http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/
FROM KEITH GROLLER
The District 11 website --
http://district11.piaa.org/ has all of the latest figures when it comes to the complicated point system and how things stack up for the playoffs entering Saturday's games.
And what looks like is shaping up is a bunch of opportunities for the Mountain Valley Conference to show it's a better league than most people think.
In Class 4A it looks like top-seeded East Stroudsburg South will meet No. 8 Scranton in a rematch of last year's subregional quarters when Scranton whipped the Cavs 42-20.
Also, as it stands now, the No. 2 seed is Whitehall and the Zephs will play No. 7 Pleasant Valley , while No. 6 Stroudsburg will meet No. 3 Parkland. The higher seeds host in each.
In Class 3A, Lehighton qualified and will settle into the No. 3 spot against Bethlehem Catholic or Southern Lehigh.
It has been a rough go in the postseason for the MVC's best over the years.
In fact, no current member of the MVC has won a district title since James Mungro led East Stroudsburg to the 3A title in 1995.
In recent years, some of the games were embarassingly lopsided for MVC members and while the coaches involved don't say that it bothers them, it does.
In 2008, MVC champ East Stroudsburg South lost to Hazleton 30-14 in the first round.
In 2009, MVC champ East Stroudsburg South beat Liberty in the quarterfinals, but fell to Parkland 59-30 in the semis.
In 2010, South beat Pleasant Valley in an all-MVC quarterfinal, but the Cavs were then thumped by Easton 68-20 in the semifinals.
In 2011, Stroudsburg won the league, but was routed by Parkland 38-10 in the quarterfinals.
Then last year, Stroudsburg won the league, but was beaten by Pleasant Valley in the subregional quarterfinals. The Bears were then routed by Parkland 59-30 in the semis.
Bottom line is that the league is overdue for some posteason success.
Will it happen this year?
South clearly has the best shot since it will play only home games as the No. 1 seed. Niko Petrone is the leading rusher in the MVC and the No. 2 ground gainer in Dsitrict 11.
Stroudsburg offers Gerald Douglas and a very good defense that has posted three shutouts.
Pleasant Valley would be a longshot to beat Parkland or Whitehall. The Bears have record-breaker Brandon Leap at quarterback, but have been a little too generous on defense in some of its key games including Friday night's battle with Stroudsburg.
And don't forget Lehighton in 3A, which may be as physical as any team in the area. The Indians aren't fancy, but possess some size and tough kids. They will not be a pushover for anyone in the 3A bracket. As it stands now, Lehighton would be play Becahi next week. But that may change depending on what happens with the Becahi-Central Catholic game tonight in Bethlehem.
Last night's scores:
Stroudsburg 42, Pleasant Valley 15 -- Gerald Douglas ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns.
ES South 58, ES North 22 -- Niko Petrone had 137 yards rushing and five touchdowns with all but one yard and one TD coming in the first half as the Cavs rolled to a 30-6 halftime lead. This is South's eighth league title in the last 11 years.
PM East 49, PM West 35 -- Corey Castillon ran for 146 yards and four TDs and quarterback Luke Hohenstein threw for 159 yards and two scores. Pocono East will play either Nazareth or Liberty in the Eastern Conference playoffs next week.
Lehighton 28, Jim Thorpe 24 -- The Indians raced to a 21-0 lead and then held on. Tom Ruzicka and Wyatt Clements had two TDs apiece, with Ruzicka getting one on an interception return. This win clinched the Indians' first district berth since 2007 when the Tribe lost to Northwestern 46-22.
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