With Week 1 of the high school football season kicking off this weekend, here’s a closer look at the seven Northeast-area programs:
Catholic League:
Class AAAA
Father Judge Crusaders
Head coach: Mike McKay, second season (Career: 7–4)
Last season: 7–4 overall, 2–2 league
Postseason: Lost in AAAA semis (35–0 to La Salle)
Key losses: RB/DB Marquis Seamon; LB Joe Nigro; TE Jim Galasso; OL Tom Bayer; OL Kevin Lang; OL Jeff Mills; DL Eric Drains; WR Arren Monteleone; K Connor Foley
Players to keep an eye on: Jr. WR/S Yeedee Thaenrat; Sr. OL Tim Breslin; Sr. OL Dan Sipps; Sr. QB Zach Carroll; Sr. WR/DB Prince Smith
2014 schedule: at Ryan; at Northeast; vs. St. Anthony (NY); vs. SCH Academy; vs. Washington; at Fels; at Roman; vs. St. Joseph’s Prep; vs. La Salle; at Lincoln
Coach says: “I like our speed at skill positions, receivers and secondary, as well as the amount of returning guys that got good, valuable experience last year. Also, I like our size on the offensive line. It’s not proven yet, but if we can stay healthy and keep that group working together, it could be a nice unit. We’re not deep yet, and our backups are young, so staying healthy can make a difference.”
Class AAA
Archbishop Ryan Raiders (note: Ryan dropped from AAAA to AAA this season)
Head coach: Frank McArdle, sixth season (Career: 22–33)
Last season: 8–3 overall, 1–3 league
Postseason: None
Key losses: QB Mark Ostaszewski; LB Jesse Wireman; DB/WR Jason Dones; LB Connor Rooney; DB/WR Bobby Romano; DE/TE Sean Boylan; FS/WR Connor Golden; OL/DL Joe Hansbury; OL/DL Nick Werez; OL/DL Andrew Voroscak
Players to keep an eye on: Sr. RB/DB Samir Bullock; Soph. QB/FS Matt Romano; Sr. WR/DB Seneca Williams; Soph. WR/DB Jeremy Smith; FS/LB Jason Wagher; DE Dylan Dopkin
2014 schedule: vs. Father Judge; at Haverford School; at Bensalem; vs. Roman; at Wood; vs. Bonner-Prendie; at Carroll; vs. O’Hara; at West Catholic; at Washington
Coach says: “We lost a lot of experience, as far as talent goes, but we’re very athletic. We’ll go through some growing pains, but it won’t be as big a hit as everyone thinks. The kids we have had a very dedicated offseason, and they believe in the program. We want to build off last year, which is about getting to the playoffs and winning a few games. You can never really tell how things are going to go, but this is my favorite group that I’ve ever coached. They’ve done everything right: show up on time, work hard and do all the little things. We’ll make some mistakes, but we think we’ve got something special going on. Where it shakes out, we’ll see.”
Public League (All teams Class AAAA):
Liberty Division
Frankford Pioneers
Head coach: Will Doggett, fourth season (Career: 25–10)
Last season: 8–4 overall, 5–0 league
Postseason: Won Public League championship (30–3 over Washington)
Key losses: RB/DB Quinton Ellis; RB/DB Damion Samuels; WR/DB Juwan Manning; QB Marquise Poston; DE Shareef Miller; WR/LB Wydell Compton; DE/TE Rob Simmons; OL/DL Unique Davis; OL/DL Kadar Jones; OL/DL Carlos Saldana; OL/DL Javez Baker-Hall; RB/DB Alex Candelario; WR Rene Herrera; RB/TE/LB Qahire Moore
Players to keep an eye on: Sr. QB/WR/DB Devontae Lee; Sr. WR/DB Danny Korgany; DB/QB/WR Naim Franklin; DT/OT James Bond;
2014 schedule: at Downingtown East; at Pennsbury; at Mastbaum; at Lincoln; vs. Gratz; vs. Central; at Bartram; vs. Northeast; vs. Southern; vs. Prep Charter
Coach says: “We are a young team that needs lots of fundamental work, but I have a great group of coaches who love teaching the game of football. I think we will get better as the year goes on.”
Samuel Fels Panthers
Head coach: Bill Harrigan, seventh season (Career: 24–45)
Last season: 4–8 overall, 2–3 league
Postseason: Lost in AAAA first round (50–14 to Southern)
Key losses: ATH/DB Jylil Reeder; DL/LB Bennie Smith; RB/LB Joshua Ruiz; WR/LB Kennon Whitaker; OL/DL Jimmy Cruz
Players to keep an eye on: Jr. QB/DB Aasim Campbell; Sr. OL/LB Quentin Bush; Sr. ATH/LB Kordell Robinson; ATH/DB Edward Abney; Sr. OL/DL Darrel Robinson
2014 schedule: vs. Penn Charter; at William Tennent; at Gratz; vs. Frankford; vs. Southern; vs. Father Judge; at Central; at Mastbaum; vs. Bartram
Coach says: “We have a good core of guys returning at the starting positions, but like many teams we lack depth. On offense we have a lot of versatility at the skill positions, which should allow us to excel despite the departure of last year’s division MVP Jylil Reeder. The team’s no-huddle offense hopes to continue to create big plays in both the running and passing games. We have made a strong commitment to improving our defense this year and hope that it will allow us to be in a position to win every game come the fourth quarter. If this team is able to remain healthy and continues to improve defensively, we could surprise a lot of people.”
Independence Division
Abraham Lincoln Railsplitters
Head coach: Ed McGettigan, fifth season (Career: 21–27)
Last season: 5–7 overall, 3–1 league
Postseason: Lost in AAAA first round (39–22 to Northeast)
Key losses: RB/CB Damarkus Jones; WR/DB Travon Williams; OL/DL Cody Kettyle; QB Devon Thompkins
Players to keep an eye on: Jr. QB Hosea McClam; Sr. OL/DE Theodore Tootle; Sr. OL/DE Yusef Robertson; Sr. WR/LB Aaron Johnson; Sr. C/DL Malik Pitts
2014 schedule: vs. Southern; at Dobbins; vs. King; vs. Mastbaum; vs. Olney; vs. Franklin; at Northeast; at Washington; at Roxborough; vs. Father Judge
Coach says: “We’re young and inexperienced on both sides of the ball and need to replace a lot of key guys. That said, our goal is the same as it’s been in the five years I’ve been here, and that’s to make the playoffs, something we’ve done the last three years. Offensively, it will be our second year running the spread offense, so hopefully we can go faster and a bit more up-tempo, which would help us a great deal. Defensively, we have two of our linemen back, but we’re replacing all of the linebackers and secondary. We don’t have a lot of depth, which is one of my concerns. We’re going to have to coach them up and teach them the right ways to do things. To reach our goal, we’re going to have to work really hard.We want to start out right and get to the playoffs … that’s what we’re striving for.”
George Washington Eagles
Head coach: Ron Cohen, 30th season (Career: 255–78–2)
Last season: 5–6 overall, 4–1 league
Postseason: Lost in Public League championship (30–3 to Frankford)
Key losses: QB Cedric Wright; RB Ken Everage; WR/DB Hassan Brockman; WR/DB Rasheed Black; OL/DL Zaire Hollerway; OL/DE Tyrone McNeil
Players to keep an eye on: Sr. DE Shareef Miller; Sr. FB/LB Shawn Henderson; Sr. DE/C Brandon Brown; Sr. RB/DB Terry Hall; Sr. OL/DL Kevin Abrokwah; Jr. K Chris Schlegel; Sr. RB/DB Bruce Smalley; Jr. RB/LB George Hubbard
2014 schedule: vs. SCH Academy; vs. O’Hara; at Roxborough; at Northeast; vs. Father Judge; vs. Olney; vs. Franklin; vs. Lincoln; at King; vs. Ryan
Coach says: “Last season humbled me. The atmosphere at practice is different now, and we’re not an ‘I’ team as we had been the last two years. These kids realize they’re never as good or bad as they think they are. They’re enthused and working hard, and I’ll put my 11 against anyone else’s. We have to be in shape, and we can’t get down or point fingers. We’ll get better as the season goes on, I know we will.”
Northeast Vikings
Head coach: Phil Gormley, second season (Career: 5–7)
Last season: 5–7 overall, 3–2 league
Postseason: Lost in AAAA semis (17–13 to Washington)
Key losses: WR/DB Natwan Curtis; K/P Tyler Gormley; WR/DB John Diaz; OL/DL William Okrafo-Smart; OL/DL Anthony Pulliam; RB/DB Brian Green
Returning players to keep an eye on: Sr. QB Asa Manley; Sr. DE/TE Gladimir Paul; Soph. RB/DB Keith Moore; Sr. OL/DB Steven Rowe; Jr. OL/DL Vince Stratton; Sr. OL/DL Charles Anderson
2014 schedule: at Abington; vs. Father Judge; at Franklin; vs. Washington; vs. Roxborough; at King; vs. Lincoln; at Frankford; at Olney; vs. Central
Coach says: “Last year we were extremely young, so we know better what to expect this time around. I’m real happy at the direction of the program. People should expect to see a Public League team as good as there is with kids that work hard. They play with a lot of energy, and they know their assignments. I expect us to be very competitive and disciplined, and hopefully at the end of the season we have an opportunity to get into the playoffs and play deep. Everyone is super excited, but we don’t want to push them too far over the edge. We want them to work hard, but at the same time remember they’re kids who are here to have fun.”
