FOOTBALL:
Pennsbury off to an 8-0 start
By Bill Kenny
For BucksLocalSports
We don’t usually name a “Game of the Week” in this space, but there’s little doubt about which one of the Week 8 matchups deserves that distinction – even if it’s for all of the wrong reasons.
One has to wonder if there ever was a Suburban One League National Conference mismatch as bad as William Tennent’s trip to Pennsbury. The game was moved from the usual Friday time slot due to a conflict with Tennent’s prom night.
While there’s no telling what the events that might unfold for the Tennent upperclassmen at Friday’s big dance, the football team was surely doomed to a horror show against the No. 1-ranked Falcons in Fairless Hills.
Pennsbury entered the game with a 7-0 record and District One Class AAAA-leading 920 playoff points, 50 more than second-place North Penn. Tennent, at 1-6 on the season, has just 130 points.
The Panthers’ lone win came in week three over Upper Merion, 39-14. The victory snapped a 16-game losing streak for coach Bill “Biz” Keeny’s proud Panthers, who as recently as 2006 made the District One playoffs out of the watered-down SOL Continental Conference.
Tennent lost in the first round to West Chester East, 42-34, to finish 6-4 that season. Pennsbury stomped the same WC East team, 34-14, the following week on its way to an epic state semifinal game against Bethlehem Liberty.
Tennent has a combined 2-26 record since that most recent playoff appearance.
The Panthers have been outscored 186-33 in its last four games and hit rock bottom last Saturday, losing 35-0 at Harry S Truman.
Pennsbury buried the same Truman team, 41-0, on the road on Oct. 9 before pounding Bensalem, 44-0, also on the road, in poor conditions last Friday.
The Falcons then pounded Tennent into the turf Oct. 22, defeating the Panthers 43-12, despite the fact the sides were locked at 12-all in the second quarter.
•••
Perhaps with an eye toward the tougher portion of its schedule and the postseason, Pennsbury unveiled a new offensive wrinkle in the win over Bensalem.
Starting punter and backup quarterback Jeff Prine took several snaps with the first-team offense against the Owls. Prine, a 6-2, 190-pound junior, didn’t exactly replace starting quarterback Brandon Pepper, however.
Rather, Pepper lined up in the backfield or in the slot and ran some pass patterns. Prine looked the part of a drop-back passer and even targeted Pepper, a junior, downfield on a couple of occasions. The duo failed to connect.
Prine completed one pass in five attempts. It went for 15 yards to junior John Sibel, who is also listed as a quarterback on the roster, in addition to his primary role as a split end.
Pennsbury fans shouldn’t expect Prine to displace Pepper as the steady QB. Head coach Galen Snyder’s reputation as a run-first play caller is legendary and, more importantly, accurate. The 6-foot, 181-pound Pepper is at his best as the hub of the Falcons’ wing-T attack.
Yet, if Prine’s presence in the huddle can trigger some confusion on the part of opposing defenses, it can only help Pennsbury.
•••
After some deep introspection, we’ve finally figured out what’s going on with coach Tim Sorber’s reeling Abington High team.
Figuring that beating old nemesis Pennsbury head-to-head on Oct. 30 would be a longshot at best, Sorber apparently has decided on a different way to sabotage the Falcons’ high district playoff seeding.
“Tricky Tim,” as he’s rapidly becoming known, seems to think that by having his Ghosts lose all of their own games, he’ll cost Pennsbury valuable playoff points.
While it is true that Pennsbury, once having beaten Abington, would get 10 bonus points for each of the Ghosts’ wins, Sorber’s would-be tactic still doesn’t add up.
That’s because when Abington loses to common opponents like CR South and CR North, Pennsbury gets the bonus points, anyway.
•••
Speaking of playoff scenarios, the brackets are starting to come a little bit – make that a very little bit — more into focus with just three weeks to go before the end of the regular season.
Neshaminy’s crucial win over CR South last Friday put the Redskins in position for two home games. But they’ve still got dangerous CR North and Pennsbury on the schedule.
With Downington West’s loss at home to Avon Grove and North Penn’s win at Quakertown, the Knights moved up to second position and seem a lock to set up three potential home games. They have mediocre Souderton, Hatboro-Horsham and Pennridge left on the schedule. North Penn has outscored four SOL Continental Conference opponents, 159-27.
Abington has dropped from second place to 12th in two weeks. But even with a loss to Pennsbury, the Ghosts should coast into a first-round road game with wins over Bensalem and Truman.
•••
PIAA playoff points
(Week 7 of 10)
District One
Class AAAA (top 16 qualify)
Rank (Pvs) Team (Record) Pts (Avg)
1. (1) Pennsbury (7-0) 920 (131.4)
2. (3) North Penn (7-0) 870 (124.3)
3. (4) Ridley (7-0) 850 (121.4)
4. (5) Neshaminy (6-1) 790 (112.9)
5. (7) Garnet Valley (6-1) 750 (107.1)
6. (2) Downingtown West (6-1) 740 (105.7)
7. (8) Downingtown East (6-1) 730 (104.3)
8. (12) Avon Grove (6-1) 700 (100.0)
9. (10) Norristown (6-1) 680 (97.1)
10. (13) Council Rock North (5-2) 610 (87.1)
tie (6) Council Rock South (5-2) 610 (87.1)
12. (9) Abington (4-2) 500 (83.3)
13. (11) Quakertown (5-2) 560 (80.0)
14. (NR) Conestoga (4-3) 510 (72.9)
15. (14) Perkiomen Valley (4-3) 490 (70.0)
16. (NR) Souderton (4-3) 480 (68.6)
•••
Districts One and 12
Class A (top four qualify)
1. (1) Calvary Christian (5-1) 650 (108.3)
2. (2) St. Pius (5-2) 750 (107.1)
3. (3-tie) Del. Val. Charter (5-2) 690 (98.6)
4. (3-tie) Morrisville (5-2) 580 (82.9)
5. (5) School of the Future (4-3) 550 (78.6)
6. (6) Bristol (3-3) 340 (56.7)
•••
Bill Kenny’s Lower Bucks Top 5
1. Pennsbury (7-0): Falcons extend lead atop district.
2. CR North (5-2): Still in contention for SOL title share.
3. Neshaminy (6-1): Loss at Abington looking worse by the week.
4. CR South (5-2): Blew its big chance vs. Neshaminy.
5. Conwell-Egan (4-3): Still not in archrival Wood’s league.
For BucksLocalSports
We don’t usually name a “Game of the Week” in this space, but there’s little doubt about which one of the Week 8 matchups deserves that distinction – even if it’s for all of the wrong reasons.
One has to wonder if there ever was a Suburban One League National Conference mismatch as bad as William Tennent’s trip to Pennsbury. The game was moved from the usual Friday time slot due to a conflict with Tennent’s prom night.
While there’s no telling what the events that might unfold for the Tennent upperclassmen at Friday’s big dance, the football team was surely doomed to a horror show against the No. 1-ranked Falcons in Fairless Hills.
Pennsbury entered the game with a 7-0 record and District One Class AAAA-leading 920 playoff points, 50 more than second-place North Penn. Tennent, at 1-6 on the season, has just 130 points.
The Panthers’ lone win came in week three over Upper Merion, 39-14. The victory snapped a 16-game losing streak for coach Bill “Biz” Keeny’s proud Panthers, who as recently as 2006 made the District One playoffs out of the watered-down SOL Continental Conference.
Tennent lost in the first round to West Chester East, 42-34, to finish 6-4 that season. Pennsbury stomped the same WC East team, 34-14, the following week on its way to an epic state semifinal game against Bethlehem Liberty.
Tennent has a combined 2-26 record since that most recent playoff appearance.
The Panthers have been outscored 186-33 in its last four games and hit rock bottom last Saturday, losing 35-0 at Harry S Truman.
Pennsbury buried the same Truman team, 41-0, on the road on Oct. 9 before pounding Bensalem, 44-0, also on the road, in poor conditions last Friday.
The Falcons then pounded Tennent into the turf Oct. 22, defeating the Panthers 43-12, despite the fact the sides were locked at 12-all in the second quarter.
•••
Perhaps with an eye toward the tougher portion of its schedule and the postseason, Pennsbury unveiled a new offensive wrinkle in the win over Bensalem.
Starting punter and backup quarterback Jeff Prine took several snaps with the first-team offense against the Owls. Prine, a 6-2, 190-pound junior, didn’t exactly replace starting quarterback Brandon Pepper, however.
Rather, Pepper lined up in the backfield or in the slot and ran some pass patterns. Prine looked the part of a drop-back passer and even targeted Pepper, a junior, downfield on a couple of occasions. The duo failed to connect.
Prine completed one pass in five attempts. It went for 15 yards to junior John Sibel, who is also listed as a quarterback on the roster, in addition to his primary role as a split end.
Pennsbury fans shouldn’t expect Prine to displace Pepper as the steady QB. Head coach Galen Snyder’s reputation as a run-first play caller is legendary and, more importantly, accurate. The 6-foot, 181-pound Pepper is at his best as the hub of the Falcons’ wing-T attack.
Yet, if Prine’s presence in the huddle can trigger some confusion on the part of opposing defenses, it can only help Pennsbury.
•••
After some deep introspection, we’ve finally figured out what’s going on with coach Tim Sorber’s reeling Abington High team.
Figuring that beating old nemesis Pennsbury head-to-head on Oct. 30 would be a longshot at best, Sorber apparently has decided on a different way to sabotage the Falcons’ high district playoff seeding.
“Tricky Tim,” as he’s rapidly becoming known, seems to think that by having his Ghosts lose all of their own games, he’ll cost Pennsbury valuable playoff points.
While it is true that Pennsbury, once having beaten Abington, would get 10 bonus points for each of the Ghosts’ wins, Sorber’s would-be tactic still doesn’t add up.
That’s because when Abington loses to common opponents like CR South and CR North, Pennsbury gets the bonus points, anyway.
•••
Speaking of playoff scenarios, the brackets are starting to come a little bit – make that a very little bit — more into focus with just three weeks to go before the end of the regular season.
Neshaminy’s crucial win over CR South last Friday put the Redskins in position for two home games. But they’ve still got dangerous CR North and Pennsbury on the schedule.
With Downington West’s loss at home to Avon Grove and North Penn’s win at Quakertown, the Knights moved up to second position and seem a lock to set up three potential home games. They have mediocre Souderton, Hatboro-Horsham and Pennridge left on the schedule. North Penn has outscored four SOL Continental Conference opponents, 159-27.
Abington has dropped from second place to 12th in two weeks. But even with a loss to Pennsbury, the Ghosts should coast into a first-round road game with wins over Bensalem and Truman.
•••
PIAA playoff points
(Week 7 of 10)
District One
Class AAAA (top 16 qualify)
Rank (Pvs) Team (Record) Pts (Avg)
1. (1) Pennsbury (7-0) 920 (131.4)
2. (3) North Penn (7-0) 870 (124.3)
3. (4) Ridley (7-0) 850 (121.4)
4. (5) Neshaminy (6-1) 790 (112.9)
5. (7) Garnet Valley (6-1) 750 (107.1)
6. (2) Downingtown West (6-1) 740 (105.7)
7. (8) Downingtown East (6-1) 730 (104.3)
8. (12) Avon Grove (6-1) 700 (100.0)
9. (10) Norristown (6-1) 680 (97.1)
10. (13) Council Rock North (5-2) 610 (87.1)
tie (6) Council Rock South (5-2) 610 (87.1)
12. (9) Abington (4-2) 500 (83.3)
13. (11) Quakertown (5-2) 560 (80.0)
14. (NR) Conestoga (4-3) 510 (72.9)
15. (14) Perkiomen Valley (4-3) 490 (70.0)
16. (NR) Souderton (4-3) 480 (68.6)
•••
Districts One and 12
Class A (top four qualify)
1. (1) Calvary Christian (5-1) 650 (108.3)
2. (2) St. Pius (5-2) 750 (107.1)
3. (3-tie) Del. Val. Charter (5-2) 690 (98.6)
4. (3-tie) Morrisville (5-2) 580 (82.9)
5. (5) School of the Future (4-3) 550 (78.6)
6. (6) Bristol (3-3) 340 (56.7)
•••
Bill Kenny’s Lower Bucks Top 5
1. Pennsbury (7-0): Falcons extend lead atop district.
2. CR North (5-2): Still in contention for SOL title share.
3. Neshaminy (6-1): Loss at Abington looking worse by the week.
4. CR South (5-2): Blew its big chance vs. Neshaminy.
5. Conwell-Egan (4-3): Still not in archrival Wood’s league.
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