how good was 2003 North Penn?

[BradlyPitt]

I always felt like this was an underrated team, in the preseason they were a pretty heavy favorite and that never changed throughout the season

they beat up a young Central Catholic team in the final, and those kids won the next year and is often mentioned as one of the best teams all time

where does 2003 North Penn rank all time, and what would the score be if they played 2004 Central Catholic?

 

[newport]

This may have been the year the ball really got rolling on the PCL to the PIAA train. There was alot of talk that the 2 best teams in Pa(the other being Prep) resided in SePa that year and they would not be playing each other

 

[Relayer]

Check out Rover's write-up on the 2003 NP team.

State Champs Project: 2003 North Penn

North Penn – 2003 Head Coach: Dick Beck Record: 15-0 Points Per Game: 39.6 Points Allowed Per Game: 12.9 Margin of Victory: 26.7 Margin of Victory (Playoffs): 17.2 Schedule Cardinal O’Hara: 35-7 Bethlehem Catholic: 38-7 Harry...

papreps.forums.rivals.com

 

[PA1127]

I always felt like this was an underrated team, in the preseason they were a pretty heavy favorite and that never changed throughout the season

they beat up a young Central Catholic team in the final, and those kids won the next year and is often mentioned as one of the best teams all time

where does 2003 North Penn rank all time, and what would the score be if they played 2004 Central Catholic?

In 2003, if I remember correctly, both North Penn and SJP were ranked in the top 5 nationally and didn't even play each other. That would have been an exciting game.

 

[newport]

USA Today had Prep at 3 and NP at 10 in their final HS poll that season

 

[roxychknpoxy]

USA Today had Prep at 3 and NP at 10 in their final HS poll that season

They were both very good and got us to where we are today, meaning that the PIAA wanted an ‘indisputable’ winner. Also, if I’m not mistaken, I think it was that year or 2004 where Brooks and SJP were featured on ESPN as a cross between Friday Night Lights and a Hard Knocks type of documentary.

 

[tulla]

They were both very good and got us to where we are today, meaning that the PIAA wanted an ‘indisputable’ winner. Also, if I’m not mistaken, I think it was that year or 2004 where Brooks and SJP were featured on ESPN as a cross between Friday Night Lights and a Hard Knocks type of documentary.

Roxy,

I'm fairly certain that documentary aired at the beginning of the 2004 season. I heard that at least a few parents who saw it decided immediately not to send their football-playing sons to SJP. Brooks should have known that it would be edited in a way that emphasized his vehemence, but maybe he didn't realize that not everyone (by any means!) would warm to his persona.

You and I both remember all the chatter about how SJP probably wouldn't be able to make it through the PIAA playoff grind the way NP did. Interesting that they've only played one another once in the playoffs (2016).

 

[roxychknpoxy]

Roxy,

I'm fairly certain that documentary aired at the beginning of the 2004 season. I heard that at least a few parents who saw it decided immediately not to send their football-playing sons to SJP. Brooks should have known that it would be edited in a way that emphasized his vehemence, but maybe he didn't realize that not everyone (by any means!) would warm to his persona.

You and I both remember all the chatter about how SJP probably wouldn't be able to make it through the PIAA playoff grind the way NP did. Interesting that they've only played one another once in the playoffs (2016).

Tulla -

I thought I recalled some backlash but I wasn’t certain so I didn’t mention it. He pulled no punches and ran a very tight ship with very high expectations. And now the irony of 20 years later of PCL in PIAA.