Five Games to Watch: Road doesn’t get easier for Radnor in trip to Springfield

Radnor is in the midst of running the Central League gauntlet.

The Raiders have played Haverford and Strath Haven the last two weeks. Springfield is Friday night and Garnet Valley waits on deck.

So far … not bad. The Raiders are 1-1 and are playing their third straight road game.

It’s Week 7 and we are rapidly approaching the district playoffs. Here are five games to watch in Delco Friday night:

Radnor (5-1) at Springfield (5-1), 7

\The Raiders rebounded from their first loss of the season — a 27-point blowout at Haverford — with an impressive come-from-behind victory over Strath Haven. A pair of Matt Cohen scoring runs proved to be the difference. Cohen is the third-leading rusher in Delco with 863 yards and nine touchdowns, including 121 yards against Strath Haven.

The Cougars have been shut out twice in regulation this season. Last week, they were blanked 6-0 by Garnet Valley in a game that could determine the Central League champion. Springfield’s defense continues to shine among the very best in the county.

Strath Haven (3-3) at Ridley (2-4), 7

A steady diet of Zack Hussein out of the backfield led to a pair of touchdown runs against Radnor. Ibo Pio ran for 94 yards, and quarterback Jake Fisher crossed the end zone. All of that still wasn’t enough to avoid a second-half collapse against Radnor, resulting in a second straight loss for the Panthers.

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Ridley is in the process of overcoming the worst start in program history … maybe. Another dominating effort like the 51-7 shellacking of Conestoga last week should go a long way. At this point it’s not about playoffs, it’s about pride. Don’t be surprised if the Green Raiders are winning all the way through Turkey Day.

Chichester (3-2) at Academy Park (5-1), 7

One could argue the Eagles were robbed of a win in their Del Val opener last week. Glen Mills scored the winning touchdown with less than four minutes to play. An offensive penalty that would have negated the go-ahead score was waved off and the Eagles would eventually lose, 6-3.

First-year quarterback Nate Decenzi completed only 13 of 31 attempts for 141 yards, but has been among the top passers in Delco in several categories, including completion percentage (57.2) and yardage (923).

This is a “Go Lime” game in support of the Ridley-based HEADstrong Foundation and its work to provide treatment for cancer patients.

The Knights cruised past Interboro, 40-13, as quarterback Skylor Fillis threw for two touchdowns and ran for two. AP amassed a season-high 402 yards of offense in the win.

Interboro (2-4) at Penn Wood (5-1), 7

The Bucs need a sign that they are headed in the right direction. Here’s their chance to turn things around by beating the reigning champs.

Playing under the lights at raucous Kerr Field won’t be easy. Penn Wood is 4-0 there this season.

Defensively, the Bucs defense ranks in the bottom five in Delco in yards (392.0) and points (37.6) allowed per game.

How good was Penn Wood’s defense against Chester last Saturday? The host Clippers managed only 30 yards. Junior quarterback Desman Johnson passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score.

Salesianum (5-0) at Episcopal Academy (3-1), 7

The Sallies are a perennial power in Delaware and an excellent challenge for the Churchmen before next week’s Inter-Ac League opener.

It’s been two weeks since EA’s last game, a come-from-behind victory at Hill School. Sophomore Billy Adams rushed for a career-high 148 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score in the final seconds of regulation. Quarterback Maurcus McDaniel has been a threat with both his arms and legs.