Mercury Week 1 Preview: Many new rivals and a border battle kicks off local football season
It’s gone by several classifications over the years.
Non-league game. Thanksgiving Day matchup. Pioneer Athletic Conference non-divisional clash.
Through it all, Boyertown vs. Upper Perkiomen remains a meeting of schools sharing a common border in western Montgomery County and a consistent rivalry however you classify it.
When they face off Friday at Red Hill, the game will be the lid-lifter for the PAC … the kickoff to what many hope will be a more-normal season than the one they endured last fall.
“The kids are ready to go, excited to be playing again … be out on the field, with people in the stands,” Bear head coach T.J. Miller said.
“We all want to get back to normal,” UP head coach Tom Hontz added, “but we’re looking at it as a day-to-day thing.”
Pioneer Athletic Conference Season Preview (including team-by-team previews)
The teams have played 64 times, dating back to 1952. Boyertown holds a 42-19-3 edge in the series, including an 11-4 mark in 15 seasons of PAC play (2002-15, 2020).
The Bears’ goals Friday will be twofold: Build on a strong finish in 2021, where they won their last two games after an 0-5 start; and respond to the 2020 meeting when UP won 42-14.
“We had a good camp,” Miller noted. “We’re excited about how the kids are putting in the work.”
The Indians had a more dramatic start to the pandemic-influenced 2020 campaign when a one-vote margin by the Upper Perkiomen School Board allowed them to play in the official PAC season alongside five Liberty Division opponents and they went on to finish with a 2-4 record, the other win coming against Owen J. Roberts.
Their bid for improvement will be assumed by a roster short on numbers (42) and long on youth (only 11 seniors). One particularly big pair of shoes needing to be filled belonged to Hunter Flack, who played quarterback, defense and handled the Tribe’s kicking chores.
The vacancy behind center is being filled by Tommy Flud, a medal-winning javelin thrower for the school’s boys track team. Taking over the kicking chores is Logan Watkins, a sophomore who also plays for the boys soccer squad.
A key returning piece is Logan Simmon, who rushed for 578 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. He shares co-captain duties with Brady Thompson (tight end), Josh Hill (center) and Damon Faraco (guard).
“Our four captains are all solid kids,” Hontz noted. “Gabe Carducci had a good camp on both sides of the ball, Julian Rzonca (nose tackle) is very enthusiastic, and we’re looking at Noel Lichtenwalner at tight end and defensive end.”
As for the rest of the team …
“We had a scrimmage Saturday that was eye-opening,” Hontz said. “I realized then how young we are. We need for them to grow up.
“You never realize, until they’re gone, what you had. We need to find replacements.”
A strong area for Boyertown appears to be on the defensive side of the ball. Of particular note is a linebacking corps headed by senior Ryan Spangler, juniors Gavin Chamberlin, Anthony Panarello and Matthew Cavalari and sophomore Anthony Famularo.
Another senior, Roman Marinello, has impressed in his role as a defensive back.
“He stepped up the way we thought he could,” Miller said of Marinello, a wide receiver on the offensive side. “I’m happy with our linebacking corps.”
The Bears still feel concern with Upper Perk’s proficiency in misdirection and screen passes on offense.
“Our defensive line has to push their offensive line,” Miller noted, “and our linebackers have to make the right reads. Playing the game on the offensive side, we can’t turn the ball over, and we have to eliminate penalties.”
Wyomissing at Daniel Boone, 7 p.m. Friday
Preview: A crew of 19 seniors holds the key to the Blazers busting out of the two-win seasons they posted the past two years. They have eight starters on both sides of the ball returning, the offense headed by dual-threat quarterback Carter Speyerer and Berks League-leading wide receiver Alex Vassallo (41 catches, 481 yards, three touchdowns); they both were All-Berks second team picks, Speyerer as a defensive back. A.J. Hofer, another second-team all-league pick, rushed for 617 yards his junior season.
The PIAA Class 3A finalist Spartans (9-1) have a mixed bag of assets coming off a 2020 season that saw them finish as champions of the Berks League Section 2 and District 3-3A before finishing state runner-up. Defensively, cornerbacks Nevin Carter and Amory Thompson mesh with linebacker Tommy Grabowski and nose guard Julian DiMaio to form a solid senior core; offensively, Wyomissing must replace six of its top seven linemen from 2020. The team must also replace all-state kicker Aidan Cirulli; Ian Levering figures to be the “next man up” on special teams.
Pottstown at Lower Merion, 4 p.m. Friday
Preview: The Trojans return 11 offensive and 10 defensive starters from last year’s 0-4 unit. Junior Mason Miller is back behind center alongside senior running back Malachi Neely and wide receivers Anthony DiPietro and Nyles Bunn-McNeil; defensively, Neely (strong safety), DiPietro (cornerback) and Bunn-McNeil (linebacker) merge with cornerback Rashean Bostic and linebackers Chris Chhern, Devon Green, Jamiere Williams and Gary Allan.
Bolstered by an increase in the number of players on the roster (53, up from 42 in 2020), the Aces (1-5) are looking to build on a strong finish off three early losses by a combined score of 118-13. Xavier Archawksi, a junior who was a second team All-Central League pick last year, will be a fixture at offensive tackle and defensive end; and senior Jay Zheng is being looked to as the linchpin for the team’s running game.
Pope John Paul II vs. Archbishop Carroll at Conshohocken “A” Field, 6 p.m. Friday
Preview: The Golden Panthers are looking to retain the momentum that got them a 3-0 record in an unsettled 2020 season with several games lost to COVID-19 circumstances. Seniors Jacob Dobrowolski, Josh Little and Steele Depetrillo and junior Kese Williams return as starters on both offense and defense; on the defensive side, Little, Depetrillo and Lake had a combined 78 tackles and 13 tackles for losses.
The Patriots (2-3) graduated players who scored all their touchdowns in 2020, but they hope for a solid foundation of four starters on the 2020 offensive line. They boast a senior quartet of Marvens Joseph, Devon Southern, Mason Streko and Victor Taylor in the secondary.
Bensalem at Norristown, 7 p.m. Friday
Preview: The Eagles (2-3) come into the 2021 campaign off a very short off-season break, having opted to play spring football due to COVID-19 concerns. With 18 seniors graduating from the Class of 2021, Norristown will be looking for considerable leadership from seniors like Jayden Randall, a two-way performer on the line at right guard and defensive tackle; and Rashad Triplett, who’s being looked to for big play at running back and strong safety.
The Owls (3-7) have junior Allen Myers and sophomore Aidan Clancy dueling for the starting quarterback slot. They boast decent size and plenty of athleticism on defense, but coming up with linebackers is an area of focus.
Harriton at Methacton, 7 p.m. Friday
Last Meeting: The Warriors romped over the Rams 34-6 when they met in 2019.
Preview: Coming off a 4-3 season in 2020 — but with a new head coach in Brian Kennedy, who replaces Dave Lotier with the latter’s decision to step down after three seasons — the Warriors are looking to a 14-man senior cast to provide the skills and inspiration to continue their steady progress. Matt Blakemore, the PAC’s returning interception leader, is a three-year starter at wide receiver/free safety alongside classmates Brian Dickey (wide receiver/defensive back) and Chris Augustine (linebacker).
The Rams (0-6) are pinning their hopes for 2021 on juniors Logan Rothberg (QB) and Matt Krebbs (receiver) producing on offense. On the defensive side, Krebbs (Free safety) and senior Ben Fisher (linebacker) return to head Harriton’s attack-style defense.
Owen J. Roberts at Conestoga, 7 p.m. Friday
Last Meeting: The Wildcats opened the 2019 season with a 28-0 whitewash of the Pioneers.
Preview: Owen J. (2-2, 3-3) has a leading rusher in the PAC, Avrey Grimm (661 yards, six touchdowns), back heading the ground game. The ‘Cats will be looking for an expanded passing attack directed by junior quarterback Michael Reed and senior wide receiver Aston Shrum to produce a more versatile offense.
Conestoga gave up a large number of points last season, and Pioneer head coach Matt Diamond hopes his defense can learn with experience. The leader of the defense looks to be senior Christian Larviere. On offense, Conestoga will try to get the ball to wide receiver Peter Detwiler as much as possible.
Perkiomen Valley at Springfield-Delco, 7 p.m. Friday
Preview: Victimized by a smaller-scale District 1 Class 6A playoff bracket in 2020, the Vikings (6-2) are shooting to return to post-season prominence this fall. They have the PAC’s top passer, senior Ethan Kohler, and talented skill position players in WR Dawson Debebe and RB Rasheem Grayson back for their senior seasons; defensively, two-way seniors Jeremy Brewer and Vinny Corropolese are joined by classmates Gage Young and Bryan Helenski at linebacker and Jake Beaudoin at defensive back.
The Cougars (2-3) will focus offensively on junior quarterback Jake Rama getting the ball to such skill players as senior wide receivers Rob Longo, Nate Cain and Zach Tropiano, all returning starters. Defensively, the senior leadership of returning starters Colin Crawford and Connor Ruch (linebackers), Ethan Johnson (end), Cain, Tropiano, Longo and Matt Dickenson (defensive backs) Brian Layton (tackle) will be a key to success this season.
Spring-Ford at West Chester East, 7 p.m. Friday
Last Meeting: The Rams rolled over the Vikings 63-12 to start the 2011 season.
Preview: The Rams (6-1) have to overcome a graduation process that involved 17 players from the Class of 2021. They have power on the offensive side in running back Harry Adieyefeh Jr. and quarterback Ryan Freed, who will be challenged by senior Kyle Keckler among others. The defense has PAC Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Horvath (linebacker) and three-year starter Donnie Nicoline (tackle) back for another season of competition.
East returns one of the district’s best halfbacks in junior Mitch Ragni back, and sophomore Tyler Wileczek has established a record of being a playmaker for the Vikings.
West Catholic (Phila.) at Pottsgrove, 7 p.m. Friday
Last Meeting: The Falcons edged the Burrs 15-14 when they met to open the 2018 season.
Preview: The Falcons (2-2) will rely on a physical rushing attack lead by quarterback Ryan Sisko, fullbacks Max Neeson and Shane Caffrey and running back Amir Brunson. They will also look to capitalize on Sisko’s arm and the play of Vinny Scarnato and Trenton Allen at wide receiver to create scoring opportunities through the passing game. Neeson, Caffrey and Brunson will lead the defense as linebackers while Vinny Scarnato and Trenton Allen offer strength in the backfield. On special teams, Landon Shivak will be taking over Pottsgrove’s kicking duties with the graduation of PAC Frontier Special Teams Player of the Year Luke Kaiser.
Upper Merion vs. Conwell Egan at Truman Stadium, 6 p.m. Saturday
Last Meeting: The teams have not met since the 2016 season.
Preview: The Vikings (2-3) look to pick up from where they left off in 2020, November wins over Phoenixville (35-6) and Muhlenberg (35-7) offsetting in part October losses to PAC opponents Pottsgrove, Pope John Paul and Owen J. Roberts. Nolan Clayton returns as the team’s staring quarterback while the defense will look to linebackers Alzere Thomas and Nick Gerace and defensive backs Preton Thomas and Brad Zielinski for inspired play and leadership.
The Eagles, who went 2-4 in the Philadelphia Catholic League’s Blue Division last year, return a dozen players who saw action on both sides of the ball. Seven of them are seniors, headed by quarterback/linebacker Dante Morris, running back/defensive back Kam Sanchez and tight end/linebacker Manny Nukah. Upper classmen A.J. Snowden, Max Locke and Debrick Johnson anchor the lines for both units.
Great Valley at Phoenixville, postponement
Last Meeting: The Phantoms lost to the Patriots 22-6 when they met in 2019.
Preview: Phoenixville’s season opener against Great Valley was cancelled earlier in the week due to COVID-19 contact tracing in the Phantoms’ program.
“We are disappointed that we will not be opening our season this Friday,” read a statement on the Phoenixville Athletics twitter account. “At this time, no players have tested positive for the virus. However, out of an abundance of caution and per the Chester County Department of Health Guidance, we will now pause all team activities.”
According to Phoenixville athletic director Don Grinstead, the Phoenixville program will shut down for 10 days according the Chester County guidance and is eligible to return Sept. 1.
Due to the mandatory three days practice before returning to competition, Phoenixville’s game against Bishop Shanahan — it was originally scheduled for Sept. 3 — was moved to Saturday, Sept. 4.
