It's been a long time since CB West would consider a 12-1 season a "what might have been" year, but that's how you have to look at 2023. Losing two of your top 5 players heading into the season and then two more top starters at the very start of the playoffs wouldn't have been survivable in most other years, but last year's Bucks had enough to overcome those losses and roll to their first SOL title since 2019. Cooper Taylor (Washington and Lee) replaced Ganz Cooper (ACL) at QB and took the very first play of the season to the house against Garnet Valley. West would run for 350 against the Jags in week zero and give up less than 50 on the ground, finally squeaking out a win after three straight losses to GV. From there, the Bucks weren't really challenged on their way to an undefeated regular season. It took a few weeks to change offensive strategies to get the ball into Conor McFadden's (Navy) hands more often, but once they did, the offense started really rolling, and was backed up by the top defense in the league for the second year in a row. Taylor and Clemens would both run for around 1400 yards. McFadden averaged 16 yards a carry and scored 14 offensive TDs, with two more on defense. He scored roughly every 4th time he touched the ball. AJ Gerace (DT) led the defense which was particularly good up front, with tackle Hayden Mulligan (West Chester) leading the o-line. West was very small again between the tackles (guards averaged 170 pounds) but Coach Gehringer's (and Coach Quedenfeld's) group always plays tough. Heading into the playoffs it certainly looked like another run to the D1 title game was in the cards, with perhaps a better shot at the trophy than in 2022. On the opening kickoff in round one against Cheltenham, McFadden's injury bug struck again and he tore his ACL. He had missed the championship portion of his junior track season with a hamstring injury, where he would have been the odds-on favorite for the 200m state title, and this would cost him his senior track season as well. All-league DE Chris Hutchinson was also lost to a broken hand. West struggled their way through that game but pulled it together enough to advance. GV the next week was a classic, with West bottling the Jags up again inside, with GV adjusting this time, pulling the ball for Q keeps and option pitches. West prevailed in OT, with Taylor scoring 4 times and blocking the GV XP in OT to set up the West win. It's the most emotional win I've seen for the Bucks in recent memory. I think everyone in Doylestown knew that the matchup with South was a very different picture than the near mercy rule in week 9. Bucks held tough through halftime, but a disastrous 5 minutes or so in the 3rd quarter sealed their fate. With the D West upset over D East, they missed a golden opportunity to finally get another D1 title.
CB South would then take care of business vs D West the following week. South was a very different team in 23, running the QB and a two. headed RB attack, rarely throwing the ball. They were big and very physical on both sides of the ball. Goetter (Monmouth) was the leader of a very good OL. It was a pretty big departure from what we've seen from them over the past 5-6 seasons. Pinkerton and Leonardi (West Chester) led the running attack, with Leonardi eventually eclipsing 2000 yards on the season. Jimmy Wade (OLB) was a nice pickup from Arch Wood and the two ILBs (Moscowitz - West Chester) were big and could really hit. Coach Hetrick not only got the "no-playoff wins" monkey off his back, he racked up four straight and South's first district title. For the top teams in the SOL National, it was a pretty good showing against the other leagues with playoff wins over Garnet Valley, Spring-Ford, Coatesville and Downingtown West.
North Penn would struggle for the second year in a row, losing their starting QB to injury and then also their second string at one point. They gave Spring-Ford a run for their money in the playoffs, but that might have said more about Spring-Ford than it did about North Penn. Marc Cobb was a speedster but they never put together enough to challenge West or South.
CB East would have 3 players named to All-State teams, finish 4-6, and miss the playoffs.
Pennsbury remained a tough out but with their stud back graduated they struggled with their offensive consistency. They didn't seem to have a weapon that could break the big play and couldn't sustain drives either... they also lost their best o-lineman (center) to a bad injury against CB West. They did make the playoffs and gave a tough game to an undefeated Souderton squad.
Neshaminy was competitive with the middle of the league, with nice wins against CB East and Pennridge, and a close loss to Pennsbury, but were not competitive against the top teams. Really hard to put your finger on their identity currently.
Pennridge took a step forward under their new staff, but like Neshaminy, are not close to challenging the top teams in the league. Nice win against Pennsbury but otherwise just a year to try to build off of.
Abington brought up the rear and there weren't really any morale victories in their losses.
2024:
CB West: Brings back 3 starting d-linemen, 4 starting o-linemen and the league's top returning back in Clemens. The D-line should be elite, with incredibly fast and athletic ends (Hutchinson and Gerace) but the secondary is a total rebuild. QB will be Noah Miller, who took Cleland's spot at OLB last year so has at least been on the field. Can they develop other skill to replace McFadden's production? Can the QB develop quickly? Biggest question: Can they stay healthy? They've lost 5 starters to ACLs in two seasons, plus two underclassmen. Should be in the top 2-3 of the league again. Coach Rowan has the program firing on all cylinders.
CB South: Pinkerton is back at QB, along with Wade, Bowen, Gies and Micewski. Wade should see touches at RB along with a big kid who got the majority of the carries at the JV level. If one of them develops into a solid back then they will be near the top of the league again.
North Penn: QB Bucksar should be back healthy, and they will have their usual assortment of talent. Numbers just aren't what they used to be, even with the size of the school. Does Coach Beck have one more run in him?
CB East: They have Big Mike Carroll (Alabama) but will be debuting a new QB (who will also play LB like last year's QB), and it's unclear at this point who will take over at RB. Coach Donnelly will look for his first playoff win at East, but even the usual East optimism is fairly muted so far.
Pennridge: Have heard some rumblings that the new staff, even though they made some progress last year, made not be getting the buy-in and commitment they need. They have a very fast returning DB / WR but his eligibility is apparently now in question. QB Keating is back for his third year as a starter and should be one of the best in the SOL. Trevor Fuhs returns at LB / RB.
Neshaminy and Pennsbury: I honestly don't know enough about what they're bringing back at this point. Coach Snyder will have Pennsbury ready to fight no matter what he has, but he needs a stud or two in the backfield to get the offense firing.
Abington: Just fired their head coach after one year. Word is he was treated very poorly. Would expect them to finish in the same spot as they did last year. It's a shame, the talent is there in the school, not sure if the commitment to a good football program is there as well. Signs point to no.
CB South would then take care of business vs D West the following week. South was a very different team in 23, running the QB and a two. headed RB attack, rarely throwing the ball. They were big and very physical on both sides of the ball. Goetter (Monmouth) was the leader of a very good OL. It was a pretty big departure from what we've seen from them over the past 5-6 seasons. Pinkerton and Leonardi (West Chester) led the running attack, with Leonardi eventually eclipsing 2000 yards on the season. Jimmy Wade (OLB) was a nice pickup from Arch Wood and the two ILBs (Moscowitz - West Chester) were big and could really hit. Coach Hetrick not only got the "no-playoff wins" monkey off his back, he racked up four straight and South's first district title. For the top teams in the SOL National, it was a pretty good showing against the other leagues with playoff wins over Garnet Valley, Spring-Ford, Coatesville and Downingtown West.
North Penn would struggle for the second year in a row, losing their starting QB to injury and then also their second string at one point. They gave Spring-Ford a run for their money in the playoffs, but that might have said more about Spring-Ford than it did about North Penn. Marc Cobb was a speedster but they never put together enough to challenge West or South.
CB East would have 3 players named to All-State teams, finish 4-6, and miss the playoffs.
Pennsbury remained a tough out but with their stud back graduated they struggled with their offensive consistency. They didn't seem to have a weapon that could break the big play and couldn't sustain drives either... they also lost their best o-lineman (center) to a bad injury against CB West. They did make the playoffs and gave a tough game to an undefeated Souderton squad.
Neshaminy was competitive with the middle of the league, with nice wins against CB East and Pennridge, and a close loss to Pennsbury, but were not competitive against the top teams. Really hard to put your finger on their identity currently.
Pennridge took a step forward under their new staff, but like Neshaminy, are not close to challenging the top teams in the league. Nice win against Pennsbury but otherwise just a year to try to build off of.
Abington brought up the rear and there weren't really any morale victories in their losses.
2024:
CB West: Brings back 3 starting d-linemen, 4 starting o-linemen and the league's top returning back in Clemens. The D-line should be elite, with incredibly fast and athletic ends (Hutchinson and Gerace) but the secondary is a total rebuild. QB will be Noah Miller, who took Cleland's spot at OLB last year so has at least been on the field. Can they develop other skill to replace McFadden's production? Can the QB develop quickly? Biggest question: Can they stay healthy? They've lost 5 starters to ACLs in two seasons, plus two underclassmen. Should be in the top 2-3 of the league again. Coach Rowan has the program firing on all cylinders.
CB South: Pinkerton is back at QB, along with Wade, Bowen, Gies and Micewski. Wade should see touches at RB along with a big kid who got the majority of the carries at the JV level. If one of them develops into a solid back then they will be near the top of the league again.
North Penn: QB Bucksar should be back healthy, and they will have their usual assortment of talent. Numbers just aren't what they used to be, even with the size of the school. Does Coach Beck have one more run in him?
CB East: They have Big Mike Carroll (Alabama) but will be debuting a new QB (who will also play LB like last year's QB), and it's unclear at this point who will take over at RB. Coach Donnelly will look for his first playoff win at East, but even the usual East optimism is fairly muted so far.
Pennridge: Have heard some rumblings that the new staff, even though they made some progress last year, made not be getting the buy-in and commitment they need. They have a very fast returning DB / WR but his eligibility is apparently now in question. QB Keating is back for his third year as a starter and should be one of the best in the SOL. Trevor Fuhs returns at LB / RB.
Neshaminy and Pennsbury: I honestly don't know enough about what they're bringing back at this point. Coach Snyder will have Pennsbury ready to fight no matter what he has, but he needs a stud or two in the backfield to get the offense firing.
Abington: Just fired their head coach after one year. Word is he was treated very poorly. Would expect them to finish in the same spot as they did last year. It's a shame, the talent is there in the school, not sure if the commitment to a good football program is there as well. Signs point to no.
