By Brian Carroll –
And down the stretch they come… For all of the long hours, weeks, and months of practice and preparation, it seems every year the high school football season in Delaware County moves just a little bit faster in October. Early season games serve often serve as diagnostic tools, and those left healthy and improving with continual adjustments can then find themselves “scoreboard watching” to see if and where they may land in the postseason. And with traditional Central League powers Strath Haven (6-1) and Ridley (7-1) scheduled in Week 9, the stakes cannot get much higher for two squads gaining momentum leading into their respective playoff brackets, as well as the top of the Central League standings.
After suffering their first loss of the season two weeks ago to undefeated Springfield, Head Coach Dave Wood and the Green Raiders righted the ship with a convincing, 30-7 road win over Haverford last Friday. Ridley’s injury-ravaged running back corps still managed to move the ball well without leading rusher #22 Jamar Savoy, thanks to #28 Kevin Farley, #26 Logan Clark and slot back #1 Chase Bonnes. With seniors #55 Yuron Villanueva, #56 Josh Hamson and #70 Cooper Smith paving the way on the offensive line, junior #2 Joey Carroll has been effective as a first-year starter at quarterback. Carroll has reliable targets in #9 Gene D’Amico and #7 Brody Bair, who caught a 37-yard touchdown in last week’s win. Tim Calamita has been a weapon in the kicking game, as well. But the story of the season is a defense that returned nine contributors from last year’s squad and has allowed only five points per game. Farley is outstanding as an All-Delco linebacker, and is joined by #5 Jayden Gibson and #10 Gabe Kimmel. Bonnes, who had two red zone interceptions last week, and #3 Cameron Cauthorn anchor the secondary, and the Raiders are stout up the middle with #58 Nate Tsafos, #92 Marquis Harris and #52 Nicco Venditti.
Strath Haven is coming off a bye week for their varsity squad, so the Junior Varsity Panthers took care of business in a 40-3 victory over Harriton on Monday evening. Strath Haven got off to a fast start, as #6 Matt Tamayo connected with #23 Julien Huff on a 67-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage. From there, the defense took over, forcing five turnovers on the evening. Huff had two interceptions, and #14 Owen Stancil’s pick set up the second of #27 Jon Bonhomme’s three touchdown runs. Bonhomme finished with 106 yards on just six carries, and the Panthers added another scoring run from #42 Quinn Hogarth late in the second quarter following a strong push from #76 Cullen Reardon and #65 Mike Mapps. #17 Christian DeShields led the Panthers in tackles, while #33 Nate Brown and #77 Jon Williams were dominant on the defensive line. Brown notched a sack and a fumble recovery and Williams earned multiple tackles for loss. The Panthers capped their scoring in the final seconds of the first half when #21 Amari West pounced on a Harriton fumble near the goal line for a defensive touchdown.
With both Ridley and Strath Haven very much alive in the Central League title race and a home-field advantage early in their respective District 1 6A and 5A playoff brackets, expect a physical battle at the line of scrimmage the weekend. Both teams have been run-heavy, but still have the ability for explosive passing plays that could test two of the top-ranked scoring defenses in District 1. Haven Coach Kevin Clancy has had recent success against Ridley, winning their last three meetings from 2022 through 2024. But with two former Strath Haven players and assistant coaches coordinating the Ridley defense, the Panthers’ Wing-T attack has a tall task trying to catch the Raiders by surprise or to power through a 9-man front. Expect the team who minimizes turnovers to have the upper hand, and with both teams fielding excellent kickers, this one could very well come down to the final possession.
A big crowd is expected in Wallingford on Friday night, so arrive early for what should be a high-intensity battle from start to finish. The livestream will begin at 6:45 PM right here on Havenfootball.net for those who cannot attend in person, so tune in to catch a battle between two of Delaware County’s best teams in 2026.
