High School Football Top 10: Springfield-Delco Looking To Make History
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — Chris Britton has quietly become one of the best young coaches in the Delaware Valley area. The top guy at Springfield-Delco has won three Central League championships in the last four years. Britton's teams have also won 12 games in three of the last four years.
The only thing the Cougars have never done is win a PIAA District 1 championship. Springfield-Delco did reach the 3A finals in 2014, when it lost to Great Valley and Dan Ellis, the former Springfield-Delco coach, and last year were defeated in the 5A finals to neighborhood rival Academy Park.
This year, behind Ja'Den McKenzie, a 6-1, 190-pound senior linebacker/running back who may be the best player in Delaware County, senior wide receiver/safety Kyle Long, a major Division I lacrosse player heading to defending national champion Maryland, senior center/nose tackle Justin Shields, and junior middle linebacker Pat Clemens, the Cougars are 12-0 entering tonight's PIAA District 1 5A semifinals against visiting Upper Dublin at 7 p.m. at Springfield-Delco.
Earlier this season, Springfield-Delco beat a very good Garnet Valley team, which beat North Penn last weekend in the PIAA 6A quarterfinals. If the Cougars win tonight, the program will have won 13 games for the first time in school history.
The only thing Springfield-Delco is missing is a District 1 title.
"We knew the pieces were in place for a good season, with a lot coming back, but we didn't know how good we would be," Britton said. "We have had a lot of kids fill in, and they're program seniors. It's their turn to step up and they have. We have tough kids. In the Garnet Valley game, we were down to our third-string guard. He came in and started the next three games for us. It's been a season like that."
Delaware Valley Top 10 For Nov. 17, 2017
1. St. Joe's Prep (Record: 10-0)
2. Coatesville (Record: 11-1)
3. Archbishop Wood (Record: 8-2)
4. Imhotep Charter (Record: 9-1)
5. Springfield-Delco (Record: 12-0)
6. Garnet Valley (Record: 11-1)
7. Pennsbury (Record: 10-2)
8. Timber Creek (Record: 9-0)
9. Millville (Record: 9-0)
10. St. Joseph's (Record: 10-0)
Southeastern PA Top 10 For Nov. 17, 2017
1. St. Joe's Prep (Record: 10-0)
2. Coatesville (Record: 11-1)
3. Archbishop Wood (Record: 8-2)
4. Imhotep Charter (Record: 9-1)
5. Springfield-Delco (Record: 12-0)
6. Garnet Valley (Record: 11-1)
7. Pennsbury (Record: 10-2)
8. Pennridge (Record: 10-2)
9. Downingtown East (Record: 10-2)
10. La Salle (Record: 7-4)
South Jersey Top 10 For Nov. 17, 2017
1. Timber Creek (Record: 9-0)
2. Millville (Record: 9-0)
3. St. Joseph's (Record: 10-0)
4. Lenape (Record: 8-1)
5. Delsea (Record: 7-3)
6. Holy Spirit (Record: 8-1)
7. Rancocas Valley (Record: 8-1)
8. St. Augustine Prep (Record: 5-5)
9. Camden Catholic (Record: 7-2)
10. Vineland (Record: 7-2)
