Football: Delco well-represented in upcoming district playoffs

The new and arguably not improved District 1 football seedings were announced Sunday.

In Class 6A, four Delaware County teams qualified for the field of 16: Ridley, Garnet Valley, Penn Wood and Haverford. The big surprise from that group is Haverford, which earned the 16th seed. It was believed the Fords were eliminated from postseason contention following Friday’s 24-17 setback to Springfield. Instead, the Fords (6-4) were able to sneak into the bracket and will play undefeated North Penn, the No. 1 seed. North Penn has gone undefeated four times in the 15-year tenure of coach **** Beck.

Ridley, which grabbed the fifth seed, was the lone Delco team in 6A to earn a first-round home date. The Green Raiders (9-1) will host No. 12 Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-2), which captured a share of the Suburban One League American Division title. Ridley won a piece of the Central League crown with Springfield and Marple Newtown. Ridley advances to the district playoffs for the first time since 2012.

In other 6A matchups. No. 10 Garnet Valley (8-2) travels to Central Bucks South (8-2), while 14th-seeded Penn Wood (7-3) hits the road to play third-seeded Perkiomen Valley (9-1). Perk Valley won its second Pioneer Athletic Conference title in three years. Penn Wood is in the district playoffs for the second time in program history.

The Class 5A playoffs feature eight Delco teams, including the top three seeds. No. 1 Springfield (9-1) plays No. 16 Penncrest (3-7), one of four teams in the bracket with a losing record. No. 2 Academy Park (9-1) hosts No. 15 Radnor (4-6), while third-seeded Marple Newtown (9-1) battles 14th-seeded Upper Moreland (5-5). Radnor made history as the first football team in school history to qualify for the postseason.

Elsewhere in 5A, No. 13 Strath Haven (4-6) makes its long-awaited return to district playoff action. The Panthers will play fourth-seeded Upper Dublin, which downed North Penn for the district’s Class AAAA championship last fall. Sun Valley (6-4) is back in the postseason for the first time in a decade as the 12th-seeded Vanguards (6-4) play Ches-Mont League foe and No. 5 seed W.C. Henderson. In another 5A matchup, No. 9 Glen Mills (5-5) travels to No. 8 Great Valley (6-4).

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