Pennridge wants another taste of the playoffs
It was a late-August intrasquad scrimmage on the turf, and Pennridge could feel the final days of camp winding down.
The cool breezes blowing through Helman Field provided a nice break from the 90-degree heat of two-a-days, and maybe the first hint of the fall season that lie ahead.
“We want to come out that first game and just start hitting people,” senior tackle Daniel Branch said.
Branch is an experienced member of a big offensive line for the Rams, one that aims to keep Pennridge’s productive Wing-T running right along.
“We want to build on the success of last year,” said coach Jeff Hollenbach, whose team got out to a 3-0 start and would go on to earn a District One Class AAAA playoff bid. “The frustration of not finishing well against Quakertown (in a 14-10 playoff loss) — I hope that for my seniors, that’s gonna be in their belly, their heart, and we’re gonna be ready to play Hatboro-Horsham.”
The Rams head into their season opener with the Hatters experienced and playoff-tested.
DeVon Balmer returns under center for the Rams, with wide receivers Ryan Cuthbert and Riley Hager returning as two of his key targets, along with a variety of running backs sharing the carries.
Defensively, though, is where Pennridge returns the bulk of its players.
“We have a lot of people coming back. I really like the way we look defensively,” Hollenbach said.
With 6-foot-3, 290-pound Jon King at nose guard, the Rams have one of their biggest defensive fronts in years. Alex Schmidt and Mark Funk provide speed on the ends.
A solid linebacking corps provides further confidence for the defense, as Matt Kraynik and Joe Robinson man the outside and Nick Tarburton takes care of things on the inside.
The secondary is loaded with seniors, including captain and two-way player Dan Hockman.
“It’s going really well,” Hollenbach said of summer practices. “I’m pleased with the attitude and the effort.
“I really like the way we look defensively so far. Typically, early in the season, the defense has an advantage, and in (the intrasquad scrimmages), it’s even more of an advantage because we battle each other every day and they know what we’re doing, they know the plays, and all of that stuff, but having said that, I still think the defense has done some really nice things.”
Top Photo: Coach Jeff Hollenbach talks to Judens Desrosiers at Pennridge football practice on Monday, Aug. 24, 2015. (Bob Raines/Montgomery Media)
