New Hope:
The Bad News Bears of high school football
By Rick Fortenbaugh
For BucksLocalSports.com
When you think of the tiny town of New Hope in Lower Bucks County, the image of yuppies sitting in wine and cheese shops normally comes to mind.
Tonight, however, will be different because for the first time, New Hope High School will play a varsity football game when it travels to Bristol.
The fact that New Hope’s first game is on the road should come as no surprise. Especially when you consider all of the Lions’ games will be on the road because their home field has no bleachers, not to mention the expensive and gaudy luxury known as goal posts.
As might also be expected, New Hope’s field is not the only thing different about a football program that comes from a town where head shops once seemed to occupy every other building.
For openers, the New Hope players must raise money for their own uniforms. It’s also interesting to note among the players vying for varsity playing time are a foreign exchange student from Germany and a girl at wide receiver.
It all kinds of reminds of the old joke about the historic town across the river from Lambertville.
Question: Why did George Washington cross the Delaware?
Answer: To get away from New Hope.
Obviously, what will transire tonight will not fit the stereotype of big-time Pennsylvania high school football. It should also go without saying Bristol (1-0) is a humongous favorite in New Hope’s debut.
There are two other interesting story lines concerning tonight’s historic game.
One is the fact New Hope is coached by Jim DiTulio, who both played at Bristol and then was a long-time assistant under Warriors coach George Gatto.
The other is Bristol’s standout senior running back Woodrow Vorters needs only 40 or so yards to break his school’s career rushing record of 3,681 yards.
The fact the record could very well fall on the first play from the line of scrimmage is not the point.
New Hope is playing football, and who would have ever thought that?
***
Frankford (0-1) at Pennsbury (1-0), tonight, 7 p.m. Ably coached by genuine good guy John Capriotti, Frankford does not appear as strong as some of its most recent versions. The Philadelphia Public League school team still has some size, but it’s not deep and didn’t show much offense in a 7-0 loss to Hatboro-Horsham last week. Loaded-up Pennsbury, meanwhile, rumbled for nearly 400 rushing yards in an opening game victory over Conwell-Egan. You figure it out.
***
Archbishop Carroll (0-1) at Conwell-Egan (0-1), tonight, 7 p.m.: The Eagles won this game, 24-21, last year and if the Pennsbury game was any indication, Conwell-Egan can do it again. Anthony Singlar threw the ball well against Pennsbury in his first varsity start and it’s obvious the Eagles will match up better defensively against teams that throw the ball as opposed to preferring the run. Still, it won’t be easy. Carroll has returned a lot of starters from a team that suffered more than its share of injuries last season.
***
Morrisville (1-0) at Princeton Day (0-0), tonight, 7 p.m.: This has actually developed into a nice little rivalry following a series of exciting and competitive games. Like Mo’Ville, Princeton Day does not have much depth and is better in the skill positions than the lines. Morrisville is coming off a 35-0 win over Nueva Esperanza, which folded its program after getting drubbed by the Dawgs. Flip a coin.
***
Central Bucks South (0-1) at Council Rock North (-0-1), tonight, 7 p.m.: C.B, South suffered a somewhat stunning blow-out loss to Council Rock South last week. Rock North, meanwhile, had all kinds of trouble stopping the run in a setback at Father Judge. The word on C.B. South is it’s very young and will need time to develop. Rock North has proven seniors handling the ball on offense and really needs this game in order to get things turned around.
***
Hatboro-Horsham (1-0) at Neshaminy (1-0), tonight, 7 p.m.: There won’t be a lot of excitement tonight on Heartbreak Ridge. The Hatters did win their opener when they beat Frankford, 7-0, and have a quick back in Eddie Combs and a Division 1 prospect in 325-pound lineman Mike Fitzgerald. But it’s Neshaminy that is by far the much deeper, talented and better-coached team.
***
Pennridge (0-1) at Bensalem (1-0), tonight, 7 p.m.: This is another game that could go either way. Coached by ex-Pittsburgh Steeler and Central Bucks West player Randy Cuthbert, Pennridge has a strong running game headed up speed back Jessie Knapp and fullback Ian Walbridge. The Rams lost their opener to Pottsgrove, 34-21, last week while Bensalem was cruising past Overbrook. Just a hunch, the Owls are better than some people think.
***
Truman (0-1) at George Washington (0-1) , tomorrow, 1 p.m.: The Tigers certainly looked improved in the debut of first-year coach John Iannucci in a 7-6 loss to Cheltenham. Furthermore, whenever you have a Sub One National team against a Philly public school squad, you almost always pick the former to win. GW, however, is a bit different. Although it lost to the Lehigh Valley’s Parkland, 16-0, last week, GW did beat La Salle last year en route to a berth in the PIAA Class AAAA state quarterfinals.
For BucksLocalSports.com
When you think of the tiny town of New Hope in Lower Bucks County, the image of yuppies sitting in wine and cheese shops normally comes to mind.
Tonight, however, will be different because for the first time, New Hope High School will play a varsity football game when it travels to Bristol.
The fact that New Hope’s first game is on the road should come as no surprise. Especially when you consider all of the Lions’ games will be on the road because their home field has no bleachers, not to mention the expensive and gaudy luxury known as goal posts.
As might also be expected, New Hope’s field is not the only thing different about a football program that comes from a town where head shops once seemed to occupy every other building.
For openers, the New Hope players must raise money for their own uniforms. It’s also interesting to note among the players vying for varsity playing time are a foreign exchange student from Germany and a girl at wide receiver.
It all kinds of reminds of the old joke about the historic town across the river from Lambertville.
Question: Why did George Washington cross the Delaware?
Answer: To get away from New Hope.
Obviously, what will transire tonight will not fit the stereotype of big-time Pennsylvania high school football. It should also go without saying Bristol (1-0) is a humongous favorite in New Hope’s debut.
There are two other interesting story lines concerning tonight’s historic game.
One is the fact New Hope is coached by Jim DiTulio, who both played at Bristol and then was a long-time assistant under Warriors coach George Gatto.
The other is Bristol’s standout senior running back Woodrow Vorters needs only 40 or so yards to break his school’s career rushing record of 3,681 yards.
The fact the record could very well fall on the first play from the line of scrimmage is not the point.
New Hope is playing football, and who would have ever thought that?
***
Frankford (0-1) at Pennsbury (1-0), tonight, 7 p.m. Ably coached by genuine good guy John Capriotti, Frankford does not appear as strong as some of its most recent versions. The Philadelphia Public League school team still has some size, but it’s not deep and didn’t show much offense in a 7-0 loss to Hatboro-Horsham last week. Loaded-up Pennsbury, meanwhile, rumbled for nearly 400 rushing yards in an opening game victory over Conwell-Egan. You figure it out.
***
Archbishop Carroll (0-1) at Conwell-Egan (0-1), tonight, 7 p.m.: The Eagles won this game, 24-21, last year and if the Pennsbury game was any indication, Conwell-Egan can do it again. Anthony Singlar threw the ball well against Pennsbury in his first varsity start and it’s obvious the Eagles will match up better defensively against teams that throw the ball as opposed to preferring the run. Still, it won’t be easy. Carroll has returned a lot of starters from a team that suffered more than its share of injuries last season.
***
Morrisville (1-0) at Princeton Day (0-0), tonight, 7 p.m.: This has actually developed into a nice little rivalry following a series of exciting and competitive games. Like Mo’Ville, Princeton Day does not have much depth and is better in the skill positions than the lines. Morrisville is coming off a 35-0 win over Nueva Esperanza, which folded its program after getting drubbed by the Dawgs. Flip a coin.
***
Central Bucks South (0-1) at Council Rock North (-0-1), tonight, 7 p.m.: C.B, South suffered a somewhat stunning blow-out loss to Council Rock South last week. Rock North, meanwhile, had all kinds of trouble stopping the run in a setback at Father Judge. The word on C.B. South is it’s very young and will need time to develop. Rock North has proven seniors handling the ball on offense and really needs this game in order to get things turned around.
***
Hatboro-Horsham (1-0) at Neshaminy (1-0), tonight, 7 p.m.: There won’t be a lot of excitement tonight on Heartbreak Ridge. The Hatters did win their opener when they beat Frankford, 7-0, and have a quick back in Eddie Combs and a Division 1 prospect in 325-pound lineman Mike Fitzgerald. But it’s Neshaminy that is by far the much deeper, talented and better-coached team.
***
Pennridge (0-1) at Bensalem (1-0), tonight, 7 p.m.: This is another game that could go either way. Coached by ex-Pittsburgh Steeler and Central Bucks West player Randy Cuthbert, Pennridge has a strong running game headed up speed back Jessie Knapp and fullback Ian Walbridge. The Rams lost their opener to Pottsgrove, 34-21, last week while Bensalem was cruising past Overbrook. Just a hunch, the Owls are better than some people think.
***
Truman (0-1) at George Washington (0-1) , tomorrow, 1 p.m.: The Tigers certainly looked improved in the debut of first-year coach John Iannucci in a 7-6 loss to Cheltenham. Furthermore, whenever you have a Sub One National team against a Philly public school squad, you almost always pick the former to win. GW, however, is a bit different. Although it lost to the Lehigh Valley’s Parkland, 16-0, last week, GW did beat La Salle last year en route to a berth in the PIAA Class AAAA state quarterfinals.
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