Quakertown looks to continue its recent Thanksgiving success while Pennridge is out to end a tough season on a high note as the football teams renew their rivalry Thursday morning.
Kickoff at Pennridge’s Helman Field for the schools’ 93rd meeting on Turkey Day is set for 10:15 a.m.
The host Rams (3-7) lead the all-time series 58-30-5, but Quakertown (6-5) has won the last two, with a victory Thursday giving the Panthers one of their better runs in the history of the holiday matchup.
Quakertown went 3-0-1 against the Rams from 1988-1991, the teams playing to a scoreless tie in 1989. The last time the Panthers won three straight over Pennridge came when Qtown took five in a row from 1947-51.
The Panthers’ last chance to earn three consecutive Thanksgiving victories over Pennridge came in 2016 but the Rams traveled to Alumni Field and claimed a 55-27 victory.
That win was the first of six straight – five on Thanksgiving, one in 2017 in the first round of the District 1-6A tournament- for Pennridge until the Panthers shut out the Rams 21-0 in 2021.
Quakertown followed with another stout defensive effort last season, keeping Pennridge off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter, the Panthers building a 22-0 lead before going on to claim a 22-6 victory.
All three of Quakertown’s touchdowns came from a yard out – Aiden Whiteley scoring twice in the first half while quarterback Vince Micucci getting over the goal line in the third. Gavin Carroll finished with a game-best 105 yards rushing on 16 carries.
The Rams’ points also came from the one-yard line, QB Noah Keating getting in on a sneak with 11:57 remaining. Keating was 14-of-30 passing for 118 yards and an interception.
For Pennridge and first-year coach Kyle Beller, points continued to be tough to come by in 2023.
The Rams have averaged 14.4 points per game against a schedule that included a District 1-6A finalist (Central Bucks South, which hosts Downingtown West in the title game Friday), two District 1-6A semifinalists (Central Bucks West and Downingtown East) and SOL Continental Conference champion Souderton, which won its first 11 games.
The Rams had a 3-4 record after holding on to edge Pennsbury 15-14 at home Oct. 6 but ended the regular season dropping their last three.
After getting shut out 28-0 by CB West in Week 8, a late rally against North Penn came up just short in a 17-16 defeat. The Rams then fell to CB South 42-14 in Week 10.
Keating has thrown for 1,197 yards this season on 100-of-185 passing with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Joseph Gregoire has caught 37 passes for 450 yards and six TDs while Chase Marshall had 23 catches for 359 yards and a pair of scores.
Quakertown knocked off host North Penn in Week 2 38-17 before a 40-20 home loss against CB West. The Panthers shut out SOL American champ Plymouth Whitemarsh 21-0 on the road to sit 2-2 but Quakertown began Continental play with consecutive losses to Council rock South and Souderton.
The Panthers, however, earned a 10th seed in the District 1-6A playoffs with four straight victories, capping their regular season with a 21-17 home win over Upper Dublin.
In its first-round game with No. 7 Perkiomen Valley, Quakertown took a 26-15 lead in the third quarter after Anthony Feruggio took an interception back 52 yards for a touchdown. The host Vikings, however, responded by scoring the game’s final 21 points to beat the Panthers 36-26.
Micucci was 13-of-30 for 180 in the contest with three TDs and two interceptions. He connected with Aiden Burgy five times for 70 yards, 38 coming on a TD in the second quarter.
For the season, Micucci has completed 114-of-200 throws for 1,612 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Panthers, who are averaging 28.6 points per game, have three players with at least 25 receptions in Max Morris (30 catches, 372 yards, 3 TDs), Tanner Clancy (29 catches, 426 yards, 3 TDs) and Burgy (25 catches, 510 yards, 7 TDs).
