Week 1 PAC Football Preview
A number of Pioneer Athletic Conference teams are going back to their roots this season.
The first four weeks of the season feature a total of nine inter-divisional matchups between Liberty and Frontier Division schools. Two such matchups start our previews for Week One.
(All games are 7 p.m. Friday unless noted.)
Pottsgrove at Methacton
Both coaches stressed that fundamentals will be the determining factor in this matchup that opens both teams’ season for a second straight year.
“We have to control the ball and limit our mistakes,” said Methacton coach Brian Kennedy. “We have to focus on what we do and do it well.”
“My biggest concern is avoiding turnovers and negative plays.” countered Pottsgrove’s Bill Hawthorne. “Methacton is well coached, tough, and disciplined, and they will capitalize if we have either.”
The senior leaders for Pottsgrove – Gabe Rinda, Riley Delp, Bryce Caffrey, Joey Quinter, and Tyler Birch – will be tasked with stopping Methacton’s offense, a combination of new talent (QB Kolby Howarth) and experienced playmakers like DJ Ballinger. Collin O’Neill and Dylan Pachik offer leadership and experience for the Warriors in the trenches.
Boyertown at Upper Perkiomen
The Dan Heinrichs era at Upper Perk begins against a familiar foe, one that had the Tribe’s number a year ago.
Boyertown bookended the 2022 season with high-scoring victories against Upper Perk, and stopping the Bears’ powerful run game will be paramount for the young defense, many of whom will be seeing their first varsity action.
Boyertown’s power running approach doesn’t figure to change much with QB Ryder Gehris and PAC rushing champion Cole Yesavage back for their senior seasons. It’s a younger group up front for the Bears this year, one that’s brimming with potential and will benefit from live reps on Friday nights.
Heinrichs alluded to a mixture of new schemes and the old reliable Upper Perk offense, and junior RB Zach Schwartz figures prominently in both ends of that approach.
Great Valley at Phoenixville
It’s been a while for the Phantoms in the Battle of Route 29, a fact not lost on head coach Anthony Ciarlello.
“Great Valley has the recent series advantage,” he admitted. “We need to end that cycle.”
The Phantoms have a chance to do just that, with Ty Romance back behind center protected by a big, experienced line that now features sophomore Cameron English at left tackle. English’s emergence underscores the development Phoenixville’s coaching staff lauded through fall practice.
Defensively, the Phantoms will be challenged by Great Valley QB Braeden Melia, who returns alongside favorite target Gavin Malowski as the Patriots hope to challenge in the Ches-Mont American Division in 2023.
Owen J. Roberts at Conestoga
The running game has been paramount to the Wildcats’ success over the past few years, and replacing top rusher Hunter Rhoads along with their QB Michael Reed and leading receiver Dan Cashman means an opportunity for players with experience (senior QB Derek Hinrichs, RB Logan Brower) and fresh faces (freshman WR Mikhai Graham.)
“Conestoga qualified for the playoffs last year, same as us,” said OJR coach Rich Kolka. “It’s a difficult game each year.”
LB Lorenzo Satiro will fuel the Wildcats’ defensive efforts in 2023, as OJR hopes to maintain their turnover-creating ability of last season.
This year’s Pioneers depend on a deep linebacking corps led by Navy commit Charlie Newhall, who can also pressure the passer on third downs. Matt O’Brien provides experience at defensive tackle and as the center on offense, where Newhall serves as the fullback in front of a committee of ball carriers. Jude Cook and junior Timmy Bruder could each see time behind center.
Plymouth-Whitemarsh at Upper Merion
Upper Merion coach Davis Chubb doesn’t want to overthink things going into Friday’s opener.
“Bottom line? We need to stop the run,” he said. “PW is good at what they do, and we need to try our best to take that away.”
Chubb believes that overcoming opening-night jitters will be important, and says that senior leaders Elijah Davis, Mike Scavello, and Nic Varano can lead by example in that area. The Vikings replace most of their offensive line, and plan to break in a new quarterbacks – or quarterbacks, as sophomore Jackson Solley and junior Isaiah Wright each showed promise this fall.
PW looks to make it three in a row in the Suburban One’s American Conference, and coach Dan Chang’s charges have what it takes to equal or surpass last year’s run to the District 1-5A semifinals. Nazye Boggs and Luke Winterbottom combine with quarterback Anthony Iannozzi to form a talented and multi-faceted offensive backfield.
Governor Mifflin at Spring-Ford
Spring-Ford’s challenge against their District 3 opponent will be the Mustangs’ ability to shorten games with their veer approach on offense.
“They’re patient,” summarized coach Chad Brubaker. “They can shorten the game by going three-and-a-half yards at a time. And they’re not going to panic.”
Therefore, the defensive line led by senior Evan Strzeminski needs to be assignment sound and force Governor Mifflin into 2nd and 3rd and long situations. Offensively, Spring-Ford’s talent is impressive, but avoiding mistakes will be pivotal against a team like Mifflin who’d prefer to dominate possession.
Pope John Paul II at Chambersburg
A combination of youth and experience is the story for the hosts from District 3, who return most of their skill-position players headlined by quarterback Riley Harmon. But it’s a different story up front, where Chambersburg returns only center Chase Stenger.
It’s not entirely unlike PJP, who takes on the challenge of playing a 6A school on the road with their own complement of returning skill-position players like QB Luke Terlesky and last year’s leading rusher Boyd Skarbek.
It’ll be up to Denny Owens, Maikel Parker, and Aiden Sgarra to make the difference up front as the Golden Panthers also replace some starters on the line. Coach Scott Reed was encouraged by the results of last week’s scrimmage but admits the Golden Panthers’ depth may be tested against a bigger school like Chambersburg.
Penn Wood at Norristown
The first test for Joe Milligan’s young but determined Eagles comes against Penn Wood of the Del-Val League.
Milligan pointed to last Saturday’s scrimmage as a great opportunity for young players to emerge, and he pointed out Marzon Carr as an example of a player who took advantage.
Meyon Ferrell, Jaden Pratt, Rashon Giddens, and Jonathan Hedgepeth figure into the Eagles’ plan on both sides of the ball, and the veterans will be counted upon to limit the explosiveness of a Penn Wood offense featuring explosive playmaker Kivaleon Clarke. Like Norristown, Penn Wood is out to earn some respect this season after a couple of disappointing campaigns.
Perkiomen Valley at Chester, 11 a.m. Saturday
One of the better District 1 nonleague tilts of the opening week sees the Vikings making the trip down to Chester Saturday morning to meet a Clippers program that enjoyed their best season in recent memory last year.
While Chester loses a number of senior leaders from their 10-2 campaign, they do return QB Jalen Harris who turned in one of the better freshman seasons in recent memory with 2,261 passing yards to go with 35 touchdowns. One of his favorite targets is twin brother Daron, but the experience of senior tight end and UConn commit Dominic Toy will offer some familiarity.
Perkiomen Valley will challenge Harris and the Clippers with a stout and experienced group of linebackers. Coach Rob Heist knows limiting big plays will be pivotal against Harris and the explosive Clippers and will rely on free safety Anthony Rodriguez’s heady play in the secondary.
Offensively, left guard Fran Soto’s strong preseason needs to translate to the field as senior Jake Stewart and sophomore Nathan Reedy look for room to run.
Pottstown at Martin Luther King, 1 p.m. Saturday
Dillon Mayes’ debut as the Trojans take to the road for a matinee opener against the Cougars at the Germantown Supersite.
For Levert Hughes’ second season, consistency and accountability are keys as Pottstown looks to capture some respect within the Frontier Division. Getting off to a good start will be paramount to seizing momentum for the conference season.
It won’t come easy against MLK, a District 12 contender who finished 4-8 a year ago, but tangled with state finalists Imhotep Charter, plus Springside Chestnut Hill, Wilson West Lawn, and other powerhouse programs. Backfield versatility is a key, as senior QB Isaiah Robinson averaged over 100 yards a game on the ground a season ago for the Cougars.
