High School Football: Mid-Penn Conference News and Notes after Week 2

Each week, we’ll take a look through the Mid-Penn Conference, highlighting notes that stood out to us and news you need to know.

Week 2 featured some historic performances and wins, but it also provided a little more clarity on the state of several teams within the conference as we head into the final week of non-league play. Bishop McDevitt’s big men have answered early questions. Cumberland Valley’s offense has been non-existent thus far. And one of the area’s great coaches reached a major milestone.

Here are five observations from the week that was and the weeks coming up. To share updates on your team for a future edition of our News & Notes, email us at 4thdownmagazine@gmail.com. 

1. Giving props to Bishop McDevitt’s offensive line

A whole new starting five is punching holes for gents like Nazir Jones-Davis and Maurice Barnes and protecting Kentucky verbal commit Stone Saunders. The big men up front — Landon Blauch, Dallas Davenport, Owen Robell, Ja’kye Logan and Hershey transfer JJ Torres — presented the biggest question mark heading into the 2023 circuit. While they collectively are far from a finished product, give this crew some credit. Against two powerhouse opponents in their first two games, Mt. Saint Joseph (Md.) and DePaul Catholic (N.J.), they’ve risen to the challenge in a big way and are a key reason behind the Crusaders’ 2-0 start.

2. Cumberland Valley’s offensive woes

When was the last time Cumberland Valley’s offense scored six combined points or less in two games? That’s what I wanted to know after the Eagles’ 0-2 start this weekend. Knowing the Eagles’ storied history, I knew the dig through MaxPreps’ data likely would be deep — and it was. So far in fact, that I wasn’t able to find the last time it happened. Since 2004, the farthest CV data goes on MaxPreps, the Eagles’ lowest scoring output over a two-game stretch was seven points — occurring twice, in 2006 and again in 2018. While better times are likely ahead for the Eagles after facing off against a pair of perennial playoff opponents, this is a crew that might take a little time to find their footing heading into division play.

3. Bounce back performance

Entering Week 2 it’s safe to say Chambersburg was still searching for its footing on offense after a 22-0 blanking by Pope John Paul II. After all, the Trojans mustered less than 150 yards of production in game 1. The script couldn’t be more different against Northern York Friday night.  Riley Harmon, the Trojans’ senior slinger, caught fire completing 11-of-15 for 178 yards and three touchdowns to help the Franklin County crew drop a 51-spot on the Polar Bears. Chambersburg totaled 316 yards of offense on the evening. Mark Luther’s crew hosts Waynesboro at Trojan Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. 

4. Central Dauphin coach Glen McNamee reaches milestone

Rams coach Glen McNamee notched his 150^th career victory Friday evening in a haymaker battle against Wilson. What better way to earn that milestone mark than with a gutsy two-point conversion call in overtime to cap a 36-35 victory. It took McNamee, who has shaped the Central Dauphin program into one of the best in Pennsylvania over the last decade, just 17 years to reach the mark. He earned the Class 4A PA Coach of the Year honors in 2011 when the Rams won their first football state championship and another in 6A in 2019. He is also the winningest football coach in Central Dauphin history.

5. One game to watch heading into Week 3

Wyomissing (2-0) vs. Trinity (2-0). Jordan Hill’s Trinity Shamrocks have put on quite the show through the first two weeks of the 2023 campaign, carving up out-of-state power Moore Catholic Friday night and Delone Catholic in the opener. By now you’ve probably heard of their sophomore running back, Messiah Mickens. He’s a pretty good back, with 14.4 yards per carry on his 29 touches so far this season. But it’s the defense that’s impressed most so far. Led by junior Jacob Ness with a team-high 24 tackles, the Shamrocks have stymied their opponents, yielding just 28 points over their first eight quarters of play.