Football season comes to halfway point

By PETER DiGIOVANNI

cpn11716@comcast.net

Week five is already upon us and since we are at the halfway point of the regular season, it is time for some teams to see which direction there seasons are headed. A big nonleague battle between Coatesville (2-2) and Unionville (3-1) on Saturday afternoon at Unionville is the marquee game on this week’s docket and Coatesville head coach Matt Ortega, who has to pick his team up after a tough 35-34 loss to Downigntown East, now faces another very strong opponent in the Indians.
“We are just going to have to get back to practice and get ready for a very good Unionville team,” Ortea said. “This may be our toughest game of the year and the most physical. Unionville is so well coached by Pat Clark and they like to play ball control.
“Their quarterback (Tom Pancoast) is very good and their linemen are always big and strong. We are going to have to be ready. We have some guys banged up a little, but they should be all right. Two guys who really played well against Downintown East were Emmett Hunt and Mike Boykin.
“Emmett has the confidence of all his teammates and he threw five touchdown passes last week. Mike is a strong district champion in wrestling and he does everything a good linebacker should do. This will be a very tough and physical game.”
The Indians are coming off a bruising win against Rustin as Tom Pancoast ran for almost 200 yards and two scores.
Pick: Coatesville has too many athletes to lose here. Coatesville 28, Unionville 21.
Friday’s games
Avon Grove (0-4) at Downingtown East (4-0), 7 p.m. The Cougars are flying high after their one-point win over Coatesville. This one should be over quickly.
Pick: Downingtown East 42, Avon Grove 7.
Radnor (0-4) at Conestoga (2-2), 7 p.m.
The Pioneers’ Joe Viviano was a very efficent 13 of 18 passing last week and the ‘Stoga defense finally played up to its potential in a 21-0 shut out of Marple Newtown. Radnor has allowed 35 points a game in its four losses.
Pick: Conestoga 34, Radnor 10.
Downingtown West (3-1) at West Chester East (0-4), 7 p.m.
The Whippets rolled over a bad Penn Wood team last week while the Vikings have only scored seven points in their last two games. Look for Downingtown West to gain a lot of yardage on the ground here.
Pick: Downingtown West 28, West Chester East 7.
Great Valley (3-1) at Oxford (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Patriots think they are major players in the American Division. We will see here. If they truly are, they will beat Oxford soundly.
Pick: Great Valley 31, Oxford 14.
Octorara (1-3) at Sun Valley (3-1), 7 p.m.
Sun Valley is a surprising 3-1, while the young Braves have been struggling.
Pick: Sun Valley 24, Octrorara 21.
Kennett (3-1) at West Chester Rustin (3-1), 7 p.m.
Both teams are coming off their first loss of the season. Kennett, like Great Valley, thinks they can win the Ches-Mont American this year. Kennett had turnover troubles against Haverford School and a similar game will spell doom against the Golden Knights.
Pick: W.C. Rustin 21, Kennett 14.
Bishop Shanahan (2-1) at West Chester Henderson (4-0), 7:15 p.m.
The Eagles piled up more than 400 yards of total offense against Avon Grove last week in a 57-14 win. But Henderson has been playing the best defense in the county, allowing 737 yards total on the season, and should be able to hold the Eagles down.
Pick: W.C. Henderson 28, Bishop Shanahan 7.

Follow Peter DiGiovanni at twitter.com/dlnsports