Back for its 16th season, the popular Intelligencer/Bucks County Courier Times ‘Let’s Talk Football’ features football beat writer Drew Markol. To stay on top of the high school football news in the area, visit the Intelligencer (http://www.theintell.com/sports/high-school/) and Courier Times (http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/sports/high-school/) web sites
SuburbanOneSports.com: It was a special night at Pennridge last Friday when Noah Keating put his name in the program’s record books. Your comments.
Drew Markol: “Noah Keating had a big game in Pennridge’s win over Abington. It was 43-8, and he threw for three touchdowns in that game, but he also became the school's all-time leader in career passing yardage with 3,785 yards and counting. And the record he beat was that of his grandfather, Jeff Hollenbach, the former Pennridge head coach who is now the Pennridge offensive coordinator.
“He took over this season, and he got that job very late. I was talking to Pennridge coach Kyle Beller about that. Hollenbach got the job when they were about to start their August practice, but it's been working out. Beller has mostly turned the offense over to Hollenbach. Pennridge is 6-0, and they're scoring a lot of points. So, that's a nice story that the grandson breaks his record. Think about that record that Hollenbach held for 55 years, which tells you something about how good Jeff Hollenbach was back in the day. I remember his son, Sam, who was very good, also played for him there. I'm sure Jeff Hollenbach didn't think his record would last this long, and to have the grandson break it is pretty cool. A lot of quarterbacks have come and gone in 55 years that didn't break it, so that was nice to see.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Neshaminy is coming off an important win over Central Bucks West, and the Redskins will face Pennridge in a battle of the National Conference’s two undefeated teams. Your comments.
Drew Markol: “Neshaminy is 5-1. You just wonder about that blip they had against Cheltenham. I'm sure they've probably forgotten about it. They knocked off North Penn a couple weeks ago. Now last week they took care of CB West, and they're right there. There are only two undefeated teams in conference play in the National Conference, and they play this week in Neshaminy. Michael Eckart, the Neshaminy senior quarterback, is just having a tremendous season. He’s over 1,000 yards passing. He ran for a couple touchdowns against West, and he threw a couple of long ones. He has really stepped up from a year ago.
“And Nick Felus, the first-year head coach - this has been a revitalization for Neshaminy. Again, they’re off to a 5-1 start, and they’re 3-0 in the conference – they’re cooking. They’ve got the Sassano twins (Nick and Mike), and they're playing well for Neshaminy. They've got a lot of positives, for sure.
“Last year, Neshaminy beat Pennridge 38-3, so, if you look at the ‘psychological angle,’ maybe that's an edge to Neshaminy. But you also look at the fact that Bethlehem Liberty beat Pennridge last year. And Pennridge runs up to Bethlehem Liberty this year and beat them. So, I picked Pennridge to win the game, and it'll be close. It could come down to a field goal or it could be like one of those 24-23 kind of games.
“But having watched Pennridge in the second half they played against North Penn two weeks ago, where they just completely shut down everything North Penn wanted to do, and North Penn and Neshaminy are similar on offense. They both have quarterbacks in Michael Eckart from Neshaminy and Matt Bucksar from North Penn who can throw and run. They both have good running games. And Pennridge just said, ‘No, you're not going to do that to us’ and just shut them down. I think the Pennridge defense, led by Ryan Rowe, the Princeton commit at linebacker - they're good, they're confident, and plus you have Noah Keating at quarterback, who's having a whale of a season.
“On August 22nd when we started all this, would you have believed that the game of the year would be Pennridge at Neshaminy? I wouldn't have. But for right now, it is. The winner of this one is 4-0 in the conference. It'll be exciting. It'll be at Heartbreak Ridge, and Neshaminy will be mobbed like it should be. That should be a great game.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: Council Rock South edged Bensalem 14-12. Your thoughts.
Drew Markol: “Council Rock South was one of the teams we talked about in the preseason, being in the mix this year after a 4-6 year last year. They seem to be back at full strength or as healthy as teams can be in October. They got Nate Szydlik, the all-state linebacker, back a couple weeks ago, and junior quarterback Marley Emerson is really good. Gavin Lacey, at running back, had over 100 yards against Bensalem.
“That game was 14-12 at the half, and there was no scoring in the second half. And to be able to shut down a Bensalem team that scored 33 points on Pennridge in a 36-33 loss - that's a good offense. Bensalem, with Myles Annan, the quarterback, and Aiden Mayfield, the running back - that's an explosive offense. And for Council Rock South, to limit them to 12 points is impressive. When it was 14-12, Bensalem tried to tie it with a two-point conversion and didn't get it. But Council Rock South is right there. Their only loss was to North Penn 21-14. And that's the game where they had the Hail Mary get caught in the end zone and called back on a penalty on the last play of the game. Nate Szydlik didn't play in that game for South, so they're legit. I'm looking forward to when they play Souderton. That's going to be a big one, and that's coming.
“The Continental - and we had talked about this before, is shaping up to be pretty good, too. And we're kind of more right about it than we've been about the National Conference, if you look at the start of the season. But you can't pick them all, right?”
SuburbanOneSports.com: North Penn and Central Bucks South will meet this week. Your thoughts.
Drew Markol: “It just seems kind of odd that North Penn has so much back from last year's district finalist team, but something is just off a little bit. They’re not connecting like you would think they would, and I don't know the answer. They’re 1-2 in the conference, and they're playing a CB South team on Friday that seems to be finding its groove a little bit. I picked South to win that game. If they do, that makes North Penn 1-3 in the conference. They’re still way up in the district power rankings - I believe they're number three in the latest power rankings because of the schedule they've played.
“You go back to that North Penn/Pennridge game – Pennridge scored four second-half touchdowns. They ran all over them. Noah Keating, the quarterback, ran right up the middle. You don't normally see that against North Penn. We all look at North Penn, and I'm guilty of this, and I've been doing this for a long time - you see all the offensive firepower coming back, but football comes down to the offensive and defensive lines. It's always been that way and will always be that way, especially on a high school level. If you can't block and tackle. You're not going to win.
“In their defense, everybody gets up for them. That's everybody's biggest game. And maybe because North Penn hasn't been as dominant, maybe these teams smell a little blood and give a little extra. But when you've been that good for so long, like they have, everybody wants to beat you. And maybe they see it as a chance, but I wouldn't be shocked if North Penn were able to turn things around either, so it'll be a good test.
SuburbanOneSports.com. Souderton rolled to a 35-0 win over Cheltenham. Your comments.
Drew Markol: “It seems like maybe Souderton found something. They fell behind Quakertown two weeks ago 14-0, and then they scored seven straight touchdowns and won 49-14. Then they go up against Cheltenham and put up 35 and don't allow a point. You think of Souderton - you think of quarterback Ben Walsh, Hunter Smeltz and the receivers. But they ran for 350 yards. And the week before against Quakertown, they ran for 360. That’s some variety, that's how you wing games. Mujana ‘JoJo’’ Sudi had a big game. Jared Higginbotham, who transferred to Souderton from Cheltenham, scored his first touchdown of the season. He had a big rushing game, too.
“Souderton's only loss is to CB West, and there's no shame in that. It was a revenge game for West because Souderton beat them last year. But, you know, they're 5-1, and when they play Council Rock South, that looks like the game that may decide the Continental. So that's going to be a big game.”
SuburbanOneSports.com: The SOL American Conference opened play last week. Wissahickon is at PW this week in a key game. Your comments.
Drew Markol: “It’s been Plymouth-Whitemarsh in the American Conference, and I believe they're moving up next year to the Continental. Their record's not glowing, but they played some really good teams. They played non-league games against Manheim Township, which has been good forever, and they played Wilson West Lawn from the Reading area. Wilson West Lawn is a very good team. They lost those games, but they play those games because they want to be ready for their conference play. This is the game that looks like it's going to decide the American Conference.
“Wissahickon is undefeated and having one of their best seasons in, my God, forever. And that's another good one this week. We got a couple of good games this week, which is nice. That's what you want. You want good, close games at this time of the season as we get closer to the playoffs.
“I picked Plymouth Whitemarsh in that game, pretty much solely based on its track record over the years. But you look at Wissahickon at 6-0, and they're flying. Wissahickon’s quarterback, Evan Tolmie, is having a good season, and Tyree Chambers has really come along. In last week’s game against William Tennant, a 35-0 win, he had close to 300 yards and three touchdowns, and he had a huge game two weeks ago.
“PW quarterback Cole Reilly has done a nice job. He threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in PW’s 42-9 win over Hatboro-Horsham. Running back Mike Gianguilio had only eight carries for over 160 yards and two touchdowns. Do the math - that's almost 21 yards a carry, which is very effective. You win a lot of games if you average 21 yards a carry. These two teams have their weapons, and there's a lot on the line because basically the winner here is going to get the American Conference title.”
Drew’s Picks
(Winners in bold)
Abington @ Central Bucks East
Souderton @ Bensalem
Central Bucks South @ North Penn
Pennsbury @ Central Bucks West
Cheltenham @ Council Rock North
Council Rock South @ Harry S Truman
Springfield Twp @ Hatboro-Horsham
Lower Moreland @ Morrisville
Pennridge @ Neshaminy
Renaissance Academy Charter @ New Hope-Solebury
Wissahickon @ Plymouth Whitemarsh
Upper Dublin @ Quakertown
Upper Moreland @ William Tennent
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