Football Friday: Delco teams aplenty in first round of playoffs
The District 1 playoffs are here, and almost all are welcome.
The majority of Delco’s teams qualified. It may be easier to list the teams that are sitting at home Friday night.
Seven of the 11 Central League teams are playing first-round games. Of those seven, two failed to post a winning record in the regular season and one has four more losses than it does wins.
In the Del Val League, only Chester (7-3) and Interboro (0-9) are on the outside looking in.
Here is a glance at all District 1 games involving Delco schools.
Class 6A
No. 14 Owen J. Roberts at No. 3 Garnet Valley
The Wildcats placed third behind Spring-Ford and Perkiomen Valley in the Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division. All of the Wildcats’ victories have come against teams ranging from lousy to not-so terrible: Conestoga (3-7), Daniel Boone (2-8), Upper Merion (5-5), Boyertown (3-7), Norristown (2-8), Methacton (3-7) and Pottstown (5-5).
To be fair, Garnet Valley has played a relatively easy schedule, too. With the exception of Haverford in Week 2 and Upper Darby in Week 7, the Jags dominated en route to their second straight outright Central League title.
The Jags should stick to their script of running the ball and letting their big offensive line unit wear down the Wildcats in the trenches. Led by quarterback Ryan Gallagher and a cavalcade of dependable running backs including Greg Reynolds and Jake Morin, the Jags rank first in Delco in rushing yards (336.3) and points (44.8). GV’s only loss came opening night at Downingtown West, which is the No. 1 seed in the tournament.
No. 13 Haverford at No. 4 Spring-Ford
Arguably the hottest team in Delco, the Fords (8-2) recovered from consecutive losses to start the season to make the playoffs. All-Delco Trey Blair has been the most electrifying talent in Delco. The University of Buffalo commit leads the county in rushing with 1,265 yards and 16 TDs while throwing for 845 yards. Haverford’s defense has been dominant during the winning streak, allowing an average of 111.6 yards and 5.5 points per game with 17 turnovers.
The Rams (8-2) won their first Pioneer Athletic Conference title in four years. Running back Armante Haynes is the Rams’ best weapon on offense.
No. 15 Ridley at No. 2 CB West
The Green Raiders (7-3) let a double-digit lead to Garnet Valley fall by the wayside last week. But a tough loss against the best 6A team in the county could spur the Green Raiders. If they can control the clock and execute their ground-and-pound offense, they stand a chance. Look for leading rusher Dylan Staley and quarterback Jack Grace to be off and running early.
The Bucks (9-1), who run a traditional Wing-T offense, captured the SOL Continental title after winning only four games last fall. Their only loss was a double-overtime heartbreaker to Souderton two weeks ago. Jack Fallon is a sensational two-way player at running back and defensive back.
Class 5A
No. 14 Oxford at No. 3 Academy Park
The three-time District 1 champion Knights host a Hornets (4-6) team that scored 78 points against Interboro earlier this season. Quarterback Thomas Repetz and running back Jackson Chew have given defenses fits.
AP’s strength is on the lines, with Isaiah Rogers and Xavier Newman leading the way. It boasts a talented cast of skill players, including dual-threat QB Barry Brown and athletes Alphonso Hayes and Malik Johnson, who has flourished as a defensive back. The Knights won a share of the Del Val title and are chasing their first district title since 2016.
No. 12 Upper Merion at No. 5 Strath Haven
The Vikings (5-5) have had a mediocre season, but they have game-breaking talent. Running back Anthony Swenda crossed the 1,000-yard plateau in a victory over Methacton last week.
The Panthers (8-2) are an 11-time District 1 champion under Kevin Clancy, who is the winningest coach in Delco. Haven’s only losses in 2019 were to 6A playoff qualifiers Garnet Valley and Haverford. Led by senior running backs John Prochniak (965 yards, 15 TDs) and Ibo Pio (745 yards, eight TDs), the Panthers are averaging 32.4 points and 275 rushing yards a game.
No. 11 Radnor at No. 6 Penn Wood
The Raiders (5-5) and Patriots (6-3) are the only all-county match up Friday night.
If you’re a fan of the new school, this is your game to watch. Both teams love to throw the football. Penn Wood’s Desman Johnson (1,825) and Radnor’s Sam DiLella (1,688) are the top passers in Delco.
The Raiders have never won more than one District 1 playoff game. The Patriots are vying for their first title after falling in the semifinal round last year.
No. 9 Unionville at No. 8 Marple Newtown
The Tigers (7-3) earned a home game with their win at Radnor last week. MN will lean upon quarterback Joe Paoletti, who has passed for 1,160 yards and 15 TDs, and all-purpose sophomore Charlie Box. Against teams with winning records, the Tigers have been outscored 84-21.
Senior running back Connor Schilling has run for 1,099 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Indians (7-3). Quarterback Blake Charlton has thrown for 1,088 yards and 10 scores.
No. 13 Chichester at No. 4 Kennett
The Eagles (3-6) stumbled across the finish line of the regular season with a lopsided loss at Penn Wood. If quarterback Nate Decenzi (954 yards, five TDs) can settle in, the Eagles offense works best when multiple players are getting touches and making plays in open space.
The Blue Demons (8-1) defeated the Eagles 37-12 in Week 2. Garrett Cox is the second-leading rusher in Chester County with 1,409 yards.
No. 16 Springfield at No. 1 Cheltenham
Two years after posting a 2-8 record, the Panthers (9-1) captured the Suburban One League American title and are the top seed in the District 1 tourney. Running backs Sam Sykes and Jameer Barnes are two of many explosive athletes Springfield has to contend with.
The Cougars (3-7) have fallen on hard times, two years removed from a District 1 finals appearance. They have steadily improved on defense, but offensively they are scoring only 10.7 points per game.
