Council Rock South vs. Neshaminy highlights football games with big playoff implications

It's Week 9, and the PIAA District 1 playoffs are around the corner.

Teams have two regular-season games left to earn postseason berths or improve their seeding in their classifications.

North Penn (8-0), Coatesville (8-0), Garnet Valley (8-0), Downingtown West (7-1), Harry S Truman (7-1), Spring-Ford (7-1), Downingtown East (7-1), Haverford High (7-1), Perkiomen Valley (6-2), and Upper Darby (7-1) are on solid footing when it comes to qualifying for the 16-team Class 6A tournament.

Quakertown (6-2, currently the No. 11 seed), Neshaminy (5-3, No. 12), Council Rock South (5-3, No. 13), Owen J. Roberts (5-3, No. 14), Pennsbury (4-4, No. 15), and Souderton (4-4, No. 16) are the next six teams in line.

Among the 6A squads currently on the outside looking in are Pennridge (4-4, No. 17), Central Bucks East (4-4, No. 18), Avon Grove (4-4, No. 19), Hatboro-Horsham (4-3, No. 20), and Abington (4-4, No. 21).

The current top 10 seeds for the 16-team Class 5A tournament are Penn Wood (7-1), Upper Dublin (6-1), Academy Park (7-1), Radnor (6-2), Springfield (Delco) (6-2), West Chester Rustin (5-2), Cheltenham (5-3), Upper Merion (5-3), Oxford (5-3), and West Chester East (4-4).

A contest with key Class 6A playoff-point implications is Friday night's Suburban One League National Conference showdown between Council Rock South and Neshaminy in Langhorne.

The host Redskins, with a 4-1 mark, are tied atop the conference standings with Harry S Truman; the Golden Hawks (3-1) are in a second-place deadlock with Pennsbury.

C.R. South is powered on offense by halfback Chase Patterson. The 6-foot, 195-pounder has carried 138 times for 703 yards and nine touchdowns.

Patterson is supported by quarterback Noah Caldani, receiver Andrew Vera, and Virginia Tech-bound tight end Nick Gallo.

"You can't focus too much on Patterson," Neshaminy coach Steve Wilmot said. "Their other skill-position guys do a nice job."

The Redskins are paced by QB Brody McAndrew, running backs Chris James and Oleh Manzyk, and receivers Cory Joyce, Ryan O'Connor, and Zack Canimore.

C.R. South's defense is anchored by the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Gallo, fellow end T.J. Pritz, tackle Shamir Parker, and inside linebackers Bradley Kraut and Sammy Vaniver.

Neshaminy's bid to slow Patterson and Co. is headed by nose guard Sean Smith, inside linebackers Manzyk and Emmanuel Ampofo, and cornerbacks Logan Williamson and Marcus Griffin.

Friday

No. 22 C.R. South (5-3) at Neshaminy (5-3), 7 p.m. The Redskins have won the teams' last six meetings and lead the overall series, 8-2. Pick: Neshaminy, 27-14.

No. 9 Wood (4-3) vs. No. 19 La Salle (3-4), at Upper Dublin, 7 p.m. Wood's Tom Santiago and La Salle's Manny Quiles are hard-nosed ballcarriers. Pick: Wood, 20-17.

No. 14 Perkiomen Valley (6-2) at No. 12 Spring-Ford (7-1), 7 p.m. The Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division crown is on the line. Pick: Spring-Ford, 34-28.

Abington (4-4) at Pennsbury (4-4), 7 p.m. The Falcons' Drew Hensor has thrown for 1,034 yards and six TDs. Pick: Pennsbury, 26-21.

No. 11 Haverford High (7-1) at No. 25 Springfield-Delco (6-2), 7 p.m. QB Jake Ruane and the Fords are out to reverse last year's 31-17 loss to the Cougars. Pick: Haverford, 21-14.

Saturday

No. 10 Conwell-Egan (8-0) vs. Bishop McDevitt (6-2), at Springfield (Montco), 1 p.m. Eagles running back Patrick Garwo proves to be a handful for the Lancers. Pick: Conwell-Egan, 38-19.