Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Suburban One League football: A tale of 3 surprising teams | Rick O’Brien

Cheltenham, Council Rock South, and Harry S Truman are on a roll. C.R. South (4-1) hosts North Penn (5-0) on Friday night.

Council Rock South defensive lineman T.J. Pritz (58) celebrates a sack in last Friday's 14-10 defeat of Abington.
Council Rock South defensive lineman T.J. Pritz (58) celebrates a sack in last Friday's 14-10 defeat of Abington.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

It's hard to believe that the season is already at the halfway point.

One of the head-turning developments is the strong early-season showings by Suburban One League members Cheltenham, Council Rock South, and Harry S Truman.

Cheltenham, which went 2-8 last season, improved to 4-1 with last week's 17-14 road victory over previously undefeated Quakertown in an American Conference matchup.

Harry S Truman stunned visiting Neshaminy, 27-26, in a National Conference game last week. It marked the Tigers' first win over the defending conference champs since 1995.

In another National Conference contest last week, C.R. South posted a 14-10, come-from behind triumph over host Abington to go to 4-1. The Golden Hawks went 4-6 last year.

Cheltenham is off to its best start since 2010, when it went 9-3 overall and claimed the American Conference crown with a 5-1 mark.

"As great as it was to beat a very good Quakertown squad, we have to clean things up and get better," said Cheltenham's second-year coach, Ryan Nase.

Formerly downtrodden Truman, which is also 4-1, made some noise last season. The Tigers went 7-4 and qualified for the PIAA District 1 Class 6A tournament.

C.R. South has won four straight since losing to host Cheltenham, 17-0, in the season opener for both squads.

The Golden Hawks have flourished despite losing their starting quarterback, senior Andrew Vera, to a knee injury in the early going against Cheltenham. He has since moved to wide receiver.

C.R. South's offensive catalyst is workhorse running Chase Patterson. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior has carried 92 times for 472 yards and six touchdowns.

Courtesy of Cheltenham
Two-way back Jamir Barnes has been a spark plug in Cheltenham’s  4-1 start.
Cheltenham senior Jamir Barnes has rushed 73 times for 466 yards and four touchdowns. “With his athleticism, we try to use him in as many ways as possible,” Nase said.

Barnes is supported by fellow running back Siddiq Williams, QB Adonis Hunter, receivers T.J. Harris and Nate Edwards, and tight ends Will Felix and Mike Emfinger.

Cheltenham's defense is headed by end Marcus Winfield, nose guard Ryan Felder, linebackers Garrett Schmidt and Zach Gaffin, and backs Barnes, Harris (five interceptions), and Frank Sullen.

Pick Six

Friday

No. 6-ranked North Penn (5-0) at No. 19 C.R. South (4-1), 7 p.m. Can Patterson and Co. slow running backs Shamar Edwards and Julian White? Pick: North Penn, 28-10.

Upper Dublin (3-1) at No. 23 Cheltenham (4-1), 7 p.m. Barnes and the Panthers look to reverse last year's 49-7 loss to the Cardinals. Pick: Cheltenham, 28-27.

No. 8 Garnet Valley (5-0) at Springfield (Delco) (5-0), 7 p.m. Springfield's Jack Psenicska has thrown for 724 yards and 10 scores. Pick: Garnet Valley, 34-14.

No. 20 West Catholic (4-1) at Cardinal O'Hara (3-1), 7 p.m. Key for the visiting Burrs is slowing halfback Keed Kpoto and QB Luke Sprague. Pick: West, 20-14.

Saturday

Neumann-Goretti (1-1) vs. Bishop McDevitt (4-1) at Springfield (Montco), 1 p.m. N-G's Tysheem Johnson and McDevitt's Jon-Luke Peaker are top-notch playmakers. Pick: N-G, 32-26.

Father Judge (1-3) vs. No. 16 Archbishop Ryan (5-0), at Northeast, 7 p.m. The struggling Crusaders look to knock the Raiders from the ranks of the unbeaten. Pick: Ryan, 41-35.