The Delaware high school football season is officially into its second half, and with key conference games coming up over the next few weeks, all with playoff implications, I reveal my Top 10 heading into Week 7.
1. Sallies (5-1): The Sals are winning games with big plays, which is very unlike this traditionally grind-it-out program whose only loss came to New Jersey powerhouse Delsea on Saturday night. They are clearly the team to beat in Delaware, and this week host Friendship Edison (D.C.). The Sals must stay focused before playing their final game against St. Mark’s, which could very well be a preview of the state championship game.
2. A.I. duPont (6-0, 3-0 Blue Hen Flight A): The Tigers’ streak of not allowing double digits on the scoreboard this season continued this past weekend in a 28-0 rout over previously undefeated Wilmington Friends (5-1). The question still remains if the Tigers are for real or are they just taking advantage of a weak Flight A Conference. A.I. averages just under 40 points a game on offense and should score often this weekend and next when they face winless Newark (0-6, 0-3) and Brandywine (0-6, 0-3 Blue Hen Flight A). The Tigers then close out with huge games against Middletown (5-1, 3-0 Blue Hen Flight A) and William Penn (4-2, 4-0 Blue Hen Flight A).
3. St. Mark’s (5-1): Despite another easy 23-3 win this past weekend over Dover (4-2, 1-1 Henlopen North), what looks to be the most balanced team in the state has perhaps the toughest schedule to end the season with games remaining against Caravel (5-1), Wm Penn (4-2), St. Elizabeth (3-2) and Sallies (5-1). An early loss against Sussex Central (3-3, 0-3 Henlopen North), which appeared in the last three state tournament championship games but is all but eliminated from this year’s playoffs, might prove to be costly come state tournament time. The Spartans probably need to win at least two of their remaining games if they still want to be playing at Thanksgiving.
4. Caesar Rodney (4-2, 2-0 Henlopen North): The defending Division I state champions have only lost to No. 1 Salesianum and powerhouse Loyola Blakefield (Md.). The Riders easily handled Milford this past weekend, 22-0, to take control of the Henlopen North Conference, and they have a relatively easy schedule to close out the season, starting with disappointing Sussex Central on Friday night.
5. William Penn (4-2, 4-0 Blue Jen Flight A): After starting 0-2, the Colonials, as is their tradition, are getting better with each game. They’ll be tested this weekend when they travel Friday night to face a tough Concord team (4-2, 3-0 Blue Hen Flight A) in a game that may put the loser on the outside looking in come state tournament time.
6. Caravel (5-1): The Bucs are probably the best team in Division II, but we’ll know more when they host St. Mark’s on Friday night. After an opening loss to Sussex Central, Caravel is beating opponents by an average of 31 points, and a win over the Spartans would go a long way to help them lock up a tournament bid.
7. Middletown (5-1, 3-0 Blue Hen Flight A): Middletown’s only game against a team with a winning record resulted in a loss to No. 1 Salesianum. That being said, the Cavaliers are taking care of their weaker opponents (combined 7-19 record) with ease, which is what good teams do. Middletown must avoid looking ahead to a showdown with A.I. on Nov. 6, and instead first take care of business against Charter (2-4, 1-2 Flight A) and Concord (4-2, 3-0 Blue Hen Flight A).
8. Sussex Tech (5-1, 3-1 Henlopen North): The Ravens are perhaps the surprise team of the year but will have to avoid a letdown this week when they host a weak Smyrna team (1-5, 1-2 Henlopen North) coming off a huge homecoming upset over Sussex Central. The only reason I don’t have the Ravens ranked higher is the Delaware teams they have beaten have a combined 12-12 record.
9. Hodgson Vo-Tech (42-, 2-1 Blue Hen Flight B): This past Saturday the Silver Eagles scored a big 21-7 homecoming victory over conference rival Appoquinimink (4-2, 2-1). Hodgson, whose remaining opponents’ records are 8-16, might have the edge in a conference race currently involving five teams tied at the top.
10. Milford (3-3, 3-1 Henlopen North): Milford’s transition back to Division I was going smoothly until the Buccaneers ran into a tough Caesar Rodney team on Friday night. But don’t count the defending Division II state champions out yet. Milford can get back on the winning track Friday night against winless Polytech (0-6, 0-4 Henlopen South), the team they flip-flopped divisions with heading into the season.
On the outside looking in
Howard Vo-Tech (5-1, 2-1 Blue Hen Flight B): Off the radar at the beginning of the season, the Wildcats have quietly risen to the top of the Flight B Conference, tied with five other teams. Howard must not look too far ahead when it closes out the season against Appoquinimink in a game that might send the winner into the state tournament and the loser home for the holidays.
Concord (4-2, 3-0, Blue Hen Flight A): Concord’s return to Division I for the first time since 1995 has been a successful one, but the Raiders probably need to win three of their last four games (William Penn, Middletown, Delcastle {3-3, 2-2 Blue Hen Flight A}, Glasgow) to have any shot at a state tournament berth.