High school football: Souderton stands tall in SOL Continental with experience in trenches

High school football season is upon us. Here is a look at the teams in the Suburban One League Continental and American conferences.

Continental Conference

Bensalem

Coach: Alexander Houston (3rd season)

Last year's record: 2-8

Outlook: The Owls, who have a decent mix of returning starters and first-year impact players, are counting on their offensive line to not only open holes for the backs but also to be team leaders.

Three-year starter Jake Quinlan, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound junior, senior returnees Thomas Leible (6-6, 290) and Gavin Phelan (6-5, 265) are the top offensive linemen. Senior Connor Hasson (5-7, 150) is back at receiver. Sophomore Hollis Sanders (6-2, 191) takes over at quarterback.

On defense, Quinlan and Phelan are set on the line and sophomores Aiden Mayfield (5-11, 180) and Thomas Bailey (5-10, 180) join Hasson in the secondary.

Impressive 10th-graders Mayfield and Bailey could be difference-makers on both sides of the ball. Senior punter Jaxson Dunn (6-2, 175) also returns.

Prediction: With a non-conference schedule featuring games at Central Bucks East (Sept. 1) and home against Pennridge (Sept. 8), Bensalem should have a pretty good idea where it stands heading into play in the SOL Continental Conference, where it went 1-5 a year ago. A few more wins could be in the cards this fall.

Council Rock North

Coach: John Greiner

Last year's record: 4-6

Outlook: CR North has a solid returning core, to go along with two skill-position players out for the team again, to lead the way in the SOL Continental.

Four starters — seniors Teddy Shepardson (6-3, 270), Thomas Horan (6-2, 280), Paul Esposito (6-0, 213) and junior Kyle Paris (6-0, 205) — back on the offensive line makes that unit a team strength. Senior quarterback Jackson Farley (5-11, 165) earned some reps a year ago, with senior running back Will Scibona (5-10, 185) leading CR North in catches (35) and receiving yards (513), to go along with five touchdowns. Senior running back Jack Paessler (6-0, 160) is joined by senior backs Logan Atkinson (5-10, 165) and Drew Hendricks (5-10, 165) playing for the first time since 2020.

Defensively, senior Bobby Snyder (5-9, 169), junior Gio Cozza (6-1, 175), Paessler (two interceptions) and Scibona should have the secondary covered. Shepardson, Esposito (34 tackles, two fumble recoveries in 2022) and senior Jesse Sanchez (5-8, 200) played on the line a year ago.

Cozza returns as the kicker/punter for CR North, which averaged 19 points per game last season

Prediction: Greiner's team won three of its last four to close out last fall. This season could be better if the younger players respond.

Council Rock South

Coach: C.J. Szydlik (seventh season)

Last year's record: 4-6

Outlook: The Golden Hawks have plenty of experience returning on both sides of the ball which, in turn, has optimism high entering the season. Seven starters back on offense and eight on defense will do that for a team.

Three-year starter senior running back Chase Myers (5-11, 175) and senior returning quarterback Chase Ennis (6-4, 215), a Penn State baseball commit, give the Golden Hawks a superb one-two punch.

Myers, also a defensive back, has good speed while Ennis has a strong arm and nimble feet. Two-way lineman senior Vinnie Szydlik (6-2, 230), an all-conference pick a year ago like Myers, anchors things up front.

Defensively, the Golden Hawks will be stout on the line with seniors Thomas Gallagher (6-1, 210) and Luke O'Hanlon (6-2, 260), both returning all-conference picks, leading the way. Jake Hemple (5-10, 180), also an all-conference pick, patrols the secondary and also plays wide receiver.

Prediction: The Golden Hawks can build off of last season, where they did take some lumps in going 1-3 in the final four weeks and can contend in the conference and perhaps earn a district playoff berth.

Harry S. Truman

Coach: Cordero Newkirk (1st season)

Last year's record: 2-8

Outlook: The Tigers are hoping their speed at the skill positions helps translate to an improved 2023 campaign.

Senior Marshall Kennedy (6-2, 200) is back at quarterback and senior tackle Maxx Strong (6-5, 300) anchors the offensive line. Senior Abraham Bataille (6-0, 195), junior Khalil King (6-0, 175) and sophomore Raheem Bradley (6-0, 170) return at receiver/defensive back.

Among the other returning players are senior tight end/linebacker RJ Coxx (6-0, 225) and senior two-way lineman Donato Pellegrini (6-0, 200).

Sophomore two-way lineman Pat Wojciechowski (6-4, 240), junior two-way lineman Landon Vingless (6-3, 260), junior fullback/linebacker Mohammed Toure (6-0, 200) and junior receiver/defensive back (6-1, 175) are among the players expected to handle more significant roles.

Prediction: Moving closer to a .500 record would be a solid accomplishment for Newkirk and company.

Quakertown

Coach: George Banas (14th season)

Last year's record: 6-6

Outlook: The Panthers have half of their starters back from a year ago, highlighted by six on the offensive side of the ball.

Senior quarterback Vince Micucci (6-2, 195) returns after completing 90 of 174 passes for 1,271 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago, in addition to rushing 80 times for 399 yards and four scores. Three senior starters on the line — Andrew Gansz (6-0, 225), Kendre Lopez (5-6, 215) and Brian Hendrzak (6-2, 260) — are back, along with senior receivers Max Morris (5-11, 155) and Adam Streahle (5-11, 175). Morris had 34 catches for 360 yards and three TDs last fall, while Streahle contributed 18 for 249 yards and two scores.

On defense, junior linebacker Gavin Carroll (5-8 160) led Quakertown in tackles with 63, nine of which were for loss, in 2022. Senior safety Streahle added 51 tackles and two interceptions, with senior end Anthony Ferrugio (6-3, 215) having 10 tackles for loss, including a team-high 4.5 sacks. Senior end Ed Bittner (5-11, 200) also returns. Senior cornerback Reagan Payne (6-1, 195) chipped in with two interceptions a year ago and sophomore back Brady Martin (6-0, 170) played a fair amount last fall.

The running back position remains an open competition with five players, including Carroll, Bittner and junior Aiden Whiteley (5-8, 165), in the mix. Micucci is back as the punter and several players likely to handle the kicking.

Prediction: The development of the Panthers' first-year starters and younger players should determine if they'll be a district playoff team for a third straight season.

Souderton

Coach: Ed Gallagher (21st season)

Last year's record: 9-3

Outlook: Two things you can count on in the fall — high school football and the Big Red being good at it.

And that looks to be the case again as veteran coach Ed Gallagher returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense from a team that won nine games a year ago and reached the district quarterfinals.

And those returners are spread out nicely with four offensive linemen back (seniors Ben McMackin (6-5, 255), Kahlil Williams (6-1, 245) and Aaron Miller (6-2, 265) and junior Jayden Bergey (5-11, 190), solid senior running back Ryan Sadowski (6-0, 205, 330 rushing yards last season and 13 tackles for loss at linebacker) and explosive senior receiver/defensive back Danny Dyches (6-4, 185). Dyches had 40 catches, 646 yards and five touchdowns as a junior.

Add in senior tight ends Grayson Largent (6-0, 210) and Joey Nase (6-0, 210) and a newcomer in sophomore quarterback Ben Walsh (5-11, 155) and Gallagher has plenty of options.

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Defensively, the entire line is back in seniors Aiden Elliott (5-10, 245), Alec Sprouse (5-9, 235), Evan Zettle (6-2, 205), Williams and Nase after combining for 15 sacks last season.

Senior Ryan Zuk (6-1, 165), who shared the punting and kicking chores a year ago with all-state performer Ty Quintois (now playing at East Stroudsburg), will have a full-time role this season. Zuk was a perfect 20-for-20 on extra points as a junior.

Prediction: The Big Red will be right in the mix for the conference title on the way to another district tournament appearance.

American Conference

Upper Moreland

Coach: Adam Beach (2nd season; was also UM head coach from 2005-10 and 2013-17)

Last year's record: 8-3

Outlook: The numbers say one thing while recent history says another.

First, the numbers. With only seven returning starters (five on defense and just two on offense), the first thought is that the Golden Bears will be rebuilding.

Adam Beach right where he should be: Coaching football at Upper Moreland

Recent history, though, says UM has gone a combined 39-25 over the last six seasons and made the district playoffs in five of those seasons and has been in this position before, with just a handful of starters back, and truly made the most of it.

So, what does it all mean for right now? Well, like anything, time will tell. The Golden Bears' losses to graduation hit at key spots like quarterback, running back and on both lines.

They have solid depth at wide receiver with seniors Colin Cannon (5-9, 170) and Zion Akimbo (5-10, 170) and junior Aiden Tuffy (6-1, 170) returning along with senior tight end Alex Simpson (6-0, 205). Senior Tomas Carr (5-11, 185) looks like he'll be the featured running back.

Newcomers Alex Foley (5-11, 170, junior quarterback), two-way linemen junior Jim Baker (5-11, 235) and sophomore Chase Sinclair (5-11, 190) and senior linebacker/running back Francesco Maglio (5-7, 170) will need to step up quickly.

One other thing that doesn't help the Golden Bears, especially at district playoff time, is the fact that they're the smallest-enrollment Class 5A program in District One and the 11th-smallest (out of 98 teams) in the state. Regardless, Beach always seems to find a way to success.

Prediction: In a conference with Plymouth Whitemarsh, nothing is ever easy. But it says here that the Golden Bears scrape together enough wins to get back to the postseason.

New Tennent football coach Colin Leach: 'This is somewhere I plan on being for a very long time'

William Tennent

Coach: Colin Leach

Last year's record: 1-8

Outlook: A large senior class and an expanded roster (53 on varsity/JV, 31 on freshman team) are reasons to be encouraged for a program that went 10-55 over the past seven seasons, including 1-8 last year.

The plan is to be fast-paced on offense and put the ball into the Panthers' skill-position players as much as possible. Senior receivers Stephen Cosenza (6-2, 170), Liam Gibson (5-10, 175), senior running backs Gary Miluzzo (6-0, 215), LJ Morales (6-0, 175) and sophomore quarterback Derrek Guenther (6-0, 180) are expected to play key roles, along with senior offensive linemen Connor Berry (6-2, 245), Andrew Schultz (6-3, 230) and Sean Hazlett (6-1, 235). Cosenza had 25 catches for 307 yards and three touchdowns in 2022.

On defense, Leach wants to be aggressive and effective at the line of scrimmage. Senior defensive linemen Troy Mangin (6-2, 230), Jayden Lee (6-1, 295), linebackers Miluzzo, Hazlett and defensive backs Gibson, Cosenza, junior Joey Hebling (6-1, 160) and sophomore Lorenzo Hurley (5-9, 160) should lead the way on "D."

Senior kicker/punter Kyle Flack (5-9, 165) is a four-year starter who Leach believes can be a difference-maker with his ability to convert field goals, in addition to extra points.

Prediction: Some early success would really benefit Tennent, which opens at Council Rock South (Aug. 25) and at Pennsbury (Sept. 1). The Panthers are in the six-school SOL American and capable of winning more than one conference game. Making a considerable jump from scoring 99 points (an average of 11) a year ago is essential.

This year's football schedule: Check out the season's games for Bucks County area

Drew Markol: dmarkol@theintell.com; @dmarkol; Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Council Rock squads bring experience to SOL Continental Conference