Times Herald Week 5 Football capsules

METHACTON AT SPRING-FORD

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Spring-Ford High School

RECORDS: Methacton is 0-4, 0-3 after losing to Upper Perkiomen, 31-21. Spring-Ford is 4-0, 3-0 after defeating Boyertown, 39-6.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Spring-Ford won, 49-20

OUTLOOK: In a game that was originally a Warriors home game, then moved to Saturday at Spring-Ford, it is now at Spring-Ford on Friday night.
The Warriors, of course, are off to an abysmal start, with a relatively small roster and very little varsity experience.
The Rams are almost complete opposites, and are off to a glorious start, with an offense led by QB Ricky Venuto (43-for-63, 630 yds., 9 TDs) that is averaging better than 350 yards per contest.
Methacton got two touchdown passes (both to Ryan O’Toole) and a rushing touchdown from QB Jason Eckman last week.

NORRISTOWN AT QUAKERTOWN

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Quakertown High School

RECORDS: Norristown is 2-2, 0-1 after losing to Central Bucks West, 31-28, in overtime. Quakertown is 4-0, 3-0 after defeating William Tennent, 56-7.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Quakertown won, 34-6

OUTLOOK: The Eagles limp into Quakertown to face the unbeaten Panthers, already with QB Diavante Lloyd out of the year and without FB Jahleel Ray, who was injured in last week’s OT loss to CB West. Another wounded warrior, Derik Cross, has been listed as “probable.”
Quakertown is a team on a roll, and Eagles head coach Jason Powel is understandably impressed.
“They’re a very good football team, and they play as a team,” Powel said. “They remind me a little bit of Plymouth Whitemarsh.”
Q-town got 242 rushing yards and five touchdowns from RB Rob Burns in the team’s blowout win over William Tennent.

PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT WISSAHICKON

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Wissahickon High School

RECORDS: Plymouth Whitemarsh is 4-0, 1-0 after defeating Upper Merion, 42-14. Wissahickon is 1-3, 0-1 after losing to Springfield, 34-20.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Plymouth Whitemarsh won, 42-27

OUTLOOK: The Colonials are literally running over foes with RB Nafeese Nasir doing the bulk of the stomping, having piled up 740 rushing yards in just four games.
The Trojans were done in by turnovers and penalties a week ago, coughing up a first-half lead and being outscored, 27-7, in the second half and losing to Springfield.
Is it too early to start hyping a PW-Upper Dublin SOL American showdown?

SPRINGFIELD AT UPPER DUBLIN

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Upper Dublin High School

RECORDS: Springfield is 2-1, 1-0 after defeating Wissahickon, 34-20. Upper Dublin is 4-0, 1-0 after defeating Cheltenham, 42-6.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Dublin won, 46-14

OUTLOOK: The Spartans got a monster game from QB Justin Hill last week, as the signal-caller rushed for 217 yards and passed for 115 to overcome a 13-7 halftime deficit and beat Wissahickon.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, kept dancing merrily along with a blowout win over Cheltenham.
Barring a catastrophe, Upper Dublin doesn’t seem likely to encounter too many stiff tests before its Oct. 16 showdown with PW.

UPPER MERION AT HATBORO-HORSHAM

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Hatboro-Horsham High School

RECORDS: Upper Merion is 2-2, 0-1 after losing to Plymouth Whitemarsh, 42-14. Hatboro-Horsham is 1-3, 1-0 after defeating Upper Moreland, 20-13.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Hatboro-Horsham won, 34-18

OUTLOOK: The Vikings got run over last week by PW’s ground game while the Hatters shocked Upper Moreland to earn their first win.
Hatboro-Horsham was led by QB Casey Walsh’s 164 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns while the Hatters defense kept Golden Bears running back Rodney Morgan relatively quiet.

BONNER-PRENDERGAST AT ARCHBISHOP CARROLL

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at Archbishop Carroll High School

RECORDS: Bonner-Prendergast is 1-3, 0-0) after defeating Chester, 18-14. Archbishop Carroll is 1-3, 0-0 after defeating Penn Wood, 30-8.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Bonner-Prendergast won, 25-7

OUTLOOK: Two programs coming off their first wins meet as the PCL Class AAA season begins.
Carroll found some offense a week ago as running backs Rich Melito, Christian Smith and Rahsul Faison combined to rush for 275 yards in the dominating win over Penn Wood.
Bonner-Prendie, which slipped past Chester, is led by QB Evan Raiburn.

LA SALLE AT MCDONOGH

TIME: Friday, 7 p.m. at the McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)

RECORDS: La Salle is 3-1 after defeating Malvern Prep, 21-14. McDonogh is 2-2 after defeating Mt. St. Joseph’s, 36-33, in double overtime.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won, 31-20

OUTLOOK: McDonogh’s Eagles are highly respected down Maryland way.
How much so? Mt. St. Joseph’s went up 10 spots in the state polls after nipping the Birds in double overtime a week ago.
The Class A Eagles have two losses, but the first was to returning North Carolina Class AAAA champ Mallard Creek.
Offensively, the Eagles are led by running back Mylique McGriff, while safety Eric Burrell heads the defense.

CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH AT NORTH PENN

TIME: Friday, 7:30 p.m. at North Penn High School

RECORDS: Central Bucks South is 2-2, 1-0 after defeating Bensalem, 46-16. North Penn is 2-2, 1-0 after defeating Pennridge, 31-7.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Central Bucks South won, 28-27

OUTLOOK: Guess what program dealt the Knights their lone loss in SOL Continental play a season ago?
Yepper, it was the Titans, who snuffed a North Penn two-point conversion try with 44 seconds left in the game.
The Knights and head coach Dick Beck have long memories, so don’t expect the home team to treat this week like any other.
Meanwhile, CB South, with superstar running back Josh Adams comfortably ensconced at Notre Dame, is relying on QB Ian Vogt and RB Joe Bechta to move the offense this season.

BOYERTOWN AT POPE JOHN PAUL II

TIME: Saturday, 1 p.m. at Pope John Paul II High School

RECORDS: Boyertown is 1-3, 1-2 after losing to Spring-Ford, 39-6. Pope John Paul II is 0-4, 0-3 after losing to Pottstown, 52-34.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Boyertown won, 58-28

OUTLOOK: The Bears boast the PAC’s ninth-ranked offense, but look to make things better against the Panthers defense, which is ranked last in conference play.
Boyertown will try moving on the ground with QB Lawrence Garnett (63 carries, 129 yds.) and Hunter Vogels (23 carries, 128 yds.), while the Panthers have gotten terrific production from QB Matt Duff (47-for-83, 636 yds., 8 TDs).

PERKIOMEN VALLEY AT POTTSTOWN

TIME: Saturday, 1 p.m. at Pottstown High School

RECORDS: Perkiomen Valley is 4-0, 3-0 after defeating Owen J. Roberts, 49-14. Pottstown is 4-0, 3-0 after defeating Pope John Paul II, 52-34.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Perkiomen Valley won, 42-6

OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider.

BISHOP MCDEVITT AT GERMANTOWN ACADEMY

TIME: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. at Germantown Academy

RECORDS: Bishop McDevitt is 2-2 after losing to Steinert (N.J.), 35-32. Germantown Academy is 4-0 after defeating Academy of the New Church, 39-12.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Did not play

OUTLOOK: A pair of southpaw gunslingers go at it with guns a-blazin’.
Lancers quarterback Max Bryson threw for 411 yards and five touchdowns last week, with receiver Dontae Mattson hauling in 10 passes for 236 yards.
That southpaw signal-caller will try and match bullets with the strong left arm of GA QB Kyle McCloskey, who is not shy when it comes to spraying the gridiron with aerials.
Don’t go expecting a two-hour game.

WEST CATHOLIC AT LANSDALE CATHOLIC

TIME: Saturday, 4 p.m. at Wissahickon High School

RECORDS: West Catholic is 1-3, 0-0 after losing to Archbishop Wood, 48-6. Lansdale Catholic is 3-1, 0-0 after losing to Academy Park, 21-7.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: West Catholic won, 40-21

OUTLOOK: The Burrs are not used to being 1-3 at this time of the season, and it’s certain they’ll be trying to do something about it, particularly after being hammered by Wood.
That’s not the best of news for the Crusaders, although they’re not smiling too brightly after losing for the first time last week at Academy Park.
West’s big-play offense is led by Craig Jones and Jameer Bryson.