Boyertown, Upper Perk looking to reverse Week 1 misfortunes
Their Week 1 affairs came up empty.
Now, both Boyertown and Upper Perkiomen are ready for another crack at getting in the win column.
For the second straight year, that chance comes against each other.
“I think both teams are anxious to play a complete game and get a victory,” Upper Perkiomen head coach Tom Hontz said. “That desire should make for a very intense game.”
The two meet after Week 1 duds against Exeter and Quakertown, respectively. Boyertown’s offense was stuck in neutral most of the night, compiling 73 yards of total offense as the Bears fell behind at the half, 38-6, before eventually falling 45-6. Upper Perkiomen, a 38-0 loser against Quakertown last season, suffered a similar fate in this year’s go-around, falling 41-0. Rob Burns (138 yards) and John Polynski (108 yards) spearheaded a dominating ground game that racked up 259 yards and four touchdowns. The Indians’ offense sputtered in the passing game but did see positive glimpses in Tyler Whary (44 yards) and Michael Felix (33 yards) as the duo combined for 77 yards rushing in the loss.
Now, for both, it’s time to rebound.
“We are getting some starters back which we feel should help us,” Boyertown head coach George Parkinson said. “Upper Perk is a good team and we have to be on our game. Our goal is to play mistake-free and turnover-free football.”
Parkinson’s goals reflect the Bears’ performance last season.
Lawrence Garnett rebounded from a tough Week 1 last season to finish 10-of-12 for 156 yards and a touchdown while running the ball for an additional 75 yards and two scores on 21 carries as the Bears pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 29-15 victory.
Hontz and Upper Perkiomen are aiming to make sure the senior dual-threat quarterback doesn’t make the Week 2 game feel like deja vu.
“Boyertown has an extremely athletic quarterback who was the difference in last year’s game, so we must contain him,” Hontz said. “Their size on the offensive and defensive lines is also a concern as they can be very physical. We need to clean up the little details and try to get our passing game going to open things up for Felix and Whary on the ground.”
Quite the streak
Boyertown hasn’t lost to Upper Perkiomen since 2009 when it lost 24-17 on Thanksgiving Day. Chase Fleming had himself a day in the Turkey Day victory, rushing for 153 yards and a score on 23 carries as Casey Perlstein scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard quarterback sneak with a little more than three minutes to play. Since then, the Bears have been dominant in the series, winning the past five games by an average of 27.4 points per game.
Speaking of streaks
Perkiomen Valley holds an impressive one of their own over Methacton in the quest for the Battle Ax Trophy, a rivalry game that dates back to 1962. The Vikings have held onto the Battle Ax since 2007, and with recent results, look poised to keep it in their trophy case another year.
Stephen Sturm was electric in the Vikes’ 56-36 Week 1 victory over Council Rock North, tossing for more than 300 yards and four scores while three Vikings receivers (including the nine-reception night from Justin Jaworski) finished with more than four receptions. Methacton, reeling off the mass exodus of seniors from last year’s PAC-10 second-place squad, fell to Norristown 43-13 in its opener. But according to Perkiomen Valley head coach Scott Reed, Methacton’s Week 1 defeat shouldn’t have any bearing on the squad he expects to see Friday night.
“The Methacton and Perkiomen Valley Battle Ax game is an old, traditional rivalry that seems to bring the best out of both schools. Last year, this game was one of the most competitive games we played in PAC-10 play,” Reed said.
Methacton is coming off a Week 1 loss, but that is no different than last year when they lost their first game but then ripped off seven wins out of their next 10 games.
“Everything I’ve seen on film leads me to believe that this is a typical Methacton football team. They give a lot of looks on defense and their kids play extremely hard while they have a very multiple and balanced offense,” Reed said. “Their Week 1 score is very misleading because much of their misfortune was the result of turnovers. We will need to play at a high level because their is no doubt Methacton will give us their best.”
Elsewhere in the Area
Spring-Ford, 28-25 victors over State College in its opener, takes on Phoenixville. The Rams have won the last two over the Phantoms. Daniel Boone has Octorara, Owen J. Roberts travels to Great Valley, Pottstown to Chichester and Pottsgrove to Pope John Paul II for a Saturday matinee.
