High School Football Week 2 Preview: Pottsgrove looks to avoid 0-2 start in visit from Owen J. Roberts
The long weekend of high school football continues on Friday and Saturday, featuring a big inter-conference rematch from 2022 as well as a couple of premier nonleague showdowns.
(All times 7 p.m. Friday unless noted.)
Owen J. Roberts (1-0) at Pottsgrove (0-1)
It’s the matchup that kept the Falcons out of the District 1-4A playoffs a year ago. This year, the stakes aren’t as dire, but a 0-2 start isn’t what anyone at Pottsgrove has in mind.
“It was evident when we played OJR [last season] that they play disciplined, error-free football,” said Pottsgrove coach Bill Hawthorne.
“It’s very much the same story on film this year, so we must do the same to be in a position to win.”
An outstanding performance from senior Bryce Caffrey wasn’t enough in a 16-13 loss to Methacton last week. Hawthorne indicated the Falcons responded well in practice after the Week 1 disappointment as they prepare to open the home section of their schedule.
OJR comes in on the opposite side, surviving a seesaw battle at Conestoga to open 2023. Senior quarterback Derek Hinrichs and freshman receiver Mekhi Graham connected for a pair of scores in the 25-22 win.
Hinrichs waited until his senior year to get his chance behind center, and he’s making it count already. The athletic signal caller had 171 yards passing (98 of those to Graham) and another 103 on the ground. This week, the Wildcats look to get the rest of their offense on track, as Hinrichs was a bit of a one-man show on the stat sheet in the opener.
Perkiomen Valley (1-0) at Downingtown West (1-0)
One of the best Week 2 matchups in all of District 1 features an ‘accidental rivalry’ that’s featured some great games over the past several years. Last year, it was the Vikings who held on for a one-point victory at home over Downingtown West.
Now Perkiomen Valley travels to meet a Whippets squad looking to even the score.
But Perkiomen Valley got their feet more than wet in terms of traveling in last week’s impressive 31-0 victory at Chester on Saturday morning.
“We have gritty kids who played together as a team under difficult conditions for four full quarters of football,” said PV coach Rob Heist.
Chester had one of the more explosive offenses in the area a year ago, but they couldn’t find their footing against a stingy PV defense. Dimitri Toman and Anthony Rodriguez had three tackles apiece in smothering the Clippers’ attack, while Andrew Keenan and Franny Soto led the offensive line in powering a balanced attack led by Nathan Reedy (69 yards rushing, TD) and Joey Keough (80 yards receiving, TD).
For their part, Downingtown West survived a test from Abraham Lincoln High of District 12.
“Downingtown West is a perennial District 1 powerhouse – big, athletic, and very well-coached,” said Heist. “We won this game by one point last year, and we know they’ve had us circled since then. We expect to get their best on Friday night.”
Exeter (1-0) at Boyertown (1-0)
Ground and pound will be the name of the game at Boyertown when these two prolific rushing offenses square off.
The matchup with Exeter has given the Bears fits the past several years, and if Boyertown is to attain its stated goal of a district playoff berth, this contest would be the perfect spot to make a statement.
Cole Yesavage did just that in the opener, as the defending PAC rushing champion picked up where he left off in 2022, racking up 294 yards on the ground and five scores. But Boyertown trailed in the second half and had some special teams issues, allowing an Upper Perkiomen kick return touchdown.
Jason Oakes joined Yesavage in the century club with exactly 100 yards rushing.
Exeter’s 42-7 victory over Daniel Boone saw a half-dozen different players hit paydirt, four touchdowns coming on the ground and two through the air. The Eagles averaged over seven yards per carry, but the true standout was Joel Ummarino, a sophomore linebacker who snared three interceptions.
Boyertown’s ground-heavy attack figures to render a repeat performance impossible, but Exeter’s defense is up for the challenge after an impressive debut.
Bishop Shanahan (0-1) at Phoenixville (1-0)
Last week’s opening 42-14 victory over Great Valley was one of the more significant victories in recent Phoenixville history.
But once toe meets leather Friday night, last week becomes meaningless.
“Last year Shanahan started the game with a 70-yard kick return for a touchdown,” recalled Phoenixville coach Anthony Ciarlello. “This year, we need to stop big plays that hurt us in all phases of the game.”
The Phantoms were overwhelming on both sides in the running game last week, winning that battle 310-5. But Ciarlello acknowledged Shanahan’s ability to get numbers to the ball carrier, so quarterback Ty Romance may find more opportunities to take to the air.
Nonetheless, the Phantoms figure to rely upon that prolific running gamer led by sophomore Deacon Williams (86 yards, TD last week).
Pope John Paul II (1-0) at Archbishop Ryan, 1 p.m. Saturday
The Golden Panthers started last week with a 22-0 win over District 3 Class 6A Chambersburg, but for coach Scott Reed the name of the game was inconsistency.
“We played a much cleaner game on defense than offense,” said Reed. “We put drives together and then we would hurt ourselves with penalties. On special teams, Ben Bosio had some great touchbacks on kickoffs and made a field goal, but we didn’t execute on our punt team and kickoff return team.”
TJ Boccella was the defensive standout, registering eight tackles including 2.5 sacks. Dylan Skarbek stepped up with a great performance at safety, while Denny Owens emerged at tight end, leading the team in receiving.
Archbishop Ryan has the Golden Panthers’ full attention after Frankie Mawson’s debut behind center made Catholic League history. The junior QB made his first start against his former team, Archbishop Wood, and set a Catholic League record with 448 yards passing as the Raiders battled back from a 31-0 deficit, only to lose by a field goal, 37-34.
Pressuring such a prolific passer will be paramount, as Mawson enjoys two standout targets in Bryce Warner and Damien Morgan, the latter of whom set a Ryan school record with 194 yards receiving last week.
Spring-Ford (1-0) vs. Father Judge (0-0), 4 p.m. Saturday in Ocean City, N.J.
It’s not your typical Labor Day weekend trip to the shore for the Rams.
“Father Judge is a solid football program,” said Rams coach Chad Brubaker, “so we have to be able to manage the travel and excitement of playing in Ocean City.
“Having played there before, this is like a home game to them.”
The Saturday contest by the beach will serve as the Crusaders’ 2023 opener. Spring-Ford started off hot last week, riding three touchdown passes from Matt Zollers to Mason Scott en route to a 49-19 win over Governor Mifflin. But week one always comes with some concerns, and the Rams were no different.
“Glaring mistakes on special teams,” Brubaker said, when asked for areas for improvement, “plus continuing to improve on the little things on offense and defense.”
