Standings:

Name: Week 3: Overall:

Andy Shay: 16-3; 51-18

Andy Sandrik: 18-1; 51-18

Adam Kulikowski: 14-5; 56-23

Friday, Sept. 6

Non-League

West Perry 16, Upper Dauphin 0

Andy Shay: West Perry 42, Upper Dauphin 26: This will be a step up in overall resistance for the Mustangs, but early indicators are West Perry won’t be threatened by what UDA has to offer.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 36, Upper Dauphin 19: Mustangs’ RB Brad Hockenberry is averaging 29.2 yards per carry. It sounds like I’m making that up, but I’m really not. 

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 45, Upper Dauphin 21: The Mustangs suffered significant losses to graduation, but the performance of Hockenberry and this new-look crew shows this is a re-load instead of the dreaded rebuild season.

Commonwealth

Cumberland Valley 13, Altoona 0

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 35, Altoona 7: Nice schedule break for the Eagles to work on their craft as a unit to be better prepared for what lies ahead. Winning matters, but how CV wins will be what the coaching staff will be focused on.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 32, Altoona 14: The Eagles had a nice bounce-back win last week and now they hit the road to face another opponent they’re expected to beat. Altoona has only scored 14 points in two games, so its best shot to steal a win at home is to keep this a low-scoring ballgame.

Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 37, Altoona: 13: The Eagles running game took a nice step forward in Week 2 after being stymied to open the season. Can Brody Pines and that offensive line continue to create holes in Week 3? 

Bishop McDevitt 40, Chambersburg 3

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 47, Chambersburg 14: Wondering if the Crusaders are licking their wounds or have moved on from a gut-wrenching loss to Harrisburg. It’s not that you lose, but how you respond that matters. So does the opponent and this looks favorable for McD.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 48, Chambersburg 7: I don’t know how many TDs the Crusaders will have to put up to wipe the Harrisburg loss from their memory, but it’s a lot. That’s bad news for the Trojans.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 56, Chambersburg 13: Yes, the Crusaders lost last week in a building that lived up to the hype in every way. The adage that iron sharpens iron holds true. McD will be better this year for having played that game. A scary proposition for a Chambersburg club showing some signs of life. 

Central Dauphin 48, Carlisle 0

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 28, Carlisle 7: This win will be earned by a Rams team short on upper-echelon talent, but big on making themselves hard to beat. After getting embarrassed in Week 1, they showed more than enough dog in the fight to be a tougher out than you might think.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 27, Carlisle 14: Despite a loss last Friday, the rebuilding Rams made a big leap from Week 1 to 2. Carlisle, not so much. 

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 24, Carlisle 6: Both teams are still searching for answers as we head into the third week of the season. Rams seem to have more in the cupboard than their Cumberland County foes. 

Central Dauphin East 28, Cedar Cliff 27:

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 31, Central Dauphin East 28: What I like is how the Colts have already had their feet to the fire and know exactly what is needed to push across the line. Panthers might have more elite talent in spots, but the Colts are not an easy team to beat.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 28, Central Dauphin East 21: This is shaping up to be a must-watch Commonwealth contest. I think Cedar Cliff has a few more tricks up its sleeve, but CD East certainly turned a few heads when it held its opponent to just over 10 yards of total offense last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin East 33, Cedar Cliff 27: Am I drinking the Panther Kool-Aid too soon? This just might be the most intriguing match-up on the docket in Week 3. 

Keystone

Gettysburg 54, Red Land 12

Andy Shay: Gettysburg 34, Red Land 20: It’s now or never for the Warriors. Last week might have left a scar for the season if Gettysburg falls to 0-3 here. Not sure Red Land can keep pace, but remember the Pats scored 30 in their opener.

Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 31, Red Land 14: No one wants to label a Week 3 game as a must-win, but it sure feels that way for the Warriors, doesn’t it?

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 35, Red Land 20: Warriors might be the most disappointing squad so far this season. If this team is going to turn things around, now is the time to get on track with Northern York and Mechanicsburg on deck.

Hershey 34, Palmyra 13:

Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Palmyra 7: I’m going to hitch my U-Haul to the Trojans defense in this one and ride their ability to slow down the Cougars as the key.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 22, Palmyra 17: The Trojans and Falcons both lost last week, but I only expected one of those results. Has Palmyra improved enough to make this a 50-50 game? 

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 28, Palmyra 13: Can the Cougars generate enough offense to make hay in this match-up? Trojans defense will be a tough test. 

Lower Dauphin 35, Northern York 14:

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 20, Northern York 14: This is the game where the depth of LD at the skill positions has to make a difference otherwise chalk up an upset win for the Polar Bears.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 17, Northern York 12: Both teams are coming off confidence-boosting wins and both teams see this as a winnable contest. This game gets my pick for Grinder of the Week. 

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 21, Northern York 14: To me, this one can go either way. The best weapon on the field is Grady Bonin, the do-it-all QB for the Polar Bears. The difference to me is the supporting cast–which edges to the Falcons. 

Mechanicsburg 40, Mifflin County 6:

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 35, Mifflin County 21: This will be about who hits more of those “explosive” plays covering 20 or more yards. Huskies will take their shots, but the Wildcats combo has been more consistently lethal.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 35, Mifflin County 24: The Wildcats have been steady through two games under Dave Heckard, but they’ll have to be wary of a Mifflin County team that might be in desperation mode after letting a win slip away against Northern. 

Adam Kulikowski: Mifflin County 28, Mechanicsburg 27: Senior quarterback Fletcher Wilson has shown that the Huskies aren’t afraid to push the ball downfield. That makes this a tricky match-up for a Wildcats squad that should be the favorite entering this one. 

Shippensburg 28, Waynesboro 21:

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 28, Waynesboro 26: Full plaudits to both squads for showing way more than what was expected through eight quarters. Hard for me to not pick the Hounds when the margins are slim.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 21, Waynesboro 20: The Greyhounds and Indians looked way better than expected in games they weren’t necessarily expected to win last week, but somehow did. Convincingly. Friday night could very well come down to who blinks first.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 31, Waynesboro 24: The Greyhounds have leaned heavily on its running backs with 95 carries out of 115 offensive snaps in the first two weeks. Can the Indians force Shippensburg to beat them through the air? 

Capital

Camp Hill 55, Susquenita 7:

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 49, Susquenita 0: This will either be the halftime score or something close to it. Lions have every advantage in the book on their side.

Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 32, Susquenita 0: Finally, a game where the cardiac kids from Camp Hill can breathe. I don’t always pick shutouts, but Susquenita is still looking for its first points of the season. 

Adam Kulikowski: Camp Hill 42, Susquenita 6: Lions seal up this Dub early and get the youngbucks some additional playing time. 

Steelton-Highspire 56, Halifax 7:

Andy Shay: Steelton-Highspire 49, Halifax 7: Everyone knows who the Rollers are this year. Yet somehow in this matchup, it will feel like each of the previous four years.

Andy Sandrik: Steelton-Highspire 55, Halifax 0: This will be a good chance for the still-growing Rollers to get some live varsity reps and build some continuity in all three phases.

Adam Kulikowski: Steelton-Highspire 41, Halifax 13: The Rollers may have their bumps along the road as they reload, but this outcome is predictable. 

James Buchanan 34, Newport 0

Andy Shay: James Buchanan 20, Newport 13: Ladies and Gentlemen your 3-0 James Buchanan Rockets.

Andy Sandrik: James Buchanan 18, Newport 12: The entirety of Rocket Stadium in Mercersburg just might blast off to the moon if James Buchanan wins this game and goes to 3-0.

Adam Kulikowski: James Buchanan 28, Newport 6: Plenty to feel good about if you are a Rockets fan so far this season. Good vibes flow another week!

Line Mountain 20, Juniata 18:

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 26, Juniata 20: Going chalk in this game for a couple of Capital Division heavyweights. This one could go either way and that way will make sense.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 19, Juniata 18: True coin flip game between the teams I picked to finish 1-2 in the Capital. I wish I had a phone-a-friend lifeline I could use to reach TVL historian Michael Bullock for insight. 

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 28, Line Mountain 21: Indians defense has yet to yield more than 14 points in a ball game this season. Continue that trend and good things will happen on Friday. 

Colonial

Trinity 35, Big Spring 14:

Andy Shay: Trinity 24, Big Spring 20: Something tells me the fire the T-Rocks have been forced to battle through serves them well in this grinder of a game. Big Spring is capable of sucking the life out of the game in their likeness and image if permitted.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 28, Big Spring 13: If Trinity can limit the big plays from Bulldogs’ RB Grant Hall (135.5 ypg), the Shamrocks have a really good shot to improve to 2-1, better than most of the “experts” have predicted. 

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 28, Trinity 24: Toss up game to me. I could make a compelling case for either team.

Susquehanna Township 61, Boiling Springs 10:

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 42, Boiling Springs 14: Hanna Tribe showed they can turn it on when pushed this season and they are growing into a 48-minute football outfit. This is the next step. Early and often should be the mantra this week.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 38, Boiling Springs 7: ‘Hanna was forced to evolve last week in a challenging game against Greencastle-Antrim, and that level of intensity should serve the Tribe well in front of their home crowd.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 45, Boiling Springs 13: The Tribe’s mettle was tested last week–and Joe Headen’s crew didn’t disappoint. Look for another Hanna dub this week against a crew still looking to find themselves. 

East Pennsboro 35, Milton Hershey 13:

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 28, East Pennsboro 24: A couple of not-exactly-sure teams after eight quarters, but something feels like it’s moving in the right direction for the Spartans. Feels like EP is struggling a bit.

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 21, Milton Hershey 16: Aaron Angelo is averaging exactly 100 rushing yards per game for East Pennsboro, and if he does it again this week I think the Panthers have a very good chance of nailing down that first win.

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 24, East Pennsboro 21: The last time the Spartans beat East Penn was in 2019. Milton Hershey breaks that streak this year. 

Greencastle-Antrim 28, Middletown 26:

Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 28, Middletown 7: The Blue Devils might be 0-2, but they have been more than competitive and are ready to get victory No. 1. Blue Raiders have to play next level special to keep pace.

Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 32, Middletown 13: Listen, this is an aggressive pick for 0-2 Greencastle, but the Blue Devils have played tough over that stretch, including last week against clear-cut division favorite Susquehanna Township. If Devin McCauley’s bunch can give that same effort this week, I think they can get that dub. 

Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 38, Middletown 27: The win-loss record doesn’t show it, but the Blue Devils should be proud of their effort in the first two weeks of the season. The time is now to get that elusive first win. 

Saturday, Sept. 7

Commonwealth

Harrisburg 7, State College 6:

Andy Shay: State College 31, Harrisburg 27: Geez am I fully prepared to pick against the Cougars for the second week in a row? This is not a rivalry game and State College will ask some serious questions over 48 minutes and have made precious few mistakes to date.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 33, State College 28: Just when we were ready to hit the panic button after a Week 1 blowout loss, the Cougars passed a major test last Saturday by toppling Bishop McDevitt. Yes, it’s early, but the winner of this game will have an inside track to the Commonwealth title.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 34, Harrisburg 33: The Cougars sure seem to have found their next quarterback, so no shock if the final score is flipped. 

11.	Ephrata	2-0	NR
Beat Manheim Central for the first time in more than a quarter century – last win was 1997 – to grab the always transitional No. 11 spot. Not sure if the win over the Barons was an upset?
10.	Lampeter-Strasburg	2-0	11
Still plenty of landmines ahead, but defense has been nothing short of impressive to date.
9.	Wyomissing	1-1	8
Was competitive all the way against Haverford School and was the underdog in this game. Didn’t score a touchdown and that is a concern for the big picture going forward.
8.	Wilson West Lawn	2-0	NR
Bulldogs have drifted a little into the middle of the Class 6A pack of teams. Looks like 2024 might be a bounce back into the upper tier. Favorable early schedule as well.
7.	Cumberland Valley	1-1	10
Nice bounce back for the Eagles, but CV was always going to roll over Carlisle. Still not sure about this team, but I’ll ride the wave.
6.	Dallastown	2-0	6
They have been solid through eight quarters, but more of a full metal jacket test will come this week from Manheim Central. Then we’ll know more.
5.	Bishop McDevitt	1-1	1
Had more than enough opportunities to put away Harrisburg in a game that went back and forth with big swings. The Crusaders defense wilted down the stretch and couldn’t finish this one off.
4.	Harrisburg	1-1	7
Not sure the Cougars could have faced any more adversity than what they faced to pull off an improbable win at McDevitt in the renewal of what once was known as the Market Street Madness game.
3.	Central York	1-1	3
Competitive all the way with the No. 1 ranked Blue Streaks, just didn’t have enough offense in the tank to be the difference maker on an otherwise pretty level playing field.
2.	State College	2-0	4
More than 100 points scored in eight quarters to kick off the season. Barometer test this week with Harrisburg on the schedule.
1.	Manheim Township	2-0	3
Wins over Cumberland Valley and Central York to start the season. Wins were convincing victories as well backed by a defense that has surrendered 17 total points.

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Brad Hockenberry, RB, West Perry: Hockenberry had a historic night for the Mustangs racking 291 rushing yards on just nine carries. He reached paydirt four times in a 44-21 romp of Boiling Springs.

Josh Smith, WR, Mechanicsburg:  Mechanicsburg is off to a 2-0 start and Josh Smith was a big reason why on Friday as he hauled in four catches for 138 yards and four total touchdowns—all in the first half as the Wildcats cruised past Palmyra 35-14. The recruit with offers from Richmond and Lehigh also added an interception and 41 rushing yards.

Christian Joy, RB, Trinity: Much has been made about the changes at Trinity, but Christian Joy’s performance Friday against East Pennsboro should speak volumes for the talent still present. He busted loose for 223 yards and four scores to help Trinity even its record at 1-1 on the season.

Rayshawn Frazier-Hewitt, QB, Waynesboro: The dual-threat quarterback did it all for Waynesboro Friday night in a 33-21 victory against Gettysburg. Frazier-Hewitt completed a tidy 18-of-23 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns. He also added another 60 stripes on the ground and a rushing score to cap the evening.

Eddie Corkery, QB, State College: Corkery only played the first half of Friday night’s matchup against Altoona but the senior gunslinger put on quite the show tossing the rock for 238 yards and six—yes, six—scores in a 57-0 blanking of the Mountain Lions.

Fletcher Wilson, QB Mifflin County: The Huskies aren’t afraid to sling the rock this year. And why not with Fletcher Wilson under center. The senior threw for 221 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-34 double-overtime loss to Northern York Friday night.

Grady Bonin, QB, Northern York:  When Northern York needed someone to carry them, Bonin stepped up. All the junior did was throw for 145 yards and four scores and rush for a team-high 90 stripes on 17 carries.

Lane Peiper, RB/LB, Juniata: Peiper made his presence known on both sides of the ball against Steel-High in Week 2. He recorded a team-high 13 tackles, including a sack and chipped in another 127 yards of production on offense as the Indians beat the Rollers, 29-14.

Jayion Lewis, QB, Harrisburg: Welcome to The Show, kid. In his first career start at quarterback, Lewis orchestrated a game-tying drive with just minutes left in the final stanza against powerhouse Bishop McDevitt. He finished the thriller with 236 yards and a score on 14-of-19 passing.

Week two of the PA high school season is upon us and this article is your home for all Mid-Penn final scores, stats and biggest notes in real time. 

West Perry 44, Boiling Springs 21

Brad Hockenberry got 9 carries for 291 yards and 4 TD’s en route to a big Mustang win to advance to 2-0 starting the season, thanks to a 37-0 lead at half. Without veteran QB Marcus Quaker, the Mustangs are relying on the run game much more and it’s worked so far. Next up for West Perry is Upper Dauphin, while Boiling Springs visits a tough Susquehanna Township team.

Mechanicsburg 35, Palmyra 14

It’s hard to stop Mechanicsburg right now, off a 2-0 start with wins over Carlisle and Palmyra. The game today began at 11 AM, postponed from last night’s rain. Josh Smith hauled in four catches for 138 yards and 3 TD’s in the win. The Wildcats take a visit to Mifflin County next week, while Palmyra hosts nearby Hershey.

Camp Hill 14, Big Spring 13

The Lions were down late to the Bulldogs, but came back to edge the win by one, in a game that came down to the (controversial) wire last season. The Lions pass often, so QB Drew Branstetter having a veteran presence helped the Lions to their first win. The Lions host again with Susquenita next week, while Big Spring falls to 0-2 after a Little Brown Jug loss in week one. Bulldogs turn the page to hosting Trinity next week.

Cumberland Valley 35, Carlisle 0

It was certainly time to see a big win out of CV and week two was the right opportunity to do it. Carlisle completes their rivalry back to back with Mechanicsburg and Cumberland Valley, and come out of both with a combined six points. Cumberland Valley makes the Mid-Penn’s longest trip next week visiting Altoona, while Carlisle takes Central Dauphin for their home opener.

Cedar Cliff 21, Central Dauphin 13 (OT)

An unexpected nail biter in the Commonwealth for a struggling CD team, but forcing double overtime is big on the road at West Shore stadium. PJ Dent, a sophomore was big for the Colts, rushing 17 times for 100 yards and a touchdown, plus a two point conversion. Veteran QB Bennett Secrest slung the ball for 138 yards and a touchdown.

CD East 50, Chambersburg 2

Not a typo. Chambersburg, after beating a difficult Gettysburg team, completed a safety but that’s about it for the positives. Next week is the always tough McDevitt team back at home, their second straight home game, but that’s only because this game was moved from Landis Field to Franklin County because of ongoing stadium construction in Harrisburg. For a CD East team with something to prove, it’s a 2-0 start, outsourcing their first two opponents 90-8. Their next chance: Cedar Cliff at Landis.

Susquehanna Township 35, Greencastle 13

It’s a really strong start for a once young, now-veteran Township team, beating Penn Hills in a close battle, then Greencastle. A 21-6 halftime lead for the Indians, then 14 more fourth quarter points allowed for the win. Greencastle, replacing their QB Logan Alvey, takes an 0-2 start after a close, 30-27 loss to Waynesboro in week one. On the docket is a trip to Middletown, and for Township, it’s hosting Boiling Springs.

Juniata 29, Steel-High 14

This one turned out to be one of the more entertaining games in week two, as Juniata had to climb back to beat Steel-High, snapping a 29-game win streak for the Rollers, including two PIAA title wins. Juniata was down 14-0 early and clawed back for a big win, setting themselves up for a 1-1 start entering an ultra competitive Line Mountain game next week. Steel-High has a District III championship rematch next week against Halifax.

Milton Hershey 21, Middletown 19

It’s time for Middletown to come out and win some “trap” games and they got close with their two-point loss in week two. Milton Hershey put together 377 yards rushing, thanks to a 125 yard day for Lex Morales-Monzon and 189 more rushing yards from Khy’Dyn Gann-Luckett. It puts the Spartans back on track after a 28-0 Cocoa Bean Bowl loss to Hershey. Middletown started with a win over Donegal, and fall to 1-1. The teams have East Penn and Greencastle coming up.

Northern 41, Mifflin County 34 (2OT)

Perhaps the most exciting game of the week came at Bostic Field between these two. Grady Bonin punched in a six yard touchdown run, with the XP from Anna Lehman good, putting the Polar Bears ahead 41-34, where the game finished. Northern visits Hersheypark Stadium next week against Lower Dauphin, a huge test early. Mifflin County returns to their brand new stadium to host a red-hot Mechanicsburg team.

Shippensburg 28, Hershey 13

While Milton Hershey bounced back from the Cocoa Bean Bowl loss, Hershey did the opposite. Shippensburg has a lot to play for right now, and they are off to a great start. The Greyhounds are 2-0 and visit Waynesboro next week. Hershey drops to 1-1 before a visit to Palmyra next week.

State College 57, Altoona 0

State College continues to roll. They’ve outscored their first two opponents – Gateway and Altoona – 106-14 before really diving into the Mid-Penn Commonwealth schedule, which will dive right in with Harrisburg. Altoona hosts the 1-1 Cumberland Valley Eagles next week.

James Buchanan 16, Susquenita 0

Most surprising week one score? This one. Susquenita is working through a QB and head coaching shift, but this was certainly unexpected as the Blackhawks are still slated to put together a serviceable season. So far, it’s been a 58-0 West Perry loss and now this one to start 0-2. The Blackhawks visit Camp Hill next week, while the Rockets start 2-0 with wins over York Tech and ‘Nita, with the next challenge being Newport at home next week. 

Trinity 37, East Penn 14

Don’t let the scoreline fool you, this was a battle between West Shore schools at COBO. Christian Joy, one of the few studs staying the course at Trinity, broke out for 200 yards and 4 TD’s. Jacob Ness added 92 yards and a touchdown off 11 carries for the ‘Rocks, who get to 1-1 with the win, while East Penn falls to an 0-2 start. The Shamrocks visit Big Spring next week, while the Panthers host Milton Hershey. 

Waynesboro 33, Gettysburg 21

It’s an unlikely 0-2 start for the Warriors after two surprising losses under veteran QB Brady Heiser, and perhaps a just as unlikely 2-0 start for Waynesboro. Waynesboro takes Shippensburg in a western Mid-Penn battle between two undefeated squads in week three. Gettysburg looks to get back on track at West Shore stadium, visiting Red Land next week.

Line Mountain 40, Newport 0

Line Mountain prepares for a huge Capital division battle against Juniata next week, and they proved their dominance tonight with a shutout against the Buffaloes. The Eagles lost by three, 26-23, to Lewisburg last week and start 1-1, while Newport falls to 0-2 before visiting James Buchanan next week.

MORE LOCAL SCORES:

YAIAA: Delone Catholic 35, Lancaster Catholic 21

YAIAA: Biglerville 21, York Catholic 6

YAIAA: Bermudian Springs 42, York Suburban 14

YAIAA: Susquehannock 44, Littlestown 0

YAIAA: New Oxford 21, Cocalico 0

BCIAA: Berks Catholic, 22, Executive Education 18

BCIAA: Wilson 21, Plymouth-Whitemarsh 7

BCIAA: Haverford 20, Wyomissing 3

LL: Annville-Cleona 48, Hanover 20

LL: Lampeter-Strasburg 21, Warwick 0

LL: Manheim Central 28, Central York 10 (Thursday)

LL: Cedar Crest 45, Spring Grove 7

LL: Hempfield 27, York 6

SATURDAY GAMES:

Bishop McDevitt (1-0) vs Harrisburg (0-1)

York Tech (0-1) vs Kutztown (0-1)