Familiar District 1 football playoff foes Neshaminy and North Penn to meet again

Another chapter, hopefully as thrilling as the last one, is about to be added to the lengthy Neshaminy and North Penn rivalry.

The former Suburban One League National Conference rivals are set to battle in the postseason for the eighth time in the last 12 years.

No. 8 seed Neshaminy (8-3) and No. 1 North Penn (11-0) will square off in a PIAA District 1 Class 6A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Friday in Lansdale.

It will mark the teams' second meeting this season. The visiting Knights escaped the Redskins, 34-33, in double overtime in a dramatic, back-and-forth opener for both squads on Aug. 24.

Julian White ran for two scores in the fourth quarter and a third in OT to lift North Penn to what turned out to be a key road victory.

"Playing them again will be a really good test for our program," Neshaminy coach Steve Wilmot said. "It will show how much we've improved since Week 1."

Neshaminy's offense is sparked by running backs Chris James and Oleh Manzyk, quarterback Brody McAndrew, and receivers Cory Joyce, Ryan O'Connor, and Zack Canimore.

North Penn is led on offense by White and fellow running back Shamar Edwards, quarterback Solomon Robinson, receivers Jonathan Haynes and Evan Spann, and fullback and tight end R.J. McNamara.

North Penn leads the overall series, 22-13, and has a 5-4 advantage in the playoffs. The teams' last district clash came in a 2015 Class 4A semifinal, with the Knights winning at home by a 28-7 decision.

Friday night's other Class 6A quarterfinal matchups: No. 5 seed Harry S Truman at No. 4 Downingtown West; No. 10 Downingtown East at No. 2 Coatesville; and No. 11 Quakertown at No. 3 Garnet Valley.

The Catholic League Class 6A championship between archrivals St. Joseph's Prep (8-0) and La Salle (5-5) is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Northeast. The Hawks downed the Explorers, 17-3, in last year's final.

The Prep is bidding for its fifth large-class league title in the last eight seasons. La Salle last earned top honors in 2015, with a 29-28, last-minute victory over the Prep at Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Northeast (6-3) aims for its third straight Public League Class 6A title when it faces Thanksgiving Day rival Central (2-9) at 6 p.m. Saturday at Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium.

Northeast thumped Central, 41-0, in last year's final. The Vikings did the same in last month's Independence Division tilt, cruising to a 34-0 win.

Here is the tentative schedule for next weekend's playoffs.

District 1 Class 6A

QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY

No. 8 seed Neshaminy at No. 1 North Penn, 7 p.m.

No. 5 Harry S Truman at No. 4. Downingtown West, 7 p.m.

No. 10 Downingtown East at No. 2 Coatesville, 7 p.m.

No. 11 Quakertown at No. 3 Garnet Valley, 7 p.m.

District 1 Class 5A

QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY

No. 9 Interboro at No. 1 Penn Wood, 7 p.m.

No. 5 West Chester Rustin at No. 4 Academy Park, 7 p.m.

No. 7 Cheltenham at No. 2 Upper Dublin, 7 p.m.

No. 11 Unionville at No. 3 Radnor, 7 p.m.

District 1 Class 4A

CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY

No. 2 Pottstown at No. 1 Pottsgrove, 7 p.m.

District 1-12 Class 3A

SUBREGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

No. 3 New Hope-Solebury vs. No. 1 Conwell-Egan, at Truman, 6 p.m.

District 1-12 Class 2A

SUBREGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

No. 2 Bishop McDevitt vs. No. 1 West Catholic, at South Philly Super Site, 6 p.m.

District 1-2 Class A

SUBREGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY

Bristol at Lackawanna Trail, 7 p.m.

Catholic League Class 6A

CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY

La Salle vs. St. Joseph's Prep, at Northeast, 7 p.m.

Catholic League Class 5A

CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY

Archbishop Ryan vs. Archbishop Wood, at William Tennent, 7 p.m.

Catholic League Class 4A

CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

Archbishop Carroll at Cardinal O'Hara, 5 p.m.

Public League Class 6A

CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

Central at Northeast, 6 p.m.

Public League Class 5A

CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

Martin Luther King vs. Simon Gratz, at Northeast, 1 p.m.

Public League Class 4A

CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY

Bartram vs. Imhotep Charter, at Northwest Philly Super Site, 7 p.m.