SOL American

Mike Smoll gives the fans a early look at the SOL American, breaking down each team.

Wissahickon and Upper Merion will both be hard pressed to escape the cellar, one of the reasons this is Upper Merion’s last year in the SOL, is that they really can’t compete on a regular basis, neither school has more than 5 OFF and 5 DEF starters back from last year, Take your choice who is the cellar dweller here.

Next group is Springfield and Upper Moreland, Springfield has 5 OFF and 5 DEF starters back from last year, with some quality, as 4 of the returnees earned all-conference honors, with LB Brett Righter leading the way. Upper Moreland had 5 OFF and 4 DEF starters coming back from a very competitive team, they have 5 that earned all-conference honors with 2nd team OL Connor Dolan 6’5″ 275lbs and 1st team DE Ryan Norton, I’ll take Upper Moreland over Springfield 5th and 6th respectively.

The next group of three are Cheltenhem, Hatboro Horsham and Plymouth Whitemarsh, I really have few notes on Cheltenhem , however am hearing they have a nice nucleus back and that two players are receiving some Div I interst in WR Matt Toszi and DB Brandon Mack, next Hatboro, they have by my total 6 OFF and 4 DEF plus both kickers back, 6 of which earned all-conference honors of some kind ( That’s 1st team thru Honorable Mention), with QB Casey Walsh they have the makings of a good offensive team, next is Plymouth Whitemarsh, they were hurt by graduation as much as any team in the division, sending 3 OL onto Div I colleges, however PW is usually solid, they have 6 OFF and 5 DEF starters returning, with 7 of them earning all conference honors. Led Offensively by 1st team RB Nafeese Nasir and End Luke Mascio, Luke Mascio was also first team all conference at DE. I’ll take them in the order presented for 4th thru to 2nd place.

The team that will win this conference going away is Upper Dublin, as long as they don’t read their own headlines and they don’t suffer crippling injuries, as UD is one of the smaller schools in the SOL and therefore not as deep. But as last years 1st place team and won I believe two games in the Districts before falling to Pennsbury (at Pennsbury) they are loaded with 9 OFF and 8 DEF starters returning, 13 of which earned all-conference honors. Where to start, I guess with Ryan Stover a Div I QB and Big 33 candidate 6’4″ 205 lbs at QB, who returns most of his OL and both of his favorite targets in John Barrett and Gary Fields, along with RB Kaleif Lee, on the Defensive side Henry Winebrake at LB is a stud at 5’11” 215lbs, who has 1st team all conference mates Stacey Gardner LB and Mike Sowers DB also returning. They should handle this conference with ease, the next question is how far can this senior driven team go? I’ve got them going to the District finals.

So the roundup of the Suburban One League. top 8 teams are………………..

1st Upper Dublin
2nd Neshimany (and please don’t ask me why)
3rd Pennsbury
4th is the winner of the Quakertown, Council Rock South, Council Rock North shootout- I picked Council Rock South
5th Souderton (Surprise)
6th 2nd place team of the above shoot out- I have Council Rock North- with best athlete in SOL Brandow McIllwan
7th North Penn
8th 3rd place team- Quakertown

Any of the 3 teams who gets it going on a roll will be a player in the Districts, and I can see what I picked being completely flipped flopped. Who fills in their holes best, who gets rolling???????

The SOL has any number of really really good QB’s this year, the obvious two at Brandon McIllwan, and Ryan Stover, But Souderton and Neshimany both have excellent QB’s returning as does Hatboro Horsham, the one I can’t wait to see is Tom Garlick (formerly Archbishop Wood) Quakertown, I’m hearing he’s really got the attitude of showing (AW) what they lost and he has all kinds of skill people around him. Keep in mind Fordham offered him a scholarship based on his Sophomore year.

Well that’s a wrap from SOL Land. I’ll have a few more local teams, but no more Leagues as a whole.