Times Herald Week 12 football preview capsules
NORTH PENN AT DOWNINGTOWN EAST
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Downingtown East High School
RECORDS: North Penn is 9-2 after defeating Unionville, 48-7. Downingtown East is 11-0 after defeating Plymouth Whitemarsh, 35-28.
OUTLOOK: Who knew, when the Knights were losing to the Cougars in Week Three of the regular season, that a rematch would occur in the District One playoff quarterfinals?
That turned out to be the script as the Knights got 100-yard rushing games from both Nyfease West and Nick Isabella last week en route to a team total 306 rushing yards, and another triple-digit passing game from QB Reece Udinski.
Were the top-seeded Cougars snapped back to reality after last week’s scare against Plymouth Whitemarsh, or was it their “escape-hiccup” from a sub-par performance and they’ll come out loaded for bear this week?
When the Cougars are cooking on all cylinders, QB Saunders Healy, running back Jack Kincade and TE and USC commit Cary Angeline are the primarily sparkplugs.
UPPER DARBY AT UPPER DUBLIN
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Dublin High School
RECORDS: Upper Darby is 10-1 after defeating Council Rock North, 59-34. Upper Dublin is 11-0 after defeating Garnet Valley, 35-3.
OUTLOOK: The Royals have broken into the District One gridiron big time, and they’ve done so via an offense that churned out 576 total yards a week ago, including a 337-yard, 7-TD performance from running back Isaiah Bruce, who now stands just 60 yards short of the program’s record for rushing yards in a season.
That type of efficiency shouldn’t faze the Cardinals, who racked up over 500 yards of offense of their own in their waltz past Garnet Valley, and QB Ryan Stover keeps watchers scratching their heads over why he has yet to be offered by a big-time, D-1 program.
LA SALLE AT ST. JOSEPH’S PREP
TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
RECORDS: La Salle is 6-3 after defeating Father Judge, 27-6. St. Joseph’s Prep is 7-2 after defeating Roman Catholic, 49-13.
OUTLOOK: Who gives the Explorers a shot in this latest PCL Class AAAA playoff final?
Not many, that’s for sure.
But the Explorers, fresh off a win over a better-than-they-looked Father Judge team, remain upbeat about their chances.
The Prep has never been a one-man or even a two-man gang. The Hawks come in waves using a variety of talented players and produce victories keyed by some of the most unlikely heroes.
For the record, keep an eye on Prep RB D’Andre Swift and QB Kevin Shaw, but expect the Hawks to unveil another unknown hero.
La Salle has gotten plenty of mileage out of QB Chris Ferguson and RBs Syaire Madden and Isaiah Jones, but its best player is probably Nick Rinella, who can help win games as a wideout, a running back and a ball-hawking safety.
PENNSBURY AT PERKIOMEN VALLEY
TIME: Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Perkiomen Valley High School
RECORDS: Pennsbury is 8-3 after defeating Downingtown West in overtime, 35-28. Perkiomen Valley is 10-1 after defeating Haverford, 35-28.
OUTLOOK: True, the Vikings were the lone PAC-10 team to live to see the playoffs’ second round.
But don’t think the Falcons aren’t poring over every frame of the Vikings’s loss to Spring-Ford, in which the Rams rushed for 351 yards on their way to the Pioneer Athletic Conference title, in preparation for this week’s quarterfinal matchup.
Keep in mind, the Falcons throw the ball about as often as Ted Nugent turns down a hunting trip.
Falcons quarterback Mike Alley and running backs Daulton Hose and Chris Rupprecht will attempting to wear out the Vikings run , and the Vikings better be prepared.
Meanwhile, PV QV Stephen Sturm broke PAC season records for yardage (2,848) and touchdowns (30) a week ago.
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL AT NORRISTOWN
TIME: Saturday, noon, Norristown High School
RECORDS: Archbishop Carroll is 2-8 after losing to Archbishop Wood, 49-6. Norristown is 4-6 and was idle last week.
