Playoff Push
Big Red routs CR North, increases postseason chances
FRANCONIA >> Souderton Area won for the fourth time in five games, strengthening its playoff chances with a dominant 39-6 win over Council Rock North in a non-conference game Friday night.
Big Red improved to 4-4 overall while Rock North dropped to 1-7 on the season.
Souderton built a 25-0 lead by the break and got an 85-yard touchdown run by Jalen White in the third quarter. After a 19yard TD run by Rock North’s Tim Gibson, Big Red provided the final points with a one-yard burst by Ethan Moyer.
Souderton Area forced four first-quarter fumbles, converting three of those into points.
Two plays after Rock North’s first turnover, DeAndre Wakefield scored on a seven-yard run to put the Indians in front, 7-0, just 1 minute and 9 seconds into the contest.
Soon after, Tre Samuels scooped up a fumble by Rock North and returned it 30 yards for a score. The extra-point attempt was wide, leaving the margin at 13-0.
Big Red forced another fumble near the end of the first quarter, converting it into a 35-yard field goal by William Leyland to start the second quarter, making it 16-0.
The Rock North Indians had a punt snap sail out the back of the end zone for a safety, extending the margin to 18-0, and Wakefield showed off his versatility by returning the ensuing free kick for a score, making it a 25-0 gap at the break.
North Penn 20, CB West 6
TOWAMENCIN >> Jon Haynes hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the third quarter while Julian White added a 1-yard score in the fourth as North Penn stayed perfect with a 20-7 win over Central Bucks West Friday night.
After the teams ended the first half tied 6-6, Haynes gave the Knights (80, 4-0 SOL Continental the lead, leaping then holding on in the endzone for the 29-yard TD from Solomon Robinson to put NP up 13-6.
CB West (2-6, 1-4) went for it on 4th and 2 from its own 43 and was stuffed for no gain with 10:07 in the fourth. The Knights went ahead 20-7 on the next series, White scoring on a 1-yard run at 6:54.
North Penn took a 6-0 lead with a nine-play, 71yard in the first quarter drive White capped by plowing over the goal line from a yard out at 5:15.
West tied the game in the half’s final minute. Jack Fallon intercepted Robinson and returned it to the NP 42 with 50 seconds left. On a 2nd down from the 31, Fallon took a Jack Neri pass 30 yards down to the one. FirNeri rolled right and hit Connor Levant in the end zone to make it 6-6 with just six seconds remaining. — Mike Cabrey
Upper Dublin 47, Wissahickon 12
FORT WASHINGTON >> A rivalry matchup always has the chance for fireworks no matter what type of season a football team may be having. So when Wissahickon crossed Bethlehem Pike to play Upper Dublin on Friday night, there was no doubt the winless Trojans came out fired up, ready to surprise the Flying Cardinals.
However the home Birds put the fire out early by scoring early and often. The Flying Cardinals (5-1, 4-0 in conference) led by junior quarterback Mike Slivka cruised to a 47-12 win over the Trojans (0-8, 0-5). With 40 points in the first half, a running clock in the second half sent the Trojans home hurting.
An early fumble put the Trojans on their heels and once the Flying Cardinals connected on a 24 yard pass, Slivka to Lucas Roselli, the Trojans could not help to think Friday night would not be any different than the previous weeks. Roselli would later catch a 32 yard strike from Slivka in the win.
The Trojans may be in the same conference, in the same class, based on the number of students in their school, but the difference in numbers on the sideline made, and has made a huge difference this season. The Trojans are banged up and depth is their biggest issue. The Suburban One schedule is not kind to a team down in numbers.
The Flying Cardinals could look ahead in the second half with the game well under control.
The Cardinals started the second with a John Kohlbrenner 70-yard kick return and continued to show off their depth. The Trojans senior running back Chris Smalls was a bright spot as he churned up 100 yards and plunged into the end zone in the third quarter to avoid the shutout. — Andrew Marcus
Quakertown 17, PW 14
QUAKERTOWN >> Plymouth Whitemarsh dropped a Suburban One League American Conference matchup to Quakertown, 17-14, Friday night at Quakertown’s Alumni Field
The Colonials defense forced a Panthers punt with 2:58 left in the game and gave the offense a chance to tie or take the lead.
They overcame a 3rdand-14 from their own nine-yard line when Larry McLaughlin connected with Christopher Pierce for a 32-yard gain to set up a first down near midfield.
Four plays later, PW faced a 4th-and-9 with less than 50 seconds left. Quakertown’s Ben Schlegel sacked McLaughlin to end the drive and the game.
The Colonials (1-6, 1-3) took a 7-0 lead right from the jump. They opened the game with a 10-play, 93yard drive capped off by a 25-yard Pierce touchdown run.
The Panthers scored the next 17 points on a Gavin Croisette field goal and two Christian Patrick touchdown runs to take a 10-point advantage into the fourth quarter.
PW trimmed its deficit to three when Mike Paciello broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run with 8:14 remaining in the game.
Pierce finished with 74 yards receiving and 59 yards rushing.