Football Friday: Playoff revenge in play for a few Delco teams
For several Delaware County football teams, revenge is a dish best served in the District 1 playoffs.
Among the teams looking to avenge losses over the past year are Haverford and Penn Wood in the Class 6A tournament. The Fords get another shot at North Penn after last season’s 56-7 loss in the first round. Meanwhile, the Patriots dropped a 41-28 decision to their first-round opponent, Perkiomen Valley, in Week 2 of the regular season. The Patriots haven’t lost since that contest.
In the Class 5A bracket, Penncrest looks to avenge a 48-7 setback to top-seeded Springfield in a battle of Central League rivals. Chichester looks for payback against Del Val League foe Academy Park, which spoiled Chi’s senior night this year with a 28-7 victory.
In the Class 4A semifinal, Interboro has revenge on its mind when it travels to Pottsgrove. The Bucs fell to the Falcons in the 2016 district title game.
Here is a breakdown of every District 1 and District 12 playoff game this weekend. The following District 1 Class 6A/5A games are scheduled for Friday at 7.
District Class 6A
C.B. West at Garnet Valley >> The third-seeded Jaguars (9-1) begin their march back to the district final behind a ground attack that features Matt Lassik (934 yards, nine touchdowns) and Danny Guy (915 yards, 10 TDs).
The 14th-seeded Bucks (6-4) finished two games under .500 in the Suburban One League Continental. They were upset by Souderton last week, 21-14. Jake Reichwein is a top performer at running back.
Haverford at North Penn >> Perennial District 1 championship contender North Penn, which is the sixth seed, went undefeated in the SOL Continental. The Knights (8-2) will lean on multi-dimensional K.J. Cartwright, who scored four touchdowns in last week’s romp over Abington.
The 11th-seeded Fords (8-2) will rely heavily on their vaunted passing attack. Junior quarterback Jake Ruane has passed for 1,642 yards and 20 touchdowns. Maryland-bound senior wide receiver Jordan Mosley has 41 catches for 734 yards and eight TDs.
Penn Wood at Perkiomen Valley >> The second-seeded Vikings (9-1) enjoyed a perfect run through the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s Liberty Division. Perk Valley likes to ground and pound, paced by a pair of sophomores, dual-threat quarterback Cole Peterlin and running back Jon Moccia.
The Patriots (8-2) claimed the Del Val League title and are riding an eight-game winning streak. A district playoff qualifier for just the third time in program history, Penn Wood has scored 14 points in each of its last two games, well below its season average of 24.8. Sophomore Desman Johnson Jr. (1,978 yards, 18 TDs) owns the highest passer efficiency rating in Delco (176.31).
District 1 Class 5A
Penncrest at Springfield >> For the second year in a row, the 16th-seeded Lions are in the playoffs with a 3-7 record and are tasked with facing top-seeded Springfield. Chris Mills has been a dual threat at quarterback and running back Caleb Mahalik has rushed for a team-high 737 yards.
The Cougars (10-0) won’t take the Lions lightly. Jack Psenicska has been a gem all season at quarterback, throwing for 1,504 yards and 18 TDs. But it all starts with the defense for Springfield, which has forced a county-high 30 turnovers. The defense is led by linemen Justin Shields and Kevin Deal, and linebackers Pat Clemens and Phil Shovlin.
Chichester at Academy Park >> The No. 13 Eagles (4-5) have had a tough time scoring. Rashaad Shaw is an explosive all-purpose talent and senior linebacker Cody Profitt is as solid as they come.
The fourth-seeded Knights are going for their fourth district title in team history and second in a row. First-year quarterback Skylor Fillis has passed for 815 yards and 13 scores, while rushing for 677 yards and 10 TDs.
Radnor at Upper Dublin >> The No. 12 Raiders (5-5) make their second straight trip to the postseason. Junior Sean Mullarkey has enjoyed a solid year behind center, throwing for 1,037 yards and 10 TDs.
Lucas Roselli is a threat in the ground game for the fifth-seeded Cardinals (6-3).
Sun Valley at Upper Moreland >> The Vanguards back into the postseason on a three-game losing streak. Julz Kelly, who has 1,229 yards of total offense, is one of the top all-purpose players in the county.
The second-seeded Golden Bears (9-0) captured the SOL American title. Caleb Mead and Sterlen Barr are a solid one-two punch in the backfield.
Oxford at Marple Newtown >> The seventh-seeded Tigers (6-4) turn the page on a so-so regular season. Quarterback Anthony Paoletti, the county’s record holder for most passing yards in a career, has thrown for 2,036 yards and 18 TDs. Junior running back Marlon Weathers ran for 255 yards and three TDs in last week’s win over Strath Haven.
Brandon DeShields eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving plateau for the 10th-seeded Hornets (6-4) in a victory over Octorara last week. Marple senior wide out Dash Dulgerian needs only 10 yards to reach the milestone.
Glen Mills at Unionville >> The Battlin’ Bulls (3-6) earned the 14th seed in the tournament thanks to a double-overtime win over Chichester last week. Senior running back Quadir Gibson has 810 yards and six scores.
The No. 3 Indians (9-1) are Ches-Mont League American champions for the third straight year. Alex Gorgone has thrown for 1,296 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Strath Haven at Bishop Shanahan >> The 11th-seeded Panthers have a 1,000-yard running back in Zack Hussein and a game-changing wide receiver/defensive back in Thomas Foster (four interceptions).
The No. 6 Eagles (7-3) backed into the postseason with a 55-13 drubbing at the hands of Coatesville.
District 1 Class 4A
Interboro at Pottsgrove >> The Bucs (5-5) look to rebound after giving up 50 points to Academy Park last Friday.
They’ll need to figure out an answer for top-seeded Pottsgrove (10-0) and Rahsul Fiason, who shattered the Pioneer Athletic Conference mark for most rushing touchdowns in a season.
District 1-2 Class 1A
Jenkintown at Delco Christian >> The top-seeded Knights (5-5) host the No. 2 Drakes (5-4) for the District 1 title Saturday night. The winner plays either Old Forge or Lackawanna for the District 1-2 regional crown. Quarterback Luke Gutowski leads DC’s run-heavy offensive attack.
Catholic League/District 12
Bonner & Prendergast at Cardinal O’Hara >> The Friars (1-9) and Lions (6-3) meet in what is essentially a play-in game for the District 12 Class 4A final next week. Kickoff is Saturday at 7.
