One of the nation’s oldest interscholastic athletic conferences is set to kick off its 129th season of football.  The six football member schools of the Inter-Ac have been preparing to compete for the league’s title since the end of last season which crowned The Haverford School champion for the 28th time. But last year is last year. Each team is excited to start with a clean slate in 2016.

Haverford School     

A lot of the buzz around the league is about Coach Michael Murphy’s Fords. The team finished 10-0 and continued a 19 game win streak. The Haverford program enjoyed success after success the past 3 years winning at least a share of the title each season. But the first thing Murphy told his 2016 team was that they hadn’t done that.

“Our goal right now is to be this team,” said Murphy. “We’re 0 and 0 and were on a no game win streak. I think that’s really what we are trying to do to focus and say okay what are we as a team, how are we going to play and kind of get our own identity.”

In order to find that identity, the Fords will rely on the few returning starters they have. Seniors Tommy Toal and Colgate commit Mallik Twyman will need to continue to produce and act as offensive leaders. The quarterback-running back duo accounted for 37 Ford TDs in 2015. The ground game will again be a strength for Haverford thanks to an interior Murphy describes as stout. Along with Toal and Twyman, Murphy foresees great leadership potential for senior guard/linebacker Chris Kober and senior linebacker/receiver Ismail Morrison.

Losing a group of seniors is always tough but with so many of last year’s stars, such as All City picks Dox Aitken (UVA, lacrosse), Mickey Kober (Muhlenberg, football) and Micah Sims (Bucknell, track), graduated, Murphy will look to his youth to follow the seniors’ lead and get up to Ford football speed.

Zac Fernandez is another Friar do-it-all player who will contribute in all three phases of the game. Seniors Jake Glavin, Justin Titchenell and Seth Janney will lead the line up front. Brady believes this senior leadership and solid line will be the key to his Friars’ success.

Brady is also blessed with two experienced in Nick Maras and Kevin Doyle.

“They will both lead our team again this season and are a very talented duo,” said Brady.

Brady hopes all these pieces can come together and that Malvern can challenge for the league title this year by improving their 3rd down consistency and red zone efficiency.

“We are going to play a lot of guys and plan to be prepared for each game.  With our schedule, we will take each week as it comes,” said Brady.

Seniors Harold Anderson (OL), Brendan Pell (LB), Denarii Beard (DB) and junior John Washington (DB) are the other returning all stars who will serve as key components in Penn Charter’s quest to overcome that one-point difference between 3rd place and a possible share of the title. Along with these seasoned leaders, sophomore Marqui Johnson, the team’s second highest rusher last year, must step up to match the production of graduate Jake McCain 700 yards and 141 carries. In order for Johnson and succeed, the offensive line must excel.

On the other side of the ball, senior linebackers Patrick McGettigan and Matt Gorman will command the Patriot defense. McGettigan finished last year First Team all InterAc and is committed to play at Penn. Gorman is gaining significant interest from Ivy League schools.

Behind this senior leadership, GA hopes to achieve their team goal to “win the day.”

“We feel if we worry about today only, tomorrow will take care of itself,” said Dence. “We feel that we have enough talent to win every game on our schedule. We are also smart enough, continued Dence, to know that we play great teams and each team is capable of beating us as well. That's why we have to focus on each day one at a time.”   

With a young interior, Dence is confident in his team’s ability to call on its depth, athleticism, and strength.  

“Along with that, a big goal of ours is for our campus to be proud of the way this program conducts itself each and every day no matter what the scoreboard says at the end of the game,” said Dence.

Episcopal Academy

With an eye toward the future, Episcopal Academy and head coach Todd Fairlie look to improve upon last year’s 1-4 league record. Fairlie only lost 5 seniors from that team, but he will have the challenge of replacing both the school’s all time leading rusher in Dee Barlee and the all-time leading receiver Christian Feliziani.

Coach Fairlie does not see one single player as the key to EA’s success, but rather a team effort.        

“Be consistent,” said Fairlie. “Until we are consistent day in and day out, and week in and week out, that goal is not a reality. I think we have a very talented team, a very experienced team, but we have to put things together day in and day out.”

An experienced and large front line led by senior Dallas Taylor, and juniors Adam Klein, and James Bagnell, will guide a host of young running backs, including sophomore Dee Wil Barlee, who seek to replace the elder Barlee monster production. Balancing the ground attack will be the arm of Jon'avin Freeman or CJ McAnally, who are both athletic and will be offensive weapons regardless. Fairlie highlights a good ground attack as EA’s bread and butter.

“We always want to run the ball and throw when we want to, not when we have to,” said Fairlie.  “We have very good receivers and we are confident who ever is at quarterback will be successful in the air. But its just the way we want to move the ball is through the ground, and play some good defense and special teams too.”

Other integral seniors on both sides of the ball will be WRs Shane Conlin and Dan Baker, TE Kyle Virbitsky, and linebackers Brian Snow and Jake Martelucci.

Size doesn’t stop SCH from competing year in and year out. Knox hopes his team will become recognized as “The best small school program in Southeastern PA.” The 2016 Blue Devils look primed to assume this moniker.

Despite having little depth. SCH looks to make big plays. Senior quarterback Matt Rahill threw for 1539 yards last season and was 3rd in the City in passing yards per game. Senior receivers Matt Hoffman and Jack Cucionotta were 6th and 13th in receiving yardage respectively. Supplementing that returning aerial attack will be a good-sized line on both sides of the ball, anchored by 6’3 315 junior lineman Anthony Marrone.

Depth is always an issue for a school SCH’s size but Knox is excited to return 9 of 11 offensive starters, the biggest loss being Temple early enrolled lineman Darian Bryant. The pieces are there for the Blue Devils to breakout this season. Staying healthy will be the biggest obstacle for Knox’s team, but it won’t stop them.

“As a smaller school, we don’t back down. We play a tough schedule and may have a little more ups and downs that the bigger schools, but we hang our hat on how tough we play,” said Knox.