middle linebacker, while Harry Rohlfing and Khadir Roberts are impact players on defense.
Returning All-Catholic lineman Ethan Richie is the anchor inside.
PERKIOMEN VALLEY AT COUNCIL ROCK NORTH
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m., Council Rock North High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Council Rock North won, 29-27.
OUTLOOK: These two teams put on an offensive showcase a year ago, with PV very nearly coming back late in the game to pull out a miracle win.
Expect more of the same as the Indians feature South Carolina-bound QB Brandon McIlwain and a strong cast of receivers, including Devon Bobbens and Tyler Nowmos.
The CRN 3-4 defense is spearheaded by D-Ends Tom Hewitt and Colin Drotar, while Seth Luez is the chief headhunter at linebacker.
Speaking of offense, the Vikings return some 3,360 yards from a year ago in the persons of QB Stephen Sturm (2,029 passing yds.), RB David Williams (652 rushing yds.) and WR Justin Jaworski (679 receiving yds.).
CENTRAL AT WISSAHICKON
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m., Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Wissahickon won, 47-6.
OUTLOOK: The Paul Noon Era begins at Wissahickon as the new coach looks for consistency in a Trojans team that fell short of expectations a season ago.
Quarterback Mike Marino and two-way lineman Yondel Dudley lead the way, while Noon and his staff are hoping junior Daryl Baldwin will emerge as a reliable running back.
Central’s Lancers have high hopes of their own, with returning QB Jeffrey Coplin, FB Blake Schwartz and Jr. WR Collin Washington counted on to pick up the big yardage.
DELAWARE VALLEY AT UPPER DUBLIN
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m., Upper Dublin High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: An early test for the state-ranked Cardinals, who have a ton of expectations after last year’s playoff run.
They face a Warriors team that is coming off a season in which they led the Lackawanna Football Conference in points and yardage. And yet, despite losing many of those responsible for those numbers to graduation, the team is still state ranked.
Running backs Austin Cernek and Sage Rizzo head up the DV ground game, with Chiodo Rwakonda a prime target for first-year QB starter Matt Cavallaro.
Corner Dylan Kelly and safeties Trevor Smith and Rwakonda head up a secondary that is considered the strength of the Warriors defense.
UD brings back virtually its entire team from last year’s fun run to the District One semis, not the least of which is QB Ryan Stover.
STATE COLLEGE AT SPRING-FORD
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Spring-Ford’s Coach McNelly Stadium
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: State College won, 34-20.
OUTLOOK: The Little Lions got the Rams’ disappointing season off to a slow start a year ago with a campaign-opening victory.
Spring-Ford seeks revenge, but will have to find a way to harness Lions RB Jordan Misner, who rushed for 226 yards against the Rams a year ago, and playmaker Kellin Valentine, who totaled 118 yards of total offense, including 64 rushing yards on three carries.
Spring-Ford is hoping to get its offense rolling behind back Matt Gibson and playmaker Trey Jarmon.
Defensively, Jeremiah Ndjali is one of the Rams’ top stoppers.
LA SALLE AT NORTH PENN
TIME: Friday, 7:30 p.m., North Penn High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won, 29-7.
OUTLOOK: This annual opener is always a crowd pleaser, and this year should prove no less interesting.
The Explorers are picked by many to give arch-rival and two-time state champ St. Joseph’s Prep a legitimate run for its money in the PCL this year, and were bolstered by the additions, through transfer, of Syaire Madden from Springside Chestnut Hill, and Isaiah Jones, from Germantown Academy.
That backfield duo just gives more weapons to QB Chris Ferguson, who has drawn raves in the preseason while looking to fills the sizable shoes of the departed Kyle Shurmur.
The Knights, however, have a talented backfield, too, led by recent Delaware State commit Nyfease West, and returnee Nick Isabella.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT SOUDERTON
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m., Souderton Area High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Souderton won, 21-14.
OUTLOOK: The Indians shocked the Colonials in last year’s season-opener, but it won’t be a shock if Souderton emerges the victor in this one.
The Indians welcome back nine defensive starters and eight offensive starters from a year ago, including the likes of running backs Jamar White and Blake Gular on offense and nose guard Andrew Stolfi on defense.
PW, meanwhile, will be a ground-based offense built around returning running backs Nafeese Nasir and Jake Winterbottom.
RADNOR AT UPPER MERION
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m., Upper Merion High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: The Vikings, coming off another disappointing season, look to get off to a strong start against a Raiders team that boasts strong, experienced linemen such as Colin Bradley and Griffin Monaghan offensively and Alex DeNolfo and Isaiah Coates defensively.
The Vikings are optimistic about their offense, which is run by QB Jarret Quinn and features wideout Isaiah Graham-Mobley, who is also a standout defender in the secondary.
Two-way tackle Marcus Elliott will likely be playing on Saturdays a season from now.
BISHOP SHANAHAN AT GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
TIME: Saturday, 1 p.m., Germantown Academy
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Bishop Shanahan won, 14-6.
OUTLOOK: This game was moved to GA because lights, due to be installed at Shanahan this year, won’t be ready until October.
The Eagles, coming off a playoff appearance a year ago, feature a legit college prospect in DT Doug Costin, the anchor of its 3-4 defense. Defensive back Mike Sprague and two-way tackle Jack Schell are also formidable.
The Patriots will rely heavily on QB Kyle McCloskey, a D-1 prospect, who has a reliable corps of receivers beside him, but who must trust an offensive line that could feature as many as three sophomores.
BISHOP MCDEVITT AT POPE JOHN PAUL II
TIME: Saturday, 1 p.m., Pope John Paul II High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Bishop McDevitt won, 33-14.
OUTLOOK: McDevitt is a possible Philadelphia Catholic League darkhorse. With legendary coach Pat Manzi back after a year away from the game, the Lancers feature eight starters back on both sides of the ball and a veteran QB in Max Bryson, who should get better while under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Drew Gordon (yeah, that Drew Gordon).
Running back Vince DiLeo and All-Catholic DE Nasir Pettus are a couple more standouts at Manzi’s disposal.
Meanwhile, the Golden Panthers are optimistic, but still lacking in size and numbers.
PENN CHARTER VS. LANSDALE CATHOLIC
TIME: Saturday, 10 a.m., Ocean City High School
RECORDS: Both schools are playing their season openers .
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: Another game slated for the shore is a potential showdown between Quakers 2,000-yard passer Mike “Niko” Hnatkowsky and Crusaders D-back Ryan Quigley.
But that’s not all the Crusaders possess, as center David Torri and linebacker Dave Saulino are returning All-Catholic performers.
At the same time, Hnatkowsky has a major target in returning All-Inter-Ac TE Evan Ferrell.
