By Dave Devlin Will this be the last round of Thanksgiving Day High School Football games for the Pioneer Athletic Conference?  I sure hope so. Many of you are aware of the fact that in this very space a few weeks ago I listed several reasons why the tradition should come to an immediate end. And as most know now, because of a new scheduling rule put in place for next season, this Thanksgiving tradition doesn’t have a turkey leg to stand on any longer. However, I am not here this week to pile on even more reasons why the tradition is no longer needed.  Instead, I am here to call for a new …

By Dave Devlin  Let’s say Pottsgrove’s 47-7 victory over Phoenixville this past Friday evening was “impressive." But then again, that description might be an understatement. Remember, this was a match-up of two Class AAA Pioneer Athletic Conference teams which were No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the District I playoff points standings coming into the game.  But long before anyone could settle into their seats for what many believed was going to be an instant classic, Pottsgrove quickly established there was a rather large gap between the two teams.  At least during the course of Friday …

By Dave Devlin Call it a “Championship Drive." How else can you describe Spring-Ford’s 11-play, 89-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter which catapulted the league leading Rams to another Pioneer Athletic Conference victory over Methacton 26-14 on Saturday afternoon? Yes, the Rams (5-0, 6-1 overall) were not playing well and their usually explosive offense was largely held in check. But the fact of the matter is that Spring-Ford was being challenged physically and they needed to make some clutch plays if they were going to get out of Fairview Village with a victory. During that …

By Dave Devlin For the second straight week, Spring-Ford put on quite a display of offensive firepower with a 45-14 dismantling of Boyertown on Friday evening. And for the second straight week, it looks as if the Rams (4-0 PAC-10, 5-1 overall) are in the driver’s seat to claim the 2011 Pioneer Athletic Conference title.  Or are they? It’s been a wacky year in PAC-10 football. And all that is known at the moment is that there are five weeks of league action left. Yes, 463 yards of total offense looked as impressive as it sounds. Sophomore Jarred Jones ran for 182 yards and three touchdowns on …

By Dave Devlin Spring-Ford head coach Chad Brubaker stated early this season he was bringing sophomore Jarred Jones along slowly and making the young running back earn his way onto the field.  After Jones put up a scintillating 207 yards on 15 carries with two scores Friday evening in Spring-Ford’s 49-35 victory over Pottsgrove, Brubaker’s tough stance was rewarded. Jones was the “X” factor in his team’s victory, which marked the first time the Rams defeated the Falcons in 12 years. His efforts came mostly in the second half after Coyne threw for 204 of his passing yards in the first half. …

By Dave Devlin Stated in this column a week earlier, the Pottsgrove Falcons had emphatically worked themselves into the discussion about which team is the favorite to win the Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) title with an explosive display of strength and skill.   On Friday evening, head coach Rick Pennypacker’s troops added a couple more words for the players, coaches and fans of PAC-10 football to use while describing the characteristics of the Falcons.  Rallying from a 12-point halftime deficit, Pottsgrove showed it has the determination and poise to challenge for a league title with …

By Dave Devlin A majority of Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) fans spent the weeks leading up to the 2011 football season wondering which team should be viewed as the clear favorite to win the league title.  That lofty perch was reserved mostly for Boyertown and Spring-Ford with Upper Perkiomen and Phoenixville entering the discussion based on veteran rosters. Pottsgrove was always mentioned in those discussions, but for decidedly different reasons.        There was plenty of evidence to suggest head coach Rick Pennypacker’s program would play no more than a supporting role in the …