While laying their heads down on their cots in between two-a-day practices in August, high school football player’s minds are filled with many things. Attempting to rationalize their misery, they dream of playing in the big game, playing into December, when it really matters. For the players on Upper Dublin and North Penn’s roster, all of their hard work and determination in the off-season all comes down to this Saturday as all long and windy roads in the 2015 season lead back to the Suburban One League.

The PIAA District One Football Championship will be played Saturday between North Penn and Upper Dublin. Upper Dublin came into the District one playoffs as the 3 seed, while North Penn came in as the 9 seed. However it must be noted that the Knights play in the National Conference, which is by far the largest and strongest conference in the district. Upper Dublin has yet to taste defeat this season, going 10-0 and earning the mercy rule clock in 6 of those games. North Penn went 8-2, and went undefeated in the conference. Their two losses came weeks 1 and 3, losing to LaSalle and Downingtown East, (who came into District One playoffs as the one seed) respectively. Both teams sport a potent passing game, with two well above average quarterbacks.

Upper Dublin’s Ryan Stover is a dual threat quarterback, a big kid who can take up chunks of yards once he gets going. However defenses can’t key on the run because he is also able to sling it, racking up 2050 yards and 25 TD passes so far this year. To compliment Stover, running back Kaleif Lee has been running well for the Cardinals. Lee is 11 yards away from 1,000 yard mark on the season, and sets up the passing game very well. Stover also has a good veteran receiving corps to target, led by Cole Swiger, Gary Fields, and James Lampmann.

On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals defense has been nasty, dominating the American Conference all season. In the three consecutive games, (Springfield Montco, Wissahickon, and Plymouth Whitemarsh) the Cardinals defense was able to shutout their opponents. Anchored up front by big linemen Max Winebreak and Isaiah Henrich as well as standout linebacker Henry Winebreak, expect the Cardinals defense to make the Knight’s running backs earn every yard they get, and don’t be surprised if they get to Udinski a few times as well.

North Penn’s offense has been firing on all cylinders as of late. With four legitimate Friday night backfield options, the Knights have no problem moving the ball on the ground. On Saturday however, the Knights may not have one of those options.

Nick Isabella has been an integral part of the Knights’ success this season. As the starting fullback, middle linebacker, and punter, Isabella is North Penn’s Swiss Army Knife. Isabella did not dress for the Knights against Neshaminy last week, and his status for Saturday is still up in the air.

However in a school as big as North Penn, the next-man-up mentality is in full effect, and last week that next man up was Dan Drop. Drop stepped in the middle of the Knight’s defense and was an integral part of the Knights holding an explosive Neshaminy offense to only 7 points.

For the first time in a long time, Coach Dick Beck has a legitimate passing option to turn to in Junior quarterback Reece Udinski. Udinski has been stellar for the Knights this year and is good for at least 100 yards a game.

Udinski has a young group of receivers to turn to in Ricky Johns, Jake Hubler, and Justis Henley. Look for the Knights to take some vertical shots down field on Saturday, and keep your eye on Ricky Johns. He has been Udinski’s favorite target this season, and the two have connected for quite a few longballs this season.

The threat of the passing game will open holes for Nyfease West, North Penn’s feature back. The Delaware State commit has well over 1,000 yards on the season, as well as two straight 240 yard games. West will run over you, through you, or around you and will get the majority of the carries on Saturday. As West goes, so go the Knights.

Saturday’s matchup will be a good one. Ryan Stover and the speedy Upper Dublin offense may cause issues for North Penn on defense. However the Knights have more depth and more talent across the board. The Knights are definitely the more physical team, and the less physical Cardinals are reeling from last week’s game, which they won, but at a price. Pennsbury is a lot like North Penn and their size and physicality wore down the smaller and shallower Upper Dublin Cardinals. Expect a shootout, but in the end, North Penn will be too much for Upper Dublin to handle.

GAME PICK: 40-24 North Penn over Upper Dublin.

NOTES: North Penn and Upper Dublin have only squared off twice in school history. NP is 2-0 all time with a 21-7 win in 1996 and a 37-6 win back in 1954, as Lansdale High School.