By special request - a 2019 predictions on paper

[ReturnOfTheGate]

As we all know and love, the game is played on the field, so take these with a grain of salt or discuss them at length. BackInBlack86 suggested it, so here goes (Teams in the playoff hunt are bolded with point projections:

D1


Flight A

1. Hodgson Ws (Dover, St. Georges, Middletown, Mt. Pleasant, Concord, Howard, Delcastle, William Penn, Appo) Ls (Sallies) 9-1 57/10 = 5.7

2. Middletown Ws (Smyrna, Concord, Delcastle, CR, Penn, Appo, St. Georges, Mt. Pleasant) Ls (Hodgson, Sallies) 8-2 56/10 = 5.6

3. St. Georges Ws (Cape, Delcastle, Caravel, Penn, Appo, Mt. Pleasant, Concord) Ls (Hodgson, Sallies, Middletown) 7-3 49/10 = 4.9

4. William Penn Ws (Cape, Appo, Mt. Pleasant, Delcastle, Concord) Ls (Sallies, Sussex Tech, Middletown Hodgson, St. Georges) 5-5

5. Appo Ws (CR, Delcastle, St. Mark’s, Mt. Pleasant, Concord) Ls (Sallies, Penn, St. Georges, Middletown, Hodgson) 5-5

6. Concord Ws (Mt. Pleasant, Delcastle) Ls (Howard, Middletown, Woodbridge, Hodgson, Caravel, Penn, Appo, St. Georges) 2-8

7. Mt. Pleasant Ws (Delcastle) Ls (Archmere, Newark, Concord, Hodgson, Glasgow, Penn, Appo, St. Georges, Middletown) 1-9

8. Delcastle Ws (Christiana) Ls (Tower Hill, Appo, St. Georges, Middletown, Mt. Pleasant, Concord, Hodgson, McKean, Penn) 1-9


Henlopen North

1. Smyrna Ws (Glenelg, Sussex Central, Sussex Tech, Dover, Milford, CR, Cape, Polytech) Ls (Middletown, Sallies) 8-2 57/10 = 5.7

2. Sussex Central Ws (La Plata, Southern, CR, Poly, Cape, Sussex Tech, Milford, Dover, IR) Ls (Smyrna) 9-1 53/10 = 5.3

3. Dover Ws (Northeast, Cape, Milford, Polytech, Sussex Tech, CR) Ls (Hodgson, Sallies, Smyrna, Central) 6-4 47/10 = 4.7

4. Sussex Tech Ws (Penn, Milford, Polytech, Cape, Northern) Ls (Coolidge, Smyrna, Central, Dover, CR) 5-5

5. Milford Ws (IR, DMA, Cape, Polytech, Lake) Ls (Sussex Tech, Dover, CR, Smyrna, Central) 5-5

6. Caesar Rodney Ws (Polytech, Milford, Sussex Tech, Cape) Ls (Appo, Caravel, Central, Middletown, Smyrna, Dover) 4-6

7. Cape Ws (Polytech) Ls (St. Georges, Penn, Milford, Dover, DMA, Central, CR, Smyrna, Tech) 1-9

8. Polytech Ws (Laurel) Ls (Lake, IR, CR, Central, Tech, Dover, Cape, Milford, Smyrna) 1-9


D1 Independent


Sallies Ws (Penn, Dover, Appo, Smyrna, Episcopal, Mastery Charter, St. Georges, Hodgson, Middletown, St. Mark’s) 10-0 61/10 = 6.1


D2

Flight B

1. Howard Ws (Concord, Laurel, Brandywine, McKean, Christiana, Newark, AI, Dickinson, Glasgow) Ls (Hodgson) 9-1 43/10 = 4.3

2. AI DuPont Ws (Christiana, IR, Newark, Charter, Dickinson, Glasgow, Brandywine, McKean) Ls (Howard, Friends) 8-2 39/10 = 3.9

3. Brandywine Ws (Laurel, Glasgow, Charter, McKean, Christiana, Conrad, Dickinson) Ls (Howard, Newark, AI) 7-3 33/10 = 3.3

4. Newark Ws (Glasgow, Mt. Pleasant, Dickinson, Brandywine, McKean, Christiana) Ls (Howard, AI, Lake, St. Mark’s) 6-4 29/10 = 2.9

5. McKean Ws (Tatnall, Dickinson, Red Lion, Christiana, Delcastle) Ls (Newark, Glasgow, Howard, Brandywine, AI) 5-5

6. Glasgow Ws (McKean, Christiana, Mt. Pleasant, Dickinson) Ls (Newark, Brandywine, Caravel, AI, St. Mark’s, Howard) 4-6

7. Dickinson Ws (Red Lion) Ls (Pitman, McKean, Christiana, FSMA, Newark, AI, Glasgow, Howard, Brandywine) 1-9


Henlopen South

1. Woodbridge Ws (Caravel, Rock Ridge, Concord, Archmere, Seaford, Laurel, IR, Lake, Delmar) Ls (Friends) 9-1 43/10 = 4.3

2. Delmar Ws (Parkside, Queen Annes, Easton, Lake, IR, Seaford, Laurel) Ls (St. Mary’s, Friends, Woodbridge) 7-3 35/10 = 3.5

3. Lake Forest Ws (Polytech, Tatnall, Newark, IR, Seaford, Laurel) Ls (Friends, Delmar, Woodbridge, Milford) 6-4 31/10 = 3.1

4. IR Ws (Polytech, Seaford, Laurel) Ls (Milford, AI, Lake, Delmar, Woodbridge, St. E, Central) 3-7

5. Seaford Ws (St. Andrews, Washington, Red Lion, Laurel) Ls (Middle Township, FSMA, IR, Woodbridge, Lake, Delmar) 4-6

6. Laurel Ls (Brandywine, Howard, Caravel, Polytech, St. E, Indian River, Woodbridge, Lake, Delmar, Seaford) 0-10


Diamond State Conference

1. DMA Ws (Charter, Red Lion, St. E, Cape, St. Mark’s, Archmere, FSMA, Conrad) Ls (Milford, Caravel) 8-2 40/10 = 4.0

2. Archmere Ws (Mt. Pleasant, Tatnall, Conrad, St. Mark’s, St. E, Red Lion, Charter, FSMA) Ls (DMA, Woodbridge) 8-2 35/10 = 3.5

3. FSMA Ws (Red Lion, Conrad, Dickinson, St. Andrews, Charter) Ls (Seaford, DMA, Tatnall, Archmere 5-4

4. Conrad Ws (Red Lion, Tatnall, Charter, St. Andrews) Ls (St. Mark’s, Archmere, FSMA, Brandywine, St. E, DMA) 4-6

5. Charter Ws (Red Lion) Ls (DMA, Tower, St. Mark’s, Brandywine, AI, Conrad, FSMA, Tatnall, Archmere) 1-9

6. Red Lion Ws (St. Andrews) Ls (FSMA, DMA, Conrad, Tower, McKean, Dickinson, Archmere, Seaford, Charter) 1-9


Independent Conference

1. Friends Ws (AI, Sidwell Friends, Woodbridge, Lake Forest, Delmar, Academy of the New Church, Tatnall, St. Andrew’s, Tower Hill) 10-0 44/10 = 4.4

2. Tower Hill Ws (Delcastle, Charter, Tatnall, Red Lion, St. Andrews, Christiana) Ls (St. E, The Pennington School, Friends) 6-3 30/9 = 3.333

3. Tatnall Ws (Charter, FSMA, Red Lion) Ls (McKean, Lake, Archmere, Tower, Conrad, St. E, Friends) 3-7

4. St. Andrews Ls (Morrisville, Red Lion, Seaford, Pennington, FSMA, Caravel, Tower, Friends, Conrad, Tatnall) 0-10


D2 Independents

1. Caravel Ws (CR, Laurel, Glasgow, St. Andrews, Concord, Silver Oak, DMA, St. E) Ls (Woodbridge, St. Georges) 8-2 39/10 = 3.9

2. St. E Ws (Christiana, St. Mark’s, Tower Hill, Laurel, Tatnall, Conrad) Ls (DMA, Archmere, IR, Caravel) 6-4

3. St. Mark’s Ws (Conrad, Charter, Newark, Kennett, Glasgow) Ls (St. E, Archmere, Appo, DMA, Sallies) 5-5

 

[ReturnOfTheGate]

So the D1 playoff picture would be

1. Sallies 6.1
2. Hodgson 5.7
3. Smyrna 5.7
4. Middletown 5.6
5. Central 5.3
6. St. Georges 4.9
---------------------------------
7. Dover 4.7

D2:

1. Friends 4.4
2. Woodbridge 4.3 (SOS tiebreaker over Howard)
3. Howard 4.3
4. DMA 4.0
5. Caravel 3.9 (SOS tiebreak over AI)
6. AI 3.9
7. Delmar 3.5 (SOS tiebreak over Archmere)
8. Archmere 3.5
--------------------------------------------------------
9. Tower Hill 3.33
10. Brandywine 3.3
11. Lake 3.1
12. Newark 2.9

 

[HSftballlaxFan]

How does middletown have 56 but a 5.7 index?

 

[Chill44]

I love this! It’s never too early for football talk!
I’m a down state guy, I think the north will look something like this:
Sussex Central-(8-2) L’s to Smyrna, Sussex Tech
Sussex Tech (8-2) Ls to Dover, Northern
Smyrna (7-3) Ls to MTown, Tech, Sallies
Dover (6-4) Ls to Central,Smyrna, Tech, Sallies

 

[Downstate4]

Central will not loose to Tech or Smryna... Not going happen.. Not sold on Tech at all... Central will be the North champion..

 

[HSftballlaxFan]

I’m not sold on Central or Smyrna. Tech brings everyone back from last season of my information is correct, and Smyrna was terrible last season. They got blown out by Middletown, Tech, Central and Sallies. Marks is gonna have to run something besides an earthquake to win games. It worked with WILL Knight, but since he’s graduated it hasn’t. Central graduates it’s core pieces that won them the championship last season.

I say the conference belongs to Dover or Tech. Just a gut feeling. Unless they both collapse (VERY possible) then I’ll give it to Central or Smyrna.

 

[Chill44]

I’m not sold on Central or Smyrna. Tech brings everyone back from last season of my information is correct, and Smyrna was terrible last season. They got blown out by Middletown, Tech, Central and Sallies. Marks is gonna have to run something besides an earthquake to win games. It worked with WILL Knight, but since he’s graduated it hasn’t. Central graduates it’s core pieces that won them the championship last season.

I say the conference belongs to Dover or Tech. Just a gut feeling. Unless they both collapse (VERY possible) then I’ll give it to Central or Smyrna.

Tech does lose 2 starting lineman and an RB BUT they have tons of backs and get their starting QB back( missed last season with injury) They went 6-4 last year losing to Sallies 9-0, Central 25-0, Appo 15-18, and Dover. With Kane back at QB and Snead and Custis in the back field they will be tough.

 

[Chill44]

The north is in the Air between Tech, Central, Dover....which Central and Dover both have to replace their QBs

 

[HSftballlaxFan]

The north is in the Air between Tech, Central, Dover....which Central and Dover both have to replace their QBs

I couldn’t agree more. But it’s what you just said that proves it could be anyone’s conference. I will dub the henlopen probably the toughest conference right now. Flight A is a two horse race/ Hodgson and Middletown. Penn and Concord are both on the decline, Appo I think has hit their peak, and St. George’s is a huge mystery because they are pulling the kids out of the colonial district more than they are the Appo school district, the kids that would have gone to Penn are no wearing the Green and Blue. New coach who knows how to win games and championships. So until it’s proven. Hodgson and Mtown will battle for Flight A every year.

The Henlopen though, other than Smyrna 3peat, it seems like it could be anyone that takes it. For. While it was Central, then Dover and then Tech, then Smyrna. Cape was always said to have the athletes but the coaching was so 1940s that they couldn’t do anything with them. Dover has to bring along a new QB, but it’s unknown if Peace needs a great one in front of him. Tech is a run dominant team and has been solid on the line for years now to where a RB running behind them is set. Smyrna needs A QB to separate himself and solidify himself as the starter because like I said, the earthquake isn’t as great as it was 2-3 years ago. You’re two best receivers are fine, one to graduation and the other to Dematha for Track and field. Wayne is a good running back but he’s not his brother.

So as talented as these teams are, can be, should be, there are still so many unknowns. It’s anyones race really.

Speaking solely on Division 1, the only team I don’t think has questions is Sallies. I think they lost their linebackers but other then them, the core group of guys that you need to succeed with the offense that they run are all returning if I’m correct?

 

[ReturnOfTheGate]

How does middletown have 56 but a 5.7 index?

Math was off by a bit. Fixed it now.

 

[HSftballlaxFan]

Just helping ya out lol

 

[UD1989]

So you have Milford beating IR then you have IR beating Milford ,,,,, interesting

 

[Downstate4]

I’m not sold on Central or Smyrna. Tech brings everyone back from last season of my information is correct, and Smyrna was terrible last season. They got blown out by Middletown, Tech, Central and Sallies. Marks is gonna have to run something besides an earthquake to win games. It worked with WILL Knight, but since he’s graduated it hasn’t. Central graduates it’s core pieces that won them the championship last season.

I say the conference belongs to Dover or Tech. Just a gut feeling. Unless they both collapse (VERY possible) then I’ll give it to Central or Smyrna.

Central defense will still be strong.. As we all know first hand.. Central is by far the best defensive team by far..

 

[BackinBlack86]

Central defense will still be strong.. As we all know first hand.. Central is by far the best defensive team by far..

Vs run teams yeah. But they had nothing for Smyrna in the Henderson era. Just saying if a team can come out tossing it in the Henny North they may not be so dominant defensively.

 

[VoiceofReason247]

Vs run teams yeah. But they had nothing for Smyrna in the Henderson era. Just saying if a team can come out tossing it in the Henny North they may not be so dominant defensively.

That isn't quite true. Central was one of the very few teams that had a decent plan against Smyrna during that 3 year run. Even holding them to 22 Smyrna's Only undefeated season when they was averaging 50+

 

[DrDesigno]

Central defense will still be strong.. As we all know first hand.. Central is by far the best defensive team by far..

So you’re saying by far?

 

[Uncle Bumfuzzled]

This is about 9 days before the embargo I placed on myself to post about Big S FB. I will start early as I know there is always a demand for my opinions.

I think Hodgson is the team to beat in D1 in '19. They should have beaten the Sals in the playoffs and become state champions but their irrational exuberance after a potential tying score cost them that game. Their QB will be the biggest playmaking QB in state. He will be complemented by solid talent.

Despite the return of the "thundering herd of unicorns" now Juniors, the Sals will miss the underrated senior core that they had last year - Mettenheimer, Fowler, Regan, Pacheco, Bushweller, and McNabb.

Although I am now a loyal Sals fan, I have to think that their special teams play will cost them a game (maybe 2) as they roll into next season. My God, they have been awful. Not that they were going to beat Central in the title game last year but to give up another kickoff return in a big spot was a killer. Ah...can we have a recounting of the kickoff returns and punt returns that broke their back in the last 5 years. It is shameful.

Even with a couple losses due to bonehead special teams play, they will be in the hunt for the title.

One other quick observation...although they are returning a premier running back, they have a returning FB I think the name is Mara or Marra (One R for Irish, 2 R's for Italians) who can break tackles and cut back like a demon.

OK..I pick the Big S to lose to Hodgson and Dover with a potential 3rd loss to Episcopal. If they don't fall a sleep on special teams they have an opportunity to win the title.

For years I called them the Slowskys because they were getting called for delay of game a couple times per game. When they cured that problem I now see the special teams issues as particularly annoying.

I may start calling them the Specials because of their special teams.

Gate, Nice Piece of Analysis.

 

[Chill44]

Hodgson lost some key pieces

 

[Chill44]

Bobby Arnold RB/DB and Lester Colman SB/DB both transferred to Salem, Kam’ryn Thomas also going to Dematha...

 

[Uncle Bumfuzzled]

Bobby Arnold RB/DB and Lester Colman SB/DB both transferred to Salem, Kam’ryn Thomas also going to Dematha...

Interesting. Salem? I know they have a great tailback at Wisconsin. I guess I should start following their program.

https://uwbadgers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7334

 

[HSftballlaxFan]

Bobby Arnold RB/DB and Lester Colman SB/DB both transferred to Salem, Kam’ryn Thomas also going to Dematha...

Was also told about Thomas however, he was playing in 7on7 last weekend so not sure how accurate that info is. If true, Hodgson will miss those 3 significantly. However, the 3rd string running back behind Hale and Arnold did a great job last season so losing Arnold might not be as bad with this kid still there!

 

[TruthSerum1]

I guess my question is why did they leave? Seems odd that starters on a championship contender for the past couple of years up and leave. What's going on over at Hodgson? Egos? Not getting along with coaches? Or is it that nasty E word?

 

[dovetail]

This is about 9 days before the embargo I placed on myself to post about Big S FB. I will start early as I know there is always a demand for my opinions.

I think Hodgson is the team to beat in D1 in '19. They should have beaten the Sals in the playoffs and become state champions but their irrational exuberance after a potential tying score cost them that game. Their QB will be the biggest playmaking QB in state. He will be complemented by solid talent.

Despite the return of the "thundering herd of unicorns" now Juniors, the Sals will miss the underrated senior core that they had last year - Mettenheimer, Fowler, Regan, Pacheco, Bushweller, and McNabb.

Although I am now a loyal Sals fan, I have to think that their special teams play will cost them a game (maybe 2) as they roll into next season. My God, they have been awful. Not that they were going to beat Central in the title game last year but to give up another kickoff return in a big spot was a killer. Ah...can we have a recounting of the kickoff returns and punt returns that broke their back in the last 5 years. It is shameful.

Even with a couple losses due to bonehead special teams play, they will be in the hunt for the title.

One other quick observation...although they are returning a premier running back, they have a returning FB I think the name is Mara or Marra (One R for Irish, 2 R's for Italians) who can break tackles and cut back like a demon.

OK..I pick the Big S to lose to Hodgson and Dover with a potential 3rd loss to Episcopal. If they don't fall a sleep on special teams they have an opportunity to win the title.

For years I called them the Slowskys because they were getting called for delay of game a couple times per game. When they cured that problem I now see the special teams issues as particularly annoying.

I may start calling them the Specials because of their special teams.

Gate, Nice Piece of Analysis.

Thank you Uncle Bummy; the season has begun. Does your intelligence network indicate that this is BDN's final season?

 

[Uncle Bumfuzzled]

dove, I have no intel whatsoever. 2020 would be the Sals first season playing at Rocco. BDN certainly would want to coach for at least one year in the new digs.

He is only 60. My sense is that he is good for another 5-10 years. Coach Tatt has coached (unless he is now retired) until he was into his mid 70's.
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In other news George Glenn has retired from Coastal Carolina.

https://goccusports.com/news/2019/6/3/glenn-to-retire-from-coastal-carolina-football.aspx