Penns Manor vs Ligonier Valley: Danny Ferens

[konjo78]

Just wondering how many viewers tonight are watching because of ferens and what are expectations for him?

[RamblinMan]

I will be at the Windber game so I won't be watching. Anyway, don't get mad but you are asking for opinions. I think LV will make him a non factor and will win the game fairly easy. I think most of what he does will be when the game is already decided.

[Crimson's Ghost]

I went to the game last year, and LV did shut him down. They can certainly do the same this time.

[konjo78]

One thing they lacked last year at the time they lacked the gel that they had in playoffs. I think they have that now and danny grew a lot last year during playoff time.

[Blue Blood]

The entire difference between last season's and this season's games between PM and LV was the maturation of PM's interior line. 3 sophomores in their 3rd varsity game last year, as opposed to where they are now as juniors, having each played 17 more games in between. As well as they had been playing this year leading up to Friday night, they, along with the 1 senior and 1 sophomore that round out the group, hadn't previously so completely dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball against a quality opponent like they did Friday night. It was truly a joy to watch, especially for those of us that suffered through all the lean years in PM's history (there were WAY too many of those).

If our line play through the rest of the season matches last Friday, this team will be a tough out in the playoffs and IMHO has a chance to repeat as D6A champs.

[bigben7]

And the lean years begin again as soon as #12 graduates

[WildCatz]

Maybe they miss the playoffs a year or 2 after but they have a very solid core of underclassmen moving through

[Blue Blood]

With a handle like bigben7, you're obviously WAY smarter than I, so I hesitate to challenge your brilliance, but the lean years I'm talking about were things like 4 wins in 5 years ('92-'96). You won't see a return to that kind of futility with the program where it is now. If the playoff field stays at 8 for D6A, we might need some breaks the next 2 years to get in (Wildcatz's assessment is very astute) but we could be in the hunt for a 7 or 8 seed both years, and the freshman group right now is a very good one in terms of both talent and numbers.

[Blue Blood]

To add to my last post, before anyone misunderstands in any way, without #12, PM loses 2 or 3 more regular season games last year (maybe more), and certainly never sniffs a D6A title, let alone wins it. Also, it's not only his talent level that has elevated the program from a 5 to 7 wins a year one to one that can challenge for district titles and state playoff games, it's his leadership and the encouragement he gives the younger players as well. His kind simply don't come around very often. If we can continue to be anywhere near as successful as we are right now WITH him, it will be largely a residual of what he did while he was here.

[bigben7]

PM will win more than 1 or 2 games per year but they will struggle to make the playoffs in any of the next 6 seasons. I have seen the freshman class play and they're no where near the class of athletes now. You can have 20 freshman and if only a few can play it doesnt matter how many you have. You can argue all you want about what I know but lets see what the next 6 seasons of PM football are like. #12 only comes along once in a great while and he has made everyone else better.