Southeast Pa. football playoff race in homestretch

With just two weeks remaining in the regular season for PIAA District 1 football teams, it's time to take a look at the playoff picture.

Who is definitely in. Who is probably in. Who could wind up on the outside looking in.

Here's how we see it shaking out, with current records, power-points average, and our prediction of each team's final record in parentheses.

The 16 teams with the highest points average will qualify.

Definitely in:

North Penn (8-0 record, 141 power-points average, 10-0 predicted finish), Garnet Valley (8-0, 120, 10-0), Neshaminy (7-1, 113, 9-1), Downingtown West (7-1, 112, 8-2), Penncrest (7-1, 112, 8-2), Abington (7-1, 107, 9-1).

Probably in:

Pennsbury (7-1, 106, 7-3), Upper Dublin (6-1, 101, 8-1), Quakertown (6-2, 98, 7-3), Ridley (7-1, 97, 8-2), Coatesville (6-2, 91, 8-2), Glen Mills (6-2, 90, 8-2).

Hanging on:

Council Rock South (5-3, 80, 7-3), Pennridge (5-3, 78, 6-4).

On the fence:

Souderton (4-4, 73, 5-5), Central Bucks East (4-4, 73, 4-6), Downingtown East (4-4, 71, 5-5), Conestoga (5-3, 70, 7-3).

Potential crashers:

Hatboro-Horsham (4-4, 67, 5-5), Chester (5-3, 66, 6-4), Wissahickon (4-4, 66, 5-5), Norristown (4-4, 62, 4-5), Unionville (4-4, 62, 6-4), Cheltenham (4-4, 61, 5-5), Upper Darby (5-3, 61, 6-4).

Note:

Chester has only nine regular-season games scheduled. The Clippers may play Neumann-Goretti in Week 10 if the Saints lose to Lansdale Catholic tomorrow and do not qualify for the Catholic League Division AAA playoffs.

Predicted 16 qualifiers, in seeding order:

North Penn, Garnet Valley, Neshaminy, Abington, Downingtown West, Penncrest, Upper Dublin, Ridley, Coatesville, Glen Mills, Quakertown, Council Rock South, Conestoga, Chester, Pennridge, Unionville.

The eight teams with the highest points total will qualify.

Definitely in:

Pottsgrove (7-1, 130, 9-1), Upper Moreland (6-1, 127, 8-1), Great Valley (7-1, 117, 8-2), Bayard Rustin (7-1, 112, 9-1).

In but not definite:

Upper Merion (6-2, 105, 7-3), Strath Haven (6-2, 101, 7-3), West Chester Henderson (5-3, 100, 7-3), Owen J. Roberts (6-2, 97, 8-2).

On the bubble:

Interboro (5-3, 85, 7-3), Academy Park (5-3, 75, 6-4), Phoenixville (5-3, 73, 6-4).

Predicted eight qualifiers, in seeding order:

Pottsgrove, Upper Moreland, Bayard Rustin, Great Valley, Owen J. Roberts, Upper Merion, West Chester Henderson, Strath Haven.

Three District 1 teams compete with 11 District 12 squads for four places in a subregional tournament. On the weekend of Nov. 7-8, the Catholic League champion will play the Public League titlist, and the highest-rated District 1 team will play the next-highest-rated District 12 squad.

Predicted first-round subregional matchups:

Bok (8-0, 142, 10-0) vs. West Catholic (7-1, 121, 9-1), and Lower Moreland (6-2, 85, 8-2) vs. Ben Franklin (5-2, 91, 6-3).

Five District 1 teams compete with six District 12 teams for four places in a subregional tournament. On the weekend of Nov. 7-8, the top four teams (the top-rated squad from each district receives an automatic bid) will be seeded by points average.

Predicted first-round subregional matchups:

Communications Tech (5-0, 148, 7-0) vs. Bristol (4-4, 70, 5-5), and Jenkintown (7-1, 125, 8-2) vs. Delaware Valley (5-2, 90, 6-3).