Mercury-Area Week 5 Preview

 

Methacton at Boyertown, 7 p.m.

Record: Methacton 0-0 PAC, 0-4 overall; Boyertown 0-0 PAC, 1-3 overall.
Last week’s result: Methacton lost to Pottstown 20-14; Boyertown lost to Academy Park 26-7.
Warriors Facts/Figures: Warriors coming off tough road loss to Trojans that was decided in final minutes. … Warriors are last in PAC in total offense with 147.3 yards per game and scoring (8.3 points per game). … QB Jason Eckman has thrown for 377 yards and three touchdowns. … John Keenan now stands fifth in the PAC in receiving yards (186 on 16 receptions).
Bears Facts/Figures: Bears allowed 223 yards on the ground in last week’s loss. It was the Bears’ third straight defeat. … Bears have regressed offensively, only scoring 27 points in last three losses. They scored 34 in opening win against Upper Perkiomen. … RB Hunter Vogels is 11th in the PAC with 182 rushing yards on 18 carries. … Defense ranks 11th in PAC, allowing 374.3 ypg.
Be on the Lookout: Methacton’s run defense is allowing 278.3 yards per game, a good sign for Boyertown backs Vogels and Marcus Thomas, who have both struggled to get going the last three weeks.
Prediction: Boyertown gets ground game going again, tops Methacton 28-14.

Norristown at Spring-Ford, 7 p.m.

Record: Norristown 0-0 PAC, 0-4 overall; Spring-Ford 0-0 PAC, 3-1 overall.
Last week’s result: Norristown lost to Penn Wood 36-12; Spring-Ford defeated Exeter 38-6.
Eagles Facts/Figures: Eagles only trailed 14-6 at the half last week before being outscored 22-6 in the final half. … Slow starts are an issue for Eagles, who have been outscored 48-6 in the first quarter. … Norristown ranks second to last in rushing (61 ypg) and 10th in total defense (362 ypg).
Rams Facts/Figures: Tanner Romano’s four sacks in first four games now has him No. 3 on all-time Spring-Ford list. … WR/QB Stone Scarcelle ranks second on all-time SF list for receiving yards after his 156-yard performance in last week’s win against Exeter. … Rams best in terms of ppg (41.5) and points allowed (18 ppg).
Be on the Lookout: Rams are outscoring opponents 56-6 in first quarter. Norristown can’t afford another slow start.
Prediction: Spring-Ford too powerful, tops Norristown 42-12.

Perkiomen Valley at Owen J. Roberts, 7 p.m.

Record: Perkiomen Valley 0-0 PAC, 4-0 overall; Owen J. Roberts 0-0 PAC, 2-2 overall.
Last week’s result: Perkiomen Valley defeated Haverford School 27-24; Owen J. Roberts defeated Upper Merion 12-0.
Vikings Facts/Figures: Vikings lost PAC all-time leading receiver Justin Jaworski to injury and will now rely on receivers Sean Owens (13 receptions for 185 yards) and Remy Sell (eight receptions for 92 yards) to fill the void for a senior who hauled in 37 receptions for 777 yards and nine touchdowns in his first four games. … Vikings still rank first in terms of total offense (434.5). … QB Stephen Sturm ranks No. 1 in yards (1,282) and touchdowns (13). … Kicker Garett Patla is a cool 4-for-4 on field goal tries.
Wildcats Facts/Figures: OJR coming off a dominating defensive effort where it allowed just six yards of total offense, including -25 yards on the ground. That comes following a week where Wildcats let up 393 yards on the ground between WC Henderson’s duo of CJ Preston (245 yards) and Dom Palmer (106 yards). … After 100-yard performance, OJR’s Hunter Scherfel now seventh in PAC in rushing with 242 yards.
Be on the Lookout: How does PV fare in its first game without Jaworski?
Prediction: A few hiccups along the way but PV tops OJR 35-14.

Upper Merion at Pottsgrove, 7 p.m.

Record: Upper Merion 0-0 PAC, 1-3 overall; Pottsgrove 0-0 PAC, 2-2 overall.
Last week’s result: Upper Merion lost to Owen J. Roberts 12-0; Pottsgrove lost to Glen Mills 27-14.
Vikings Facts/Figures: Vikings rushed for minus-25 yards in last week’s shutout loss to OJR. … Tyrease Leach ranks 10th in the PAC with 202 rushing yards on 49 carries. … Vikings rank 10th in total offense (179.5 ypg) and ninth in ppg (12.0).
Falcons Facts/Figures: Falcons allowed 142 yards on the ground to Glen Mills back Quadir Gibson in last weeks’s loss. That was more than the Falcons had allowed on the ground in the previous two weeks combined. … RB Rahsul Faison leads PAC with 608 rushing yards. … Falcons defense still ranks first, allowing 204.8 yards per game.
Be on the Lookout: UM allows 211.8 yards on the ground per game. Pottsgrove’s Faison averages 203 yards per game. Numbers may hold true.
Prediction: Falcons get back to winning ways, top Vikings 28-7.

Phoenixville at Upper Perkiomen, 7 p.m.

Record: Phoenixville 0-0 PAC, 2-2 overall; Upper Perkiomen 0-0 PAC, 1-3 overall.
Last week’s result: Phoenixville defeated Chichester 34-12; Upper Perkiomen lost to Cocalico 48-14.
Facts/Figures: See Story
Prediction: Upper Perkiomen starts strong, holds on late. Indians win 35-30.

Daniel Boone at Muhlenberg, 7 p.m.

Record: Daniel Boone 0-0 Berks 1, 0-2 overall; Muhlenberg 0-0 Berks 1, 0-3 overall.
Last week’s result: Daniel Boone defeated Northern Lebanon 28-24; Muhlenberg lost to Wyomissing 35-20.
Blazers Facts/Figures: Blazers snapped nine-game losing streak with last week’s win. … Boone had won two straight over Muhlenberg before last year’s 34-14 loss. … RB Spencer McIntosh leads team with 197 yards rushing on 50 carries. … Ryan Okuniewski has hauled in 10 passes for 164 yards.
Muhls Facts/Figures: Muhls have dropped first three and have now lost seven straight dating back to last season. … Muhls have been outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter. … Team boasts three 100-yard rushers in Najee Smith (125 yards on 15 carries), Brandon Gassert (16 carries for 103 yards) and Tyler Small (22 carries for 101 yards). … Brady Fidler team’s primary target at receiver (seven receptions for 213 yards).
Be on the Lookout: Daniel Boone QB Josh Ehst threw for 124 yards and three touchdowns last week. Does he have a repeat performance in him?
Prediction: Muhlenberg. Close. 21-20.

Saturday’s Games

Pottstown at Pope John Paul II, 1 p.m.

Record: Pottstown 0-0 PAC, 1-3 overall; Pope John Paul II 0-0 PAC, 1-3 overall.
Last week’s result: Pottstown defeated Methacton 20-14; Pope John Paul II defeated Schuylkill Valley 33-0.
Trojans Facts/Figures: Pottstown gave head coach Gary Rhodenbaugh first win as the Trojans’ head man with a final-minute win last week. … Trojans RB Isaiah Mayes ranks fourth in the PAC in rushing yards (349). … Trojans rank 11th in points per game (9.5) and 10th in yards per game (197.3).
Golden Panthers Facts/Figures: PJP is coming off dominating victory over SV last week where defense allowed just one yard of total offense. … RB Dan Cirino now ranks sixth in the PAC in rushing yards (243) while QB Matt DeLaurentis ranks fourth in passing yards (678).
Be on the Lookout: Both snapped losing streaks, now which team can ride the momentum?
Prediction: Pottstown comes out on top in one-score game that rivals score of last week’s win against Methacton, 20-14.

Perkiomen School at George School, 2 p.m.

Record: Perkiomen School 1-1 overall; George School 1-1 overall.
Last week’s result: Perkiomen School lost to Tower Hill 41-0; George School lost to Bristol 47-20.
Panthers Facts/Figures: Panthers only trailed 13-0 at the half before being outscored 28-0 in final two quarters to take loss. … Panthers are winners of four of their last five over George School.
Cougars Facts/Figures: Cougars allowed 47 points after limiting Morrisville to 122 yards in Week 1 victory. Still, Week 1 victory only netted George School 121 yards of total offense.
Be on the Lookout: In the last five years, each Perk School loss to Tower Hill has been followed by a win against the George School. Will history repeat itself?
Prediction: Perkiomen School rebounds as history does in fact repeat itself. Perk School wins 24-12.

Episcopal Academy at Hill School, 4 p.m.

Record: Episcopal Academy 0-0 Inter-Ac, 3-0 overall; Hill School 0-0 MAPL, 2-0 overall.
Last week’s result: Episcopal Academy defeated John Carroll (Md.), 42-12; Hill School defeated Pennington 34-6.
Churchmen Facts/Figures: CJ McNally leads team with 198 rushing yards through three games. Churchmen are outscoring their opponents 87-6 in the first half.
Rams Facts/Figures: Daniel Adeboboye has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the team’s victories. Adeboboye rushed for 108 yards in Week 1 win over Wyoming Seminary before rushing for 107 in last week’s win over Pennington.
Be on the Lookout: Episcopal run defense allowed 200 yards to Conwell-Egan. That could be a good sign for Adeboboye.
Prediction: Episcopal stays perfect, tops Hill 35-30.