Times Herald area football preview capsules

METHACTON AT PERKIOMEN VALLEY
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Perkiomen Valley High School
RECORDS: Methacton is 0-1 after losing to Norristown, 43-13; Perkiomen Valley is 1-0 after defeating Council Rock North, 56-36.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Perkiomen Valley won, 22-19
OUTLOOK: This one looks like a mismatch on paper, particularly after the Vikings wreaked havoc on CR North’s second-half defense a week ago and the Warriors were drubbed in a turnover-plagued contest against Norristown.
PV clearly has a wealth of offensive talent, beginning with QB Stephen Sturm, who threw for 329 yards and four scores a week ago.
With a squad size in the low 30s, Methacton is young and thin virtually everywhere, and that lack of depth showed up in the its opener.
However, this contest is for the traditional Battle Axe trophy, so Methacton gets some riled-up points for playing against its conference and hated rival.
WISSAHICKON AT NORRISTOWN
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Upper Merion Middle School
RECORDS: Wissahickon is 1-0 after defeating Central High, 7-6; Norristown is 1-0 after defeating Methacton, 43-13.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Norristown won, 14-13.
OUTLOOK: After running over a young team a week ago, the Eagles get another in the Trojans, who under gave head coach Paul Noon his first coaching win a week ago in a squeaker over Central.
While the Eagles didn’t have to show off too much of their new offense last week, it’s likely they’ll have to this time around, particularly against a Trojans defense that allowed just 225 yards last week.
Wissahickon will go as far as QB Mike Marino and junior RB Darryl Baldwin will take them.
Take note of the site for the game, folks. It is accurate.
NORTH PENN AT WEST CATHOLIC
TIME: Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Widener University
RECORDS: North Penn is 0-1 after losing to La Salle, 24-12; West Catholic is 1-0 after defeating Roman Catholic, 35-16.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: North Penn won, 19-16, in overtime.
OUTLOOK: The Knights got bombed by a series of big plays from La Salle last week, but don’t expect head coach Dick Beck to allow much head-hanging this week.
North Penn got decent production from QB Reece Udinski (11-for-23, 128 yds.) last week and, perhaps, a disappointing 68 rush yards from Nyfease West.
Anticipate those numbers to go up this week, but don’t count on the Burrs to lie down. For the first time in years they’re not considered the best Class AA team in the Philadelphia Catholic League, and they would like to prove some people wrong.
Burrs DE Tymir Oliver is a major beast.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT ABINGTON
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Abington High School
RECORDS: Plymouth Whitemarsh is 1-0 after defeating Souderton, 20-14, in double overtime; Abington is 0-1 after losing to Northeast, 21-14.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Abington won, 23-8.
OUTLOOK: The Colonials got a minor surprise win in their opener over an experienced Souderton team, but with PW head coach Dan Chang right at home running a power rushing game, the young Colonials may develop a little quicker than expected, especially with the talents of Nafeese Nasir getting the bulk of the carries.
Abington scored on its first play from scrimmage last week, then had few added highlights in its loss to Northeast.
Offensively, the Ghosts rely heavily on QB Dave Kretschman and wideouts George Reid and Taj Redd.
SPRING-FORD AT PHOENIXVILLE
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Phoenixville High School
RECORDS: Spring-Ford is 1-0 after defeating State College, 28-25; Phoenixville is 0-1 after losing to Great Valley, 28-19.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Spring-Ford won 55-7,
OUTLOOK: The Rams are still flying high after knocking off state-ranked State College a week ago, and enter PAC-10 play as a clear favorite over the Phantoms.
Phoenixville acquitted itself well against returning district champ Great Valley in its opener, and got a strong game from QB Trey Rossman, who threw for 176 yards and a touchdown.
Speaking of throwing, Rams QB Ricky Venuto had four touchdown tosses in the victory over State College, and must be accounted for this week by the Phantoms secondary.
UPPER MORELAND AT ARCHBISHOP CARROLL
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Archbishop Carroll High School
RECORDS: Upper Moreland is 1-0 after defeating Penncrest, 28-15; Archbishop Carroll is 0-1 after losing to Conwell-Egan, 6-0.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Moreland won, 35-17.
OUTLOOK: In the first true home football game in school history, the Patriots face a Bears team that ran roughshod over Penncrest, with RB Rodney Morgan collecting 253 yards on 24 carries.
Carroll’s new pro-style offense came a cropper last week as a pair of quarterbacks went down to injury. Steve Honick returned from the sidelines, but finished just 4-for-13 through the air.
Running backs Christian Smith and Rahsul Faison fared better, combining for 125 rushing yards.
SPRINGFIELD (M) AT LANSDALE CATHOLIC
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Springfield is 1-0 after defeating Lower Moreland, 42-0; Lansdale Catholic is 1-0 after defeating Penn Charter, 14-6.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Springfield won, 29-7.
OUTLOOK: The Spartans went nuts a week ago, blowing out Lower Moreland in their opener as Brett Righter and QB Justin Hill played big-play bonanza against Lower Moreland.
LC had its share of big plays, too, most notably from Ryan Quigley, who scored in the opener’s first series with a 65-yard interception return, then added 140 rushing yards on offense.
Crusaders Marlen Fenstermacher kicked in another 73 rushing yards and hauled in a TD pass.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY AT PREP CHARTER
TIME: Friday, 6:30 p.m. at South Philadelphia Super Site
RECORDS: Germantown Academy is 1-0 after defeating Bishop Shanahan, 16-13; Prep Charter is 1-0 after defeating Strath Haven, 27-6.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: GA is understandably pumped after opening its season with a victory over a very good Bishop Shanahan team, while Prep Charter beat a solid Strath Haven ballclub.
The Patriots understand they’re taking a step up in quality of opponent in the Huskies, who boast Penn State commit Karamo Dioubate up front and a ground-grabbing speedster in Quadir Strothers.
The Patriots have a burner of their own in KJ Cartwright, who put up a century-plus on the ground a week ago.
PENNSBURY AT LA SALLE
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
RECORDS: Pennsbury is 1-0 after defeating Council Rock South, 13-6; La Salle is 1-0 after defeating North Penn, 24-12.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider.
UPPER MERION AT HARRITON
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Harriton High School
RECORDS: Upper Merion is 0-1 after losing to Radnor, 21-7; Harriton is 0-1 after losing to West Philadelphia, 42-14.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.
OUTLOOK: The Vikings took it on the chin in their opener as Radnor scored late to stun the horn-helmeted crew.
Harriton has a solid passing game as a pair of TD catches by Czar Czworkowski and six catches by TE Jake Smolenski showed a week ago.
But the Rams gave up over 300 rushing yards to West Philly, which may give the Vikings a major clue on how to attack them this week.
HARRY S TRUMAN AT UPPER DUBLIN
TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Upper Dublin High School
RECORDS: Harry S Truman is 1-0 after defeating Bayard Rustin, 20-14; Upper Dublin is 1-0 after defeating Delaware Valley, 42-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Dublin won, 28-21.
OUTLOOK: Forever the SOL’s big-school punching bag, the Tigers are seemingly everyone’s darkhorse to make some noise this year.
They sure got some attention last week with a decisive win over Rustin. Quarterback Mark Lopez-Shefcyk and running backs Jordan Freeman and Maurice Jackson have probably been seen a few times on the Cardinals’ coaches projectors this week.
POTTSGROVE AT POPE JOHN PAUL II
TIME: Saturday, 1 p.m. at Pope John Paul II High School
RECORDS: Pottsgrove is 0-1 after losing to Ben Franklin, 27-21; Pope John Paul is 0-1 after losing to Bishop McDevitt, 25-17.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pottsgrove won, 54-0.
OUTLOOK: Don’t expect the Falcons to be nonchalant after dropping their opener a week ago.
That’s not good news for the Golden Panthers, who could have used a little look-past-me treatment from the perennial PAC-10 palookas.
Pottsgrove is led by RB Tyrell Barr, who had 62 yards in the opener, and QB Ryan Finn.
PJP got 80 passing yards and 52 rushing yards from QB Matt Duff in its opener.
— Dennis C. Way