H.S. football capsules for Bucks/Montco teams in SOL Continental, American
Here's a look at our local teams in the Suburban One League Continental and American Divisions.
Continental Conference
Bensalem
Coach: Alexander Houston (second year)
Last year's record: 5-5
Starters returning: Offense 4 Defense 4
Key Players: Gavin Phelan (Jr., OL, 6-foot-5, 230 pounds), Jake Quinlan (Sr., OL, 6-0, 220), Sam Gormley (Sr., 5-11, 225), Zyan Greene (Sr., WR/DB, 6-0, 150), Jose Garcia (Sr., DE/TE, 6-1, 220), Michael Schneider (Sr., OL/DL, 5-8, 220), Allen Shears (Sr., LB, 5-9, 160) and Nick Murillo (Sr., FB/LB, 5-10, 205).
Strengths: The Owls are aiming for a winning season. Second-year coach Alexander Houston has four returning starters on offense. A lot will depend on the play up front against Suburban One League Continental Conference competition, against whom they went 4-3 a year ago.
"[The] offensive line is young but talented," Houston said. "[They will have] room to grow and mature together."
On defense, the Owls return four core players.
"I think we have a chance to be good, defensively," Houston said. "We are really hopeful for a strong 2022 season. Our guys have been working extremely hard this offseason and we trust it shows on the field in the fall."
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 Norristown 7
9/2 Central Bucks East 7
9/9 at Pennridge 7
9//16 Upper Dublin 7
9/24 at Council Rock North noon
9/30 Harry S. Truman 7
10/7 Quakertown 7
10/14 Upper Darby 7
10/20 at Council Rock South 7
10/28 Souderton 7
Prediction: With a few breaks, this could be a winning season for Bensalem.
- Daryl Bell
More:Who are the best small-school football teams in Bucks/Montco? Here are our top five
Council Rock North
Coach: John Greiner (Eighth season, 39-35; 8-17 at CR North)
Last year’s record: 3-7
Starters returning: Offense 8 Defense 9
Key Players: Gavin Papp (Sr., DB, 6-foot, 180 pounds), Avi Patel (Sr., FB/LB, 5-foot-11, 200 pounds), Vaughn Vanderslice (Sr., WR/S, 6-foot-3, 180 pounds), Jackson Farley (Jr., QB, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds), Julian Matera (Soph., QB, 6-foot-2, 160 pounds), James Paessler (Sr., WR/DB, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds), Paul Esposito (Jr., LB, 5-foot-11, 190 pounds), Jack Paessler (Jr., WR/DB, 5-foot-11, 155 pounds), Dylan Siveter (Jr., LB, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds).
More:High school football: Who are the top 5 quarterbacks to watch in Bucks and Montco?
Strengths: Council Rock North's strength is on defense. CR North has multiple players coming back with one to two years of varsity experience. Defensive back Gavin Papp, a first-team All-Suburban One League Continental Conference selection last fall, is a three-year starter on the back end. He finished last season with 115 tackles. Linebacker Dylan Siveter made honorable mention All-SOL Continental last season. Overall, nine starters return on defense, making the Indians a formidable force.
CR North's experienced defense has a good understanding of opposing offenses. In addition to the defensive players fitting into the scheme, CR North had a large number of players come out this year.
Schedule
Date Opponent Time
8/26 Wissahickon 7
9/1 Abington 7
9/9 at Central Bucks South 7
9/16 at Souderton 7
9/24 Bensalem 7
9/30 at Upper Dublin 7
10/7 at Harry S. Truman 7
10/14 Quakertown 7
10/21 Hatboro- Horsham 7
10/28 at Council Rock South 7
Prediction: Council Rock North is looking to improve on a daily basis as individuals and a team. CR North's strong offseason could lead to an improved record. Greiner believes CR North's special teams unit has developed under coaches Shane Oros and Steve Bostancic.
The schedule presents some winnable games, including CR South, Hatboro-Horsham, Harry S. Truman, Abington and perhaps a few others. CR North's strong defense and experience at some positions is expected to keep it competitive. Since the 2016-2017 season, CR North has won 11 games. In 2022, expect it to take a step forward, but how far is the question.
- Cayden Steele
Council Rock South
Coach: CJ Szydlik (10 years, 21-20 in four seasons at Upper Moreland)
Last year’s record: 2-8
Starters returning: Offense 5 Defense 6
Key Players: Jake Zarnowsky (Sr., WR, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds); Joe Fortunato (Sr., LB, 6-foot, 200 pounds); Richard Pohorilenko (Sr., OL, 6-foot-3, 280 pounds); Connor Omlor (Sr., LB, 5-foot-10, 180 pounds); Hugh Frank (Sr., OL, 6-foot, 255 pounds).
More:Once 'done with football,' Neshaminy senior overcomes injury, depression in his return
For Subscribers: Recruiting roundup: Where Bucks County, Montco's top football talent will play in college
Strengths: Heading into his first season at Council Rock South, head coach CJ Szydlik has done well at Upper Moreland and Neumann-Goretti in past years. The Golden Hawks have won six games in the last three seasons, but CR South has some good players returning in 2022.
More:Who are the top 10 big-school football teams in Bucks/Montco?
The strongest part of the Golden Hawks is the offensive line with Richard Pohorilenko and Hugh Frank coming back as starters. The Golden Hawks' defense returns a few starting linemen and linebackers. Joe Fortunato, a second-team All-Suburban One League Continental Conference selection at linebacker last fall, is one of the best returning defensive players in the conference.
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 at William Tennent 7
9/2 Neshaminy 7
9/9 at Pennsbury 7
9/16 at Harry S. Truman 7
9/23 Quakertown 7
9/30 Hatboro-Horsham 7
10/7 at Upper Dublin 7
10/14 at Souderton 7
10/20 Bensalem 7
10/28 Council Rock North 7
Prediction: Council Rock South’s 2022 season is about rebuilding. The team has talent at wide receiver and running back, but inexperience at those positions could result in some early-season struggles. The Golden Hawks' secondary is inexperienced and might struggle against efficient passing offenses. And there is a quarterback competition, too. The Golden Hawks have an opportunity to improve from their 2-8 record last season. Pennsbury, Hatboro-Horsham and William Tennent are among the games CR South could be capable of winning. CR South is not likely to compete with the top teams in the SOL Continental Conference in 2022, though.
Hatboro-Horsham
Coach: Ken Remaily (third season, 0-13)
Last year’s record: 0-8. Four games were forfeited because Hatboro-Horsham started the year with 28 players and lost 10 more players before Week 4. The program decided to shut down for the remainder of the season in early October because of safety concerns.
Starters Returning: Offense 3 Defense 3
Key Players: Kaden Fidalgo (Sr., WR/S, 6-foot-1, 150 pounds), Mikey Carroll (Sr., DL, 6-foot-2, 202 pounds), Brady Pagano (Sr., RB/S, 6-foot, 180 pounds), Mason Spinieo (Sr., LB).
More:Once 'done with football,' Neshaminy senior overcomes injury, depression in his return
For Subscribers: Recruiting roundup: Where Bucks County, Montco's top football talent will play in college
Strengths: On the field, Hatboro-Horsham is likely to struggle as it rebuilds from scratch. The strength of this team is the “family feel,” which has been developed this offseason. Hatboro-Horsham’s 2021 season was derailed by COVID-19, a lack of players and a tornado. An EF2 tornado devastated parts of Horsham Township last September. The Hatters' first game of last season was canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak and four games were forfeited because of safety issues.
Hatboro-Horsham has moved on. The roster size has increased and the weight room program has improved. Remaily is focused on growing this program’s culture as it rebounds from last season. Small improvements and growth are important as some unproven players will get on the field this year.
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 at Upper Moreland 7
9/9 at Springfield Township 7
9/16 William Tennent 7
9/23 at Lower Moreland 7
9/30 at Council Rock South 7
10/14 at Maple Newton 7
10/21 at Council Rock North 7
10/28 Twin Valley 7
Prediction: Hatboro-Horsham plays six non-conference opponents this year, but its conference games against Council Rock South and Council Rock North could potentially be winnable. William Tennent, which finished 1-9 last season, could also be a competitive contest. The Hatters should rebound from last season to win at least one game this season.
- Cayden Steele
Harry S. Truman
Coach: Ben Johnson III, 4th season (10-16)
Last year’s record: 3-7 overall (2-7 Suburban One League Continental)
Starters returning: Offense 5 Defense 6
Key Players: Rondell Bradley (Sr., Athlete, 5-foot-11, 150 pounds), Timmy Slayton (Sr., WR/S, 5-11, 150), Marshall Kennedy (Jr., QB, 6-2, 210), Eliazar Mercado (Sr., OG/DT, 6-2, 295), Maxx Strong (Jr., OT, 6-4, 290), RJ Cox (Jr., OG/DT, 5-10, 230), Kessey Lowenthal (Sr., DE/DT, 5-8, 200), Wesley Miller (Sr., OLB, 6-1, 210), Martins Jemie (Sr., S, 6-2, 190), Khalil King (Soph., DB/Athlete, 6-0, 155), Caleb Wright (Sr., Punter/WR, 6-3, 175), Dante Giannetti (Sr., K, 5-10, 195), Jayden Heard (Sr., RB/KR, 5-10, 190), Jayden Sangmeister (Jr., WR, 5-10, 170), Ansu Turay (Sr., OL/LB, 6-0, 187), Donato Pellegrini (Jr., C), TJ Silvestro (Sr., WR, 5-10, 160), EL Vines (Sr., DE/OLB)
More:Once 'done with football,' Neshaminy senior overcomes injury, depression in his return
Strengths: The Tigers return a much more experienced team this year, with several three- and four-year-starters. Coach Ben Johnson leads by example, and has produced a hard-working, strong-minded team. This season, the Tigers should be more fundamentally sound, and will look to take advantage of their opponent’s mistakes.
The Tigers will be without their most dynamic playmaker, quarterback Terrell Delp, who graduated, with junior Marshall Kennedy stepping into the role. He’ll have a great target in Rondell Bradley, who had a huge season last year as a receiver (750 receiving yards, 12 TDs), and that should continue this year, but the versatile athlete will also see time at defensive back, kick returner and even quarterback. Timmy Slayton, a first-year starter last season, should be a major contributor in the secondary and at wide receiver. In a win over CR North, Slayton had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD.
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 at Chichester 7
9/2 Central Bucks South 7
9/9 at Abington 7
9/16 Council Rock South 7
9/23 at Souderton 7
9/30 at Bensalem 7
10/7 Council Rock North 7
10/14 Upper Dublin 7
10/21 at Quakertown 7
10/28 Springfield Delco 7
Prediction: The Tigers’ schedule is a little tougher this year, but so are they. Their season opener is a rematch of last year’s opener against Chichester. This should be a winnable game for the Tigers, who lost last year’s matchup by just six points. With the team’s experience combined with their commitment to improvement, the Tigers should make major strides this season and improve upon last year’s record.
“This year we have great depth and a very experienced team overall,” said Johnson. “If we can be disciplined, fundamentally sound and be mentally and physically tough we should have a great season. We are a team of one — one heartbeat and one mission.”
- Melissa Hanejko
Quakertown
Coach: George Banas (13th season, 81-61)
Last year’s record: 13-1
Starters returning: Offense 5 Defense 5
Key players: John Eatherton (Sr., RB/DB, 6-0, 180), Vincent Pellegrini (Sr., OL/DL, 6-3, 260), Brett Hileman (Sr., RB/LB, 5-11, 205), Vincent Micucci (Jr., QB/DB, 6-2, 185), Anthony Ferrugio (Jr., WR/DE, 6-3, 185).
Strengths: The Panthers are solid along the offensive line and Eatherton is one of the top running backs in the area. And while they lost a ton of talent to graduation, including three-year starting quarterback Will Steich (now at Widener) and two-way lineman Fred Retter (now at Kutztown), there is plenty of young talent looking to fill in the missing pieces.
Schedule:
Aug. 26 Southern Lehigh 7
Sept. 2 North Penn 7
Sept. 9 at Central Bucks West 7
Sept. 16 Plymouth Whitemarsh 7
Sept. 23 at Council Rock South 7
Sept. 30 Souderton 7
Oct. 7 at Bensalem 7
Oct. 14 at Council Rock North 7
Oct. 21 Harry S. Truman 7
Oct. 28 at Upper Dublin 7
Nov. 24 Pennridge 10:15 a.m.
Prediction: Another long run to the PIAA District One Class 6A semifinals would be asking a lot, but this is a playoff-quality team again. Last year, the Panthers showed themselves, and others, that they could hang with, and beat, anybody, and you can't put a price on that confidence boost and what it means to a program. Now, confidence only goes so far before you have to back it up, but veteran head coach George Banas has the talent on hand to do just that.
Souderton
Coach: Ed Gallagher (20th season, 111-93)
Last year's record: 6-5
Starters returning: Offense 5 Defense 11
Key players: Shaun Purvy (Sr., ATH, 6-1, 160), Caleb Hageman (Sr., ATH, 5-10, 180), Chris Kerns (Sr., LB, 6-0, 192), Danny Dyches (Jr., WR, 6-3, 175), Joe Nase (Jr., DL, 6-0, 200).
Strengths: The return of dynamic wide receiver/running back Shaun Purvy, who was hurt in the season opener and missed his entire junior season, and the entire defense from a year ago. Purvy makes the Big Red offense go and will get the ball a ton on offense and will also return punts and kicks. Plus, he's a superb cornerback who returned an interception for a touchdown against North Penn in the season opener last season shortly before he was injured. Defensively, this returning group gave up 16 or fewer points six times last season.
Schedule:
Aug. 26 at Haverford High 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 Pennridge 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 at Central Bucks East 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 Council Rock North 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 Harry S. Truman 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 at Quakertown 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 Warwick 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 Council Rock South 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 at Upper Dublin 7 p.m.Oct. 28 at Bensalem 7 p.m.
Prediction: The Big Red returns its entire defense from a year ago, unheard of in high school football, and a really good thing for them. This is a team to watch in the post-season. Just two years removed from winning their first PIAA District One Class 6A title (defeating rival Pennridge in the championship game), Souderton has plenty of pieces in place, a returning quarterback in Jared Zimmerman to complement Purvy and the aforementioned stingy defense.
American Conference
New Hope-Solebury
Coach: Brandon Garrett (First year)
Last year’s record: 1-7
Starters returning: Offense 4 Defense 5
Key players: Jack Tangradi (Sr., WR/DB, 5-foot-10, 145 pounds), Brandon Boughton (Sr., OL/DL, 5-10, 230), Nick Messick (Sr., OL/LB, 5-10, 170), James Holland (Sr., OL/DL, 6-4, 250), Franklin Phillips (Sr., QB/DB, 6-0, 155), Julian Estes (Sr., QB/WR/DB, 6-0, 160) and Aidan Ferrez.
Strengths: "We are experienced on the line of scrimmage as well as at our skilled positions," Garrett said. "Coming off a tough year in the [Suburban One League] we are excited to get back to a more competitive schedule. We hope to build off last year's struggle and turn them into strengths."
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 Renaissance Academy 7
9/2 Academy of the New Church 7
9/10 at Lansdale Catholic 7
9/16 Jenkintown 7
9/24 at Upper Moreland 7
9/30 at Pennington (N.J.) 7
10/7 at Lower Moreland 7
10/14 Harriton 7
10/21 at South Hunterdon (N.J.) 7
10/28 George School 7
Prediction: Coming off a tough year and with a rookie head coach, New Hope-Solebury could take its lumps this season but good things might be waiting down the road
- Daryl Bell
Upper Moreland
Coach: Adam Beach (First year; 44-24 as UM coach from 2005-10)
Last year’s record: 7-4
Starters returning: Offense 6 Defense 8
Key players: Chase Ragan (Sr., OL, 6-1, 260), John Baker (Sr., 6-2, 245), Joseph Hardee (Sr., OL/DL, 5-10, 260), Shawn Herbert (Sr., QB/S, 6-1, 190), Stephen Broderick (Sr., RB/DB, 5-7, 175).
Strengths: "Ragan has been starting since his sophomore year," Beach said. "Joseph Hardee has been starting at DT since his sophomore and we were excited to see him move to the offensive side of the ball. With most starters returning on both the offensive and defensive of lines we are looking to dominate and control the games in the trenches which will allow our skilled positions to be able to flow and make plays."
On defense: Hassan Johnson, a 6-2, 235-pound senior, should see some action at linebacker along with middle linebacker Aiden Casey (5-10, 215). The unit will feature a number of players also starting on offense.
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 Hatboro-Horsham 7
9/2 Archbishop Carroll
9/9 at Interboro 7
9/17 at Executive Education Academy Charter (Muhlenberg College) 7
9/24 New Hope-Solebury noon
9/30 at William Tennent 7
10/7 at Wissahickon 7
10/14 Cheltenham 7
10/21 at Springfield-Montco 7
10/28 Plymouth Whitemarsh 7
Prediction: Another trip to the District One Class 4A playoffs after losing to Pottsgrove 34-12 in the first round a year ago seems like a realistic goal. "With most starters returning on both the offensive and defensive of lines we are looking to dominate and control the games in the trenches, which will allow our skilled positions to be able to flow and make plays," Beach said. "We are looking for a successful season with a District One playoff berth and to put ourselves in a position to compete for the [Suburban One League] American title."
- Daryl Bell
William Tennent
Coach: Richard Clemens (Fifth year, 9-27)
Last year’s record: 1-8
Starters returning: Offense 6, Defense 5
Key players: Evan Devor (Sr., C/LB, 5-11, 220), Tim Lawson (Sr., RB/DB, 5-11, 175), Liam Gibson (Jr., DB, 5-7, 145), LJ Rosales (Jr., WR/DB, 5-9, 165), Gary Miluzzo (Jr., LB), Stephen Parks (Jr., WR/DB), Zach Stanfield (Sr., QB/LB, 6-0, 185)
Strengths: "The team worked hard in the offseason and is extremely happy that they were given that opportunity to get better," Clemens said. "We gained a lot of game experience last year. "
On defense: The defense will feature guys who go both ways. Devor and Miluzzo should be at linebacker, with Parks at cornerback and Rosales at strong safety.
Schedule:
Date Opponent Time
8/26 Council Rock South 7
9/2 Pennsbury 7
9/9 at Upper Merion 7
9/16 at Hatboro-Horsham 7
9/23 at Central 7
9/30 Upper Moreland 7
10/7 Plymouth Whitemarsh 7
10/14 at Wissahickon 7
10/21 at Cheltenham 7
10/28 Springfield-Montco 7
Prediction: "Injuries notwithstanding, we should be back on the arch of success and rebound from last year," Clemens said.
- Daryl Bell
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: SOL Continental, American H.S. football capsules for Bucks, Montco
