The only thing that hasn’t changed over two months of high school football is the weather.
A topsy-turvy season for several PAC schools is in its home stretch, and this final week of the regular season features a half-dozen crossover matchups between Liberty and Frontier Division representatives.
We start off with a familiar encounter, as Perkiomen Valley and Pope John Paul II prepare to decide the league title for the third time in four years.
All games kick off at 7 p.m. Friday.
PAC Championship: Perkiomen Valley (7-2, 5-0 PAC) at Pope John Paul II (8-1, 5-0 PAC)
District Playoff implications: PV has clinched a spot in the District 1-6A postseason and is in excellent position to eventually host at least one game. Defending District 1-4A champs PJP can clinch home field throughout Districts with a win.
The resilient Vikings will arrive at PJP’s newly-illuminated home field a battle-tested bunch both on and off the field. PV always plays a challenging schedule, but this year the Vikings are continuing to show improvement despite the loss of starting running back Carter McCabe to a season-ending injury in Week 8.
Quarterback Patrick MacDonald is saving his best for last as his three-year run as PV’s starting quarterback draws toward its conclusion. MacDonald has exceeded 1,000 yards passing on 60 percent completions and also leads the team in rushing, a role that figures to expand in the absence of McCabe. Nate Reedy, Colin Sturges and senior Anthony Rodriguez could also figure into the Vikings’ backfield, with multi-dimensional Juliun Corropolese looming as an X-factor.
The Vikings are equally unpredictable in the passing game, with four players claiming double-digit receptions but no one player above 20 catches.
On the defensive side, PV head coach Rob Heist says one priority is containing the explosive PJP receiving threats, a list that starts with Braden Reed, who leads the PAC with 59 catches for 746 yards this season. Reed is also a threat on jet sweeps and inside running plays and is 4-for-4 on pass attempts this season.
“He’s one of the best receivers in all of District 1 – any classification,” said Heist.
If the Vikings need one more thing to watch with Reed, he has three punt return touchdowns in the past two weeks.
Senior cornerback Dimitri Toman recently broke PV’s school record for pass breakups, and a potential one-on-one matchup between him and Reed could be a turning point in the contest.
Quarterback Luke Terlesky, like his counterpart MacDonald, is an accurate passer (67 percent) who leads his team in rushing attempts. Dylan Skarbek and CJ Scruggs also figure into the ground game, with Brandon DeAngelo’s role expanding as a receiving threat.
The PJP defense has three shutouts over its past four contests, led by a group of two-way linemen who make life difficult on opposing backfields.
“Anthony Borzillo, Chase Frantz, and Makel Parker have all been playing double duty on the offensive and defensive line,” said PJP coach Scott Reed. “All three of them have been have given us a great effort on both sides of the ball.”
PV scored its’ own shutout last week against Methacton, and only Downingtown West has broken the 20-point barrier in a game against the Vikings this season. Led by top tackler Carter Euker, the Vikings allow 12.4 points per game, just a hair more than PJP’s 9.9.
Yet a low-scoring slugfest seems too simple an outcome for this one. Heist and Reed know one another well, having coached together for many years at Perkiomen Valley before Reed eventually took the PJP role in 2022. They pride themselves on creativity and relying on their best athletes to make plays, and it’s a safe bet each has plenty of tricks up his sleeve for a game with such high stakes.
For Pope John Paul II, it’s a chance to repeat as PAC champions – a feat Heist and PV have accomplished twice among their five titles in the past decade.
“The little things in this game are going to be enormous,” said Reed. “Every play, whether it is special teams, offense or defense will be paramount. PV is good in all three facets. It is evident that they spend a lot of time and effort on special teams, their offense really executes and consistently moves the chains, and their defense is nothing short of phenomenal.”
Two years ago, Perkiomen Valley gained their most recent title on the field at PJP, surviving a 21-14 slugfest that was a tossup until the final minutes. Heist is prepared for a similar 48-minute battle this time around.
“They have players who can change a game in an instant,” Heist said. “They’re extremely well-coached with a variety of new talent on this year’s version of the team.”
2nd Place: Owen J. Roberts (8-1, 4-1 PAC) at Phoenixville (7-1, 4-1 PAC)
District Playoff implications: Both schools are securely into their respective 6A and 5A fields, with Owen J. Roberts holding the No. 7 spot in 6A and Phoenixville the No. 6 spot in 5A. They each need a win to feel secure in their chances of hosting an opening-round matchup.
The Wildcats come in off the biggest win in their recent history last week at Spring-Ford, and hope that sophomore back Mekhi Graham will be able to join the party to offer a counter to Phoenixville’s dynamic ball carrier Deacon Williams.
Corey Schock exceeded 300 yards passing for OJR last week, with Dylan Drumheller on the receiving end of more than half those yards. A Phoenixville secondary replete with two-way standouts will have its hands full with Drumheller and fellow wideout Matt Gregory.
OJR will focus on slowing Williams, but Phantoms QB Talon Romance has an expanding cast of capable receivers who’ll punish any defense who gets too nosy in the running game.
“We discussed not waiting for someone else to be the reason,” explained Phoenixville coach Anthony Ciarlello. “Each player on the field has the ability to be the reason we succeed.”
But he knows their 6A opponent brings a new challenge. “Owen J is well coached, big, fast, strong, and athletic,” said Ciarlello. “They play an extremely difficult schedule and find success each week.”
3rd Place: Spring-Ford (4-5, 3-2 PAC) at Pottsgrove (6-3, 3-2 PAC)
District Playoff implications: At No. 15 in a 16-team field at 6A, the Rams are this year’s bubble team. A win should be enough for inclusion in the field, a loss and it’s anyone’s guess depending what happens throughout the District. Pottsgrove is securely in the field at No. 10 at 5A, and a win here could potentially give the Falcons enough of a boost to move into the top eight and host next weekend.
The Rams’ offense continues to evolve under sophomore quarterback Trent Yoder, and wide receiver Jordan Marsilio is a big reason. Marsilio’s season numbers (31 catches, 392 yards, 3 TDs) only tell part of the story. They don’t reflect the fact he missed a pair of games early and has continued to play through injury all season. They also don’t reflect his total value to the team.
“Jordan’s a big part of the offense, obviously, but what people may not know is that he’s also helping to get people lined up out there, taking some of the load off of (Yoder),” explained coach Chad Brubaker.
A 100-yard outing from running back Jamal Lewis would put him in range of a 1,000-yard season, an appropriate landmark for a player whose role expanded as the season went on.
For Pottsgrove, Mikhi Dargan arrived at that landmark last week and figured to be a central figure in the Falcons’ attack. But after OJR’s success through the air last week, it stands to reason that Pottsgrove QB Chase Hawthorne may look to Deymein Doctor and Cam Waller downfield more often.
“We must play sound assignment football as Spring-Ford is equally dynamic on both sides of the ball,” said Pottsgrove coach Bill Hawthorne. “Spring-Ford is very good at both their run game and pass game, and on top of that, they are extremely skilled in their RPO game.”
4th Place: Methacton (3-6, 2-3 PAC) at Upper Perkiomen (5-4, 2-3 PAC)
District Playoff implications: Methacton needs a win and considerable help elsewhere for a chance at the 5A playoffs, while Upper Perkiomen stands at No. 15 in their first year at 5A and should clinch their first playoff berth in years with a win.
“We’re looking to focus on fundamental football,” said Methacton coach Eric Ranieri. “We’re looking to rebound after back-to-back losses, and we have to find ways to create opportunities and minimize the mistakes for four quarters.”
If anyone’s going to cause those mistakes, Upper Perkiomen running back Zach Schwartz and his 7.7 yards per carry are a strong bet. Coach Dan Heinrichs hopes that his offensive line can pave the way for Schwartz and give QB Logan O’Donnell the necessary time to make enough plays for the Tribe to return to Districts.
5th Place: Boyertown (1-8, 1-4 PAC) at Upper Merion (1-8, 1-4 PAC)
The Bears and Vikings meet in hopes of capturing some momentum for next season. First-year Boyertown coach Jami Sands got his team’s first victory last week in a 14-7 overtime tilt with Norristown, while fellow rookie head coach Marquis Weeks of Upper Merion continues to emphasize playing as a unit for his young Vikings team.
6th Place: Norristown (3-6, 0-5 PAC) at Pottstown (1-8, 0-5 PAC)
The Eagles’ accomplished senior class includes quarterback Brendan Ferrell and two-way standout Marzon Carr playing in their final game, while Pottstown continues to give opportunities to a young group of skill players working towards a bright future.
