Mendham @ Par Hills - Preview

Mendham (5-1) at Par Hills (5-1)

Last year: Par Hills, 42-7 2005: Par Hills, 28-13 2004: Mendham, 28-15

Last week: Mendham was in control from the opening kickoff in a 26-0 shutout victory over Dover. See Highlights. Parsippany Hills traveled to Summit and handed the Hilltoppers a 28-11 loss. Summit was able to cut into a 14-0 lead in the 2^nd Quarter with a touchdown and field goal. The Vikings played a solid second half finishing the game with the final two touchdowns.

Mendham 9/7 H Summit W 27-3 9/15 A Chatham W 19-13 9/20 A West Essex L 6-20 9/29 H Parsippany W 21-7 10/6 H Weequahic W 36-22 10/12 A Dover W 26-0 10/20 A Par Hills 10/27 H Morris Hills 11/2 A Hanover Park ** Links are to games covered by MCHSS.net ** Game Scrimmage vs Jefferson

Parsippany Hills 9/8 H Chatham W 36-32 9/14 A Hanover Park W 19-7 9/21 H Morris Hills L 13-28 9/29 H Dover W 42-0 10/5 A Parsippany W 35-7 10/13 A Summit W 28-11 10/20 H Mendham 10/26 A West Essex 11/3 H Weequahic ** Game Scrimmage vs. Roxbury

Mendham will win if ... their defense can do what they’ve done all year … play tight, come up with big plays and stop the Vikings long drives, thus keeping the offense in a position to win the game … AND THEN stop the big play. Locking down Fowler while keeping Scialamapo from connecting on that famous Vikings’ fade are big keys for Mendham’s defense. The Minutemen could benefit from a big play on special teams to be the game breaker … ala Rutgers’ 1^st drive against South Florida on Thursday night.

Par Hills will win if ... the Vikings keep to their game plan. They have to keep Mendham on defense and continue to put the ball in the end zone the way they have all year. It’s tough to find a good point from a loss, but the loss to Morris Hills has allowed the Vikings to duck under the radar. I case you forgotten, they’re the same team they’ve been all year, but for some reason the papers (and myself) have looked the other way while the Vikings are averaging 35 points a game since the loss.

What will happen: Mendham will do what they’ve done all year. Pound the ball out and throw in a few timely passes and that patented screen pass that I hated in High School, hated as a coach and LOVE as a media man. Unfortunately for the Minuteman, the last time they saw a line like the Vikings, it was a 20-6 loss to West Essex. Granted, it was a tighter game at the half, but Parsippany Hills can pound it right back at Mendham. This match up features two solid defenses and two contrast offenses. The difference in the game may be the arm of Colin Shermerhorn or the Fowler-Kudlacik combination. Schermerhorn, given the time, will allow patterns develop. The sharp junior has already proven that he has the poise to wait for the open receiver, but do not look for Mendham to go to the air often. That is, until they have to. The Vikings have too many weapons and the offense is running smoothly as we enter week 7. The Parsippany Hills playmakers will do just that. Prediction: Par Hills 22-14

Extra Point: Dave Albano in his 8^th season at the helm of the Vikings … That puts him #4 on the longevity scale after Wilkens (Mtn Lakes-42), Reagan (Knolls-33); Gallagher (Montville 11) and Hennelly (West Morris 11).

Quick Slants: The Star Ledger has Par Hills as #4 in Morris, while Mendham has snuck in quietly and moved up to #6. The Daily Record has Par Hills #5 and Mendham at #8 – exclude Lenape Valley, a non-Morris team, and Mendham would be ranked #7. Defenses – Par Hills has allowed 85 points thus far, while Mendham has only allowed 65, and do not forget the late TD’s by Weequahic against the 2^nd teamers.