(For the Record, i tried puttin both on one thread, but Depreps will crash if i post a message more than 10,000 characters so heres Division 2.)
***DIVISION 2 PRESEASON RANKINGS (w/ 2018 Final Record)***
1. Woodbridge (11-2)
2. Friends (10-2)
3. Tower Hill (8-3)
4. Howard (9-2)
5. Delmar (10-2)
6. Caravel (5-5)
7. Archmere (8-3)
8. Laurel (4-6)
9. St. Marks (5-5)
10. Brandywine (5-5)
**Playoff points will begin next week once teams have complete their week 1 schedule so that many of us can track where teams lay throughout the season**
KEY GAMES:
#1 Woodbridge vs. #6 Caravel @ Woodbridge Friday 7:30pm
#FIGHTLIKETROY4 has been the mantra surrounding high school sports in Delaware this year after Woodbridges Quarterback Troy Haynes was diagnosed with cancer. Troy was a star athlete at Woodbridge helping them win two Division 2 State Championships. This season, the players will be use that mantra to help guide them to yet another title. Troy has graduated, but these players will play harder than before to help his fight come lesser than ever. For the first time in many years, the Blue Raiders will feature a new coach in Jed Bell who coached under Ed Manlove for many seasons before moving up after manloves retirement. Woodbridge features many returning lineman from last years team such as Josh Benedict (5-11, 240) and V.J. Singh (5-9, 200) as well as one of the states premier running backs in Jayquon Massey and wide receiver Trey Haynes. Them and transfer quarterback Dalton Perdue will try to keep the ship afloat when they open the 2019 season against Caravel. Caravel, once a powerhouse has had a few lackluster seasons of late but will enter the season with a top quarterback in the division with Jakob Hoffman and one of the better receivers in Ethan Potter who has already committed to play football at Villanova. The Bucs went 5-5 last season but reeled off 5 straight wins to end the season, against teams like Silver Oak, Glasgow, and Concord. Caravel looked much improved during the offseason 7on7 tournament but a lot is going to have to go their way if they wish to come out of Bridgeville with their first win. However, I will leave with you with this, its not how you start the season, its how you end it. With games against Caesar Rodney, St. Georges, and Concord they have a schedule to help make up ground if they do have a blemish on their record. HS PICK: Woodbridge 34 Caravel 21
#2 Wilmington Friends vs. A.I. Dupont @ Friends Saturday 2:00pm
Friends has been itching for their opportunity chance to bring home a State championship, but has ran into a Henlopen South buzzsaw in Woodbridge twice. This time around, Friends is hoping this is their year. They bring in one of top quarterbacks in Wyatt Nelson and his favorite target in Will Davis and their top running back in Pat Mckenzie. Those three will be crucial to what success comes this team. This week, they open with an A.I. Dupont squad that lost most of its key players to graduation but still a contender in the Flight B race. A.I. has been steamrolling through its schedules the last two years and falling short in the playoffs, Howver, Head Coach Zeb Blum is no newcomer to this, or building a team after its star pupils are gone. Division 2 is a little different than Division 1 as far as playoffs goes, EIGHT teams make the playable field because of the amount of schools with football programs at the Division 2 level. Although two more gets in, its harder than ever to make it in because the chances of a 6-4, or even a 7-3 team sometimes falls just short of that line. The Tigers have 4 games on their schedule where they must take care of business if they wish to contend, Friends, Howard, Newark, and Brandywine. Friends is in the same boat with A.I. Dupont, Woodbridge, Lake Forest, Delmar, and Tower Hill, so a win for either will be crucial. HS PICK: Friends 36 A.I. Dupont 17
OTHER GAMES TO TRACK
#4 Howard vs. Concord @ Caravel Friday 7:00 pm
Newark vs. Glasgow @ Newark Friday 7:00pm
#9 Laurel vs. #10 Brandywine @ Laurel Friday 7:00pm
***DIVISION 2 PRESEASON RANKINGS (w/ 2018 Final Record)***
1. Woodbridge (11-2)
2. Friends (10-2)
3. Tower Hill (8-3)
4. Howard (9-2)
5. Delmar (10-2)
6. Caravel (5-5)
7. Archmere (8-3)
8. Laurel (4-6)
9. St. Marks (5-5)
10. Brandywine (5-5)
**Playoff points will begin next week once teams have complete their week 1 schedule so that many of us can track where teams lay throughout the season**
KEY GAMES:
#1 Woodbridge vs. #6 Caravel @ Woodbridge Friday 7:30pm
#FIGHTLIKETROY4 has been the mantra surrounding high school sports in Delaware this year after Woodbridges Quarterback Troy Haynes was diagnosed with cancer. Troy was a star athlete at Woodbridge helping them win two Division 2 State Championships. This season, the players will be use that mantra to help guide them to yet another title. Troy has graduated, but these players will play harder than before to help his fight come lesser than ever. For the first time in many years, the Blue Raiders will feature a new coach in Jed Bell who coached under Ed Manlove for many seasons before moving up after manloves retirement. Woodbridge features many returning lineman from last years team such as Josh Benedict (5-11, 240) and V.J. Singh (5-9, 200) as well as one of the states premier running backs in Jayquon Massey and wide receiver Trey Haynes. Them and transfer quarterback Dalton Perdue will try to keep the ship afloat when they open the 2019 season against Caravel. Caravel, once a powerhouse has had a few lackluster seasons of late but will enter the season with a top quarterback in the division with Jakob Hoffman and one of the better receivers in Ethan Potter who has already committed to play football at Villanova. The Bucs went 5-5 last season but reeled off 5 straight wins to end the season, against teams like Silver Oak, Glasgow, and Concord. Caravel looked much improved during the offseason 7on7 tournament but a lot is going to have to go their way if they wish to come out of Bridgeville with their first win. However, I will leave with you with this, its not how you start the season, its how you end it. With games against Caesar Rodney, St. Georges, and Concord they have a schedule to help make up ground if they do have a blemish on their record. HS PICK: Woodbridge 34 Caravel 21
#2 Wilmington Friends vs. A.I. Dupont @ Friends Saturday 2:00pm
Friends has been itching for their opportunity chance to bring home a State championship, but has ran into a Henlopen South buzzsaw in Woodbridge twice. This time around, Friends is hoping this is their year. They bring in one of top quarterbacks in Wyatt Nelson and his favorite target in Will Davis and their top running back in Pat Mckenzie. Those three will be crucial to what success comes this team. This week, they open with an A.I. Dupont squad that lost most of its key players to graduation but still a contender in the Flight B race. A.I. has been steamrolling through its schedules the last two years and falling short in the playoffs, Howver, Head Coach Zeb Blum is no newcomer to this, or building a team after its star pupils are gone. Division 2 is a little different than Division 1 as far as playoffs goes, EIGHT teams make the playable field because of the amount of schools with football programs at the Division 2 level. Although two more gets in, its harder than ever to make it in because the chances of a 6-4, or even a 7-3 team sometimes falls just short of that line. The Tigers have 4 games on their schedule where they must take care of business if they wish to contend, Friends, Howard, Newark, and Brandywine. Friends is in the same boat with A.I. Dupont, Woodbridge, Lake Forest, Delmar, and Tower Hill, so a win for either will be crucial. HS PICK: Friends 36 A.I. Dupont 17
OTHER GAMES TO TRACK
#4 Howard vs. Concord @ Caravel Friday 7:00 pm
Newark vs. Glasgow @ Newark Friday 7:00pm
#9 Laurel vs. #10 Brandywine @ Laurel Friday 7:00pm