- I know it’s never smart to look ahead, but Week 6 could feature a battle for the top spot in the Central League, when Garnet Valley takes on Penncrest. The Jags took care of business at Radnor, while the Lions pummeled Lower Merion on the road. The hype leading up to this game is justified. Two great friends, Mike Ricci and Rick Stroup, going head to head with first place on the line? It makes for some good sports-writing, and I’m hoping both teams are undefeated at the time. But you can expect Springfield to have a chip on its shoulder at Penncrest next Friday, after getting blanked by Ridley Friday night. The Cougars certainly believe they are a better team than the one that showed up Friday. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are a heavy favorite against Marlle Newtown, but you never know … this could be one of those trap games.
- Episcopal Academy also stayed perfect by defeating Hill School, 29-9. The Churchmen’s unbeaten streak has reached 14. But EA has a tough road ahead… literally speaking. They play five consecutive away games beginning next Friday at Chichester (2-2).
- Every team in Delco has at least one win, which is a rare sight to see after only four weeks. Teams in search of their first win went 4-0. What does it mean? Not much, probably, other than it’s good to know we won’t have a winless team in 2013. Haverford High, Haverford School, Cardinal O’Hara and Penn Wood all got into the win column this weekend.
- You should expect to see a shake-up at the top of the next Super 7. Who’s No. 1, Garnet Valley or Episcopal Academy? Academy Park will fall a spot or two, but make no mistake, that Pennridge team the Knights lost to is a legitimate PIAA Class AAAA program that can play with any team in District One (OK … they might have some trouble against Coatesvlle). AP led 6-0 at the, but lost the county’s leading running back, Jerry Lanier, in the second half and was outscored, 28-7, after halftime.
- And as for Ridley and Interboro? They looked awfully good this weekend. The Green Raiders might not win the Central League, but their season is far from a lost cause after Friday’s shutout of Springfield. It just goes to show you can never count out a Ridley team. Interboro, meanwhile, has scored a whopping 93 points over the last two weeks, including a 23-point rout of Penn Charter Saturday. That Week 6 Del Val League kickoff against Academy Park (I’m still lamenting the fact this game isn’t taking place later in the season) should be a classic.
- Teams that took one on the chin this week include Marple Newtown (41-0 loss to Upper Darby), Strath Haven (21-2 setback vs. Haverford), Sun Valley (38-13 defeat at home vs. Unionville), Chester (dominated at home by Neumann-Goretti) and Chichester (54-10 trouncing at the hands of Archbishop Ryan).
- Did you notice the final scores this weekend? All but one game, basically, wasn’t a blowout. That was Haverford School’s exciting, down-to-the-wire one-point win at home against Blair (N.J.) Academy.
