Mercury Week 1 Preview: Boyertown, Upper Perkiomen keeping rivalry going strong

When the Pioneer Athletic Conference realigned into two divisions a few years back, it signaled a death knell to some of the league’s traditional rivalries.

Boyertown and Upper Perkiomen’s football programs have made sure that isn’t the case in their own border battle, renewing acquaintances on an annual basis in a game that may not count in the conference standings, but nonetheless means plenty to coaches, fans, and players on both sides.

Last year, the Indians rode the momentum of a 42–21 victory over Boyertown all the way to the District 1 Class 4A title game. This year, Boyertown plays host and hopes to get a flying start toward their own goal of a return to the district playoffs in 2018.

To do so, they’ll need a big performance from senior quarterback Ayden Mathias, who returns to the run the Bears’ offense again. A year older and a year wiser, Mathias looks forward to avenging last year’s defeat and leading the Bears’ resurgence.

The Bears’ boast a versatile tailback in Dylan Robertson who’ll be joined by Jamie Moccia in carrying the mail for the Bears’ triple-option attack.

For the Indians, Coach Tom Hontz is breaking in a quarterback who’s new only in terms of his position with the first string. Tyler Weber has served as the team’s backup QB since his freshman year, behind record-setting Zeke Hallman and converted WR Tyler Keyser, and now steps in to lead an offense that will replace several skill position players.

The Indians will return speedster running back Tyrese Reid, one of the Tribe’s few returning skill position players after the departures of top rusher Tyler Whary and league-best receiver Ryan Kendra. Obviously, Boyertown would be wise to keep Reid in their sites at all time. Luke Whary will provide the thunder to go along with Reid’s lightning in the backfield.

Downingtown West at Perkiomen Valley >> Along with the Neshaminy/North Penn tilt, it’s arguably the highlight of the District 1 opening week schedule.

Pa. Prep Live’s preseason No. 9 team, the Perkiomen Valley Vikings, welcome No. 10 Downingtown West on Friday night for a matchup that should go a long way to determining early pole position for the District 1 playoff race.

Last season, a young Whippets squad was conspicuous by its absence from the District 1 6A playoffs, as coach Mike Milano started 14 sophomores in total and the team struggled to a 5–5 record, the first of which was a 38-0 defeat to Perk Valley in Week 1 last year. But the Whippets are poised to reap the benefits in 2018 behind the arm of junior QB Will Howard.
Howard, already in possession of a trio of Division 1 college offers (Rutgers, Yale, Morgan State) passed for 1,795 yards and 11 TDs in 2017, and figures to be the headliner of a D-West offense that should be bigger and better this season.

His opposite number, Cole Peterlin, is coming off an impressive junior season where the quarterback threw for over 1,700 yards and ran for another 900 in leading PV to the District 1-6A quarterfinals. The challenge for the Vikings in 2018 is replacing eight defensive starters off of a back-to-back Pioneer Athletic Conference championship squad.

Both teams face loaded non-conference schedules this season even after Friday’s opening tilt (D-West hosts C.B. South and Neshaminy, while the Vikings will travel to Downingtown East before hosting Pennridge and Interboro) before embarking on their respective Ches-Mont National and PAC Liberty slates. With a pair of established quarterbacks at the helm, Friday’s game will likely be decided by the performances of those young players D-West coach Mike Milano and Perk Valley coach Rob Heist are depending on for the first time in 2018.

West Catholic at Pottsgrove >> Life after Rick Pennypacker begins in earnest for the defending District 1-4A champs Friday, as they take on West Catholic in what’s become a season-opening rivalry over the past few years. Last year, a 14-0 decision over the Burrs spearheaded Pottsgrove onto their championship quest.

Pottsgrove, ranked No. 16 in the Pa. Prep Live preseason poll, has Bill Hawthorne as the new man in charge. Hawthorne is excited to benefit from Pennypacker’s years — decades, in fact — of success. “He’s left the program in about as good shape as it could possibly be,” said Hawthorne during preseason. “The main thing is learning management of the game, staff, the ins and outs of everyday preparations.”

Hawthorne figures to delegate carries between a pair of Isaiahs — junior Isaiah Glover and senior Isaiah Taylor after the graduation of Mercury All-Area Player of the Year Rahsul Faison. Versatile QB Jay Sisko returns for one more year at the helm of the Pottsgrove offense, while TE/DE Ryan Bodolus looks to improve (if that’s possible) on an 18-sack season in 2017.

Friday also marks Pottsgrove’s annual Military Appreciation Night during pregame festivities.

Coming off an 8-4 season a year ago, West Catholic should provide suitable competition in the opener, as they return a total of 14 starter including all skill position players.

Spring-Ford at Central Bucks South >> It’s baptism by fire for new Spring-Ford quarterback Ryan Engro and the Rams, as they travel to take on the Pa. Prep Live No. 12 preseason squad in Central Bucks South. The Titans come into 2018 loaded with experience, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

When Spring-Ford’s on offense, Engro will likely look often to Dante Bonanni, who set school underclassman records a year ago with 41 receptions and 649 yards. Senior Stephen Brill figures to see a lion’s share of the work in the backfield, and the Rams hope Engro’s athleticism and mobility can contribute in the running game as well.

Both teams are coming off 6A playoff berths in 2017 and are meeting for the first time in a game that should tell Spring-Ford an awful lot about where they stand early in the 2018 campaign.

Great Valley at Phoenixville >> The battle for Route 29 sees a new face on the Phoenixville sideline this year in former Pottstown coach Don Grinstead. The new coach will have a wealth of skill-position experience at his disposal, with senior QB Connor Patania and RB/LB Travis Pannella (the PAC’s leading returning rusher) at his disposal.

Last year’s matchup saw a total of 81 points scored (a 50–31 Great Valley win), and with Great Valley returning most of its skill position players, a repeat performance is not out of the question. The Patriots look to break in a largely new offensive line this season while continuing to operate out of coach Dan Ellis’ spread offense.

Upper Dublin at Norristown >> Coach Joe Milligan’s era won’t get off to an easy start, as the Eagles jump right into a matchup with preseason No. 18 Upper Dublin.

The Cardinals made a run to the 5A District semifinals last season, but figure to go through some growing pains as they replace a class of 17 accomplished seniors in 2018. The team will rely on its defensive line—the strongest returning unit—in the early going.

For the Eagles, it’s not about the specific players as much as it is about creating a team identity of accountability under Milligan’s “Norristown 2.0” philosophy. The coach has talked about restoring the pride in the program. On the field, that translate to running the ball consistently and with authority. If they can accomplish this against the UD defense, it will be the strongest evidence yet in favor of the new regime.

Kutztown at Pope John Paul II (at Conshohocken’s “A” Field) >> PJP looks to build on a breakout 2017 season by introducing a new quarterback—junior Archbishop Carroll transfer Kamal Gray — to an already-stacked collection of skill-position players, including AJ Natale (571 yards rushing, 9 TDs in 2017) and CJ McCafferty.

Year-by-year improvement has been the Golden Panthers’ theme under coach Rory Graver, and an improvement on last year’s 7–4 campaign figures to have them near the top of the PAC Frontier division. They’ll get started against a Kutztown team who was unable to secure a victory in 2017.

Owen J. Roberts at Conestoga >> The PAC’s “road warriors” start their journey in Berwyn against the Pioneers. OJR leads off the season with three consecutive games away from home before getting to host both Perkiomen Valley and Spring-Ford this year.

Junior Cooper Chamberlain gets the start at QB after the graduation of record-setting Dawson Stuart. He’ll rely heavily on the feet on RB Marcus Martin and the steady hands of Savaughn Davidheiser and Connor Leister on the outside.

Coach Matt Diamond is starting another new regime for ‘Stoga, who looks to rebound after a combined 3–17 showing over the past two seasons.

Octorara at Pottstown >> It’s good news/bad news for the Trojans, who return 10 players on the defensive side of the ball (good) from a unit that allowed 31 points per game in 2017 (bad). Safety Nehemiah Figueroa will lead Pottstown’s hopeful resurgence on that side of the ball.

Josiah Wiggins slides into the QB spot after playing at running back a year ago. He’ll look to find Figueroa as his main target on the outside while relying heavily on Daniel Darden in the ground game and an offensive line that returns four of five starters.

The contest will mark Octorara’s first as a member of District 3 and the Lancaster-Lebanon League after it left the Ches-Mont League following the 2017 season.

Upper Merion at Radnor >> There’s nowhere to go but up for an Upper Merion offensive attack that finished at the bottom of the PAC in passing last year (35 yards per game). They’ll look to junior Dale Clayton, who missed last season to lead the resurgence. The return of LB Mark Picariello (missed last year with a serious knee injury) should inspire the Vikings on defense.

Upper Merion squares off with an experienced Radnor team that boasts 26 seniors in 2018, including returning starting QB Sean Mullarkey. The Raiders have qualified for the 5A playoffs in consecutive seasons.

Methacton at Harry S. Truman >> It’s a new era in Methacton football under coach Dave Lotier, and enthusiasm couldn’t be higher. A team that ended last season with only 19 players on the roster had over 60 athletes in fall camp, and looks to rebound from a winless 2017 behind a defense led by seniors Joe Pacholski, Tonee Ellis, and Steve Brown.

The challenge on the field this week will be just as daunting, as Truman returns a majority of players from the school’s first-ever playoff squad a year ago. With size and speed to burn, the Tigers look to challenge perennial powers Neshaminy and Pennsbury in the Suburban One National in 2018.