Football Forecast – 12
By Scott Huff
The Suburban One League National Conference flexed its mighty PIAA 6A District One muscles as the conference will send three teams to the district playoff semifinals.
No. 1 Pennridge, No. 2 North Penn, & No. 11 Neshaminy will all advance to the semifinals with impressive quarterfinal knockout victories.
The Rams defeated No.8 Downingtown East (21-9); the Knights defeated No. 7 Souderton (43-14); & the Redskins defeated No. 14 Owen J Roberts (49-21).
Revenge? Retribution? Payback?
North Penn (10-2) will have shot at revenge this week in the district semifinals as the Knights will host Neshaminy (9-3) @ Crawford Stadium.
North Penn lost an 18-14 SOL National Conference contest @ Heartbreak Ridge to the Redskins back on September 12th after leading 14-12 at halftime.
The Knights had no answer for Neshaminy quarterback Michael Eckart in that mid-September contest as he completed 11 passes for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns and also ran for 109 yards on 17 carries.
And now North Penn – winners of 7 straight games - gets that wish for second chance. And believe me, teams really don’t want to give those talented Knights that second chance.
Stay tuned.
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Pennridge (11-1) was able to exact retribution against Downingtown East (8-4) last week as the host Rams claimed that 21-9 district quarterfinal victory over the Cougars.
In the opening game of the 2023 regular season – which was also the coaching debut of head coach Kyle Beller at PHS - Downingtown East visited Helman Field and annihilated Pennridge, 43-0.
The Rams managed exactly 19 yards of total offense and did not have a single first down in that crushing loss.
That horrific agony of defeat in 2023 has been replaced by the exhilarating thrill of victory in 2025.
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Neshaminy (9-3) was able to exact its payback against Owen J Roberts (8-4) as the host Redskins claimed a 49-21 district quarterfinal victory over the Wildcats.
Neshaminy was jettisoned from last season’s opening round of the 6A District One playoffs by OJR, 38-24. The victorious Wildcats held a commanding 35-9 lead at the close of the first half.
And now it is the Redskins that will have to avoid payback in its PIAA 6A District One semifinal game this week against North Penn.
*****
The treacherous journey toward a PIAA 6A District One championship continues for the Rams, Knights & Redskins this week under the Friday Night Lights @ Helman Field & Crawford Stadium.
Stay tuned.
End of the 6A District One Championship Road…
No. 5 Council Rock South (10-2) saw its season come to an end with a heartbreaking loss against No. 4 Coatesville, 14-0.
The Golden Hawks season was very successful as Rock South claimed the Suburban One League Continental Conference championship.
No. 7 Souderton (9-3) also saw its season come to an abrupt end with a 43-14 loss to North Penn. The Indians were competitive early and trailed the host Knights 17-14 at halftime but were outscored 26-0 in the second half.
The Big Red finished in second place in the SOL Continental Conference and defeated Ridley (23-6) in the opening round of the 6A District One playoffs.
And the beat goes on…
PIAA 6A District One Playoffs
Friday * November 14, 2025
Coatesville (10-2) @ Pennridge (11-1)
Helman Field * 7 pm
Last Week:
No. 4 Coatesville advanced to the district semifinals with a hard-fought 14-0 victory over visiting No. 5 Council Rock South.
The Red Raiders scored a second period touchdown on a 40-yard touchdown run by Andre Watson and sealed the deal late in the fourth period on a 44-yard touchdown run by Watson.
Watson – who ran behind massive 6-6 inch, 300 pound tackle Max Hiller – rushed for a game-high 136 yards on 17 carries. 
Hiller – a 5-star recruit who received over 30 scholarship offers from the elite programs in the country - is a likely University of Alabama recruit.
The only two losses of the season for Coatesville came in decisive back-to-back shutout setbacks to Downingtown East (15-0) & Downingtown West (33-0).
Standout Coatesville quarterback Matt Ortega, however, was injured and did not play in either game.
Ortega is back - but is still battling an ankle injury. Ortega has since directed the Red Raiders to wins over Bishop Shanahan, Perkiomen Valley & CR South.
No. 1 Pennridge advanced to the district semifinals with a 21-9 victory over No. 8 Downingtown East.
The Ram offense contributed to the win by scoring a rushing touchdown in each of the first three periods.
Ryan Rowe (57 yards on 10 carries) scored a first period touchdown on a 6-yard run; Noah Keating scored a second period touchdown on a 7-yard run & Will Dougherty (67 yards on 17 carries) scored a third period touchdown on a 6-yard run.
Keating completed 12 of 17 passes for 85 yards and directed the balanced Green & White offense.
The Ram defense was awesome as it limited the Downingtown East offense to just 86 yards of total offense.
The only Cougar scores came on special teams with a field goal and a kick-off return for a touchdown.
Season Resume:
Coatesville has defeated Garnet Valley (35-10), Smyra (Del) (49-46), Lincoln (35-6), Perkiomen Valley (28-13), West Chester East (42-21), Avon Grove (45-13), West Chester Henderson (33-7), Bishop Shanahan (28-7), Perkiomen Valley (27-10) & Council Rock South (14-0).
The Red Raiders have lost games to Downingtown East (15-0) & Downingtown West (33-0).
Pennridge has defeated Liberty (31-21), Bensalem (36-33), Harry S Truman (41-12), Pennsbury (14-0), North Penn (34-10), Abington (43-8), Neshaminy (14-7), Central Bucks East (15-8), Central Bucks South (28-7), Plymouth Whitemarsh (22-21) & Downingtown East (21-9).
The only loss of the season for the Rams came against Central Bucks West, 28-14.
Scoring Summary:
Coatesville has scored an average of 28.0 points per game and has allowed an average of 15.1 points per game.
Pennridge has scored an average of 23.9 points per game and has allowed an average of 13.7 points per game,
Winner Gets:
The winner of the game between No. 1 Pennridge & No. 4 Coatesville will play the winner of the game between No. 2 North Penn & No. 11 Neshaminy.
Prediction:
Guest Forecaster: Amelia V. Moyer
Pennridge Rams 17 * Coatesville Red Raiders 14
No. 11 Neshaminy (9-3) @ No. 2 North Penn (10-2)
Crawford Stadium * 7 pm
Last Week:
No. 11 Neshaminy exploded in the second half against No. 14 Owen J Roberts to defeat the Wildcats, 49-21. The score was deadlocked 21-21 at halftime after OJR led early in the first half, 21-7.
The Redskins routed the Wildcats in the second half as the Skins scored 28 unanswered points in the final two periods to easily advance to the district semifinals.
The potent NHS offense was fueled by quarterback Michael Eckart and running back Carter Clee.
Eckart continued his impressive senior season completing 12 of 18 passes for 231 yards & 3 touchdowns. Eckart also rushed for an even 100 yards on 17 carries and scored on a 17-yard run.
Clee continued his impressive season with 146 yards on 12 carries and 3 rushing touchdowns. Clee also scored on an 11-yard pass from Eckart.
Mike Sassano caught 2 touchdown passes – one of 20 yards – and the other of 49 yards.
The Neshaminy defense shut out the Wildcat offense in the second half to put its stamp on the victory.
No. 2 North Penn exploded in the second half against No. 7 Souderton to defeat the Big Red, 43-14. NP held a tenuous 17-14 lead at halftime.
The Knights routed Souderton in the second half as NPHS scored 26 unanswered points in the final periods to easily advance to the district semifinals.
The potent North Penn offense was fueled by a pair of running backs – senior Matt Pownall and junior Rylei Gray.
Pownall scored three rushing touchdowns on runs of 5, 14 and 4 yards, while Gray (196 rushing yards) dialed long distance touchdowns with runs of 32 and 47 yards.
Gray also connected with Pownall on a 32-yard halfback option pass for a touchdown.
The North Penn defense shut out the Big Red in the second half to put its stamp on the victory.
Season Resume:
Neshaminy has defeated Emmaus (30-0), Council Rock North (41-0), North Penn (18-14), Abington (48-6), Central Bucks West (28-18), Central Bucks East (41-35), Pennsbury (35-14), Central Bucks West (28-21) & Owen J Roberts (49-21).
The Redskins have lost games to Cheltenham (38-29), Pennridge (14-7) & Central Bucks South (28-21).
North Penn has defeated Downingtown East (42-21), Council Rock South (21-14), Quakertown (42-7), Central Bucks East (31-20), Central Bucks South (28-7), Pennsbury (20-0), Central Bucks West (31-13). Abington (56-12). Boyertown (42-14) & Souderton (43-14).
The Knights have lost games to Neshaminy (18-14) & Pennridge (34-10).
Scoring Summary:
Neshaminy has scored an average of 31.2 points per game and has allowed an average of 17.1 points per game.
North Penn has scored an average of 31.5 points per game and has allowed an average of 14.5 points per game.
Winner Gets:
The winner of the game between No. 2 North Penn & No. 11 Neshaminy will play the winner of the game between No. 1 Pennridge & No. 4 Coatesville.
Prediction:
North Penn Knights 31 * Neshaminy Redskins 28
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