Times Herald Week 8 football preview capsules
POPE JOHN PAUL II AT UPPER PERKIOMEN
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Perkiomen High School
RECORDS: Pope John Paul is 0-7, 0-6 after losing to Phoenixville, 10-7. Upper Perkiomen is 1-6, 1-5 after losing to Pottstown, 21-13.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Perkiomen won, 34-14.
OUTLOOK: Two clubs with a win between them meet in what could turn out to be a very entertaining game.
Both the Panthers and Indians have had difficulty sustaining much this year, whether it be offense or defense, and that lack of consistency has been frustrating to fans of both sides.
Upper Perk had success through the air a week ago, but managed very little on the ground.
If PJP has any chance to win, it’s likely it will have to do so through the air, as the Panthers are third in the PAC in total passing yards.
SPRINGFIELD (M) AT UPPER MERION
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Merion Middle School
RECORDS: Springfield is 2-5, 1-3) after losing to Cheltenham, 26-7. Upper Merion is 2-5, 0-4) after losing to Upper Moreland in overtime, 22-21.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Springfield won, 40-20.
OUTLOOK: The Vikings were within a two-point conversion of upsetting Upper Moreland a week ago, and have an excellent chance of snapping a four-game losing streak this week.
The Spartans started out well, but their defense has taken its lumps recently, and is presently allowing better than five touchdowns per game.
That’s good news for a Vikings offense that has moved the ball, but has struggled scoring points.
Will Vikings head coach Harold Smith turn to Isaiah Graham-Mobley to start at quarterback this week after the senior gave his team a shot in the arm against Upper Moreland?
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH AT HATBORO-HORSHAM
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Hatboro-Horsham High School
RECORDS: Plymouth Whitemarsh is 5-2, 3-2 after losing to Upper Dublin, 42-0. Hatboro-Horsham is 4-3, 4-0 after defeating Wissahickon, 42-20.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Plymouth Whitemarsh won, 37-24.
OUTLOOK: As PW head coach Dan Chang said after last week’s loss to Upper Dublin, his Colonials are now fighting for their playoff lives.
They’ll get no break against the Hatters, who have won four straight (all within the SOL’s American Conference) and find themselves in the hunt for the conference crown, and a playoff berth of their own.
PW fans are hopeful 1,000-yard running back Nafeese Nasir, hampered by an injured right shoulder against Upper Dublin, will be back to or close to 100 percent this week.
UPPER DUBLIN AT UPPER MORELAND
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Upper Moreland High School
RECORDS: Upper Dublin is 7-0, 4-0 after defeating Plymouth Whitemarsh, 42-0. Upper Moreland is 6-1, 3-1 after defeating Upper Merion in overtime, 22-21.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Upper Dublin won, 28-6.
OUTLOOK: The Bears, who have split with two of the SOL American’s top four clubs, now get a shot at the Big Kahuna, the Cardinals.
Bears head coach Adam Beach has shown he will empty the playbook in an attempt to win football games, which makes this a very dangerous game for Upper Dublin to play.
That attitude, the continued superb performances of Bears running back Rodney Morgan and the continued superlative play from the Cardinals defense, which head coach Bret Stover calls the team’s, “best unit all year,” make for a can’t-miss contest.
NORRISTOWN AT WILLIAM TENNENT
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., William Tennent High School
RECORDS: Norristown is 3-4, 2-4 after losing to Central Bucks East, 37-21. William Tennent is 3-4, 0-4 after losing to Council Rock South, 39-0.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: William Tennent won, 42-13.
OUTLOOK: The Eagles came back to earth just a bit a week ago after their mind-numbing overtime win over CR North.
However, they can take flight again this week against a Panthers team that has yet to win since conference play began.
Tennent has gotten solid play from both junior QB Tyler Lynch and receiver John Ryan in recent weeks, and last week got 69 rushing yards from sophomore Sean Bragen.
NORTH PENN AT PENNSBURY
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Pennsbury High School
RECORDS: North Penn is 5-2, 4-0 after defeating Bensalem, 55-20. Pennsbury is 6-1, 4-0 after defeating Pennridge, 38-32.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: North Penn won, 24-21.
OUTLOOK: See Sideline Insider
PERKIOMEN VALLEY AT PHOENIXVILLE
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Phoenixville High School
RECORDS: Perkiomen Valley is 7-0, 6-0 after defeating Boyertown, 51-0. Phoenixville is 1-5, 1-4 after defeating Pope John Paul II, 10-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Perkiomen Valley won. 62-14.
OUTLOOK: It doesn’t seem feasible that the Vikings are going to be challenged within the PAC until their showdown with Spring-Ford, and the Phantoms aren’t likely to put up much resistance this week.
Vikings QB Stephen Sturm actually threw an interception last week, so our guess is that, yes, he is human.
Meanwhile, Phoenixville RB Matt Garcia ran for 130 yards and Matt Palubinsky totaled 105 total yards receiving and rushing in the win over PJP, so expect them to be targeted this week.
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL AT LANSDALE CATHOLIC
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Wissahickon High School
RECORDS: Archbishop Carroll is 2-5, 1-2 after losing to Archbishop Ryan, 42-6. Lansdale Catholic is 4-3, 2-1 after defeating Conwell-Egan, 34-21.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Lansdale Catholic won, 28-7.
OUTLOOK: A non-league game, that will have little impact on standings, is still an intriguing matchup considering both sides need victories to stay relevant.
The young Patriots would like to get a quality scalp on their belts as their season draws to a close in the next few weekends, while the Crusaders are hoping to generate some consistency as the playoffs loom.
This one could come down to a ground battle between the Patriots Christian Smith and the Crusaders Ryan Quigley.
WISSAHICKON AT CHELTENHAM
TIME: Friday, 7:00 p.m., Cheltenham High School
RECORDS: Wissahickon is 1-6, 0-4 after losing to Hatboro-Horsham, 42-20. Cheltenham is 3-4, 2-2 after defeating Springfield, 26-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Cheltenham won, 14-2.
OUTLOOK: The Trojans are looking for something positive to come out of this bizarre season, while the Panthers are attempting to build some momentum for the first time all year.
Wissahickon has had one of those years and a long list of injuries has not aided its attempts at improvement.
Cheltenham is showing some improvement after a rocky start and is seeking its third straight win.
OWEN J. ROBERTS AT METHACTON
TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Methacton High School
RECORDS: Owen J. Roberts is 3-4, 3-2 after losing to Spring-Ford, 35-14. Methacton is 0-7, 0-6 after losing to Pottsgrove, 51-7.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Methacton won, 32-6.
OUTLOOK: The Warriors finally get a chance to open their newly turfed field and celebrate Homecoming.
Now, if they can only find a way to hang in against a pretty good Wildcats team.
The Methacton ledger has not been something to boast about – the team has been outscored in its seven losses, 353-74 – but head coach Paul Lepre insists his young club has not rolled over.
OJR, which played Spring-Ford tough a week ago, is led, defensively, by Nick Duliakas and Conor Mitchell, who have combined for 15.5 sacks.
LA SALLE AT ROMAN CATHOLIC
TIME: Saturday, 1:00 p.m., South Philadelphia Supersite
RECORDS: La Salle is 3-3, 0-1 after losing to St. Joseph’s Prep, 49-24. Roman Catholic is 0-6, 0-1 after losing to Father Judge, 35-0.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: La Salle won twice, 38-8 and 49-0.
OUTLOOK: The Explorers, coming off back-to-back losses to Wood and the Prep, could use a big win, and they should get it against the Cahillites, who have struggled from the outset of the season.
Quarterback Phil DiWilliams and receiver Joey Bristow have made a solid pitch-catch tandem for Roman, which is better than its record would indicate, considering its season’s log has included the likes of Downingtown East, Malvern Prep and Father Judge. In fact, the Cahillites’ opponents have a combined winning percentage of .707 (29-12).
EPISCOPAL ACADEMY AT GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
TIME: Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Germantown Academy
RECORDS: Episcopal Academy is 5-1, 0-1 after losing to Malvern Prep, 33-14. Germantown Academy is 6-0, 1-0 after defeating Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 21-12.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Germantown Academy won, 27-13 .
OUTLOOK: GA is 6-0 for the first time since 1973 (thanks, Ted) and is gunning for 7-0 against the Churchmen, who are having a good season of their own.
The Patriots would be wise to keep an eye on Churchmen RB Dee Barlee and QB Jon’avin Freeman, while Patriots QB Kyle McCloskey enjoyed one of his best days under center a week ago.
POTTSTOWN AT SPRING-FORD
TIME: Saturday, 2:00 p.m., Spring-Ford High School
RECORDS: Pottstown is 6-1, 4-1 after defeating Upper Perkiomen, 21-13. Spring-Ford is 7-0, 6-0 after defeating Owen J. Roberts, 35-14.
LAST SEASON’S GAME: Spring-Ford won, 40-0.
OUTLOOK: The Rams continue to walk through land mines with the hope of getting to the PAC’s season-closing showdown with Perk Valley.
For Homecoming, the Rammies face the Trojans, who are enjoying a terrific season and go into this matchup with a little extra motivation following the announcement that their head coach, Don Grinstead, will resign after this season.
