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This Week in Instagram: North Penn battles the elements

North Penn students withstand the rain prior to the Knights' football
game with Archbishop Wood on Sept. 8.

H.S. FOOTBALL: Ten games to watch in 2012

Dan Gavertz of North Penn runs for a large gain in first quarter of game against Souiderton on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011.  Photo by Mark C. Psoras

By MIKE CABREY

mcabrey@thereporteronline.com

The wait is finally over as the high school football season gets under way this weekend. The 2012 is full of interesting storylines, from Tom Kirk taking over as head coach of Lansdale Catholic to any team in the Suburban One League Continental Conference finding a way to knock off North Penn.

So, just as a handy guide, here are 10 games that I think are the most interesting, from early-season clashes of state heavyweights to contest that determine league titles.

WEEK 1

Friday, Aug. 31

La Salle at North Penn, 7:30 p.m.

Last time the two teams were on the field together the Knights punched their first ticket to Hershey since 2003 as they bested the Explorers 21-14 in the last year’s PIAA 4A semifinals. This will be the third straight season the two teams have met in Week 1, with La Salle winning both of those early matchups.

Saturday, Sept. 1

Lansdale Catholic vs. Prep Charter, 3:15 p.m., at Ocean City HS (N.J.)

This is less about the teams playing than the historical significance regarding Lansdale Catholic. This will be the first time in 40-plus years that Jim Algeo is not coaching the Crusaders. Game One for new coach Tom Kirk is down the shore with LC facing the Huskies of the Philadelphia Public League.

WEEK 2

Saturday, Sept. 8

North Penn at Archbishop Wood, 7 p.m., at William Tennent

The second stage of its Philadelphia Catholic League tour has North Penn heading on the road against face Wood, which was absolutely dominant in claiming the 2011 Class AAA state crown. The Vikings averaged 48.7 points per game is they won their last 13 games, including a 52-0 victory over Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg in the state championship.

The team' last meeting came in Week 1 of 2006 at Crawford Stadium with Wood coming away with a 25-18 win.

WEEK 3

Friday, Sept. 14

Souderton at Neshaminy, 7 p.m.

This is the fifth straight season the Indians and Redskins have met, with the previous for coming in Week 1. The Redskins have won the three in a row against the Indians, including a 20-13 victory last year at Heartbreak Ridge. 

A win by Souderton here would be a big boost for Big Red going into the SOL Continental schedule.

Pennridge at Council Rock South, 7 p.m., at Council Rock North

The Rams come into 2012 with some expectations, so a win on the road against the District One Class AAA finalist Golden Hawks will send the message Pennridge should be taken seriously.

A safety off a block punt provided CR South its only points as it survived Pennridge at Poppy Yoder a season ago. The Golden Hawks went on to make the District One 4A final, while the Rams won seven of their next nine.

Wissahickon at Central Bucks West, 7 p.m.

Wissahickon used a 17-play, 95-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to knock off CB West 21-14 in last year’s Week 3 SOL non-conference contest. The Bucks moved to a spread offense in trying to better their 5-6 record in 2011, while the Trojans went 7-3.

WEEK 6

Friday, Oct. 5

Souderton at Pennridge, 7 p.m.

That start of the second half is a good time for two teams looking to be at the top of the SOL Continental – and also somewhere in the district playoff picture – to meet at Poppy Yoder Field. Mike Class ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-7 Pennridge victory last season. Two years ago, the Indians own 10-7 on four-down TD in the final seconds.

Saturday, Oct. 6

Pottsgrove at Methacton, 1 p.m.

After three straight years losing to Pottsgrove by an average of 41 points, Methacton was a missed-two point conversion from taking the Falcons to overtime last season before ultimately falling 21-19.

Pottsgrove is also one of the three PAC-10 teams Methacton has not beaten since joining the conference in 2008 (Phoenixville and Perkiomen Valley are the other two).

WEEK 8

Friday, Oct. 19

North Penn at Pennridge, 7 p.m.

This is the end of a three-game home stretch that will probably determine how Pennridge finishes this seasson. Following visits from Souderton and CB South – both of which tied the Rams for second in the Continental last year – in comes the Knights, who blanked Pennridge 27-0 in the teams’ previous contest.

WEEK 10

Friday, Nov. 2

North Penn at Souderton, 7 p.m.

North Penn has dominated the rivalry since both have been in the SOL Continental, but this contest should have implications for both the conference race and the District One playoffs.

The Knights rolled 37-14 in 2011 at Crawford Stadium, yet there’s always a little more energy when NP and Big Red play in any sport.

OTHER GAMES TO WATCH: St. Joseph's Prep at North Penn (Friday, Sept. 14); Central Bucks West at Souderton (Friday, Sept. 21); Wissahickon at Upper Dublin (Friday, Sept. 21); Lansdale Catholic at Bonner-Prendergast (Saturday, Oct. 6); Central Bucks West at Central Bucks South (Friday, Nov. 2).

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2012 American Legion Mid-Atlantic Regional

2012 American Legion Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament
Winner advances to American Legion World Series

Host: West Lawn Owls website
Site: Owls Field at Ted Palka Park

View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Aug. 9
GAME 1: Brooklawn (N.J.) 6, Elkins (W.Va.) 2 STORY
GAME 2: Columbia (Md.) 3, Spring City 1 STORY
GAME 3: Stahl Post (Del.) 7, Doylestown 2 STORY STORY

Friday, Aug. 10
GAME 4: Flemington (N.J.) 6, West Lawn 5
GAME 5: Doylestown 6, Elkins 1 (Doylestown eliminated) STORY STORY
GAME 6: Spring City 17, West Lawn 1 (West Lawn eliminated) STORY
GAME 7: Brooklawn 7, Stahl Post 3

Saturday, Aug. 11
GAME 8: Flemington 10, Columbia 1
GAME 9: Spring City 6, Stahl Post 4 (Stahl Post eliminated) STORY
GAME 10: Doylestown 5, Columbia 2 (Columbia eliminated) STORY STORY
GAME 11: Brooklawn 6, Flemington 0

Sunday, Aug. 12
GAME 12: Spring City 3, Flemington 1, 11 innings, (Flemington eliminated)
GAME 13: Brooklawn 9, Doylestown 3

Monday, Aug. 13
GAME 14: Brooklawn 9, Spring City 8 (10 innings)

2012 Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament

2012 Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament
Winner, runner-up advance to Mid-Atlantic Regionals

Host: Boyertown
Site: Bears Stadium WEBSITE

View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye

Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, July 31
GAME 1: Doylestown 6, Hempfield East 3 STORY STORY
GAME 2: Ephrata 5, Wilcox 2 STORY
GAME 3: Milton 17, Penn Hills 9 STORY
GAME 4: Spring City 5, Boyertown 1 STORY

Wednesday, Aug. 1
GAME 5: Hempfield East 7, Penn Hills 3 (Penn Hills eliminated)
GAME 6: Wilcox 2, Boyertown 0 (Boyertown eliminated) STORY
GAME 7: Doylestown 11, Milton 1 (7 innings) STORY
GAME 8: Spring City 6, Ephrata 3 STORY

Thursday, Aug 2
GAME 9: Milton 4, Wilcox 2 (Wilcox eliminated) STORY
GAME 10: Hempfield East 5, Ephrata 4 (Ephrata eliminated) STORY
GAME 11: Doylestown 10, Spring City 4 STORY

Friday, Aug 3
GAME 12: Spring City 11, Milton 0 (8 innings) (Milton eliminated)
GAME 13: Doylestown 14, Hempfield East 1 (Hempfield East eliminated)

Saturday, Aug 4
GAME 14: Doylestown 8, Spring City 5 STORY

2012 PA American Legion Region 2 Tournament

2012 Pennsylvania American Legion Region 2 Tournament
Winner advances to state tournament

Site: Owls Field at Ted Palka Park (Host: West Lawn)

View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye

Saturday
Game 1: Hatfield 5, North Parkland 0 STORY
Game 2: Doylestown 11, Bath 3 STORY
Game 3: Shillington 4, Valley View 0 STORY
Game 4: Oley-Topton 7, West Lawn 2

Sunday
Game 5: North Parkland 4, Valley View 2 (Valley View eliminated) STORY
Game 6: Bath 1, West Lawn 0 (West Lawn eliminated) STORY
Game 7: Shillington 6, Hatfield 5 (10 innings) STORY
Game 8: Doylestown 6, Oley-Topton 4 STORY

Monday
Game 9: Bath 6, Hatfield 3 (Hatfield eliminated) STORY
Game 10: North Parkland 8, Oley-Topton 7 (Oley-Topton eliminated) STORY
Game 11: Doylestown, 17, Shillington 10 STORY

Tuesday
Game 12: Bath 16, Shillington 4 (Shillington eliminated) STORY
Game 13: Doylestown 6, North Parkland  5 (North Parkland eliminated) STORY

Wednesday
Game 14: Bath 5, Doylestown 0
Game 15: Doylestown 5, Bath 4 STORY

2012 Bux Mont American Legion Tournament

2012 Bux Mont American League Tournament

Thursday
Game 1: (1) Doylestown 4, (8) Perkiomen 0 STORY
Game 2: (4) Pottstown 2, (5) Plumstead 0 STORY
Game 3: (3) Pennridge 6, (6) Hatfield 5 (8 innings) STORY
Game 4: (2) Souderton 1, (7) Warrington 0 STORY

Friday
Game 5: (5) Plumstead 9, (8) Perkiomen 2 (Perkiomen eliminated) STORY
Game 6: (6) Hatfield 3, (7) Warrington 2 (Warrington eliminated) STORY
Game 7: (1) Doylestown 2, (4) Pottstown 0 STORY
Game 8: (2) Souderton 10, (3) Souderton 9 STORY

Saturday, at Memorial Stadium, Quakertown
Game 9: (3) Pennridge 10, (5) Plumstead 8 (Plumstead eliminated) STORY
Game 10: (6) Hatfield 11, (4) Pottstown 5 (Pottstown eliminated) STORY
Game 11: (1) Doylestown 6, (2) Souderton 3 STORY

Monday, at Memorial Stadium, Quakertown
Game 12: (6) Hatfield 2, (2) Souderton 1 (Souderton eliminated) STORY
Game 13: (1) Doylestown 6, (3) Pennridge 5 (Pennridge eliminated) STORY

Tuesday, at Memorial Stadium, Quakertown
Game 14: (1) Doylestown  14, (6) Hatfield 13 STORY

North Penn Softball wins District One Class AAAA Title

North Penn's Erin Maher (4) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run as Bishop Shannahan catcher Claudia Boggi (4, right) ooks away during their playoff contest  at Plymouth WhiteMarsh High School on Thursday,  May 31, 2012. Photo by Mark C Psoras.

It took 27 years, but the North Penn softball team is back on top of District One.

Trailing 1-0 after five innings, the Maidens finally got to Bishop Shanahan's Villanova-bound pitcher Kate Poppe in the sixth scoring twice in the top of the frame to win the District One Class AAA final 2-1 Thursday afternoon.

The district title is the first for the team since 1985, with the North Penn squad eventually claiming the Class AAA state title.

 Here's two video interviews follwing the Maidens' victory.

First is junior Alexa Gable, whose RBI triple tied the game at one, then scored the go-ahead run on a error on Michelle Holweger's pop up.

The next video features freshman pitcher Jackie Bilotti, who struck out three in earning the complete-game victory for North Penn

Finally, here is Maidens coach Rick Torresani on North Penn's district championship following the game.