And that means we’re a little more than a month away from crowning six new PIAA high school football champions.
This weekend marks the start of that journey, with all but the Class 6A tournament underway in District 3. While 6A has an off week, 1A will crown a champion (see: Steel-High) and 2A through 5A will give us some interesting matchups as they inch toward crowning champions of their own.
4th Down’s coverage area also includes the District 4, 6 and 11 tournaments, and we’ll be following those games closely as well.
As always, bookmark this page on your phone, laptop or tablet to follow every matchup and see every highlight from the Mid-Penn and some of the teams in the Colonial-Schuylkill League. We’ll update scores throughout the night on this page (refresh the page to see new updates), and you can follow our Twitter feed below for minute-by-minute updates.
PIAA football playoffs: District 3 football championships analysis, staff picks and previews
Each week 4th Down Magazine will preview the weekend slate, predict the winners and provide extra analysis. Here’s everything to get you ready for the District 3 Class 1A championship game, Class 2A semifinals and first-round games in 3A through 5A (enjoy your bye week, 6A):
EXPLAINING OUR PICKS: The PIAA district football playoffs are upon us. And after an entertaining regular season in the Mid-Penn Conference and Colonial-Schuylkill League, the 4th Down Magazine team is here to take its best cracks at the winners from Round 1 through the championships.
This year’s group of experts includes veteran reporters Andy Shay and Andy Sandrik, as well as 4th Down owner and manager Adam Kulikowski.
Here’s who we think will win each game when the playoffs kick off Friday night. Stick with us all the way through the PIAA state championships in December.
* Records in parentheses after school name; District and seed in parentheses before school name.
In this edition of our weekly 4th & Goal podcast with Jake Adams and Andy Shay, we’re diving into the brackets; identifying which lower seeds might make some noise; who has the toughest road ahead; which matchups are the best this week and more. Plus we are joined by Big Spring’s Zachary Mell.
DISTRICT 3 CLASS 5A FIRST ROUND
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 8 Hershey 28, No. 9 Exeter Township 27
Andy Shay: Exeter Township 35, Hershey 21: The Eagles are a running team that thrives on also pulling off a couple big hits in the passing game. Lots of pressure on a Trojans’ defense that has been much better the second half of the season. Not sure Hershey has the firepower to keep pace.
Andy Sandrik: Exeter Township 33, Hershey 24: Exeter Township would have been a much higher seed if it hadn’t ended its regular season with two losses after starting 8-0. Hershey will certainly be the underdog here, but the Trojans have the pieces to make this a competitive contest.
Adam Kulikowski: Exeter Township 28, Hershey 24: This is a tricky matchup for the Trojans, who will have to contend with a club surrendering just 16.9 points per game.
No. 5 Ephrata 14, No. 12 Lower Dauphin 13
Andy Shay: Ephrata 34, Lower Dauphin 20: Was a rough final month for the Falcons, dropping three of the final four games, and that lone win came in overtime. Ephrata has too much balance and firepower for the Falcons to hold at bay over four quarters. Mountaineers averaged nearly 400 yards a game offensively against a quality schedule.
Andy Sandrik: Ephrata 30, Lower Dauphin 21: This is one of those games where Lower Dauphin will need a near-perfect effort just to hold serve with Ephrata. Maintaining that pace for four quarters is going to be hard to do, especially against a Mountaineers squad that does nothing except stack up yards and points.
Adam Kulikowski: Ephrata 28, Lower Dauphin 14: The balanced attack of the one-loss Mountaineers will present a stiff challenge to the Falcons, who are making their first playoff appearance since the Tommy Klock-era in 2015.
No. 7 South Western 21, No. 10 Greencastle-Antrim 3
Andy Shay: South Western 30, Greencastle-Antrim 21: What it took for the Mustangs to get from where they were, 2-3 at the halfway point and riding a three-game losing streak, to the No. 7 seed will help them tremendously here. The Blue Devils might be here a year early, but they earned this shot.
Andy Sandrik: South Western 33, Greencastle-Antrim 21: This game is a big ask for the Blue Devils, who will be challenged with stopping Mustangs’ RB Austin Rollman, who needs less than 60 yards to hit 1,000 for the season.
Adam Kulikowski: South Western 33, Greencastle-Antrim 28: The Blue Devils have not won back-to-back games since Week 4. The chalk is on South Western’s side, but an X-factor like wideout Carter McCauley, who has the ability to blow the top off a defense, can push the underdog Blue Devils into the next round.
No. 6 Conestoga Valley 40, No. 11 Dover 9
Andy Shay: Conestoga Valley 34, Dover 20: The Buckskins have played only three teams that finished above .500, and they were 1-2 in those games. So they haven’t exactly played a “testy” schedule. The only three quality teams on Dover’s schedule — South Western, New Oxford and Dallastown — were all losses for the Eagles. This is a real toss-up game.
Andy Sandrik: Conestoga Valley 35, Dover 28: A matchup between two teams each averaging more than 30 points. If you’re struggling to pick a winner, you should at least be able to take the “over” with confidence.
Adam Kulikowski: Conestoga Valley 41, Dover 21: Jayden Johnson will have a huge say in the outcome of this tilt. The versatile running back sits just shy of 1,000 stripes on the season and also is a weapon in the passing game with nearly 400 more yards. If, and it is a big if, Dover can slow him down, its odds of victory improve. Smart money is on CV.
DISTRICT 3 CLASS 4A FIRST ROUND
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 8 Milton Hershey 29, No. 9 Eastern York 23
Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 39, Eastern York 26: The firepower the Spartans can unleash when they are hitting on all cylinders is more than the Golden Knights, who have been pretty solid defensively, bring to the table. Milton Hershey wants to play a shootout and make Eastern York try and keep up. A tight, low-scoring affair favors the Golden Knights.
Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 36, Eastern York 21: There are few teams in this postseason with more dark-horse potential than Milton Hershey. Spartans have all the tools they need to make a big run. Or they could get knocked out this week, you just never know.
Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 34, Eastern York 20: Siding with the more battle-tested gents. Last-second victories like the ones against Susquehanna Township and Lower Dauphin tell me this group won’t be rattled in high-pressure moments.
No. 7 Elco 34, No. 10 Big Spring 7
Andy Shay: Elco 30, Big Spring 27: Couple of teams who will do all their damage on the ground and stick to their plan. Both teams have played a schedule with some superior squads at the top end, so neither has a real advantage. One of those “who wants it more” kinda games.
Andy Sandrik: Elco 28, Big Spring 25: I think the Raiders deserve to be slight favorites, but there’s nothing more scary than a team like Big Spring — who just barely got here — that has nothing to lose.
Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 34, Elco 32: The Bulldogs just squeaked into the postseason, but take them lightly at your own risk. This is a feisty group that has the makeup to pull off a mild upset in Round 1.
DISTRICT 3 CLASS 3A QUARTERFINALS
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 4 Schuylkill Valley 45, No. 5 Littlestown 21
Andy Shay: Schuylkill Valley 27, Littlestown 21: Taking the chalk here in a game where the differences between the two clubs is marginal at best. They have won and lost in very similar fashion. Maybe favoring the L-L League a little here?
Andy Sandrik: Schuylkill Valley 24, Littlestown 17: There aren’t many games that will make me stare blankly at my laptop screen for a half hour, but this is turning out to be one of them. This is the epitome of a matchup between four- and five-seeds.
Adam Kulikowski: Schuylkill Valley 35, Littlestown 14: Prior to last week’s loss to Lancaster Catholic, the Panthers were riding an eight-game winning streak.
No. 3 West Perry 42, No. 6 Bermudian Springs 21
Andy Shay: West Perry 42, Bermudian Springs 20: The Mustangs could have used a week off with all their injuries, but fate was not kind to them. But I actually think getting back on the field after Week 10’s adversity is what they need. Did West Perry have its eye on the wrong prize? This game will reveal a telling answer because the Mustangs are a solid two- or three-touchdown favorite here.
Andy Sandrik: West Perry 40, Bermudian Springs 21: The Eagles has evolved since starting the season 0-3, and they bring a steady senior QB to the table in Tyson Carpenter. This won’t be an easy game for the Mustangs, but that’s something they should get used to in these playoffs.
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 38, Bermudian Springs 24: A stellar season earned the boys in green a home playoff game. We’re about to find out how much is left in the tank after a physical battle for the Capital Division crown in Week 10 against Steel-High.
DISTRICT 3 CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 4 Camp Hill 35, No. 1 Annville-Cleona 14
Andy Shay: Annville-Cleona 35, Camp Hill 20: The Dutchmen average 52 running plays and five passing attempts per game, so the Lions know what will be coming. But after a long season, stopping a shove-it-right-at-you running offense is not in their wheelhouse. If they get the lead and make A-C chase, it could be interesting.
Andy Sandrik: Annville-Cleona 30, Camp Hill 21: As much as I like to pick Camp Hill to spring upsets, the Dutchmen present a very real matchup problem for the Lions.
Adam Kulikowski: Annville-Cleona 28, Camp Hill 21: Lions will bring plenty of fight to this battle. Stopping the Dutchmen’s three-headed rushing attack is a tall task for any team, however.
No. 2 Trinity 28, No. 3 Delone Catholic 3
Andy Shay: Trinity 49, Delone Catholic 14: I’m not sure how much has changed for both teams since they shared the same turf 10 weeks ago. The T-Rocks have been building for a second season run, and the adversity of the regular season will be a huge benefit.
Andy Sandrik: Trinity 38, Delone Catholic 21: The Shamrocks have been a tough team to predict at times, but I think their schedule has them more than ready for this moment.
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 45, Delone Catholic 20: It feels like the Shamrocks have been steadily building toward this moment for weeks. It’s here, and Trinity is ready to rise the occasion against a club they handled easily (49-12) in Week 1.
DISTRICT 3 CLASS 1A CHAMPIONSHIP
SATURDAY, NOV. 4
No. 2 Halifax at No. 1 Steel-High, 1 p.m.
Andy Shay: Steel-High 55, Halifax 0: I hope the Rollers respect that the Wildcats are going to show up and take on this zero-chance-of-a-win game. At least work on cleaning up some of those sloppy penalties, right? Only identifiable weakness Steel-High has.
Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 56, Halifax 0: Congrats to Alex Erby on his commitment to Navy. That’s the biggest news in what should otherwise be a week without surprises for the Rollers.
Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 55, Halifax 6: The Wildcats produced their best season in years. Their reward? A Saturday thumping by the defending state champions.
DISTRICT 4 CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 4 Line Mountain 42, No. 5 Towanda 23
Andy Shay: Line Mountain 34, Towanda 21: This one comes down to depth at the skill positions, and I think there’s a lot of equality at the QB position. I think the depth at RB and WR belongs to the Eagles, and that will be enough to overtake Towanda.
Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 35, Towanda 20: The Eagles have come a long way since their 1-2 start, rattling off seven straight wins. Make that eight, after this weekend.
Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 28, Towanda 14: Versatile dual-threat QB Rylie Vanderpool poses the biggest challenge to the Eagles’ aspirations to advance, but it’s one Line Mountain should be equipped to handle.
DISTRICT 6 CLASS 6A SEMIFINALS
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 3 Altoona 26, at No. 2 Mifflin County 8
Andy Shay: Altoona 28, Mifflin County 0: Mountain Lions have been pushed harder in the Commonwealth, and that takes its toll. Still, when the playing field has been fairly level talent-wise, they have performed. Was an easy W over the Huskies earlier this year, and that won’t change here.
Andy Sandrik: Altoona 32, Mifflin County 7: Did you know Mifflin County is 1-4 in home games this fall, including a 35-0 loss to Altoona in Week 3? All signs point to a comfortable win for the Mountain Lions.
Adam Kulikowski: Altoona 28, Mifflin County 7: The Mountain Lions easily handled Mifflin County earlier this season. While I don’t see the Huskies getting shut out in this postseason rematch, closing the gap on a 35-0 whipping is a tall task.
DISTRICT 6 CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 1 Juniata 37, No. 2 Bellefonte 0
Andy Shay: Juniata 41, Bellefonte 14: Combined, these two small schools are 7-13 overall entering this battle for a trophy. Each has played a quality schedule, but a pair of one-point victories is all 2-8 Bellefonte brings to the table. Is that enough to win this game? Doesn’t seem so, but who the heck knows, right?
Andy Sandrik: Juniata 36, Bellefonte 19: If there’s one thing Juniata has taught us this season, it’s to never count a team out, even if it’s down. The Indians would also be wise to heed this message when facing the two-win Raiders.
Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 34, Bellefonte 14: While the Indians enter this postseason frey on a two-game skid, they are by far the more battle-tested squad. That pays dividends in the postseason.
DISTRICT 11 CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS
SATURDAY, NOV. 4
No. 3 Catasauqua at No. 2 Williams Valley, 7 p.m.
Andy Shay: Williams Valley 40, Catasauqua 34: This feels like a very close game all the way in my book. The Vikings have the best player on the field, but the Rough Riders have much more diversity and depth in what they do offensively. Vikings are the pick, but I think Catty has more avenues to victory.
Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 42, Catasauqua 32: We’re not really allowed to root for teams, but I will certainly cheer for the historical career of Alex Achenbach to continue for at least one more game. What a ride it’s been for this kid and this team.
Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 45, Catasauqua 24: We write about Achenbach nearly every week in some fashion, but this lad ranks in the top five in rushing yards in all of Pennsylvania this year. As he goes, so do the Vikings.
DISTRICT 11 CLASS 1A SEMIFINALS
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
No. 2 Marian Catholic 14, No. 3 Tri-Valley 6
Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 9, Marian Catholic 8: Bulldogs enter the playoffs with only one win in their last four games. That lone victory, however, was a 16-6 triumph over Marian Catholic. Don’t expect much to change in such a short period of time, and I think points will be even more difficult to come by. I could see a field goal deciding this one. If you like your football old school, this is going to be pure nirvana. Love this matchup!
Andy Sandrik: Marian Catholic 23, Tri-Valley 16: The Colts have to like their chances of scoring a revenge victory, and home-field advantage has to give them an advantage in what I see as a 50-50 game.
Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 20, Marian Catholic 14: We had a sneak preview of this matchup back in Week 9, a 16-6 Bulldogs victory. Who makes the best adjustments in a tilt that figures to be a tight battle to the final whistle?
Zachary Mell saved his best for last, and that earned him Week 10 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week honors.
Mell, a senior lineman for Big Spring, had arguably his best performance of the season when the Bulldogs needed it most. His 12-tackle, two-sack performance against Middletown helped Big Spring clinch a District 3 Class 4A playoff berth with a 21-7 victory.
It’s not often a defensive showing of this sort earns POTW odds, but Mell, who has 84 tackles and seven sacks this season, deserves it. Bulldog Nation handed him 3,633 votes this week, easily beating second-place Caiden Pines of Cumberland Valley (2,640 votes). There were 7,343 total votes cast this week.
Mell and No. 10 Big Spring (6-4) are back in the playoffs for the first time in two years and play No. 7 Elco in the first round Friday at 7 p.m.
Alex Achenbach is back at it, named once again the 4th Down Magazine Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week for Week 10.
The senior Williams Valley running back put up monster numbers in the regular-season finale, shredding Tri-Valley for 201 yards and a touchdown on the ground in a 49-14 victory. He also had a 45-yard TD grab. Achenbach has been one of the best running backs in Pennsylvania this season. He has 2,338 yards and 25 touchdowns on just 278 carries, equaling averages of 8.4 yards per carry and 233.8 per game. He’s produced six straight 200-yard games, has eight on the season and has eclipsed 300 twice.
Achenbach ran away with the polling numbers, too, with 2,090 votes to beat Marian Catholic junior receiver Michael Gelatko’s 1,104. There were 3,609 total votes cast this week.
Achenbach and the No. 3 Vikings (8-2) visit No. 2 Marian Catholic in the District 11 Class 1A semifinals Friday at 7 p.m.
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Alex Achenbach, sr., RB, Williams Valley: Achenbach finished the regular season with another stellar game against Tri-Valley. The senior Swiss Army knife totalled 201 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 49-14 victory against the Bulldogs.
James Bassininsky, sr., OL/DL, Schuylkill Haven: When Schuylkill Haven needed a big stop, more often than not Bassininsky was involved in the play. The senior notched a team-high nine tackles and a sack in a 37-14 loss to Blue Mountain.
Michael Gelatko, jr., WR, Marian Catholic: Gelatko hauled in a team-high three receptions for 71 stripes and a touchdown to help fuel Marian Catholic past Pine Grove 20-7.
Matthew Machalik, sr., QB, Palmerton: Machalik helped Palmerton cap an undefeated regular season with 244 total yards including 176 on the ground and another 68 through the air in a 47-13 victory against Northern Lehigh. Machalik became the first player in Pennsylvania high school football history to reach 5,000 yards as a passer and a runner in his career.
Luke Stevenosky, sr., RB, Minersville: Stevenosky and the Battlin’ Miners made quick work of Nativity BVM in a 42-12 victory Friday night. Stevenosky, as he usually does, racked up big numbers on the ground, finishing the evening with 234 stripes on just nine carries. He padded his stats with two more touchdowns.
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Cole Bartram, sr., RB, Northern: Bartram followed up his epic 500-yard performance from Week 9 with “only” 225 yards in the Polar Bears’ 32-18 season-finale loss to Mechanicsburg. The senior battering ram scored on a 4-yard run and finished with 44 carries.
Angel Cabrera, sr., RB/LB, Hershey: Quite the regular-season finale for bruising back Cabrera. The senior scored all three Trojans touchdowns and finished with 179 hard yards on 34 carries in a 21-13 win over Palmyra. He also had five tackles on defense.
Lex Cyrus, jr., WR/DB, Susquehanna Township: Cyrus was on the receiving end (literally) of seven passes that went for 181 yards and a couple scores as Township wrapped up an 7-3 regular season with a 45-28 win over Gettysburg. He scored from 40 and 71 yards out.
Alex Erby, sr., QB, Steel-High: The state’s all-time passing yards and TDs leader piloted a 33-12 Capital title bout victory over West Perry, the Rollers’ 22nd-straight victory. Erby was fantastic as always, finishing 18 of 21 for 279 yards and four passing TDs of 20, 19, 8 and 11 yards, all to different receivers. He also ran in a 4-yard TD and had five carries for 16 stripes.
Drew Gibney, sr., WR/DB, Susquenita: The Blackhawks closed out the season with an 18-7 win over Juniata. Gibney contributed all over the field with three catches for 80 yards and a TD on offense, plus 10 tackles (five solo), three passes defended and a forced fumble on defense.
Shawn Lee Jr., jr., QB, Harrisburg: Lee once again captained a dominant 47-21 triumph over rival Central Dauphin to cap the regular season with the Commonwealth Division title. The dynamic weapon finished 12 of 19 for 153 yards passing and a 30-yard TD toss; and he rushed 15 times for 168 yards and TDs of 12, 75 and 1 yard.
Alex Long, jr., WR/DL, Camp Hill: Several deserving Lions from a 35-27 win over Boiling Springs ahead of the District 3 Class 2A playoffs, but the nod goes to Long this week after he hauled in 11 passes for 186 yards and three trips to the end zone.
Kaiden Maurer, so., QB, Line Mountain: The Eagles’ journey to Liberty Division champs is complete, thanks to a stellar Maurer effort. The sophomore finished 7 of 9 from the pocket for 136 yards and a pair of TD passes of 34 and 35 yards, and he rushed five times for 49 stripes and an 8-yard score in a 35-0 whitewash of Upper Dauphin.
Zachary Mell, sr., DL/OL, Big Spring: The Bulldogs clinched a District 3 Class 4A playoff berth with a 21-7 win over Middletown thanks to an impressive night by Mell on defense. The senior led the team with 12 tackles (five solo, two tackles for loss) and a pair of sacks to hold the Blue Raiders in check.
Keith Oates III, sr., QB/LB, East Pennsboro: Fitting one of our POTW nominee regulars is back again after breaking the Panthers’ single-season passing yards record with 2,064. He reached that mark after going 10 of 19 for 132 yards and a TD toss in EP’s 38-12 win over Waynesboro to clinch the outright Colonial Division title.
Caiden Pines, sr., WR/DB, Cumberland Valley: Pines contributed in multiple ways to the Eagles’ fifth straight, playoff-clinching win, 33-20 at Altoona. He opened with a 34-yard carry to set up a CV TD, chipped in four receptions for 69 yards and a 51-yard TD later in the first quarter and iced the game in the third with a 91-yard kick return TD.
Jared Porter, jr., RB, CD East: Porter handed the Panthers a 44-24 win over Carlisle, capping a 4-6 campaign with 34 carries and 242 yards. He scored a pair of second-half touchdowns from 5 and 11 yards out.
Stone Saunders, jr., QB, Bishop McDevitt: The Kentucky verbal commit crossed another threshold, 9,000 career passing yards, on his way to being one of the best QBs in Mid-Penn history. Saunders, in a 61-10 rout of Lower Dauphin to move McD to 10-0, finished 11 of 16 for 205 yards and four TDs of 11, 8, 11 and 40 yards.
Deakon Schaeffer, sr., RB, Mifflin County: The Huskies improved to 5-5 and will play in the District 6 Class 6A playoffs after a 22-19 win over Red Land. Schaeffer shined in the game, rushing 38 times for 172 yards and a key touchdown.
Erik Schriver, sr., RB, Cedar Cliff: The Colts kept their bye-week seed in the District 3 Class 5A playoffs thanks to Schriver’s electric performance in a 54-18 win over Milton Hershey. He toted the rock 23 times for 186 yards and four scores.
Josh Smith, jr., WR/DB, Mechanicsburg: A couple worthy Wildcats to pick from after a 32-18 win over rival Northern, but we’re going to give it to Mechanicsburg’s new single-season touchdown receptions leader, Smith. The junior caught two TDs to finish with 15 on the year, setting the record, from Eli Reider (15 of 18, 333 yards, four TDs).
The dream of a perfect season came crashing down at the hands of defending PIAA Class 1A champion Steel-High. Not a bad loss by any measurable, though.
10.
Cedar Cliff
9-1
NR
Called an audible here and went with the Colts in the final rankings. Only loss was to Bishop McDevitt, and they have improved massively since the start of the season. Crushed Milton Hershey to close out a stellar 2023. This was earned.
9.
Exeter Township
8-2
7
Back-to-back losses for the Eagles, except this one to fellow Elite 11 foe Manheim Central wasn’t close. Losing by four touchdowns reveals some cracks after that 8-0 start.
8.
Steel-High
10-0
9
Allowed only one touchdown to fellow unbeaten West Perry on the road in a hostile environment. That’s championship pedigree right there.
7.
Wyomissing
9-1
8
Had to scratch and claw past a feisty Lampeter-Strasburg squad that has some chops. This kind of game is a good measuring stick for the Spartans, and the 18-13 final is still a good result.
6.
Manheim Central
9-1
6
Was in a battle with fellow Elite 11 resident at halftime, but the Barons put the final 28 points on the board to pull away for an impressive victory.
5.
Cocalico
9-1
5
Was pushed to the limit by a Conrad Weiser team that came in with only two wins this season. Final was 24-14, and sometimes winning matters more than the score.
4.
Central York
10-0
4
You always celebrate a perfect regular season, and the Panthers completed another stellar campaign by drilling York by 31 points. Impressive.
3.
Harrisburg
9-1
3
Why yes, the Cougars are playing their best football heading into the second season. A four-touchdown victory over the CD Rams is just another example. Harrisburg offense is in full go-mode after scoring 47 more.
2.
Manheim Township
10-0
2
From start to finish this team has been as consistent as anybody. Wilson pushed all the right buttons and gave the Blue Streaks a full-metal-jacket test during a 49-34 contest. Excellent playoff primer for Township.
1.
Bishop McDevitt
10-0
1
Scored at least two touchdowns in each quarter in roughing up Lower Dauphin 61-10. In 10 games the Crusaders have scored 478 points. And that number includes 20 in the opener. A defense of their state title is primed and ready.
Another regular season in the books for the Mid-Penn Conference, and there was a fair bit of drama to go around as an unseasonably warm evening provided the backdrop to bring the curtain down on the 10-game slate.
We have plenty of playoff tidbits to break down, but first we want to give each Mid-Penn Conference division champion their moment in the spotlight. And thankfully no shared titles this season.
Harrisburg won all seven of its Commonwealth Division games to claim the outright title. It was powered by junior quarterback Sean Lee Jr. and a defense that can lock down an opponent. Harrisburg has higher championship aspirations of course, but take a moment to savor a job well done. Crazy part was the toughest test in the division came from CD East.
Nobody else was in the same area code to compete with Bishop McDevitt for the Keystone Division title. The defending PIAA Class 4A champion cruised through the Mid-Penn portion of its schedule to complete an undefeated regular season. The offense is big-play explosive, led by an FBS recruit at quarterback and bolstered by an FBS recruit at wide receiver and arguably the best corps of wideouts in the state. In seven division victories, McD’s defense surrendered six touchdowns. That group plays a vital role for this squad, too.
For the first time since 2015, East Pennsboro is the champion of the Colonial Division. This wasn’t an easy road for the Panthers to navigate, either. An upset loss to Northern in Week 7 opened up the door for a shared title or Susquehanna Township winning it outright. The grit and determination of this East Penn group came to a head last week with a fourth-quarter rally from the abyss to shock the ‘Hanna Tribe. And you have to love a team whose quarterback, Keith Oates III, set the school record for yards in a season and also leads them in tackles from his linebacker position.
Steel-High registered win No. 22 in a row Friday night in Elliottsburg to claim the Mid-Penn Capital Division crown in style by upending previously unbeaten and very confident West Perry. This wasn’t a given for the Rollers in 2023. The Mustangs and Trinity were both high-end title contenders, as well. And Steel-High had to beat those two squads in back-to-back weeks. The defending PIAA Class 1A champion is a legitimate threat to repeat as the best in the state. This title prepared the Rollers better than any other year for that run.
When the season kicked off you could have put three jars on a table, marked them Juniata, Line Mountain and Upper Dauphin and the tickets in each to win the Liberty Division title would have been fairly equal. Line Mountain’s 2023 squad always had the highest ceiling, and that was realized after a rugged 1-2 start. The Eagles never lost again and closed out a perfect Liberty run by scoring 75 points against previously mentioned Juniata and Line Mountain the last two weeks.
Some initial District 3 playoff thoughts
Before we provide a quick Mid-Penn Conference knee-jerk perspective on each of the classifications for the upcoming District 3 playoffs, there wasn’t a tough-luck squad at any level from the Mid-Penn. Big Spring was a serious bubble team but made the cut by a whisker.
Steel-High will be the Class 1A champion, and, despite three losses, Trinity is a heavy favorite in Class 2A as the No. 2 seed.
Wyomissing has barely been challenged in Class 3A the last few years. Will this year be more the same? The answer will be provided by either 9-1 Lancaster Catholic or 9-1 West Perry, the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds.
The top four seeds in Class 4A, Bishop McDevitt, Twin Valley, Manheim Central and East Pennsboro, have three combined losses with No. 1 McDevitt still unbeaten. The question here is can any of those three top seeds present a legitimate four-quarter challenge for the high-powered Crusaders?
Class 5A is going to be so much fun to watch unfold because you could make a case for four or maybe even five teams that could win the championship. Nobody enters unbeaten, and I’d be hard pressed to pick even a marginal favorite. Maybe 9-1 Cocalico as the No. 3 seed if I have to pick a winner? New Oxford is the No. 1 seed, but that’s just math in this bracket. Cedar Cliff, Garden Spot, Ephrata and even Conestoga Valley as the No. 6 seed will believe they have a shot. This one is going to be lots and lots of fun.
We start in Class 6A by recognizing Cumberland Valley for not only making the postseason after a brutal 0-3 start, but making a massive leap this week to the No. 4 seed to earn a home game. CV has the best opponents winning percentage in the district at a staggering .736. This classification comes down to Manheim Township, Harrisburg and Central York. Who ya got? Township and Central are unbeaten, and Harrisburg’s only loss is to Township.
