{"id":78854,"date":"2016-11-08T13:41:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-08T13:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=78854"},"modified":"2023-03-01T21:57:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T21:57:14","slug":"sportstalk-shop-playoff-football-primers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/sportstalk-shop-playoff-football-primers\/","title":{"rendered":"The SportsTalk Shop:  Playoff Football Primers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9A68xp7MAKA\" width=\"425\" height=\"350\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The state high school football playoff season is officially underway in Pennsylvania (it actually started last week for Lehigh Valley teams due to the expanded playoff format, but we\u2019ve talked about that in great detail before\u2026)<\/p>\n<p>There are several big matchups coming up this weekend.\u00a0 Here are some insights on each of the games which feature teams in the RCN viewing area.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CLASS 6A<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em>EASTON AT PARKLAND<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nParkland is getting key people healthy\u2014especially at running back\u2014at just the right time.\u00a0 During his tenure at Liberty, Head Coach Tim Moncman has often shown his desire to grind out long scoring drives if he has the horses available, and the improving health of Nick Suriel has allowed his Trojans to do that last week in their win over Nazareth.<\/p>\n<p>This sets up an interesting issue:\u00a0 Easton has had much more success stopping (or at least containing) the run against almost every team they\u2019ve faced this year.\u00a0 Even through injuries, the Red Rovers were the second best 6A team in points allowed this year during the regular season (Parkland was first), and they, too, are getting guys healthy\u2014especially lineman\u2014heading into the post-season.<\/p>\n<p>This figures to be a low-scoring game.\u00a0 Time of possession, turnovers and the ability to pick and choose your spots to throw deep will be keys and should make for one of the more entertaining games on Friday night.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>FREEDOM AT EMMAUS<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nI\u2019m really surprised it took a gutsy coaching decision by Emmaus Head Coach Harold Fairclough to put away his Hornets\u2019 first round win over Liberty.\u00a0 Both teams were missing key personnel and Liberty did a nice job containing Emmaus\u2019 running attack.<\/p>\n<p>In the first meeting between these two, the Hornets proved to be one of the few teams that found a way to pressure Freedom QB Joe Young and made him rush his passes.\u00a0 If the Patriots\u2019 offensive line can buy him more time\u2014and I\u2019m sure Head Coach Jason Roeder and his staff will also be making adjustments\u2014Freedom could have much more success offensively this time around.<\/p>\n<p>Emmaus\u2019 Josh Artis helped to stretch the defense in the second half of the regular season matchup, which led to a Hornets victory.\u00a0\u00a0 As long as Freedom doesn\u2019t hurt themselves with penalties\/turnovers, a Patriot win wouldn\u2019t surprise me at all.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CLASS 5A<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em>Southern Lehigh vs. Whitehall<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nThis is the matchup that surprised no one once the new classifications were laid out and both of these teams, along with East Stroudsburg North and South, were guaranteed playoff spots.<\/p>\n<p>This is the game RCN will broadcast Friday.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be talking about this contest in much more detail on this Thursday\u2019s \u201cSportsTalk\u201d show, when I\u2019ll be joined by The Morning Call high school football scribes Keith Groller and Steve Miller for insights, analysis and predictions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CLASS 4A<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em>Saucon Valley vs. Bethlehem Catholic<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nIn my opinion, this championship game is the most intriguing playoff contest this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>Becahi steamrolled through most of the top teams in the EPC and featured the best run defense in the area before hitting an injury wall in the last quarter of the regular season.\u00a0 They had to bounce back from a Central Catholic beating the week prior to avenge the Vikings\u2019 defeat in the playoffs (see video above).\u00a0 They also accomplished last week\u2019s victory without some of their top players due to injuries.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Becahi\u2014a team last year predicted to go deep in the state playoffs\u2014is looking to get revenge on Saucon Valley\u2014the team that knocked them out of the post-season last fall in the district semi-final.\u00a0 Both teams have had great success defensively this year and also feature solid players on special teams.\u00a0 I think you would have to give the Hawks the advantage offensively, but the same was said last season and that didn\u2019t stop the Panthers from using its underdog status to fuel a hard fought win.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CLASS 3A<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em>Pen Argyl at Palisades<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nThe Green Knights have been a tough team to figure out this year.\u00a0 Pen Argyl was one of our top four Colonial League teams in our pre-season and scored some impressive wins.\u00a0 They\u2019ve also lost a couple games that surprised some of our football experts here at RCN-TV.\u00a0 Palisades has really been playing well under Kevin Ronalds and looked strong last week in their win over Northern Lehigh.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d give the advantage to Pen Argyl given Logan Sterner\u2019s running ability and the Knights having a more battle-tested group, but this should be another interesting match-up this weekend.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>North Schuylkill at Notre Dame<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Notre Dame took a while to get its motor running versus Lehighton last weekend, but once they did, it turned into the blowout that I had predicted it would on last week\u2019s show.<\/p>\n<p>The Crusaders clearly have the most offensive weapons of any in this classification and have been doing a better job defending the run over the last several weeks, which traditionally has been North Schuylkill\u2019s bread-and-butter.<\/p>\n<p>I haven\u2019t seen North Schuylkill in person this season as they play outside our coverage area but already have some calls in and am waiting for more information and details on this year\u2019s squad as this week\u2019s blog goes to press.\u00a0 Again, I\u2019ll have to use the \u201ctease\u201d button here and invite you to watch this Thursday\u2019s show (or hear the podcast at rcn.com\/atvn\/sports-talk) for more on this playoff game.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t forget to bookmark and check out RCN\u2019s broadcast schedule <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rcn.com\/atvn\/2016-hs-football\/\">here on the website<\/a> and check back throughout our local team\u2019s playoff run for more details on our featured games.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- 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