Strath Haven has history on its side against Pottsgrove

THERE WAS a span there for nearly a decade when Strath Haven was the standard of Delaware County football. From 1996 to 2003, the Panthers, under head coach Kevin Clancy, won eight straight District 1 Class AAA championships, and two state titles, in 1999 and again in 2000.

So to go 5-5 in 2009 was considered an embarrassing, losing season - by Strath Haven standards. The Panthers' seniors have taken what happened last year and slung it over their shoulders as motivational baggage. It's been their mantra that it wouldn't happen again.

Strath Haven has won 11 straight games and will carry the history of last year, along with some added weight, when the Panthers face Pottsgrove on Friday in the District 1 AAA championship game at Coatesville High School at 7 p.m.

The Panthers, the No. 1 seed, are 11-1, while Pottsgrove, the defending district champion, is 10-2, including its 42-6 pounding of Interboro in the district semifinals last week.

The supplementary load is that Strath Haven last won a district title in 2005. But the Panthers have never lost to Pottsgrove in the district playoffs, owning a 3-0 record over the Falcons. And though history and a higher seeding may be on Strath Haven's side, Pottsgrove actually might be the better team.

The Panthers are expected to have their top weapon, senior tailback Thurman Fortune, back after missing Strath Haven's dramatic 28-21 victory over Springfield last Friday in the district semis with a chipped bone in his right shoulder.

Senior Alex Hisey more than filled in for Fortune, rushing for a career-best 209 yards and three touchdowns, including a 59-yard run and the game-winning score in the game's last minute.

"Last Friday night was tough for me watching," said Fortune, who has rushed for 1,450 yards with a 7.7-yards/per carry average this season. "I want to play against Pottsgrove and it looks like I'm going to get my chance. Right now our offensive line is blocking well, and Hisey is very talented. We have a lot of weapons on this team."

Fortune will participate in light workouts and practices during the week, while junior James Griffin gets more acclimated to his new role at quarterback, where he took over against Springfield for regular starter Bryan Downs, who broke his right collarbone in the Panthers' opening-round playoff victory over Upper Perkiomen.

"Offensively against Pottsgrove, we're going to have to do what we've always done and that's run the ball down their throats, and I know we're going to have to throw this game a little more," said Griffin, who did a great job of managing the Springfield game, rushing for 80 yards on 10 carries and completing one of four passes. "If I see something, coach Clancy has given me the green light to throw."

The big issue Strath Haven will face is curtailing Pottsgrove's explosive tandem of tailback Maika Polamalu and Pittsburgh-bound quarterback Terrell Chestnut. Chestnut and Polamalu combined to rush for 260 yards and three TDs in the victory over Interboro.

"I like the way my team keeps hanging in and how competitive we are," Clancy said. "They're playing smart and following game plans and playing pretty focused football right now.

"There are a lot of things about Pottsgrove that's scary. They're experienced players, they're big up front and very well coached up front, and that's an issue. It's clearly a playoff-caliber team from a coaching standpoint. We have to find a way to create enough offense to keep their offense off the field."

PLAYING FOR TRADITION

It's been a difficult and embarrassing time for the Ridley football team, more so for the seniors feeling the sting of the 14-13 upset loss to West Chester Henderson in the opening round of the District 1 AAAA playoffs on Nov. 12.

But the Green Raiders, who are 10-1 and entered the district playoffs as the defending champion and No. 1 seed, do have one last game, the traditional Thanksgiving Day meeting with area rival Interboro, at 10 a.m. at Ridley. Interboro's loss to Pottsgrove in the AAA semifinals last Friday made the game possible.

"I think you can talk to anyone on this team, we'd rather still be playing in the district playoffs, and the way we went out hurts; it was embarrassing, especially with all the talent we have on this team," said Ridley star senior linebacker Sam Dixon-Dougan. "This game doesn't mean anything to the players, but we know how much it means to the community. We're playing this game for the players who played Ridley football before, and for all the people that follow Ridley. There is a lot of tradition about this game, and we'll give all we have. Someone will pay for our loss to Henderson and we get to take it out on Interboro one last time."

The rivalry dates to 1965. The teams have played 41 games, with Ridley holding a 31-10 lead in the series. But since 1995, Interboro holds an 8-3 advantage. The last time the teams faced each other on Thanksgiving was 2008, a 14-7 Ridley victory at Interboro in the last game coached at Ridley by John Waller.

DELCO 7

The top seven Delaware County football teams playing in the Delco leagues:

1. Strath Haven (Record: 11-1. Weeks rated: 10. Last week: 1.)

2. Ridley (Record: 10-1. Weeks rated: 12. Last week: 2.)

3. Springfield (Record: 8-4. Weeks rated: 12. Last week: 3.)

4. Penn Wood (Record: 9-2. Weeks rated: 12. Last week: 4.)

5. Garnet Valley (Record: 7-3. Weeks rated: 11. Last week: 5.)

6. Glen Mills (Record: 6-4. Weeks rated: 3. Last week: 6.)

7. Interboro (Record: 6-6. Weeks rated: 2. Last week: 7.)