Let’s forget, for the time being, about who’s who in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Come to think of it, forget about Daniel Boone’s run in the Berks I-C, as well as Perkiomen School’s and Hill School’s futures in their respective leagues, too.

Instead, take a moment, pretend it’s the day after Thanksgiving, and come up with a Player of the Year based on who you’ve actually seen, heard of or read about in the first month of the season).

If anyone dares to have one, well, they best get out to a few more games.

One?

LOL (text message maniacs’ and chat room regulars’ acronym for “laughing out loud”). Some of us may even opt for ROFLMAO (another acronym that’s better left undefined here).

With apologies to all those unsung grunts up front who help make everyone else behind them look as good or better than they may be at times, the Player of the Year ballot is already getting pretty darn long. Actually longer at this juncture of the season than any before it, or any that even the most diehard football fan can remember.

Seriously, if you had to select just one right now, it would be downright difficult with Daniel Boone’s Zach Keeley and Jon Monteiro, Methacton’s Tim Smith, Owen J. Roberts’ Ryan Brumfield, Perkiomen School’s Abdul Smith, Perkiomen Valley’s Zach Zulli, Phoenixville’s Abdul Kelly and Anthony Nattle, Pottsgrove’s Terrell Chestnut, and Pottstown’s Ken Baker all more than deserving the selection.

Just how well Boyertown and Owen J. Roberts continue to play could mean adding their quarterbacks — David Crognale and Dan Miller — to that list, too. And there are, believe it or not, others very worthy of a spot on the ballot, but for now are buried in anonymity because of their respective team’s early season struggles.

Keeley is arguably one of the busiest and best on both sides of the ball so far. There aren’t many as versatile — or blessed with such quality versatility — as the returning all-state defensive back. And Monteiro, well, the junior quarterback is completing 68 percent of his passes, which have already accounted for 885 yards and 12 touchdowns in three games. He could, if he remains healthy, shatter practically every school, Berks County, and area passing record by season’s end.

Smith, the one from Methacton, and Brumfield were a two-man show in the open field last weekend. Both have the moves to find the grooves and score from anywhere on the field. The other Smith, from Perkiomen School, has already accepted a full ride from Rutgers, so don’t even begin to think all those big numbers and headlines are a result of playing against lesser competition.

Zulli, who broke school and PAC-10 passing records a year ago and was a near landslide winner of the Player of the Year honor, is on pace to break those marks again this season. He’s thrown for 895 yards already, but he’s added another dimension to his game — running, and running effectively when tucking it in and heading upfield.

Kelly and Nattle are arguably two of the best two-way players in the area. Kelly is playing a slew of new positions, and playing them well. Nattle, well, remember the old pickup games on that empty neighborhood lot? He’d be your first pick.

Chestnut was all-state a year ago, as a freshman no less. He plays like a senior, showing incredible poise at a new position (quarterback) and not only has that field awareness on defense but one incredible pop to his hits. And Baker, a threat to take every handoff the distance, could possibly be the one player of all previously mentioned that his team couldn’t do without.

But enough of the politicking, catch a glimpse of these fellas.

They are good. Real goooooooood.

HONORABLE

Player of the Week honors go to Perkiomen School’s Abdul Smith, who ran for 125 yards and a touchdown and completed 12 of 16 passes for another 183 yards and two scores in the Indians’ 24-14 win over George School. … Monteiro (308 yards and five touchdowns passing) and Brumfield (264 yards rushing and two touchdowns overall) are very worthy of honorable mention.

Coach of the Week honors go to Pottsgrove’s Rick Pennypacker, who guided the Falcons to a very big, come-from-behind 32-29 win over Perkiomen Valley last Friday night.

IN GOOD HANDS

Three area receivers — Boyertown’s Ty Showers, Pottsgrove’s Maika Polamalu, and Daniel Boone’s Josh Ortiz — aren’t having a whole lot of passes thrown their way this season. But the ones that are usually end up in the end zone.

Showers has caught just four tosses, and they only add up to 44 yards, but all four have resulted in touchdowns for the Bears. Polamalu has pulled in a couple of short flips out of the backfield and turned both into identical 37-yard touchdowns. Ortiz has three receptions and taken two of them into the end zone. Ortiz, incidentally, is averaging 52 yards per catch.

MILESTONES AND MORE

Zulli went over the 4,000-yard career mark last Friday night and moved up to the No. 2 spot on the area’s chart. Zulli, now at 4,198, passed Upper Perkiomen graduate Jeff Moyer (4,161) and trails only Daniel Boone graduate Chris Bokosky (5,297). Zulli also has 48 career touchdown passes.

Owen J. Roberts on Saturday became the fourth team in the Pioneer Athletic Conference to reach 100 wins in league play. Phoenixville needs two more to become the fifth. … Last Friday night, Upper Perkiomen moved over the .500 mark (49-48-1) in PAC-10 games at home with the win over Pottstown.

BIG NUMBERS

Owen J. Roberts’ 563 yards of offense last Saturday at Methacton was the fourth-highest total in PAC-10 history. Penalties erased another 39 yards, which would have pushed that figure beyond the league record — 585 yards, set by Upper Perkiomen in 2003 — and enabled the Wildcats to become the first team to go over the 600-yard mark.

The Wildcats did get in the record book, though, breaking the marks for running plays (65) and total plays (76) in a PAC-10 game.

DAILY DOUBLE

Phoenixville’s 28-0 win at St. Pius X was the 550th in the history of its program, which kicked off in 1894. It also lifted the Phantoms back over the .500 mark (98-97-1) in Pioneer Athletic Conference play.

Norristown (615) and Coatesville (603) are the only District 1 schools with more wins than Phoenixville, whose total is among the Top 50 in Pennsylvania.

STILL INTACT

It didn’t take long for Pottsgrove to get rolling offensively last Friday night and extend its string of games without being shutout to 51. The Falcons, who haven’t been blanked on the board since a 47-0 loss to Pottstown back in Week Five of the 2002 season, are now within six games of tying their own PAC-10 record (57 games). Spring-Ford currently owns the PAC-10’s second-longest active streak (48 games).

REAL OFFENSIVE

Think Dave Bodolus knows a thing or two about offense? Since he took over the Daniel Boone program in 2003, the Blazers have yet to be shut out in the 62 games he’s been on the sidelines. His teams have been limited to one touchdown in just five of those 62 games.

This weekend is the second round of the annual Pioneer Athletic Conference football fight … just the second round. Perkiomen Valley’s Scott Reed is well aware of that, so is Pottsgrove’s Rick Pennypacker.

So forgive the ol’ fellas if they don’t think their teams can deliver a knockout blow tonight.

Yes, both Perkiomen Valley and Pottsgrove have been mentioned over and over as the PAC-10 heavyweights this season. Yes, both punched their way to wins over credible challengers a week ago. And, yes, as long as they stay healthy, both have the ability to poke, prod and punch their way through the next – or final – seven rounds of the regular season.

So, yes, the Vikings and Falcons absolutely want to knock each other off their collective feet tonight.

But they’re also well aware that the bell rings again next week, the week after that, the week after that… all the way through the first weekend in November, then one final time Thanksgiving morning.

“Our team, and that includes every one of the players as well as all the coaches, know that whoever we play each week is the biggest game of the season,” Reed said. “That never changes. We prepare for the team we’re playing that week, and we prepare for it as the biggest game of the season.”

“This is like any other game for us,” Pennypacker added. “Yes, Perkiomen Valley is very good and, yes, this is a very big game. But all it means right now is that one of us gets a leg up on the other by being 2-0. Don’t forget, there are still a lot of games left to play.”

Though neither would admit it, Reed and Pennypacker probably spent a few extra hours with their defensive coordinators.

Understandably so.

The Vikings, who have been quite generous defensively – allowing 120 points in their first three games – will have to deal with Pottsgrove’s much-improved heavyweights up front and quick-as-lightning lightweights behind them. Quarterback Terrell Chestnut, as well as fullback Preston Hamlette and tailback Maika Polamalu, can flat out fly. Chestnut has gone 76, 61 and 77 yards for three of his five touchdowns; Hamlette went 94 yards for one score; and Polamalu, in addition to a 37-yard reception that ended in the end zone, shuffled through the defense for 63 yards and a touchdown that put last week’s bout with Phoenixville out of reach.

“(Pottsgrove) has a lot of marquee football players,” Reed said. “They have talent. They can move the ball, and they can score.”

Don’t think it’ll be any easier for Pottsgrove’s defense, either, because Perkiomen Valley lines up with one of the area’s most balanced – or most dangerous, if you prefer – offenses.

Lynwood Snowden, who showcased his speed in both the 100 and 200 meters during last spring’s PAC-10 Track and Field Championships, brought a kickoff back 90 yards in the season-opener, has run for four touchdowns and caught a pass for another. In other words, he’s a concern every time he touches the football. So is quarterback Zach Zulli – The Mercury’s Player of the Year last season – who has peppered opposing secondaries by completing 64 percent of this attempts for 671 yards and seven touchdowns – four going to Paul Thomas.

“They can score, and they can score in bunches,” Pennypacker said of the Vikings. “Zulli is one of the best high school quarterbacks I’ve seen in a long time, and with all the formations and all the motion they show you, you can’t afford any mental mistakes. Seriously, we could get blown out if we’re not careful in this one.”

Even though Pennypacker will go with an incredible number of underclassmen tonight – eight sophomores and nine juniors among the 22 lining up on both sides of the ball – Reed still sees the overall makeup of the Falcons’ youth movement.

“People have a tendency to think about running backs and receivers when you talk about speed, but Pottsgrove’s defense is very fast,” Reed said. “They get to the football very quickly, and that’s from all positions.

“They’ll be a big challenge for us. They’re very aggressive, and they fly to the football.”

* * *

Zulli needs just 26 yards passing tonight to become the area’s third quarterback to reach the 4,000-yard career mark. The others were Upper Perkiomen’s Jeff Moyer (4,161) and Daniel Boone’s Chris Bokosky (5,297). … The Falcons had beaten Perkiomen Valley seven straight times before falling 35-7 last year in Graterford.

BUSTIN’ IN BERKS

Daniel Boone, coming off what was unquestionably one of head coach Dave Bodolus’ most disturbing defeats – 48-47 in overtime to winless Columbia – opens its Inter-County League Section One card tonight against visiting Twin Valley.

The Blazers put up 440 yards and those 47 points against Columbia, so it wasn’t like they really missed quarterback Jon Monteiro, who was sidelined with a thigh bruise. Monteiro is expected to be back tonight, and Bodolus hopes the defense comes back, too. And not the defense that surrendered 451 yards and 48 points last Saturday night.

Twin Valley moved up from Section Two to Section One this season, the program’s 13th since opening up back in 1996 under former Owen J. Roberts standout Tim Kier.

PROFILE OF COURAGE

Perkiomen School’s visit to George School on Saturday will feature two outstanding quarterbacks – the Indians’ Abdul Smith and the hosts’ Justin Cancelliere.

Cancelliere, who like Smith also lines up in the secondary and returns kicks, has shown remarkable courage since losing almost his entire family in a plane crash midway through his freshman year. His mother, stepfather, three sisters and the family babysitter were killed when their plane crashed while attempting to land in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Cancelliere was actually supposed to accompany them on the flight, which originated out of Trenton, N.J., but he instead decided to stay at his father’s home to enjoy Super Bowl weekend.

“You’ve just got to keep your head up,” Cancelliere told the Bucks County Courier Times last month. “A lot of times it’s, “Ah, I feel like quitting. Why am I here?’ You ask why, but you need to look past that and think, ‘You’re still alive. You need to make your family proud. You’re living their legacy.’

“You’re the only left to represent your family, so you’ve got to represent them well and stay positive.”

Cancelliere plays three sports and is an excellent baseball player.

MILESTONES AND MORE

Pottstown was 48-48-1 at home in PAC-10 games before winning last week’s outing with visiting St. Pius X. Upper Perkiomen is 48-48-1 at home in PAC-10 games going into tonight’s game with the Trojans. Both teams will be looking to take the lead in their PAC-10 series, which is currently deadlocked at 11-11. The Indians will also be playing the 600th game in the history of their program, which kicked off in 1952 following the jointure of neighboring East Greenville and Pennsburg high schools. … Owen J. Roberts, which picked up some well-earned respect with last week’s decision over Upper Perkiomen, goes for its 100th Pioneer Athletic Conference win Saturday afternoon against Methacton, which is looking for its first.

DISTRICT BIGGIES

North Penn, No. 2 in the state and 3-0, hosts Central Bucks South (2-1), while No. 9 Neshaminy (2-1) entertains unbeaten Abington (3-0) in a pair of quality AAAA matchups. … An undefeated pairing has AAAA Upper Dublin (3-0) at AAA Upper Moreland (3-0). …Two other games – Garnet Valley (3-0) at Strath Haven (2-1) and Conestoga (2-1) at Ridley (3-0) – will also go a long way in setting up the early playoff points standings.

STATELY NOTES

Beaver Falls, Dunmore and Jeannette occupy the top three spots, respectively, in the state’s Class AA rankings. Former No. 1 West Catholic dropped to No. 4 after being upset 27-26 by La Salle College High School. Jeannette is the only team in the state that has yet to be scored on. The Jayhawks have blanked East Allegheny (43-0), Brownsville (41-0) and South Allegheny (45-0), and could make it four in a row at Waynesburg (1-2) tonight. … In Class AAA, No. 2 Erie Strong Vincent (3-0) travels across town tonight to take on No. 5 Erie Cathedral Prep (2-1). … McKeesport, which dropped a narrow 14-7 outing to powerful Colerain, Ohio, in its opener, jumped five spots to No. 3 in the AAAA state rankings behind No. 2 North Penn and No. 1 Gateway. The Tigers picked Plum apart 55-0 two weeks ago. Last Friday night, they took a 48-0 lead after one quarter and scored on eight of their first 14 plays from scrimmage en route to a 67-7 laugher over Connellsville. McKeesport and Gateway, by the way, meet in their WPIAL Foothills Conference final on Oct. 24. … If defense isn’t your thing, how about unranked William Penn High out in York? The Bearcats lead the state in scoring (167 points) after three romps over Reading (49-13), Lancaster McCaskey (57-20) and Susquehannock (61-10).

One week, or one game, a season does not make. But after Mother Nature stretched the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s opening night into an opening weekend, there was a wee bit of separation.

In other words, and beyond the obvious deduction that there were five winners and five losers, a few teams stepped to the forefront, earned some respect and established themselves as contenders for a PAC-10 title … while others, though in no way out of anything after just one week, slipped significantly.

Yes, Perkiomen Valley and Pottsgrove – two of the teams a lot of fans early on felt were heads (or helmets) above everyone else – rebounded from their own puzzling preseasons with big wins.

The Vikings put together another one of those offensive surges that helped them to a share of the title a year ago. This time, their 27-point burst not only ended a 14-14 struggle but burst Spring-Ford’s bubble. And Pottsgrove, like it has so often in the past, showcased a stingy defense that has kept the Falcons in game after game after game, or just long enough until a big play or two provides the differential.

And a couple of very long, second half runs into the end zone – and 77 and 63 yards certainly qualify as long – were about the only disparities between them and Phoenixville.

Two other teams, two who weren’t popping up on the championship run radar screens that is, produced a few blips last weekend, though.

Boyertown, which had lost eight straight games dating back to last season – including a pair of easily forgotten meetings with longtime Berks County rivals Muhlenberg and Governor Mifflin to kick off this season – used a turnover happy defense to set up short field after short field opportunities for the offense. The Bears converted, and turned their 31-0 blitz wasn’t exactly what Methacton had in mind, let alone expected, for its long-awaited PAC-10 debut. And Owen J. Roberts showed, to many of their own fans’ surprise, a productive defense, too. The Wildcats came up with five turnovers, one of which returned a dividend of six points by itself, to disarm what is expected to be a destructive Upper Perkiomen offense and underline a 28-14 victory.

And while a few fanatics would prefer to call Pottstown’s blowout of St. Pius X a mismatch to begin with, well, not necessarily. The Trojans were ailing in the preseason, but few realized just how well they did play against an Upper Dublin team (33-12 loss) that has humbled everyone thus far. But they were healthy for the first time last weekend, especially up front, and that may have had as much if not more to do with what they did than what Pius didn’t do.

But Week One’s five winners and five losers, as good, bad or indifferent as they may have been in victory and defeat, are back at it again this weekend … and all have the opportunity to reassure – or restore – their championship hopes.

It only gets more and more interesting.

HONORABLE

Player of the Week honors go to Perkiomen Valley quarterback Zach Zulli, who hit on 17 of 19 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 92 yards and two more scores in the Vikings’ 47-21 victory over Spring-Ford.

Coach of the Week honors go to Boyertown’s Mark Scisly, who came up with a daily double – his first Pioneer Athletic Conference win and his first win as the Bears’ head coach – in the 31-0 shutout of Methacton.

MIXED RESULTS

If there was a Hero of the Week honor it would surely go to Kevin Manferdini and his entire Perkiomen School football team. Manferdini had just 15 players on the field for last Friday night’s season opener at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Del. Despite the limited personnel, the Indians were within a touchdown of their hosts going into the fourth quarter before falling, 28-14.

The Hill School had to wait until Sunday to open its 122th season, and did impressively with a 32-8 romp over Germantown Academy. The Rams could very well contend for a Mid-Atlantic Prep League title and, with eight games still remaining on their card, have a legitimate shot at the five more wins they need to reach the program’s milestone 500th win.

FIZZLED

To say Daniel Boone head coach Dave Bodolus was one unhappy camper after Saturday night’s overtime loss to Columbia would be, well, leave it at that.

The Blazers were averaging close to 450 yards and 40 points and allowing only 160 yards and seven points after two season-opening blowouts. So when winless Columbia, which had little if anything to shout about – especially after surrendering nearly 600 yards and 61 points the previous week – appeared on the schedule, Bodolus and his Blazers had to be drooling.

Well, as Bodolus pointed out after the shocking setback, the Blazers forgot to tackle. Even though quarterback Jon Monteiro sat on the sidelines with an injury, the Blazers produced 440 yards of offense. Zach Keeley and Nate Greene both ran over the 100-yard mark. Bodolus’ own son stepped in and was quite commendable in completing 10 of 18 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.

They scored 47 points for goodness sakes.

“(But) we tackled like a bunch of little leaguers,” Bodolus said.

Which may explain why Columbia’s Dakota Lightfoot needed just 23 carries to pile up 330 yards and five touchdowns. The first four scores covered 95, 67, 21 and 72 yards. The last one was a simple 10-yarder right smack up the middle, but it came on the first snap of overtime and, with the extra-point, was enough to stun Bodolus, the Blazers and their faithful following.

PASSING IT ALONG

Boyertown quarterback David Crognale is now within 309 yards of hitting the 5,000-yard mark in career total offense. Crognale has run for 1,631 yards and passed for 3,060, giving him 4,691 overall. … PV’s Zach Zulli is closing in on the 4,000-yard mark in career passing. Zulli has 3,974 – and 45 touchdown passes – going into this Friday’s game at Pottsgrove.

PACing THE NUMBERS

Owen J. Roberts visits Methacton on Saturday looking for its 100th Pioneer Athletic Conference win since joining the league in 1988. … Phoenixville’s loss to Pottsgrove last week evened the Phantoms’ overall PAC-10 record at 97-97-1. … Boyertown’s shutout of Methacton last Saturday night was the 200th shutout in the PAC-10. … Pottsgrove has now gone 50 straight league games without being shut out, matching the league’s third-longest streak. The Falcons are getting closer to its own PAC-10 record of 57 in a row (1988-1994). … Some PAC-10 win milestones from last week – Pottsgrove’s Rick Pennypacker got his 110th, Owen J. Roberts’ Tom Barr got his 55th, and Perkiomen Valley’s Scott Reed got his 20th. … Like last week’s tie-breaker between Spring-Ford and Perkiomen Valley, Pottstown and Upper Perkiomen are 11-11 in their PAC-10 series going into Friday night’s meeting in Red Hill. The game will also be the 600th in the history of Upper Perkiomen’s football program, which began in 1952.

The word old can get, well, old at times. Heck, most of us don’t even have a clue what old is. But we’ll use it, use it again and use it some more to emphasize something we say or underline something we write.

Youngsters think 20 is old. Teenagers think 30 is old. And no matter what age we are or get to, our parents will always be old.

Whatever.

You want old? Well, the Germantown Academy and The Hill School football programs sure are, and forget the clichés.

The oldest and one of the five second-oldest active programs in all of Pennsylvania will get together at noon today. And like those fellas who first lined up for their schools well over 100 years ago, the Patriots and Rams will be just as keyed up, fired up, and wound up for the matinee.

Germantown Academy — the nation’s oldest nonsectarian day school when it was founded as Germantown Union School back in 1759 — waited for 127 years to kick off its first football season. But when it did, in 1886 to be exact, the Patriots were literally ahead of their time. No others, at least organized programs, were known to have existed that fall.

The following year, though, that all changed. Hill, along with the Central High School Lancers in Philadelphia, and prep schools Episcopal Academy, Haverford School, and William Penn Charter, were playing with the pigskin. So were Harrisburg Central and Harrisburg Academy high schools in the state capital.

But Hill head coach Marty Vollmuth didn’t care at all about how old his or any other school is when he sat down Monday night to draw up a game plan for the Rams’ season debut today against the Patriots. Vollmuth’s mind was on the playbook — all those Xs and Os in his offensive and defensive schemes — not the history book.

“We’re going to have to play a good football game to beat (GA),” Vollmuth said matter-of-factly.

Vollmuth, in his sixth season as the Rams head coach, has eight starters back on offense and six on defense. He has a very good quarterback in Patrick Flanagan, who started the last three games a year ago. But Royce Brown has shown considerable promise in the preseason, or enough to leave Vollmuth undecided as to exactly who would be out there calling the signals today. Whoever takes the snaps will likely be handing off a lot to Eric Davidheiser or throwing to Brendan Kelly.

“We have to get the ball in their hands,” Vollmuth said of Davidheiser and Kelly. “We want that one-two punch.”

Where the Rams should get a solid punch is in front of them, with returning linemen Jay Knighton (6-2, 250) at center, George Cornelson (6-1, 210) at guard, and John Alexander (6-4, 255) at tackle. The defense, especially with Knighton and Alexander lined up around nose guard Chris Katerianskis (6-1, 295), has some experience delivering a punch, too. And post-grad Kees Nordin (6-4, 210), a Kentucky native, is a welcome addition at linebacker alongside Davidheiser.

Defense will be Vollmuth’s main concern, at least when Germantown Academy has the football.

The Patriots, under third-year head coach Luke Harris, have a pair of big boys themselves on the offensive front in co-captains Ian Hillman (6-5, 227) and Pete Weindorfer (6-2, 233). Behind them is an explosive tandem in quarterback Pete Haines (6-3, 195), who showed his ability to run as well as throw the ball throughout Monday’s game over Cardinal Dougherty, and running back Lamont Jackson, a swift afoot sophomore who piled up 137 yards and two touchdowns in the 22-7 rout.

“We’re going to have to play plenty of good defense to contain (Jackson),” Vollmuth said.

And if the Rams happen to come up with big stop after big stop, and big play after big play when they have the football in their hands, that won’t ever get old for Vollmuth.

Despite having two of the oldest football programs in the state and being situated within an hour’s drive of one another, the Rams and Patriots haven’t played one another in nine years. The two schools have met just 27 times, with Germantown Academy holding an 18-9 lead in the series. Hill won the first meeting, 26-0, in 1945, while GA won the last meeting, 56-0, in 1999. The other 25 games were played in successive seasons from 1970 through 1994. … Germantown Academy’s annual game with William Penn Charter is believed to be the state’s oldest continuous football rivalry, which this season celebrates its 122nd anniversary. … Hill’s season-ending meeting with Lawrenceville this season will mark its 112th anniversary. … Last season, GA running back Reed Marko broke the Philadelphia City record for yards rushing in a game when he carried 37 times for 453 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-26 romp over East Pennsboro of District 3. … Germantown Academy is part of the Inter-Ac League, the nation’s oldest interscholastic athletic conference. The school has won 17 league titles, the first in 1911 and the last in 2004.

Most area fans are aware of Hill’s long list of notable alumni — among them former Secretary of State James Baker, Kansas City Chiefs’ founder Lamar Hunt, Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone, Pan Am founder Juan Trippe, a couple of Olympic gold medalists (Sabin Carr and William Porter), and a handful of sons of famous fathers by the names of Firestone, Patton, and Trump. Germantown Academy long list includes a couple of former Olympians (Maddy Crippen and David Wharton) and former professional athletes (Mark Nori in the NFL, Mike Richter in the NHL, and Alvin Williams in the NBA), as well as former Phillies owner Connie Mack Jr., and controversial but Hall of Fame tennis star Bill Tilden.

But arguably the most familiar name on the GA graduate chart is Owen Josephus Roberts — Class of 1891 — who Owen J. Roberts High School is named after. Roberts was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Herbert Hoover in 1930 and served for 15 years, or until his retirement in 1945.

It’s never been too awfully difficult to figure out who’s who in Pioneer Athletic Conference football. Old fashion research – like checking team rosters from the previous year to see who’s coming back and who isn’t, a few off-the-record (of course) chats with coaches and players, and peeking in on summer practices as well as a scrimmage here and there – more often than not separates the good from the, dare we say it, not so good.

This season?

Let’s see, put ’em all in alphabetical order – Boyertown, Methacton, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville, Pottsgrove, Pottstown, St. Pius X, Spring-Ford and Upper Perkiomen. Reverse the order if you’d like. Scribble the names of all those teams on a slip of paper, them into a hat, give it a flip-flop, and empty ’em on the kitchen table.

Go ahead.

Just don’t dare claim to have an answer as to who is going to be on top of the standings when the show ends around noon Thanksgiving Day.

Quite simply, the 23rd season of PAC-10 football kicks off this evening with more uncertainty than any before it.

All that research, at least a few months of it, hasn’t revealed any clues. And as ridiculous as it may sound, coaches – a good number of them at least – have mentioned upwards of seven teams they personally feel are capable of winning the title. Most admitted their respective scrimmages were up-and-down (inconsistent, or good and bad, as some mumbled). And after two weeks of non-league tests, no one is exactly gushing over their preseason report cards.

A few fanatics from around the football neighborhood have already put their collective feet over the chin strap, under the facemask and squarely into their mouths by claiming this could be a bad season for the PAC-10.

But, in all likelihood, because of the uncertainty – or dare we say parity – it may very well unfold as one of the best.

The opening-night card isn’t going to tilt this season’s seemingly level playing field, mind you. Not yet, at least. And it isn’t going to reveal any unconquerable, goliath-like lineup(s), either. One week, or one game, a season doesn’t make.

But it sure is a good one. Five games, five legitimate toss-ups … and most of them have their own interesting storylines.

The headliner, if there is indeed one, is Methacton’s visit to Boyertown. The Warriors are making their Pioneer Athletic Conference football debut and, naturally, would like to make a good first impression. The Bears are thinking otherwise, of course. They’d like nothing more than to end an eight-game losing streak that dates back to last season, give new head coach Mark Scisly his first win, and give the Warriors a loss to dwell on during the long bus ride back to Fairview Village.

Phoenixville and Pottsgrove will both attempt to right their respective ships after splitting their two non-league games. Each team has a potential Player of the Year, the Phantoms with Anthony Nattle and the Falcons with Terrell Chestnut, both of whom strut their stuff on both sides of the ball. And even though it doesn’t play into anything, keep the number 550 in mind – this is the 550th game in the history of Pottsgrove’s program, and Phoenixville is looking for the 550th win in the history of its storied program.

St. Pius X will take a short hike over to Pottstown and, for the first time in five years, look for a win in its PAC-10 opener. George Parkinson, the first head coach with three consecutive seasons on the Lions’ sidelines since Dave Bodolus (1995-2001), and the Lions had last week off. But don’t think they lost any of the enthusiasm or confidence from their impressive opening-night shutout of Simon Gratz down in Philadelphia. The Trojans, meanwhile, are expected to be a little healthier than they were against both Blue Mountain and Upper Dublin. And they also have Kenny Baker, another genuine Player of the Year candidate, who can break a game wide open all by himself with his quickness and speed.

Spring-Ford and Perkiomen Valley meet in Graterford to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a series that has become as good a rivalry as there is locally. It’s also a series that has gone in reverse since Spring-Ford dominated the early meetings (by taking seven of its first eight PAC-10 wins by shutouts and four more in consecutive seasons – 1990-93). Perkiomen Valley has won eight of the last nine meetings, though. Both struggled the past two weeks, but both have two of the area’s top quarterbacks. The Rams have Trevor Sasek, who is threatening to rewrite the school’s record book, and the Vikings have Zach Zulli, who is threatening to rewrite the school’s and area’s record books.

And the final entry on the PAC-10 card has Upper Perkiomen at Owen J. Roberts, perhaps the two teams with as much to prove as anyone tonight. The Indians were nearly flawless in a rout of Allentown Allen and totally outplayed at Downingtown West. OJR got burnt by big plays against Downingtown West, then came up with their own to singe West Chester East. Indians head coach Keith Leamer hasn’t lost any of his five games against OJR, but will have to deal with two of the league’s best linemen in the Wildcats’ Sam Morgan and Nelson Munoz and two of the league’s most promising underclassmen in Ryan Brumfield and Scott Syrek.

MORE, MORE, MORE

Daniel Boone, the area’s only 2-0 team, is at home tonight for the first time this season and entertains Columbia – a team that gave up 576 yards and 61 points in a loss to York Suburban last weekend. If that trend continues, the stat-fanats may need a calculator to add up Nate Greene’s yardage on the ground and quarterback Jon Monteiro’s yardage through the air.

Perkiomen School finally kicks off its season tonight at Tower Hill down in Wilmington, Del. Head coach Kevin Manferdini can ill afford any injuries this season because of lower numbers in camp. He has two promising senior guards in Eric Pfeiffer and Robert Faraco, who’ll lead a charge up front for Abdul Smith, who has already committed to Rutgers University and is, without doubt, as good a candidate for Player of the Year honors as anyone.

SUNDAY SPECIAL

The Hill School will be the area’s last team to step onto the field this season. The Blues’ scheduled matinee for today against visiting Germantown Academy was pushed back to noon Sunday. The change was agreed upon by both schools after GA’s opener with Cardinal Dougherty got washed out Saturday night and, because of scheduling conflicts, was pushed back to Monday afternoon.

See Sunday’s edition of The Mercury for a preview of the Blues’ opener.

DISTRICT FEATURES

Three big games on the District 1 docket tonight feature Pennsbury (2-0) at Glen Mills (2-0) and Strath Haven (1-1) at Conestoga (2-0), while the showcase event is St. Joseph’s Prep (2-0) visiting North Penn (2-0). The teams are ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the state’s AAAA division. There are a couple more interesting matchups on Saturday, too, with Quakertown (2-0) visiting Cheltenham (2-0) and Henderson (2-0) traveling to Malvern Prep (1-0).

AROUND THE STATE

West Wayne ended the state’s longest active losing streak at 41 games last weekend with a 21-6 win over Susquehanna Community. The Wildcats, who compete in the District 2-Class AAA bracket, hadn’t won a game since Nov. 7, 2003. Going into tonight’s games, Montgomery (District 4-A) and Allegheny-Clarion Valley (District 9-AA) own the state’s longest active losing streak at 24. … On the flip side, defending Class AA state champion Jeannette (District 7), which has swept 18 straight games, boasts the longest active winning streak in Pennsylvania. District 6-AA power Tyrone has won 34 consecutive regular-season games since a narrow 7-6 setback to Phillipsburg-Osceola four years ago.

CELEBRITY GAME

There were a few famous faces in the stands last week when Oaks Christian put a 35-7 thumping on Bakersfield Christian out in California. Former San Francisco 49er quarterback and Hall of Famer Joe Montana was there to watch his son, Oaks Christian quarterback Nick Montana. Seated nearby was NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Getzky and Hollywood star Will Smith, both keeping an eye on their sons who play for OC as well. On the other side of the field, former No. 1 NFL draft pick and journeyman quarterback David Carr was watching his son, Derek Carr, who was calling the signals for Bakersfield Christian.

It's never been too awfully difficult to figure out who's who in Pioneer Athletic Conference football. Old-fashioned research - like checking team rosters from the previous year to see who's coming back and who isn't, a few off-the-record (of course) chats with coaches and players, and peeking in on summer practices as well as a scrimmage here and there - more often than not separates the good from the, dare we say it, not so good.

This season?

Let's see, put 'em all in alphabetical order - Boyertown, Methacton, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville, Pottsgrove, Pottstown, St. Pius X, Spring-Ford and Upper Perkiomen. Reverse the order if you'd like. Scribble the names of all those teams on a slip of paper, them into a hat, give it a flip-flop, and empty 'em on the kitchen table.

Go ahead.

Just don't dare claim to have an answer as to who is going to be on top of the standings when the show ends around noon Thanksgiving Day.

Quite simply, the 23rd season of PAC-10 football kicks off this evening with more uncertainty than any before it.

All that research, at least a few months of it, hasn't revealed any clues. And as ridiculous as it may sound, coaches - a good number of them at least - have mentioned upwards of seven teams they personally feel are capable of winning the title. Most admitted their respective scrimmages were up-and-down (inconsistent, or good and bad, as some mumbled). And after two weeks of non-league tests, no one is exactly gushing over their preseason report cards.

A few fanatics from around the football neighborhood have already put their collective feet over the chin strap, under the facemask and squarely into their mouths by claiming this could be a bad season for the PAC-10.

But, in all likelihood, because of the uncertainty - or dare we say parity - it may very well unfold as one of the best.

The opening-night card isn't going to tilt this season's seemingly level playing field, mind you. Not yet, at least. And it isn't going to reveal any unconquerable, goliath-like lineup(s), either. One week, or one game, a season doesn't make.

But it sure is a good one. Five games, five legitimate toss-ups ... and most of them have their own interesting storylines.

The headliner, if there is indeed one, is Methacton's visit to Boyertown. The Warriors are making their Pioneer Athletic Conference football debut and, naturally, would like to make a good first impression. The Bears are thinking otherwise, of course. They'd like nothing more than to end an eight-game losing streak that dates back to last season, give new head coach Mark Scisly his first win, and give the Warriors a loss to dwell on during the long bus ride back to Fairview Village.

Phoenixville and Pottsgrove will both attempt to right their respective ships after splitting their two non-league games. Each team has a potential Player of the Year, the Phantoms with Anthony Nattle and the Falcons with Terrell Chestnut, both of whom strut their stuff on both sides of the ball. And even though it doesn't play into anything, keep the number 550 in mind - this is the 550th game in the history of Pottsgrove's program, and Phoenixville is looking for the 550th win in the history of its storied program.

St. Pius X will take a short hike over to Pottstown and, for the first time in five years, look for a win in its PAC-10 opener. George Parkinson, the first head coach with three consecutive seasons on the Lions' sidelines since Dave Bodolus (1995-2001), and the Lions had last week off. But don't think they lost any of the enthusiasm or confidence from their impressive opening-night shutout of Simon Gratz down in Philadelphia. The Trojans, meanwhile, are expected to be a little healthier than they were against both Blue Mountain and Upper Dublin. And they also have Kenny Baker, another genuine Player of the Year candidate, who can break a game wide open all by himself with his quickness and speed.

Spring-Ford and Perkiomen Valley meet in Graterford to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a series that has become as good a rivalry as there is locally. It's also a series that has gone in reverse since Spring-Ford dominated the early meetings (by taking seven of its first eight PAC-10 wins by shutouts and four more in consecutive seasons - 1990-93). Perkiomen Valley has won eight of the last nine meetings, though. Both struggled the past two weeks, but both have two of the area's top quarterbacks. The Rams have Trevor Sasek, who is threatening to rewrite the school's record book, and the Vikings have Zach Zulli, who is threatening to rewrite the school's and area's record books.

And the final entry on the PAC-10 card has Upper Perkiomen at Owen J. Roberts, perhaps the two teams with as much to prove as anyone tonight. The Indians were nearly flawless in a rout of Allentown Allen and totally outplayed at Downingtown West. OJR got burnt by big plays against Downingtown West, then came up with their own to singe West Chester East. Indians head coach Keith Leamer hasn't lost any of his five games against OJR, but will have to deal with two of the league's best linemen in the Wildcats' Sam Morgan and Nelson Munoz and two of the league's most promising underclassmen in Ryan Brumfield and Scott Syrek.

MORE, MORE, MORE

Daniel Boone, the area's only 2-0 team, is at home tonight for the first time this season and entertains Columbia - a team that gave up 576 yards and 61 points in a loss to York Suburban last weekend. If that trend continues, the stat-fanats may need a calculator to add up Nate Greene's yardage on the ground and quarterback Jon Monteiro's yardage through the air.

Perkiomen School finally kicks off its season tonight at Tower Hill down in Wilmington, Del. Head coach Kevin Manferdini can ill afford any injuries this season because of lower numbers in camp. He has two promising senior guards in Eric Pfeiffer and Robert Faraco, who'll lead a charge up front for Abdul Smith, who has already committed to Rutgers University and is, without doubt, as good a candidate for Player of the Year honors as anyone.

SUNDAY SPECIAL

The Hill School will be the area's last team to step onto the field this season. The Blues' scheduled matinee for today against visiting Germantown Academy was pushed back to noon Sunday. The change was agreed upon by both schools after GA's opener with Cardinal Dougherty got washed out Saturday night and, because of scheduling conflicts, was pushed back to Monday afternoon.

See Sunday's edition of The Mercury for a preview of the Blues' opener.

DISTRICT FEATURES

Three big games on the District 1 docket tonight feature Pennsbury (2-0) at Glen Mills (2-0) and Strath Haven (1-1) at Conestoga (2-0), while the showcase event is St. Joseph's Prep (2-0) visiting North Penn (2-0). The teams are ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the state's AAAA division. There are a couple more interesting matchups on Saturday, too, with Quakertown (2-0) visiting Cheltenham (2-0) and Henderson (2-0) traveling to Malvern Prep (1-0).

AROUND THE STATE

West Wayne ended the state's longest active losing streak at 41 games last weekend with a 21-6 win over Susquehanna Community. The Wildcats, who compete in the District 2-Class AAA bracket, hadn't won a game since Nov. 7, 2003. Going into tonight's games, Montgomery (District 4-A) and Allegheny-Clarion Valley (District 9-AA) own the state's longest active losing streak at 24. ... On the flip side, defending Class AA state champion Jeannette (District 7), which has swept 18 straight games, boasts the longest active winning streak in Pennsylvania. District 6-AA power Tyrone has won 34 consecutive regular-season games since a narrow 7-6 setback to Phillipsburg-Osceola four years ago.

CELEBRITY GAME

There were a few famous faces in the stands last week when Oaks Christian put a 35-7 thumping on Bakersfield Christian out in California. Former San Francisco 49er quarterback and Hall of Famer Joe Montana was there to watch his son, Oaks Christian quarterback Nick Montana. Seated nearby was NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Getzky and Hollywood star Will Smith, both keeping an eye on their sons who play for OC as well. On the other side of the field, former No. 1 NFL draft pick and journeyman quarterback David Carr was watching his son, Derek Carr, who was calling the signals for Bakersfield Christian.

After 30 years, one would think Elmer “Chump“ Pollock wouldn’t be getting a whole lot of nominees for the Tri-County Area Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. The list of men and women already inducted into the hall is an impressive one, mind you, as well as a long one.

But there is still no shortage of outstanding athletes and coaches who made such an impact on area sports and enriched their respective neighborhoods’ sports history. That was so evident when Pollock and his tireless staff put together this year’s ballot.

“Wow … what a list,” Pollock mumbled a couple of months ago, just prior to releasing the distinguished ballot.

What Pollock meant, and a number of others (in their own words) acknowledged in the following weeks, was all 12 of the nominees more than deserved to get inducted.

Unfortunately, there was only room for seven.

And the three major sports — baseball, basketball, and football — may have never been represented better than by this year’s class.

James “Doc” Finn and Rod Johnson will share the baseball limelight; Dave Caldwell and Jill Burkert Detweiler will share basketball’s center stage; and Aaron Beasley, Edward E. Brown, and Stan Rogers will share football’s spotlight.

With all due respect to those who have previously been inducted into the Tri-County Chapter’s Hall of Fame, it’s hard to get any better than this.

Finn, a standout catcher at Canisius College up in Buffalo before arriving at The Hill School, has been the mastermind of Hill’s success on the baseball field. Since 1978, his first spring in the Blues dugout, the program has won 261 games, put together three undefeated seasons, and swept five Pennsylvania Independent School Tournament championships. Finn, who has his doctorate in classics, has been a key in extending a number of his former players’ careers, too. He has helped more than 100 graduates move on to play college baseball, and four are currently playing professionally.

Johnson was a standout in football, basketball, and baseball at Spring-Ford — where he helped the Rams to the 1973 Ches-Mont League championship in football. He went on to become an All-Conference and All-American infielder at Temple University, helping the Owls to the College World Series. Later drafted by Cincinnati, Johnson was the Reds’ Minor League Player of the Year in 1979, but an injury would lead to release a couple seasons later. Johnson won more than 475 games as the manager of the Spring City and Paoli American Legion programs and has been an assistant coach at Villanova the last seven years. He is also a member of the Temple and Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fames.

Basketball hasn’t had many better ambassadors than Caldwell, or many better players than Burkert-Detweiler.

Caldwell starred at both Owen J. Roberts and the University of Delaware, then got into coaching as an assistant at St. Francis (Pa.) for seven years. He took over the boys program at Spring-Ford in 1990 and, in 16 seasons, led the Rams 10 Final Four appearances, three Pioneer Athletic Conference championships, the program’s first District 1-AAAA playoff win, and 253 wins overall. Caldwell, who was as class an act off the court as he was on it, averaged 20 wins and just five losses in his final nine seasons at Spring-Ford.

Burkert-Detwiler rewrote the basketball record book at Pottsgrove, overshadowing otherwise standout careers in track and tennis. She was a two-time All Ches-Mont League selection and The Mercury’s Player of the Year in 1983. When she graduated, she was the only area player — boy or girl — to score more than 1,000 points (1,589) and pull down more than 1,000 rebounds (1,161). She made quite an impact on the program at Philadelphia University, where she was a two-time team MVP, an All-American selection, and two-time Academic All-American honoree. She scored more than 1,000 points in college and still holds the PU single-game rebounding mark with 26.

Beasley is still remembered as one of Pottstown High School’s greatest all-around athletes. He excelled in cross country, football, basketball, and track, helping Trojan teams to five district titles as well as a state runner-up finish in basketball. After a year at Valley Forge Military Academy, where he was the football and basketball teams’ MVP, Beasley lined up as a defensive back at West Virginia University. A two-time captain and All-American selection, Beasley set Big East Conference records for interceptions in a season (10) and career (18). He was drafted into the NFL by the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he played for six seasons, then continued his professional career with the New York Jets for three seasons before retiring after a season with the Atlanta Falcons.

Brown, also a three-sport standout at Pottstown, went on to letter four years at Shippensburg University. He was the Red Raiders’ co-captain as a junior and senior, leading the team to the NCAA Division II semifinals as a senior. He was a four-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference selection, including three first-team honors as a defensive lineman. An All-American honorable mention as senior, Brown still holds Red Raider records for sacks in a season (10) and career (24). He was inducted into Shippensburg’s Sports Hall of Fame three years ago.

Rogers anchored the offensive and defensive lines for Jim Mich at St. Pius X for three seasons, then went on to an outstanding career at the University of Maryland. He was a three-year starter and lettermen for the Terrapins, earning the Coaches Award (for the outstanding lineman), All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors, as well as All-American honorable mention recognition. Rogers, unquestionably one of the true gentlemen of football, was drafted in the fifth round by the Denver Broncos, who he started for in 14 games in 1975 before a knee injury ended his career.

The Pottstown Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame will holds its 31st induction dinner 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Elks Home on High Street. Tickets are available from any Pottstown Chapter member, or by calling Pollock at 610-323-5113.

This column originally appeared in the Sept. 9 edition of The Mercury.

Any time a family or two moves next door or up the street, it usually takes some time for the kids to blend in. You know, make a few new friends and, hopefully, get along with everyone.

Well, Tom Barr must have thought there was a mad rush to get out of the Owen J. Roberts neighborhood last month when he opened camp and Nelson Munoz and Sam Morgan were the only familiar faces on the block, or the offensive line. There were plenty of strangers ready to line up either aside of or around Munoz and Morgan, mind you. And even though Barr wasn’t expecting a family feud, if you will, he was nonetheless concerned if they could play together.

“One of our biggest concerns coming in (to the season) was that the majority of those kids on that line was inexperienced, and that they had never played together as a unit,” the veteran Wildcats coach explained.

Two games into the season, all seems well on the offensive front.

In the opener against very, very good Downingtown West, the Wildcats were able to run for 259 of their 343 yards. Last week against West Chester East, they were able to take it a step further, running for 329 of their 362 yards.

Munoz and Morgan may not have welcomed the new fellas with open arms, but Sam Odle, Sean Moloney, Mike Klinger, and Brad Davis sure seem to be playing like they’ve known one another for quite some time.

“We were a little surprised in our first scrimmage,” Barr said. “We were able to move the ball up and down the field. The line blocked so well we didn’t even have to punt once. We looked so much ahead of where we were at the same time last year.

“Then, in our second scrimmage, it was the same thing. They played well, and they were cutting down on their mistakes. They were progressing well.”

Munoz (6-0, 230) was no surprise at center. Neither was Morgan (6-3, 242), who moved in from tackle to go at left guard. But Moloney (5-10, 195) at right guard, Odle (6-6, 210), and Klinger (6-0, 245) at left and right tackles, respectively, and Davis (5-11, 195) at tight end, did raise a few eyebrows to a great extent.

And does that bode well with Barr and his staff, which has experience and talent behind the front six with old friends like Dan Miller at quarterback and his legion of running backs — Cory Bissland, Ryan Brumfield, Sam Funk, Scott Syrek, and Rich Zazo.

“We felt comfortable about the people in the skill positions coming into the season,” Barr said. “And we can utilize Bissland, Funk and Syrek in a lot of ways, too, at fullback or tailback.”

The very swift Brumfield, who ran for 772 yards as a freshman a year ago, is OJR’s feature back, at least for now. He just missed the 100-yard mark against Downingtown West, then piled up 273 yards and four touchdowns against W.C. East. Funk, who’ll usually be found out on a wing, has deceiving speed. Bissland, Syrek, and Zazo are more of the big, bowl-you-over type backs.

“We’re still making mistakes, but we’re cutting down on them and seeing improvement overall,” Barr said.

And on the other side of the ball, with Morgan at nose tackle, Zazo at middle linebacker, and Miller at a corner, it’s pretty much the same story.

Which means the Wildcats aren’t just a friendly bunch now, but a confident one approaching Friday night’s Pioneer Athletic Conference opener against Upper Perkiomen.

“We’ve just seen a lot of improvement attitude-wise,” Barr said. “That’s big, too, because in the past when something bad happened we broke down. Now it seems when something goes wrong or the kids face adversity, they bounce back. They don’t seem phased by (mistakes). They don’t let anything bother them.”

Barr hopes that continues this week … and into the fall.

HONORABLE

Player of the Week honors go to Brumfield, who carried a career-high 28 times for 273 yards and four touchdowns in the 26-21 win over West Chester East.

Not surprising, Coach of the Week honors go to Barr, who guided the Wildcats to the come-from-behind victory over the Vikings.

NO TURNAROUND

The Pioneer Athletic Conference coaches get together this week one last time before the league season kicks off Friday. Don’t be surprised if one conversation focuses on how their teams did collectively in the two-week, preseason grind.

After going just 3-7 on opening night, the PAC-10 was 3-6 last weekend.

“Those (numbers) can be a little deceiving,” Barr said. “Most of our teams go out looking for quality teams to play, teams that are going to give you the good competition to prepare us for our league schedule. We all play to win, but it’s just as important for every one of us to get to know where we’re at, where we stand going into the (league schedule).”

Perkiomen Valley, which shared the PAC-10 title a year ago and is among the frontrunners this season, may have had the toughest two-game test with Upper Dublin and Coatesville, both 2-0 and among the favorites in the Suburban One and Ches-Mont League this season. Boyertown, Owen J. Roberts, Pottstown, and Spring-Ford — whose opponents’ combined records are each 3-1 right now — all had stacked preseason schedules, too.

For the record, the PAC-10 was 3-10 against Class AAAA rivals, 2-3 against AAA opponents, and 1-0 against an AA school (St. Pius’ win over Simon Gratz).

STILL ABLAZE

The 2008 Blazer Tour through District 3 continued last week when Daniel Boone squashed Susquehannock, 35-14. Junior quarterback Jon Monteiro is 27-for-41 for 577 yards and seven touchdowns in just two weeks, and wideout Zach Keeley is proving to be as good catching the ball (10 receptions, 229 yards, 4 TDs) as he is denying opponents an opportunity to catch it, which earned him all-state honors a year ago.

Monteiro’s 342 yards passing last week is the area’s third-highest individual game mark. The record is 396 yards, set by Phoenixville’s Steve Rife back in 1982.

The Blazers play at home for the first time this season when they host Columbia on Friday night. Head coach Dave Bodolus, not to mention Monteiro and running back Nate Greene, must be chomping at the bit to get out there, too, because Columbia gave up 576 yards in a 61-26 loss to York Suburban last weekend.

DELAYED KICKOFF

The Hill School’s scheduled opener with Germantown Academy this Friday has been pushed back to noon Sunday. The Patriots were supposed to debut at Cardinal Dougherty last Saturday, but inclement weather forced officials to postpone the game until Monday afternoon.

Perkiomen School, meanwhile, will kick off its season Friday (3:45 p.m.) at Tower Hill in Wilmington, Del.

NOTES

The PAC-10 opens its 23rd season Friday night with a five-game card. Methacton debuts at Boyertown, where Warriors head coach Bob McNally is looking for his first PAC-10 win and Bears head coach Mark Scisly is looking for his first win on the Boyertown sideline; Phoenixville travels to Pottsgrove in a milestone game (more on that Friday); Spring-Ford visits Perkiomen Valley with a score to settle in the 25th renewal of their series; St. Pius X returns from a bye week and buses across town to take on Pottstown; and Upper Perkiomen and OJR get together at Bucktown. … Pottstown opens as one of two teams with a 48-48-1 record in league games played on its home field.

Originally published in the Sept. 5 edition of The Mercury

Keith Leamer doesn't have to be reminded the first two chapters of Upper Perkiomen's football season read like a fable featuring David and Goliath with Indians in the middle ... his Indians, that is.

The veteran head coach and Indians opened last week against Allentown Allen, a program that has won just one of its last 21 games and is desperately seeking an end to those woeful ways with its third different coach in three seasons. Tonight, its Downingtown West, a program that the last two seasons has won 20 of 24 games, made back-to-back appearances in the District 1-AAAA playoffs, and has been quite content (and successful) since head coach Mike Milano arrived six years ago.

"There's a difference, obviously," Leamer said before Thursday's final tune-up for tonight's final preseason tune-up. "Allentown Allen has some great athletes, but those kids are on their third coach in three years and trying to find some direction.

"Downingtown West is a well-established program, such a well-coached team with so many great athletes. They're definitely a big step up for us, and they'll be a measuring stick for us as we get ready (for the Pioneer Athletic Conference season)."

The Indians are quite familiar with the Whippets, if not a bit rambunctious to get into it again with their hosts. Last year, they led for most if not all of the first three quarters before a late rally enabled the Whippets to survive a 37-28 thriller.

Leamer and his staff got another glimpse of them earlier this summer in a scrimmage, then spent a good part of this week watching film of their wild 47-21 win over Owen J. Roberts last Friday.

"They have a new quarterback (Brett Gillespie), but he's much more athletic than the young man they had last year, who was very good, too, by the way," Leamer said. "But (Gillespie) adds another dimension to their attack. He can throw, but he can also run. He can take it to the house at any time. He's scary. And they also have that tough running back (Jared Heller), who is a big key to their offense."

Gillespie was impressive in his varsity debut, hitting 8 of 13 passes for 215 yards and a score. Heller, well, there wasn't much he didn't do - running for 51 yards and two touchdowns, catching five passes for 151 yards and another score, and returning a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown.

Tackle Jawad Majeed and ends Nick Hale and Nick Edmonson, who has moved up from linebacker since last year, will lead a, Upper Perkiomen defense determined to put the pressure on Gillespie and put the clamps on Heller. The secondary, which features Mark Cole, Kenny Golden, Britt Kerr and Andrew Orlick, will be looking to track down the passes Gillespie does get off. And smack in the middle of them is Chase Fleming, unquestionably talented enough to become one of the area's best linebackers.

"Downingtown West is so physical, a team that just wears you down," Leamer said. "That's what happened last year ... we were right there for three quarters before they took over in the fourth (quarter) and beat us. But we feel we're a little stronger and a little faster than last year."

The Indians sure looked it last week.

That may have come as a surprise to some, but not to Leamer.

"A lot of people forget that because injuries to so many of our seniors last year we were forced to play a lot of underclassmen," he explained. "Combine that with some of the big guys up front and others who stepped up..."

Yes, the run game was in order last week, generating 188 yards between Shawn Wenhold, Ryan Connor and Jeff Randall, and there was nothing wrong with the passing game with Tom Paul completing half of his 18 attempts for 188 yards and two scores. Producing 462 yards and allowing only 160, while creating three turnovers, isn't a bad start.

The offense will get a significantly bigger test tonight against the Whippets, who are led by linebackers Ryan Kendra and Even Trexler.

"We're still looking for that consistency," Leamer said. "We had so many mistakes, like the penalties (11 for 90 yards) and dropped passes. We want to eliminate them, be more consistent. That's what we're looking for.

"You always look for improvement. We could play the perfect game, but the kids know that's not good enough for me. I'll raise the bar on them. You just can't be satisfied with any practice or with any game. You have to continue to improve so when you get into those big games down the road and late into the season you're ready for them."

AHEAD OF THE STORM

Methacton officials have moved Saturday's non-league game with Kennedy-Kenrick up to this afternoon (4:00) because of a weather forecast calling for heavy winds and rain from Hurricane Hanna.

TURNING IT AROUND

Pioneer Athletic Conference teams are hoping to reverse last week's humbling 3-7 mark, including a winless 0-5 showing against District 1 rivals. Two of the three victories, incidentally, were against a pair of teams from District 3 and 11 that were a combined 0-20 a year ago.

NO ODDS, JUST 100 TO 1

Boyertown rookie head coach Mark Scisly is looking for his first win tonight. On the other sideline, Governor Mifflin's Mark Veechio, in his 18th season with the Mustangs' program, is looking for his 100th career win.

REAL PHANTOMS

It's been a while since Rich Gould and Greg Bamberger were strolling the hallways or playing sports at Phoenixville High School, but both are doing their part to keep other athletic programs going.

Gould, who starred in cross country, basketball and track and has spent a good number of his 27 years at Upper Moreland High School coaching football, basketball and track, was named the school's athletic director early this summer. Gould's late father was a well-known and very respected football and basketball official.

Bamberger, who starred in football at Phoenixville and a three-year starter at Duke, last month began his third year as the director of athletics at Kutztown University. Bamberger was an assistant football coach at Virginia Military Institute, Southeast Missouri State and Glenville State (W.Va.) prior to arriving at Kutztown, where he helped the Golden Bears win the prestigious 2005-06 Dixon Trophy - awarded to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's top athletic department.

GETTING THERE

The only area teams who have yet to kick off their seasons - The Hill School and Perkiomen School - will finally get on the field next Friday afternoon. Perkiomen travels to Tower Hill (Del.) and Hill hosts Germantown Academy in a pair of matinees scheduled to get under way at 3:45 and 4 p.m., respectively.

LOOKIN' AROUND

A peek at some of the big games around District 1 and throughout the state:

District 1: Lansdale Catholic and North Penn square off tonight for the first time in seven years. The two longtime Thanksgiving Day rivals haven't met since because of their success in the postseason. North Penn, now No. 3 in the state's Class AAAA rankings. owns a 17-4 lead in the series. The Crusaders, who haven't beaten the Knights on the football field since a 25-0 shutout back in 1988. ... Garnet Valley, the Class AAA state runner-up a year ago and ranked No. 9 in the state, visits Penncrest, which opened with a very impressive shutout of Strath Haven.

State: In AAAA, Liberty visits No. 4 Parkland, two the state's top teams who dropped their openers last week, in a District 11 showdown; and No. 5 Penn Hills, which lost 45-17 to No. 1 Gateway last week, hosts a very good Bethel Park out in District 7. ... In AAA, District 10's Erie Cathedral Prep, which fell to No. 5 after losing to crosstown McDowell (No. 10 in the AAAA rankings), travels to St. Joseph's Prep in Cleveland; and No. 10 Manheim Central visits potential AAAA breakthrough Wilson up in West Lawn in a District 3 feature. ... In AA, two ranked teams face off against highly touted rivals - No. 7 Trinity hosts Delone Catholic in District 3 and No. 10 Tyrone visits Huntingdon in District 6. ... And in Class A, No. 4 Southern Columbia, which saw its streak of five straight state titles end a year ago, looks to go 2-0 at Montoursville up in District 4; No. 6 Clairton travels to No. 10 Monessen out in District 7; and No. 7 Schuylkill Haven, with Zach Barket (311 yards and five touchdowns last week), visits Marian Catholic up in District 11.

Bonnie Goodhart sat up in her chair, put her elbows on the picnic table, rested her chin in her cupped hands, and stared deep into the darkened woods some 20-30 yards away.

It was early evening and, except for an occasional bzzz-and-bite from mosquitoes, an engaging one with close friends seated around the table. She listened carefully as everyone talked. For some strange reason, though, she didn't have much to add to the conversations, which ranged from politics to the price of gas and seemed to have covered everything in between.

But when the topic of discussion turned to cancer, Bonnie Goodhart dropped her arms to the table in front of her and sat back in her chair ... innocently commanding everyone's attention.

Bonnie Goodhart, in an often painful day-to-day battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia for five years now, finally had something to say.

Everyone listened, too.

"I just wish there was a way we could help others (with cancer)," she said, a tinge of frustration in her voice. "I just wish there was some way, even if in a very small way it helps people who have to deal with this (cancer)."

Bonnie Goodhart, who has gone well beyond the call of duty in helping raise money for Pottstown's Relay For Life through her own Looking Up relay team, wanted to put her personal touch to something, though.

"And it has to be fun for everyone involved," she added.

In a matter of minutes, Bonnie Goodhart - with some help from her husband Jim, a former baseball standout at Pottstown and longtime American Legion and AAU coach - came up with a game plan.

Actually a game.

A softball game, Baseball For Life, as she's called it.

"We want everyone to help us hit a home run against cancer," her husband said.

The all-day, one-pitch tournament - which costs just $25 to be part of - will be held morning, noon and night Saturday, Oct. 11 at Ringing Rocks Park.

And, as Bonnie Goodhart reminds anyone willing to listen, it is a day for everyone.

So, forget about your age, you're invited. If you're able to stroll to the plate, you're invited. If you're strong enough to swing a bat, you're invited. If you're capable of walking, strutting, jogging or running to first base, you're invited.

If you're willing to keep your pride under wraps after every hit and willing to smile or even laugh after every miss, you're invited.

And invited with open arms.

Yes, teams are invited, and individuals wanting to play will be placed on teams. Everyone will be guaranteed at least two games and, yes, some hardware will be presented to the winning (or luckiest) team.

This won't be a day defined by hits, runs and errors, though.

Sure, you can bring your own bat and glove, if you wish. You are encouraged to bring your own beverages and refreshments, perhaps an extra dish or two (and the recipe, of course) to share with others under the pavilion throughout the day.

But what Bonnie Goodhart wants you to bring more than anything else is a big smile, enthusiasm ... and the determination to make this the one day you want your family and all your friends to circle on the calendar every year.

* * *

No one is more serious or more determined to fight cancer than Bonnie Goodhart.

Back in December of 2003, her Christmas present was a doctor's diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). That's just another big word or another strange form of cancer for people whose own lives or family and friends lives haven't been affected by cancer. It's just another big word or strange form of cancer for people who can't even begin to comprehend the pain, sickness and torture cancer inflicts on its victims.

Other than her husband and a couple of close friends, hardly anyone knows that Bonnie Goodhart has fought through an assortment of aches and pain as well as sickness almost every day since being diagnosed with CLL.

Four times she has been forced to undergo a nauseating chemotherapy arrangement - 6-8 hours a day over a three-day period for eight straight weeks. She has had a number of six-week radiation treatments. And she gets very uncomfortable reactions to the medications prescribed to help her through the sickness and pain.

Her fight is waged primarily at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. But she's been forced to go round after round with it at Fox Chase, University of Pennsylvania and Temple hospitals in Philadelphia, and also at Sloan-Kettering cancer centers throughout the tri-state area.

The medical bills mount well beyond what most could conceive.

"Outrageous," her husband said. "We have a pretty good insurance plan, and even though (the bills) still mount up they don't hit us nearly as hard as they do most people. That's what concerns Bonnie, and that's another reason we hope this will be a success so we can help cancer victims with their finances in addition to the giving money to Relay For Life."

Every little bit helps ... and helping others is all Bonnie Goodhart wants to do.

* * *

If Bonnie Goodhart could take a baseball bat and beat cancer to a gruesome death, she would. Others, who have waged their own battles and endured a pathetic quality of life to survive as well as those who have lost family and friends to cancer, would gladly join her.

Instead, she's hoping to form her own swat team(s). She's hoping people will be willing to put up $25, pick up a softball bat and hit a home run against cancer.

Just by word of mouth over the past week, many have already shown their willingness to do just that. Some you'll know, some you won't ... but you'll get to know by day's end.

Some will surely bring some drama to the games, others (off the record, of course) will bring humor.

The Cotellese Clan, which has unloaded its share of long balls through the years, is coming. A few people from PMMC's Cancer Center and Brookside Family Restaurant are cooking up teams.

Then there is the real over-the-hill gang ... which one can only wonder who'll be kind enough to put them in their lineup. Lew Hoffman, a player-coach out of the Casey Stengel mold with his 55-and-Over teams, is lining up a team or two. Southpaw Barry Peterman, who still pitches in an Over-50 baseball league up in Allentown, is expected to throw (though his off-speed arc to the plate is questionable). A couple of his old (only 58 years old, that is) Pottstown teammates - Fred Faison and Jeff Jackowski - will be there. Faison still runs like the wind (then gasps for wind when he gets to where he's going), while Jackowski reportedly hopes to get a little help from the wind during his dash down the line. St. Pius X boys basketball coach Randy Reber, also 58, should be able to grab a weak grounder or two after surviving all the tracers served up by Paul Favinger when the two played for Pottsgrove back in the late 60s.

Word around town is that The Hill School girls softball team is trying to get into the scheme of things, too. Hmmm... wonder if Kevin Kirby and his Owen J. Roberts girls or Tim Hughes and his Spring-Ford girls know about that (hint, hint)?

"We've gotten a lot of responses already just by word of mouth," Jim Goodhart said. "Hey, if we get too many people or teams, we'll find a second field, a third one if we have to."

"Isn't it exciting," Bonnie Goodhart added.

It is.

And, God willing, it will continue to be for Bonnie Goodhart, who is determined to stick around and see her Baseball For Life produce countless home runs against cancer.

* * *

Registration forms for Baseball For Life are available by writing Bonnie Goodhart at 1407 Glasgow Street, Pottstown, Pa. 19464, or by e-mail at bonniegoodhart@verizon.net. The deadline to register is Sept. 27.

*

Don Seeley is the sports editor of The Mercury ... and a cancer survivor.

Daniel Boone has had its share of good quarterbacks — better make that very good quarterbacks — in recent years. Chris Bokosky, calling the signals up at Lehigh University nowadays, owns a few pages of season and career marks in the area’s record books. Casey Smith had the unenviable task of following Bokosky, but responded with just under 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. And Anthony Heimbach, who last year expected to catch and carry the football until getting to camp and discovering an injury to a teammate forced him under center, didn’t exactly toss wobble after wobble last fall while leading the Blazers to the District 3-AAA semifinals.

So was head coach Dave Bodolus really that concerned when Jon Monteiro strolled out to call the signals in his debut last Friday night?

Nope.

“I don’t think you can expect the kind of game (that Monteiro had), not when it’s his first varsity start,” Bodolus said. “But we certainly knew he was capable of it.”

What exactly did Monteiro do?

Well, he completed 10 of 17 attempts for 235 yards and an area record-tying five touchdowns — three to wideout Zach Keeley and two to tight end Mitchell Stead — to underline the Blazers’ 40-0 romp at Donegal.

“Jon has a heck of a group of receivers to throw to, and that helps any quarterback,” Bodolus said. “Our offensive line played well, too.

“But he was so poised. He has a good head on his shoulders. He understands what we want to do, makes good decisions, and throws the ball accurately. He had some pressure on him at times, but he didn’t get rattled. He handled himself very well.”

Monteiro was actually penciled in to start last year. Bodolus was well aware of who he was getting, and just how promising a talent he was, too. But an offseason leg injury cost Monteiro his entire sophomore season.

Now a 6-foot, 190-pound junior with very reliable receivers in Keeley, Stead, and Kyle Yarmush — to name just a few — and a very productive running back in Nate Greene, Monteiro may well be the next quarterback to orchestrate another banner season.

Yes, you can bet your helmet, shoulder pads, and cleats that the Blazers are determined (and favored) to get into the I-C Division One and District 3-AAA mix yet again.

“We want to be balanced offensively,” Bodolus said. “We want to be able to run the ball and pass the ball, and you’re obviously not going to be able to do either without a quarterback who makes good decisions. So Jon is very important to us … to this team. But we’re confident he can do the job.”

Monteiro’s five touchdown passes against Donegal – which covered 38, 18, 8, 7, and 31 yards – tied the area record originally set in 1982 by Phoenixville’s Steve Rife and equaled only two times since.

HONORABLE

Player of the Week honors, a no-brainer obviously, go to Monteiro.

Coach of the Week honors go to St. Pius X’s George Parkinson, who took his Lions down to Philadelphia last Friday night and opened with a 6-0 shutout of Simon Gratz. Quite an achievement for the very young Lions considering the long bus ride through rush-hour traffic and playing in an intimidating environment.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

Perkiomen Valley head coach Scott Reed hopes his team gets a little defensive before Friday’s trek to Coatesville.

In their opener at Upper Dublin, the Vikings came up short, 55-42 – the second-highest number of points a PV team has allowed in a game. The only game they gave up more was 37 years ago, or way, way, way back in 1971 – long before Reed was even born – in a 56-0 loss to then Bux-Mont League rival Central Bucks West.

“It was our first game, so whether it was how good (Upper Dublin’s offense) was or how badly our defense played, I don’t know,” Reed said. “I know one thing, though, and that is Upper Dublin came to play.

“That team moves the ball really well. Going in, we thought they’d score some points, but we didn’t think they’d score that many. The bottom line was we tackled very poorly.”

Josh Mastromatto ran through, over, and around the Vikings for 220 yards and four touchdowns, and added two more scores on receptions from quarterback Derek Giannetti, who was 11 of 19 for 182 yards. Overall, the Cards’ winning hand totaled 533 yards.

“I think we’re more upset with the consistency of (Upper Dublin’s) drives,” Reed added. “And then in the second half, there were so many big plays.”

Enough big plays to make everyone forget the Vikings actually led 14-10 at halftime … a four-point spread that disappeared in a hurry when the Cardinals put 45 points up on the board in the final two quarters.

“We have a lot of work to do, especially to get ready for Coatesville,” Reed said of the Red Raiders, considered (and ranked) among the top Class AAAA teams in District 1.

Reed is only the fifth coach in the history of Perkiomen Valley’s program, following Scott Fuhrman, John Strawoet, Ken Donahue, and Bill Fretz, who guided the Vikings after the jointure of Collegeville-Trappe and Schwenksville high schools. … PV had given up 54 points in games on two occasions, in 1981 to Hatboro-Horsham (54-0), and in 1984 to C.B West (54-0). … The combined 97 points from last Friday night was far and away the most scored in any game involving a PV team, breaking the mark of 89 set in 2002 in a 48-41 loss to Boyertown.

SPECIAL TIMES

Tom Barr and his staff at Owen J. Roberts will be working on two specific things this week – special teams and holding onto the football, both of which were costly in the 47-21 loss to Downingtown West. The Wildcats saw two of their early scores negated by returns for touchdowns on the ensuing kickoffs. And, if that wasn’t enough, they turned the football over four times.

MOVING UP

Boyertown quarterback David Crognale ran past the 1,500-yard career mark during the Bears’ loss to Muhlenberg last Friday night. Crognale, a four-year starter, is within reach of becoming the first quarterback in area history to run for more than 2,000 yards. He is also approaching the 3,000-yard career mark passing the football.

Lost in Perkiomen Valley’s setback to Upper Dublin was another solid performance by quarterback Zach Zulli. The senior was 19 of 27 for 257 yards and four touchdowns. He now has 212 completions, 3,560 yards, and 42 touchdowns and is likely to pass or get close to a select list of area career leaders in all three categories by season’s end.

LONG DISTANCE

Another record (of little or no importance) was set last weekend when eight area players went 50 or more yards for touchdowns (in one night).

They were Boyertown’s Logan Herb (65-yard run); Perkiomen Valley’s Lynwood Snowden (90-yard kickoff return) and Rhashad Santiago (65-yard reception); Pottsgrove’s Preston Hamlette (94-yard run) and Terrell Chestnut (76-yard run); Spring-Ford’s David Tyler (63-yard run); St. Pius X’s Cole Parkinson (70-yard reception); and Upper Perkiomen’s Shawn Wenhold (56-yard reception).

For the record, Phoenixville’s Anthony Nattle was just a step shy of joining the group after taking a pass 49 yards for the Phantoms’ lone score.

PAC-10 RECAP

It wasn’t necessarily a good opening night at all for the Pioneer Athletic Conference. The league was 3-7 overall, with only Pottsgrove (21-7 over Exeter), St. Pius X (6-0 over Simon Gratz), and Upper Perkiomen (42-7 over Allen) accounting for the wins.

It won’t get any easier this week, either. Only two teams are home (Pottstown faces the explosive Mastromatto and Upper Dublin on Friday night and Methacton entertains Kennedy-Kenrick on Saturday afternoon).

Also Friday night, Boyertown heads up to another corner of Berks County to play Governor Mifflin; Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley and Uppper Perkiomen travel to Ches-Mont League rivals W.C. East, Coatesville and Downingtown West, respectively; Phoenixville heads down to Delaware County to meet Chichester; and Pottsgrove and Spring-Ford visit neighboring Suburban One representatives Wissahickon and Norristown, respectively, to cap the frenzy.

DID YOU KNOW

The PIAA’s enrollment figures and competition classifications for the next two seasons revealed some interesting numbers. St. Pius X is the largest of only five Class A football programs in District 1. The Lions’ male enrollment (194) tops Bristol (134), Calvary Christian (126), Morrisville (99) and Jenkintown (73). … District 1 has just three schools in Class AA with Harriton, Lower Moreland and Springfield-Montco. … Five area schools – Owen J. Roberts (510), Pottsgrove (410), Upper Perkiomen (392), Phoenixville (381) and Phoenixville (360) – and 17 others make up the district’s Class AAA field. … Spring-Ford (833), Methacton (686) and Perkiomen Valley (670) are all AAAA entries. … Up in District 3, Daniel Boone (498) is one of 33 teams in Class AAA.

Originally published in the Aug. 29 edition of The Mercury

It wasn’t easy getting on MapQuest this week. The Web site wasn’t down, mind you, just a bit overloaded with devoted football fans checking in to see how to get to where their teams are playing.

Yep, opening night is here.

And on the area’s 10-game card, five teams — Daniel Boone, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, Spring-Ford, and St. Pius X — are hitting the road to kick off their respective seasons.

No one is traveling further west than Daniel Boone, with its 52-mile ride to Donegal in Mt. Joy, and no one is traveling further east than St. Pius X, with a 41-mile ride to Simon Gratz in Philadelphia. In between them, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, and Spring-Ford are taking shorter (and more familiar) trips to Downingtown West, Upper Dublin, and Bayard Rustin in West Chester. And on the flip side of the card, Boyertown, Phoenixville, Pottsgrove, Pottstown, and Upper Perkiomen will be home sweet home.

Enough of the geography lesson.

Tonight, there is a much more important issue … for everyone, regardless of who they line up against where they choose to do it.

“(Tonight’s) when you look to put the pieces together,” said Daniel Boone head coach Dave Bodolus. “(Tonight’s) when you hope everything is up to the norm, when you get that consistency in the transition from your offense, defense, and special teams.

“Everybody has had a couple of weeks of practices, a few scrimmages. You can look good out there practicing and do things well in those controlled scrimmages. But until you can go out and do it for real — in a game — you’re unproven.”

Everyone has a lot to prove, too.

Boyertown, with new head coach Mark Scisly, is out to prove it is back and as good as if not better than the Boyertown team that won the Pioneer Athletic Conference title two years ago. Owen J. Roberts has perhaps as much depth in the backfield as its had in quite some time and out to prove it has the personnel to return to its traditional winning ways. Perkiomen Valley wants to prove that graduation may have taken a lot of its stars of a year ago but not the heart and drive of a team determined to successfully defend its PAC-10 title.

Phoenixville, Pottsgrove, Pottstown, Spring-Ford, and Upper Perkiomen, all with a few familiar names and a whole lot of no-names, are bound and determined to make a big name for themselves tonight in preparations for a run of their own in the PAC-10. And St. Pius, unquestionably as young as anyone, is looking to prove it learned enough through last year’s growing pains to reverse its ways and make an impact this time around.

“You go into these games hoping to win, of course,” Bodolus explained. “But there isn’t really any one aspect of the game you focus on more than another.

“You do have concerns with the guys who are your first-year starters, though. Like I said, you can look good in practices and in scrimmage, but the important thing is looking game in a real game.”

It all gets real tonight.

Methacton — getting ready for its inaugural run in the Pioneer Athletic Conference — kicks off its new season Saturday against visiting Quakertown in a 1:30 matinee. The Warriors make their PAC-10 debut in two weeks when they visit Boyertown.

TURNOVERS

Scisly is the 10th head coach since Boyertown’s first season back in 1939. He follows Ron Zeiber (2002-07); Fred Endy (1998-2001); Ray Gionta (1995-97); Bob Hillegas (1987-94); Don Grim (1983-86); Lyn Sorber (1971-82); Warren Fry (1953-70); Bob Fleming (1940-52); and Lawrence Grim (1939).

Scisly is also one of 77 new head coaches in Pennsylvania this year, and one of only three in District One — joining C.B. East’s Tim Michael and Springfield-Delco’s Dan Ellis.

District Seven had the most coaching changes (12), while Districts Two and Three each have 11 new coaches. The rest of the districts and their respective new bosses are District Ten (nine); Districts Six and Nine with six apiece; Districts Four and Eleven with five apiece; District Twelve (four); District Five (three); and District Eight (one).

TWISTS AND TURNS

Pius met Simon Gratz once before … way back in 1977, when Jim Mich was the head coach. The Lions breezed to 35-0 shutout.

The Lions were familiar with a lot of Philadelphia teams back then while competing in the Philadelphia Suburban Catholic League throughout the 60s. They played an independent schedule through 1977, then joined the Ches-Mont League the following season.

Pius won or shared three SCL titles. Gratz hasn’t won a Philadelphia Public League title since 1949.

Tonight’s game will also be a reunion of sorts for Pius athletic director Madison Morton and Gratz head coach Eric Zipay, a graduate of Pottstown High School. Morton was an assistant coach at Pottstown when Zipay was a member of the team.

STREAKING

Pottsgrove, Daniel Boone, and Phoenixville are hoping to extend their respective runs of consecutive winning seasons, while Methacton, St. Pius X and Pottstown are determined to end their string of consecutive losing seasons.

Pottsgrove, which won 11 games last season — the fourth time a Falcons team has done that — is riding a school- record five straight winning seasons. Daniel Boone is also on a five-in-a-row run, which is three shy of the school mark of eight (1964-71). And Phoenixville has had four straight winning seasons for the first time since putting together seven in row from 1986 through 1992.

Meanwhile, Methacton hopes to turn its first season in the PAC-10 into a winning season. The Warriors have had seven straight losing seasons, which is within one of the school record of eight (1969-76). Pius has had five straight losing seasons, which has dropped the program’s overall record to just one game over the .500 mark (260-259-14). Pottstown has had four straight losing seasons, the most since a forgettable six-year run from 1989 through 1994.

Upper Perkiomen hasn’t had a losing season since 2000. The Indians were 6-6 in 2001 and 6-6 again last season. In between, they had five straight seasons of seven or more wins.

Originally published in the Aug. 29 football preview in The Mercury.

A little bit of this and that; some notes, quotes and anecdotes, if you will; and a peek or two into the past and glimpse into the future … all related to Pioneer Athletic Conference football teams.

Hold onto your socks now (or, if you prefer, your helmets)… the Pioneer Athletic Conference season doesn’t open for two more weeks.

No matter what you’ve heard, seen in any of the scrimmages, or get to hoot and holler about during tonight’s and next week’s non-league games, nothing really is for sure until Friday evening, Sept. 12 – when Methacton makes its PAC-10 debut up in Boyertown, Phoenixville travels to Pottsgrove, Upper Perkiomen visits Owen J. Roberts, Spring-Ford heads over to Perkiomen Valley, and St. Pius X buses a few blocks across town to meet Pottstown.

And it’s likely to only get better and better after that, all the way to Thanksgiving morning.

Now, if only the fellas down there at Perkiomen Valley and Methacton would get together and agree to move their game from Saturday, Nov. 8 back to Thanksgiving morning (like it once was), the final round of the Pioneer Athletic Conference would really PAC a punch (hint, hint).

HARD DEFENSE

In the previous 22 years of the Pioneer Athletic Conference, only two schools have won back-to-back, undisputed championships. Spring-Ford actually did it twice (in 1986 and 1987 and again in 1994 and 1995), while Pottsgrove (in 2000 and 2001) did it the other time.

Two others, Pottsgrove and Lansdale Catholic, won or shared consecutive titles. Pottsgrove won it all in 1990, then shared the top spot with Owen J. Roberts the following year. LC dominated in 1996, tied Upper Perkiomen for the title in 1997, then shared the top spot with both Perkiomen Valley and Spring-Ford in 1998.

Pottsgrove and Owen J. Roberts both closed up their 1991 schedule at 7-2, the only season a league champion finished with two losses. It was also the only season seven teams – that’s right, seven teams – finished with winning records. And 1998 was the only season to end in a three-way tie for the championship.

SCORES TO SETTLE

There are two PAC-10 series that are split right down the middle after 22 seasons. Pottstown and Upper Perkiomen are 11-11 against one another, a deadlock that will end when they meet Sept. 19. Pottstown is 11-11 against Perkiomen Valley, too, and that will end when they meet Oct. 10.

MORE EVEN-STEVENS

Longtime Pottstown and Upper Perkiomen fans may not want to hear about that so-called home-field advantage. In Pioneer Athletic Conference games only, both the Trojans and Indians are 48-48-1 in games on their home fields.

And if that isn’t enough, Owen J. Roberts is 45-45 in away games since joining the conference in 1988.

NO TOTAL STRANGER

Methacton enters its first season in the PAC-10 having never before played four teams – Boyertown, Pottsgrove, Pottstown and Upper Perkiomen. However, the Warriors have run into the other five teams in non-league games. They are 0-1 against Owen J. Roberts, 18-4-2 against Perkiomen Valley, 2-2 against Phoenixville, 2-9-1 against Spring-Ford, and 1-0 against St. Pius X.

STREAKING

Pottsgrove still holds the PAC-10 record for the most consecutive games without being shut out (57, set from 1988 to 1994).

If the Falcons can score at least one point (OK, two for a safety … or more) in every one of their games this season, they’ll break that record and push their current streak to 58 games.

Spring-Ford, which has scored in its last 46 league games dating back to 2002, owns the second-longest streak (53). Lansdale Catholic left the conference with a 50-game streak.

* * *

The next PAC-10 shutout will be the league’s 200th since the inaugural season back in 1986.

PLAYOFF SKED

The District 1 Class AAA and AAAA playoffs get under way the weekend of Nov. 7-8. Eight teams will qualify for the AAA bracket, while 16 will qualify in AAAA. The AAA final will be Nov. 21or 22, while the AAAA final is set for Nov. 28 and 29.

While District 1 is a region in itself in the two aforementioned classifications, it’s an entirely different story in AA and A.

In Class AA, the district’s three teams will compete with the 11 teams in District 12 for one or more of the four places in that sub-region, and no team

is guaranteed an entry into the playoffs because of having just three teams in the classification.

In Class A, the five District 1 teams will compete with the six teams from District 12 for positions in the four-team sub-region bracket. Discussions between the two districts will determine the format by which the four teams are selected.

All of the brackets’ Eastern finals are the weekend of Dec. 5-6, with state finals scheduled for Dec. 12-13 in Hersheypark Stadium.

SERIOUS SERIES

The current members of the Pioneer Athletic Conference have previously played in a number of different leagues, most in the former Bux-Mont and Ches-Mont leagues … but have managed to play one another quite a bit regardless of their membership cards.

The longest series among PAC-10 teams belongs to Phoenixville and Pottstown, who have met 95 times. Other notable rivalries (with the number of meetings in parenthesis) include Phoenixville and Spring-Ford (53 years), Spring-Ford and Owen J. Roberts (52), Pottstown and Spring-Ford (51), and Boyertown and Upper Perkiomen (50).

Two local series – Owen J. Roberts and Phoenixville, and Owen J. Roberts and Pottstown – will hit the 50-year mark this season. OJR and Phoenixville are scheduled to meet Oct. 17, while OJR and Pottstown renew their riveting Thanksgiving Day rivalry on Nov. 27.

* * *

Phoenixville and Pottstown actually own the seven longest series among PAC-10 schools. Ironically, only one – the Phantoms’ and Trojans’ 96th meeting on Sept. 26 – is still active.

The next six longest series belong to Phoenixville and Henderson (82 years), Phoenixville and Coatesville (78), Pottstown and Coatesville (69), Pottstown and Henderson (67), and Phoenixville and Downingtown (66).

COUNT’EM UP

When Pottstown lines up Thanksgiving morning against Owen J. Roberts, it will be the 999th game in the history of the Trojans’ program. … Upper Perkiomen will play its 600th against Downingtown West next Friday night. … Pottsgrove wll play its 550th a week later, Sept. 12, against Phoenixville.

MILESTONES AHEAD

Phoenixville needs two wins for 550 in the long history of its program, while Spring-Ford needs six for 275 and Upper Perkiomen needs just one to hit 260. … On the other end of that scale, Boyertown’s next loss will be No. 360, Upper Perkiomen’s next loss will be No. 325, and St. Pius X’s next loss will be No. 260.