High School Top 10: Why Pennsbury Will Win The District Title

By Joseph Santoliquito

PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — It started bad. Much was expected from Pennsbury this year. Then before a game was played, the Falcons lost their quarterback, Breon Clark, whose family decided to move to Baltimore, Maryland, so Clark could attend St. Frances Academy.

But the Falcons gained 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior lefty transfer quarterback Mike Alley, from Conwell-Egan, to guide coach Galen Snyder's dangerous Wing-T attack, and it's if Pennsbury never missed a beat.

The PIAA District 1 playoffs begin tonight, and the 9-1 Falcons, seeded No. 2 behind No. 1 undefeated Coatesville, look primed to win their first District 1 Class AAAA title since 2006. All the parts seem there. In the Falcons' one loss, a 24-21 classic to North Penn on Oct. 17, Pennsbury outgained North Penn, 335 to 220, on the ground and almost by 100 hundred yards in total offense, 380-297.

Rutgers-bound senior Charles Snorweah, Pennsbury's biggest threat who's gained 1,500 yards rushing and scored 23 touchdowns, has played as expected and the road to the district title is going to be rough.

Couple Snorweah and an offense that averages 41.4 points a game with a defense that's only given up double figures in three games and is yielding just 8.9 points a game and posted two shutouts, that's trouble for any District 1 Class AAAA team in the 16-team tournament.

And though the Suburban One National is slightly down this year, it's still top-to-bottom probably the best public football league in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

There are potential matchups with Central Bucks South and Notre Dame-bound Josh Adams (which Pennsbury has all ready beaten, 55-7, during the regular season), and a possible semifinal meeting with No. 3 West Chester Rustin and its star tailback Terry Loper.

In the end, the Falcons could be in position to avenge its only loss this season in a rematch with North Penn, but this time with the district title at stake. The one looming X-factor is North Penn kicker Matt Ammendola, who's won two games for the Knights with field goals.

Below are the highly unofficial, quasi-educated predictions for the upcoming District 1 playoffs.

CBS Philly's Area Top 10 Power Ratings For Nov. 7, 2014

1. St. Joseph's Prep (Record: 5-3)
2. La Salle (Record: 7-2)
3. Archbishop Wood (Record: 8-1)
4. St. Joseph's (Hammonton, NJ) (Record: 8-0)
5. Shawnee (Record: 7-0)
6. Imhotep Charter (Record: 8-1)
7. Timber Creek (Record: 7-0)
8. Camden (Record: 8-0)
9. Coatesville (Record: 10-0)
10. Haverford School (Record: 8-1)

Southeastern PA Top 10 Power Ratings For Nov. 7, 2014

1. St. Joseph's Prep (Record: 5-3)
2. La Salle (Record: 7-2)
3. Archbishop Wood (Record: 8-1)
4. Imhotep Charter (Record: 8-1)
5. Coatesville (Record: 10-0)
6. Haverford School (Record: 8-1)
7. North Penn (Record: 7-3)
8. Pennsbury (Record: 9-1)
9. West Chester Rustin (Record: 9-1)
10. Upper Dublin (Record: 9-1)

District 1 Seedings & Predictions

Class AAAA

First Round

No. 16 seed Haverford High (7-3) at No. 1 Coatesville (10-0)-Coatesville winner

No. 9 North Penn (7-3) at No, 8 West Chester Henderson (7-3)-North Penn winner

No. 13 Pennridge (7-3) at No. 4 Quakertown (9-1)-Pennridge winner

No. 12 Perkiomen Valley (9-1) at No. 5 Downingtown East (7-3)-Downingtown East winner

No. 15 Downingtown West (6-4) at No. 2 Pennsbury (9-1)-Pennsbury winner

No. 10 Central Bucks South (7-3) at No. 7 Garnet Valley (8-2)-Central Bucks South winner

No. 14 Conestoga (7-3) at No. 3 West Chester Rustin (9-1)-West Chester Rustin winner

No. 11 Council Rock North (6-4) at No. 6 Upper Dublin (9-1)-Upper Dublin winner

Quarterfinals

Coatesville-North Penn-North Penn winner

Pennridge-Downingtown East-Downingtown East winner

Pennsbury-Central Bucks South-Pennsbury winner

West Chester Rustin-Upper Dublin-West Chester Rustin winner

Semifinals

North Penn-Downingtown East-North Penn winner

Pennsbury-West Chester Rustin-Pennsbury winner

Finals

Pennsbury-North Penn

District Champion:

Pennsbury

Class AAA

No. 8 Interboro (5-5) at No. 1 Springfield-Delco (10-0)

No. 5 Academy Park (8-2) at No. 4 Pottsgrove (7-3)

No. 7 Octorara (5-5) at No. 2 Great Valley (9-1)

No. 6 Upper Moreland (7-3) at No. 3 Bishop Shanahan (7-3)

Semifinals

Springfield-Delco vs. Pottsgrove-Springfield Delco winner

Great Valley vs. Upper Moreland-Great Valley winner

Finals

Springfield-Delco vs. Great Valley

District Champion:

Springfield-Delco

Class AA

No. 4 Valley Forge Military Academy (4-5) at No. 1 Bristol (7-3)

No. 3 New Hope-Solebury (4-5) at No. 2 Springfield-Montco (4-6)

Finals

Valley Forge Military Academy-Springfield-Montco

District Champion:

Springfield-Montco

Past PIAA District 1 Champions

Courtesy of EasternPAFootball.com

Year      Team    Classification

2013  Neshaminy  AAAA

2013  Academy Park  AAA

2013  New Hope-Solebury  AA

2013  Bristol  A

2012  Coatesville  AAAA

2012  Interboro  AAA

2012  None  AA

2012  Bristol  A

2011  North Penn  AAAA

2011  Pottsgrove  AAA

2011  Springfield-Montco  AA

2011  Calvary Christian  A

2010  North Penn  AAAA

2010  Strath Haven  AAA

2010  None  AA

2010  Calvary Christian  A

2009  Ridley  AAAA

2009  Pottsgrove  AAA

2009  Lower Moreland  AA

2009  St. Pius X  A

2008  North Penn  AAAA

2008  Bayard Rustin  AAA

2008  Lower Moreland  AA

2008  None  A

2007  Ridley  AAAA

2007  Garnet Valley  AAA

2007  Lansdale Catholic  AA

2007  None  A

2006  Pennsbury  AAAA

2006  Garnet Valley  AAA

2006  Lansdale Catholic  AA

2006  None  A

2005  North Penn  AAAA

2005  Garnet Valley  AAA

2005  Lansdale Catholic  AA

2005  None  A

2004  Neshaminy  AAAA

2004  Upper Merion  AAA

2004  Lansdale Catholic  AA

2004  None  A

2003  North Penn  AAAA

2003  Strath Haven  AAA

2003  None  AA

2003  None  A

2002  North Penn  AAAA

2002  Strath Haven  AAA

2002  None  AA

2002  None  A

2001  Neshaminy  AAAA

2001  Strath Haven  AAA

2001  None  AA

2001  None  A

2000  Central Bucks West  AAAA

2000  Strath Haven  AAA

2000  None  AA

2000  None  A

1999  Central Bucks West  AAAA

1999  Strath Haven  AAA

1999  None  AA

1999  None  A

1998  Central Bucks West  AAAA

1998  Strath Haven  AAA

1998  Lower Moreland  AA

1998  Bristol  A

1997  Central Bucks West  AAAA

1997  Strath Haven  AAA

1997  Oxford Area  AA

1997  Jenkingtown  A

1996  Downingtown  AAAA

1996  Strath Haven  AAA

1996  Lower Moreland  AA

1996  Bristol  A

1995  Plymouth-Whitemarsh  AAAA

1995  Methacton  AAA

1995  Lansdale Catholic  AA

1995  Bristol  A

1994  Downingtown  AAAA

1994  Unionville  AAA

1994  Lansdale Catholic  AA

1994  Jenkintown  A

1993  Central Bucks West  AAAA

1993  Strath Haven  AAA

1993  Oxford Area  AA

1993  Jenkintown  A

1992  Coatesville  AAAA

1992  Hatboro-Horsham  AAA

1992  Harriton  AA

1992  Morrisville  A

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