DAVID M WARREN / Staff Photographer
Calvary Christian QB Michael Reichenbach is poised to pass. The Cougars will face St. Pius X in a subregional final tonight.
Rick O'Brien: Showdown's outcome may hinge on injury
The outcome of tonight's PIAA District 1-12 Class A subregional championship football game between St. Pius X and Calvary Christian will hinge heavily on the status of Pius quarterback and free safety Cole Parkinson.
Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019 or robrien@phillynews.com.
George Parkinson, Cole's father and Pius head coach, said the 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior is questionable to play in the 7 p.m. game at Plymouth Whitemarsh after suffering an apparent shoulder injury in Saturday's 26-14 semifinal win over District 12 representative Delaware Valley Charter.
Quarterback Parkinson has 1,034 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He has received interest from Temple, Delaware and West Chester.
If Parkinson is not available, the Winged Lions will turn to 5-4, 140-pound sophomore Tyler Weiss.
Calvary Christian is coached by Mike Reichenbach, a former tough-as-nails linebacker for the Eagles in the mid-1980s.
The Cougars, in their 11th year of varsity football, are fueled on offense by 6-3, 175-pound senior QB Mike Reichenbach, the coach's son, and 5-5, 140-pound junior tailback Ian Richardson.
Week 12 is marked by 10 playoff games, including a District 1 Class AAA semifinal between unbeatens West Chester Rustin and Pottsgrove.
Last week: 17-5.
Overall: 127-33 (.794 winning percentage).
District 1 Class AAAA Quarterfinals
No. 15 seed Unionville (8-3) at No. 7 Ridley (10-1), 7 tonight. The Indians, led by running back Greg Carroll and QB Connor Gades, are fresh off a stunning road win over second-seeded Pennsbury. Beating the Green Raiders at Phil Marion Field will be another huge hill to climb.
Pick: Ridley, 28-12.
No. 5 Avon Grove (10-1) at Downingtown West (10-1), 7 tonight. The run-oriented Red Devils have been pounding the ball at teams behind 6-foot, 205-pound fullback Brendan McLaughlin. The Whippets are out to avenge a 35-21 regular-season loss, and we see them achieving that mission.
Pick: West, 27-24.
No. 14 Penncrest (8-3) at No. 11 Downingtown East (9-2), 7 p.m. tomorrow. With five teams alive in the district playoffs, the Ches-Mont League has been flexing its collective muscle. Penncrest scored 38 points in a win over Central League rival Garnet Valley. We can't ignore that performance.
Pick: Penncrest, 34-21.
District 1 Class AAA Semifinals
No. 4 West Chester Rustin (11-0) at No. 1 Pottsgrove (11-0), 7 tonight. Can Pottsgrove be the team to slow down Rustin's Rondell White? He has 1,801 yards and 28 TDs. Pottsgrove's similarly explosive offense is led by RB Maika Polamalu and QB Terrell Chestnut.
Pick: W.C. Rustin, 24-19.
No. 3 Owen J. Roberts (10-1) at No. 2 Interboro (11-0), 7:30 tonight. Interboro's focus is on keeping OJR's Ryan Brumfield (280 carries for 2,267 yards and 35 TDs) from running wild.
Pick: OJR, 26-21.
PIAA District 12 Class AAA Final
Simon Gratz (6-4) vs. Archbishop Wood (9-2), at Northeast, 4 p.m. tomorrow. Look for QB Jerry Rahill and running back Kevin Murt to give the Bulldogs fits.
Pick: Wood, 35-0.
District 1-12 class A Subregional Final
No. 3 West Catholic (8-2) vs. No. 1 Bok (11-0) at Southern, 12 p.m. tomorrow. The Bok Wildcats lost, 55-0, to the Burrs last season.
Pick: West, 38-13.
District 1-12 Class A Subregional Final
No. 2 St. Pius X (7-4) vs. No. 1 Calvary Christian (8-1), at Plymouth Whitemarsh, 7 tonight. A lot, of course, depends on the availability of Parkinson.
Pick: Pius, 20-14.
Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019 or robrien@phillynews.com.
