By Brian Carroll, Havenfootball.net
In watching the 2024 high school football season take shape, momentum can play a significant role in a team’s success. Whether momentum is gained within a game thanks to a big play or two, or gained week-to-week as a result of a winning streak, confidence, individually and as a team can be as impactful as the “X’s and O’s” of football. This weekend, with the Strath Haven Panthers on an eight-game winning streak to start 2024, and the Lower Merion Aces coming off its first big win of the season, both teams will look to keep that momentum going as the District 1 playoffs approach.
Head Coach Joe Augustine has the Aces flying high after grabbing a thrilling, 40-38 barnburner of a victory over Conestoga a week ago. Junior quarterback #10 Nick DeLuca leads a spread offense that typically relies on the pass, but Lower Merion kept it on the ground in their first victory of the season. DeLuca rushed for two touchdowns, while running backs #3 Andrew Payne (147 yards, TD) and #23 Shane Hermosisima (143 yards, 2 TDs), wore down the Conestoga defense. #71 Kechan Miller, normally a two-way lineman, also found the end zone in a short-yardage set. When the Aces take to the air, #9 CJ Morgan, #11 Thomas Burke, and #14 Chris Cook are favorite targets. Defensively, Lower Merion have struggled for much of the season, but Miller and #55 Charles Welgs (fumble recovery last week) are playmakers up front, while Morgan, Payne, and Hermosisima anchor the linebacking corps.
