Phoenixville, Upper Perk have identical record going into Friday's game

Phoenixville and Upper Perkiomen will carry identical records into Friday night’s Pioneer Athletic Conference football showdown in Red Hill. Both ballclubs have 2-3 records in the PAC-10 and are 3-4 overall.
Also, both sides are currently tied for seventh place in the District 1 Class AAA football standings. The Phantoms and Indians each have 390 points for a 55.7 average. Eight teams qualify for the district playoffs in Class AAA so both sides are still in the chase.
Upper Moreland (6-1) leads the way with 850 markers, followed by Strath Haven (6-1, 840), Academy Park (6-1, 740), Pottsgrove (5-2, 680), Springfield Delco (5-2, 610) and Bishop Shanahan (4-3, 550).
Also in the running for the final playoff spots are Octorara (3-3, 300), Interboro (3-4, 330) and Radnor (3-4, 320).
Phoenixville is coming off a 21-8 loss to Perkiomen Valley at Washington Field on Senior Night while Upper Perkiomen beat Methacton, 42-35, in Red Hill last Thursday evening. The previous week the Indians dropped a 55-20 decision to Owen J. Roberts on the Tribe’s field.
Upper Perkiomen will be celebrating its Homecoming weekend with the game against the Phantoms. Upper Perkiomen coach Keith Leamer is in his seventh season in charge of the Tribe while Phoenixville’s Bill Furlong has spent eight years on the sidelines with the Phantoms.
Upper Perkiomen is led by junior wide receiver Ronnie Gillespie (5-10, 165), who has scored 10 touchdowns for 60 points. Gillespie ranks second in the area in receiving with 32 catches for 712 yards (22.3-yard average).
“Gillespie is the best receiver we have faced,” said Furlong.
The quarterback is senior Casey Perlstein (6-1, 195), who has scored 50 points on eight TDs and two point afters. Perlstein has also rushed for 498 yards on 97 attemptys (5.1 avg.). Perlstein has completed 70 of 144 aerials (48.6 percent) for 1,137 yards with 12 TDs and six interceptions. Perlstein and Phoenixville’s Tom Romano were both named to the second team all-league as quarterbacks one year ago.
Both players will be a challenge to Phoenixville’s defensive line of Ernie Knight, Dennis Kelly, Marcus Stokes and Torin Killeen plus Sam Labik, Kajhnel Norwood and Brendon Stone as well as the secondary with Alec McQuiston, Joe Hill, Marcus Howell and Jerome Nicholson. The linebackers are Ryan Pannella, Travis Andrews, Ryan Yenchick and Nick Rutkowski.
The Phantoms must also contend with junior fullback John Olson (6-1, 195), who is the team’s leading rusher with 541 yards on 115 plays (4.7 avg.).
Phoenixville has scored 136 points (19.4) while allowing 161 counters (23.0). Upper Perkiomen has scored 208 points (29.7) while yielding 226 points (32.3). Andrews is Phoenixville’s top rusher with 439 yards on 94 carries (4.7) with two touchdowns.
“I hope we play at an even keel because they are emotional and it is their Homecoming,” said Furlong.
The Indians are led in their offensive line by senior tackle Mike Paul (6-4, 220), also a second-team all-league choice last season. Paul doubles as a defensive lineman. Senior Jake Nyce (5-11, 215) is a three-year starter at the center position.
Junior linebacker Dalton Fleming (6-1, 195) is following in the footsteps of his older brothers, Chase and Cody, who starred for the Indians before moving on to Shippensburg University.

Phantoms travel to Fairview Village

Phoenixville’s football team (1-2 PAC-10, 2-3 overall) travels to Fairview Village for a 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon game against the Methacton Warriors (2-1, 3-2).
Phoenixville is coming off a 44-19 loss to undefeated Boyertown last Saturday afternoon at Washington Field while Methacton dropped a 42-7 encounter to Owen J. Roberts last Friday night in Bucktown.
The Phantoms have scored 80 points in five games for a 16.0 average per game. Phoenixville has allowed 134 markers for a 26.8 clip.
Methacton has scored 69 points (13.8) while allowing 92 (18.4).
Phoenixville did rush for 245 yards against the Bears and passed for 80 more yards for a total of 325 yards of total offense, which pleased head coach Bill Furlong and his staff. Defensively, Phoenixville permitted Boyertown 184 yards rushing and 197 yards passing for a total of 381 yards. Several big plays proved costly for the Phantoms.
Junior Travis Andrews has been the Phantoms’ top rusher with 277 yards on 57 carries for a 4.9 average. Against the Bears, Andrews ran for 91 yards on 15 carries. He also doubles at linebacker on defense.
Junior Alec McQuiston has taken over at quarterback and has been effective running and passing the football. Last week he tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Marcus Howell. The TD passes covered 28 and 43 yards. McQuiston completed 3 of 8 passes for 80 yards and the two scores against Boyertown. He also rushed for 73 yards on 12 attempts.
Ten different ballcarriers figured in the statistical column for rushing for the Phantoms. Joe Hill had six runs for 38 yards and Kajhnel Norwood ran five times for 29 yards and a 5-yard TD for the final Phoenixville tally.
Phoenixville’s sophomores have had to make big contributions already. Tom White at center and Brian Hyland at left guard have been starters along the offensive line. Ryan Pannella, at linebacker, is leading the Phantoms in tackles per game. Howell, a cornerbck, and Norwood, a defensive end, are also sophomores and so is running back/linebacker Ryan Yenchick.
Seniors Marcus Stokes and Torin Killeen and junior Ernie Knight have been two-way linemen for the Phantoms.
Dennis Kelly-Ukatu, a 5-foot-11, 171-pound junior defensive end, ranks among the area leaders with three quarterback sacks.
“We were pleased with the way we moved the ball on the ground,” said Furlong. “We were also pleased with what we did against their running game. It was their big plays. That is a credit to (quarterback Dylan) Pasik and all their guys. We wanted to stop their run and we met some of our goals. We spread the ball around the way we wanted to and there is a lot to build on.”
Boyertown, Furlong said, is a solid ballclub all the way around with its linemen, group of backs and a talented threat at quarterback in Pasik, a 6-3, 200-pound senior, who is off to the best start of any quarterback in the league and may be the best the circuit has to offer this season. Pasik hit on 5 of 7 passes for 197 yards and four TDs against the Phantoms.
This week, the Phantoms must turn their attention to the Methacton option running game under first-year head coach Paul Lepre. The Warriors are led by sophomore quarterback Brandon Bossard, who is a threat to run and throw the football at 6-3 and 190 pounds. Senior Eliot Reisz and and junior Nate Forzato are the main running backs out of a double-slot formation and have some speed. The Warriors like to also use junior Brian Miller as a running back and receiver. Senior Sung Ho Park is a solid fullback and linebacker.
Two-way linemen to look for are senior Chris Guardino (5-9, 260), senior Ben Meck (6-1, 235), senior Joe Markley (5-11, 220) and senior Ryan Kiely (5-9, 224) as well as star senior wrestler Brandan Clark (6-0, 230), a state medalist, and junior Tom Culligan (6-2, 250). Anthony DeSana (6-2, 215) is a senior tight end/defensive end. Junior David Low (6-2, 190) is an active defensive end, and sophomore Jeremy Reid (5-9, 200) has already made an impact at linebacker.
The placekicker is junior Nick Leperche.
“They (Warriors) have some good athletes at the skill spots,” said Furlong. “We are similar on the line. They don’t have a lot of size, but they are ready to do what they do and are well-coached. They are very opportunistic, the way we have been and like to be. They recover a fumble and score. They have no superstars, but they are very scrappy.”