By Brian Carroll –
As the 2026 high school football season is approaching its final quarter turn, Central League fans have witnessed an increasingly top-heavy league standing. Four teams—Strath Haven, Garnet Valley, Springfield and Ridley—sit undefeated atop the league, while multiple others are winless and/or have losing overall records. And while Springfield and Garnet Valley will not face each other in the regular season, the stretch run begins this week with each of the four going head-to-head this Friday. So, while traffic on MacDade Boulevard will be heavy when Ridley hosts Springfield, several other eyes will be peeled on a pair of District 1 5A contenders as Strath Haven brings their five-game winning streak to Garnet Valley to face the undefeated Jaguars.
The Jaguars share the top spot in the Central League largely on the strength of a high-octane offense averaging 46.8 points per game. Senior quarterback #3 Colton Turner’s second season as a starter has paid dividends, as he set a school record with five touchdown passes in an opening win over Nazareth, is completing 69% of his passes, and has piled up 11 passing and five rushing scores on the season. Defenses already tested by the Triple Option/Split Veer offense are further stretched by the Jaguars’ depth at the skill positions. #36 Luke Bernard, #28 Roy Pomarico, #14 Sebastian Cantu, and #6 Hadrian Krauss all have big-play ability, while #1 Mike Archer, #2 Ethan Vaughn, #12 Brady Orr, and #5 Michael Buono (2 touchdowns vs. Conestoga) all have explosive plays as receivers. Up front, seniors #72 Nick Potts and #70 Liam Genthert will provide a massive size advantage on most nights, while senior wrestlers #58 Ryan Vance and #53 Tyler Hays anchor the edges. Defensively, the Jaguars boast more depth and size up front with #66 Owen Britton, #54 Sam Barclift, and #51 Luke Crocamo, while Vaughn and #10 Dylan Perry have been disruptive in opposing backfields. #4 Brandon Krause joins Orr at corner, and #23 Owen Zweier returns as an All-Central placekicker and punter.
Strath Haven rebounded from an early deficit last week to throttle Marple-Newtown, 45-14. Dipping into their big play potential, an early 79-yard touchdown strike from #8 Jake Plunkett to #11 Jalen Starr was followed by scoring runs of 36, 44, and 63 yards from #3 Landon Barlow. Barlow topped the 200-yard mark for the second time this season, and the defense found the end zone for the second straight week when #53 Pat Burke returned an interception 18 yards. Starr’s 77-yard sprint with a handoff capped a night where the offense piled up over 400 yards. #84 Tyler Slaughter (10 tackles, sack) and #80 John Reilly (6 tackles, interception) were outstanding defensively, and #47 Matt Styer drilled a 34-yard field goal and all seven extra point tries. While the Tigers are young and have a ton of potential in the years ahead, Head Coach Kevin Clancy and his staff had the Panthers ready to play at a high level from the start.
Since the Central League schedule quirks skipped this matchup last season, the Panthers and Jaguars are lining up for the first time since two meetings in 2024. The 2024 games were memorable for different reasons, as the Panthers were dominant in a 35-14 regular season tilt, only to see Garnet Valley turn the tables in a season-ending, 35-34 overtime victory in the District 1 quarterfinal. Head Coach Eric VanWyk and his staff have a lot of confidence in a big (both in size and in numbers) senior class this season, many of whom saw significant playing time last year. Similarly, Strath Haven’s experience and skill should provide the Jaguars a significant test yet will be challenged to hold up in the trenches against a much bigger and deeper Garnet front. The turnover battle will be huge, as the Jaguars have improved their ball security in recent weeks, while Strath Haven has been on a takeaway spree of late. And with both teams solid in the kicking game, expect a tight game if the Panthers can maintain a full, four-quarter effort.
Fans should plan to arrive early for what will be a busy night in Glen Mills, as a big crowd is expected to see two of the top teams in District 1 this season. For those not able to attend in person, the Strath Haven Marching Band will kick off the livestream beginning at 6:40pm on www.havenfootball.net. And with each squad aiming for a statement victory over another Central League title contender, the Panthers and Jaguars could treat fans to another down-to-the-wire instant classic. Go Panthers!
