The East……..Still Streakin!
(Teams presently on a run, having won at least 4 straight)
This got longer than expected and I had to split it. As always, feel free to jump in or on with your comments or corrections.
D1….undefeated.
North Penn 7-0; Consecutive road wins at CB South and CB East didn’t slow them down (37-13 avg score) and neither should Souderton who ended their 3 game slide last week against Tennett. If you haven’t noticed through 7 games, North Penn’s offense is just above last year’s average (35ppg) at 37 ppg. But the marked improvement is on the other side of the ball where they’re allowing 14ppg against last year’s 19.
Neshaminy 7-0; Like the Knight’s Neshaminy is showing solid production improvement across the board, scoring 38ppg compared to last year’s 24 while allowing 15 a game vs 18 last year. Depending how the seeds shake out, this would sure be a great pairing, North Penn and Neshaminy. For the Tribe, this is the last road game of the year against improved Bensalem (4-3) who haven’t won 4 games since 2010’s 4-7 season. Improved is improved but a closer look shows the Owls lost to every winning team they played to date, Penn Wood, Abington and Pennsbury. Not exactly Murderers Row.
Perkiomen Valley 7-0; Nice, nice win going to Royersford and beating Spring Ford 28-16. With Boyertown and Owen J. Roberts left on the schedule, it looks like they will wrest the title from the Rams and enter the postseason with a great seed.
Springfield 5A 7-0; Offensively the Cougars average 29ppg but it’s the D that’s really getting it done, allowing 50 pts all season. Talk about a good ending, they end the regular season with 3 straight home games; Penncrest, Garnet Valley and Haverford. If they do G-Val and Haverford back-to-back, no small feat, they’ll enter the playoffs with tremendous momentum.
Academy Park 5A 7-0; The defending district champ in last year’s Triple-A classification is at it again, something like Springfield above shutting people down defensively allowing 8ppg. The difference, the Knights have a little more offense (and speed) at 32ppg. They’re home to 6-1 Penn Wood Friday for what should be a real challenge to see if they can break up the logjam atop the Del-Val with PW and Interboro.
D1-Other streakers
Plymouth Whitemarsh 6-1; Since losing at home in the opener to Souderton 38-23 (at home!?) they’ve reeled off 6 straight counting last week’s at previously undefeated Upper Dublin 24-21. That puts them atop the SOL-American, tied with Hatboro Horsham (!!) who is also 4-0 in the SOLA.
Hatboro Horsham 4-3; How about these Hatters rebounding from the 0-3 start for the showdown with the Colonials Friday. They’ve averaged 35ppg the last 3 games while PW allowed 36 pts their last home game, beating Wissahickon 39-35. The same team fell to Hatboro last week 42-13.
Coatesville 6-1; The Red Raiders have been on the warpath since losing to Cumberland Valley September 2nd, winning 5 straight including the routs of both Downingtown West 48-9 and Downingtown East at East 40-7. No one would have predicted that in the preseason or any point of the regular season, especially following Cumberland Valley where they were outrushed 277 to 38. With Avon Grove, BS Shanahan and Rustin left to play, they could run out.
Haverford 5-2; The Fords won 5 straight with the two losses coming by 3 (opener) and 7 points. We get a preview of a AAAAA classification playoff game Friday night with Marple Newtown (6-1) visiting following their first loss last week against Ridley. The Tigers may come in a little sluggish after Ridley pounded them for 359 yards on the ground.
D1 Notes: Ridley’s defense and a powerful ground game have them at 6-1 with an overtime time loss standing between them and an undefeated season. With Harriton, Stoga and Upper Darby left, they’ll win out. Garnet Valley (5-2) is right there too, with a 28-20 loss to Ridley and an overtime loss to Haverford 34-28.
D12
St. Joseph’s Prep 5-0; Bit of a lackluster performance last week beating Roman 22-10 but maybe the Cahillites deserve some respect. It was a PCL-Red game and they did give Neshaminy and Springside CHA a fight. Judge is next and they’ve lost 3 straight. No more Conshy this year with this one at Widener where they might be more in their element on turf. Then comes LaSalle and wow, do they owe them one!
Philadelphia Central 6-0; The Lancers won again and good luck finding a loss on the schedule with GW and South Philly left to play.
Imhotep 4A 6-0; It’s still scary thinking how easily Imhotep beat Malvern Prep two weeks ago isn’t it? Frankford and Delaware Valley Charter are all that’s left before we see how deep they can go in the postseason.
Boys Latin 4A 7-0; Still undefeated scoring 37ppg while allowing just 9. The only linkage game is the road opener where they beat Harriton 26-12. About the Rams, they’ve lost all their games by a combined score of 219 to 26 and are 0-7.
Cardinal O’Hara 4A 6-0; O’Hara’s had a great run where 5 of their 6 games were at home against teams with losing records. That enabled statistical inflation showing them at 35ppg offensively against a defense allowing 4ppg. That all changes Saturday going to Truman to play a good Conwell Egan team.
Conwell Egan 3A 5-1; The Eagles have had more diversity in their schedule then O’Hara, taking to the road on three occasions and playing a tougher slate of teams with the loss coming to Episcopal 30-22. They grabbed a quality win against West Catholic. On paper these two look similar, O’Hara scoring 35 a game and allowing 4 while Egan scores 29 while allowing 8. This is a big “Blue” battle (both 3-0) with the winner likely taking the division crown.
Bartram 4A 5-1; The Maroon Wave (Crimson Tide?) are also streaking, winning 5 straight since opening with a 30-22 loss at Gratz. Like Boys Latin, they also have a large offense averaging 45ppg supported by a defense allowing 11ppg.
D12 Notes: Archbishop Wood won their last three games against Roman, Ryan and Judge rising to 3-2 overall with Carroll and Upper Darby up next before LaSalle, where they’ll catch the Explorers coming off the St. Joe’s game.
(Teams presently on a run, having won at least 4 straight)
This got longer than expected and I had to split it. As always, feel free to jump in or on with your comments or corrections.
D1….undefeated.
North Penn 7-0; Consecutive road wins at CB South and CB East didn’t slow them down (37-13 avg score) and neither should Souderton who ended their 3 game slide last week against Tennett. If you haven’t noticed through 7 games, North Penn’s offense is just above last year’s average (35ppg) at 37 ppg. But the marked improvement is on the other side of the ball where they’re allowing 14ppg against last year’s 19.
Neshaminy 7-0; Like the Knight’s Neshaminy is showing solid production improvement across the board, scoring 38ppg compared to last year’s 24 while allowing 15 a game vs 18 last year. Depending how the seeds shake out, this would sure be a great pairing, North Penn and Neshaminy. For the Tribe, this is the last road game of the year against improved Bensalem (4-3) who haven’t won 4 games since 2010’s 4-7 season. Improved is improved but a closer look shows the Owls lost to every winning team they played to date, Penn Wood, Abington and Pennsbury. Not exactly Murderers Row.
Perkiomen Valley 7-0; Nice, nice win going to Royersford and beating Spring Ford 28-16. With Boyertown and Owen J. Roberts left on the schedule, it looks like they will wrest the title from the Rams and enter the postseason with a great seed.
Springfield 5A 7-0; Offensively the Cougars average 29ppg but it’s the D that’s really getting it done, allowing 50 pts all season. Talk about a good ending, they end the regular season with 3 straight home games; Penncrest, Garnet Valley and Haverford. If they do G-Val and Haverford back-to-back, no small feat, they’ll enter the playoffs with tremendous momentum.
Academy Park 5A 7-0; The defending district champ in last year’s Triple-A classification is at it again, something like Springfield above shutting people down defensively allowing 8ppg. The difference, the Knights have a little more offense (and speed) at 32ppg. They’re home to 6-1 Penn Wood Friday for what should be a real challenge to see if they can break up the logjam atop the Del-Val with PW and Interboro.
D1-Other streakers
Plymouth Whitemarsh 6-1; Since losing at home in the opener to Souderton 38-23 (at home!?) they’ve reeled off 6 straight counting last week’s at previously undefeated Upper Dublin 24-21. That puts them atop the SOL-American, tied with Hatboro Horsham (!!) who is also 4-0 in the SOLA.
Hatboro Horsham 4-3; How about these Hatters rebounding from the 0-3 start for the showdown with the Colonials Friday. They’ve averaged 35ppg the last 3 games while PW allowed 36 pts their last home game, beating Wissahickon 39-35. The same team fell to Hatboro last week 42-13.
Coatesville 6-1; The Red Raiders have been on the warpath since losing to Cumberland Valley September 2nd, winning 5 straight including the routs of both Downingtown West 48-9 and Downingtown East at East 40-7. No one would have predicted that in the preseason or any point of the regular season, especially following Cumberland Valley where they were outrushed 277 to 38. With Avon Grove, BS Shanahan and Rustin left to play, they could run out.
Haverford 5-2; The Fords won 5 straight with the two losses coming by 3 (opener) and 7 points. We get a preview of a AAAAA classification playoff game Friday night with Marple Newtown (6-1) visiting following their first loss last week against Ridley. The Tigers may come in a little sluggish after Ridley pounded them for 359 yards on the ground.
D1 Notes: Ridley’s defense and a powerful ground game have them at 6-1 with an overtime time loss standing between them and an undefeated season. With Harriton, Stoga and Upper Darby left, they’ll win out. Garnet Valley (5-2) is right there too, with a 28-20 loss to Ridley and an overtime loss to Haverford 34-28.
D12
St. Joseph’s Prep 5-0; Bit of a lackluster performance last week beating Roman 22-10 but maybe the Cahillites deserve some respect. It was a PCL-Red game and they did give Neshaminy and Springside CHA a fight. Judge is next and they’ve lost 3 straight. No more Conshy this year with this one at Widener where they might be more in their element on turf. Then comes LaSalle and wow, do they owe them one!
Philadelphia Central 6-0; The Lancers won again and good luck finding a loss on the schedule with GW and South Philly left to play.
Imhotep 4A 6-0; It’s still scary thinking how easily Imhotep beat Malvern Prep two weeks ago isn’t it? Frankford and Delaware Valley Charter are all that’s left before we see how deep they can go in the postseason.
Boys Latin 4A 7-0; Still undefeated scoring 37ppg while allowing just 9. The only linkage game is the road opener where they beat Harriton 26-12. About the Rams, they’ve lost all their games by a combined score of 219 to 26 and are 0-7.
Cardinal O’Hara 4A 6-0; O’Hara’s had a great run where 5 of their 6 games were at home against teams with losing records. That enabled statistical inflation showing them at 35ppg offensively against a defense allowing 4ppg. That all changes Saturday going to Truman to play a good Conwell Egan team.
Conwell Egan 3A 5-1; The Eagles have had more diversity in their schedule then O’Hara, taking to the road on three occasions and playing a tougher slate of teams with the loss coming to Episcopal 30-22. They grabbed a quality win against West Catholic. On paper these two look similar, O’Hara scoring 35 a game and allowing 4 while Egan scores 29 while allowing 8. This is a big “Blue” battle (both 3-0) with the winner likely taking the division crown.
Bartram 4A 5-1; The Maroon Wave (Crimson Tide?) are also streaking, winning 5 straight since opening with a 30-22 loss at Gratz. Like Boys Latin, they also have a large offense averaging 45ppg supported by a defense allowing 11ppg.
D12 Notes: Archbishop Wood won their last three games against Roman, Ryan and Judge rising to 3-2 overall with Carroll and Upper Darby up next before LaSalle, where they’ll catch the Explorers coming off the St. Joe’s game.
