Rick O'Brien: Get set for a weekend of league showdowns
We've dabbled a bit with football playoffs over the last two weeks, but the postseason will begin in earnest next weekend.
The Public League Class AAA and AAAA title games are scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with the AAA championship (Simon Gratz vs. Dobbins) at noon and the AAAA final (George Washington vs. Northeast) at 3:30. The doubleheader site, expected to be Northeast or Germantown, will be determined today.
TOM MIHALEK / For The Inquirer
Bishop McDevitt quarterback Andrew Siegfried is sacked by West Catholic defenders Anthony McDonnaugh (18) and Jim Lynch (41) in Saturday's 35-7 West win in the PCL Class AA final.
In the Catholic League Class AAA title matchup, Archbishop Wood will try to defend its crown against North Catholic. Wood downed North, 24-7, in Week 9.
Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019
The Catholic League Class AAAA semifinals mirror the last week of the regular season. Roman Catholic is pitted against St. Joseph's Prep (the Hawks won, 34-0, Friday), and Cardinal O'Hara is matched against La Salle (the Explorers prevailed, 24-14, Saturday).
The day, site, and time for all three Catholic League playoff contests will be determined today.
In the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA tournament, two of the more intriguing matchups, both between league foes, are Abington vs. Neshaminy (Suburban One League National Conference) and Penncrest vs. Garnet Valley (Central League).
Neshaminy will seek to avenge a 28-24 loss to Abington, which was led by Sam Kind's 233 passing yards and Anthony Hensley's two touchdown catches, in Week 3. Garnet Valley could have its hands full again with Penncrest. The Jaguars barely beat the Lions, 28-27, in Week 4.
In the District 1 Class AAA and AAAA playoffs, all games are slated for Friday evening, except for the Upper Perkiomen-West Chester Rustin game in AAA; that game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
And it's not a playoff, but there will be a playoff-like atmosphere when Chestnut Hill Academy and host Malvern Prep meet Saturday (1 p.m.) at Deacon Field. The Blue Devils (4-0 league) can secure their first Inter-Ac League crown, while the Friars (3-1 league) can create a three-way tie, along with Haverford School (3-1), at the top.
Here are the playoff matchups:
District 1 Class AAAA
No. 16 seed Council Rock North at No. 1 North Penn, 7:30.No. 9 Abington at No. 8 Neshaminy, 7.
No. 13 Conestoga at No. 4 Downingtown West, 7.
No. 12 Quakertown at No. 5 Avon Grove, 7.
No. 15 Unionville at No. 2 Pennsbury, 7.
No. 10 Council Rock South at No. 7 Ridley, 7.
No. 14 Penncrest at No. 3 Garnet Valley, 7.
No. 11 Downingtown East at No. 6 Norristown, 7.
District 1 Class AAA
No. 8 Upper Moreland at No. 1 Pottsgrove, 7.No. 5 Upper Perkiomen at No. 4 West Chester Rustin, 1 p.m. Saturday.
No. 7 Academy Park at No. 2 Interboro, 7:30.
No. 6 Marple Newtown at No. 3 Owen J. Roberts, 7.
District 1-12 Class AA Subregional
No. 4 Lower Moreland vs. No. 1 Bok, at Southern, noon Saturday.No. 3 West Catholic vs. No. 2 Bishop McDevitt, at Southern, 4 p.m. Saturday.
District 1-12 Class A Subregional
No. 4 High School of the Future vs. No. 1 Calvary Christian, TBA.No. 3 Del-Val Charter at No. 2 St. Pius X, noon Saturday.
Public League Class AAAA Final
George Washington vs. Northeast, site TBA, 33:30 p.m. Saturday.
Public League Class AAA Final
Simon Gratz vs. Dobbins, site TBA, noon Saturday.
Catholic League Class AAA Final
North Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood, TBA.
Catholic League Class AAAA Semifinals
Roman Catholic vs. St. Joseph's Prep, TBA.Cardinal O'Hara vs. La Salle, TBA.
Workhorse. In Chestnut Hill Academy's 27-21 overtime triumph against Haverford School on Saturday, Ibraheim Campbell carried a career-high 39 times for 236 yards and four TDs, including the 10-yard winner.
In a stellar performance, the 6-foot, 195-pound senior tailback, who doubles as a cornerback, accounted for all but five of CHA's rushing attempts.
No quit. Haverford School deserves kudos for climbing out of the 14-0 hole it was in at the start of the fourth quarter. A pair of TDs by fullback Wyatt Benson, including a 10-yard shovel pass from QB Matt Lengel, sandwiched a 57-yard scoring pass from Lengel to halfback Carl Walrath. Among a cluster of four players, Walrath caught a ball (at about the 30) that had been tipped at least twice.
Lengel was 6 for 16 passing for 130 yards and two TDs. Benson, at middle linebacker, was involved in 11 tackles and 6-3, 220-pound lineman Stephen Aitken in nine. Benson, a Temple recruit, made nine solo stops.
Extra points. CHA's Campbell plans to visit Stanford the weekend of Nov. 21-22. The other finalists include Northwestern, Boston College, and Vanderbilt. But since he has decided not to visit Vandy, you can pretty much cross the Commodores off the list. . . . In Saturday's Catholic League Class AA final, West Catholic junior two-way end Jim Lynch helped spark a 35-7 romp over Bishop McDevitt with six tackles, including two solo sacks, which resulted in a total loss of 32 yards.
Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019
