Mercury Week 7 Football Preview: Big opportunity awaits Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley

Rich Kolka’s goal when he took over the Owen J. Roberts football program six years ago was to have his players play in ‘big football games.’

Kolka’s squads have had their fair share of marquee matchups over that time period and on Friday night another one awaits against Perkiomen Valley.

The two Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division rivals come in with 2-0 marks in the division. The winner will have the inside track on the division crown and spot in the Oct. 29 league title game.

“The more you win, the bigger the games get,” Kolka said. “We’re able to play in a big game Friday and that’s what you want late in the season. You want to play in big games.”

Both teams have already survived ‘big games’ early in conference play. Owen J. Roberts (5-1 overall, 2-0 PAC Liberty) edged Methacton, 7-6, last week in a battle of one-loss teams.

Perkiomen Valley (4-2, 2-0) outlasted Spring-Ford, 26-22, to open PAC play in what historically results in the eventual deciding game for the league championship.

There was no let down for the Vikings last week as they followed with a 56-12 win over Norristown, and PV coach Rob Heist expects the same type of focus again as his squad hosts the team with the PAC’s best record on Friday night.

“It’s easy to focus this week because the opponent we’re facing is a very good football team, and they’re coming into our stadium on Friday at 5-1, they have the area’s best running back … so our kids are focused, even in the wake of the Spring-Ford game a few weeks ago,” PV coach Rob Heist said. “We try to preach this 1-and-0 mentality and the only game that matters is the next game up, and I think our kids buy into that.”

The offensive stars for both teams are well established.

Perkiomen Valley quarterback senior Ethan Kohler leads the area with 1,213 yards passing and 14 passing touchdowns compared to just one interception. He also has 284 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Owen J. Roberts senior back Avrey Grimm, who led the league in rushing in 2020, is once again the league’s top rusher with 1,262 yards and seven touchdowns in six games (210.3 yards per game).

Senior Jon Havrilak, junior Christian Gregory, junior Kyle Sayers, senior Grayson Kurth, senior Josh Fobia and junior Alex Karnbach are the ones blocking for Grimm this season. They’ll likely have their stiffest task of the season on Friday when they face a Vikings line that Kolka said has some size on them.

“We’re not going to change our stripes,” Kolka said. We’re going to come out and try to run the football. That’s the game plan. We’ve run the ball against everybody so far, and that’s what we’re going to try and do against PV.”

Heist noted that the Vikings know they’ll have more to contend with than just the Wildcats’ rushing attack.

OJR junior quarterback Michael Reed is 65-of-103 for 727 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions this season, making strides from his sophomore campaign to add some balance for the Wildcats’ offense. Junior wideout Danny Cashman (23 catches, 304 yards and three touchdowns) has emerged as one of the area’s top wideouts.

Senior inside linebackers Gage Young, Bryan Helenski and Ryan Boozer have been steady for the PV defense this season and will be looked upon to help slow down the Wildcats’ rushing attack. Senior cornerback Jeremy Brewer (one interception) has been one of the team’s standouts in the defensive backfield.

“We’ve had a couple defensive breakdowns the last couple weeks where we’ve held the offense in check, but then one play we have a letdown and we give up a big long run,” Heist said, referring to a 50-yard touchdown run by Spring-Ford’s Harry Adieyefeh in the PAC opener and 35-yard touchdown from Norristown’s Meyon Ferrell last week. “We have to avoid those big chunk plays and make opposing offenses have to drive the field on us and work for every first down.”

On offense, Kohler has a multitude of weapons at his disposal. Senior wideout Dawson Debebe (21 catches, 416 yards, four touchdowns) leads the area in receiving and junior Michael Poruban (17 catches, 295 yard, five touchdowns) ranks eighth.

Junior running back Ryan Klimek is one of the league’s most versatile players, carrying 54 times for 391 yards and four touchdowns, while also catching 19 passes for 263 yards and a score. Senior fullback Andrew Beck (187 yards rushing, 87 yards receiving, one touchdown) is another vital piece to the offense as a rusher, receiver and blocker.

Senior tackles Jake Jonassen and Austin Henry anchor PV’s offensive line with senior center Reed Overholser a welcome surprise up front. OJR’s Havrilak, Gregory, senior Frank McCoy and junior Brandon Kelly counter them on the other side of the line.

Havrilak and senior linebacker Dom Franks, who both had big games against Methacton, have keyed the Wildcats’ defense through six games. The unite will have its hands full against a unit averaging over 400 yards and close to 40 points per game.

“They present lots of challenges,” Kolka said of the PV offense. “They can pretty much do what they want to do against many teams. They can run the ball, they can throw the ball, they run trick plays.”

As important for the Wildcats as slowing down the Vikings’ offense, will be making sure they take advantage of their own offensive opportunities.
“When we can inside the 20 — the score zone or red zone, whatever you want to call it — we have to come away with touchdowns,” Kolka said. “If we don’t come away with touchdowns, they’re going to. That’s probably the biggest thing I see right now.”

The Vikings topped the Wildcats in 2020, 42-16. Perk Valley’s won the last 10 meetings, datin back to 2010, with the closest contest the Vikings’ 16-9 win in 2019.

“It’s going to be a great game,” Heist said.

NOTE >> Friday night is Perkiomen Valley’s ‘Salute to Service’ game where the Vikings will honor PV alumni from football team, cheerleaders and marching band who have served in one of the military branches.

Pottsgrove at Pottstown, 7 p.m. Friday

Last week’s game: Pottsgrove topped Upper Merion, 36-20. Pottstown was blanked by Upper Perkiomen, 29-0.

Last meeting: The Falcons beat the Trojans in 2019, 30-6.

Preview: This highly-anticipated annual matchup of neighboring PAC Frontier Division schools shows the Falcons (2-0, 4-1) riding a double-digit win streak dating back at least to 2006. They didn’t square off last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on scheduling.

“Pottstown is always a challenge because of the intensity of the rivalry,” Pottsgrove head coach Bill Hawthorne noted. “Many of the football players grew up playing together, and it really is one of the games where you can throw the records out.”

Quarterback Ryan Sisko, who’s thrown seven touchdown passes against zero interceptions, gets praise from Hawthorne for “running our offense extremely well. He continues to make the right decisions in our option game putting us in the best position for success as an offense.”

Two-way players like Mark White and Max Neeson have also contributed heavily to Pottsgrove’s success: White on the two lines and Neeson as fullback and “quarterback” of the defense. Special teams have also been a continuing source of high performance in recent games; Landon Shivak continues to rank among the area’s leaders in kicking with 21 points (18 PATs, 1 FG).

According to head coach Jeff Delaney, Pottstown (0-2, 0-6) needs to emphasize consistency and eliminate penalties. Johnny Cranford and Jestyn Snyder will be looked to for continued solid play on the offensive line, and the same from linebackers Devon Green and Nahzier Booker.

“Pottsgrove is a very well-coached team that can attack you in many ways,” Delaney said. “We need to stop the run and be disciplined on both sides of the ball.”

Methacton at Boyertown, 7 p.m. Friday

Last week’s game: Methacton was edged by Owen J. Roberts, 7-6. Boyertown fell to Spring-Ford, 42-7.

Last meeting: The Bears lost to the Warriors in 2020, 16-6.

Preview: The Warriors (1-1, 4-2) list quarterback Dan Brandi fourth in the area, going 73-for-133 for 861 yards and five touchdowns. His principal target remains Brian Dickey, who has 23 catches for 222 yards.

Giancarlo DeFilippis is tied for first place in interceptions (three) with Upper Perk’s Nevan Smith and Spring-Ford’s Payton West. Tyler Ready, with 20 points — 17 on conversion kicks — remains stalwart on special teams.

“Coach Kennedy is doing a phenomenal job at Methacton,” Boyertown head coach T.J. Miller noted. “This might be the best Methacton team we have faced. Their QB and Dickey have great chemistry. Thomas Dickinson and Josh Cancro are a true force on defense with Chris Augustine behind them at linebacker.

“Man, I’ll tell you, this team presents so many challenges to us. If we do not stick with our assignments, we could be in a bad way quickly.”

For Boyertown (0-2, 2-4), Miller’s assessment is for overall improvement.

“We need to improve in every area of the game,” he said. “Our defense needs to get back to its roots of being aggressive. and our offense needs to be able to sustain drives.”

Leo Egbe remains a key on offense, with 483 yards on 89 carries (5.4 YPC) and six touchdowns. Ant Panarello was also praised by Miller for his job “managing the offense. He made good reads and he is improving as a passer. I am extremely happy with him.”

Spring-Ford at Norristown, 7 p.m. Friday

Last week’s game: Spring-Ford romped over Boyertown, 42-7. Norristown fell to Perkiomen Valley, 56-12.

Last meeting: The Rams handled the Eagles in 2019, 40-14,

Preview: The Rams (1-1, 3-3) continue to be formidable on both sides of the ball. Ryan Freed (85-for-121, 907 yards, nine TDs) and Zach Zollers (26 catches, 328 yards, five TDs) fuel the passing game while Harry Adiyefeh (501 yards, six TDs) heads the rushing game; all three rank among the area’s Top Four in their respective categories.

Defensively, Payton West continues to be one of the PAC’s co-leaders in interceptions with three.

“We were very efficient in our passing game, and continued to run the ball more effectively,” head coach Chad Brubaker said, “Our defense continues to get stops and provide us with advantageous field position.”

Kaden Cruz remains the bright spot for the Eagles (0-2, 0-6) on offense. With 456 yards on 74 carries, the senior stands among the area’s rushing leaders.

“Norristown’s defense caused some early chaos last week and, offensively, they have big-play potential,” Brubaker noted.

Upper Perkiomen at Phoenixville, 7 p.m. Friday

Last week’s game: Upper Perkiomen shut out Pottstown, 29-0. Phoenixville lost to Pope John Paul II, 28-10.

Last meeting: The Phantoms topped the Indians in 2020, 20-12.

Preview: While Phoenixville (0-2, 1-4) played a solid first half against Pope John Paul last weekend, head coach Anthony Ciarlello continues to seek a complete game from his charges.

“The defensive unit put together three quarters of solid football,’ he said. “Our team needs to put together a full four quarters if we plan on finding any success.”

Ty Romance (47-for-94, 702 yards, seven TDs) and Owen Koch (545 yards) continue to steer the offense for Phoenixville (0-2, 1-4) along with Hayden Tenbroeck, who’s averaging 24.2 YPC (315 yards) on his 13 receptions.

The Indians (1-1, 2-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with their shutout of the Trojans. Brady Thompson (76 carries, 474 yards) continues to anchor the running game while Nevan Smith (three interceptions) and Gavin Weeks (two INTs) do the same on the defensive side.

“Upper Perkiomen has terrific running backs,” Ciarlello said.” If we let them get going, they could run forever. Defensively, they are attacking, fast, and tenacious.”

Daniel Boone at Muhlenberg, 7 p.m. Friday

Last week’s game: Daniel Boone fell to Berks Catholic, 40-7. Muhlenberg was routed by Exeter, 77-7.

Last meeting: The Blazers beat the Muhls in 2020, 21-7.

Preview: Boone (3-3) will seek to get back on the winning track — it saw a three-game win streak ended last weekend — against a Muhls squad that has been outscored by an average of 42-6 in its games thus far.

QB Dean Rotter (56-for-91, 646 yards, 8 TDs). A.J. Hofer (478 yards rushing). Alex Vassallo (31-315 receiving). JT Hogan 30 points (5 TDs) and Nate Millard (25 points, 4 FGs, 13 PATs).

For Muhlenberg, Aaron Shuker has 439 combined yards offense (398 rushing). QB Adam Zaorski is 33-for-061 for 266 yards and Kyle Archie (16-for-22, 166 yards) is also seeing an appreciable amount of time behind center.

Upper Merion at Pope John Paul II, 1 p.m. Saturday

Last week’s game: Upper Merion fell to Pottsgrove, 36-20. Pope John Paul II rebounded for 28-10 win over Phoenixville.

Last meeting: The Golden Panthers beat the Vikings in 2020, 28-21.

Preview: Another matchup which will impact the top of the PAC’s Frontier Division standings. The Golden Panthers (4-2) share the top spot with Pottsgrove, making their Oct. 23 date one for which to circle on the calendar.

Josh Little, in addition to 712 rushing yards thus far, leads the area with 12 touchdowns. D.J. Clarke (75-for-96) is within 50 yards of the 1,000 mark in passing and has thrown for 11 TDs, Kese Williams has collected 324 yards while scoring three touchdowns, and Steve Rist ranks near the top of the area with 29 conversion kicks.
Upper Merion (1-1, 3-2) faces the challenge of getting back on track against PJP.

“We need to respond after what happened to us last week,” UM head coach Davis Chubb said. “We get another chance this week, and we can’t squander it.”

The Vikings will look for quarterback Zayd Etheridge to have another big game throwing to the likes of Alzere Thomas, Nolan Clayton, Brad Zielinski and Marcus Crittendon. Seniors Wyatt Hart, Boubakar Jalloh, J’Sun Hampton-Miller and Tremayne Brown will also be looked to with PJP tending to throw a lot of different formations and multiple plays, Chubb noted.

Hill School at Peddie School, 2 p.m. Saturday

Last week’s game: Hill School swept past Pennington Prep, 35-0. Peddie School lost to Kiski School on Sept. 25, 35-26.

Preview: The Rams take a two-game win streak and .500 record (2-2) into their Mid-Atlantic Prep League opener. They lean toward getting the maximum number of skill players involved — they had 11 ballcarriers against Pennington Prep — led by Kayden White and Anthony MacMullan. Defensively, Luke Picard has proven to be a disruptive force against the opposition.

“We play Peddie this weekend and it’s a MAPL opponent,” head coach Orlando Patterson said. “All MAPL teams are tough. That said, playing our game and worrying about what we can control will be our focus.

“The Hill School has won back-to-back games,” he added. “We are looking forward to riding that momentum.”

Peddie (1-2) recorded its lone win against Academy of the New Church, 45-22, on Sept. 18. Frankie Farmer, a junior, is at quarterback with classmate Andre McKinney, a running back and receiver, the team’s leading yardage-collector.

Perkiomen School at Delco Christian, 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Last week’s game: Perkiomen School lost to Mercersburg Ac., 38-24. Delco Christian was doubled up by Valley Forge MA, 16-8.

Last meeting: The Panthers handled the Knights in their 2021 season-opening game, 50-6.

Preview: The Panthers (2-1) have displayed a potent air game all season. Quarterback Mikey Boyle has completed 31 of 57 passes for 453 yards and seven touchdowns. His favorite targets have been Drew Pickett (8 catches for 150 yards and 3 TDs), Brandon Charon (6-102) and Chris Catania (6-70, 2 TDs).

The Knights (0-3) have managed only 32 points in their previous three games while giving up 102. Their key players are senior quarterback Josh Dell’Arciprete, running back Jason Shaw, wide receiver Jeremy Campbell and junior WR/DB Titus Myers