News, Notes from High School Football: Thanksgiving Week

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

District One Class AAAA
Council Rock South 31, Downingtown East 19
Garnet Valley 52, Central Bucks South 48
Pennsbury 42, Coatesville 21
North Penn 21, Neshaminy 7 CLICK HERE TO READ THE GAME STORY 

PREVIEWS
Garnet Valley (5) at Council Rock South (1) - There is no denying the Golden Hawks defense is scary good and the execution on offense is near flawless, but I have my doubts. How long can a team really go with the triple option? Garnet Valley showed they can keep up with high powered offenses last week and if the Hawks can't hit some big plays in the air it could be an upset waiting to happen. The Hawks' quarterback Brian Donnelly might need to warm up the ol' right arm.

Pennsbury (15) at North Penn (11) - The Falcons can run the score up, but luckily the Knights' defense is playing the best it has all year. If the unit does have a weakness, its the secondary. The transformation of Dan Gervitz from a traditional wide receiver to a Dom Taggart type, utility stud, has helped the Knights take their game to the next level. The 1-2 start is a thing of the past and they are praying they get another shot at LaSalle in two weeks.









District 12 Class AAAA
LaSalle 41, George Washington 7 CLICK HERE TO READ THE GAME STORY 

***The Explorers have the week off and await the winner of the District 11 Class AAAA championship games between Nazareth and Easton.

District One Class AAA
Pottsgrove 29, Strath Haven 28 
Phoenixville 28, Academy Park 27

PREVIEW
Phoenixville (3) at Pottsgrove (1)  - A short three weeks ago these Pac-10 schools sqaured off and the Falcons eased by the Phantoms 47-7. But with a little more on the line it should not be that easy for the top seed in Class AAA. The Phantoms are aware of the Falcons ground game, which had two 100 yard rushers on Nov. 4th. Both teams played a close, exhausting game a week ago and it should be another one in the championship game.

District 12 Class AAA
Archbishop Wood 49, Dobbins 0 CLICK HERE TO READ THE GAME STORY

***The Vikings have the week off to ice and work on some new gadgets. They will play the winner of Pottsgrove and Phoenixville.








District 1/12 Class AA
West Catholic 28, Springfield 7 CLICK HERE TO READ THE GAME STORY 



STAT LEADERS FOR THE WEEK

100+ yard rushers
Vinny Nattle (Phoenixville) 188, TD
Tory Hudgins (Pottsgrove) 157, 3 TDs
Dan Gervitz (North Penn) 129, TD
Kyle Mayfield (North Penn) 121
Robby Curtin (Pottsgrove) 115, TD
Jordan Meachem (LaSalle) 101, TD


125+ yard passers
Joey Monaghan (Archbishop Wood) 199, 4 TDs
Corey Ernst (North Penn) 129, TD





THANKSGIVING PREVIEWS

Spring-Ford at Phoenixville - I always wondered what would happen if a team was still in playoffs, and as far as I know my Alma Matter (Rams 2004) still has a chance to finish the year with a perfect conference record. I assume the Phantoms will be much more focused on Friday night against Pottsgrove, so I wonder if any of the starters play long or if they play at all. It's kind of a shame for the Rams, who wanted one more game, but you have to be excited for the Phantoms, who have a chance at a District One Class AAA Championship.

KEY MATCHUP:  Rams' Kevin Nyce (Sr. DL) vs Phantom's Vinny Nattle (Sr. FB)
As the season has gone along for the Phantoms they have started to feature the fullback more and more. He has a nose for the end zone, with nine on the year. If he plays on Thanksgiving, considering I'd think they would save him for the District Championship game, he would be the one to stop.
Leading the charge in stopping Nattle would be the senior sack artist, Nyce. The Rams leads the team with 10 sacks according to maxpreps.com and also have been one of their best run stoppers. The Phantons will want to keep the Rams' offense off the field with Nattle and the run game and Nyce needs to help his unit get off the field.


Quakertown at Pennridge  - In the battle of the talented and 5-5, the rival schools collide for the 81st time on Thanksgiving morning. Actually the Rams can finish 7-5 with a win and the Panthers are just hoping to not finish with a losing record. The teams are praying for good weather because at Poppy Yoder Field a little condensation always added excitement to the game. The Panthers' amazing dual threat quaterback Zac Gravelle has not played in a month, but I'm sure he's pushing to play in his final game.

KEY MATCHUP: Rams' Mike Class (So. RB) vs. Panthers' Ryan Coleman (Sr. LB)

The senior linebacker for the Panthers will get to 100 tackles in his last game. According to maxpreps.com he only needs two take downs to do so. But the Rams' Mike Class won't make it easy. Class has burst onto the scene as a sophomore and if it were not for Central Bucks South's Dan Brown he'd be a runaway all-league running back. I would not be surprised if the Continental Conference takes two backs because both Class and Brown deserve it. Class' football IQ is beyond his years and he's a patient runner with a burst like no other. Coleman and the Panthers need to wrap up or it could be a long morning.



Upper Moreland at Hatboro-Horsham - While the Hatters get to show off their new field the Golden Bears get to show off their new weapons. For the last few weeks they finally have found some things on offense that work and sophomores have grown up. This one should go down to the wire.

KEY MATCHUP: Golden Bears' Charlie Hooker (So. QB) vs Hatters' Casey Saverio (Sr. CB)
All season long the Bears have tried different ways to get junior Robert Knox involved. He's gone from wide receiver to quarterback and now running back. He's able to play running back because of the emergence of Charlie Hooker. And Hooker's ability to throw it down field has opened up Knox's running lanes. Saverio is one of the top cover men in the Suburban One League and will be looking to make a memorable play in his last football game on the new Hatboro-Horsham turf. I suggest for Hooker to throw it the side Saverio is not on.


Abington at Cheltenham - The only thing the Panthers have going for them is it is in Wynnewood and not up 611. Hopefully the Panthers crowd can help them calm down the angry Ghosts. This is not the game the Ghosts wanted to be playing this week. They had district title hopes and more, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

KEY MATCHUP: Ghosts Ken Cropper (Sr. QB) vs Panthers' Mark Thompson (Jr. LB)

Mark Thompson will lead an amped up bunch to show Cropper how they really feel. Last year Cropper was the starting quarterback for the Panthers but the transfer went to his rival and had a pretty solid year. A lot of emotions in this one and I'm sure coach Tim Sorber will try and show off Cropper to his former team just to rub it in a little bit.




Owen J. Roberts at Pottstown  - The two Pac-10 schools have a combined four wins this season, but records go out the window on Thanksgiving morning. Nothing feels better than ending a season and the seniors' careers with a win on Thursday morning.

KEY MATCHUP: Trojans' Cory Hueber (Sr. LB) vs Wildcats' Dylan Frierson (Sr. RB)
Dylan Frierson has had the hard task of replacing one of the best running backs to come out of PA in Ryan Brumfield. But a certain point in the season it was just about winning a game. The Wildcats and Frierson could really help turn the page on a down year with a big day against the Trojans. The only problem is the Trojans do not allow that many yards after contact thanks to some strong tackling. The leading tackler is senior Corey Hueber who has a chance to make game changing hit, interception, or strip on every play.