H.S. Football Wrap: Week Four

While the constant rain did not make last Friday night ideal for football, one condition did make it comfortable for Souderton.

The Indians were playing in a Suburban One League Continental Conference game.

After going 1-2 in its non-conference schedule, Souderton was able to bounce back to .500 in its Continental opener, scoring the first 21 points en route to a 34-14 road win over Central Bucks West.

“When league play comes around it’s a new season,” Souderton senior Tyler Scholl said. “And that’s how you have to look at it. It’s all in the past. Just start fresh. We’re 1-0 right now.”

Since the current eight-team SOL Continental has been together since 2008, Souderton has compiled a record of 15-7 in conference play, the second-best mark behind North Penn – which has won all 22 of its conference games following its 28-14 victory over CB South last Friday. Meanwhile, Souderton is just 5-8 in non-conference regular season games during that span.

More than half of the Indians’ Continental losses came in 2008 when they went 3-4, but Big Red has gone 13-3 since with the only defeats coming against North Penn (2009 and 2010) and Quakertown (2009).

“It’s nice. We always get rolling once it comes to our conference schedule,” Scholl said. “And one of these years we’re just going to have roll right past North Penn. It’s going to happen.”

■ North Penn’s win over CB South was its third straight over the Titans and made the Knights 5-1 in the teams’ matchup since South opened in 2004. The Titans lone victory so far in the series came in 2007 when they topped NP 41-27 to clinch the SOL National title.

Since Dick Beck became North Penn’ s coach in 2002, that loss has been the only one for the Knights against any Central Bucks team,  NP going a combined 15-1 against CB South, CB East and CB West.

North Penn hosts Central Bucks East Friday at Crawford Stadium, then welcomes in Central Bucks West on Thursday, Oct. 6.

The game with East is the Knights' first at Crawford since they defeated Downingtown East 49-33 in the District One Class AAAA quarterfinals on Nov. 19. Since then, North Penn has played three games at Plymouth Whitemarsh, two at Council Rock North and one each at Souderton and Central Bucks South.

■ Hatboro-Horsham went 0-7 in SOL Continental games last season, but the Hatters quickly ended any chance that was going to happen in 2011, rolling past CB East 40-14 in the conference opener for both teams.

Quakertown now has the longest Continental losing streak at five, with the Panthers trying to end that streak Friday in their conference opener at home against Hatboro-Horsham.

■ With St. Joseph’s Prep being blown out 42-7 by Archbishop Wood last Friday, the last five teams that have beaten North Penn have lost the week after that win.

In 2009, Ridley beat the Knights in the District One Class AAAA Final, then lost to La Salle in the state semifinals.

Last season, La Salle topped North Penn in Week 1 followed by a defeat to Bergen Catholic (N.J.). The Explorers then bested NP in the state semis, but fell to North Allegheny in the PIAA championship.

This year, La Salle again defeated North Penn in the season opener and once more lost to Bergen Catholic in Week 2.

Follow staff writer Mike Cabrey on Twitter @mpcabrey.