This column originally appeared in the Oct. 12, 2012, print edition of The Mercury.

When Owen J. Roberts opened the year with a young and very inexperienced lineup, a few injuries to the very few returning starters it had, and three lopsided losses, it sure seemed as though it was going to be a long, long season of football over in Bucktown.

Apparently someone forgot to mention that to the Wildcats.

Without a win much less any noticeable swagger in their step, they beat Phoenixville — an upset for sure, an absolute shocker to most. They followed that up with two more wins.

All of a sudden, OJR is 3-1 in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. All of a sudden, OJR is just one game back of unbeaten co-leaders Perkiomen Valley and Pottsgrove.

And no one is aware of that more — other than the Wildcats, of course — than Pottsgrove head coach Rick Pennypacker.

“OJR is scary every year,” said Pennypacker, whose unbeaten Falcons (5-0, 6-0 overall) host the Wildcats tonight. “They always battle us, and we don’t expect anything different this time, either.”

The Wildcats’ turnaround has been underlined by an offense that has nearly doubled its production in yards gained and points scored between the first three and last three games. Wyatt Scott has gone of the 200-yard mark twice to put some spunk into the run game, and quarterback Jarrad Pinelli has been lighting it up (and setting records with tosses to Matt Raymond) to put some pep into the pass game — a rarity in the storied history of the OJR program.

But if there has been one particular energizer in that offense it’s been up front … on the line with center Brad Trego, guards Kevin Kerwin and Billy Gambone, tackles Colton Hainsey and Steve Myers, and tight end Jay Thomas.

That group has not only paved the way for Scott, but has yet to yield a sack of Pinelli in a PAC-10 game.

“Our players are becoming more confident, more enthusiastic,” said OJR head coach Tom Barr. “Offensively, they’re becoming better blockers, and they’re executing better.

“We need that (tonight), too. We need to control the ball on offense, put together those 12- to 16-play drives.”

The Wildcats have had their share of long possessions and, with Pinelli, have the ability to strike quickly as well.

Last weekend, Methacton — which had won two in a row and was in a turnaround mode similar to the one OJR is in right now — drove the ball on Pottsgrove for one score and converted a long pass for another to take a 14-7 lead at the half. It was the first time Falcons had trailed this year and the first two touchdowns allowed by their first-team defense all year.

So don’t think the Falcons need another wake-up call.

“Our kids weren’t focused at all last week,” Pennypacker said. “It was hard to keep them up after the week (preparing for and beating unbeaten defending champion Spring-Ford) we had. We kind of knew it was going to happen.

“The only positive is that they fought back after being behind for the first time. Coach (Paul) Lepre and Methacton deserve a lot of credit for playing us tough. I don’t take anyone lightly, and I mean that. I didn’t take Methacton lightly, and I am not about to take OJR lightly, and I mean that.”

Flat or not a week ago, the Falcons still have the PAC-10’s best defense. Of their front seven, Nick Brennan has been a terror, and Patrick Finn and Ryan Michaels have been tracking down everyone. And the secondary, bar none up to this point of the season, has been better than anyone.

Getting past or around OJR’s offensive line, putting pressure on Pinelli, and keeping tabs on Raymond, Thomas and others in their routes will be a big part of Pottsgrove’s overall game plan.

“(Pinelli) is very good, and Raymond and Thomas are as good as receivers as we’ve seen this year,” Pennpacker said. “We have to be ready for them.

“The other big thing is that (OJR) is playing with a lot of confidence right now. They’ve won three in a row. It’s going to be a hard-fought battle, so our kids have to be ready to play, have to be ready to match Owen J.’s intensity. Believe me, if we’re not focused or fired up we will be beaten.”

* OJR is well aware of Pottsgrove’s big-play capabilities. As always, the Falcons have a one-two punch in their run game with Mark Dukes and quarterback Tory Hudgins, who have combined for over 1,100 yards — and both average over eight yards a pop — and 22 touchdowns. “We have to prevent the big plays and then make big plays,” Barr said. … Falcons’ Marquis Barefield is doubtful with a shoulder injury. For OJR, Thomas and lineman Bobby McGee, both of whom missed last week’s game, as well as safety Kyle Shronk are questionable tonight. … Thomas is the son of Jack Thomas, the Pottsgrove School District’s athletic trainer.