2014: District 1, Suburban One-Continental
League-Conference mini review-preview:
Quakertown 11-2; Nothing special about Quakertown’s offense that walked along at 24ppg but the D was special, allowing a twelve year low of 14ppg. The last time they reached that low also witnessed their last double digit win season, going 10-3 in 2002 while allowing 13ppg. So it was quite a year, running off nine straight wins until faltering at Central Bucks East (5-5), losing 35-21. Then they edged Pennridge 14-10 in districts before losing as the 4th seed to Downingtown East (9-4, 5th seed) in the second round. The Panthers ran into a defensive buzz saw in that one, losing 21-0 against a Cougar defense that could play some serious D when inspired, holding major local players like Rustin to 12, Coatesville to 15, Downingtown West to 14 and Henderson to 7. Should be an interesting look this year with last year’s Archbishop Wood transfer quarterback Tom Garlick (6-4, 185, sr) getting the nod after helping lead the Vikings to a AAA title in 2013 (13-2), defeating Harrisburg’s Bishop McDevitt (14-2) 22-10. He took over as the starting quarterback the year before as a frosh in the third week stepping in for Chris Rahill. That group went to the final as well, losing to a super Cathedral Prep (15-0) team 24-14. Prep had Damion Terry at QB who lettered as a R/S Frosh at Michigan State last year. Looking at the coming season with Garlick under center, running back Rob Burns (5-10, 175, sr) returning after rushing for 1352 yards plus their two leading receivers and a lot of the defense has things looking good but they’ll sorely miss their headhunting linebacker Hunter Nice.
Council Rock North 6-5; Like Pennridge, Council Rock North had two distinct seasons. The first saw them get off to a 6-2 start. The second witnessed a 1-3 finish, losing their last three games to Quakertown, Council Rock South and Upper Dublin. In some ways the 42-40 loss to Truman (7-5) dropping them to 6-2, mimicked the season with North jumping out to a 20-7 lead, then allowing a 35 point comeback (28 over the middle quarters) by the suddenly potent Tiger attack. Special team’s failures converting a 2-pt conversion and a field goal iced it. Surprise, surprise, another team losing a game because of special teams! Two weeks later the D again disappeared against Quakertown, failing to hold on to a 26-7 lead in a losing 48-32 effort. 26-7 lead….at home! Had they held on, they would have improved to 7-2 with real momentum going into the game with the Hawks.
While they had little trouble scoring points at 32ppg, their highest year end average since the split, the defense was abysmal, allowing a walloping 30ppg! This was another record since the split. That really expressed itself against “quality” where they went 2-5 vs winning teams, beating Gratz (11-2) 40-25 and Perkiomen Valley (9-3) 29-27 while losing to Pennsbury (13-2), Truman (7-5), Quakertown (11-2), CR South (6-4) and Upper Dublin (11-2) by an average score of 47-27; teams with a 48-13 record. Coming into the season, North really didn’t have anyone to replace stellar lineman Sam Horbal (6-2, 230) and particularly Seamus Bishof (6-3, 280, IUP). This year sees them replacing 3 linemen from both the O-Line and D-Line. It’s not as bad as the 2013 season where they essentially replaced the entire defensive front since they return all their linebackers, but most of the secondary graduated. Offensively, they return South Carolina commit Brandon McIlwain under center. Most of the Big 10 recruited him including Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Maryland and Rutgers as well as a number of SEC schools like UT, Florida and Auburn. Also in the running were teams from the PAC-10 including UCLA, Cal and Arizona and Clemson and Miami from the ACC, etc, etc. At 6-1, 215 pounds, he was able to bull his way to 1027 yards rushing while completing 52% of his passes for 2018 yards. His Td/Pick ratio was 17/9. Speed back Chris Welde graduated (748ry) but not their leading receivers with Devon Bibbens and Tyler Nowmos back after catching 34 and 25 passes for 556 and 394 yards respectively. North should hit the ground running again with this offense and they’ll need to with an experienced and talented Perkiomen Valley team coming in for the opener looking for some payback from last year’s 29-27 loss in Collegeville.
Council Rock South 6-4; CR South had their first winning season in three years following the great run from 2010 through 2011 where they went 11-2 and 12-2 respectively. Last year’s 6-4 campaign came none to soon as it followed two dismal 2-8 seasons. They showed great gains in both offense and defense, improving their year-end average points scored from 18 to 26. Nice! And while the D was improved, it didn’t improve enough to get them in the playoffs, allowing 27ppg compared to 34ppg the year before. In defense of the Hawks, they were a young bunch (10 seniors on roster) pretty much laying everything on the shoulders of running back Vince Alimenti (+1000 yards) who has graduated. Not a bad place to lay it in their option offense where it’s all about the fullback, halfback and quarterback. Two thirds of that group return with quarterback Sean Stackhouse back for his senior season supported by a talented halfback in Brendan Patterson, also a senior. Most of the line returns (Joe Anderson, Joe Carter, Keith Reiser, Brenden Bell, Zach Blickley, TE Todd Murray). Solid two way lineman Connor Brunetti graduates. Alimenti is a big, big loss but with so many returning they should get past the six win level, making a run at Districts.
Truman 7-5; Here’s another great turnaround or a strong continuation of the preceding season going from a 5-6 mark, scoring and allowing 22ppg to a 7-5 record scoring 29ppg while allowing 21. Would you believe this team was 14 points removed from an undefeated regular season, 14 points, with losses coming to Upper Dublin 28-21, Council Rock South 16-14, Quakertown 24-21, Norristown 18-17 and Cheltenham 28-27. They did it with their best offense in over 18 years and an improved defense that was also their best since 2001’s 6-6 team that allowed 19ppg. 2001 was also the last time the Tigers came close to a winning season. The success should continue this year with a lot of last year’s team back, notably dual threat quarterback Mark Lopez, a 6-1, 190 pound senior who rushed for 1025 yards and passed for another 1080. Most of the running backs return who were also primary receivers so the offense is set. The D returns most of their linebackers and secondary including the number two and three tacklers, Tim Kenny-Schwartz (6-0, 230, sr, MLB) and Maurice Jackson (6-2, 210, sr, 77 tackles). Trysten Hunt (5-9, 215, 117 tackles, 752ry) who graduated was key to both sides of the ball as their leading tackler and running back. If they can reverse just two of last year’s narrow losses by playoff time (11/7/ last year) they’ll be 8-2 with a great seed!
League-Conference mini review-preview:
Quakertown 11-2; Nothing special about Quakertown’s offense that walked along at 24ppg but the D was special, allowing a twelve year low of 14ppg. The last time they reached that low also witnessed their last double digit win season, going 10-3 in 2002 while allowing 13ppg. So it was quite a year, running off nine straight wins until faltering at Central Bucks East (5-5), losing 35-21. Then they edged Pennridge 14-10 in districts before losing as the 4th seed to Downingtown East (9-4, 5th seed) in the second round. The Panthers ran into a defensive buzz saw in that one, losing 21-0 against a Cougar defense that could play some serious D when inspired, holding major local players like Rustin to 12, Coatesville to 15, Downingtown West to 14 and Henderson to 7. Should be an interesting look this year with last year’s Archbishop Wood transfer quarterback Tom Garlick (6-4, 185, sr) getting the nod after helping lead the Vikings to a AAA title in 2013 (13-2), defeating Harrisburg’s Bishop McDevitt (14-2) 22-10. He took over as the starting quarterback the year before as a frosh in the third week stepping in for Chris Rahill. That group went to the final as well, losing to a super Cathedral Prep (15-0) team 24-14. Prep had Damion Terry at QB who lettered as a R/S Frosh at Michigan State last year. Looking at the coming season with Garlick under center, running back Rob Burns (5-10, 175, sr) returning after rushing for 1352 yards plus their two leading receivers and a lot of the defense has things looking good but they’ll sorely miss their headhunting linebacker Hunter Nice.
Council Rock North 6-5; Like Pennridge, Council Rock North had two distinct seasons. The first saw them get off to a 6-2 start. The second witnessed a 1-3 finish, losing their last three games to Quakertown, Council Rock South and Upper Dublin. In some ways the 42-40 loss to Truman (7-5) dropping them to 6-2, mimicked the season with North jumping out to a 20-7 lead, then allowing a 35 point comeback (28 over the middle quarters) by the suddenly potent Tiger attack. Special team’s failures converting a 2-pt conversion and a field goal iced it. Surprise, surprise, another team losing a game because of special teams! Two weeks later the D again disappeared against Quakertown, failing to hold on to a 26-7 lead in a losing 48-32 effort. 26-7 lead….at home! Had they held on, they would have improved to 7-2 with real momentum going into the game with the Hawks.
While they had little trouble scoring points at 32ppg, their highest year end average since the split, the defense was abysmal, allowing a walloping 30ppg! This was another record since the split. That really expressed itself against “quality” where they went 2-5 vs winning teams, beating Gratz (11-2) 40-25 and Perkiomen Valley (9-3) 29-27 while losing to Pennsbury (13-2), Truman (7-5), Quakertown (11-2), CR South (6-4) and Upper Dublin (11-2) by an average score of 47-27; teams with a 48-13 record. Coming into the season, North really didn’t have anyone to replace stellar lineman Sam Horbal (6-2, 230) and particularly Seamus Bishof (6-3, 280, IUP). This year sees them replacing 3 linemen from both the O-Line and D-Line. It’s not as bad as the 2013 season where they essentially replaced the entire defensive front since they return all their linebackers, but most of the secondary graduated. Offensively, they return South Carolina commit Brandon McIlwain under center. Most of the Big 10 recruited him including Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Maryland and Rutgers as well as a number of SEC schools like UT, Florida and Auburn. Also in the running were teams from the PAC-10 including UCLA, Cal and Arizona and Clemson and Miami from the ACC, etc, etc. At 6-1, 215 pounds, he was able to bull his way to 1027 yards rushing while completing 52% of his passes for 2018 yards. His Td/Pick ratio was 17/9. Speed back Chris Welde graduated (748ry) but not their leading receivers with Devon Bibbens and Tyler Nowmos back after catching 34 and 25 passes for 556 and 394 yards respectively. North should hit the ground running again with this offense and they’ll need to with an experienced and talented Perkiomen Valley team coming in for the opener looking for some payback from last year’s 29-27 loss in Collegeville.
Council Rock South 6-4; CR South had their first winning season in three years following the great run from 2010 through 2011 where they went 11-2 and 12-2 respectively. Last year’s 6-4 campaign came none to soon as it followed two dismal 2-8 seasons. They showed great gains in both offense and defense, improving their year-end average points scored from 18 to 26. Nice! And while the D was improved, it didn’t improve enough to get them in the playoffs, allowing 27ppg compared to 34ppg the year before. In defense of the Hawks, they were a young bunch (10 seniors on roster) pretty much laying everything on the shoulders of running back Vince Alimenti (+1000 yards) who has graduated. Not a bad place to lay it in their option offense where it’s all about the fullback, halfback and quarterback. Two thirds of that group return with quarterback Sean Stackhouse back for his senior season supported by a talented halfback in Brendan Patterson, also a senior. Most of the line returns (Joe Anderson, Joe Carter, Keith Reiser, Brenden Bell, Zach Blickley, TE Todd Murray). Solid two way lineman Connor Brunetti graduates. Alimenti is a big, big loss but with so many returning they should get past the six win level, making a run at Districts.
Truman 7-5; Here’s another great turnaround or a strong continuation of the preceding season going from a 5-6 mark, scoring and allowing 22ppg to a 7-5 record scoring 29ppg while allowing 21. Would you believe this team was 14 points removed from an undefeated regular season, 14 points, with losses coming to Upper Dublin 28-21, Council Rock South 16-14, Quakertown 24-21, Norristown 18-17 and Cheltenham 28-27. They did it with their best offense in over 18 years and an improved defense that was also their best since 2001’s 6-6 team that allowed 19ppg. 2001 was also the last time the Tigers came close to a winning season. The success should continue this year with a lot of last year’s team back, notably dual threat quarterback Mark Lopez, a 6-1, 190 pound senior who rushed for 1025 yards and passed for another 1080. Most of the running backs return who were also primary receivers so the offense is set. The D returns most of their linebackers and secondary including the number two and three tacklers, Tim Kenny-Schwartz (6-0, 230, sr, MLB) and Maurice Jackson (6-2, 210, sr, 77 tackles). Trysten Hunt (5-9, 215, 117 tackles, 752ry) who graduated was key to both sides of the ball as their leading tackler and running back. If they can reverse just two of last year’s narrow losses by playoff time (11/7/ last year) they’ll be 8-2 with a great seed!
