If you’re a fan of trench warfare, bone-crunching hits, and just violence in general, look no further than the Mid-Penn Keystone Division to get your fix this fall.
With giants battling for the line of scrimmage and heat-seeking linebackers who need just one play to alter the entire course of a game, the Keystone is projected to dish out more than its fair share of bumps, bruises, and blue-collar play in 2025.
It was not easy, but we’ve narrowed down our Top 10 players from the Keystone to watch this fall, including multiple selections from defending division champion Mechanicsburg.
This week we will reveal two standouts per day, while also listing our Honorable Mention selections. Stick with 4th Down Magazine as we continue to preview the upcoming Mid-Penn Conference Season.
10. Jack DeLuca, Mechanicsburg, LB/WR
Mechanicsburg is delighted to bring back the the 6-foot-1, 175-pound DeLuca, who nailed down Keystone Division First Team honors as an LB and was an Honorable Mention selection as a WR last fall.
DeLuca, who doubles as a star player for the Wildcats lacrosse squad, is a physical presence on the defensive side of the ball. He plays mostly a free safety role for Mechanicsburg and is a hustler who excels at keeping the ball in front of him. Often the last line of defense for the Wildcats, DeLuca is good at nipping a big play in the bud with his ability to establish a low center of gravity and execute fundamental tackles.
Look for DeLuca to take on a bigger role for the offense after hauling in 18 catches for 181 yards and a TD last fall.
9. Noah Garvin, Shippensburg, DL
It’s not every day when you see a 6-foot-2, 275-pound behemoth lining up as a placekicker, but Garvin has taken over the job often reserved for the most squirrelly, soccer-playing member of the team.
It’s a sight to see — Garvin has a strong leg on kickoffs and converted 10 of 12 extra points last fall — but once his kicking duties are handled, he grabs his lunch pail and goes to work in the trenches as a nose guard. A hulking presence on the defensive line, Garvin was named a Keystone Division First Teamer last fall.
To put it quite simply, the country-strong Garvin is an absolute ox in the middle of the defensive front. He’s a hard man to move, and when opponents assign double teams, Garvin takes on the appearance of a father playing roughhouse games with his children. It’s important for opposing offenses to steer the ball away from Garvin, who needs just one hand — maybe even just a few fingers — to drag down ballcarriers.
Garvin will be working hard during his final high school season to play, and perhaps kick, his way on to a college roster.
8. Hunter Strohm, Lower Dauphin, MLB/TE
If the whole baseball thing — Strohm is committed to play Division I at Mississippi State — doesn’t work out, there are plenty of schools that would be honored to have the 6-foot-1, 205-pound stud on their football roster.
Strohm was a beastly presence in Lower Dauphin’s linebacking corps last fall and garnered Second Team honors from the Keystone Division after stacking up 112 tackles, including 20 tackles for loss and one sack, to go along with two QB hurries, two caused fumbles, and one pass defense. A high-motor player who packs a big punch, Strohm is a relentless pursuer of the ball who relishes in delivering crushing tackles.
Strohm is also a force on the offensive side of the ball, where is listed as a TE, but often tasked with running the ball. A bruising runner, Strohm registered 83 carries for 383 yards and three TDs in 2024.
7. Hunter Stoak, Lower Dauphin, DL/OL
When the 6-foot-2, 280-pound Stoak lines up as a DT, opponents are forced to make an important choice: Should they assign double or triple teams to cancel out Lower Dauphin’s big man?
A Keystone Division Second Team selection on the DL last fall, Stoak racked up 25 tackles, including four tackles for loss and two sacks. Those numbers may seem light, but his value in the trenches can’t be overstated when considering the amount of resources the competition must expend just to keep Stoak at bay. He chews up a lot of real estate on the line of scrimmage, allowing the linebackers to have open paths to the ballcarrier.
Stoak is also Lower Dauphin’s starter at LT, earning Honorable Mention honors from the Keystone for his efforts. He is a powerful presence on the line who is at his best when he can make crushing down blocks on unsuspecting defenders to open up the run game. With loads of strength and solid foot speed, Stoak is often the man tasked with neutralizing the other team’s top pass rusher. He seems to enjoy the grind of battling titans in the trenches, something he also does as the heavyweight for the Falcons wrestling squad.
6. Matteo Cangialosi, Lower Dauphin, DL/TE
Opponents would be wise to track where the versatile Cangialosi is lining up at all times. That’s because the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Cangialosi is a potent two-way player who can do damage in a variety of ways.
He was named a Keystone Division First Teamer as a DL following a junior campaign that saw him rack up 42 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, to go along with two interceptions, two QB hurries, and one fumble recovery. Cangialosi is a disruptive player who can make plays as both a DE and OLB. His supreme athleticism, coupled with a knack for getting his hands on the football, makes him a force to be reckoned with.
Cangialosi was named to the Keystone’s Second Team as a TE, but his job description on the field fits that of a fullback, where he often lines up to deliver crushing lead blocks in the run game. Cangialosi makes for a good safety valve as a pass-catcher in the flats, where he is hard to bring down in the open field.
5. Jimmy DeWire, Mechanicsburg, OL/DL
There are few things more demoralizing for a defensive lineman than seeing DeWire — a 6-foot-2, 270-pound powerhouse who recorded more than 30 pancake blocks last season — lining up on the other side.
DeWire is a fast, powerful, and overhwleming presence on the line. A Sacred Heart commit who can play any position on the OL, including long snapper, DeWire is a superb run blocker who regularly drives defenders directly into the dirt. He takes a lot of pride in violently holding his block until the whistle, even when he’s far from the play.
Boasting quick feet, DeWire is a stud in the pass-blocking game and did not allow a single sack or QB pressure last fall. For his efforts on the OL, DeWire was named Second Team All-State and honored as a First Teamer in the Keystone.
DeWire doubles as a DT for the Wildcats and was named Second Team in the Keystone in 2024.
4. Preston Burnett, Gettysburg, RB/Returner
After beefing up 20 pounds in the offseason, Gettysburg’s all-time leading rusher is primed and ready for a monster senior season.
The 5-foot-10, 203-pound Burnett — who has piled up nearly 2,800 rushing yards over his three-year career for the Warriors — earned dual selections to the Keystone Division’s Second Team as an RB and returner last fall. He rushed 174 times for 1,116 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and scoring 10 TDs.
Burnett is a patient runner who has an excellent sense for sensing the hole and accelerating through it. He excels at shifting gears and speeds and is powerful enough to run between the tackles. Burnett boasts a superb top speed, which makes him especially deadly as a kick returner, where he’s always a threat to take the ball to paydirt.
With Gettysburg set to break in a new QB this season, look for the Warriors to lean on Burnett to fuel the offensive attack.
3. Cam Sweeney, Hershey, Athlete
Whether Sweeney’s starring on the football field or the basketball court — where he guided the Trojans on a storybook run to the PIAA Class 3A title game last winter — the 6-foot-3, 185-pound is a must-watch attraction in the realm of high school athletics, and likely beyond.
Hershey’s starting QB was electric with the ball in his hands and combined for nearly 2,000 rushing and passing yards in 2024, earning Keystone Division First Team honors as an athlete in the process. Sweeney possesses a big burst, breakaway speed, and can zig and zag through would-be tacklers like they’re going in slow motion.
Sweeney ran 113 times last season, either on designed or improvised plays, and averaged 9.9 yards per carry. His presence as a runner forces defenders to hesitate, which not only makes them more susceptible to play fakes, but also gives his receivers better opportunities to get open.
Sweeney’s abilities also shine through on the other side of the ball as a free safety, where he totaled 35 tackles and two interceptions, while defending three passes last season.
2. Drake Dawson, Mechanicsburg, DE/TE
Expect a solid season on the gridiron from the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Dawson — a Keystone Division First Team selection on both sides of the ball — as he makes a final push to improve his college stock.
Dawson’s biggest strength is his versatility. One moment, you’ll see him dueling with beasts in the trenches and the next moment he’ll be splitting out wide to test his skills against the speedsters in the secondary. It’s just a typical Friday night for the well-rounded Dawson.
Dawson is a steady pass-rushing DE who registered 65 tackles last season, including 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks, to go along with one interception. He excels at fighting off blockers and finding the ballcarrier, even when opponents throw out double teams.
Dawson plays TE on offense and has proven he can dish out punishing blocks and make contested catches in tight coverage. More than a glorified lineman, Dawson possesses the height and the hops to win 50-50 balls and has a nice burst once he gets the ball in his hands. He will be aiming to improve upon last year’s receiving numbers: 17 catches, 241 yards, three TDs.
1. Collin Stare, Mechanicsburg, DT/G
Central Michigan won the Collin Stare sweepstakes, but for one more season the Wildcats get to enjoy the services of the 6-foot-2, 240-pound wrecking ball, a DL who nailed down All-State honors while also securing Keystone Division Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Whether he’s lining up at the DT or DE positions, Stare is quick off the snap of the ball and can destroy plays before they even have a chance to begin. The powerful Stare, who benches 335 pounds, is a scary presence on the line. He has the power to forcefully detach from blockers and the speed to rapidly converge upon the ballcarrier. To top it off, Stare plays with a violent streak and hits like a truck.
Last season Stare racked up 63 tackles, incuding 20.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks, to go along with 26 QB pressures. He put up these numbers in spite of playing in just 35 of 48 quarters for the Wildcats.
Stare was also a First Team Keystone selection on offense, where he steamrolled opponents as a guard. Stare plays mean, loves to make pancake blocks, and is athletic enough to make impactful blocks in open space.
Honorable Mention: Bryan Maduena (Hershey, DB), Drew Freeland (Mechanicsburg, LB, 6-0, 205), Benton Celius (Gettysburg, DB, 6-2, 175), Grant Later (Hershey, DB), Ethan Castillo (Hershey, C), Ayden Foust (Shippensburg, OL, 6-0, 235), Xavier Smith (Palmyra, LB, 6-1, 215), Drake Wagner (Shippensburg, OL, 6-0, 260), Devin Driscoll (Red Land, OL), Grady Bonin (Northern, QB, 5-10, 180), Gabe Johnson (Northern, RB, 5-11, 180), Landon Haigh (Mifflin County, WR, 6-0, 175).