Area football teams brace for the start of conference play

Posted 10/7/19

by Jonathan Vander Lugt

After a week off, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Germantown Academy and Penn Charter will all begin conference play on Saturday.

The GA Patriots (4-0, 0-0) were …

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Area football teams brace for the start of conference play

Posted

by Jonathan Vander Lugt

After a week off, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Germantown Academy and Penn Charter will all begin conference play on Saturday.

The GA Patriots (4-0, 0-0) were slated to play Hatboro-Horsham this week, but ended up victors by a Hatter forfeit. Through four games, Lacey Snowden, Jordan Longino and Jerry Griffin-Batchler are leading the GA offense. Snowden has rushed for 498 yards and 10 touchdowns on 76 carries (and added another 109 yards through the air), while Longino has tossed six touchdowns and 815 yards on 45-of-69 passing. That’s good for a 65% completion percentage – a terrific mark, especially in high school. Most of his passes have gone to Griffin Batchler (14 receptions, 316 yards and two scores) and Tayshaun Mack (16 catches for 216 yards and a pair of TDs). Griffin-Batchler has rushed for 150 yards and four touchdowns as well. Coach Matt Dence and his Patriot team will host Malvern Prep to open league play on Saturday.

SCH (5-0) had a well-deserved scheduled bye week after rolling through its first five games of competition. The Blue Devils have averaged a whopping 40.6 points per game thanks largely to a potent offense led by Ke’Shawn Williams, Aaron Rascoe and A.J. Graham. Williams, a do-it-all wide receiver, has 18 receptions for 419 yards and seven touchdowns, along with a pair of punt-return scores and an interception return for six – 10 total touchdowns for the Kent State commit. Rascoe, the lead back, has 472 yards and eight touchdowns on 59 carries, and QB A.J. Graham has tossed for 757 yards and nine scores on 37-of-63 passing. SCH will host the Haverford School on Saturday.

PC (5-0) is off to a similarly dynamic start. The Quakers haven’t won a game by less than three touchdowns, and are averaging nearly 44 points per contest. Senior QB Kyle Jones is leading the way with 427 rushing yards (on just 41 carries), 512 passing yards and 13 total touchdowns. Junior runner Matthew Marshall has also been outstanding, with 588 yards and eight touchdowns to his name. Aaron Maione leads receivers with 303 yards and seven touchdowns. PC will host the Episcopal Academy on Saturday.

The La Salle Explorers (5-1, 1-1) have been playing conference ball for two weeks and, despite a tough loss to rival St. Joe’s Prep two weeks ago, are having a strong season nonetheless. They rebounded with a 49-7 win over Father Judge last week and, according to Ted Silary’s (longtime Philadelphia high school sports expert) records, sophomore running back Sam Brown has already vaulted himself to the fifth-best Explorer season scoring total this century. He needs 13 more touchdowns to catch Jamal Abdur-Rahman’s 2010 season. La Salle will host Archbishop Ryan on Friday night.

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