Name; Week 7; Overall
Andy Sandrik: 14-5; 112-33
Andy Shay: 14-5; 109-36
Adam Kulikowski: 15-4; 106-39
Friday, Oct. 4
Non-League
Line Mountain 55, Middletown 21
Andy Shay: Middletown 21, Line Mountain 19: If nothing else, the Blue Raiders have proved themselves as a tough out. And they have the defense to back it up.
Andy Sandrik: Middletown 24, Line Mountain 21: An intriguing Mid-Penn crossover game if I’ve ever seen one. I still like LM to win the Capital, but Middletown has more than answered the bell in the deeper Colonial.
Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 28, Middletown 21: The Blue Raiders are showing plenty of signs of life with tough loss against Susquehanna Twp. and a victory over West Perry. But I’m giving the edge to the experiences Line Mountain squad.
Commonwealth
Harrisburg 33, Altoona 0
Andy Shay: Harrisburg 35, Altoona 7: Love the fight Altoona put up last week, but the ask is another level against the Cougars and they will demand more and that’s a mountain the lads from District 6 can’t climb.
Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 42, Altoona 10: Full credit to Altoona for pushing McDevitt last week, but there are far too many paths to victory for the Cougars for me to see this game being anything other than a Harrisburg rout.
Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 43, Altoona 13: Give credit to the winless Mountain Lions for the fight they showed against Bishop McDevitt. But you have to wonder what the effect of that battle will have this week against one of the best teams in the Commonwealth.
Bishop McDevitt 30, Cumberland Valley 8
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 28, Cumberland Valley 14: Fully expect the Eagles to put up a fight in this one, just not sure they have nearly enough horsepower to keep up with the Crusaders over 48 minutes.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 33, Cumberland Valley 7: Crusaders will be looking to make a statement after squeaking past Altoona last week. I’m not sure if the Eagles have enough offense to keep this game within reach.
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 34, Cumberland Valley 20: A quarterback change earlier this season lit a fire for the Eagles. Not sure there’s enough weapons on the Eagles sideline to hang in for four quarters against the Crusaders, however.
Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 13
Andy Shay: Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 21: More of a level playing field for both club, edge in this one goes slightly to the Trojans side against the winless Thundering Herd.
Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 32, Carlisle 24: My wife’s alma mater (Chambersburg) is playing my kids’ school (Carlisle), yet the only one in this house who is excited by this matchup is a West Perry grad (me).
Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 34, Carlisle 14: After scoring 2, 3, 14 and 7 points, the Trojans erupted for 38 against Cedar Cliff. Can Chambersburg replicate that success against a struggling Carlisle team?
State College 38, Cedar Cliff 0
Andy Shay: State College 28, Cedar Cliff 7: Something the Little Lions seems to enjoy is making each game a physical dog fight. Not sure the struggling Colts can meet that challenge.
Andy Sandrik: State College 32, Cedar Cliff 14: The Colts are learning first-hand just how demanding the Commonwealth can be. It seems like a long shot for Cedar Cliff to keep pace with State College, which has the talent to get ahead and the depth to stay ahead.
Adam Kulikowski: State College 34, Cedar Cliff 14: The Colts were exposed a bit by Chambersburg last week. The battle certainly does not get easier against the Little Lions.
Central Dauphin East 21, Central Dauphin 20
Andy Shay: Central Dauphin East 21, Central Dauphin 7: With what the Panthers have on deck the last three weeks, this is a game they should win. It’s a rivalry and the shoe is on the other foot in terms of the clear favorite. Won’t be easy, but still like the Panthers.
Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin East 24, Central Dauphin 14: Raise your hand if you had East High undefeated going into Week 7. Anyone?
Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin East 28, Central Dauphin 14: When is the last time the Panthers started a season 7-0? Asking for a friend.
Keystone
Shippensburg 35, Gettysburg 7
Andy Shay: Shippensburg 28, Gettysburg 14: What I admire most about the ‘24 Greyhounds is they have been the model of football consistency. They are exactly who you think they are, and they know that as well. That shows up each Friday night.
Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 27, Gettysburg 21: After surviving in overtime last week, Shippensburg could be vulnerable for a let-down game in this spot. The Hounds, however, have been so locked in this fall it’s hard for me to believe that will actually happen.
Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 31, Gettysburg 28: Greyhounds possess three dudes who have at least 44 carries and are averaging 5.4 yards-per-carry or more. Can the Warriors limit the damage done by these lads?
Red Land 20, Hershey 13
Andy Shay: Hershey 34, Red Land 14: There’s a formula for the Trojans and they are pretty deft at finding their way inside that comfort box. Should be a little easier to find this week against the Patriots.
Andy Sandrik: Hershey 32, Red Land 10: One of the hardest riddles to solve in high school football is the dual-threat QB. Hershey has a good one in Cameron Sweeney, who averages 10.6 yards per carry from his signal-caller position.
Adam Kulikowski:Â Hershey 44, Red Land 7: Trojans know who they are while the Patriots are still searching for the right formula.
Lower Dauphin 44, Palmyra 0
Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 28, Palmyra 14: Combined these two clubs have lost eight consecutive games. Biggest struggles for the Falcons has been offensive output. Should be a good opportunity here to put some points on the board.
Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 24, Palmyra 21: Lower Dauphin should be a bigger favorite in this spot, but these backyard rivalry games are often closer than expected.
Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 26, Palmyra 14: This hasn’t been the season the Falcons were hoping for, but there’s still time to notch a few victories. That starts Friday against Palmyra.
Mechanicsburg 42, Northern York 14
Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 35, Northern 14: Simply because isn’t this what every Wildcats victory looks like this season? Polar Bears can be flammable, but Mechanicsburg has more firepower.
Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 38, Northern 13: Only one opponent has been able to stay within three scores of the Wildcats, who are on track to annihilate the Keystone this fall.
Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 41, Northern 20: Wildcats have been a model of consistency each week through the 2024 circuit while Northern’s ride resembleds that of the Great Bear at Hersheypark.
Mifflin County 20, Waynesboro 14
Andy Shay: Waynesboro 34, Mifflin County 20: The Indians have lost their two games by a combined total of 10 points – including a one-point upset to Northern York a week ago. That dose of humble pie should serve Waynesboro well in this one.
Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 38, Mifflin County 27: Waynesboro has the offensive pop to dig itself out of holes, but the Tribe could save themselves a lot of headaches if they just come out of the gates a little bit faster.
Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 28, Mifflin County 21: The Indians aren’t going to blow you away with gaudy numbers or flashy plays. Just steadily grinding you into submission.
Capital
Upper Dauphin 30, Camp Hill 21
Andy Shay: Camp Hill 21, Upper Dauphin 19: Lions have scored only two touchdowns over the last eight quarters. That is cause for concern. This is a zinger of a matchup, though.
Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 28, Camp Hill 21: The Lions are an entirely different team when QB Drew Branstetter is healthy and in the lineup. If Branstetter is out again, like he was last week against Halifax, the Trojans have the horses to outslug Camp Hill.
Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 34, Camp Hill 20: Injuries are a factor for every team in Week 7, but it is especially crucial in this one if the Lions do-it-all cannot suit up or is severely limited.
Susquenita 23, Halifax 6
Andy Shay: Susquenita 29, Halifax 20: Couple of one-win teams who struggle to put up enough points on a weekly basis to be competitive. So why not have some fireworks go off when they square off, right?
Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 14, Halifax 7: Both of these teams have earned respect within the Capital in recent weeks, but only one can come away with a win on Friday.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 21, Halifax 7: Nita appears to have a few more viable options offensively that the ‘Cats who have only cracked double-digits in points once this season.
Steelton-Highspire 55, James Buchanan 0
Andy Shay: Steelton-Highspire 28, James Buchanan 20: That was a huge victory over Line Mountain last week for the Rollers. Be careful red flags going off, though, for this one. Rockets are not an easy out this season and have four victories they bring to the table.
Andy Sandrik: Steelton-Highspire 38, James Buchanan 14: The Rockets have been better than advertised, but I’m still leaning on the Rollers as heavy favorites, especially after how they took care of business against Line Mountain last week.
Adam Kulikowski: Steelton-Highspire 41, James Buchanan 13: The Rollers are still a work in progress as we head into Week No. 7 but there’s a very good chance Steel-High finishes the regular season on a five-game winning streak.
Juniata 33, Newport 6
Andy Shay: Juniata 35, Newport 0: This is a physical mismatch and it will be tough for the Buffaloes to generate much offense against this defense.
Andy Sandrik: Juniata 36, Newport 7: Zach Bates helped lift the Buffs to an improbable first victory with three TDs last week, and I think he’s good for another score in a game this week that should otherwise be dominated by Juniata.
Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 31, Newport 13: The Juniata defense will have plenty to say about what Newport’s Zach Bates is able to do in this one after showcasing his elusiveness the last two weeks.
Colonial
Big Spring 30. West Perry 13
Andy Shay: Big Spring 21, West Perry 14: Mustangs have dropped two straight and offense has lost some of that pop that fueled them early, but over the last eight quarters has gone silent. Bulldogs grind out the upset.
Andy Sandrik: West Perry 24, Big Spring 21: This felt like a slam-dunk pick just a few weeks ago, but now, not so much.Â
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 28, Big Spring 27: We’re about to find out if the Mustangs have a miss in the engine or just a faulty warning light. I’m banking on the former.
Trinity 41, Boiling Springs 13
Andy Shay: Trinity 37, Boiling Springs 14: Five consecutive weeks the T-Rocks have eclipsed 35 points. Make it six straight in this one.
Andy Sandrik: Trinity 39, Boiling Springs 18: Boiling Springs would love nothing more than to spring an upset over its rival, but how much of a dent can the Bubblers really make against the suddenly-rock solid ‘Rocks?
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 43, Boiling Springs 20: ‘Rocks running back Christian Joy is averaging a staggering 11.3 yards-per-carry through 78 totes. That’s video-game level production.
Susquehanna Township 35, East Pennsboro 28
Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 29, Susquehanna Township 26: I expect this one to be wild. I can see a path to victory for both sides, and I think Hanna can win this game. Panthers get the nod because they are confident and playing their best football right now.
Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 30, East Pennsboro 21: The rebuilding Colonial Division was supposed to be a cinch for the talented Tribe, but week after week, opponents are making Hanna earn it.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 31, East Pennsboro 28: Losing to West Perry a few weeks ago might have been the best thing to happen to the Tribe. Since that loss, we’ve seen a tougher more resilient Twp. That renewed mentality will pay dividends down the stretch.
Milton Hershey 30, Greencastle-Antrim 29
Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 26, Greencastle-Antrim 20: It just doesn’t feel like these two clubs are a combined 3-9 right now. Seems like both squads have played better than their record.
Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 28, Milton Hershey 18: With all due respect to the Newport Buffaloes, their win over Milton Hershey raised a lot of eyebrows, and makes this week’s contest sure seem like a winnable one for the Blue Devils.
Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 30, Milton Hershey 21: Both teams have flashed moments that make you think they should be better than their record—and others that help you understand why they are not. Question is which can compile a more complete four quarters of football.
