Rick O'Brien: This time, Neshaminy, Pennsbury play for pride
OK, so the Bucks County Brawl doesn't have its usual Week 10 luster. While Neshaminy has locked up a berth in the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA tournament and can likely forge a three-way tie atop the Suburban One League National Conference standings, Pennsbury has little chance of returning to the playoffs for a third straight year.
OK, so the Bucks County Brawl doesn't have its usual Week 10 luster.
While Neshaminy has locked up a berth in the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA tournament and can likely forge a three-way tie atop the Suburban One League National Conference standings, Pennsbury has little chance of returning to the playoffs for a third straight year.
But the Falcons would like nothing more than to close a subpar campaign with an upset win over the Redskins on Friday (7 p.m.) at Harry E. Franks Stadium in Langhorne.
Neshaminy has revenge in mind after losing to Pennsbury, 27-20, in overtime in last year's regular-season finale. The victory at Falcon Field gave Galen Snyder's squad its first National Conference title since 1993.
In the 2008 regular-season finale, Mark Schmidt's Redskins, with the aid of three turnovers, scored all their points in the second quarter and triumphed, 16-13, to claim the National Conference championship.
Neshaminy, tied for fourth in the Class AAAA playoff-point standings with North Penn, enters with an 8-1 overall record and a 5-1 conference mark. Pennsbury, which would need a win and major help to sneak into the playoffs, is 5-4 and 3-3.
The Falcons lead the emotionally charged series, 36-35-7.
Pick: Neshaminy, 23-7.
Last week: 9-6. Overall: 88-46.
Catholic League Class AAAA semifinals
At Harry S Truman.
Father Judge (7-2, 2-2) vs. No. 1 La Salle (8-1, 4-0), 7 p.m. Friday. The Crusaders will need big efforts from running backs Raul Quinones and Nick Myers to reverse a 42-14 loss in Week 7. Pick: La Salle, 35-14.
Roman Catholic (6-3, 2-2) vs. St. Joseph's Prep (4-5, 2-2), 7 p.m. Saturday. The Prep surprisingly rolled over the Cahillites, 31-15, in the regular season. Roman's defense, too often burned by big plays, needs to buckle down. Pick: Roman, 23-21.
Public League Class AAAA Semifinal
At Northeast.
Fels (7-2, 6-0) vs. Northeast (6-2, 6-0), 2 p.m. Saturday. Deion Barnes and the red-hot Vikings have won six in a row, including a Gold Division-clinching win over George Washington two weeks ago, by a combined 132-47. Pick: Northeast, 28-13.
Public League Class AAA Semifinals
Saturday at Simon Gratz.
Martin Luther King (3-5, 3-4) vs. Dobbins (8-1, 7-0), 2 p.m. Terrance Stafford, a rugged-as-anything running back and linebacker for Dobbins, will be a handful for Curtis Witherspoon and King. Pick: Dobbins, 23-0.
Roxborough (6-3, 4-3) vs. Simon Gratz (8-1, 6-1), 6 p.m. Gratz took Round 1 by a 34-20 decision. Key for the Indians is slowing down 800-yard rusher Spencer Moses. Pick: Gratz, 20-12.
Regular Season
West Chester Henderson (6-3, 3-2) at No. 5 Downingtown East (8-1, 5-0), 7 p.m. Friday.
Henderson likely needs an upset win to earn a berth in the district playoffs. East is trying for an outright Ches-Mont League National Conference title.
Pick:
East, 33-21.
Springfield, Delco (7-2, 7-1) at Strath Haven (8-1, 8-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday. It's a Class AAA and Central League showdown in Wallingford. It's Springfield tailback Matt Craig vs. Strath Haven fullback Thurman Fortune. Pick: Strath Haven, 21-16.
Other games to watch:
Catholic League Class AA final: Bishop McDevitt (5-4, 3-1) vs. No. 8 West Catholic (7-2, 4-0), at Plymouth Whitemarsh, 7 p.m. Saturday.
Pick:
West, 47-14.
Catholic League Class AAA semifinal: Monsignor Bonner (5-4, 1-2) vs. No. 6 Cardinal O'Hara (8-1, 2-1), at Widener, 6 p.m. Saturday. Pick: O'Hara, 30-7.
Penn Wood (8-1, 4-0) at Chester (4-5, 1-3), 2 p.m. Saturday. Pick: Penn Wood, 26-20.
Chestnut Hill Academy (4-4, 3-0) at Haverford School (3-6, 3-0), 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Pick: CHA, 21-14.