District 1-5A playoffs run through Cardinal Stadium
Upper Dublin’s 38-8 win over Quakertown Friday night not only clinched an outright Suburban One League Continental Conference championship, but it made sure the District 1-5A playoffs run through Cardinal Stadium.
The Cardinals enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed and would host four games, including the district championship on Nov. 25, as long as they keep winning. The playoff run starts at home Friday night against No. 16 Academy Park.
“We did it in (2015) and didn’t have to get on a bus,” Upper Dublin coach Bret Stover said. “Back then we had to get on a bus for neutral site for the championship game, but we get to host it if we can get that far. Coach (Ed) Wall said it, we want to be 1-0 each week. That’s all we we’re worried about. We’re not looking down the road, but it’s nice when you don’t have to get on a bus. Kids can stay in their routine, it’s familiar. If you forgot something, go to the locker room. If you forgot something at an away game, we’re scrambling. It’s nice.”
Upper Dublin (10-0) went 6-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 201-44 in those games.
“The support we get from the community and our students is awesome,” senior quarterback Colin O’Sullivan said. “To be able to come out here and put on a show for them every week leading up to Thanksgiving feels great for us.”
“Our atmosphere has been great,” senior cornerback and wide receiver DJ Cerisier said. “The whole community comes to support.”
In three district title runs since 2015, the Cardinals have done most of their damage at home.
As the No. 3 seed in 2015, they won three home games before winning the championship over North Penn, 46-21, at a neutral site.
They entered the 2018 playoffs as the No. 2 seed. Top-seeded Pennwood lost in the semifinals, so Upper Dublin hosted through the championship and beat West Chester Rustin, 35-28.
The Cardinals were the No. 1 seed in 2020 when only four teams made the playoffs. They hosted the championship game and cruised to a 29-8 win over Rustin with O’Sullivan leading the way as a sophomore.
Four other schools in the Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery area are in the 5A playoffs – Plymouth Whitemarsh, Upper Moreland, Methacton and Upper Merion.
Plymouth Whitemarsh, the No. 4 seed and 2021 district semifinalist, hosts No. 13 Sun Valley. No. 9 Upper Moreland faces No. 8 Great Valley, No. 11 Methacton travels to No. 6 Kennett and No. 15 Upper Merion takes on No. 2 Strath Haven, the defending district champion.
6A
All three Central Bucks schools, North Penn, Souderton and Quakertown earned spots in the 6A playoffs.
No. 7 Souderton hosts No. 10 CB South while No. 6 CB East hosts No. 11 CB West. East and West will play for the second straight week after the Bucks won, 21-14, in the regular season finale.
Quakertown, the 16th seed, travels to top-seeded Garnet Valley while No. 14 North Penn heads to No. 3 Pennsbury. The Knights lost to the Falcons earlier this season, 44-34, on Oct. 14.
4A
No. 2 Pope John Paul II hosts No. 3 Springfield Montco in the 4A semifinals. The 9-1 Golden Panthers are coming off their only loss of the season, against 6A No. 2 seed Perk Valley, while the Spartans had their best offensive game of the season, putting up 50 points against William Tennent.
A
No. 1 Jenkintown faces No. 2 Morrisville in the district championship game. The winner will face the District 2-A champion for a spot in states. This will be the third meeting of the season between these rivals. Jenkintown won 13-12 on Oct. 1 and Morrisville won 38-20 on Oct. 21.
