Sorry about all the entries. This poorly conceived website has limitations on the number of words you can use. Truly high school!
1. Upper Dublin 11-0, #3. Upper Dublin had no trouble with 14th seeded Garnet Valley denying them even a touchdown in their 35-3 opening round win. It was a near total shutdown excepting the Jags field goal that came from 32 yards out. All totaled, G-Val had 166 total yards of offense with the Cardinals generating 506 yards. Quarterback Ryan Stover had 342 of that himself, 342 yards!....rushing for 128 and throwing for another 214 on a 10 of 19 outing. This a program on a roll, winning for the 31st time in the last 35 games. Bringing you up to speed to know the upgrades on both side of the ball over last year; that team ended 2014 averaging 34ppg while allowing 17, making it to the district semifinal. This year’s team is averaging 44ppg and allowing 6! One of the reasons the D yield is so low is because of a quick defensive front keyed by the DL of Zhaire Lee (6-2, 230, jr), Henry Winebrake (6-0, 235, sr), Kane O’Connor (6-3, 235, sr) and LaSalle transfer Isaiah Henrich (6-5, 240, sr). That front will get a test this weekend facing Upper Darby’s running back Isaiah Bruce (5-7, 185, sr) and duel threat quarterback Christoff Minott (5-10, 170, sr). Bruce rushed for 1744 yards so far, getting 338 against CR North….338!....while Minott garnered 1422 yards passing and 434 rushing. Against the porous Indian defense he threw for 122 yards and rushed for another 104.
2. St. Joseph’s Prep 7-2, #1. St. Joseph’s Prep trounced Roman Catholic 49-13 in the PCL-AAAA 1st round in a score similar to their 41-7 win two weeks prior that concluded the regular season. Looking at scores like this and how LaSalle handled Judge, don’t you hope the PCL goes to the former Red-Blue alignment next year where we’ll likely see Archbishop Wood and Ryan in the postseason mix to make for an exciting finish. Up next is the PCL final against LaSalle. Here the Hawks dominated since 2012 by winning the last five games, two in each of the last two seasons plus the October 16th game this year, 49-24. Since losing to Malvern Prep 33-21, St. Joe’s has gone on a rampage, averaging 40ppg and allowing 16 in a five game winning streak. With the versatility developed this year on offense, what may be overlooked is the great defense they’re playing. Excepting the breakdowns against Don Bosco Prep, losing 55-21 and the Malvern loss, they’ve played lights out defense, allowing 70 total points or 10ppg. That’s a tall order for LaSalle’s offense (26ppg) to overcome.
3. Downingtown East 11-0, #1. The Cougars got much more than expected from a 16 seed when Plymouth Whitemarsh played their best game of the season before going down to defeat 35-28. Running back Nyfeese Nasir embarrassed (exposed?) the previously vaunted Cougar defense, rushing for 204 yards. 204 yards! Bear in mind this is the same Whitemarsh group that was crushed by top seeded Upper Dublin 42-0 and AAA Upper Moreland 35-14. Upper Dublin held Nasir to 68 yards rushing. But give West credit for battling back from a 21-7 half time deficit to pull it out and move on. If they think the Colonials were a load, wait until North Penn comes in Friday night all charged up looking for revenge after losing in week # 3 at Kottmeyer, 28-24. Being a rematch you know these two know each other well meaning it should be a fiercely contested game.
4. Parkland 10-1, #2. The 7th seeded Delaware Valley Warriors (7-4) weren’t messing around or intimidated traveling to Orefield to play 2nd seeded Parkland where they put up a real fight, battling and banging their way to a 14-10 half time deficit. That’s the Warriors, they’re an in your face team https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-OYKd8SVrI loving to mix it up. But the Trojans have a little bit of that themselves and were simple too much, pulling away for a 28-10 win largely on the strength of their own warrior in running back Erik DiGirolamo. Talk about a tough out. At 5-9, 190 pounds, the senior is a hard tackle with a low cg and real physical style of play with surprising speed. He rushed for 110 yards with four scores. For comparison, Upper Dublin beat Delaware Valley 42-7 while Wyoming Valley West beat them 30-6. Up next is their old adversary Easton, off an emotional 20-3 win against Freedom. Parkland dominated the regular season game winning 21-3 five weeks ago, aided by three Trey Durrah interceptions. Once again it will be the Trojans physicality and abundant weapons against Easton’s ability to connect on a few passes and get to the edge with Minney-Gratz and others.
5. LaSalle 6-3, #2. LaSalle beat Father Judge 26-7 in the 1st round of the PCL-AAAA playoff after winning two weeks ago in the regular season finale 41-14. Running backs Syaire Madden tuned up for the Hawks with a strong showing rushing for 138 while Nick Rinella was strong as always with 146 total yards. Allowing Judge’s running back Yeedee Thaenrat 88 yards rushing on six carries is not a good omen coming into the final, knowing he left in the 2nd quarter with an injury. They face a difficult obstacle this weekend against the two time defending PCL and state champion Hawks of St. Joe’s. The first encounter this season saw them woefully outgunned, with quarterback Kevin Shaw throwing for three scores (9, 27 and 68-yds), D’Andre Swift rushing for 160 yards on 22 carries (13 and 39yd Td runs) and Benny Walls rushing for 84 yards (66Td run, 68 Td reception). Terrence Green returned a kickoff 89 yards for another score. You never know but it looks like St. Joe’s simply has far more weapons than the Explorers.
1. Upper Dublin 11-0, #3. Upper Dublin had no trouble with 14th seeded Garnet Valley denying them even a touchdown in their 35-3 opening round win. It was a near total shutdown excepting the Jags field goal that came from 32 yards out. All totaled, G-Val had 166 total yards of offense with the Cardinals generating 506 yards. Quarterback Ryan Stover had 342 of that himself, 342 yards!....rushing for 128 and throwing for another 214 on a 10 of 19 outing. This a program on a roll, winning for the 31st time in the last 35 games. Bringing you up to speed to know the upgrades on both side of the ball over last year; that team ended 2014 averaging 34ppg while allowing 17, making it to the district semifinal. This year’s team is averaging 44ppg and allowing 6! One of the reasons the D yield is so low is because of a quick defensive front keyed by the DL of Zhaire Lee (6-2, 230, jr), Henry Winebrake (6-0, 235, sr), Kane O’Connor (6-3, 235, sr) and LaSalle transfer Isaiah Henrich (6-5, 240, sr). That front will get a test this weekend facing Upper Darby’s running back Isaiah Bruce (5-7, 185, sr) and duel threat quarterback Christoff Minott (5-10, 170, sr). Bruce rushed for 1744 yards so far, getting 338 against CR North….338!....while Minott garnered 1422 yards passing and 434 rushing. Against the porous Indian defense he threw for 122 yards and rushed for another 104.
2. St. Joseph’s Prep 7-2, #1. St. Joseph’s Prep trounced Roman Catholic 49-13 in the PCL-AAAA 1st round in a score similar to their 41-7 win two weeks prior that concluded the regular season. Looking at scores like this and how LaSalle handled Judge, don’t you hope the PCL goes to the former Red-Blue alignment next year where we’ll likely see Archbishop Wood and Ryan in the postseason mix to make for an exciting finish. Up next is the PCL final against LaSalle. Here the Hawks dominated since 2012 by winning the last five games, two in each of the last two seasons plus the October 16th game this year, 49-24. Since losing to Malvern Prep 33-21, St. Joe’s has gone on a rampage, averaging 40ppg and allowing 16 in a five game winning streak. With the versatility developed this year on offense, what may be overlooked is the great defense they’re playing. Excepting the breakdowns against Don Bosco Prep, losing 55-21 and the Malvern loss, they’ve played lights out defense, allowing 70 total points or 10ppg. That’s a tall order for LaSalle’s offense (26ppg) to overcome.
3. Downingtown East 11-0, #1. The Cougars got much more than expected from a 16 seed when Plymouth Whitemarsh played their best game of the season before going down to defeat 35-28. Running back Nyfeese Nasir embarrassed (exposed?) the previously vaunted Cougar defense, rushing for 204 yards. 204 yards! Bear in mind this is the same Whitemarsh group that was crushed by top seeded Upper Dublin 42-0 and AAA Upper Moreland 35-14. Upper Dublin held Nasir to 68 yards rushing. But give West credit for battling back from a 21-7 half time deficit to pull it out and move on. If they think the Colonials were a load, wait until North Penn comes in Friday night all charged up looking for revenge after losing in week # 3 at Kottmeyer, 28-24. Being a rematch you know these two know each other well meaning it should be a fiercely contested game.
4. Parkland 10-1, #2. The 7th seeded Delaware Valley Warriors (7-4) weren’t messing around or intimidated traveling to Orefield to play 2nd seeded Parkland where they put up a real fight, battling and banging their way to a 14-10 half time deficit. That’s the Warriors, they’re an in your face team https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-OYKd8SVrI loving to mix it up. But the Trojans have a little bit of that themselves and were simple too much, pulling away for a 28-10 win largely on the strength of their own warrior in running back Erik DiGirolamo. Talk about a tough out. At 5-9, 190 pounds, the senior is a hard tackle with a low cg and real physical style of play with surprising speed. He rushed for 110 yards with four scores. For comparison, Upper Dublin beat Delaware Valley 42-7 while Wyoming Valley West beat them 30-6. Up next is their old adversary Easton, off an emotional 20-3 win against Freedom. Parkland dominated the regular season game winning 21-3 five weeks ago, aided by three Trey Durrah interceptions. Once again it will be the Trojans physicality and abundant weapons against Easton’s ability to connect on a few passes and get to the edge with Minney-Gratz and others.
5. LaSalle 6-3, #2. LaSalle beat Father Judge 26-7 in the 1st round of the PCL-AAAA playoff after winning two weeks ago in the regular season finale 41-14. Running backs Syaire Madden tuned up for the Hawks with a strong showing rushing for 138 while Nick Rinella was strong as always with 146 total yards. Allowing Judge’s running back Yeedee Thaenrat 88 yards rushing on six carries is not a good omen coming into the final, knowing he left in the 2nd quarter with an injury. They face a difficult obstacle this weekend against the two time defending PCL and state champion Hawks of St. Joe’s. The first encounter this season saw them woefully outgunned, with quarterback Kevin Shaw throwing for three scores (9, 27 and 68-yds), D’Andre Swift rushing for 160 yards on 22 carries (13 and 39yd Td runs) and Benny Walls rushing for 84 yards (66Td run, 68 Td reception). Terrence Green returned a kickoff 89 yards for another score. You never know but it looks like St. Joe’s simply has far more weapons than the Explorers.
