SE PA Football Prevue 2009 Sub One Continental

Suburban One Continental Conference
Time is now for Quakertown
By Gorden Blain
What Quakertown is on the verge of accomplishing has been in the works for more than a year.

First order of business for the Panthers was to rebound from a forgettable 2007 season record of 1-11 and they did just that in 2008 with a 9-3 record and a trip to the PIAA District 1 AAAA playoffs that ended with a first round loss to Ridley.

Now it’s their time to close the deal and win a Suburban One Continental Conference championship and the Panthers have the veteran playmakers on offense and defense to get it done.

To unseat heavyweight North Penn is a tall order. But the Panthers are peaking the year that North Penn is restocking its lineup with underclassmen after the Knights reached the PIAA State AAAA semifinal in 2008 with a senior-dominated team.

Head coach John Donnelly likes the Panthers’ chance but isn’t about to get caught up in any notion that there is a window of opportunity for the Panthers. The Continental championship must go through North Penn. And Central Bucks South is in the mix as well.

“We have a lot of three year starters,” says Donnelly. “They took their lumps a couple of years ago. Then we turned the corner last year. They’re still hungry.”

“Quakertown has the most back,” says North Penn coach Dick Beck. “They’ve got to be the favorite.”

The Panthers, with a senior-dominated lineup of seven starters returning on defense and five on offense, have threats both passing and running the ball and playmakers on defense.

Second team Suburban One Continental All-star RB and DB Tony Latronica (5-8, 185, Sr.), who rushed for 1,370 yards and scored 20 TDs, and honorable mention all-star QB Ryan Tincknell (6-1, 180, Sr.), who passed for 1,558 yards and 17 TDs last season, return. Latronica, who Donnelly calls a dynamite, explosive playmaker, is a four-year starter with 2,391 yards rushing in his career. Tincknell operates a no-huddle, spread offense.

Second team Continental All-star LB Rob Basile (6-1, 215, Sr.), who had 99 tackles last season, and honorable mention Continental All-star LB Edwin Gonzalez (5-10, 185, Sr.) are the centerpieces on defense.

Two-way starters returning are Latronica, second team all-star DB and third team WR Kurt Roberts (5-11, 170, Sr.), who had 18 receptions for 325 yards and returned two of his five interceptions for TDs, LB-RB Geoff Delan (5-11, 205, Sr.), who also was second team Continental All-star punter, C-DE Randy Jorgenson (6-3, 235, Sr.), a three-year starter and athletic heavyweight wrestler, and RB-DB Tyler Burke (6-3, 210, Sr.).

TE Mike Olimpo (6-0, 195, Sr.) returns. Donnelly expects major contributions from OL Steve Rhyner (6-4, 245, Sr.), a three-year starter, and Josh Copeland (5-10, 175, Sr.), who is expected to emerge as two-way starter.

The rest of the Continental…
North Penn head coach Dick Beck says the Knights have a lot of new starters and underclassmen who are good players, just unproven. Still Continental Conference coaches point to the Knights, and their dominant enrollment, as the team to beat. “We only have two seniors on defense and three seniors on offense,” Beck says. “We start four sophomores.” The Knights have a strong group of RBs and LBs and a Division 1 recruit at center in second team Suburban One Continental All-star J. D. Dzurko (6-3, 270, Sr.). The Knights plan to go back to basics with a relentless running attack and an attacking defense. Third team Continental All-star LB-SS Mike Culbreath (6-1, 200, Sr.) and honorable mention all-star LB-TE Ralphie Reeves (6-1, 200, Soph.) return. “Reeves’ got all the tools,” says Beck. “His instincts and he runs. As a blocker, he’s the best we’ve ever had.” FB-LB Ryan Hussenius (6-0, 220, Jr.), who started as a freshman and missed his sophomore season with a shoulder injury, returns. “He’s going to be our horse,” says Beck. RB Craig Needhammer (5-6, 165, Jr.), who emerged as a starter at FB in the 2008 playoffs, and RB Branden Mercer (5-5, 150, Jr.), a speedster who finished third in the District 1 100-meter championship race, are in the backfield along with first-year starting QB Todd Smolinski (5-11, 200, Sr.), who has been the backup the past two seasons. Beck expects WR-S Dominic Taggert (6-1, 190, Jr.), who had 25 receptions last season, OL Willie Kya (5-11, 255, Jr.) and DT Brenden DiStefano (6-2, 335, Jr.) to make an impact. Beck does not expect 2008 first team Continental All-star DL Anthony Ortiz (5-10, 215, Sr.) and Second team All-star DE Andre Poe (6-1, 205, Sr.) to play for the Knights this season.

There were six Pennridge underclassmen on the Suburban One Continental all-star team in 2008 so the Rams and head coach Randy Cuthbert expects the Rams to be right back in contention for the conference championship and another spot in the PIAA District 1 AAAA playoffs this season. Second team all-star LB-TE Brandon Cope (5-10, 188, Jr.), third team all-star DL-OL Cory Cowdery (6-2, 211, Jr.), and honorable mention all-stars FB-LB Ian Walbridge (5-11, 180, Sr.), who rushed for 628 yards and scored 7 TDs, RB-DB Ryan Metzler (5-8, 161, Sr.), who rushed for 361 yards last season, OL-DL Andrew Rice (6-0, 203, Sr.) and DE-WR Drew Smith (6-1, 185, Sr.) return along with RB-DB Jesse Knepp (5-10, 185, Jr.), who rushed for 770 yards despite missing part of the season with a shoulder injury, DB-WR Chad Moyer (6-2, 170, Sr.) and DL-OL Adam Scott (6-2, 200, Sr.). In the mix at QB are Kyle Peters (5-11, 185, Jr.) and Cody Reimel (5-10, 175, Soph.), who face a tall order replacing Brad Hermann, now at Millersville University after he led the Rams in rushing last season with 889 yards and passed for 928 yards. OG-DL Ben Knipe (6-0, 220, Jr.) is a first-year starter. Cuthbert says the Rams have speed and size which should help them run the ball effectively again this season.

Despite the graduation of two National Conference all-stars in QB Tom Johns,who passed for 1,574 yards and WR Mike Doty, who had 1,084 yards receiving, and seven starters on offense and defense, Central Bucks South head coach Bart Szarko believes the Titans have the athletes and leadership to improve on their 4-6 record in 2008. RB-LB Theo Davis (6-1, 200, Sr.), RB-WR John Eisemann (5-9, 180, Sr.), C-DT Joe Mullin (5-10, 220, Sr.) and DB-WR Matt Welk (5-9, 170, Sr.) are returning starters. Szarko expects first-year starting QB Bob DiPasquale (6-1, 185, Jr.), who will have more chances to run the ball as the Titans focus on a more balanced offensive attack, WR Josh Williams (6-1, 200, Jr.), LB Joe Szatmary (6-2, 235, Jr.) and DE-OT Anthony Gallone (6-3, 225, Sr.) to emerge as playmakers.

A wave of crippling injuries to key players zapped what Souderton head coach Ed Gallagher and the Indians envisioned as a promising, even championship-caliber season in 2008. Still, the Indians qualified for the PIAA District 1 AAAA playoffs and have all intentions of getting there again this season. First team Suburban One Continental All-star LB-OG Gabe Stein (5-9, 195, Sr.), third team all-star DB Clint Passarella (5-9, 155, Jr.), honorable mention all-stars WR-LB Kyle Connolly (6-3, 175, Sr.) and LB Jon Holloway (5-8, 185, Sr.) and OL-DL Joe Stolfi (6-0, 215, Jr.) are returning starters. Also returning are RB-DB Derek Brown (5-11, 195, Sr.) and RB-DB Andrew Coyle (5-11, 175, Sr.), who both missed most of the 2008 season with injuries. Gallagher’s high expectations of the tandem remain intact from last season. In just four games last season, Brown, who has drawn recruiting interest, rushed for 343 yards and scored 5 TDs. QB-DB Conor Brokenshire (6-0, 190, Sr.), OT Andrew Boal (6-4, 245, Sr.) DE Jake Guzman (6-0, 210, Jr.) and TE-DE Kevin Lister (6-0, 200, Sr.) are first-year starters. RB-S Peter Jenne (6-0, 180, Jr.), who replaced Brown in the backfield last season and rushed for 206 yards, is also in the mix on defense.

How the Central Bucks East offense attacks this season hinges on who emerges as the starter at QB. Both starting QBs in 2008, Corey Klein and Kyle Bernard, graduated. Pat Trymviski (6-5, 170, Sr.), the stronger passer, and Sean Reilly (6-0, 175, Jr.) and Ryan Whitney (6-1, 165, Jr.), both a better fit in the running attack, give Patriots head coach Tim Michael three options at QB. After 28 seniors graduated from a team crippled by injuries, including RB Devon Passman who rushed for more than 1,300 yards, Michael has plenty more decisions to make. WR-SS Jared Grapes (6-1, 190, Sr.), OG-DT Chris McLaughlin (6-0, 255, Sr.), DT-OG Lance Rosina (6-1, 240, Sr.), a three-year starter, C Brian Kooser (6-2, 250, Sr.) and DB-WR Ryan Pater (6-0,170, Jr.) are the only returning starters. Michael expects important contributions from RB-LB John Veix (6-0, 180, Sr.), OT Joe Skowronski (6-4, 265, Sr.), LB Connor Putz (5-10, 170, Sr.), OT Jack Case (6-1, 285, Sr.). Justyn White (5-10, 205, Jr.) and Jake Schwartz (5-10, 190, Sr.) are in the mix at RB and Cason Carrel (6-4, 180, Sr.) and Shawn Trymviski (6-0, 170, Jr.) are expected to emerge at WR.

At Hatboro-Horsham, former Hatters head coach Dave Sanderson returns. He replaces Tom Butts, who took over for Sanderson for the 2008 season. Underclassmen and first-year starters dominate the Hatters’ starting lineup. But Sanderson expects returning first team Suburban One Continental All-star LB and honorable mention OL Kevin James (5-10, 215, Sr.), third team all-star RB Edward Coombs (5-8, 165, Sr.), who rushed for 539 yards and scored 8 TDs last season, and RB-DB Darryl Neville (5-11, 195, Jr.), who rushed for 500 yards and scored 4 TDs, to emerge as three of the top players in the Continental Conference. He also expects LB-RB Nick Dividio (6-1, 195, Jr.) to emerge as a playmaker as a first-year starter. In the mix at QB are Jim Montague (5-7, 145, Sr.), Matt Hollenbeck (6-1, 175, Jr.) and Aaron Channing (6-1, 180, Soph.) and Dividio. OL-DL Jack Abercrombie (6-2, 240, Jr.) is another emerging player expected to make an impact.

Brian Hensel replaces Chris Felton as head coach at Central Bucks West. Hensel, a standout player at Archbishop Ryan, was an assistant coach at Central Bucks South in 2008 and was a C. B. West assistant in 1994-95 along side of Mike Caray for legendary head coach Mike Pettine, who both, says Hensel, have been instrumental in the transition. “They’ve been a big help to me on what it takes to take on a program once held in high-regard that has had tough times,” says Hensel, who faces a challenge with the once-mighty Bucks, who have just 10 wins in the past four seasons. Suburban One Continental honorable mention all-star TE and Punter Max Stella (6-1, 230, Jr.), who also starts at DE, and third team all-star DE and and honorable mention OL Dan Matrangelo (5-7, 190, Sr.) are the Bucks’ top returning starters. DE-OL and long snapper Doug Tillman (5-11, 195, Sr.), along with Stella and Matrangelo, is a two-way returning starter. QB-LB Ward Udinski (6-2, 195, Jr.), who passed for 410 yards last season after he became the starter in mid-season, and FS-QB Sean Cooney (5-10, 165, Sr.) are in the mix at QB. Hensel says if Cooney doesn’t play QB he’ll be on the field somewhere. Hensel also expects WR Joe Shumock (5-11, 175, Sr.), FB-LB Joe DiStefano (5-10, 190, Jr.), FB-LB Liam Houck (5-9, 180, Sr.) and WR-DB Tom Kovalic (5-8, 150, Sr.) to emerge as playmakers this season after seeing important playing time last season. Hensel characterizes the Bucks as a team having some athletes but “severely” lacking big guys. “We’ll have to get it done with a lot of speed and a lot of technique,” he says. No longer at West is 2008 second team Suburban One Continental All-star RB and honorable mention DB Rashaad Williams (5-10, 170, Jr.), who emerged as a dangerous playmaker and rushed for 1,321 yards and scored 10 TDs last season. He transferred to Pennsbury in the spring but isn’t expected to return there either this fall. TE-DE Terron Jones (6-4, 240, Sr.) also won’t return to the team this season.

Favorite: North Penn

Main Contender: Quakertown

Preseason Player of the Year: OL J.D. Dzurko (6-3, 270, Sr.) North Penn