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Philadelphia Catholic League Blue Division Preview

Tagged under: Conference Previews, District 12, News, pfn

| August 19, 2024


PCL BLUE DIVISION

The 2024 Catholic League season will feature realignment within the Blue Division with former Red member Archbishop Wood dropping down to the Blue Division. They’ll compete with defending champion Neumann Goretti, Lansdale Catholic, Archbishop Ryan, West Catholic, Conwell-Egan and Archbishop Carroll.

Preseason Rankings:

1. Neumann Goretti

2. Conwell-Egan

3. Archbishop Wood

4. Lansdale Catholic

5. Archbishop Ryan

6. Archbishop Carroll

 

NEUMANN GORETTI SAINTS

Classification: 3A

Head Coach: Albie Crosbie (Career Record 127-24)

2023 Record: 11-2 (CL and District 12 3A champions)

2024 Team Outlook: The Saints look to repeat once again as CL Blue champions with a talented offense returning despite breaking in a new QB. Defensively while young they look to be aggressive and force turnovers. Coach Albie shared “We want to continue to play at a high level”.

Key Players Lost: 

1. WR/DB/RS Khamir Prescott (Nebraska)

2. DB Khari Reid (Duke)

3. DL Deshon Dodson

4. QB Mekhi Wharton

Key Newcomer:

1. QB Deante Ruffin (Kent State)

Key Returning Starters:

1. Jr. RB Terrance Page

2. Sr. DE Daniel Adefolarin (Army)

3. Jr. DE/TE Carter Bashir

4. Jr. WR Wydeek Collier

 

ARCHBISHOP WOOD VIKINGS

Classification: 3A

Head Coach: Dave Armstrong (Career Record with Wood 2-15)

2023 Team Record: 1-8

2024 Team Outlook: While moving down a division the Vikings should be formidable and competitive. Coach Armstrong noted “We only graduated 7 seniors last year and a lot of underclassmen got valuable playing time against quality opponents. We are excited to take our experience from last season into the new season”.

Key Players Lost:

1. Joe Scarpello

2. Owen Gallagher

3. Zack Armstrong

4. Nakai Robinson

Key Newcomers:

1. TE/DE David Robbins

2. RB/DB Isaiah Moore

3. RB/LB Chris Emberger

Key Returning Starters:

1. Sr. OL Deven Demusz 6-6 300

2. Sr. OL/DL Jason Baldwin 6-0 240

3. Sr. OL/DL Joe Johnson 6-0 210

4. Sr. RB/LB Yasin Lowry 6-2 220

5. Sr. RB Kevon Griffin 5-8 160

WEST CATHOLIC BURRS

Classification: 2A

Head Coach: Donald Richardson (Career Record: 1-10)

2023 Team Record: 1-10 (Despite being winless in the regular season the Burrs soundly defeated Bristol HS in the D12/1 2A Subregional playoff game and lost a heartbreaking 1st round PIAA playoff game at Camp Hill.

2024 Outlook: The Burrs with some continuity in place look to improve upon last season record. Despite losing Jayzen Flint to Boston College, they return a strong nucleus that should allow them to be competitive this season within the CL Blue Division. Coach Richardson states “We look to build off the strong finish from last year”.

Key Losses:

1. DL Jayzen Flint (Boston College)

2. LB JayVon Story (Lycoming)

3. DB Owen Suah (Delaware Valley)

4. WR Kahir Thompson (Delaware Valley)

5. Ath Amir Smith

Key Newcomers:

1. Fr. OL/DL Tristen Perry 5-9 230

2. Fr. WR/DB Aiden Ivery 5-5 115

3. Fr. RB/LB Nate Nixon IV 5-6 175

4. Fr. QB Safiy Salley 6-0 195

5. Fr. OL/DL Hasmieu Bah 6-1 260

Key Returning Starters:

1. Sr. DL/Ath Jayden Meekins 6-1 210

2. Sr. RB/LB Christin Karnga 5-9 185

3. Sr. QB Kal-El Durham 5-8 170

4. Sr. OL Alexander Suah 6-1 220

5. Jr. OL/DL Cameron Stone 5-11 240

6. So. OL Isaiah Brown 6-2 290

ARCHBISHOP CARROLL PATRIOTS

Classification: 3A

Head Coach: Kyle Detweiler (Career Record: 15-42)

2023 Team Record: 3-6

2024 Team Outlook: The Patriots look to improve upon a 3 win 2023 campaign in which they were vastly improved in all 3 phases of the game. Coach Kyle stressed that “The fperformance of our offensive line is the biggest key. Three of our five starters return up front and they’ve mde great strides this offseason. We feel confident about the talent and depth at our offensive skill positions. We graduated several All-Catholic defenders and a tremendous amount of production on that side of the ball. It’s a youthful group without a ton of experience, so how well they gel together as a unit inside our scheme is key. All-Catholic placekicker Gavin Wray is not easily replaced. We feel good about the competition at our kicker & punter spots though and there’s a slew of guys who can make an impact in the return game”.

Top Teams in League

1. Neumann Goretti

2. Conwell Egan

3. Lansdale Catholic

4. Archbishop Ryan

5. Archbishop Carroll

Key Players Lost:

1. Declan Anstock (Eastern University)

2. Hassan Bailey (Eastern University)

3. AJ Hopson (Lebanon Valley)

4. Kevin Knox (Wilkes)

5. Too Jemahwuo (West Chester)

6. Jesse Venture (Scranton)

7. Tony Williams (Ursinus)

8. Cleveland Woodson (Ohio Wesleyan)

9. Gavin Wray (Eastern Carolina University)

10. James Wright (US Naval Academy)

Key Newcomers:

1. Fr. DL Shane Allison 6-0 225

2. Fr. WR Bobby Bower 5-11 175

3. Fr. DL James Fry 6-2 250

4. Fr. RB Zane Guillory 5-10 165

5. Fr. RB Tre Montgomery 5-11 170

6. Fr. DB Chase Robinson 5-8 170

7. Fr. DB Stephen Skinner 5-10 175

8. Fr. QB Christian Sullivan 5-10 165

Key Returning Starters:

1. Sr. RB Aaron Barnes 5-8 175

2. So. OT Kaen Bowen 6-4 290

3. So. QB Jay Boyd 5-9 175

4. Sr. OT Kabenla Cudjoe 6-3 280

5. Sr. OG Zach Jacobs 6-0 230

6. So. WR Ty Ty Mattison 5-8 165

7. Sr. WR Matt McGaughey 6-2 170

8. Sr. WR Luke Watson 6-2 180

9. Jr. DT Chris Curcio 6-3 265

10. Sr. LB Nick D’Alicandro 5-9 185

11. Sr. DB Mason Graham 5-8 175

12. Sr. DB Omar Johnson 6-2 170

13. So. DE Aidan Tyndale 5-10 225

14. Sr. K Alex Raker 6-0 155

LANSDALE CATHOLIC CRUSADERS

Classification: 2A

Head Coach: Dom D’Addona (Career Record: 21-27)

2023 Team Record: 5-5

2024 Team Outlook: The Crusaders will enter the 2024 season with a youthful team that still has high expectations of being competitive and competing for a CL Blue Division title. Coach Dom noted “We are looking to build upon the development of our younger players”.

Top Teams in League:

1. Neumann Goretti

2. Conwell Egan

Key Players Lost:

1. LB Bobby Lombardo (Ithaca)

2. QB Cole Meehan (Merrimack)

Key Newcomers:

1. QB David Melcher

2. DE/RB Brandon Maisonet

3. WR/DB Asher Thickening

4. DB/RB Nick Obrien

Key Returning Starters:

1. OL Steve Clement

2. OL Terrance Smith

3. WR/DB Boa Cobbold

4. WR/DB Jack Treziak

5. WR/DB James Webb

6. OL/LB Chris Ulmer

ARCHBISHOP RYAN RAIDERS

Classification: 4A

Head Coach: Mark Ostaszewski (Career Record: 3-8)

2023 Team Record: 3-8

2024 Team Outlook: The Raiders finished the 2023 season strong with an upset over neighborhood rival George Washington in the annual thanksgiving game. They look to use that win to springboard into the 2024 season with confidence as they look to compete with NG, Egan, Wood & Lansdale for the CL Blue division title.

Key Players Lost:

1. Brett Jackson (Lincoln University PA)

2. Dave Montgomery (Lock Haven)

3. Nick Rogers (West Chester)

Key Newcomers: N/A

Key Starters Returning:

1. QB Frankie Mawson

2. WR David Spinelli

3. OL/DE Stanley Montgomery

4. OL/DL Shawn Everman

5. OL/DL Eddie Jabs

6. OL/DL Ryan Keenan

7. WR/DB Damien Morgan

8. WR/DB Mekhi Stallings

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