Central League and Del-Val League Reality Check....

[Delcofootballguy]

While admittedly the Daily Slimes is not the greatest newspaper ever written. But recently reporter Matt Smith has been writing about how amazing talented the teams in the Central and Del Val leagues are. Specifically AP and Marple just to name a couple. I believe one of his quotes was that AP may have the best defense he has seen this century or something to that effect. Now let's first admit that the Del Val is not the strongest leagues in the area, they are putting up great defensive numbers against the Penn Woods, and Chichesters of the world. They are a good team and will probably win the district but one of the best defenses in the last century, I don't think so.

And then there is Marple, who played no one this year. Their schedule was a gift from god! They missed Upper Darby, Haverford and Ridley this year. When they played Stoga and GV they lost. They are an average AAA team that had the easiest schedule on record in the central league.

There has been some talk about the leagues in particular the central league being stronger then it's ever been. After seeing the playoff games this weekend I couldn't disagree more. When Ridley and Haven were making runs in the playoffs they were challenged in the league by at least 3 or 4 teams every year. I don't think any of the teams this year whether it be AAA or AAAA in either league would match up with any of the good teams from yesteryear. Congrats on their success but let's not inflate their talent level for the sake of a good story.

Happy Turkey day and I'll see you at the Upper Darby vs. Haverford game... I got Upper Darby winning by 2 scores.

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

DELCO:

I think the actual quote was AP has the best defense he has seen THIS century, not in the last century. But either way is a bold statement. Just off the top of my head Ridley pitched a shut out against Henderson and held a highly regarded Npenn team to one TD( on a trick play) in winning 2 district titles THIS century.

I think the talent level is way down in DELCO, especially the Central League. Both Garnet Valley and UD got smoked by Upper Dublin. GV has a bad non league loss to Unionville and UD has a bad non league loss to State College. Haverford has a bad non league loss to Downingtown, and lost its playoff game badly as well. If those are the cream of the crop this year in the CL, they are so far behind the top teams in the other leagues its not funny. Just because the teams may be more competitive within the league does not mean the league is any good. There is no one in that league that is ready to compete for District or State tittles like Ridley or Haven did when they tere dominatingt he league.

As for AP, nice squad, well coached (by a ridley guy ) and very athletic, and I will root for them to win out, but the DEL Val is down too. Ridley scrimmaged AP in the preseason and moved the ball on them pretty well. I know its a scrimmage and its AAAA vs AAA but it might be the worst Ridley team in 50 years and I didn't come away from that scrimmage thinking the AP defense was one for the ages.

 

[wcburrs87]

AP is a nice team. Good athletes. They remind me of WC somewhat. AP probably runs the ball better, while WC throws it better. Defensively, they're comparable. West didn't allow a TD to LC in two games. AP gave up one in their lone meeting. What's my point? WC is a solid team. AP is solid. But neither is "special" in terms of this century. AP (12-0) record and defensive prowess, though commendable, is more a product of watered down competition. I expect AP to win the D-1 3A and then to struggle mightily with D-12 rep.

 

[delcofootball1]

The argument could also be made that the other leagues in district 1 when Ridley and Haven were having their runs weren't very good. The PCL and Interac sure weren't what they are today and the suburban leagues were so-so outside of NOrth Penn. If you're comparing teams of the past with present day teams I would argue that this current Upper Dublin team would have dominated those Ridley teams of the past you speak so highly of. But it's all opinionated. And the current Imhotep/Wood teams would absolutely annihilate the Haven teams of the past. High School football has changed immensely the last 20 years, especially in DELCO. Some of the best DELCO athletes are no longer going to public DELCO schools. They're at HAV school, PREP, Malvern, EA, Imhotep, West Catholic, amongst others. I'm sure SPEED AND JUMP is going to go into the record books and unleash a ton of statistics/records now. Have at it.

 

[00shoe]

The reporter has obviously never left Delaware county. In 25 years in quadA they have 1 trip to Hershey. The only chance any team from Delco has to be part of the final would be buying a ticket. The private school excuse doesn't cut it, every school in District One faces the same issue.

 

[ChesmontLeague1]

Wasnt Matt Smith the but sniffing Ridley writer a few years back? His articles were comical! Guess he jumped ship to Academy Park. I have to admit atleast he supports his local teams unlike our Daily Lack of News sports writers. The only decent one here in Chesco is Jeff Kerr.

 

[haverford20]

Speed - Haverford "lost badly" in their playoff game? They lost by one score to a good Perkiomen Valley team. Yeah it would have been nice to win but it's not like they got blown out or anything. Not sure how you can say they "lost badly".

Agreed with everyone else that the Central league isn't as good at the top as the other leagues in the district. I do think the depth of the league is better as the teams that used to be average are now pretty good. But there are no great teams anymore who can contend for a district title.

Still, I'm looking forward to the Thanksgiving Day game. While neither team is great, both Haverford and Upper Darby are pretty good and it should make for an outstanding high school football game with the Central League Championship on the line. Isiah Bruce and Jack Donaghy are two of the best players around and it will be fun to watch them go back and forth. I'm expecting a shootout and whoever has the ball last will win. Can't wait to watch this one.

 

[wcburrs87]

Matt is an Academy Park grad, I think.

 

[interacfan]

Matt does a good job covering Delco football. He just loses perspective a little bit and has a flare for hyperbole once in a while. He made the claim that Episcopal of 2012 was the best team in the history of Delaware County. As an Inter-Ac guy, I don't hate that claim but its just over the top considering EA had an easy schedule that year too and considering Matt only covered football for like 1/40th of the history of Delaware county football. AP does have a nice defensive unit with some good athletes, but they haven't played any good offensive teams all year. Great Valley and LC are decent. Keeping it in the county, I would love to see how they would do against some of the better offensive teams in Delco like Haverford School, Upper Darby, or Haverford High. My guess is they would put up some points.

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

I don't have ant stats, I leave that to Joe Kane or Cuck. It's way above my pay grade. But Haven won many district tities with NFL quality players . Ridley played in 3 Disrtict One finals in 5,years. To say that any of today's teams would crush those teams is just an opinion. Upper Dublin hasn't won anything yet but a couple of playoff games in back to back years. Maybe they win a D1 title this year , but who knows.

But fir whatever reason , the Central League has been largely non competitive lately on a district level. And i think it's because the league from top to bottom is weaker . Some would say it's more balanced because the traditionally bad teams are improving. But maybe it's balanced because the traditional,y bad teams are still bad and the traditionally good teams are worse and they have fallen back to the pack.

 

[Delcofootballguy]

Opinions are like elbows. It is laughable that a team that won 96 straight District 1 games against some great competition would be annihilated by anyone. Haven went to the eastern conference final in 98 and 4 straight state championships and then an eastern conference final in 2003 and they played great teams with great players littered with Division 1 and NFL players both on Haven and on their opponents. When Haven played Wood in 2010 Haven had the ball inside the 40 only down 17-14 before one bad mistake cost them the game. But even the Wood coaching staff told the papers that it was a great game. And the Haven 2010 District title team wouldn't even be on the same field with the state championship teams. Same goes for Ridley when they were beating the likes of North Penn and giving Lasalle all they could handle before losing. Diminishing teams from the past to suit a narrative doesn't make it true. See you at the game Thursday!!

 

[Joe_Kane]

The reporter has obviously never left Delaware county. In 25 years in quadA they have 1 trip to Hershey. The only chance any team from Delco has to be part of the final would be buying a ticket. The private school excuse doesn't cut it, every school in District One faces the same issue.

shoe, your trolling is getting to be pathetic. Time to reevaluate your life, bro.

 

[delcofootball1]

Delcofootball guy, you're still offering your opinion just like everyone else. Haven and Ridley did have great runs, and those were incredible seasons but high school football is vastly different today than when those runs were occurring. Was there a mass exodus of DELCO people to chester/montgomery county? Was open enrollment around? Was the INTERAC a force? Was recruiting and the scholarships as prevalent as it is today? I'm not making an argument about private schools just laying down the facts. Those days of DELCO teams winning state championships/competing for district titles MAY be gone. But is that the measuring stick for DELCO teams? See ya thursday.

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

DF1-Ridley last won a district title in 2009 and they were the #1 seed in 2010, so we are not going back that far. The PCL was still the PCL, open enrollment and all. The INTERAC was still offering scholarships and was a very competitive league. And fore the most part you still had to go through the suburban 1 to win a title-at least at 4A level. So I am not sure the landscape has changed all that much in the past 5 years.

I do agree that DELCO football is down for whatever reason so you are preaching to the choir on that issue.

 

[Delcofootballguy]

I agree that it is going to be much harder to win a state ship with open enrollment now for public schools. I think it can happen with the right group of guys but it is harder. Back then there were very good teams like O'hara and Roman so the cupboard wasn't completely bare, Malvern was also good back then. Just goes back to the fact that it is easier for teams like Wood and Tep to win because they can get kids from a much wider area.