The Philadelphia Catholic League's Blue and Red divisions can be a little confusing.
The Blue has one Class 4A team (Conwell-Egan), four Class 3A teams (Archbishop Wood, Lansdale Catholic, Archbishop Ryan and Archbishop Carroll) and two Class 2A teams (West Catholic and Neumann-Goretti).
In the Red, there are four Class 6A teams (La Salle, Saint Joseph's Prep, Roman Catholic and Father Judge) and two Class 4A teams (Bonner-Prendergast and Cardinal O'Hara).
So, why the confusion?
Simply because teams play their regular seasons trying to win a Blue or Red title, but come playoff time, they get slotted into their classifications (which are based on enrollment).
In other words, even if a team has a subpar regular season, it can make up for it by playing
well in the postseason. An example of that is Lansdale Catholic. The Crusaders finished second behind Ryan in the Blue Division last year, but then made a run in the Class 2A playoffs (LC was 2A last year), advancing to the PIAA semifinals.
In the Bicentennial Athletic League, Morrisville (Class A) and Bristol (Class 2A) will look to capture PIAA District One/12 titles after both reached the 2025 title games in their respective classes.
Who will make the most of this season? We'll find out soon enough.
Here are the 2026 PCL Blue and Red divisions previews in alphabetical order for our area teams:
Archbishop Wood
Head coach: Brian Goettner (2nd year)
Last year’s record: 4-7
Outlook: The Vikings are optimistic about the 2026 season and having 20 seniors and 14 returning starters is a pretty good reason why.
"We had a young team last year and ended up with five one-score losses," Goettner said. "Our kids last year now have a lot of experience and we hope to turn some of those losses around."
Senior quarterback Jack Drakeley (6-3, 195), a three-year starter, will lead the way for Wood. He's coming off a season where he threw for over 1,800 yards with 22 touchdowns.
Senior tight end/defensive end David Robbins (6-3, 230) and senior wide receiver David Melcher (5-10, 165) will be Drakeley's top targets. Senior running back D'Andre Webb (5-9, 190), who ran for over 800 yards last year, also returns.
And a burly offensive line led by senior Ben Sakyiama (6-8, 310), a Syracuse commit, senior Bradan McNicholas (6-5, 230), junior Declan Ryan (6-5, 260) and sophomore Liam McCann (6-3, 250) is another plus for the Vikings.
Senior linebacker Cole Wiberley (6-4, 225), who had 62 tackles and four sacks in 2025, leads the defense.
Conwell-Egan
Head coach: Brian O'Hara (2nd year)
Last year’s record: 3-7
Outlook: A strong group of seniors, plus some younger talent, has the Eagles optimistic heading into the season.
"I think we have a chance to be in every game and how we handle adversity will be really important," O'Hara said. "I know that's cliche, but it's the truth."
Offensively, senior quarterback Aubrey Kimbrough (6-2, 215), who missed a large chunk of last season due to injury, is back for his third year as a starter and will be aided by senior running back/safety Sakai Hall (5-10, 190) and senior running back/linebacker Dane Austerberry (5-9, 190).
Senior wide receiver/defensive end Elijah Rankin (6-3, 220), a two-year starter, and senior wide receiver/defensive back Jaden Thenor (5-8,165) will be key targets for Kimbrough.
The Eagles should also be solid on the offensive and defensive lines with seniors Isaiah Harris (6-1, 215) and A.J. Rhym (6-0, 230), junior Jeremiah Reid (6-1, 280, and sophomores John Chapman (6-4, 250) and Brody Moody (6-4, 245).
Lansdale Catholic
Head coach: Dom D'Addona (8th year)
Last year’s record: 12-3
Outlook: The Crusaders are coming off a superb 2025 season that saw them reach the PIAA Class 2A semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Southern Columbia. A lot of talent was lost to graduation, but plenty also returns.
Upfront on both sides of the ball, LC brings back senior Terrance Smith (6-7, 290), an LSU commit, and senior Luke Doheny (6-3, 275). They'll be opening holes for senior running back/defensive back John Cobbold (5-10, 177), who ran for over 500 yards with seven touchdowns, and senior running back/linebacker Matt Lieber (5-11, 195), who had over 100 tackles last season.
The Crusaders have to replace quarterback Boa Cobbold (Akron) and whoever wins the job will be throwing to senior wide receiver/defensive back Asher Thickening (6-1, 185) and senior wide receiver/defensive back Sy Robinson (6-1, 180).
Red Division
La Salle
Head coach: Brett Gordon (3rd year)
Last year’s record: 13-1
Outlook: After winning the PIAA Class 6A championship last year, the Explorers look to defend their title with a lot of new faces and in a division that has the state's three best teams in La Salle, Prep and Roman Catholic, the only team to defeat the Explorers last year.
Offensively, junior quarterback Luke Gordon (5-11, 170) replaces four-year starter Gavin Sidwar (Missouri) and he'll be throwing to junior wide receiver Owen Johnson (5-11, 190), a first-team all-state selection last year who had 73 catches for 988 yards and 16 touchdowns. Johnson has been offered by Notre Dame, Alabama and Auburn among many others.
Senior running back Azhir Nelson (5-10, 185) also returns after rushing for over 1,000 yards last season.
Senior Andrew Sorge (6-2, 295), a Lafayette commit, anchors the offensive line while junior Kaleb Davidson (6-3, 295), who has an offer from Penn State, leads the defensive front. Senior linebacker Zykee Scott (6-2, 228), a North Carolina commit, and senior cornerback Trey Hopkins(6-2, 195), a UCLA commit, give the Explorers studs at every level of the defense.
Bicentennial Athletic League
Bristol
Head coach: Mike Ciotti (8th year)
Last year’s record: 10-3
Outlook: Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, the Warriors lost a great group to graduation and replacing them won't be easy.
"We graduated 12 players that were all-league, including the offensive and defensive MVPs of the league," Ciotti said. "We'll need our younger guys to step up."
According to Ciotti, while last year's team relied more on quickness, his current team will lean on a big offensive line and the running game.
Seniors Dom Capriotti (6-4, 240) and Shane Feeney (5-10, 210) are returning stalwarts and will be opening holes for senior running back/linebacker Dejon Weeks (5-10, 175), who had over 100 tackles last season, senior running back/linebacker Jacob Barber (5-8, 170) and junior running back/defensive back Jacob Cialella (5-10, 175). Capriotti and Feeney will also be on the defensive line.
Senior Eddie Diaz (6-2, 190) returns at tight end and linebacker and his younger brother, sophomore Alex Diaz (5-11, 180), is the new Bristol quarterback. Senior wide receiver/defensive back Jones Beauplan (6-2, 170) and will be joined at wide receiver/defensive back by younger brother sophomore Kervinley Beauplan (5-11, 160).
Morrisville
Head coach: Corey Keen (2nd year)
Last year’s record: 7-6
Outlook: Despite a small roster of around two dozen (and losing 10 seniors to graduation), Keen believes his current group can have success.
"The seniors from last year were a great group," Keen said. "And I really like the kids we have now. It's always a challenge at a small school, but these kids will give everything they have."
Senior running back I’zire Caraway (5-10, 180), who rushed for over 700 yards last year, will lead the offense along with senior quarterback Merik Johnson (5-11, 165), a returning starter.
Senior two-way lineman Ronan Dingle (5-11, 195) also returns along with sophomore two-way lineman Omavi Franklin (5-10, 215). Junior Drevon Scott (5-9, 165) will anchor the secondary while junior Julian Hennessy-Watt (5-10, 200) is back at defensive end.
Junior kicker Gabe Sprague also returns for the Bulldogs.
Drew Markol covers local sports for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Archbishop Wood, Conwell-Egan, Lansdale Catholic to battle in PCL Blue
