With new talent under center, Upper Merion looks to break cycle of District 1 first-round exits in 2023

With the graduation of Zayd Etheridge — the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s leading passer in 2022 — Upper Merion’s biggest offseason need came at the most important position.

Throughout heat acclimation and practices, Upper Merion has benefitted from a quarterback competition that may give the Vikings more than one solution.

Sophomore Jackson Solley and junior Isaiah Wright have been turning heads and opening eyes at practice. Both are looking to fill the big shoes of Etheridge, who dominated through the air last year with 120 of his 215 passes completed for 2,461 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions for a PAC-best 166.34 QB rating.

According to Vikings coach Davis Chubb, Upper Merion will name its starting quarterback after the program’s opening scrimmage and before its season opener at home against Plymouth Whitemarsh on Aug. 25.

“It’s a two-way battle right now. It’s going to come right down to scrimmage, we’ll decide after that,” Chubb said on the starting QB job.

Since joining the PAC in 2016, Upper Merion has pieced together just one winning record in the Frontier Division, 3-2 in 2018 when it also hosted a District 1 playoff game.

But the Vikings have been caught in a cycle these past two years, finishing 4-6 in the regular season before first-round exits in the District 1 Class 5A tournament to Strath Haven.

This year, Upper Merion aims to break that cycle, not only by qualifying for the postseason again, but by putting enough wins away to improve its seeding and move the ship further.

“We’re tired of 4-6, the 15th seed playing Strath Haven,” said Nic Verano, who plays wide receiver and defensive back. “We’re trying to elevate and get higher than that, have a good spot in the playoffs and have a good game to start the playoffs.”

The road to a better postseason path come districts begins with a non-league slate that includes home contests with PAC Liberty schools Norristown (Aug. 31) and Owen J. Roberts (Sept. 14) sandwiched around a road trip to William Tennent on Sept. 8.

Upper Merion lost key starters in Nolan Clayton, Dom Cacciavillani, Marcus Crittendon, TJ Hanley, Preston Thomas, Qwynne Seals and Etheridge to graduation.

Two-way lineman Elijah Davis highlights a strong nucleus of returning starters, along with linebacker Magnus Knorr. Justin Besz will be a primary running back and linebacker on defense.

“I would say as a team, we lost a good amount of seniors, but all the young guys seem to be stepping up and everyone just seems to be coming together as a team,” tight end Mike Scavello said. “We’re really well rounded this year and we’re ready to be back on the field competing with other teams.”

Scavello, who also fills in at linebacker, is projected to take over for Clayton as the go-to tight end for the Vikings. Clayton, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound two-time captain now playing for Villanova after a varsity career full of All-PAC honors, leaves a high bar set.

But Scavello not only embraces the task at hand, he helped set a bar for himself last year by being heavily involved with the offense. Now a senior, Scavello has plenty of rhythm both blocking and receiving, and hopes the large uptick in reps will pave the way to more success.

“I’m ready for it. I’ve seen a little bit of it last year, I’ve been really good friends with Nolan for a little bit now and he’s like a brother to me on and off the field,” Scavello said. “It’s not really too much on my shoulders right now.

“I thought as a player who played in the offense a lot last year, I did my part. I showed what I can do, getting the passes and blocks last year and now that I’m the No. 1, I feel like I’ll do 10 times better than I did last year. I already showed what I can do last year, now it’s just me ready to ball out.”

On defense last year, Scavello accounted for 54 tackles, six sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.

Altogether, 14 players rostered are listed as two-way lineman – Davis chief among them at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds.

“Our inside guys, I feel we still have a lot of meat there. A lot of older guys who’ve been with the program for a minute,” Davis said on his squad’s line depth. “Starting there, we have an advantage, especially on our D-line.”

Upper Merion also has a new face on the coaching staff, but not a new face within the PAC by any means. Dave Clarke is taking over defensive coordinator duties after multiple stops around the league, including Owen J. Roberts and Phoenixville.

Marquis Weeks, Gordon Davis, Joe Heffernan, Brad Scioli, Marcus Jackson, Nick Rotondo, Franklin Onwubariri round out the rest of the Vikings’ coaching staff for 2023.

“He’s been all over the place in the PAC, which is great,” Chubb said on Clarke joining the program. “He has a ton of experience in this conference.”

Upper Merion opens league play on Sept. 22 when the Vikings host Phoenixville, a proven squad that lost only to back-to-back Frontier champion Pope John Paul II in divisional play last fall.

“We got a great coaching staff and new defensive coordinator this year,” Besz said. “I’m excited.”

SCHEDULE

Friday, August 25
Plymouth Whitemarsh vs Upper Merion, 7 p.m.
Thursday, August 31
Norristown vs Upper Merion, 7 p.m.
Friday, September 8
Upper Merion vs William Tennent, 7 p.m.
Saturday, September 14
Owen J. Roberts vs Upper Merion, 7 p.m.
Friday, September 22
Phoenixville vs Upper Merion, 7 p.m.
Friday, September 29
Upper Perkiomen vs Upper Merion, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 6
Pope John Paul II vs Upper Merion, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 13
Upper Merion vs Pottsgrove, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 20
Upper Merion vs Pottstown, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 27
Upper Merion vs PAC Crossover