Rick O'Brien

Rick O’Brien has been at The Inquirer since 1993, primarily covering high school sports in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Read our high school sports coverage.

Email Rick at robrien@phillynews.com

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Rick O'Brien: Season grows late, pressure grows hot - 11/06/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

Week 10 is filled with pressure-packed games. It's the cutoff weekend for the PIAA District 1 and subregional playoff tournaments in four classifications, so there are a number of win-or-probably-go-home contests on tap tonight.
Rick O'Brien: Top defenses begin with their ends - 11/05/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

We begin our defensive player football rankings this week, kicking off with the best ends in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Next week, we'll take a look at the area's premier tackles and middle guards.
Rick O'Brien: Avon Grove rises to the heights - 11/02/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

Since he's always willing to debate or take a stance on just about any subject, Avon Grove's Mike Jeffcoats is considering studying law in college.
Rick O'Brien: G.W. lineman's big future - 11/01/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

In recent weeks, Sharrif Floyd, George Washington's mammoth two-way lineman, has mingled with USC's Pete Carroll, Florida's Urban Meyer, and Ohio State's Jim Tressel. If Floyd's ego has swelled to gigantic proportions, he is doing a terrific job, at least on the outside, of keeping his sizeable feet firmly planted on the ground.
Rick O'Brien: Football turnaround for Avon Grove - 11/01/2009: By Rick O’Brien, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Since he's always willing to debate or take a stance on just about any subject, Avon Grove's Mike Jeffcoats is considering studying law in college.
Highly-recruited Washington star Floyd weighs options - 10/31/2009: In recent weeks, Sharrif Floyd, George Washington's mammoth two-way lineman, has mingled with USC's Pete Carroll, Florida's Urban Meyer, and Ohio State's Jim Tressel.
Rick O'Brien: Southeast Pa. high-school football playoff predictions - 10/30/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

You want playoffs? We got playoffs! Week 9 is highlighted by six Public League playoff tilts, including championship games at the Class A and AA levels, and the Catholic League AA semifinals.
Rick O'Brien: Top high school offensive linemen in Southeast Pa. - 10/29/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

It's time to recognize the often-overlooked football grunts. This week, before moving to the defensive side of the ball, we rank the top offensive linemen in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Rick O'Brien: Finley's 361 yards a Panthers record - or not - 10/26/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

If you had asked Damin Finley about his rushing total immediately following Cheltenham's 32-28 win over Upper Dublin on Friday, he would have guessed in the neighborhood of 250 yards.
Rick O'Brien: Top 10 Pa. high school gridiron thrillers - 10/25/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist

In a back-and-forth Public League Red Division thriller, Frankford outlasted visiting Northeast, 40-34, in overtime Friday. Two weeks earlier, 17 touchdowns were scored in Penncrest's 66-54 victory over Central League rival Springfield (Delco).

MORE STORIES

Rick O'Brien: Top-10 most exciting Pa. football games of last decade - 10/24/2009: By Rick O’Brien
Rick O'Brien: Rains could move games up to today - 10/23/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: So good, top 10 receivers are 12 - 10/22/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: A new season, and a fast start for Interboro - 10/19/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: A look back at heroics of North, Dougherty - 10/18/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Coming Tomorrow - 10/17/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: A weather-permitting slate - 10/16/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Campbell leads army of running backs - 10/15/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rating the Pa. running backs - 10/14/2009: Rick O'Brien, Inquirer Staff Writer
Rick O'Brien: Penncrest beats Springfield-Delco, 66-54 - 10/12/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: School closings end two proud sports traditions - 10/11/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Penncrest’s Moretti enjoyed football shootout - 10/11/2009
North Catholic, Dougherty leave proud sports legacies - 10/10/2009
Rick O'Brien: A showdown of unbeatens in the Del-Val - 10/09/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rating the best QBs in Southeastern Pa. - 10/08/2009: By Rick O'Brien, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Pennsbury's Devine scores big - 10/05/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Injuries can't stop West's Reynolds - 10/04/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Pennsbury’s Devine prefers the action - 10/04/2009
Rick O'Brien: Collision of perfect records - 10/02/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Triple-threat Hill does it all in Malvern Prep's victory - 09/28/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Lessons in the game of life - 09/27/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: League foes to start going head to head - 09/25/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: C.B. East's coach: 'I was ineffective' - 09/24/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: A coach who yells, cares, says North Penn's Dzurko - 09/21/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Her unflagging spirit overcomes all odds - 09/20/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: North Penn riding high after big win - 09/20/2009: By Rick O’Brien, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Dazzling duels: This week's matchups - 09/17/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Garnet Valley vs. Conestoga highlights Thursday night football slate - 09/16/2009: By Rick O’Brien, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Rick O'Brien: O'Hara football's Brown commits to Ohio State - 09/14/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Rough debut for Malvern's new coach - 09/13/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Trojans-Falcons: Expect fireworks - 09/11/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Northeast's QB says offense will flourish - 09/10/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: Coach Gro lights up the night - 09/06/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Rick O'Brien: A season of challenges - 09/03/2009: By Rick O, Inquirer Columnist
Predictions for football playoffs - 11/06/2008
Ranking the region's top defensive linemen - 11/02/2008
A big week for teams on the playoff bubble - 10/31/2008
Interboro's Krautzel puts Internet to use - 10/26/2008
Title chase begins for Public, Catholic AA - 10/24/2008
Southeast Pa. football playoff race in homestretch - 10/23/2008
In football playoffs, the more the merrier - 10/19/2008
O.J. Roberts-Phoenixville highlight Week 8 - 10/17/2008
Ranking Southeast Pa.'s top linemen - 10/16/2008
Lincoln's Wilson overcomes disability - 10/12/2008
More pigskin upsets to come? - 10/10/2008
List of top tight ends starts with Carrezola - 10/09/2008
Greg Godfrey exonerated - 10/05/2008
Bok to make it 36 straight - 10/03/2008
The top 10 wide receivers - 10/02/2008
Potent arms and sure hands - 09/28/2008
Weather permitting ... - 09/26/2008
A crowd at running back - 09/25/2008
No shortage of standouts at QB spot - 09/21/2008
Battle for league supremacy begins - 09/19/2008
Tennent football enjoying comforts of home field - 09/14/2008
There's more in Week 3 than Prep-North Penn - 09/12/2008
Filling the roster is not always easy - 09/07/2008
West Catholic, Garnet Valley, Pennsbury, Judge favored - 09/05/2008
Joe McCourt learns with loss - 08/31/2008: By Rick O'Brien, Inquirer Staff Writer
Some fun in the sun on opening weekend - 08/29/2008

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