By Brian Carroll, Havenfootball.net
In late August, 27 high school football teams in District 1’s 5A classification set out on a mission to be playing postseason football on November 1. And of the 16 teams now qualified, nearly half the field resides in Delaware County, with five Central League and a pair of Del-Val League participants. With such a Delco-heavy presence, potential rematches were almost a given, so why not start right away with two neighboring schools with a long history of competitive games? The Strath Haven Panthers and Penncrest Lions will kick off the postseason this week, with the winner possibly running into Central League foes like Garnet Valley, Marple Newtown, and/or Springfield in the weeks ahead. And while the Media Bowl trophy sits at Strath Haven for another year, this first-ever playoff matchup between local rivals will be a far bigger reward for the victor this season.
Penncrest arrives in the postseason as winners in five of their last six contests, which included three consecutive shutouts and convincing 28-7 win over 6A playoff qualifier, Ridley. Head Coach Paul Graham, who was at the helm in 2009 when Penncrest last won a playoff game, has an experienced lineup that knows it can go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the Central League. Junior quarterback #13 Paul Graham Jr. is the team’s leading rusher, and has the run-heavy, triple option offense clicking of late. Seniors #3 Albert Dada (3 touchdowns last week) and #11 Asher Wynne (three return touchdowns on the season) are dangerous playmakers on jet sweeps and between the tackles, and #19 Kolby Poole is a playmaker from his tight end position. Defensively, Poole and #22 Jeff Cropper are busy at linebacker, while #20 Owen Thompson, #66 Ben Kauffman and #55 Orion Kolleh are disruptive on the front line. Kicker #10 James Mulholland provides another advantage in special teams, as his multiple touchbacks per game has tilted the field in the Lions’ favor all season.
Strath Haven, while claiming a share of a third straight Central League title two weeks ago, begins their “second season” playoff journey on a bit of a down note, as they suffered their first defeat of the year last week, 35-14 at the hands of a powerful and motivated Springfield squad. The Panthers got off to a promising start, with two early leads on the strength of touchdowns from #5 James Fisher and #8 Ben Milligan. But Haven managed just one first down after halftime, and the defense was worn down by the Cougars powerful backs and offensive line. #15 Luke Mulhern and #81 Jahi Curtis both had double digit tackles, but the Panthers could not get off the field on multiple third downs, and were ultimately outscored 21-0 in the second half.
The Panthers’ second half struggles last week mirrors the result of the Week 2 matchup with Penncrest, where two long touchdown runs by #32 Shane Green gave the Panthers a 14-3 cushion at halftime, but the Lions took advantage of a Haven fumble to cut the lead to 14-10 early in the third quarter. Both defenses held on for dear life over the next 21 minutes of action, but that late August contest certainly provided a blueprint for both teams on how to slow down the opposing offense. Look for Penncrest Defensive Coordinator Jeff Allison to have some wrinkles to stymie the Panthers this week, while the Panthers’ Kevin Clancy, looking for his 300th career win at Haven, will expect improvement in execution from his Wing-T attack. Defensively, the Panthers’ front four of Curtis, #34 Vince Hales, #56 Nick Farabaugh, and #89 Alexei Gustafson will need to win their one-on-one matchup to clog running lanes for the elusive Graham and friends in the Lions’ backfield. As the Lions look to advance in the postseason for the first time in 15 years, Haven wants to take the first step in defending their 2023 District 1 crown and grab their third in the last four years. And with both teams loaded with seniors in their lineups, emotions will run high, as neither squad is prepared for this to be the final time they strap on their helmets on a high school field.
District 1 5A playoff tickets can be found online this week, as the Panthers’ and Lions’ players, bands, and cheerleaders would love to have a packed house in Wallingford on Friday night. For those who cannot attend in person, all the action, plus score updates from elsewhere around District 1, will be live-streamed beginning at 6:45pm on www.havenfootball.net. Good luck and congratulations to all as the postseason frenzy begins, and Go Panthers!
