Nine area teams qualify ofor District 1 playoffs

The District 1 playoffs begin Friday night and the Ches-Mont League has placed five teams in the 16-team Class AAAA bracket and three teams in the eight-team Class AAA field.

Coatesville, the No. 1 seed, will host No. 16 Haverford. The Fords were blown out in the season opener, 31-2, by Downingtown West, but Haverford has improved as the season went on. Still, Coatesville looks like a big winner come Friday night.

West Chester Henderson is the No. 8 seed and will host No. 9 North Penn. I do not think the draw could have been any tougher for the Warriors. The Knights are more than three times bigger in enrollment than Henderson is and always seem to raise their level of play in the playoffs.

At No. 15, Downingtown West gets in the tournament with a 6-4 record and the Whippets travel to play a very tough N0. 2 seed in Pennsbury and their running back, Charles Snorweah, who gave a verbal to Rutgers. But, the Whippets will score on Pennsbury through the air and it will be a close game.

Downingtown East, who may be playing the best football of any District 1 team right now ,will host Perkiomen Valley. The Vikings play a lot of weak teams in the Pioneer Athletic Conference but they are athletic and can throw the football. Look for the Cougars to win and advance here.

A double Chester County game will be No. 14 Con- estoga visiting the No. 3 seed, West Chester Rustin. The key in the game will be if the Pioneers can slow down Knights running back Terry Loper and stand up to Rustin’s physical offensive line.

In Class AAA, Great Valley is the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7 Octorara, making its first district appearance. The Patriots are averaging over 42 points a game and defeated the Braves 35-7 earlier in the season. Octorara has had a good year but it would be a major upset if they defeated Great Valley in this one.

Bishop Shanahan is the No. 3 seed in Class AAA, and the Eagles take on a very good No. 6 seed in Upper Moreland. The Golden Bears can really run the football and this one looks like a toss up to me.

DLN Football Top 10

1. Coatesville (10-0): Red Raiders end perfect regular season.

2. W.C. Rustin (9-1): Golden Knights get ready for playoffs.

3. Downingtown East (73): Cougars playing very well right now.

4. W.C. Henderson (7-3): Warriors lose to Downingtown East.

5. Great Valley (9-1): Patriots are two seed in Class AAA.

6. Downingtown West (64): Whippets take Coatesville to the wire.

7. Malvern Prep (5-4): Friars defeat Episcopal Academy.

8. Bishop Shanahan (73): Eagles are third seed in Class AAA.

9. Conestoga (7-3): Pioneers fall to Garnet Valley.

10. Octorara (5-5): Braves make Class AAA playoffs.