While the baseball world will soon be crowning their 2009 champion, the high school football season enters a pivotal ninth week. This weekend features a final chance for several local teams to make a final push for league supremacy and playoff seeds..
The playoff picture remained fairly stable last week with Pennsbury, North Penn, Ridley, Neshaminy and Garnet Valley holding the lead in the AAAA pack. At the AAA level it appears that Pottsgrove, Interboro, West Chester Rustin, OJ Roberts and Academy Park control their own destiny in the final weeks of the regular season.
Last week the predictions went well with a 4-1 call. The sole blemish was a 13-12 upset win by Haverford High over Central League rival Strath Haven, while Ridley, Downingtown West, Glen Mills and North Penn all followed the script and made this writer appear lucky or knowledgeable.
The last three years this future teller has a 134-46 prognostication record and with a 2009 first eight week record at 32-8 it is hoped we can keep up the pace the rest of this season.
Once again this weekend there are several games that will help determine final playoff seeds.
In a Central League contest that will determine the top gun the undefeated Ridley Green Raiders will entertain last years champion Garnet Valley (8-1). This group of Green Raiders has renewed talk of that green mystique that enveloped Delaware County football in previous decades. QB Colin Masterson along with a strong running attack and a stingy defense has returned Ridley to the top slot. Garnet Valley will be no push over with running backs Alex Warden and Marcus Irving leading the way they have just one loss in this 2009 campaign. The Jaguars are young and improving and have made it into Ed Thomas’ SE Pa Top Ten http://www.havenfootball.net/, but they won’t have enough to hold on to their Central League crown this Friday night.
Prediction: Ridley 28 Garnet Valley 13
The next big showdown to watch features Suburban One, National Conference rivals Pennsbury traveling to Abington (6-2) with the hopes of clinching a league championship. The Falcons are ranked second by Ed Thomas and have followed QB Brandon Pepper and running back Dante Devine to an undefeated 2009 season. The Galloping Ghosts will not go down easy at home but the Falcons will fly to a hard fought victory this week.
Prediction: Pennsbury 34 Abington 24
The rest of the fearless forecast:
Prediction: Avon Grove 27 West Chester Henderson 13
Prediction: Downingtown West 35 Coatesville 18
Prediction: Penncrest 38 Strath Haven 13
