Times Herald Week 4 football preview capsules

PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT UPPER MERION

TIME: Thursday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Merion Middle School

RECORDS: Plymouth Whitemarsh is 3-0 after defeating Norristown, 20-16. Upper Merion is 2-1 after defeating Sun Valley, 14-13.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Plymouth Whitemarsh won, 34-10.

OUTLOOK: Despite their 2-1 record, this will be the Vikings’ first true test of the season.

PW has become a ground-happy gremlin over the season’s first three weeks, and doesn’t appear likely to alter that approach this week.

Nafeese Nasir has rushed for 532 yards and six touchdowns already, and seems to thrive in PW’s wildcat-esque attack, although fullback Blaise Gravinese added a century-plus on the ground last week.

Upper Merion has won two straight after a season-opening disappointment but has yet to face a quality foe like the Colonials.

Isaiah Graham-Mobley is a proven playmaker and a threat as either a receiver or a running quarterback.

PENN WOOD AT ARCHBISHOP CARROLL

TIME: Thursday, 7:00 p.m., Archbishop Carroll High School

RECORDS: Penn Wood is 0-3 after losing to Haverford, 49-12. Archbishop Carroll is 0-3 after losing to Bishop McDevitt, 21-13.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Carroll won, 45-20.

OUTLOOK: Two teams in search of their first wins.

The Patriots feature a couple of playmakers in quarterback Javon Lindsey-Terrell and running back Tayvon Ruley, but their defense surrendered 437 total yards a week ago.

That’s good news for Carroll, which has been hoping to get its offense untracked. Last week, five interceptions and a fumble doomed Carroll.

WISSAHICKON AT SPRINGFIELD

TIME: Thursday, 7:00 p.m., Springfield High School

RECORDS: Wissahickon is 1-2 after losing to Souderton, 29-7. Springfield is 1-1 and had a bye last week.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Springfield won, 41-28.

OUTLOOK: The Trojans have enough to worry about with the internal problems that have ravaged the team, now they open league play against a Spartans team that would like nothing better than to add to their misery.

Springfield is coming off a disaster of its own, a 49-7 loss to Lansdale Catholic two weekends ago that took the glow of its season-opening blowout win over Lower Moreland.

The Spartans are paced by QB Justin Hill and RBs Ben Fisher and Brett Righter, although their defense gave up 362 yards to LC.

Wissahickon got 200 passing yards from Mike Marino in last week’s loss, but the Trojans were only able to muster 67 yards on the ground.

POTTSTOWN AT POPE JOHN PAUL II

TIME: Friday, 3:30 p.m., Pope John Paul II High School

RECORDS: Pottstown is 3-0, 1-0 after defeating Boyertown, 28-14. Pope John Paul II is 0-3, 0-2 after losing to Owen J. Roberts, 43-22.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pope John Paul II won, 14-7.

OUTLOOK: Hey, folks, the Trojans are 3-0 and looking to get to 4-0 for the first time since 2002.

The PAC’s favorite doormat in recent seasons, the P-towners have found a solid running game headed by QB Brandon Tinson and Isaiah Mayes and are no longer the automatic “W” on the schedule.

PJP could use a little help. The Panthers are ninth in the PAC-10 in offense and last in defense (409 yds. per game).

One positive has been the passing of QB Matt Duff (29-for-57, 424 yds.).

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH AT GERMANTOWN ACADEMY

TIME: Friday, 4:00 p.m., Germantown Academy

RECORDS: Academy of the New Church is 1-1 after losing Wilmingtown Friends, 13-0. Germantown Academy is 3-0 after defeating the Hill School, 30-15.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.

OUTLOOK: The Patriots are 3-0 and seemingly getting better by the week.

Last week it was the GA defense that stood tall, forcing seven turnovers to help the Pats survive the Hill School.

But if the Patriots wish to be taken seriously when the Inter-Academic League slate kicks in, they’re going to need to extend drives and chew up some clock, which is where RB KJ Cartwright comes into the picture.

ANC is led by QB Justin Beneck and FB Andrew Jaworski.

NORRISTOWN AT CENTRAL BUCKS WEST

TIME: Friday, 5:30 p.m., War Memorial Stadium, Doylestown

RECORDS: Norristown is 2-1 after losing to Plymouth Whitemarsh, 20-16. Central Bucks West is 0-3 after losing to Pennridge, 34-0.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play.

OUTLOOK: The Eagles were outplayed by PW last week, and still only lost by four points.

That’s a good sign for head coach Jason Powel and his staff, who watched their club get hurt by multiple penalties and still come close to winning.

Winning is something the Bucks have yet to do this year, while being outscored, 95-28.

West is led by QB Eddie Shields, who has thrown for 165 yards over the past two weeks, and RB Griffin Shields, who posted 44 rushing yards last week.

METHACTON AT UPPER PERKIOMEN

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Perkiomen High School

RECORDS: Methacton is 0-3, 0-2 after losing to Phoenixville, 48-20. Upper Perkiomen is 0-3, 0-2 after losing to Spring-Ford, 53-7.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Methacton won, 44-12.

OUTLOOK: The Warriors get a realistic chance at a victory this week against an Indians team that is giving up 386 yards per start.

UP QB Zeke Hallman is the man to stop on the offensive side of the ball for the Warriors defense, while RB Michael Felix has rushed for 155 yards in three games.

The Warriors have established a running game in recent weeks and RB Ryan O’Toole (26 carries, 252 yds.) is the primary ball toter.

PERKIOMEN VALLEY AT PHOENIXVILLE

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Phoenixville High School

RECORDS: Perkiomen Valley is 3-0, 2-0 after defeating Pottsgrove, 34-21. Phoenixville is 1-2, 1-1 after defeating Methacton, 48-20.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Perkiomen Valley won, 62-14.

OUTLOOK: Yeah, the Vikings are pretty darn good and should get past the Phantoms with little trouble.

But while the Vikings have a sterling offense that is averaging 469 yards per game, the Phantoms have their own set of proven stripe grabbers in the persons of QB Trey Rossman (24-for-48, 387 yds., 5 TDs) and WR Nasir Green, who leads the PAC in receiving yardage with 236 yards.

LA SALLE AT MALVERN PREP

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Dublin High School

RECORDS: La Salle is 2-1 after losing DeMatha, 32-12. Malvern Prep is 2-0 and had a bye last week.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won, 27-8.

OUTLOOK: Two of the area’s better ballclubs meet in what’s becoming a must-see for football fans in recent years.

The Friars are 2-0, but do not have a decision in the state of Pennsylvania this year, having beaten St. Rita’s of Chicago and Holy Spirit of New Jersey, but have not yet walked onto a Pa. field in anger.

La Salle actually had DeMatha on the ropes last week, leading 12-3 at the half before faltering after the break.

Malvern’s 1-2 punch on the ground is Zac Fernandez and sophomore O’Shaan Allison, who lit up Holy Spirit for 240 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries.

NORTH PENN AT PENNRIDGE

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Pennridge High School

RECORDS: North Penn is 1-2 after losing to Downingtown East, 28-24. Pennridge is 2-1 after defeating Central Bucks West, 34-0.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: North Penn won, 47-22.

OUTLOOK: The Knights have the dubious distinction of being known as the best 1-2 team in the area.

If they’re to get back to their accustomed winning ways they’ve got a real chore in front of them in the Rams, who broke open a scoreless tie a week ago by scoring on five straight second-half possessions.

As usual, the Rams enjoy the ground attack, and last week Nick Hirsch gobbled up 103 yards on just 14 carries in the Rams win over CB West.

LANSDALE CATHOLIC AT ACADEMY PARK

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Academy Park

RECORDS: Lansdale Catholic is 3-0 after defeating Hatboro-Horsham, 45-20. Academy Park is 3-0 after defeating Bonner-Prendergast, 32-0.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Lansdale Catholic won, 20-14.

OUTLOOK: Talk about your good ones, this contest has the potential to be a five-star, stand-up-and-applaud extravaganza.

The Crusaders are off to an impressive start, with three wins in as many games.

But the Knights are 3-0 and state-ranked among Triple-A programs with two straight shutouts, while outscoring their foes by a collective 119-19.

Offensively, AP does it on the ground behind the tandem of Jermaine Wesley and Jeremy Dembry.

UPPER DUBLIN AT CHELTENHAM

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School

RECORDS: Upper Dublin is 3-0 after defeating Abington, 63-17. Cheltenham is 1-2 after losing to Quakertown, 42-6.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Dublin won, 28-7.

OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider.

SPRING-FORD AT BOYERTOWN

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Boyertown High School

RECORDS: Spring-Ford is 3-0, 2-0 after defeating Upper Perkiomen, 53-7. Boyertown is 1-2, 1-1 after losing to Pottstown, 28-14.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Spring-Ford won, 44-22.

OUTLOOK: The Rams are playing like a team serious about getting back to PAC-10 respectability.

They’re second in both offense and defense in the league stats, and are getting big yards on the ground from Selwyn Simpson and through the air with QB Ricky Venuto (34-for-48, 8 TDs).

The Bears rely heavily on QB Lawrence Garnett (22-for-42, 290 yds., 3 TDs).