Last week: 5-0
Overall: 17-3
Last weeks bonus picks helped with old winning percentage (maybe I should take my act to Vegas) and this weeks games look pretty good too with Ches-Mont titans Unionville and Donwingtown East going at it in a crossover game while Central Bucks neighbors West and South get together in Warrington. Playoff football is right around the corner and this week is when things start to work themselves out. The Central League is primed for a HUGE game next week as long as Springfield-Delco can hold up their end of the bargain.
Unionville (7-0) @ Downingtown East (7-0) (-4.5)
Top teams in each division of the Ches-Mont faceoff and both teams are coming off emotional wins in closely contested rivalry games. The Cougars came out on top in a closer than expected Battle of the Brandywine with DWest while Unionville needed a 4th quarter score and last minute stop to secure a win against Rustin. The big question is will DEast be looking ahead to Coatesville next week? For their sake, I hope not because Unionville is not afraid to battle with big boys. They’ve beaten Spring-Ford and a tough Avon Grove team this year and don’t forget that a few years back they went up to Pennsbury in a 1st Rd. playoff game as a #16 seed and upset the Falcons. Coach Pat Clark is a master at utilizing his best players and this year he has QB/RB/WR/SS Joe Zubillaga to fill that role. He is the team’s leading rusher and 2nd leading receiver. DEast had better account for him or it could be a long night. I think the game will come down to who can be the better team against the run as both teams use a power run game. My best guess is that sandwiched in between 2 rivals, Unionville will make this game closer than expected for DEast but their power run game which has accounted for almost 2,000 yards already will win the battle….DEast 28-23
CB West (5-2) @ CB South (5-2) (-3)
Central Bucks football is alive and well with the Bucks and Titans both sitting in prime position for a playoff spot. I could not find two teams more similar if I tried-both are balanced on O with RB’s who are pretty similar threats-Jake Reichwein for West and Ryan Wagner for South. Both teams play solid if not spectacular D and both teams need this win to secure a shot at a home playoff game in the 1st rd. Both teams have suffered losses at the hands of North Penn and both teams have another loss to a SOL team in front of them in the power rankings (South to Neshaminy, West to Pennridge). So this matchup should allow for some separation between the two in the standings and in bragging rights within the Central Bucks School District. I think this game will be a shootout and if starting QB Jack Johns back, I have South winning this one a little easier….CB South 41-35
Springfield (Delco) (7-0) (-9.5) @ Marple Newtown (4-3)
Springfield finishes with 3 straight road games (@Marple, @Garnet, and @Haverford) and they are looking at potentially winning the Central League outright while taking over the top seed in the 5A bracket. Marple is also going through their toughest stretch of the season and the health of Delco’s all-time leading passer is in question as QB Anthony Paoletti limped through part of last week’s game. If his availability is in question (which I doubt) then I find it hard to believe the Tigers will find much room to operate against an always stingy Springfield D. Even with their star QB on the field, I think Springfield is disciplined enough not to look past Marple on their road to a week 9 showdown with Garnet. The Cougars have the speed and toughness of a typical Delco team and this year’s version is only giving up 8.2 PPG. Led by RB Ja’Den Mackenzie and QB Jack Psenicska, the Springfield O is no slouch either. This team is good enough to compete with some of District 1’s top 6A teams this year. I think their depth and speed will overwhelm the reeling Tigers sending them to the bottom half of the 5A playoff seedings….Springfield 21-7
Overall: 17-3
Last weeks bonus picks helped with old winning percentage (maybe I should take my act to Vegas) and this weeks games look pretty good too with Ches-Mont titans Unionville and Donwingtown East going at it in a crossover game while Central Bucks neighbors West and South get together in Warrington. Playoff football is right around the corner and this week is when things start to work themselves out. The Central League is primed for a HUGE game next week as long as Springfield-Delco can hold up their end of the bargain.
Unionville (7-0) @ Downingtown East (7-0) (-4.5)
Top teams in each division of the Ches-Mont faceoff and both teams are coming off emotional wins in closely contested rivalry games. The Cougars came out on top in a closer than expected Battle of the Brandywine with DWest while Unionville needed a 4th quarter score and last minute stop to secure a win against Rustin. The big question is will DEast be looking ahead to Coatesville next week? For their sake, I hope not because Unionville is not afraid to battle with big boys. They’ve beaten Spring-Ford and a tough Avon Grove team this year and don’t forget that a few years back they went up to Pennsbury in a 1st Rd. playoff game as a #16 seed and upset the Falcons. Coach Pat Clark is a master at utilizing his best players and this year he has QB/RB/WR/SS Joe Zubillaga to fill that role. He is the team’s leading rusher and 2nd leading receiver. DEast had better account for him or it could be a long night. I think the game will come down to who can be the better team against the run as both teams use a power run game. My best guess is that sandwiched in between 2 rivals, Unionville will make this game closer than expected for DEast but their power run game which has accounted for almost 2,000 yards already will win the battle….DEast 28-23
CB West (5-2) @ CB South (5-2) (-3)
Central Bucks football is alive and well with the Bucks and Titans both sitting in prime position for a playoff spot. I could not find two teams more similar if I tried-both are balanced on O with RB’s who are pretty similar threats-Jake Reichwein for West and Ryan Wagner for South. Both teams play solid if not spectacular D and both teams need this win to secure a shot at a home playoff game in the 1st rd. Both teams have suffered losses at the hands of North Penn and both teams have another loss to a SOL team in front of them in the power rankings (South to Neshaminy, West to Pennridge). So this matchup should allow for some separation between the two in the standings and in bragging rights within the Central Bucks School District. I think this game will be a shootout and if starting QB Jack Johns back, I have South winning this one a little easier….CB South 41-35
Springfield (Delco) (7-0) (-9.5) @ Marple Newtown (4-3)
Springfield finishes with 3 straight road games (@Marple, @Garnet, and @Haverford) and they are looking at potentially winning the Central League outright while taking over the top seed in the 5A bracket. Marple is also going through their toughest stretch of the season and the health of Delco’s all-time leading passer is in question as QB Anthony Paoletti limped through part of last week’s game. If his availability is in question (which I doubt) then I find it hard to believe the Tigers will find much room to operate against an always stingy Springfield D. Even with their star QB on the field, I think Springfield is disciplined enough not to look past Marple on their road to a week 9 showdown with Garnet. The Cougars have the speed and toughness of a typical Delco team and this year’s version is only giving up 8.2 PPG. Led by RB Ja’Den Mackenzie and QB Jack Psenicska, the Springfield O is no slouch either. This team is good enough to compete with some of District 1’s top 6A teams this year. I think their depth and speed will overwhelm the reeling Tigers sending them to the bottom half of the 5A playoff seedings….Springfield 21-7
