21. Quakertown 8-2, #12.The Panthers fell completely out of the Top 20 after losing two consecutive home games to conference rivals CR North 41-31 two weeks ago and Central Bucks East last week 24-23. As mentioned above, a bit of irony finds them in a rematch with 5th seeded Central Bucks East where they’ll find the Patriots just as difficult to defeat as they were last week. This is a nice team but a two game losing streak is not the way you want to enter the postseason against a team on a five game winning streak playing at home.
22. Upper Darby 9-1, #6.Seven straight wins by a combined score of 248-99 (35-14 average) with two shutouts and two others held to seven points will take you a long way. In this case to the top of the Central League where they share the lead with Haverford. They will definitely have their hands full Friday evening against surging Council Rock North, the 11th seed. But so will the Indians trying to contain one of the better kept secrets in southeastern PA in Isaiah Bruce, their 5-8, 185 pound senior tailback. He’s hard to see, quick and tough as evidenced by his 1758 yards rushing and 230 carries. It will be interesting seeing how Upper Darby holds up to playoff pressure, in this, their second winning season in seven years.
23. Haverford 9-1, # 7. Like the Royals, the Fords are also on a run, winning nine straight since the season opening 41-3 drubbing by Downingtown West. Hard getting that one out of your mind! But with a retooled offense that essentially replaced everyone save the quarterback, the Fords are a great story this year. It starts with senior quarterback Jack Donaghy who rewrote the record books, breaking Steve Joachim’s single season passing records, throwing for over 2000 yards this year and over 4600 yards in his career. As fine a year as he’s having, it’s the defense that for the most part has shined, allowing 11.5ppg discounting the opener. The O is impressive at 29ppg, but it’s still the D that in so many games decides the issue.
24. Stoudsburg 8-2, #5. The Mounties responded to heavy grad losses by putting together an eight win season and landing the 5th seed in the D2/4/11 sub-regional. Not bad! But against the higher eschelon of the EPC, they faltered, losing at home in the opener to Nazareth 49-47 and Bethlehem Catholic a few weeks ago, 49-14, also at home. That doesn’t bode well here on the road against Liberty, stinging from the 35-21 loss to Freedom.
25. Garnet Valley 7-3, #14.G-Val recovered from the season opening 37-13 loss at Unionville and the narrow road losses at Haverford 29-21 and Upper Darby 41-34 to land the 14th seed. This places them on a long road trip against undefeated and 3rd seeded Upper Dublin where they will encounter a team unlike any seen in the Central League. Flipping that, the Jags will be the best team the Cardinals have played all season.
26. Council Rock South 6-4. #19. The Hawks faced a brutal schedule that impacted their playoff hopes this year with narrow losses to Pennsbury and Neshaminy and a double overtime win against Central Bucks East which showed their competitive potential. But big losses to Quakertown 35-14 followed by what was essentially a play-in loss to Council Rock North last week sealed their fate leaving them with the 19th seed after the 35-14 loss.
27. Nazareth 5-5, #8. The Blue Eagles soared early, racing out to a 4-1 record that included a 49-47 win at Stroudsburg, a 31-27 loss to Freedom and a 37-35 win over Liberty before the bottom fell out with a 1-4 finish. Still, they made the playoffs by edging out Pleasant Valley (6-4), winning the right to play top seeded Wyoming Valley West. Regardless of the outcome there, and that’s a tough road trip for them, year two of the Tom Falzone era showed great improvement over last year’s 2-8 team, highlighted by the games mentioned at the top. Things are looking up at Naz.
28. Emmaus 5-5, #11.The Green Hornets are not without talent with some impressive lineman and a great back In Kyle Boney who finished the regular season with 1910 yards rushing. Kind of scary thinking 5-5 is the best you could get with a back like that. Despite playing with one arm tied behind their back with a ground a pound philosophy, they had their moments, beating Allentown Central Catholic and losing narrowly to Liberty. They move on to the Eastern Conference playoffs were a 7-5 finish would be great tonic for next year..
29. Rustin 7-3, #21. When you’re a program of Rustin’s stature opening with a loss to Truman (4-6), you’ve got to think you’re in for a long season. They recovered going 7-2 but it wasn’t enough losing to Unionville 28-21 at Rustin and to powerful Coatesville 31-7. That’s quite a drop for the Knights who were 10-2 last year with the 3rd seed, defeating Conestoga 47-13 in the first round before losing to Upper Dublin in the second, 41-23.
30. Plymouth Whitemarsh 8-2, #16. The Colonials lost to the only winning teams on their schedule, Upper Moreland and Upper Dublin by a combined score of 77-14 but still made the postseason with the 16th seed. Compounding things, one of their losses was to a AAA team while one of their wins was against AA Springfield. Friday night will provide a monster shocker for them taking on top seeded Downingtown East in Downingtown. The closest thing they’ve seen to them is Upper Dublin who beat them 42-0 with Ryan Stover throwing five touchdowns.
Others:
PPL Semifinal
Philadelphia Northeast 10-0, home Frankford
Simon Gratz 8-2, home Central
22. Upper Darby 9-1, #6.Seven straight wins by a combined score of 248-99 (35-14 average) with two shutouts and two others held to seven points will take you a long way. In this case to the top of the Central League where they share the lead with Haverford. They will definitely have their hands full Friday evening against surging Council Rock North, the 11th seed. But so will the Indians trying to contain one of the better kept secrets in southeastern PA in Isaiah Bruce, their 5-8, 185 pound senior tailback. He’s hard to see, quick and tough as evidenced by his 1758 yards rushing and 230 carries. It will be interesting seeing how Upper Darby holds up to playoff pressure, in this, their second winning season in seven years.
23. Haverford 9-1, # 7. Like the Royals, the Fords are also on a run, winning nine straight since the season opening 41-3 drubbing by Downingtown West. Hard getting that one out of your mind! But with a retooled offense that essentially replaced everyone save the quarterback, the Fords are a great story this year. It starts with senior quarterback Jack Donaghy who rewrote the record books, breaking Steve Joachim’s single season passing records, throwing for over 2000 yards this year and over 4600 yards in his career. As fine a year as he’s having, it’s the defense that for the most part has shined, allowing 11.5ppg discounting the opener. The O is impressive at 29ppg, but it’s still the D that in so many games decides the issue.
24. Stoudsburg 8-2, #5. The Mounties responded to heavy grad losses by putting together an eight win season and landing the 5th seed in the D2/4/11 sub-regional. Not bad! But against the higher eschelon of the EPC, they faltered, losing at home in the opener to Nazareth 49-47 and Bethlehem Catholic a few weeks ago, 49-14, also at home. That doesn’t bode well here on the road against Liberty, stinging from the 35-21 loss to Freedom.
25. Garnet Valley 7-3, #14.G-Val recovered from the season opening 37-13 loss at Unionville and the narrow road losses at Haverford 29-21 and Upper Darby 41-34 to land the 14th seed. This places them on a long road trip against undefeated and 3rd seeded Upper Dublin where they will encounter a team unlike any seen in the Central League. Flipping that, the Jags will be the best team the Cardinals have played all season.
26. Council Rock South 6-4. #19. The Hawks faced a brutal schedule that impacted their playoff hopes this year with narrow losses to Pennsbury and Neshaminy and a double overtime win against Central Bucks East which showed their competitive potential. But big losses to Quakertown 35-14 followed by what was essentially a play-in loss to Council Rock North last week sealed their fate leaving them with the 19th seed after the 35-14 loss.
27. Nazareth 5-5, #8. The Blue Eagles soared early, racing out to a 4-1 record that included a 49-47 win at Stroudsburg, a 31-27 loss to Freedom and a 37-35 win over Liberty before the bottom fell out with a 1-4 finish. Still, they made the playoffs by edging out Pleasant Valley (6-4), winning the right to play top seeded Wyoming Valley West. Regardless of the outcome there, and that’s a tough road trip for them, year two of the Tom Falzone era showed great improvement over last year’s 2-8 team, highlighted by the games mentioned at the top. Things are looking up at Naz.
28. Emmaus 5-5, #11.The Green Hornets are not without talent with some impressive lineman and a great back In Kyle Boney who finished the regular season with 1910 yards rushing. Kind of scary thinking 5-5 is the best you could get with a back like that. Despite playing with one arm tied behind their back with a ground a pound philosophy, they had their moments, beating Allentown Central Catholic and losing narrowly to Liberty. They move on to the Eastern Conference playoffs were a 7-5 finish would be great tonic for next year..
29. Rustin 7-3, #21. When you’re a program of Rustin’s stature opening with a loss to Truman (4-6), you’ve got to think you’re in for a long season. They recovered going 7-2 but it wasn’t enough losing to Unionville 28-21 at Rustin and to powerful Coatesville 31-7. That’s quite a drop for the Knights who were 10-2 last year with the 3rd seed, defeating Conestoga 47-13 in the first round before losing to Upper Dublin in the second, 41-23.
30. Plymouth Whitemarsh 8-2, #16. The Colonials lost to the only winning teams on their schedule, Upper Moreland and Upper Dublin by a combined score of 77-14 but still made the postseason with the 16th seed. Compounding things, one of their losses was to a AAA team while one of their wins was against AA Springfield. Friday night will provide a monster shocker for them taking on top seeded Downingtown East in Downingtown. The closest thing they’ve seen to them is Upper Dublin who beat them 42-0 with Ryan Stover throwing five touchdowns.
Others:
PPL Semifinal
Philadelphia Northeast 10-0, home Frankford
Simon Gratz 8-2, home Central
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