Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Football Week 1 Preview Capsules
Wissahickon at Council Rock North
Time/Place: 6 p.m. Friday, Walt Snyder Stadium, Council Rock North High School
Last Season: Wissahickon was 3-7 overall and 2-4 in the SOL American Conference. The Trojans split the last six games after a 0-4 start. Council Rock North was 3-7 and 2-5 in the SOL Continental Conference.
Last Meeting: The two meet at Wissahickon in Week 2 of the 2019 season with CR North coming away with a 27-6 victory.
Players to Watch: Wissahickon will be looking to get the ball to junior Jaden McClean in a variety of ways. Rock North senior Gavin Papp was an All-SOL Continental first team defensive back and an honorable mention running back in 2021.
Prediction: Wissahickon 19, Council Rock North 10.
Central Bucks South at Plymouth Whitemarsh
Time/Place: 7 p.m., Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
On Twitter: @emor09.
Last Season: CB South went 6-2 to start the 2021 season — including a 35-27 win over Plymouth Whitemarsh in Week 1 — but lost its last three, falling first to Pennridge then North Penn in back-to-back weeks, the second loss to the Knights a 49-21 defeat in the District 1-6A first round.
After losing to CB South in the season opener, Plymouth Whitemarsh won its next 10 games to win the Suburban One League American Conference title and reach the District 1-5A semifinals, where it fell to West Chester Rustin 19-14.
Last Meeting: In Week 1 last year, CB South took a 21-6 lead into halftime but PW pulled even less than two minutes into the third quarter on a pair of Greg Feinberg touchdown runs. But the Titans answered with two touchdowns later in the third to go up 35-21 then held off the Colonials for a 35-27 win. Cole Maholtz finished with three rushing touchdowns for the Titans.
Players to Watch: Senior quarterback Aiden O’Brien is in his second year starting at the position for a Colonials offense that posted 37.8 points per game in 2021. South senior wide receiver Tommy Donnelly was an All-SOL National first team pick at the position last year.
Prediction: PW 30, CB South 21.
Central Bucks West at Garnet Valley
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Moe DeFrank Stadium, Garnet Valley High School.
Last Season: Central Bucks West finished the 2021 regular season 8-2 and took second behind North Penn in the SOL National. The Bucks topped Pennridge 19-17 in the District 1-6A first round before falling to Garnet Valley 41-13 in the quarterfinals to end the year 9-3.
In its 35th and final season under head coach Mike Ricci, Garnet Valley rolled through its first 14 games, winning Central League and District 1-6A title before falling to St. Joseph’s Prep 49-13 in the PIAA-6A semifinals to finish 14-1.
Last Meeting: West’s last game came on the same field as Friday night’s opener. The Bucks jumping out to a 7-0 lead in last year’s district quarterfinals on a Ganz Cooper to Conor McFadden 76-yard TD pass in the first minute but West could not slow down the Garnet Valley rushing attack. Shane Reynolds ran for 234 yards and four TDs as the Jags advanced with a 41-13 win.
Players to Watch: Senior Eli Boehm looks to lead the CB West’s rushing attack after earning All SOL National first-team honors last year. GV senior Matt Mesaros is set to start at quarterback for a Jags offense to put up 46.5 points per game in 2021.
Prediction: Garnet Valley 33, CB West 17.
Conwell-Egan at Upper Merion
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Upper Merion High School.
Last Season: Conwell-Egan finished 8-3 and third in the Philadelphia Catholic League Blue Division at 6-2. The Eagles lost 18-13 to West Catholic in the District 12-2A final. Upper Merion was 3-1 after three straight wins but ended 2021 losing five of its last six — falling to Strath Haven 35-0 in the District 1-5A to finish 4-6.
Last Meeting: Conwell-Egan hosted the Vikings in last year’s season opener and rallied in the fourth for a 25-13 victory. The Vikings led 13-12 after three quarters but the Eagles scored the final 13 points thanks to a pair of rushing touchdowns by quarterback Dante Morris.
Players to Watch: CEC senior running back Colin Majors was an All-PCL Blue first-team selection after rushing 92 times for 709 yards and four TDs per easternpafootball.com’s Ed Palmer. Upper Merion senior QB Zayd Etheridge returns after throwing for 1,142 and seven touchdowns last year.
Prediction: Conwell-Egan 24, Upper Merion 20.
Downingtown East at Pennridge
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Helman Field, Pennridge High School.
On Twitter: @khunter10.
Last Season: Downingtown East finished 2021 with 9-3 overall, topping Spring-Ford 21-14 in the District 1-6A first round before falling to Quakertown in the quarters 42-21. Pennridge started last season 3-3 before winning four straight to make the District 1-6A playoffs, where it lost to Central Bucks West 19-17 in the first round. A 21-0 defeat to Quakertown on Thanksgiving ended the Rams’ year at 7-5 overall.
Last Meeting: The teams’ also began last season with a matchup at Helman Field with all the scoring coming in the first half. Jamy Jenkins’ 8-yard TD pass to George Bousum with seven second left in the second quarter followed by a two-point conversion gave East a 14-7 lead and the Cougars went on to win by the same score.
Players to Watch: East senior running back Bo Horvath — who verbally committed to Lehigh for lacrosse — ran for 1,704 and 15 touchdowns last season, including 104 yards and one score on 21 carries against Pennridge. Rams senior linebacker Dylan O’Brien, an All-National second team pick in 2021, looks to help the Pennridge defense maintain its high standards after it posted four shutouts and gave up just 11.2 points per game a year ago.
Prediction: Pennridge 20, Downingtown East 17
Kennett at Upper Dublin
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Wissahickon High School.
On Twitter: @ADRobinson3.
Last Season: Kennett went 8-4 — starting the season 5-1 — and tied Oxford for third in the Ches-Mont American Division at 4-3. The Blue Demons beat Chester 31-28 in the District 1-5A first round then lost to West Chester Rustin 41-21 in the quarters. Upper Dublin was 9-3 and placed second behind Quakertown in the SOL Continental Conference with a 6-1 mark. The Cardinals began the District 1-5A playoffs with a 35-7 win over West Chester Henderson before falling in overtime to Plymouth Whitemarsh 42-36 in the quarterfinals.
Last Meeting: The Cards and Kennett were supposed to meet in the 2020 District 1-5A semifinals but COVID-19 forced the Blue Demons to forfeit the matchup. UD went on to win the district title but then had to forfeit its PIAA-5A semifinal against Cathedral Prep due to COVID.
Players to Watch: Kennett senior Julian Sparacino leads the Blue Demons’ rushing attack and plays linebacker on defense. Upper Dublin senior quarterback Colin O’Sullivan returns after throwing for 1,856 yards and 21 TDs in 2021.
Prediction: Upper Dublin 30, Kennett 27
La Salle at North Penn
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Crawford Stadium, North Penn High School
On Twitter: @mpcabrey.
Last Season: La Salle finished 9-2 overall and 3-1 in the PCL Red Division. The Explorers won the PCL Red title — its first PCL championship since 2015 — but fell to St. Joseph’s Prep 35-7 in the District 12-6A final. North Penn went 11-1 overall and won the SOL National Conference with an 8-0 record. The Knights beat Central Bucks South 49-21 in the District 1-6A first round but were edged in overtime by Ridley 56-55 in the quarters.
Last Meeting: In Week 2 of the 2019 season, Sam Brown scored five touchdowns — three receiving, two rushing — as La Salle rolled past the host Knights 42-6.
Players to Watch: The Explorers will try to get the ball into the hands of senior All-PCL Red first team wide receiver Ryan Sorge, who caught 22 passes for 283 yards and five TDs per easternpafootball.com’s Ed Palmer. North Penn senior QB Ryan Zeltt threw for 1,842 yards and 24 touchdowns for a Knights offense that averaged 39.7 points per game last year.
Prediction: North Penn 27, La Salle 21.
Methacton at Pottsgrove
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Pottsgrove High School.
Last Season: Methacton was 5-5 overall and 1-4 in the Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division. The Warriors began 4-1 but lost four of its last five. Pottsgrove was 8-3 and 4-1 in the PAC Frontier, finishing second in the division to Pope John Paul II. The Falcons beat Upper Moreland 34-12 in the District 1-4A semifinals before falling to Bishop Shanahan in the final 40-6.
Last Meeting: Methacton’s Dan Brandi threw for and ran for a touchdown in the first half as the Warriors bested Pottsgrove 17-6 in their Oct. 30, 2020 contest.
Players to Watch: Senior Tyler Weil-Kaspar (249 yards and 3 TDs on 31 carries) and junior Anthony Perillo (175 yards and a TD on 35 carries) will look to pace the Methacton ground game. Pottsgrove senior Amir Brunson rushed for 729 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 and could be a factor in the return game.
Prediction: Pottsgrove 26, Methacton 14.
Norristown at Bensalem
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, Bensalem High School
Last Season: Norristown was 2-8 overall and 1-4 in the PAC Liberty Division. The Eagles won their last two games of 2021. Bensalem went 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the SOL Continental Conference. The Owls opened 4-2 but lost three of their last four.
Last Meeting: Norristown’s Kaden Cruz ran for 289 yards on 33 carries but Bensalem came away with a 28-20 overtime win in last year’s season opener. In the extra session, Matthew Sanders’ one-yard TD run broke the 20-20. Josiah Sanders’ two-point conversion run put the Owls up eight and Bensalem’s defense held to secure the win.
Players to Watch: Norristown junior Julian Arthur was an All-PAC Liberty second-team selection after catching 21 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Bensalem senior Zyan Greene is among the Owls’ top returning receivers.
Prediction: Bensalem 21, Norristown 13
Souderton at Haverford
Time/Place: 7 p.m. Friday, A.G. Cornog Stadium, Haverford High School.
Last Season: Souderton went 6-5 overall and 4-2 in the SOL Continental Conference. The Indians won three of the last four regular-season games to reach the District 1-6A playoffs where it fell to Quakertown 33-7 in the first round. Haverford went 5-7 overall and 3-6 in the Central League. The Fords began 2-4 before winning three of their last four to qualify for the District 1-6A tournament, losing to Garnet Valley 42-0 in the first round. Haverford then dropped its Thanksgiving contest with Upper Darby 28-21.
Players to Watch: Haverford senior QB Tommy Wright threw for 1,873 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. Souderton senior Shaun Purvy came be a playmaker on both sides of the ball. Purvy returns after an injury in the season opener kept him out of the rest of the year.
Prediction: Souderton 24, Haverford 21.
Archbishop Carroll at Pope John Paul II
Time/Place: 1 p.m., Saturday Pope John Paul II High School.
Last Season: Archbishop Carroll was 0-10 overall and 0-7 in the PCL Blue Division. Pope John Paul was 7-3 overall and won the PAC Frontier Division with a 5-0 record. The Golden Panthers lost to Perkiomen Valley 30-0 in the PAC championship game.
Last Meeting: Josh Little ran for 202 yards and three touchdowns as PJP II routed Carroll 43-14 in last season’s opener.
Players to Watch: Derek Skarbek and Boyd Skarbek both look to get the Pope John Paul II ground attack going. Carroll junior Jesse Ventre was an All-PCL Blue second-team wide receiver last season.
Prediction: Pope John Paul II 28, Archbishop Carroll 12.
Mastbaum at Lansdale Catholic
Time/Place: 1 p.m., Saturday, Wissahickon High School.
On Twitter: @khunter10.
Last Season: Lansdale Catholic went 1-10 overall and 1-6 in the PCL Blue Division, the Crusaders lone win coming against Archbishop Carroll.
Player to Watch: LC senior Josh Brown was an All-PCL Blue first team pick at defensive tackle in 2021.
Prediction: Lansdale Catholic 25, Mastbaum 13.
