The Times Herald Week 1 Preview Capsules
While some of the luster of Friday night’s scholastic football opener between North Penn and La Salle at North Penn’s Crawford Stadium (7 p.m.) disappeared when Explorers quarterback Isaiah Jones went down with a season-ending knee injury in July, that doesn’t mean the game has no sparkle.
Two of the area’s absolute best football programs are certain to put on a very good show as the season begins with a grab-bag of nailbiters, thigh squeezers and head scratchers.
Naturally, the Knights and Explorers top the bill, although the mystery surrounding just what La Salle will do to compensate for the loss of the playmaking Jones does sweep a sparkler or three off the matchup.
The Knights are stacked, with quarterback Reece Udinski and receiver and West Virginia commit Ricky Johns leading their list of weaponry.
La Salle counters with running back Syaire Madden and a solid offense that is short an experienced lineman or two.
The Knights seem to have the upper hand going in, but don’t count out the Explorers.
Elsewhere Friday …
Methacton at Upper Dublin, 7 p.m. >> An intriguing matchup only in that the Warriors are trying to bounce back from a dreadful season that saw 20-something, worn-down Warriors get the snot kicked out of them on a weekly basis (Does 82-0 ring a bell?).
Reportedly, the Warriors are well-manned enough to suit up a JV team and have a little more depth.
They’re not going to districts, but they are capable of winning a few games.
As for the Cardinals, graduation hit the returning District One champs like a baseball bat to the molars, but the team’s backups did get plenty of game action a season ago when the Cardinals had locked their games up by halftime.
Archbishop Carroll at Marple Newtown, 7 p.m. >> The Patriots are optimistic they can begin turning things around under first-year coach Dan Connor, but it likely isn’t going to happen right away, especially in a PCL Division that also houses Archbishop Wood, St. Joseph’s Prep and La Salle.
On the other side of the ball, Marple was racked by graduation, but still features junior QB Anthony Paoletti, who threw for nearly 1,900 yards last year, and a spread offense that is lethal.
Upper Merion at Radnor, 7 p.m. >> The Vikings are coming off their best season in some years, finishing the 2015 campaign with five wins. Hoping to build on that, UM draws Radnor, a program that after its share of dark days is talking playoffs this year.
Quarterback Pat McDemott, running back Jack Horvath and middle LB Zach Wade are three of the reasons.
Pope John Paul II at Penncrest, 7 p.m. >> The Golden Panthers are a little better after a winless campaign that increased their losing streak to 18 games.
But Lions coach Rick Stroup is calling this year’s version of Penncrest , “the team we’ve been waiting for.”
That’s not the best news for PJP head coach Rory Graver and his troops to peruse, although Penncrest did have a QB controversy of sorts this summer after moving last year’s starter, Manny Ruffin, to wideout
Martin Luther King at Wissahickon, 7 p.m. >> The Trojans lost their last nine games of 2015, but hope to turn things around under new head coach Randy Cuthbert, late of both Emmaus and Pennridge.
King, a 6-5 team a year ago, is going to lean mightily on returning WR Isaiah Jones and WR/DB Shaheed Ross.
Souderton at Plymouth Whitemarsh, 7 p.m. >> With the SOL American seemingly a two-horse race between the Colonials and Quakertown, it would behoove PW to get off to a good start.
The PW strength is a loaded backfield led by RBs Christian Jones and Khan Jamal, while the Big Red’s strength is defense, headed up by LB Koby Khan and an experienced secondary.
Spring-Ford at Unionville, 7 p.m. >> The Indians have become one of district’s top programs over the past handful of seasons, and seem to be on their way to another successful campaign.
Led by linebackers Trevor Gardiner, Jesse Gill and James Watson, Unionville has enough oomph to stop most offenses. And with three starters returning on the offensive line, including Matt Dauphin, seem capable of getting their attack moving.
This will be a major early test for the Rams, who return five starters from the PAC’s top defensive unit of a year ago along with offensive ground grabbers in RBs Matt Gibson and Selwyn Simpson.
Saturday’s Games
Pennridge at Norristown, 1 p.m. >> The Rams visit the Eagles Nest, where the team will be stirred by the memory of late coach Roger Grove, and looking to get its season off to a successful start.
Pennridge has morphed its Wing-T offense into a form of the spread, and with QB Jagger Hartshorn and receiver Ryan Cuthbert leading the way, should be able to score enough points to challenge in the SOL Colonial.
LB Nick Tarburton, the team’s leading tackler a season ago, heads up a tough defense.
Perkiomen Valley at Downingtown West, 7 p.m. >> The Vikings boast a new coach (Rob Heist) but few new faces on their high-powered offense, including record-setting QB Stephen Sturm and WR Justin Jaworski.
The Whippets welcome back six starters, including RB Mike Riddick, who returns after sitting out all of last season with a knee injury.
Expect plenty of fireworks in this one.
Top Photo: La Salle runs a kickoff return drill during practice on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
