Alaska wasn't the place for Penn Wood's Granger

IT'S QUITE A distance from where

Wah'Fe Granger

was this time last year and where he is this year. The Penn Wood High senior tailback/defensive back was living with relatives in Alaska from 2007 to '09, before returning to Yeadon, Delaware County, last spring.

The 5-7, 160-pound Granger has superior speed, and it looks like he's going to add a new dimension to the Patriots' attack. He scored two touchdowns in a 46-0 season-opening victory over Conwell-Egan last Saturday.

More importantly, Granger picked up 227 all-purpose yards on just seven touches, which included a 45-yard punt return for a score and 51-yard touchdown run.

He was electric each time he touched the ball.

"I played football in Alaska for 2 years, and I'd say it's not as competitive as this area," Granger said. "When I went to Alaska, all I knew was snow and igloos and Eskimos. I didn't even know there were black people up there. And there was 6 months of light, and that took some getting used to. You look outside and it's 11 at night and you'd think it was 2 in the afternoon."

Granger credits his uncle, Romaine Burrell, whom he lived with in Anchorage, for helping him develop his football skills. The blazing speed has always been there. Granger blossomed into being Alaska's 100- and 200-meter state champion his freshman year for Bartlett High in Anchorage.

"I'm done with Alaska though, it's too cold up there, sometimes I went to school and it was 15-degree below zero," Granger said. "I'm happy to be back home. But living and playing up there was a confidence boost. Overall, though, moving to Alaska was the best move I ever made."

Haverford coach Joe Gallagher saw the highlight tape of his freshman team last spring. What Gallagher couldn't ignore was Eddie Durkin .

The 5-11, 185-pound Durkin is physically mature for his age, and has considerable speed, too. But what bowled over Gallagher was Durkin's composure. It's why the sophomore has been handed the starting quarterback job.

Durkin did a masterful job in his varsity debut, leading the Fords to a 40-0 victory over Chichester last Friday. Durkin was able to pick up the proper defensive reads, which is of vital importance in running the Fords' option offense.

"Eddie is very critical in what we're doing, and he's pretty impressive for a sophomore," Gallagher said. "I don't care what grade kids are in. The best kids play in my system. Durkin is very mature beyond his years. He's a 15-year-old sophomore, and, mentally and emotionally, he's very calm. That's what you want in your quarterback. You can give him constructive criticism and he accepts it."

Gallagher pointed out that Durkin will be on a crash course these next 3 weeks. The Fords visit a very good Garnet Valley team on Friday, then it gets even tougher, hosting the area's top team, Ridley, the following Friday and finishing with much-improved Strath Haven the week after.

"Eddie will continue working hard, and I really like his potential," Gallagher said. "These next three games will tell how much more Eddie can mature. We get no breaks. These next three games will be a great test for the kid."

Springfield's Tyler Morrissey hardly played at all his sophomore year. He was on the tall and gangly side, and a little unsure of himself those rare times he did get on the field.

What a difference a year can make. Cougars' head coach Dan Ellis had high expectations for Morrissey, and it seems as if he's grown into them in more ways than one.

The inside linebacker grew an inch and put on about 15 pounds since last fall, rounding out to 6-3, 205 pounds. He was arguably the best player on the field Friday night against area powerhouse Interboro in a 7-6 Springfield loss. All Morrissey did was make a team-high 15 tackles, nine in the first half, recover a fumble, force a fumble and intercept a pass.

"There's a lot of things to like about Tyler, and he's going to be a very good offensive player, too, as an H-back for us," Ellis said. "We have a pair of really good inside linebackers, with Tyler and Mike Dougherty. We run a very aggressive defense. There's not a whole lot of sitting and reading. Our linebackers are taught to see something and go downhill. You have to be a certain kind of player to play inside linebacker, with a natural aggressiveness. But Tyler has added that knack for the ball. He knows his reads and very rarely did he go to the wrong spot against Interboro."

Springfield will get tested Friday night, when the Cougars travel to Marple Newtown. This could have early District 1 Class AAA playoff implications. The Central League has four viable Class AAA playoff contenders in Springfield, Marple Newtown, Strath Haven and Penncrest.

1. Ridley (Record: 1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 1.)

2. Interboro (Record: 1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 2.)

3. Garnet Valley (Record: 1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 3.)

4. Marple Newtown (Record: 1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 4.)

5. Penn Wood (Record: 1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 5.)

6. Academy Park (Record: 1-0. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 6.)

7. Springfield (Record: 0-1. Weeks rated: 1. Last week: 7.)