Times Herald Week 6 football preview capsules

METHACTON AT BOYERTOWN

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Boyertown High School

RECORDS: Methacton is 0-5, 0-4 after losing to Spring-Ford, 82-0. Boyertown is 2-3, 2-2 after defeating Pope John Paul II, 42-22.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Methacton won, 25-7.

OUTLOOK: Are the Warriors still shell-shocked from last week’s bludgeoning at the hands of Spring-Ford?

One wouldn’t be surprised, although Methacton can get a little cred back by bumping heads successfully against the Bears.

Boyertown piled up 441 yards against PJP a week ago, and are paced by QB Lawrence Garnett, who ran for two scores and threw for another in the victory.

POTTSGROVE AT SPRING-FORD

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Spring-Ford High School

RECORDS: Pottsgrove is 3-2, 3-1 after defeating Upper Perkiomen, 47-6. Spring-Ford is 5-0, 4-0 after defeating Methacton, 82-0.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Pottsgrove won, 35-29.

OUTLOOK: The Rams put on an awesome display against Methacton, but know it won’t nearly be as easy against their talented rivals.

Pottsgrove hasn’t changed much about its offense over the past decade or so. The Falcons still love to run the football, and they’re doing it this year with Tyrell Barr (101 rushes, 785 yds.) and Wyatt Porter (44 rushes, 360 yds, 6 TDs) as part of the backfield contingent that has them leading the PAC-10 in rushing.

As for Spring-Ford, it would be wise to check the league stats, that show the Grove last in the conference in pass defense.

POPE JOHN PAUL II AT PERKIOMEN VALLEY

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Perkiomen Valley High School

RECORDS: Pope John Paul II is 0-5, 0-4 after losing to Boyertown, 42-22. Perkiomen Valley is 5-0, 4-0 after defeating Pottstown, 42-7.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Perkiomen Valley won, 56-6.

OUTLOOK: The Vikings haven’t slowed down a bit since last season, and it’s likely their goal of repeating as PAC champs will come down to a Nov. 6 meeting with Spring-Ford.

This week the Vikings meet the Golden Panthers, who are winless, but who have been battling through the early-season grind, and boasting the conference’s sixth-best offense.

Panthers WR Jared Johns-Lupold is tied for the PAC lead in receptions (21), and he and QB Matt Duff will test the PV secondary.

WISSAHICKON AT UPPER DUBLIN

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Dublin High School

RECORDS: Wissahickon is 1-4, 0-2 after losing to Plymouth Whitemarsh, 50-18. Upper Dublin is 5-0, 2-0 after defeating Springfield (M), 50-18.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Dublin won, 39-0.

OUTLOOK: The Trojans are the latest SOL American team to try and tame the Cardinals.

And while this stands as one of the area’s top rivalries, Wissahickon will need plenty of things to go right to have a chance at springing an upset.

UD played the elements last week, sticking to the ground game in the cold and rainy conditions against Springfield, but realistically the Cardinals can play it any way they choose.

The Trojans are young and learning, and with the tough part of their schedule falling in the first half of the season should be ready to begin winning by the year’s last leg.

UPPER MORELAND AT PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

RECORDS: Upper Moreland is 4-1, 1-1 after defeating Cheltenham, 28-6. Plymouth Whitemarsh is 5-0, 2-0 after defeating Wissahickon, 50-18.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Plymouth Whitemarsh won, 33-20.

OUTLOOK: The Bears and Colonials are the headliners, but the co-stars are PW running back Nafeese Nasir and Upper Moreland ground grabber Rodney Morgan, two of the SOL American’s best runners.

The easy gauge is to watch which back comes out ahead in the total yardage department, and then choose accordingly.

Another is to check out the numbers posted by fullbacks Blaise Gravinese (PW) and Nick DeLucas (UM), who both deserve spots on the All-Overlooked Team.

UPPER MERION AT CHELTENHAM

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School

RECORDS: Upper Merion is 2-3, 0-2 after losing to Hatboro-Horsham, 30-6. Cheltenham is 1-4, 0-2 after losing to Upper Moreland, 28-6.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Cheltenham won, 41-8.

OUTLOOK: The Panthers have been struggling in the early going, while head coach Joe Gro is trying everything but grabbing a helmet.

Last week, Gro moved standout QB Branden Mack to running back for a couple of series.

As for the Vikings, they have the playmakers, but have been turnover prone of late. QB Jarrett Quinn has a big-time arm, but has to guard against forcing passes into coverage.

ARCHBISHOP CARROLL AT CARDINAL O’HARA

TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Cardinal O’Hara High School

RECORDS: Archbishop Carroll is 1-4, 0-1 after losing to Bonner-Prendergast, 7-6. Cardinal O’Hara is 1-4, 0-0 after losing to Academy Park, 43-0.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Cardinal O’Hara won, 37-27.

OUTLOOK: The Patriots have four losses, but only one by more than a touchdown.

They’re playing teams close, and that’s a good sign for a team that is built primarily around underclassmen.

O’Hara has been no more successful, and even the prescence of a Tommy O’Hara at quarterback hasn’t helped the Lions.

SOUDERTON AT NORTH PENN

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

RECORDS: Souderton is 3-2, 1-1 after defeating Bensalem, 48-0. North Penn is 3-2, 2-0 after defeating Central Bucks South, 46-20.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: North Penn won, 42-7.

OUTLOOK: These arch-rivals both like the ground game, and that will likely decide this week’s game.

The Big Red got a combined 272 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns from Jamar White and Blake Gular last week while the Knights rolled over CB South with Justin Ostopowicz doing most of the damage on the ground.

The Knights and head coach Dick Beck seem to know what switches to throw when the league season kicks in, and the team is improving by the week.

Souderton has not beaten North Penn on a football field since 1989, although the two programs did not meet between the years of 1991 and 2007.

COUNCIL ROCK NORTH AT NORRISTOWN

TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Norristown High School

RECORDS: Council Rock North is 3-2, 2-0 after defeating William Tennent, 53-0. Norristown is 2-3, 0-2 after losing to Quakertown, 49-7.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Council Rock North won, 47-7.

OUTLOOK: Finally, a home game for the Eagles actually played at home.

With its adjustments made to its field, Norristown is prepared to host an SOL foe, although this is talented one.

Rock North features QB Brandon McIlwain, who is committed to South Carolina, and who lit the Eagles up last year in a 40-point romp.

The Eagles have not been the same team since QB Diavante Lloyd went down to an ACL tear two weeks ago against Plymouth Whitemarsh, but perhaps a legitimate home game can reverse their fortunes.

ARCHBISHOP WOOD AT LA SALLE

TIME: Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

RECORDS: Archbishop Wood is 5-0 after defeating Archbishop Ryan, 41-0. La Salle is 3-1 after last week’s game was cancelled due to weather.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won, 35-31.

OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider.

LANSDALE CATHOLIC AT BISHOP MCDEVITT

TIME: Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School

RECORDS: Lansdale Catholic is 3-2, 0-1 after losing to West Catholic, 18-2. Bishop McDevitt is 2-3 after losing to Germantown Academy, 41-6.

LAST SEASON’S GAME: Lansdale Catholic won, 39-6.

OUTLOOK: The Crusaders have dropped two straight after a fast start, but considering the setbacks were to state-ranked Academy Park and always-tough West Catholic, perhaps LC is not that far off track.

McDevitt and standout QB Max Bryson got sidetracked last week by the wind and a determined GA effort, but that should not deter him this week.

The Crusaders have playoff aspirations, and this is a good week to get back to some winning ways.

While Marlon Fenstermacher filled in admirably a week ago, the Crusaders need Ryan Quigley, who missed last week’s game with an injury, back this week.