By Brian Carroll, Havenfootball.net –
With a plethora of new starters this season, the Strath Haven Panthers entered the 2025 campaign with many more questions than in recent seasons past. Who would carry the ball? How will the offense flow with a first-year varsity quarterback? And how will the defense hold up after graduation a number of All-Central League performers from last season. Through the first three weeks, the Panthers have resoundingly answered a number of those queries, as their second straight shutout victory has launched them to a 3-0 record and spot atop the Central League thus far. Up next, however, is another team sporting two shutout victories in a row, the Radnor Raptors.
After an opening week defeat at the hands of Chichester, Radnor has found their groove under first-year Head Coach Drew Devitt in holding Harriton and Conestoga to goose eggs on the scoreboard the past two Fridays. Seniors #13 Bryce Furey and #1 Mikey Enright have brought experience and energy to the back seven as second-year starters, with Furey recording multiple tackles behind the line of scrimmage in a 40-0 shutout of Conestoga last week. Offensively, the Raptors return another second-year starter in quarterback #13 Luke Reilly, who threw three touchdown passes a week ago. Five different Raptors found the end zone last week, as Enright, #13 Henrik Bleyen, and #4 Charlie Ruggieri all caught scoring strikes. Ruggieri also rushed for a touchdown, along with senior running back #8 Kyle Tomczak. Enright, an All-Central League honoree a season ago, will also be a threat as a kick and punt returner.
Strath Haven improved to 3-0 with a workmanlike 21-0 victory over a speedy and strong Upper Darby squad. While the offense did not have the overall explosive plays that marked their first two victories, the Panthers showed some grit with a patient rushing attack to ground out 220 yards between a handful of effective backs. #35 Ryan Mudrick and #3 Landon Barlow led the way with over 80 yards rushing each, while #4 Yosef Ali and #5 Kasey Hudson kept the defense honest with a few effective runs on the edges. Mix in a 42-yard pass play from #15 Luke Mulhern to #84 Tyler Slaughter on the opening drive to set up the first of Mulhern’s two short touchdown runs, and the Panthers did enough to keep the Royals in the rearview mirror all night. Of course, holding Upper Darby scoreless did not happen accidentally, as the Panthers outschemed and outworked the Royals to earn their second straight shutout. #56 Nick Farabaugh and #57 Nick Milligan joined Barlow and #73 Paul Oblek in providing a massive pass rush all evening, as they harassed Upper Darby’s Safiy Salley into a 8 for 25 night for just 75 yards and two interceptions. Both of those interceptions landed in the lap of #53 Patrick Burke, while fellow linebacker #7 Cole Haly grabbed one of his own to seal the game. #17 Quinn Kell and #18 Jalen Starr both had timely, open-field tackles in the secondary as the Royals never crossed the Panthers’ 30-yard line all evening. #47 Matt Styer was perfect on all three extra points, and tilted the field with three more touchbacks on kickoffs.
Radnor was 3-0 a season ago when they faced with the Panthers, but fell 35-0 for their first loss of 2024. To avoid a similar fate, the Raptors will need to establish a more consistent rushing attack and also give Reilly time to find his quartet of talented receivers in their shotgun spread attack. For the Panthers, bottling up Mikey Enright will be a challenge, but one they managed to do last season and last week against Upper Darby’s top target. And if the Panthers can clean up the turnovers they suffered a week ago, expect the offense to keep the scoreboard humming all evening.
If you are looking to catch the game in person, get an early start to battle the Blue Route for the Panthers first road trip of the season. If not, the livestream will begin at 6:45pm for the 7pm kickoff on www.havenfootball.net, as the Raptors will look to upset Strath Haven for the first time since 2018. Go Panthers!
