By Brian Carroll, Havenfootball.net –
It is a game that certainly would have been circled on the calendar one season ago. But the quirks of the Central League football schedule never allowed Strath Haven and Haverford to battle head-to-head in 2024, and each team finished 9-1 to share the league title with Springfield. Here in 2025, however, both teams are off to a strong start once again, and the Panthers and Fords are ready to lock up this Friday in a huge test for both teams.
After a surprise loss to Penncrest two weeks ago, Head Coach Luke Dougherty has the 3-1 Fords humming again as they rebounded with a 61-0 win over William Tennent in their first home game of the season. Delaware County Daily Times reigning player of the year #23 Liam Taylor has led the way for the offense again this season, as the talented fullback piled up five more touchdowns last Friday. Taylor’s 3,005 rushing yards last season were a county record, and the Fords have continued to pound opposing defenses this season with Taylor and wingbacks #4 Peter Manaras, #5 Shane Durkin and #21 Chris Kline. #54 Emmett Gillespie is a two-year starter at center, as is #52 Brendan Walker in anchoring the offensive line. And while the Fords rarely put the ball in the air, quarterback #3 Adam Kilpatrick still impacts games with his leadership and elusive running style. Defensively, Gillespie, Taylor, and Klein are active at linebacker, while #60 Evan Epright and #56 Joe McGinley will look to clog the running lanes on the line.
Strath Haven, undefeated through four weeks, continued to dominate offensively last week, as four different ballcarriers found the end zone in a 56-6 shellacking of Radnor. #5 Kasey Hudson and #3 Landon Barlow each topped 100 yards rushing on the evening, while #4 Yosef Ali, #30 Derek Bradley, and #32 Connor Kelly all had explosive scoring jaunts in the second half. Defensively, the Panthers gave more ground than they hoped against the Raptors, but a first quarter goal-line stand, #22 Greyson LaFrance’s interception return for a score, and a second half effort that allowed only 14 yards was more than enough to complement the outstanding offense. #47 Matt Styer blasted eight extra points and four touchbacks to pace another excellent effort from the special teams units.
In this week’s matchup, look for Haverford to be very patient with their rushing attack, as they will often use all four downs in a series and are content to melt the clock with a few yards at a time. Add in the explosiveness of Taylor and Kilpatrick, and the Panthers defense will be facing their stiffest test of the season to date. Look for Head Coach Kevin Clancy to employ a similar philosophy, as his quintet of running backs could have a chance to take advantage on the edges of the Fords’ defense. And with each team likely to have limited possessions, winning the turnover battle will be crucial. It is not out of the question that the last team to possess the ball could be smiling at the scoreboard at night’s end.
If Panther fans are ready to hit the road again this Friday, plan to arrive early with limited seating on the visitors’ sideline at Haverford. If not, www.havenfootball.net will again livestream beginning at 6:45pm for the 7pm kickoff. Although this is only the midpoint of the regular season, the winner of this one could go a long way toward a possible repeat as Central League champions. Go Panthers!
