Coaches tab Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven Preseason SFL Favorites

Crimson Tide favored to win Division I; Hurricanes given nod as DII champs

ORWIGSBURG, Pa., August 9, 2017: Schuylkill League Football coaches selected defending champions Pottsville and Schuylkill Haven as division favorites for Schuylkill Football League this season, which officially kicks off Friday, August 25. In voting completed by the league’s 12 coaches, Pottsville (4 first-place votes, 32 points) was selected as the favorite to capture Division I and Schuylkill Haven (4 first-place votes, 34 points) was the pick to win Division II at Wednesday’s Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association Media Day at Schuylkill Country Club.

Coaches ranked teams in the division in which their teams play 1-6 in projected order of finish and points awarded 6 to 1 based on that ranking in each division.

Pottsville was followed by Blue Mountain (28), which grabbed one first-place vote, North Schuylkill (24), with one first-place vote, Tamaqua (18), and Lehighton (12) and Jim Thorpe (12), which shared fifth place in Division I.

Following Schuylkill Haven were Marian (29, 1 first-place vote), Mahanoy Area (20), Minersville (16), Panther Valley (14) and Shenandoah Valley (13) in Division II.

2016 Schuylkill League Football Preseason Coaches Poll

(Teams receive 6-1 points in descending order; first-place votes in parentheses)

DIVISION I

1. Pottsville (4) 32
2. Blue Mountain (1) 28
3. North Schuylkill (1) 24
4. Tamaqua 18
5. Jim Thorpe 12
6. Lehighton 12

DIVISION II

1. Schuylkill Haven (4) 34
2. Marian (1) 29
3. Mahanoy Area 20
4. Minersville 16
5. Panther Valley (1) 14
6. Shenandoah Valley 13