Saturday, September 29, 2012

Owen J. Roberts 20, Pope John Paul II 12

Pope John Paul II's Chris Veisbergs is tackled by a trio of Owen J. Roberts defenders, including Tyler Reitnour, left, and Brad Trego (54) during Saturday's PAC-10 game. (Kevin Hoffman/The Mercury)

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

It was a more-comfortable lead Owen J. Roberts held in the closing minutes of Saturday’s game with Pope John Paul II.
But the backstory behind the scenario had people on the visiting sideline shaking their heads in bewilderment.
Holding the ball at its 38-yard line, and a one-point edge on the Golden Panthers inside the two-minute mark, Owen J. watched tailback Wyatt Scott scamper the remaining length to the PJP end zone. With Zach Jennion’s conversion kick tacked on, Owen J. Roberts came away with a 20-12 lead that the Wildcats made stick to the end for their second straight Pioneer Athletic Conference victory.

(For entire story, click here ... )

Pottsgrove 26, Spring-Ford 0

Video by Darryl Grumling and Frank Otto; Editing by Frank Otto

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

LOWER POTTSGROVE — With a pregame tribute to U.S. service members known as “Operation American Pride” providing the backdrop, Pottsgrove hit the field for Friday night’s Pioneer Athletic Conference showdown against Spring-Ford clad in camouflage pants.
It proved to be an appropriate choice of attire for a much-anticipated battle of the top two teams in the PAC-10.
While things remained pretty much up for grabs after a first half filled with trench warfare, the Falcons’ infantry took over in the final 24 minutes on the way to a 26-0 victory over the defending league champion Rams.
Tailback Mark Dukes ran for all but 14 of his game-high 138 yards in the second half and also scored two TDs and quarterback Tory Hudgins (74 yards) and fullback Nick Brennan (30) each ran for scores as the Falcons (4-0 PAC-10, 5-0 overall) avenged last year’s 49-35 loss to Spring-Ford.


 (For complete story, click here ... )

Pottsgrove's Riley Michaels (13) brings down Spring-Ford's Yousef Lundi Friday.




Conrad Weiser 40, Daniel Boone 19

By Dennis Weller
Special to The Mecury

UNION — After a four-game losing streak to start the season, and a lackluster performance in Friday night’s first half, the Daniel Boone seniors had just about had enough.
They and the rest of the Blazers came out of the locker room fired up after the halftime break and put together two long scoring drives to slice into what had once been a 19-point Conrad Weiser lead. But a long kickoff return by the Scouts and a costly Boone fumble killed the comeback, allowing Weiser to pull away again at the end for a 40-19 Berks Football League Section 1 win at Brazinsky Field.

(For complete story, click here)

Methacton 35, Upper Perkiomen 6

By Jake Hallman
Special to The Mercury

RED HILL – Granted, the 2012 football season is nearing the halfway point, but as far as Paul Lepre, Brandon Bossard and the rest of Methacton’s squad is concerned, they’re just getting started.
The Warriors head coach and quarterback, respectively, have taken that approach after Methacton got off to a slow start, but have gained some momentum with a pair of victories. Their latest came Friday night as the Warriors played solid on both sides of the ball in a 35-6 victory over Upper Perkiomen.
Bossard was one of the main culprits of the win as he led his team rushing with 81 yards and a score on 13 carries and finished an efficient 10 of 14 for 122 yards and three touchdowns.

(For complete story, click here)



Phoenixville 42, Pottstown 27

Pottstown's Monroe Hampton breaks off a run Friday.


By Barry Sankey
bsankey@journalregister.com

PHOENIXVILLE — Phoenixville’s defense spent the week preparing to play against Pottstown’s high-powered offense, which includes a potent running game and a strong passing attack as well.
The Phantoms knew they had to contend with the area’s top-rated quarterback in Sage Reinhart as well as the leading rusher in Monroe Hampton plus the Trojans’ other weapons.
Phoenixville exerted better pressure along the defensive front in establishing a 21-7 halftime lead and utilized its own productive running game plus some big momentum-changing plays on offense, defense and special teams to crank out a 42-27 victory Friday night at Washington Field.

(For complete story, click here ... )


Perkiomen Valley 42, Boyertown 7



By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

BOYERTOWN — Talk about a finishing kick ...
If Friday evening’s football game with Boyertown had been a two-mile foot race, Perkiomen Valley would have turned on the afterburners with only a half-mile gone by.
The fast finish to the Vikings’ 42-7 victory at BASH Memorial Stadium more than compensated for a slow start against a Bear squad that appeared more in synch. A lost fumble on its first touch of the game, and a subsequent three-and-out, preceded PV scoring on four of its next six possessions to make this Pioneer Athletic Conference pairing a runaway in its favor.
“We made some mistakes early ... put the ball on the turf, had some miscues,” Viking head coach Scott Reed said afterward. “We needed to settle down.”

(For complete story, click here)


Perkiomen Valley's Rasaan Stewart threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more Friday.

Friday, September 28, 2012

2nd Half Video from Pottsgrove/Spring-Ford

A post-game interview with Pottsgrove's Riley Michaels:



Pottsgrove beats Spring-Ford, 26-0. Darryl Grumling with his final take from the sidelines:


SCOREBOARD for SEPT. 28

FINAL SCORES

PAC-10

Phoenixville 42, Pottstown 27
Methacton 35, Upper Perkiomen 6
Pottsgrove 26, Spring-Ford 0
Perkiomen Valley 42, Boyertown 7

BERKS LEAGUE

Conrad Weiser 40, Daniel Boone 19

Pottsgrove vs. Spring-Ford Video (1st half)

Keep an eye on this link all night long as Darryl Grumling and Frank Otto provide video and more from tonight's big Pottsgrove/Spring-Ford game.

Coyne incompletion ends the half with Pottsgrove leading, 6-0.



Coyne's pass falls incomplete over the middle on third down in the second quarter:



A packed house at Pottsgrove:




Spring-Ford fails on fourth down with a pass to Vagnozzi in the end zone:



Opening Kickoff for Sept. 28

Pottsgrove's Tory Hudgins and Spring-Ford's Hank Coyne.
It's only Week 5 of the high school football season.

But it might be the night that decides the Pioneer Athletic Conference crown.

Spring-Ford (2-0 PAC-10, 4-0 overall) visits Potsgrove (3-0 PAC-10, 4-0 overall) in the PAC-10 Game of the Year tonight, in a matchup that likely will decide the league title.

Here's what you need to know to get ready:

  • You can read Darryl Grumling's preview story from today's Mercury by clicking here...
  • You should be following us at Mercury Sports Live for up-to-the-minute score updates on our Live Scoreboard, which works great on smartphones and tablets, in case you're in the stands at another game. Click here for the scoreboard... (link active starting at 7 p.m.)
  • Also at Mercury Sports Live, you'll see video previews, analysis and game highlights AS THE GAME IS HAPPENING. It's the next best thing to being there.
Here's things you should be doing already, but we'll let you slide if you're not ... this time:
  • Follow us on Twitter @PottsMercSports for the latest updates from this game and all the rest.
  • Follow Darryl Grumling (@MercSmokinD) and Frank Otto (@FOttoJourno) for updates from Pottsgrove.
  • Follow the Twitter hashtag #PGvsSF for the latest from the game!
Lastly, GET INVOLVED! Tweet us if you're at the game, or tweet us if you're just following along. Who are you rooting for tonight? Join in with the hashtag #PGvsSF.

We know who this Northwestern University football star is rooting for:


Click on for more info on tonight's games...

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Tory Hudgins, Hank Coyne are two of a kind

Tory Hudgins (5) and Pottsgrove take on Spring-Ford Friday.



Hank Coyne (11) and Spring-Ford visit Pottsgrove in a battle of unbeaten squads Friday.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

At first glance, Pottsgrove’s Tory Hudgins and Spring-Ford’s Hank Coyne appear to be at opposite ends of the quarterback spectrum.
Hudgins does most of his damage on the ground, racing around the gridiron like Dale Earnhardt Jr. at a NASCAR track.
Coyne, meanwhile, is quite comfortable getting it done through the air: picking apart opposing secondaries with a plethora of precise passes.
Upon closer inspection, however, Hudgins and Coyne have a lot more in common than you might think.

(For complete story, click here)

FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Mark Dukes and Pottsgrove are ranked No. 8 in Class AAA in the state by the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

Pope John Paul II’s James Bleming leads the Pioneer Athletic Conference with 904 passing yards, a figure he accumluated in the first three-plus games of this season.
Last Thursday, Mike Richardson of Marble Falls, Tex., nearly got that in one monster night.
Richardson threw for 725 yards in a 62-55 victory over Boerne-Champion, breaking the Texas high school mark of 683 set last year by Dylan Sheffield of Wichita Falls in a game against Denton.
The national single-game record, by the way, is 764, accomplished by David Koral of Pacific Palisades in 2000.

 (For complete story, click here ... )


WEEK FIVE CAPSULES

FRIDAY’S GAMES
MOYER ACADEMY, DEL. AT PERKIOMEN SCHOOL
Records: Moyer Academy is 0-0. Perkiomen School is 1-1 after 36-8 victory over George School.
Inside the lines: Perkiomen School got 111 rushing yards and one interception apiece from the tandem of John Garrett and John Williams (three total TDs) last week. ... Offensive line of Bobby Lee, Arnaldo Contraras, Isaiah Armstrong, Quinn Kasner and Olivier Joseph helped pave way for ground attack that piled up 257 yards on 23 carries. ... This is opener for a seven-game independent schedule for Moyer Academy, a charter school. The Titans, coached by Terron Tippens, went 1-4 last year.
Notes: First meeting between the two schools. ... Kickoff is 4 p.m. ... Perkiomen School coach Tom Calvario: “We need to have more consistent play all the way around. Play with controlled emotion, upbeat tempo, speed and focus for 48 minutes.”

(For complete story, click here ... )

WEEK FIVE PICKS


The "Poopster" is looking ahead to all of the Week 5 area football action.


By Darryl Grumling

With Mercury Sports Editor (and local high school football guru) Don Seeley on vacation this week, I have been tasked with handling a lot of his workload.

So I thought it might be fun to let my cat, Poppy (aka the "Poopster," pictured above) lend a hand in picking this week's action. The Poopster and Don have a lot in common.

I promised him some extra tuna to go along with his cat food if he could run the table and keep up the high standard set by my boss. So here goes:

Friday's Games
Moyer Academy (Del.) at Perkiomen School:  Perkiomen School had a breakout effort last week in a win over George School, and the Poopster expects that trend to continue this week . . . Perkiomen School.

Conrad Weiser at Daniel Boone: Under the trivia dept., the Poopster's owner was a Lebanon Valley League baseball teammate of Weiser coach Alan Moyer back in the day. The Poopster would like to see Boone coach Bill Parks pick up his first win, but he's going to have to say . . . Conrad Weiser.

Methacton at Upper Perkiomen: The Warriors have some spring in their steps after collecting their first victory last week, something Upper Perk would like to accomplish this week . . . Methacton.

Perkiomen Valley at Boyertown: With all the hype about Spring-Ford/Pottsgrove this week, the Poopster says don't sleep on PV when talking PAC-10 title contenders . . . Perkiomen Valley.

Pottstown at Phoenixville: Neither myself, the Poopster or Mr. Seeley were around when this rivalry started. Both the Trojans and Phantoms are trying to bounce back from losses. Tough one here, but in the 100th meeting of the series, the Poopster says . . . Pottstown.

Spring-Ford at Pottsgrove: The winner of this much-anticipated clash will have the inside track to the PAC-10 crown. The Poopster knows it's a coin flip that could go either way, but he's going to give an ever so slight edge to . . . Pottsgrove.

Saturday's games
Owen J. Roberts at Pope John Paul II: The Poopster was one of the few outside Bucktown who gave the Wildcats a chance last week, when they snapped a 13-game losing streak. I think he just likes their nickname. He thinks they will make it two in row against injury-depleted PJP ... Owen J. Roberts.

Hill School at Springside Chestnut Hill: In a battle of squads seeking their first win, the Poopster is going to lean towards . . . Hill School.














Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Owen J. Roberts perseveres to snap losing streak

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

Owen J. Roberts head coach Tom Barr
Eleven days ago, even as Owen J. Roberts walked off the Perkiomen Valley field after suffering its 13th straight loss, Wildcats coach Tom Barr had a feeling his squad was on the verge of breaking out of its more than year-long slump.
“I think we’re close,” Barr said after that 35-13 setback. “We need to stay with them and support them. They need to know that we’re not quitting.”
Last Friday, that perseverance finally paid off for Owen J. Roberts, which bounced back from an 0-3 start to deal defending District 1-AAA finalist Phoenixville a 35-19 defeat.
“That win was a big boost to them believing in themselves,” Barr said. “It showed that teamwork has to be there in winning a game. Our enthusiasm has gone up several marks.”
There was a lot for the Wildcats to be enthusiastic about in notching their first victory since a 23-14 win over Reading in Week Two of last year.

To read the rest of this notebook, click here

Monday, September 24, 2012

Pottsgrove, Spring-Ford take care of business ahead of showdown


By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com
Pottsgrove QB Tory Hudgins

Pottsgrove has maneuvered through its first four opponents like a plow through corn.
Spring-Ford, likewise, has pretty much taken care of business in impressive fashion.
And now that the tune-up formalities are over with, the Falcons and Rams can finally prepare for this week’s showdown for Pioneer Athletic Conference supremacy.
Heading into Friday night’s much-anticipated clash at Pottsgrove, the Falcons (3-0 PAC-10, 4-0 overall) have outscored their opposition 200-27, including three straight 50-plus-point efforts.
That said, Pottsgrove coach Rick Pennypacker still sees plenty of room for improvement.
“Our kids are getting better, but they are not there yet,” Pennypacker said. “Our young kids are still learning and working to get better. This will be a test for them.”
As it likewise will be for the Rams (2-0, 4-0), who had to rally for a 31-20 Week One victory over Whitehall before following that up with three relatively easy wins by a combined margin of 127-37.

To read the rest of this story, click here

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Methacton 35, Pope John Paul II 13

Methacton's Devin Bradley is mobbed by teammates after scoring one of his three TDs Saturday. (Photo by Tom Kelly III)

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

FAIRVIEW VILLAGE — After a first three games rife with physical mistakes, mental errors, missed assignments and general disorder, the Methacton Warriors took it upon themselves to change the culture, so to speak, this week.
According to Warriors coach Paul Lepre, captains Brandon Bossard, Cooper Given, Jeremy Reid and Chris He provided the impetus for some overtime skull sessions after practice had ended.
“They stayed out later after practice was over, working on things that we talked about on film that we were struggling with,” Lepre said. “We must have had 30 or 40 guys hanging out later to work on those things, and that’s a credit to them. They made a statement to one another that, ‘Hey, we need this extra time if we want to get on the W side.’”
Saturday afternoon, the fruits of that labor paid dividends as Methacton defeated Pope John Paul II, 35-13, in Pioneer Athletic Conference action for its first victory of the season.

Click here for entire story


Friday, September 21, 2012

Owen J. Roberts 35, Phoenixville 19

Phoenixville's Chris Demey is tackled by Owen J. Roberts' John Raser (48), Bobby McGee (52) and another Wildcat defender during the first half of Friday's PAC-10 game. (Photo by Barry Taglieber)


By Barry Sankey
bsankey@journalregister.com

BUCKTOWN — After three successive weeks of football setbacks to open the 2012 season, Owen J. Roberts coach Tom Barr was not sure how his Wildcats would respond in their Pioneer Athletic Conference game against visiting Phoenixville Friday night.
Instead of buckling under, Owen J. Roberts regrouped with a solid effort on both sides of the football to defeat Phoenixville, 35-19, at Wildcat Stadium.
The Wildcats struck through the air first in taking a 14-12 halftime lead and then utilized their ground game to control the pigskin in the second half. Meanwhile, the defense shut the Phantoms out in the fourth period after the Wildcats were clinging to a 21-19 lead after three quarters.
Owen J. Roberts rolled up 432 total yards, including 271 yards rushing and 161 more passing, while scoring five touchdowns. Quarterback Jarrad Pinelli completed 11 of 14 passes with three touchdowns by Matt Raymond covering 15, 14 and 44 yards. After that worked, it set up Wyatt Scott to rush for 241 yards and two TDs on 30 carries behind a steadily improving offensive line.
“Our kids really put four quarters together,” said Barr. “We played well. We executed a lot better than the first three games.
“I am just so proud of the kids. We came in 0-3 and could have been a down team. But the kids have worked hard the last three or four weeks. I am proud they did well tonight. They needed this win.”

(More photos after the jump...)

Gov. Mifflin 34, Daniel Boone 6

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

SHILLINGTON — It was a runaway freight train on a turf field.
Daniel Boone’s coaches and players were aware of the Governor Mifflin football team’s affinity for running the option offense. And they saw the Mustangs work it from the outset of Friday’s Berks League opener at Governor Mifflin Stadium.
But as for contending with it ... well, the 34-6 rundown the home team laid on the Blazers was the final word on what unfolded.
“We knew they were always a good option team,” DB head coach Bill Parks said afterward. “We didn’t play our best defense. We did well in some spots, but not fully.”
The Blazers hung with their hosts through a first half that ended with GM up 13-6, and the opening minutes of the second where they drove the kickoff toward Mifflin’s red zone in a 14-play surge.
But after stopping Boone on downs at the 6:22 mark, the Mustangs (2-2) scored on three successive possessions while the Blazers (0-4) were unable to parlay an equal number of touches into points. That left Parks still in search of his first win since taking over the Blazer program this year.
“It’s disappointing,” he said. “It hurts now, and it’s going to hurt more tomorrow.”

Pottsgrove 56, Boyertown 6

Pottsgrove's Marquis Barefield scores on a 20-yard TD run


By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com


LOWER POTTSGROVE — Jeff Adams described the effort that he and his Pottsgrove defensive teammates put forth Friday night as “playing like our hair was on fire.”
That illuminating metaphor was probably as good of a take as any on a Falcons’ ‘D’ that seemed bent on destruction for virtually all of what wound up a 56-6 Pioneer Athletic Conference victory over visiting Boyertown.
With prime-time performances from practically all 11 members of the starting unit, Pottsgrove wreaked havoc in stonewalling an Bears’ no-huddle attack that entered the game putting up a gaudy 40 points per game.
“I thought our defense played tremendous tonight,” said Falcons coach Rick Pennypacker, whose team improved to 3-0 in PAC-10 play and 4-0 overall.

Perkiomen Valley 57, Pottstown 27

Perkiomen Valley's Mark Bonomo (35) finds room around the end while Pottstown's Darrell Bookard (32) pursues in the first half of Friday's PAC-10 game. (Photo/Tom Kelly III)
 
By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN — Rasaan Stewart made up for lost time Friday night.
Unable to practice or play in last week’s game because of an upper body injury, and not even cleared to practice for Friday’s game until right before lunch, the Perkiomen Valley quarterback looked as if hadn’t missed a day of drills or even a game.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior kept the ball 15 times for 226 yards and four touchdowns and completed 8 of 13 passes for 166 more yards and another score to guide the Vikings to a 57-27 rout of Pottstown in their Pioneer Athletic Conference encounter at Grigg Memorial Field.
Say what you may about Perkiomen Valley’s offensive line — and Stewart sure praised the grunts up front — but Stewart’s ability to make the right reads and his versatility to run and throw the ball equally well turned a thriller at the half (24-21) into a lopsided affair at the end.
There’s no question Davon Mitchell’s 84-yard return of the second-half kickoff fired up the Vikings (2-0, 3-1 overall), but it was Stewart who fueled that fire with big play after big play after big play.
“He’s a special talent,” Vikings head coach Scott Reed said.
(...More photos after jump...) 

Perkiomen School 36, George School 8

By Dennis Weller
Special to The Mercury

NEWTOWN — Right from the start on Friday night, it was obvious that it was a whole new Perkiomen School football team compared to the one that had opened the season the week before. John Garrett ran for five yards on the first play from scrimmage and 11 more on the second. Then John Williams burst 52 yards for a touchdown and that set the pattern for the night.
The Perkiomen offensive line continued to open huge holes the rest of the way and the Panthers ran for 257 yards on just 23 carries in a 36-8 win at George School. Williams and Garrett each rushed for 111 yards on only three and five attempts, respectively, and each intercepted a pass. Williams scored three times – on two long runs and a fumble return.
The Panthers hadn’t done much on offense in a season-opening 23-0 loss at Tower Hill. But after a week of practice, they were ready to go.
“In practice, everybody was a lot more focused,” said Williams. “We came back as a team. John (Garrett) and I, as captains, let everybody know that we have to play hard and come out focused.”

Spring-Ford 42, Upper Perkiomen 6

By Jake Hallman
Special to The Mercury


ROYERSFORD — Chad Brubaker and Steve Moyer both had their share of distractions heading into Friday night’s Pioneer Athletic Conference football game.
And the Spring-Ford and Upper Perkiomen head coaches, respectively, collectively had their share of questions just exactly how their squads were going to perform after their share of adversity.
For Brubaker, the big question was how his team would respond without the services of junior running back Jarred Jones, who is out the next few weeks due to injury. The other question mark for the Rams was just how well they would answer the challenge after what Brubaker called a lackluster effort in the team’s previous outing against Pope John Paul II.
Moyer and company, meanwhile, were interested in seeing just how well the Tribe would respond after a rough start to the 2012 season, and if the team can consistently show improvement every Friday night.
As it turned out, the Rams took the advantage on both fronts.
Spring-Ford scored on its first five offensive touches, then played some pretty solid defense as it rolled to a 42-6 victory. In the process, the Rams (2-0, 4-0) also notched a milestone win, giving the Spring-Ford program an overall winning percentage into next weekend’s big showdown against Pottsgrove.

FINAL SCOREBOARD for Sept. 21

FINAL SCORES

PAC-10


Owen J. Roberts 35, Phoenixville 19
Perkiomen Valley 57,  Pottstown 27
Spring-Ford 42, Upper Perkiomen 6
Pottsgrove 56, Boyertown 6

Berks League

Gov. Mifflin 34, Daniel Boone 6

Non-League

Perkiomen School 36, George School 8

Video from Pottsgrove/Boyertown

Darryl Grumling (on Twitter @MercSmokinD) will be checking in periodically tonight with video updates from the sidelines.

Post-game rundown from Darryl after Pottsgrove's 56-6 win over Boyertown, along with an interview with the Falcons' Jeff Adams.





Opening Kickoff for Sept. 21

The pregame warmups at Pottsgrove as the Falcons prepare for Boyertown. (Photo by Darryl Grumling)

Week 4 is upon us, and it's yet another beautiful night for football.

Join us here all night long for the latest scores from tonight's slate of six games, along with video and other news and notes, including Darryl Grumling's live look-ins from Boyertown-Pottsgrove.

Connect with us in the comments or on Twitter @PottsMercSports. Let us know who you're rooting for, or what's going on at the game you're watching.

Here's the rundown for tonight. Connect to our live scoreboard by clicking here.

PAC-10


  • Boyertown at Pottsgrove -- Darryl Grumling (@MercSmokinD)
  • Perkiomen Valley at Pottstown -- Don Seeley (@DonSeeley1)
  • Phoenixville at Owen J. Roberts -- Barry Sankey
  • Upper Perkiomen at Spring-Ford -- Jake Hallman

BERKS LEAGUE

  • Daniel Boone at Governor Mifflin -- Jeff Stover

NON-LEAGUE

  • Perkiomen School at George School -- Dennis Weller

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Perkiomen Valley, Pottstown in key PAC-10 matchup

Monroe Hampton and Pottstown take on Perkiomen Valley in a key PAC-10 clash tonight. (John Strickler photo)


By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

No one wins the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship, or any league championship for that matter, in September.
Talk does not make the walk.
But whoever wins tonight’s game between Perkiomen Valley and Pottstown will certainly be headed in the right direction, at least as an early season contender, and at least until next week (let us not forget there’s a whole heck of a lot of football yet to be played).

(For complete story, click here . . . )

For Week 4 capsules, click here




NOTEBOOK: Did someone mention playoffs?

Spring-Ford quarterback Hank Coyne eclipsed the
4,000-yard career passing mark last week. (Photo by Tom Kelly III)


By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

The official District 1 postseason playoff points standings aren’t officially compiled and released on a weekly basis until the first week of October… or after five weekends of football.
Can’t get too excited over those things until then, right?
We sure can … but keep in mind they’re definitely unofficial.
Not surprisingly, Pioneer Athletic Conference contenders Spring-Ford and Pottsgrove are the area’s top teams on the respective Class AAAA and AAA charts thus far.

For complete story, click here ...


WEEK FOUR PICKS

By Don Seeley

Here we go again (I'm getting better with each passing week, although Pottstown Honda general manager Tom Reed thinks he is the high school football guru. Mr. Reed still refuses to pick one-on-one with me, though):

Friday's Games
Perkiomen School at George School: Both are young and very inexperienced, but Perkiomen has a good core of skill people ... Gotta go with Perkiomen.

Daniel Boone at Governor Mifflin: If you think Daniel Boone had a tough non-league grind, take a peek at who Governor Mifflin had to deal with. Tough Berks Football League opener for the Blazers ... Gotta go with Governor Mifflin.

Boyertown at Pottsgrove: Boyertown hasn't been able to stop the run yet this season. So what does Pottsgrove do best (as always)? ... Gotta go with Pottsgrove.

Perkiomen Valley at Pottstown: Both teams turned it around since season-opening losses. The Vikings will have their hands full with the Trojans' offense, which so far has as good a one-two punch as anyone with quarterback Sage Reinhart and running back Monroe Hampton. But Pottstown's defense has given up a whole heckuva lot of big plays and points ... Gotta go with Perkiomen Valley.

Phoenixville at Owen J. Roberts: Phoenixville may have taken over Perkiomen Valley's tag as the team "playing under the radar." The Phantoms have made giant strides since its opener. OJR is banged up a bit, though improved, will struggle holding down its guests ... Gotta go with Phoenixville.

Upper Perkiomen at Spring-Ford: Upper Perkiomen is struggling because of its youth (as any team would with only a couple of seniors back from the previous season). Spring-Ford, despite the loss of Jarred Jones, will still show a balanced and productive offense with Yousef Lundi running the ball and Hank Coyne throwing it ... Gotta go with Spring-Ford.

Saturday's Games
Pope John Paul II at Methacton: PJP can throw the ball better than anyone in the area, thanks to James Bleming and three very good receivers. Methacton is struggling, in part because of injuries to key personnel, but Brandon Bossard may be the wakeup the Warriors need this week. This may be the most competitive game of the week ... Gotta go with Methacton.

Episcopal Academy at The Hill School (at Pottstown High School, 7 p.m.):  Episcopal has three games under its best, winning all three by shutout. The Hill lost its opener by one point, and two key starters ... Gotta go with Episcopal.

Last Week: 6-2 ... For the Season: 17-9 (.654)




On The Season:








No Huddle: Pottstown's Nate Flickinger

 
"No Huddle" Video Q and A with Pottstown senior nose guard Nate Flickinger.

-- DARRYL GRUMLING
 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Spring-Ford, Hill School dealt injury blows

By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

Spring-Ford running back Jarred Jones is expected to miss
a substantial amount of the season due to injury.

Calling last weekend one of the wildest ever in the Pioneer Athletic Conference would be an understatement.

Fortunately, none of the scoreboard lights blew out during or after the five games, which saw the teams combine for 340 points – far and above any previous weekend total in the league’s history.

Unfortunately, Spring-Ford junior Jarred Jones – one of the running backs who contributed to the record-breaking offensive – went down with an injury that may restrict him to the defending champions’ sidelines for the next six to eight weeks.

And if that isn’t bad enough news, over at The Hill School, head coach Gray Simpson may have to go the rest of the season without two-way starter Adam Regensburg – unquestionably as strong a candidate as anyone in the area for The Mercury’s Player of the Year honor.

“You never like to hear about (the injuries),” said one coach – neither the Rams’ Chad Brubaker nor Simpson – who spoke off the record. “But (injuries) are part of the game. You deal with them, hope the rest of your team steps up, and move on.”

For the Rams, it means their offensive line of Andy Cutler, Tyler German, Mike Gilmore, Justin Meals, Montana O’Daniel and R.J. Sheldon must step it up, and step it up immediately. It means running backs Yousef Lundi and Tate Carter, possibly even sophomore Mike Fuhrmeister, must step it up. And it means quarterback Hank Coyne, perhaps as poised as anyone in the Spring-Ford lineup, may have throw it up a little more than he’s accustomed to in hopes of keeping opponents honest on the defensive side of the ball.

But no matter how the linemen or their teammates behind them do, the Rams’ offense will be a little less formidable without the explosive Jones.

Read the rest of this story at pottsmerc.com


NOTEBOOK: Spring-Ford a win away from milestone


By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — When Royersford and Spring City high schools’ Thanksgiving Day rivalry ended in 1954, the football feud didn’t.
Spring-Ford coach  Chad Brubaker
Even the late Norm Reichenbach, who guided the Spring City program for a couple of seasons prior to the merger that formed Spring-Ford and was named the Rams’ first coach, couldn’t believe how competitive his new team was … and that was throughout the first couple weeks of practice, against one another.
“It was still Royersford against Spring City for a lot of the guys,” Reichenbach recalled during an interview back in 1979. “It took a little while for some of them to realize they were now on the same team.”
The Eagles and Pirates had won a lot of games, combined to win 15 league titles. So fans from both sides of the Schuylkill envisioned even more success when they first teamed up together in 1955.
It didn’t happen, not at first.
The Rams strung together four winning seasons, and two of them (1959 and 1962) looked like championship runs before late-season losses cost them Ches-Mont League titles.
It wasn’t until 1969, when third-year coach Merle Bainbridge guided the Rams to the first of three Ches-Mont championships.
And even though the Spring-Ford program would move into the Pioneer Athletic Conference in 1986, win six outright titles and share another, it wasn’t until last week — for the first time in over a decade — the program got back to even.

Read the rest of this story at pottsmerc.com





WEEK FOUR RANKINGS

2-02222
                                                                                  Photo submitted by Bri Sotera
                                          Pottsgrove students sure think their Falcons are No. 1.

Seel's Super Six

1. Pottsgrove (3-0)
2. Spring-Ford (3-0)
3. Perkiomen Valley (2-1)
4. Phoenixville (2-1)
5. Pottstown (2-1)
6. Boyertown (1-2)

   No changes among the Top Four. Pottstown moved up a spot and Boyertown dropped down one after the two teams' Friday Night Fright (as in no defense) that ended up in the Trojans favor, 51-47.
   Pottsgrove will be up at Boyertown this Friday night in what could be yet another high-scoring affair, while Spring-Ford entertains Upper Perkiomen in (sorry to sound repetitious) what could be yet another high-scoring affair. Boyertown is giving up an average of 38 points a game, Pottsgrove is scoring an average of 48.3.Upper Perkiomen is surrendering an average of 51.7 points a game, Spring-Ford is scoring an average of 42.
   Then again, neither the Falcons nor the Rams can afford to look past this weekend. In case you lost your schedule, they face one another next week (Friday, Sept. 28th) at the 'Grove in a game many feel will decide the PAC-10 championship.
   The Game of the Week, perhaps, is Perkiomen Valley's visit to Pottstown. Quarterback Rasaan Stewart is questionable, but the Vikings proved last weekend they can still get up and go with Dakota Clanagan. Pottstown proved it can generate some get up and go, too, after setting a PAC-10 record with 653 yards of offense last week.
   Phoenixville will be at OJR in one of the league's more spirited rivalries. It also mark the 54th meeting between the two schools.

-DON SEELEY



   




Sunday, September 16, 2012

WEEK THREE RECAP

MAKING A POINT
By Don Seeley

   Something was missing in a lot of the area's high school football games this past weekend.
   Defense.
   Pottstown over Boyertown, 51-47 (that's 98 points in all).
   Spring-Ford beat Pope John Paul II, 56-31 (another 87 total).
   Pottsgrove beat Upper Perkiomen, 56-7 (only 63, but the Falcons had most of them).
   And, though not as badly (or noticeably explosive or even lopsided, but still a bit offensive in the scoring column), Perkiomen Valley beat Owen J. Roberts, 35-10, and Phoenixville beat Methacton, 37-10.
   All that was in the Pioneer Athletic Conference, of course.
   We'd all like to think the offenses are good.
   Perhaps, but not that good.
   Defense, on the other hand...
   The Pottstown-Boyertown game was a foot race. Up the field one way, back the other way, and - more often than not - neither team needed that much time to get to the end zone. Quote of the Week came from Pottstown's Monroe Hampton, who had to be beat after running 28 times for 306 yards and three touchdowns, catching four passes for 72 yards, recovering a fumble, intercepting a pass and getting himself in on six tackles... and that doesn't count all the other plays he was blocking for teammates or tracking down an opposing Bear: "I'm not tired at all," he said to a handful of exhausted reporters covering the game (who had more hand cramps keeping track of all the stats than the players had leg cramps).
   Pottsgrove scored almost at will, albeit against as young and inexperienced team the PAC-10 has seen in recent years.
   Spring-Ford and Pope John Paul combined for 12 touchdowns, and exactly half of them covered more than 40 yards.
   Giving up 37 and 35 points, as OJR and Methacton did, doesn't exactly raise most fans' eyebrows. But you can sure bet it raised the blood pressure of Tom Barr and Paul Lepre, the teams' head coaches. They know, like all coaches, you can't give an opponent thirtysome points and expect to win (although Pottstown and Spring-Ford got away with it last Friday night and Saturday afternoon).
   So, putting too much emphasis on the offense, or lack of defense, last weekend?
   Not really. Not at all when considering it was far and above the highest-scoring weekend (340 points total) in the history of the PAC-10.
* * *
   Ironically, the area's other three games were in stark contrast to the above, at least from a defensive standpoint, with Manheim Central blanking Daniel Boone, 29-0; Tower Hill (Del.) shutting out Perkiomen School, 23-0; and Germantown Academy edging The Hill School, 7-6.




Saturday, September 15, 2012

Germantown Academy 7, Hill School 6

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

POTTSTOWN  -- The defense produced a consistently intense and effective effort.
The offense rose to the occasion — albeit late — by providing the equalizer to Germantown Academy’s early score, and the special teams even had their moments of glory.
But the final numbers-crunching couldn’t give The Hill School a victory in its season opener Saturday. Instead, the Blues came away from a hot afternoon on their home field with a 7-6 loss to their non-league guests.
A misplay on a two-point conversion attempt, with 3:28 left in the game and the Hill fresh from reducing the deficit to one, proved the difference. It negated what had been a yeoman performance across the board, the locals seeing one last possession get only as far as their 39-yard line before being stopped on downs with little more than a minute left.

(For full story, click here ...)

Spring-Ford 56, Pope John Paul II 31

Photo by Tom Kelly III
Spring-Ford's Jarred Jones runs to daylight in Saturday's game.

By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

UPPER PROVIDENCE — One would think a coach would be happy to open his league season with a win, a 25-point win no less, and his third straight without a loss.
Wrong.
Spring-Ford’s Chad Brubaker wasn’t the least bit pleased with Saturday afternoon’s 56-31 victory at Pope John Paul II.
The execution, both offensively and defensive, wasn’t exactly fluid or consistent. The focus was, well, out of focus, as 11 penalties — a few of the unnecessary sort — surely attested to.
So even though the Rams had the tandem of Jarred Jones (184 yards) and Yousef Lundi (135) account for most of the 339 yards running the ball (as well as all four touchdowns), and even though quarterback Hank Coyne added another 187 yards and three scores throwing the ball, a 526-yard offensive wasn’t enough to pacify their third-year coach.

For complete story, click here


Manheim Central 29, Daniel Boone 0

By Mercury Staff
sports@pottsmerc.com

MANHEIM — Manheim Central was expected to get the best of visiting Daniel Boone on Friday night.
The Barons sure did, even shut the Blazers out, 29-0.
But the end result was still a bit misleading as the Blazers battled the perennial District 3-AAA power to near-even terms through three quarters before giving up a field goal, interception return for six points and a safety in the final quarter.

Pottsgrove 56, Upper Perkiomen 7

By Mercury Staff
sports@pottsmerc.com

RED HILL — Despite Pottsgrove opening the season with two straight one-sided wins, the enthusiasm of Falcons’ coach Rick Pennypacker was tempered by what he considered some uneven play at times.
Friday night, however, even a stickler for perfection like Pennypacker had a hard time finding fault with his squad’s performance in their Pioneer Athletic Conference game at Upper Perkiomen.
Standout senior quarterback Tory Hudgins ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns on just three carries and also completed 3-of-4 passes and one score as Pottsgrove routed the Indians, 56-7.

Pottstown 51, Boyertown 47

Boyertown's Cody Richmond (36) has the ball stripped on a big tackle by Pottstown's Austin Debnam, ground, after a running after a reception during Friday's PAC-10 football game. Pottstown recovered the fumble. (Photo/Tom Kelly III)


By Don Seeley
dseeley@pottsmerc.com

BOYERTOWN — Monroe Hampton came up with football’s version of the Ironman on Friday night. He didn’t swim, nor bike anywhere.
But did the Pottstown senior ever run ... and run, and run, and run.
Hampton carried 29 times for 306 yards and three touchdowns, caught four passes for 72 yards, recovered a fumble, came up with an interception, and was in on seven tackles... whew.
All that, along with quarterback Sage Reinhart’s 264 yards and three touchdowns passing, was just enough for the Trojans to outlast Boyertown, 51-47, in one of the most exciting and record-breaking Pioneer Athletic Conference games since the league kicked off its first season back in 1986.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Perkiomen Valley 35, Owen J. Roberts 13 (with video highlights)

 Video highlights from the game, shot by Darryl Grumling, edited by Frank Otto.

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

GRATERFORD — Dakota Clanagan brought legitimate credentials to his latest assignment.
Legitimate enough to allay any concerns about his ability to step up and direct the Perkiomen Valley offense. No more proof was needed than the back story behind the Vikings’ 35-13 victory over Owen J. Roberts Friday at Thomas J. Keenan Stadium.
Called to duty with first-string quarterback Rasaan Stewart sidelined by an unspecified ailment, Clanagan responded in a big way. The junior completed 80 percent of his pass attempts, throwing for one touchdown and running for another in complement to the ground-pounding play of backfield mates Mark Bonomo and Kean McKnight.
“My usual spot is wide receiver,” Clanagan noted. “I was the starting junior-varsity quarterback last year, and I’m the (varsity) backup this year. But this is my first varsity start at quarterback.”
It didn’t take him long to settle into the job, however. Clanagan connected on his first eight tosses before missing one, throwing for 90 yards at a 12-for-15 clip. Along the way, he hooked up with Clay Domine on a 28-yard scoring toss that capped the Vikes’ 26-6 run in the first half of the Pioneer Athletic Conference contest.
“I just wanted to not let the team down,” he said.