Mayhem’s Game of the Week- Central Bucks South @ Central Bucks West (Week 9)
Tagged under: District 1, Gameday Hub, News, pfn
Michael Pietrangelo | October 19, 2023
The Who:
#10 Central Bucks South @ #2 Central Bucks West
The What:
High School Football
The When:
Friday, October 20, 2023
Kickoff: 7 pm
The Where:
War Memorial Field
375 West Court Street Doylestown, Pa 18901
Last 3 meetings:
2022-23 CB West 14 CB South 27
2021-22 CB West 28 CB South 20
2020-21 CB West 31 CB South 24
What’s at Stake:
Conference Win
Outright Conference Title with 1 conference game left
District Playoff Seeding (1 CBW VS 2 CBS)
Rivalry Win
The Team Deets:
Head Coach: Tom Hetrick (9th Season)
League: Suburban One-Continental National(6A)
Last season: (7-4) Overall (4-3) Conference
This Season: (8-0) overall (5-0) Conference
Last Week: Won, 42-0 against Neshaminy
Titan’s Notables: The Titans and head coach Tom Hetrick are rolling on all cylinders. The Titan’s offensive assault averages an astonishing 34.1 points per game while their defense continues its dominance through 8 weeks. The defense is only yielding an average of 8 points per contest while posting 3 shutouts. Over the last two weeks, they have outscored their opponents 84-0. Junior QB Owen Pinkerton commands the offense and has accounted for 807 yards (338 yards passing- 469 yards rushing) & 12 TDs (7 passing- 5 rushing). The Titans also boast a senior running back tandem of Antony Leonardi (96-998-8 TDs) & Corey Moore (81-552-12 TDs) who have combined for 1,550 yards & 20 TDs. On the other side of the ball, the defense is anchored by SR linebackers Sean Moskowitz (56 TKLs, 6.5 TFL, 1.5 Sacks) & Adam Oscar (55 TKLs, 4.5 TFL, 3 Sacks, 1 INT). I caught up with Coach Hetrick this week and we discussed the upcoming game. My first question was simple, with both teams being undefeated and the conference championship at stake I asked, “How do you plan on adjusting your offensive strategies to match the Bucks’ dominant defense, considering they have only allowed 8 points per game this season?” Tom replied, “At this point in the season, there really are no real secrets to what you do offensively and there aren’t a lot of new things you need to do. We have to execute what we do to the best of our ability.” I continued with, “Last year, you secured a victory over the Bucks 27-14. How has your team evolved since then, and what lessons have you learned from that game that will help you prepare for this rematch?” The game came down to the last quarter before a victor was crowned and both teams battled hard. He responded with, “That was a very physical game, played by two good football teams. What we took from that is really the key to any success in a football game, you have to be physical and execute a game plan efficiently.” Both teams have been impressive offensively, with the Titans averaging 34.1 points per game and the Bucks averaging 31.3 points per game. My next question was, “How do you plan on exploiting any weaknesses in the Bucks’ offense to ensure your team’s success on defense?” Once again, Tom replied, “There really aren’t weaknesses in their offense. They have some very dynamic players, as well as guys who are willing to do the little things that go unnoticed for their system to work. We just need to get aligned, do our job, and tackle whoever has the ball.” My final question as you all know by now was who the head coach felt deserved to be highlighted in my preview and his answer was quick, “Rolan Hess, Rolan has contributed to our success on both sides of the ball. He is a very sound Defensive End who has done great things for us. He is also a three-year starter on the OL. Our OL has played a huge role on our team this year.” My favorite part of my preview is meeting and talking to the student-athletes. My first question was on the mental aspects of his game. I asked, “As a key contributor on your team, how do you mentally prepare yourself for such a crucial game, considering there’s quite a bit at stake? Rolan responded, “To me, preparation is one of the best parts of football. Personally, I watch loads of film throughout the week to make sure I’m ready come Friday night. When facing off against a team like West, in a game this big, you need as many mental reps as possible.” I followed that question up with, “The Bucks have a strong defensive line. How do you plan on attacking the line of scrimmage to create scoring opportunities for your team?” After some thought Rolan responded, “The Bucks have one of the best D-lines we’ll see the whole year. They like to move a lot, and all have high motors. My boys and I on the offensive line, plan on executing our schemes up front technically and violently to open up lanes for our guys.” My final question revolved around the rivalry aspect of this game and last’s years win. I hit him with, “Last year against the Bucks this game was an absolute battle and you guys won 27-14. Does that spark some confidence in this year’s squad? If not, does the rivalry contribute?” Rolan replied, “Last year against them was a great game and definitely gives us some confidence in knowing they’re not unbeatable. The rivalry definitely sparks some extra motivation as well, but just knowing the possibility of a 9-0 record is all the motivation we need.” He finished with, “At the end of the day, we need to stay focused and not get caught up in past wins.”
Head Coach: Rob Rowan (6th Season)
League: Suburban One-National Conference(6A)
Last Season: (9-5) Overall (5-2) Conference
Season: (8-0) overall (5-0) Conference
Last Week: Won, 28-0 over Pennridge
Buck’s Notables: The revenge tour continues for the Bucks and their high-powered rushing attack which through 8 weeks is averaging 31.3 points per game. The Defense you ask? It’s smothering opponents while yielding only 8 points per contest. Last week the defense got its second goose egg of the season in a 28-0 victory over conference foe Pennridge. Senior QB Cooper Taylor has rushed for 931 yards & 10 TDs while also throwing for another 400 yards & 5 Tds. Senior running back Ryan Clemens has rushed for 876 yards & 8 TDs. I caught up with head coach Rob Rowan this week to discuss the season and his impending rivalry matchup this Friday night. The first question I had for Coach was with both teams being undefeated and the conference championship on the line, “How do you plan on adjusting your offensive strategies to match the Titans’ high-scoring offense, considering they have been averaging a remarkable 34.1 points per game?” Rob responded, “For us, it’s going to come down to execution and players making plays. Obviously, it is our job as coaches to put our guys in successful positions to make plays and I trust that our staff will do that, I also trust in our player’s ability to make plays when their numbers are called. CB South is very tough defensively and throw a lot of different looks at you so it’s really about creating confidence in your players to go out and execute at a high level regardless of what gets thrown at us.” Last year the Titans beat the Bucks 27-14. I asked, “How has your team evolved since then, and what lessons have you learned from that defeat that will help you prepare for this rematch?” Coach responded, “Ultimately both teams are very different teams from last year, so I do not believe there is much carryover from last year if any. Our guys know the challenge we have ahead of ourselves, and that is a very well-coached, tough, athletic 2023 CB South Football team. So, our focus is on our preparation and getting ourselves ready to go play at a high level on Friday night.” Speaking of a high level, the defensive performance of both teams has been outstanding this season, with both teams allowing an average of 8 points per game. I needed to know, “How do you plan on exploiting any weaknesses in the Titans’ defense to ensure your team’s success on offense? Coach Confidently replied, “They do not have many if any weaknesses defensively. They are stout up front, have great linebacker play, and speed and discipline in the secondary. As I mentioned in my previous answer, it’s going to come down to our ability to execute consistently and our players’ ability to make plays when they get the chance. Their defense poses a great challenge, and we are excited for the opportunity.” Our session ended as they always do. I asked, “Who’s the student-athlete you think I should highlight in my preview?” The coach was quick on the draw and fired back, “Cooper Taylor should be the one to represent us. He is the consummate leader and represents our program as well as one could. He is tough, intelligent, caring, selfless, and plays the game the right way.” Now that’s my kind of player. It should be noted that the running back made the transition to QB for his senior campaign after three-year starter Ganz Cooper went down for the season prior to their week 1 clash with Garnet Valley. Cooper and I briefly spoke this week to talk ball before the big game. My first question for the SR QB was, “As a key contributor on your team, how do you mentally prepare yourself for such a crucial game, considering there’s quite a bit at stake? Does this rivalry against the Titans contribute to your preparation?” Confidently Cooper replied back, “Yes, this is a huge game but I’m not going to go into it any different than any other game this year. I just have to do my job and trust that my teammates will do theirs.” My next question revolved around the Titans Defense. I asked, “The Titans have a strong defensive unit, especially up front. What must your offense do to be successful against them? Cooper responded, “Football has always been a game in the trenches, and it will continue on Friday. It’s going to be up to our Oline vs their Dline and vice versa. Whoever wins those battles should come out on top.” My final question was about last year’s loss. I asked, “Last year against the Titans this game was an absolute battle and you guys lost 27-14. Does that spark some energy into you?” Cooper responded, “Yeah for sure, this whole season has been a revenge year. It started with Garnet Valley, then Upper Dublin, and then Pennsbury. We are definitely hyped up for this game.”
I would like to give a special thanks to @mayhemslegitsnax, Body Armour & Imperial Nuts for sponsoring my POTG T-shirt and swag bags for the student athletes and students that receive them each week. Without your support none of this would be possible! Please follow all and check out all the amazing things they offer!
A very special thank you to two of my favorite local photographers @tracyvalko.photography & @kimsupkophotography as well as Jen McDonald for allowing me to use their great shots of my feature athletes for my GOTW Edit.
Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews
You must be logged in to post a comment.