A significant highlight from the recent PIAA District 1 Class 6A football playoffs was the impressive performance of the Suburban One League, with five teams advancing to the quarterfinals this Friday night. The only team from this league that faced elimination was Central Bucks West, which lost to Neshaminy by a score of 28-21.
This week”s quarterfinal matchups feature Downingtown East (8-3) facing Pennridge (10-1), Council Rock South (10-1) taking on Coatesville (9-2), Souderton (9-2) against North Penn (9-2), and Owen J. Roberts (8-3) visiting Neshaminy (8-3). None of these teams have met earlier this season, but a potential semifinal rematch looms as Neshaminy previously defeated last year”s district runner-up North Penn 18-14.
Last year, Downingtown West captured the district championship but was upset in the opening round by the 14th-seeded Owen J. Roberts, who won 10-7. This result benefits Neshaminy, who, despite being the No. 11 seed, now enjoys a home advantage. They also have an opportunity to redeem themselves against Owen J. Roberts after last year”s playoff loss.
Alongside Neshaminy and Council Rock South, Bristol in Class 2A and Morrisville in Class A also celebrated victories last week and will compete against District 12 teams in the regional finals.
The quarterfinal clash between Owen J. Roberts (8-3) and Neshaminy (8-3) is set for Friday at 7 p.m. The Redskins will look to reverse last year”s playoff outcome against Owen J. Given their home field advantage and improvements over last season, expectations are high. With Michael Eckart as the quarterback, Carter Clee as the running back, and Mike Sassano as the receiver, Neshaminy boasts a versatile offense that has proven difficult to contain, with turnovers being their only significant hurdle.
Owen J. Roberts will counter with a ball-control strategy aimed at keeping Neshaminy“s offense sidelined. In a previous game against Downingtown West, Mekhi Graham showcased his skills by carrying the ball 37 times for 131 yards, emphasizing a run-heavy approach that yielded positive yardage on most plays.
In another quarterfinal matchup, Council Rock South (10-1) will take on Coatesville (9-2) at 7 p.m. on Friday. Coatesville, a long-established powerhouse in the district, started the season strong with seven consecutive wins but faced shutouts against Downingtown West and Downingtown East in their two losses. Meanwhile, Council Rock South has been on a nine-game winning streak since a narrow defeat to North Penn in their second game of the season. They advanced to the quarterfinals with a dominant 27-7 victory over Haverford, scoring 14 points in the closing minutes of the match.
Council Rock South is known for its stout run defense, having held Haverford”s Liam Taylor to 130 yards, a remarkable achievement considering his career total exceeded 5,000 yards. The Hawks” offense features two key players: all-state linebacker Nate Szydlik and Gavin Lacey, both of whom contribute significantly to their rushing attack. A defensive struggle is anticipated in this matchup.
In the District 1/12 Class 1A Subregional final, Belmont Charter (7-1) will face Morrisville (7-4) on Friday at 7 p.m. Belmont Charter, which belongs to the less competitive Philadelphia Public League, has won seven straight before losing to Philadelphia Central. Morrisville, seeking to defend its title, has scored 143 points over the past three weeks while allowing just 28. They triumphed over Belmont in last year”s matchup, winning 28-7, and while this rematch might be closer, expectations remain high for Morrisville.
Finally, Bristol (9-2) will face Lansdale Catholic (9-2) in the District 1/12 Class 2A Subregional final at the Germantown Supersite on Saturday at 11 a.m. Bristol has had an impressive season, looking to add to its success against the Philadelphia Catholic League team. Both teams have identical records, but Lansdale Catholic has faced a more challenging schedule, boasting victories over West Catholic and Archbishop Wood, and only narrowly losing to Archbishop Ryan by three points. This game marks a rematch from last year, where Lansdale Catholic emerged victorious with a 35-17 win. Senior quarterback Yeboa Cobbold Jr. for Lansdale Catholic is capable of making plays with both his arm and legs, adding another layer of challenge for Bristol.
