North Penn has secured the No. 1 spot in the final 2024 big-school football rankings for Bucks County.
The Knights dethroned longtime leader Central Bucks South with a thrilling 21-19 victory in last Friday’s PIAA District One Class 6A semifinals.
Trailing 13-7 at halftime, North Penn surged ahead with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Junior quarterback Matt Bucksar led the charge in his high school football team, connecting on three touchdown passes and amassing 157 passing yards.
His pivotal 4-yard scoring strike to senior tight end Aidan Eves on fourth-and-goal marked the turning point.
Junior Matt Pownall also had an incredible performance, hauling six catches for 133 yards and adding 74 rushing yards.
The Knights, now 11-2, will face No. 17 Downingtown West (12-1) in the District One Class 6A championship game this Friday at 7 p.m. And the game will be live-streamed.
The Titans, who had dominated much of the season with a 12-0 record, fell short in their semifinal clash with North Penn.
Despite their regular-season win over the Knights and commanding playoff victories over Spring-Ford and Plymouth Whitemarsh, the Titans’ season ends on a heartbreaking note.
Notably, Central Bucks South allowed just 99 points all season—an impressive feat for a Class 6A team.
La Salle High drops to third after a narrow 21-14 loss to St. Joseph’s Prep in the Philadelphia Catholic League Class 6A championship game.
The Explorers previously stunned Prep with a 35-34 quadruple-overtime win in October, handing them their first Pennsylvania loss in three years.
Junior quarterback Gavin Sidwar connected twice with junior Joey O’Brien for touchdowns in their most recent matchup, but it wasn’t enough to claim the title.
Central Bucks West (10-3) takes the No. 4 spot after falling 28-23 to Downingtown West in the District One semifinals.
Quarterback Noah Miller delivered a strong performance with a touchdown pass and a rushing score, but the Bucks couldn’t overcome the Whippets’ offense.
Souderton (7-4) finishes at No. 5 after sharing the Suburban One League Continental Conference title with Quakertown and Upper Dublin. Their season concluded with a first-round playoff loss to Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Teams like Neshaminy (6-5), Pennsbury (5-6), Quakertown (6-5), and Upper Moreland (8-3) also earned recognition for solid seasons, though they fell short of the top rankings.
In statewide news, North Penn surged to No. 10 in the High School Football America Pennsylvania Top 25 rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
St. Joseph’s Prep, ranked No. 1, is now a frontrunner for its third straight 6A championship after a 42-0 win over Imhotep Charter.
As the postseason unfolds, Bucks County sports teams like North Penn continue to leave their mark, which proves the enduring competitiveness of local high school football team events.
