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.

Whoa, this is heavy. Nike makes shoe from Back to the Future

Saw this first at iamagm.com, and while you might have to wait a few more years for power laces, it's still pretty cool. The Nike Mag, a replica of the shoe featured in Back to the Feature Part II has been made by Nike with 1500 pairs being auctioned on eBay to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

The commercial for the shoe features Kevin Durant, Saturday Night Live's Bill Hader and Doctor Emmett Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd.



And of course, the inspiration for the shoes.

Former Phillie Jim Thome hits 600th home run

Monday night, Jim Thome became just the eighth player in Major League Baseball history hit 600 career home runs when the 40-year-old slugger homered twice in the Twins' 9-6 road victory over the Tigers.

Above is the video from MLB.com. And below is another video of No. 600 from the upper decks of Comerica Park. Hard to actually see the ball leaving the yard in that one, but it does shows the fans reaction afterwards.



During his three-year stint with the Phillies from 2003-2005, Thome hit 96 home runs, which account for 16-percent of his career total. Thome's 47 homers in 2003 is tied for fourth in franchise history (Ryan Howard matched the mark in '07) while his 42 in 2004 is the ninth-most by a Phillie.

In Case You Missed It: Phillies, Giants tussle Friday night

The Phillies topped the Giants 9-2 Friday night to collect their eighth-straight victory. But the main story coming out of At&T Park was both teams clearing their benches after Giants' pitcher Ramon Ramirez hit Shane Victorino in the top of the sixth inning. If you didn't stay up to watch the West Coast action, here's video of the fracas below.



Source: Youtube
Benches clear in sixth, Phillies down Giants for 8th straight win (The Reporter)

Eagles players, Brian Dawkins, LeBron talk NFL lockout end on Twitter

Good news, America. The NFL lockout is over. No more having to wonder if we'll have to actually do something productive with our time Sundays this fall. Instead, we have those glorious afternoons to hope that this is truly the day Andy Reid finally figures out time management.

And in the spirit of the times, Twitter was the place to comment on the return of pro football. Compiled below are a few tweets from Eagles players, Brian Dawkins and LeBron James. Cause everyone needs to know what LeBron thinks.

Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok!! FOOTBALL IS BAC LET'S GET IT!! YA HEARD MEEEEH!!less than a minute ago via Echofon Favorite Retweet ReplyDesean Jackson
DeseanJackson10

Congrats to both parties on settling the lockout. Intelligent men always find ways to win!!!less than a minute ago via Echofon Favorite Retweet ReplyMike Vick
MikeVick

It's Showtime..less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyAsante Samuel
Thepresidentcb

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!!!!!!less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyStewart Bradley
StewBradley

And so it begins... #focused and #readyless than a minute ago via Echofon Favorite Retweet ReplyVictor Abiamiri
victorabiamiri

SO IT BEGINS !!!!!!!!!! #SnotBubbleCrazyEyesless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyBrian Dawkins
BrianDawkins

As of fan of the great sport of Football, I happy and excited about the 10 year deal both sides came to and upcoming football season! #hypedless than a minute ago via Echofon Favorite Retweet ReplyLeBron James
KingJames

Pennsylvania American Legion Region 2 Tournament

Host: Nor-Gwyn (norgwynbaseball.org)

Saturday, July 16
Game 1: Pennridge 16 Northern Valley 12 STORY VIDEO
Game 2: Nazareth 16, Fullerton 5 STORY (via The Morning Call)
Game 3: Boyertown 15, Bath 5 (7) STORY (via The Mercury)
Game 4: Nor-Gwyn 15, Southern Area 11 STORY VIDEO VIDEO

Sunday, July 17
Game 5: Bath 12, Northern Valley 3 (Northern Valley eliminated) STORY (via The Express-Times)
Game 6: Fullerton 9, Southern Area 6 (Southern Area eliminated) STORY (via the Republican & Herald)
Game 7: Boyertown 8, Pennridge 4 STORY
Game 8: Nazareth 3, Nor-Gwyn 1 STORY

Monday, July 18
Game 9: Pennridge 10, Fullerton 3 (Fullerton eliminated) STORY
Game 10: Bath 9, Nor-Gwyn 0 (Nor-Gwyn eliminated) STORY
Game 11: Boyertown 8, Nazareth 3 STORY (via The Mercury)

Tuesday, July 19
Game 12: Pennridge 19, Nazareth 8 (7) (Nazareth eliminated) STORY VIDEO VIDEO
Game 13: Boyertown 4, Bath 1 (Bath eliminated) STORY (via The Mercury)

Wednesday, July 20
Game 14: Boyertown 17, Pennridge 15 (Boyertown wins Region 2) STORY VIDEO VIDEO

Notes: Games 12 and 13 will not match previous opponents unless necessary. If three teams remain after Game 13, Winner of Game 11 draws bye in Game 14.

Field Location

View Hostelley Field in a larger map

2011 Bux Mont American Legion Tournament

Thursday, July 7
Game 1: (8) Nor-Gwyn 8, (1) Hatfield 7 STORY VIDEO
Game 2: (5) Pottstown 3, (4) Perkiomen 0 STORY
Game 3: (3) Warrington 7, (6) Quakertown 3
Game 4: (7) Pennridge 6, (2) Doylestown 5 (8) STORY

Friday, July 8
All games postponed to Saturday due to weather

Saturday, July 9
Game 5: (4) Perkiomen 9,  (1) Hatfield 6 (Hatfield eliminated) STORY HATFIELD VIDEO PERKIOMEN VIDEO
Game 6: (6) Quakertown 6, (2) Doylestown, 4 p.m. (Doylestown eliminated)
Game 7: (8) Nor-Gwyn 8, (5) Pottstown 3 STORY
Game 8: (7) Pennridge 1, (3) Warrington 0 STORY

Sunday, July 10 at Memorial Stadium, Quakertown
Game 9: (4) Perkiomen 10, (3) Warrington 7 (Warrington eliminated)
Game 10: (6) Quakertown 11,  (5) Pottstown 8 (Pottstown eliminated)
Game 11: (7) Pennridge 7, (8) Nor-Gwyn 1

Monday,  July 11 at Memorial Stadium, Quakertown
Game 12: (6) Quakertown 17, (8) Nor-Gwyn 10 (Nor-Gwyn eliminated) STORY VIDEO
Game 13: (7) Pennridge 16, (4) Perkiomen 5 STORY

Tuesday, July 12 at Memorial Stadium, Quakertown
Game 14: (8) Pennridge 5, (6) Quakertown 3 STORY STORY VIDEO VIDEO

What to do with Worley

By Christiaan DeFranco
@cdefranco

Psst... I have an idea: How about the Phillies KEEP Vance Worley?

I know, I know, it's a radical suggestion. Most people I've heard think the Phillies should trade him for a right-handed bat.

After all, a budding young pitcher is a hot commodity. In fact, it might be the most valuable commodity in the sport. Every team wants one, and now that the Phils are lucky enough to have one, the savvy move would be to deal him away.

Right?

Wrong.

Dead wrong.

Stupid. Idiotic. Moronic.

Even if your team has the likes of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, an old baseball truism applies: You can never have enough starting pitching.

Yet lots of Phillies fans seem to be thinking, "Eh, we have enough."

Maybe they just don't believe Worley will turn out to be anything, that he's just another prospect in a sea of prospects that come and go like the tides. Maybe they overlook the fact that he held the Red Sox — baseball's best offense — to one run in seven innings. Or that he took a no-hitter into the sixth against the A's. Or that his career ERA in the majors so far is 2.29.

I happen to think he's legit, the real deal. I've thought so since I first saw him pitch. He's got the mentality it takes to be a big-time pitcher. He's got the toughness, the fiery competitive drive, the innate maturity, the work ethic, the attention to detail, the will and the need to succeed. He belongs and he knows he belongs. When he's on the mound, it's his mound. He owns it. And if a hitter gets comfortable at the plate, Worley will zing one high and tight.

That makeup is what Roy Halladay likes about him, too. That's why Halladay has taken a special interest in him.

Halladay and I could be wrong, of course, but then it's back to the question of having enough starting pitching. Oswalt is on the DL for nobody knows how long. Joe Blanton has been on the DL since before anyone can remember. And Hamels just injured his non-throwing hand.

So, after Halladay and Lee, who's left in the rotation — Kyle Kendrick?

What if somebody else goes down?

The fact is, the Phillies need Worley. Not only does he represent their future, he is a key component of their present.

They could use a right-handed bat, but trading away Vance Worley isn't the way to get it.

Mike Cabrey visits Coca-Cola Park

Dramatic sunset pic

Once in a while, I actually do get to go to a sporting event without having to cover it. Monday was that day, as went to Allentown to catch the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs take on Charlotte Knights (the Chicago White Sox's AAA affiliate) at Coca-Cola Park. And since I have a forum to post things on the internet via this blog, I figure I'lll share a couple of picture I took at the game.

David Boreanaz, not a fan of the Mike Richards trade

Never shld of gotten rid of Mike Richards. Bad Move. Gonna hurtless than a minute ago via Echofon Favorite Retweet ReplyDavid Boreanaz
David_Boreanaz

David Boreanaz of Buffy, Angel and Bones fame and the son of former 6ABC weatherman Dave Roberts, is not too fond of the trade the Philadelphia Flyers made last Thursday that sent captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings.
Source: Twitter