Delco Football Notebook: Bonner-Prendie to honor Garrison before O’Hara game

Bonner-Prendergast will honor former player Dave Garrison before the Cardinal O’Hara game Friday night at Upper Darby’s Memorial Field.

The Friars will retire Garrison’s No. 6 jersey with a brief pregame ceremony involving Garrison’s family and friends. The team is also recognizing its senior players prior to the game.

A 2008 graduate of Monsignor Bonner, Garrison died Jan. 23, 2009 on his drive back to West Virginia University, where he was set to begin his first spring semester.

Garrison was a standout defensive end in high school and a beloved teammate. His former high school coach remembers him fondly.

“He was a great kid,” said Tom Oropeza, the head coach at Bonner when Garrison was a senior. “He worked his tail off, everyone loved him, and he never complained. He was quiet kid, but a leader that everyone respected and gravitated to. He was such a warm kid to be around.”

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District One Power Rankings >> If the season ended today, and the rankings were finalized as is, Upper Darby and Haverford would meet in the first round of the District One Class AAAA playoffs. Now that’s something to think about.

The Fords and Royals each boast 7-1 records (5-0 Central League). Haverford currently sits in eighth place, while UD is in ninth.

Elsewhere in the Class AAAA rankings, Garnet Valley is tied with Plymouth Whitemarsh for 14th place. Needless to say, the Jaguars (6-2) cannot afford another loss.

The same could be said about Ridley, which is in the outside looking in, sitting in 21st place. The Green Raiders (6-2) would need to hurdle five teams just to qualify as the No. 16 seed. So, wins over Haverford and Conestoga to finish the year might not be enough. Ridley hasn’t made the district tournament since 2012.

The Class AAA bracket is controlled by Academy Park (8-0), which has a two-game edge in the loss column over No. 2 Upper Moreland. Interboro (7-1) and Marple Newtown (6-2) are in fourth and fifth place, respectively, while Springfield (4-4) is clinging to the eighth and final spot. The Cougars have revived their season with back-to-back impressive wins.

Radnor (4-4) slid to 10th place after a Week 9 setback to Haverford. The Raiders essentially need to win out and hope that Springfield and Bishop Shanahan, which occupies ninth place, lose their remaining games.

Delco Christian (7-1) eyes its first Bicentennial League championship and will look to repeat in the District One/District 12 Class A tournament. The Knights are well in front of the pack for the No. 1 seed.

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Several of The Haverford School’s top defensive players reside in Delaware County.

Mickey and Christopher Kober are Havertown kids. Frank Cresta is from Aston. His brother, Phil, was a standout baseball player at Sun Valley and a longtime member of the Delco Baseball League.

Brian Denoncour, All-Delco offensive lineman last fall, is from Marple. Sophomore defensive tackle Anthony Reginelli lives in Springfield.

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The final weekend of the regular season is shaping up to be a memorable one.

In the Central League, Upper Darby hosts Garnet Valley. GV would need victories this weekend against Conestoga

and Upper Darby to have any shot at earning a piece of the Central League crown. Of course, Ridley hopes to throw its hat in the ring if it can upset Haverford (7-1, 5-0) Friday night at Phil Marion Field.

Also next week is the highly anticipated showdown between Del Val League frontrunners Academy Park (8-0, 2-0) and Interboro (7-1, 2-0), which has rattled off seven straight victories. The longtime rivals have gone through some memorable battles in recent years, and next Friday at Knight Park in Sharon Hill should be no different.

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Marple Newtown All-Delco Abel Hoff set the school’s career receiving record in last week’s loss to Garnet Valley, surpassing Matt Barr’s 26-year mark of 1,629 yards. Hoff has 1,676 career yards.

Hoff, who became the county’s single-season record holder in receptions (70) last fall, has a very slim chance at tracking down the Delco record of 163 career catches, which is held by Sun Valley’s Ray Withelder (1996-99). Hoff ranks third all-time with 131 catches.

The Tigers figure to have at least three more games (they’re in good position to make the district playoffs).  So, Hoff would need roughly 10.5 catches per game to tie Withelder’s record. Crazier things have happened.

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Moving the Chains >> Upper Darby running back Isaiah Bruce has a shot at becoming the county’s single-season touchdown champion. With 22 scores (19 rushing, two receiving, one punt return), the senior is 13 shy from matching Matt Craig’s mark of 35 touchdowns set in 2010. Craig was a Springfield All-Delco and the 2010 Daily Times Player of the Year…Delco Christian is averaging a county-best 335 rushing yards per game…Garnet Valley rushed the ball 76 times for 359 yards in its win over Marple Newtown last week…Academy Park has outscored its opponents by 256 points (289-33). The Knights have allowed only 14 points since their Week 1 victory over West Chester East.

To contact Matt Smith, email msmith@delcotimes.com or follow him on Twitter @DTMattSmith. For statistical leaders, team schedules and more, visit delcofootball.com.

 

Matt Smith’s Football Super 7

1. Haverford School (7-0)

2. Academy Park (8-0)

3. Haverford (7-1)

4. Upper Darby (7-1)

5. Garnet Valley (6-2)

6. Interboro (7-1)

7. Episcopal Academy (5-2)