Mercury Football Preview: Frontier king Pottsgrove wary of potent Pope John Paul II

After three consecutive Frontier Division and District 1 titles, having a bull’s-eye on their backs is nothing new for the football program at Pottsgrove.

But Falcons coach Bill Hawthorne acknowledges that this week’s group of marksmen, so to speak, bring causes for some added concern.

“We like to treat every week, every opponent, the same because it keeps everyone in the program focused on the task at hand,” he said. “With that said, we understand the ramifications of this game, and we must be at our best in every facet against a team like Pope John Paul II.”

The Falcons (2-3, 1-0 PAC Frontier) travel to Royersford at 1 p.m. Saturday to battle the Golden Panthers (4-1, 1-0 PAC Frontier) in a game that will go far in deciding the PAC Frontier Division race. After a difficult non-league start, Pottsgrove started to get right last week in a 30-6 win over crosstown rival Pottstown while Pope John Paul II is riding high on a four-game win streak while averaging 47 points per game.

While the Falcons have been expecting to face the Golden Panthers’ impressive array of skill players, Hawthorne seemed equally impressed with PJP II’s proficiency in the trenches.

“They can score at will, they can make plays at any time with (QB Kamal) Gray, (WRs) Steve Skarbek, Justin Kormos, (TEs) Dylan Walker, Justin Mitala, and (RB) Andrew McDonald,” Hawthorne admitted. “Unfortunately for us, their linemen on each side of the ball are equally skilled in the trenches.”

Hawthorne was thorough in identifying the main threats to put points on the board for the Golden Panthers, and identified Matt Dobrowlowski, Julian Paskel, and Sean Anderson as key players on the lines. Several of those offensive skill players have contributed on defense as well – a defense that’s recovered from an opening loss to Roman Catholic to register two shutouts while not allowing a single point before the fourth quarter during PJP II’s current four-game winning streak.

Pope John Paul II coach Rory Graver pointed to that trio of linemen, plus Jacob Foley and Ambrose Colliluori as the keys to the team’s recent dominance. Graver’s been emphasizing fast starts and strong finishes, and a cumulative 187-13 score over the past four games certainly fits the bill.

So why will Saturday be different? For one, PJP II has yet to see a team that preaches precision and execution the way Pottsgrove does.

“It will take a full team effort for us to be able to compete with the defending division champions,” said Graver. “They’re a great team, and extremely well coached. They’re physical and they have a handful of playmakers on the offensive side.”

After a relatively slow start, last year’s Pioneer Athletic Conference-leading rusher Isaiah Taylor is again in his familiar spot atop the statistical charts, leading Pottsgrove with a 36-carry, 231-yard outing last week against Pottstown in a 30-6 Falcons victory. A similar performance Saturday would allow Pottsgrove to keep the potent PJP II offense tethered to the sideline for long stretches.

It was the formula that worked last season, when a seesaw game was decided by a long, clock-draining Pottsgrove possession that ended in a short touchdown run for the decisive points in a 35-28 Pottsgrove victory that ultimately made the difference in the Frontier Division race.

But the Falcons can only keep the PJP II offense off the field for so long. Defending the Golden Panthers will require perhaps the best performances of the season up front by Darrian Seaman and Max Dopwell, while Max Neeson, JaDore Colbert, and Evan White’s versatility will be key in slowing the multi-faceted attack.

Early returns on this season suggest Pope John Paul II’s time has come. The team played three impressive quarters against a 6A team in Roman Catholic to start the season, and their fourth-quarter fade seems to have motivated the players, sharpening their focus to the point where they’ve left absolutely no doubt in the past four contests.

But Pottsgrove presents a unique challenge – no team remaining on the schedule will test the Golden Panthers’ defense as relentlessly, and no team has been as successful in the past in imposing their will.

“After five weeks of football, there’s one thing I know for sure,” said Hawthorne, “regardless of our opponent, these young men will leave everything they have on the field, and battle to the final whistle.”

Upper Perkiomen (1-4, 0-1 PAC Frontier) at Upper Merion (3-2, 1-0 PAC Frontier), 7 p.m. Friday

Last Meeting: The Vikings slugged their way past Upper Perk, 17-9 in 2018.

Preview: A victory at home would allow Upper Merion to keep pace with the winner of the Pottsgrove/PJP II contest. Those same two teams make up the final two games on Upper Merion’s regular season schedule.

This week, the Vikings figure to continue turning to running back Anthony Swenda, second in the PAC with 542 rushing yards and tied for the conference lead with nine rushing touchdowns. Getting QB Dale Clayton some added reps in the passing game would be icing on the cake for UM coach Victor Brown.

For the Indians, it’s another week of facing the challenges presented by an unfortunate rash of injuries that have sidelined their top two running backs and other key contributors. QB Hunter Flack hopes to have success against an improving Upper Merion secondary, as he targets RB Malachi Duka and WR Anthony Carducci.

Phoenixville (1-4, 0-1 PAC Frontier) at Pottstown (3-2, 0-1 PAC Frontier), 7 p.m. Friday

Last Meeting: The Trojans outlasted the Phantoms last year, 14-8.

Preview: When Don Grinstead returns to Grigg Memorial Field as a visitor for the first time since he coaches Pottstown from 2013–2015, he’ll do so with a passing game that’s beginning to show signs of improvement. Jack Pizor connected with Anthony Stevenson and Brady Aselton for scores in last week’s 21-14 loss to Upper Merion. As players continue to return to health from early-season injuries, Grinstead says the emphasis remains giving themselves an opportunity to win each week.

For Pottstown’s part, coach Jeff Delaney pointed to the need for greater consistency in the wake of a 30-6 loss to Pottstown. While senior leaders like Jon Oister and Daniel Darden continue to impress on a weekly basis, Delaney stressed the need for Jorge Mundo and Cole Miller to anchor the offensive line this week in what figures to be a smashmouth-type contest.

Spring-Ford (3-2, 1-0 PAC Liberty) at Methacton (2-3, 0-1 PAC Liberty), 7 p.m. Friday

Last Meeting: The Rams beat Methacton, 41-7, one year ago.

Preview: After four games spent rewriting the school’s passing and receiving record books, last week’s victory over Norristown saw the Rams establish their ground game with Armante Haynes returning to full health and celebrating with a 221-yard outing. This week, coach Chad Brubaker hope to see a drastic cutback in penalties as the Rams continue working towards putting together a complete, all-facets offensive performance.

Methacton is another team beset by injuries at this point in the season, but Dave Lotier lauded the work of Chris Augustine, a sophomore who registered 16 tackles in his first varsity start at LB last week. Lotier hopes the leadership of Justin Gumienny and Dan Meier – a couple of healthy, full-time starters can lead the Warriors in their upset bid against Spring-Ford.

Perkiomen Valley (3-2, 1-0 PAC Liberty) at Norristown (0-5, 0-1 PAC Liberty)

Last Meeting: Perkiomen Valley survived a challenge from Norristown last year, 14-7.

Preview: What may appear to be a breather for coach Rob Heist’s Vikings takes on a different significance when looking at the score of last year’s contest. Norristown coach Joe Milligan lamented just how close the Eagles came to the upset last year, and no doubt is hoping his squad can make their season if they get a few more bounces to go their way this time around. Norristown put together its most balanced offensive attack last week behind the running of Zion Malone and Isiah Tucker and the passing of Nick DiNolfi.

On the Vikings’ side, Coach Heist knows full well that Norristown will have the game circled on their calendars and hopes his own 1-2 punch of running backs Jon Moccia and Jacob Sturm can equal or surpass the Eagles’ output. Heist also lauded the physicality of Gavin Euker on both the offensive and defensive lines and the consistency of LB Matt Brock.

Boyertown (2-3, 1-0 PAC Liberty) at Owen J. Roberts (4-1, 1-0 PAC Liberty), 7 p.m. Friday

Last Meeting: The Wildcats beat Boyertown 35-13 last year.

Preview: In taking Perkiomen Valley to the wire in last week’s 16-9 loss, Owen J. Roberts announced their presence as a legitimate contender in the PAC race. As they celebrate their Homecoming, the Wildcats are on the other side of that equation, as Boyertown looks to prove that last week’s 40-6 win over Methacton was no fluke. The Bears rushed for 447 yards in the game, and coach T.J. Miller thinks there’s room for even greater improvement.

On the other hand, OJR’s offense present Miller’s Bears with a new set of challenges, specifically in covering junior WR Dante DeNardo, whom Miller believes belongs in the conversation among the best WRs in the state. QB Cooper Chamberlain does a little bit of everything on offense and special teams for the Wildcats, who are no doubt hungry to erase the bad taste from last week’s near-miss.

Daniel Boone (1-4, 0-2 Berks I) at Reading (4-1, 1-1 Berks I), 7 p.m. Friday at Albright College

Last Meeting: The Blazers dropped a tight 16-13 decision last year’s at Reading’s FirstEnergy Stadium.

Preview: Coach Rob Flowers found some positive to emphasize after a 28-17 loss to Fleetwood last week. “We didn’t turn the ball over at all,” he said, “which was critical in our improved offensive execution.”

Tanner Vanderslice’s 220-yard rushing performance led the Blazers, who head to Albright College this week to take on 4-1 Reading, Flowers’ former team.

Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (4-0) at Hill School (0-3), 2 p.m. Saturday

Last Meeting: The Blue Devils ran away with a 58-27 win last year.

Preview: Once again last week, the Rams battled the full 48 minutes in a tight loss to Episcopal Academy. They fell behind 14-0 early but battled the Churchmen to a draw the rest of the way. Nonetheless, getting into the win column remains the goal and the emphasis for coach Jeff Hollway’s squad, and the road gets no easier when they welcome Springside Chestnut Hill this weekend. Four contests against Philadelphia Public and Catholic League opponents have turned into four decisive victories for the Blue Devils.