By: John Knebels
Two weeks remaining. Though upsets could occur during the final two regular-season football games, it would appear that the Catholic League championships will be captured by St. Joseph’s Prep in the Red Division and Conwell-Egan in the Blue.
Of course, thanks to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), every team remains alive for a postseason berth.
Heading into the penultimate regular season-scheduled contests, here are the match-ups. For the first time, we will predict the outcome of each game. It’s all for fun, so hey, be kind when you tweet . . .
Friday: Archbishop Wood vs. La Salle at Upper Dublin High School, 7:00 – This is the game of the week in this division. . . Both squads have lost to St. Joseph’s Prep but have had their way with the rest . . . La Salle (3-4 overall, 2-1 division) has dropped three straight to Wood by a collective score of 62-25, and the players, especially the seniors, have admitted their angst about it openly . . . Wood (4-3, 2-1) is coming off a forgettable 49-14 loss to the Prep and is undoubtedly hoping to right the ship. Conversely, La Salle just walloped Archbishop Ryan, 35-0, and held their formidable offense to 34 yards rushing while not allowing a single passing completion . . . La Salle quarterback Sean Daly is improving every week, both with his arm and legs . . . This one should remain undecided until the fourth quarter, but the host Explorers will prevail, 28-26.
PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
PSD Photo by Patty Morgan
Saturday: Archbishop Ryan at Roman Catholic at Northwest Super Site, 1:00 – Oh my gosh. The Cahillites (0-7, 0-3) get Ryan at the wrong time. After dominating every phase of the game – especially on offense to the tune of better than 41 points per game – through their first six wins, the Raiders (6-2, 1-2) scored only seven against Wood and were blanked by La Salle, 35-0 . . . Super soph Tyreek Chappell has scored 15 touchdowns and caught 23 passes for 570 yards. Chappell will collect more than 200 yards combined as the Raiders best Roman, 36-7.
PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
PSD Photo by Chris Evangelist
Saturday: Father Judge vs. St. Joseph’s Prep at Widener University, 7:00 – The Prep (8-0, 3-0) will win this game. It’s only a matter of the final score . . . Thanks to lopsided victories, the Hawks have benefited from numerous underclassmen receiving quality minutes and contributing significantly on both sides of the ball . . . Sophomore QB Kyle McCord has thrown 13 touchdown passes on 84 completions, but most games, he stops airing it out right after halftime . . . Father Judge (1-5, 1-2), which severed a five-game losing streak with a 21-7 win over Roman Catholic last week, has rushed for a little over 100 yards per game . . . The Prep will forge ahead by double digits early in a 42-10 win.
PSD photo by Chris Evangelist
PSD photo by Patty Morgan
Saturday: Conwell-Egan vs. Bishop McDevitt at Springfield Montco, 1:00 – Division game of the week . . .A win by C-E (8-0, 5-0) clinches the crown, and the undefeated Eagles are not about to lose after stopping West Catholic last week, despite McDevitt 6-2, 4-1) being in the middle of an excellent season . . . Star running back Patrick Garwo has gained 1,236 yards and scored 18 touchdowns, but last week he was held to 73 yards and a TD on 20 carries . . . Garwo will approach 200 yards – might even eclipse it – as the Eagles upend the Lancers, 37-13.
PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
Friday: Bonner-Prendergast at Cardinal O’Hara, 7:00 – B-P just notched its first division win, 21-20, over Archbishop Carroll. But the Friars (3-5, 1-4) are facing an O’Hara team that is better than its record (5-2, 3-2) indicates . . . The Lions lost to West Catholic and Bishop McDevitt by a combined 17 points . . . O’Hara’s strong running game and very competent passing component leads the Lions to a 28-7 win.
PSD Photo by Brittany Doney
PSD Photo by James Williamson
Friday: Neumann-Goretti vs. West Catholic at Widener University, 7:30 – West Catholic (6-2, 4-1) just lost a 21-13 decision to Conwell-Egan, which realistically cost the Burrs any chance at a league title . . . So unfortunately for the Saints (1-4, 1-4), West is in a foul mood, and adding to the equation the revenge factor – N-G defeated West twice last year – this one is a no-brainer as the Burrs blank the Saints, 34-0.
PSD Photo by Aaron Mitchell
PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
Saturday: Archbishop Carroll vs. Lansdale Catholic at Wissahickon, 1:00 – How Carroll lost to Bonner-Prendergast after having won an emotional game the previous week is a head scratcher . . . The Pats (3-4, 1-4) appear much better on paper, having accrued 1,351 yards rushing and 15 touchdown passes . . . Lansdale Catholic (2-5, 1-4), which has only thrown 49 passes all season, relies most on Danny Dutkiewicz, a workhorse who needs 85 yards to reach 1,000 . . . Double D will reach quadruple figures, but Carroll will triumph, 24-18.
PSD file photo
PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.comor on Twitter @johnknebels.)
Tag(s): Home Schools Philadelphia Catholic Football Red Division Father Judge Football 6A La Salle Football 6A Roman Catholic Football 6A Saint Joe's Prep Football 6A Arch. Carroll Football 5A Arch. Ryan Football 5A Arch. Wood Football 5A Blue Division Bonner & Prendie Football Cardinal O'Hara Football Bishop McDevitt Football Conwell-Egan Football Lansdale Cath. Football Neumann/Goretti Football West Catholic Football