Garnet Valley quarterback Coltan Turner gets ready to throw during a Sept. 3 game at Haverford. Turner has led the Jaguars to fourth place in the District 1 Class 5A power rankings, with two weeks to go in the regular season. (PETE BANNAN/MediaNews Group)
By Matt Smith
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, District 1’s playoff picture is starting to crystalize.
Among the Delco contingent, there’s much to pay close attention to, from a possible (some would say likely) rematch of last year’s Class 5A championship to a handful of teams fighting to get into the fields of 16.
Class 5A is basically a Delco playground. Chester (8-0) and Springfield (7-0) currently occupy the top two seeds, setting up the possibility of a championship rematch. Last year, the seeds were reversed, and Springfield cruised to a 34-12 victory in front of one of the best crowds a Delco high school football game is ever likely to see. It was the Cougars’ first District 1 title.
If the standings hold, the teams could meet again in late November, but this time at Chester Athletic Complex on a Saturday morning.
Ridley at Strath Haven, Friday, 7
Ridley needs a win to keep its Central League championship hopes alive. The Green Raiders can still earn a share of the title by beating Strath Haven Friday and Garnet Valley next week, provided the Panthers defeat Springfield in their regular season finale.
Ridley bounced back last week after being shut out by Springfield, crushing Haverford, 30-7. Kevin Farley stepped in at running back and rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns while adding eight tackles at linebacker. Yuron Villanueva was a force on the offensive line and chipped in five tackles, including a sack, on defense.
Strath Haven is coming off an unplanned bye because of Harriton’s season cancellation. The Panthers last played Oct. 9, edging Garnet Valley, 13-7, behind a 125-yard rushing performance by Landon Barlow. Patrick Burke was a force at middle linebacker, and Jalen Starr delivered a key pass breakup late in the secondary.
