Spring football makes its debut with Del Val League

Spring football has arrived in Delaware County.

The Del Val League will embark on a six-week campaign beginning Friday night. In September, the Del Val announced it would not participate in fall sports due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The league-wide shutdown enabled athletic directors from each school to explore options for the spring. The Del Val has partnered up with other schools in the state that canceled their fall athletics and formed the United X League.

In addition to Del Val members Academy Park, Chester, Chichester, Interboro and Penn Wood, the United X League will comprise Cheltenham, Harry S Truman and Norristown, who are PIAA District 1 members. District 3’s Reading and District 12’s Father Judge have joined the conference as well.

The season is scheduled to run through April 16. Similar to the Central League’s abbreviated campaign, United X will hold five regular-season game weeks and a championship final.

Here are snapshot previews of the five Del Val teams participating in the football season:

At Academy Park, the Knights were a two-point conversion away from winning the District 1 Class 5A championship in 2019, but lost 43-42 to Cheltenham.

AP was one of the winningest programs in Delco during the 2010s. Coach Jason Vosheski’s program captured three District 1 championships during the last decade (no other school in Delco won more than two).

This year the Knights anticipate big performances from wide receivers Tahriq Marrero (6-1, 180) and Kenny Wright (6-3, 180), senior tight end/linebacker Brian Erskine (6-0, 195), senior lineman Xavier Crantshaw-Watson (5-11, 230), senior tight end/defensive lineman Kabba Kamara (6-2, 195), senior wide receiver/defensive back Chris Waiters (5-10, 170), junior wide receiver/defensive back Eric Willis (5-9, 165) and junior running back/linebacker Ibrahim Sanogo (6-2, 200).

The Knights posted a record of 11-3 and earned a share of the Del Val title last season.

All-Delco defensive lineman Isaiah Rogers, who is bound for Division I Central Michigan, has opted out of the 2021 spring campaign.

“We have very good speed and athleticism, especially in the underclassmen,” coach Jason Vosheski said.

Because Academy Park students have yet to return to in-class learning, attendance to home games is prohibited, as ruled by the board at Southeast Delco School District.

At Chester, the Clippers ended 2019 with a 7-3 record, their best season in 11 years. Unfortunately, the Clippers failed to qualify for the District 1 tournament due to a shortage of power points.

Coach LaDontay Bell welcomes back as many as eight returning starters including senior running back Anton Sterling (5-10, 185), senior linebacker Ja’kai Boegertey (5-11, 180), senior linemen Lorenzo Patterson (6-1, 275), Rodney Holland (6-0, 225) and Jaheim Golden (5-11, 210), and junior wide receivers Darron Miller (6-4, 180) and William Smith (5-9, 160).

At Chichester, coach Bob Brice begins his second season running the show. The Eagles managed a 4-8 record in 2019, but pulled an upset victory over Chester and blanked rival Sun Valley on Thanksgiving.

All-Del Val kicker Zach Taylor (who is also the baseball team’s No. 1 pitcher) will be Chi’s new starting quarterback. The 5-10, 160-pound senior also starts in the defensive secondary. Brice also has high expectations for seniors Bryen Hamm (5-10, 170) and Marquise Fields (5-8, 135), both of whom are returning starters at running back and defensive back.

One newcomer to watch is sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Staring Reaves, who transferred to Chi from Chester. Reaves (5-9, 155) was a freshman varsity starter on 2019 and displayed a lot of potential. He recorded 15 total tackles and three interceptions.

Chi opens Friday evening at home against Father Judge.

At Interboro, Dennis Lux enters his first season as head coach, replacing Delco sports legend Steve Lennox.

Lux is a 2005 graduate of Interboro, where he played quarterback. Sean Wasson, the 2004 Daily Times Player of the Year, will serve as his defensive coordinator. Staff members Wasson, Zack McMenamin, Bill Margetich, Brian Margetich and Chris Long are all Interboro products.

In 2019 the Bucs endured one of their worst seasons in the last 30 years, posting a 2-8 record.

Among the Bucs’ returning starters are senior linemen Jeremiah Butts, Mike Coghlan and Nick MacMillan; senior wide receivers Paul Finley and Mike Wittorf; and junior linebackers Brady Hummel (5-8, 190), Robert Forbes (6-0, 180) and Teddy Crossley (6-0, 185).

Interboro opens Saturday afternoon at home against Chester.

At Penn Wood, the Patriots could be the most stacked team in the league. The Patriots lost to Academy Park in the 2019 district playoffs and finished with a 7-5 record.

Senior defensive end/tight end Christian Suber (6-0, 230) is a four-year varsity starter who is garnering interest from several FCS-level programs.

“He will demand a double team,” Penn Wood coach Ato Troop said. “If not, he will wreak havoc on offenses.”

The big playmakers on offense for the Patriots are senior athlete Malik Brooks (5-10, 180) and junior athlete Jordin Jones (5-9, 170).

“(Brooks) will get heavy action in both the run game and pass game. A great athlete that will be part of the dynamic duo in the backfield this year. Also getting college looks, phenomenal athlete,” Troop said. “(Jones) is another phenomenal athlete that will be part of the dynamic duo backfield.”

Senior wide receiver/defensive back Mike Price gives the Patriots another weapon in the passing game. The athleticism and play-making ability of Brooks, Jones and Price should help junior quarterback Jason Kempf transition to the starting job. Kempf is tasked with filling the shoes of two-time All-Delco Desman Johnson Jr., the county’s all-time passing leader who is playing college ball at West Chester University.