The Ruby Review: The Ruby PREVIEW! It’s Playoff Time!

Tagged under: District 11, District 2, District 4

Joe Ruby | November 7, 2014

The Ruby Review: The Ruby Preview

It’s one of my absolute favorite times of the year! All day Saturday, then Sunday, then Monday, I went back and forth from site to site, constantly checking to see if the PIAA Football Championship Brackets had been posted, and when they finally appeared, I started spending hours checking out each of the 241 teams that are still alive, as of November 1st, for the title of State Champion in their respective class. Twenty-nine of those teams are undefeated. One of them – District 2’s Holy Cross, the fourth team in a four-team District – has just a single win. Some of those teams already have a playoff win under their belts (the WPIAL tournaments started last week), while some of them are coming off byes. Some teams have won 8 (D2’s Northwest, for example) or 9 (D4’s South Williamsport) after starting with a loss or two, and some (like D1’s Quakertown and D9’s Karns City) are coming off of their first loss of the season.

In the Ruby Review’s home territory of Districts 2, 4 and 11, there are 48 teams still alive for that precious trip to Hershey. This post will go through each of those teams’ playoff pictures, giving you a good idea of what to watch for when there are so many great games in such a short span of time.

AAAA – Districts 2/4/11

These three Districts are combined in the Quad-A classification, with six teams from D11 and two from D2 and D4 combining for an 8-team bracket. The winner of this group earns the right to play the winner of District 12 – almost certainly the winner of St Joe’s (5-3, AAAA #1) and LaSalle (7-2, AAAA #2) – in the State Quarterfinals. At the beginning of the season, only one of these teams – Parkland – earned a Ranking or Honorable Mention on PFN. In the 10 weeks since then, four more teams have made the list, making this one of the highest-quality sections in the state.

Back in the Mid-Season Mega Post, the Ruby Review predicted: “Bethlehem Liberty (3-2) is in the sixth spot right now, but will need to beat one of Parkland, Easton, or Freedom to finish above .500. Pleasant Valley (2-3) has a much nicer schedule, and could slip in at 6-4 if they take care of business.” Did I get that one right?

1. Easton (10-0, AAAA #8) vs. 8. Pleasant Valley (6-4)

The Ruby Review saw the Easton Red Rovers back in Week 9, and it was clear that the Red Rovers have the chops to go far. Easton has a dominant front line, and Senior RB Shane Simpson will carry the ball right down the middle over, and over, and over.

The Pleasant Valley Bears deserve a lot of credit. After an 0-3 start, including a Week 1 loss to Easton 49-14, the Bears did what they had to do to get to the playoffs, winning six straight before dropping their season finale. None of the six teams that Pleasant Valley beat finished the season above .500, but it’s clear that this team really learned something: in their last game of the season, Pleasant Valley gave the undefeated Mounties of Stroudsburg their biggest scare of the season, ultimately falling just short, 35-32.

Verdict: Pleasant Valley is no slouch, and this game should be closer that Week 1’s 35-point drubbing. Easton, though, dresses 30 seniors, and has good reason to feel it’s their year. Easton 42, Pleasant Valley 20.

4. Freedom (8-2) vs. 5. Whitehall (8-2)

The Bethlehem Freedom Patriots, coming off a 2-8 campaign, didn’t get a ton of press initially. Even after starting 6-0, there wasn’t a ton of hype. The hype came when Freedom went into then-Honorable Mention Whitehall and ruined the Zephyrs’ homecoming, 29-28 in OT. Since then, the Patriots are 1-2, losing a close one to Parkland and a not-close one to Easton before shutting out cross-town rival Liberty 29-0 last week. Freedom has a big play offense, with QB Jonah Gundrum constantly threatening to break a long run or hit WR Jake Young.

Whitehall is one of the three teams I really wanted to see during the regular season but couldn’t quite get to (the others being Bethlehem Catholic and Southern Columbia). As mentioned above, they have reason to be geared up about this game. The Zephyrs, led by RB Saquon Barkley (who had a ridiculous 140 yards on just 6 carries against Northampton in Week 10, and who is one of Penn State’s top recruits), can move the ball. Indeed, their loss to Freedom was the only time they failed to board at least five TDs (their other loss was 63-49 against Easton).

Verdict: Freedom’s had a great year, and has already spoiled Whitehall’s party once. But that just leaves the Zephyrs with some unfinished business to attend to. Whitehall 41, Freedom 27.

3. Delaware Valley (9-1, AAAA HM) vs. 6. Wyoming Valley West (8-2)

Wouldn’t you know it?! The two District 2 teams draw each other in the first round. Delaware Valley, after a 28-27 loss to University High School in Florida, has run the table. The Ruby Review covered Del Val’s Week 2 win over Valley West; in that game, a strong contender for the First Annual Ruby Review Game of the Year, the Warriors fell behind 7-0 to the Spartans, jumped out to a 35-13 lead, found themselves tied at 35-35, and scored with a minute left to take a thrilling 43-35 contest. Senior RB Lex Rosario rushed for over 370 yards in that game and, to top it off, intercepted a Valley West pass with seconds left to seal the victory.

Wyoming Valley West is an extremely strong team in its own right; aside from Delaware Valley, the only other team to defeat them is AAA power Crestwood. The Spartans have a big offensive line and a more balanced, multi-faceted offense than any just about any high school team that I’ve ever seen. Brady Davison is a legitimate QB, and they have threats at literally every offensive position. They’ve allowed over 20 points in half of their games, but they score enough to get away with it.

Verdict: One of these teams will be the torchbearer for District 2. The way Rosario gashed the Spartans’ defense last time, I won’t believe that they can stop him until I see it. Delaware Valley 43, Wyoming Valley West 35. Again.

2. Stroudsburg (10-0, AAAA HM) vs. 7. Parkland (8-2, AAAA HM)

It was hard to tell just how good Stroudsburg was for much of the season, as they started by clobbering sub-.500 competition week after week. The feather in the cap for the Mounties is their Week 8 win over AAA contender Bethlehem Catholic by a score of 23-19. Still, Stroudsburg, stuck in the northeast corner of District 11, never got a chance to test themselves against Whitehall, Easton, Freedom, or… Parkland. They’ll get that chance now.

The Ruby Review covered Parkland’s 35-7 dismantling of Allentown Central Catholic back in Week 3, at which time the Trojans were ranked 5th in the state. Subsequent losses to Whitehall and Easton dropped them down to Honorable Mention, but there is clearly championship-level talent on this team. Junior QB Devante Cross averages 190 multi-purpose yards per game, and Parkland has a very strong defensive line.

Verdict: Stroudsburg has been perfect so far, but Parkland’s schedule has better prepared them for this test. Plus, if Parkland and Valley West both win, we’ll have the Trojans vs. the Spartans in the Region Semis. So, that’s something else for Parkland to play for. Parkland 35, Stroudsburg 21.

AAA – District 2

It’s not unusual for the District 2 AAA Playoffs to have one dominant favorite. What’s unusual is for that team to be someone other than Berwick. This year, though, the Crestwood Comets set the tone early with their 28-20 win over the Bulldogs, and appear to have only gotten better as the season progressed. As predicted in the Mid-Season Mega Post, the final spots are filled by Scranton Prep and Dallas.

1. Crestwood (10-0, #8 AAA) vs. 4. Dallas (6-4)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: it’s very hard for me to imagine that there are seven AAA teams in the state better than this Crestwood squad. I saw Crestwood’s two toughest games this year – against Berwick, and then their 28-14 win over Wyoming Valley West – and I think it’s safe to say that there hasn’t been a single point this season when the Comets were truly in danger of losing. That could be a liability against the very best squads in the state, but the ultra-dominant rushing attack this team brings to the table can overcome a lot of problems. RB Frank Aigeldinger has broken more tackles than just about any back I’ve ever seen, and it’s nearly impossible to bring him down within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. The really amazing thing about this squad, though, is that RB Matt Bobeck, QB Jay Popson, and even Junior RB Tanner Kahlau would be the top runner on 90% of the teams in this state.

Dallas, after going 1-9 last season, came into the season unheralded but quickly generated their own buzz with a 32-24 win over a highly regarded Scranton squad. The Mountaineers started 4-1, with their only loss in overtime to Berwick, and did enough to finish the season a solid 6-4 on the back of a strong passing attack. One of those losses, though, was to Crestwood, by the score of 49-10.

Verdict: Dallas’s season has gone better than just about anyone expected, and the future is bright for this squad. The near future, however, is a little less bright, as Crestwood is simply in a different class. Crestwood 55, Dallas 13.

2. Berwick (8-2, AAA HM) vs. 3. Scranton Prep (8-2, AAA HM)

At about 8:15 PM on September 26, Berwick found themselves in an unusual position. Sitting at 2-2, with one of those wins the aforementioned overtime squeaker against Dallas, the Bulldogs were down 21-0 against a strong Selinsgrove squad. The season was in danger of spiraling out of control. But Berwick is Berwick; the Bulldogs came back in stunning fashion to win 22-21, and won each of their remaining five games. Senior QB Dallas Arner has passed for over 1,000 yards, 421 of which have gone to talented WR Andrew Force. RB Nick Talanca has rushed for 844 yards and 18 TDs, giving the Bulldogs a rather balanced offense.

Scranton Prep’s offense is actually a lot more balanced than most people give them credit for, but it’s easy to understand why the press focuses on the aerial attack with Nick Solfanelli at the helm. The Senior QB has hit over 63% of his passes this year, amassing an exceptional 1,869 yards for 17 TDs. The Ruby Review saw Prep both win (against Abington Heights) and lose (against Scranton) this year, and both times WR Dan Ryan provided much of the offense. Scranton’s O-Line occasionally has trouble run-blocking, but does a stellar job of keeping the pocket clear for Solfanelli and his rocket arm.

Verdict: Crispin Stadium is one of the toughest places to play, but I’ve got a feeling that Prep is going to roll. Scranton Prep 35, Berwick 27.

AAA – District 4

As of the Mid-Season Mega Post, the four spots in this District had already been locked up, with seeding the only question remaining.

1. Jersey Shore (10-0, AAA HM) vs. 4. Shamokin (5-5)

Since Jersey Shore entered last year’s District 4 AAA bracket at 4-6 as the fourth seed, the Bulldogs are 12-1, their only loss coming to Clearfield in last year’s PIAA Round of 16. An undefeated regular season isn’t unprecedented for the Bulldogs, but for a large number of their fans it is: this is the first time that Jersey Shore’s run the table since 1949. They’ve done so with a stellar defense, led by Lineman Dominic Loffredo, whose unit has allowed more than 10 points just three times this year. One of those three times was in a 36-14 win over Shamokin in Week 6. There’s good reason to think that this is a team of destiny, and these guys will not be satisfied with merely getting to the state playoffs.

Although they didn’t manage an undefeated season, Shamokin’s 5-5 campaign is perhaps just as impressive as their opponents’ pristine run. When the Indians opened the year with a 7-0 win over Line Mountain, it was their first win since Week 6 of the 2012 campaign (yep, that’s 14 straight losses), and their Week 2, 28-point victory over Central Mountain proved that this team could win. Indeed, this team was never below .500 at any point this year, and came within a point of finishing better than even, losing their finale 33-32 in OT against Mount Carmel.

Verdict: This is Jersey Shore’s year. Shamokin should be really proud of their season, and will not go down easy, but it’s hard to imagine them bettering their 2 TDs against this stalwart Bulldogs defense. Jersey Shore 27, Shamokin 7.

2. Selinsgrove (7-3) vs. 3. Shikellamy (6-4)

This is a huge rivalry down at the fork in the Susquehanna River, as the Seals and Braves are separated by only a few miles and have hated each other since long before I was born. Selinsgrove’s three losses are by a total of 14 points to teams with a combined record of 28-2 (Berwick, Jersey Shore, and Southern Columbia), so they’re no set of slouches. Although the offense is prone to error and lapses in concentration (there were quite a few Seals personal fouls in Week 8 match between Selinsgrove and Jersey Shore), the unit is really dynamic when it gets going. Junior RB Juvon Batts isn’t so much a runner as a glider, and Senior RB Zach Adams is a dual threat to run and catch. These days, most of those passes are coming from Freshman signal-caller Logan Leiby, who will be formidable when he gains experience to match his talent.

Three of the Braves’ four losses are to the other three teams in this bracket, but it would be a mistake to count them out, as they started their season with a surprise victory over Lewisburg and ended it with back-to-back 35-7 wins, albeit over Danville and Milton (combined record 2-18). Quarterback Christian Schlegel completed 21 passes for 285 yards the last time these two teams met.

Verdict: You can throw out history in a playoff rivalry game, but you can’t throw out talent. The Seals are just a little too much for the Braves. Selinsgrove 35, Shikellamy 20.

AAA – District 11

It’s tough to make the District 11 AAA playoffs. Blue Mountain (8-2) and Jim Thorpe (7-3) both missed out, and Saucon Valley (9-1) had to win their final game to clinch a spot. From the outside looking in, it appears like there are two sets of teams in this foursome: Bethlehem Catholic and Everyone Else.

1. Bethlehem Catholic (9-1, AAA HM) vs. 4. Lehighton (8-2)

BeCaHi was ranked nearly the entire year before a Week 8 loss to undefeated Stroudsburg knocked them down to the HMs. That loss was one of just two times the Golden Hawks failed to put at least 40 points on the board. This squad features the rare combination of a 1,000 yard passer and a 1,000 yard rusher; QB Julian Spigner’s got 1,754 passing yards for 20 TDs, while RB Michael McDaniel has put up 1,192 on the ground for 20 TDs himself. That’s balance. The wild card, of course, is Rutgers commit Freddie Simmons, who has 9 receiving TDs, a rushing TD, and 5 return TDs.

For Lehighton, it’s been a tale of two half-seasons. Through their first five games, the Indians were a solid 3-2, outscoring their opponents by about 10 points per game. Over the last five, though, they’ve been dominant, notching five convincing wins to the tune of a 199-33 scoring margin. Lehighton’s rushing attack, featuring RB Wyatt Clements and QB Tyler Cann, is a force to be reckoned with.

Verdict: Lehighton’s had a huge second half, but BeCaHi’s had a huge season, full stop, against a much stronger schedule. Bethlehem Catholic 44, Lehighton 19

2. Southern Lehigh (9-1) vs. 3. Saucon Valley (9-1)

Southern Lehigh’s only loss was back in Week 3 at Saucon Valley (30-22), so they’ll have this one circled on their calendars and will be ready to go all out now that they have a chance to host. The Spartans have put up over 40 points in each of their last seven wins, including a 68-point showing against Palmerton in Week 6 followed by a 40-37 win over Northwestern Lehigh, the only team to best Saucon Valley this year.

The Ruby review made the trip out to Saucon Valley in Week 10 to watch them play Palisades, and it was a fantastic experience. The Panthers, amazingly, start almost entirely underclassmen; the heart of their offense is clearly Junior RB Evan Culver, who scored 4 TDs in Saucon’s 38-14 win over Palisades. One of the few Seniors starting for this group is LB Justin Propsner, who seemed to run the defense and was clearly missed when he was forced by injury to take a break.

Verdict: With so many underclassmen, Saucon Valley’s best chance to win the District will be next year. They’ll get a shot this year, though: Saucon Valley 35, Southern Lehigh 28.

AA – District 2

There are four solid teams here, but, like in AAA, there is a clear favorite. I only got three of the four teams right when I prognosticated back in the Mid-Season Mega-Post; Dunmore, Northwest, and Lake-Lehman each filled their expected roles, but Wilkes-Barre G.A.R. rode a late season push to the 3-seed.

1. Dunmore (9-1, AA HM) vs. 4. Lake-Lehman (6-4)

After their 26-0 loss to Scranton Prep in Week 1, the Dunmore Bucks have returned to their seemingly perennial, untouchable form. Since then, their worst margin of victory is 14. Dunmore hasn’t been truly tested in a while, but past history suggests that they’ll be up to whatever task the District throws at them. RBs Sal Marchese (Senior) and Colin Holmes (Sophomore) have each shouldered a nearly equal load, with Marchese taking the edge in TDs (16-14) and the 5’7” Holmes ahead in yardage (902 to 893). QB Eric DeLuccie doesn’t pass often (only 6 attempts per game), but when he does he’s quite effective, completing at a 69% clip.

With a number of players returning from last year’s District Championship squad, the Black Knights weren’t supposed to face this much adversity. This year’s team has had trouble stringing consistent offensive performances together; indeed, their longest win-streak this year is 2. What this team does bring to the table is depth, as four different players on the offense have rushed for over 550 yards. Unfortunately, there’s not much of pass game to balance that out, as the team has completed just under 40% of its passes.

Verdict: Lake-Lehman will give the Bucks a decent test, but Dunmore should be up to the task. Dunmore 41, Lake-Lehman 21.

2. Northwest (8-2) vs. 3. G.A.R. (7-3)

Back when the Rangers were 3-2, I said that I really liked the direction this team was going in. After their first two games, during which they were outscored 49-12 (including a 35-6 loss to Dunmore), they had managed to string together a win by one point, then by four (against G.A.R.), and finally broke free against Hanover to the tune of 28-12. Well, Northwest kept going on in that same direction, and, with 8 straight wins under their belts, the Rangers are playing their best football of the season. This is a strong squad and, if they get the chance, will surely put up a stiffer challenge against Dunmore than they did back in Week 2.

To get there, though, they’ll have to beat another surging team: the Wilkes-Barre G.A.R. Grenadiers. G.A.R. has won four straight, including a 46-19 drubbing of cross-town rival Meyers to end the season, and was impressive when the Ruby Review saw them dismantle Nanticoke 38-7 in Week 9.

Verdict: The margin in this one should be razor-thin. Both of these teams have momentum and talent, and this will be one of the more exciting games to be played this Friday. Northwest 35, G.A.R. 34

AA – District 4

This eight-team section usually ends up being one of the most exciting in the entire PIAA. Newcomer Southern Columbia, bumped up to AA this year, is a strong favorite and is on the short list for State Championship contender. I can only do so much writing before my fingers cramp and my head starts to spin, so I’m going to wait to give team-by-team accounts until we’re down to four squads next week. Until then:

Southern Columbia (10-0, AA #3) 55, Hughesville (6-4) 7
Montoursville (6-4) 29, Lewisburg (7-3) 17
Troy (9-1) 41, Towanda (6-4) 12
Loyalsock (7-3) 45, Mount Carmel (7-3) 27

AA – District 11

This section is North Schuylkill’s to lose. Ranked 7th in PFN’s Preseason Rankings, the Spartans have slid up to #5 in AA. Aside from their 28-25, Week 3 squeaker against Lehighton, North Schuylkill hasn’t let anyone within 20 points of them, and has outscored their opponents by an average of 32.2 points per game. Northwestern Lehigh and Palisades play, while the Blue Bombers of Palmerton round out this quartet.

North Schuylkill (10-0, AA #5) 41, Palmerton (7-3) 13
Northwestern Lehigh (9-1, AA HM) 31, Palisades (7-3) 28

A – District 2

Another group with a clear favorite. Old Forge, last year’s Single-A State Runner-Up, lost a number of starters and was set for a rebuilding year with their 30-man roster. Or so we thought. All the Blue Devils have done is win all ten of their games, half by shutout, and come back from two-TD deficits in two others. Holy Cross, the single 1-win team in this year’s playoffs, should be proud of winning back in Week 8, their 14-13 victory over Mid-Valley breaking a 29-game losing streak. Just two weeks ago, though, Old Forge took care of them 48-0. The other two teams in this group, Susquehanna and Lackawanna Trail, both had strong years. Indeed, Lackawanna Trail almost got a feather in their cap, as they led Old Forge 14-0 in the fourth quarter of their Week 7 matchup before losing 17-14. They’ll be itching for another shot, and they’ll be itching to avenge their 34-19 loss to Susquehanna the next week.

Old Forge (10-0, A #6) 51, Holy Cross (1-9) 0
Lackawanna Trail (7-3) 27, Susquehanna (6-4) 21

A – District 4

Four teams here, and three of them have a really solid shot. The favorite is the South Williamsport Mounties squad, led by RB Dominick Bragalone, who has rushed for over 250 yards six times and over 380 yards THREE TIMES this year. North Penn and Wellsboro, both at 8-2, have each been flitting through the state rankings all year, and actually are playing for the second week in a row, with Wellsboro taking the Week 10 matchup 28-26 at home. This time, the game’s at North Penn. Finally, I’m going to take a bow on this one: back after Week 5, in the Mid-Season Mega-Post, the Ruby Review predicted that 1-4 Canton would leapfrog the two 2-3 teams above them to squeak into the playoffs. Four wins later, a .500 Canton has earned themselves an 11th game. Unfortunately, Bragalone won’t make it easy on them.

South Williamsport (9-1, A #7) 49, Canton (5-5) 21
Wellsboro (8-2, A HM) 35, North Penn (8-2) 25

A – District 11

Each squad in this group has multiple losses, so things will be fairly wide open. Still, the competition should be Pius X’s to lose. The Royals bounced back nicely from their 48-7 drubbing at the hands of talented D3 squad Wyomissing, and won their last four games easily, their big-play offense averaging nearly 54 per game over that span. Their opponent, Mahanoy Area, lost its first game, won three straight, lost four in a row, and closed the season with back-to-back victories to reach .500. Mahanoy’s most recent loss was to 2-seed Marian Catholic, whose three losses came consecutively to teams with a combined 26-4 record (North Schuylkill, Blue Mountain, and Lehighton). Their opponent, Williams Valley, hopes to avoid having their season bookended by losses to Marian Catholic; the Colts beat the Vikings 18-7 to open their campaign.

Pius X (8-2, A HM) 48, Mahanoy Area (5-5) 14
Marian Catholic (7-3) 28, Williams Valley (6-4) 24

WHEW, THAT WAS A LOT OF RUBY (P)REVIEW FOR ONE WEEK! CHECK BACK AFTER THIS WEEKEND’S SET OF GAMES TO SEE WHO’S SERIOUS ABOUT TAKING THE NEXT STEP TO STATES!

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