The most coveted quarterback passing record in the state of Pennsylvania belongs to a senior from the Steel-High Steamrollers.
Senior Alex Erby, a four-year starter, now owns the state record for career passing yards with 11,287 yards, surpassing the mark of 11,084 yards established by South Fayette’s Brett Brumbaugh in 2014.
And Erby still has plenty of football left in the 2023 season, as the undefeated Rollers are a strong candidate to repeat as the PIAA Class 1A champions.
Erby owns the record, but he also has enjoyed a wealth of talent to work with at the receiver position. That matters, too. But at the end of the day, the lefty delivers the rock, and nobody has done it better over a four-year career than Erby.
His career numbers to date reveal his level of excellence beyond the coveted record for passing yards. With more than 850 attempts he completes 75 percent of his passes, better than 20 percent of his completions are for touchdowns. With such a massive number of attempts, what grabs my attention more than anything is only 27 interceptions. That’s roughly one pick every 32 attempts.
Records are established to be broken, right? And the number Erby posts at the end of this season will fall as the game continues to evolve and change. That doesn’t change one bit the level of excellence he displayed from the moment he stepped on the field as a wispy freshman four seasons ago.
EAST PENNSBORO FALLS FROM THE UNBEATENS
You can remove East Pennsboro from the ranks of the unbeaten and the Panthers’ first loss of the season to Northern means the chase for the Colonial Division title is up for grabs. Does anybody besides me fancy the football Susquehanna Township is playing these days?
Either way, the Panthers clearly were not ready for what you knew the Polar Bears would bring to the table – a healthy dose of RB Cole Bartram from start to finish. The East Penn simply couldn’t stop the train early and fell into a Bartram-led 21-0 hole only 11 seconds into the second quarter.
Sure East Pennsboro joined the battle and rallied behind a defense that went on lockdown for the better part of two-plus quarters and the offense chipped away. The Panthers forged a 21-21 deadlock early in the fourth quarter before Bartram, who finished with 171 yards on 32 carries and all four touchdowns the Polar Bears posted, and the Northern offense went on the grind and took the lead for good midway through the final quarter.
Everyone knows the coaches pick the division all-stars and superlatives. My vote for Colonial Division Offensive MVP would be Bartram. Northern would struggle to compete without him. That’s a clear MVP in my book. The upset of East Penn was only victory No. 2 this season for Northern. The Polar Bears didn’t have a turnover and had only two penalties. That’s how you pull off an upset.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY STUNS CD
Down by a touchdown inside the dying minutes of the fourth quarter, Cumberland Valley turned the tide of a struggling season by scoring twice to upset a confident Central Dauphin squad.
A switch to quarterback Grant Shepley in the second half was a difference -maker on the scoreboard. Inside the details of this game reveal it was the Eagles defense that set the table for this upset by limiting the Rams to a single touchdown offensively.
Central Dauphin helped the cause by attempting only 10 passes and leaning on its run game to finish the job.
The Eagles’ brutal opening three-game stretch is countered by real opportunity over the stretch run with games against Carlisle and Altoona on deck – both winnable games.
JARED PORTER SHINES IN CLOSE LOSS TO HARRISBURG
Watching Harrisburg use its superior collection of overall talent to finally subdue CD East in the dying minutes provided a chance to get eyes on CD East junior running back Jared Porter.
This isn’t a pedestrian defense the Cougars bring to the table, yet somehow Porter made the Harrisburg defense look ordinary.
The 5-9, 170-pound junior had 227 yards on 28 carries including a 58-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter to make it 27-all.
Porter is the best pure running back in the Mid-Penn Conference from my seat and he reminded me so much of another slightly underrated and lightly recruited back for the Panthers.
Former CD East star Chase Edmonds, who went to Fordham because nobody else offered and has enjoyed a six-year NFL career, and Porter have similar styles, moves, and determination inside the tackles but in the open field will run away from you.
SHAY REVIEWED THE POWER RANKINGS… FINALLY!
For the record, I did closely examine the District 3 power rankings, as promised. At the end of the day, nothing really grabbed my attention. So my apologies. More to come next week on the PR front.
Mustangs were pushed to the limit by Big Spring, and the West Perry defense was called on to secure a 38-35 victory in Newville.
10.
Steel-High
7-0
10
On a night when senior QB Alex Erby became the leading passer in Pennsylvania history, the Rollers had no trouble with Camp Hill.
9.
Wyomissing
6-1
9
Jumped into the deep end of the pool against a state ranked Class 5A opponent and was no match for No. 6 Cocalico.
8.
Manheim Central
6-1
8
There was never going to be any resistance from winless Lebanon, and the Barons threw 10 touchdowns up on the board.
7.
Exeter Township
7-0
7
Second shutout of the season for the Eagles, who dispatched of one-win Muhlenberg 42-0.
6.
Cocalico
6-1
6
A strong start served the Eagles well against No. 9 Wyomissing, as Coalico handed the Spartans their first loss of the season with a convincing 34-14 victory.
5.
Central York
7-0
5
This one was over early as the Panthers put 42 points on the board just past the midway point of the second quarter and cruised past winless Northeastern.
4.
State College
5-1
4
Little Lions posted a season high 55 points on the road against a Carlisle defense that has surrendered plenty of points this season.
3.
Harrisburg
6-1
3
Was a battle all the way for the Cougars on the road against CD East. Harrisburg offense secured a late touchdown from the offense and an INT in the dying seconds to hold on 34-27.
2.
Manheim Township
7-0
2
Cedar Crest came into this game with a sporty 5-1 record and left Lancaster Country with two losses after the Blue Streaks cruised to a 42-0 victory. Only one team, Spring-Ford, has scored more than 7 points on Township’s defense.
1.
Bishop McDevitt
7-0
1
Another one-loss MPC Keystone opponent was no match for the powerful Crusaders. Hershey offense was locked down and McDevitt cruised 42-7.
No division titles will be decided this week, and no District 3 playoff tickets will be punched, but Week 7 of the Mid-Penn Conference football season will give us a lot more clarity of what races to watch and which of the final games will mean the most.
Can East Pennsboro remain perfect this week against Northern? Can Hershey pull off the seemingly impossible and upset Bishop McDevitt?
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: Week 7 Mid-Penn 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 Week 7 of the PIAA high school football season:
EXPLAINING OUR PICKS: It’s Week 7 of the Pennsylvania high school football season, and the 4th Down Magazine team is here to tell you who’s going to win every game involving Mid-Penn Conference teams, as well as Schuylkill-Colonial League games featuring former members of the now-defunct Tri-Valley League.
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 this week.
2023 Standings
Picker: Week 7 — Overall — Perfect Picks
Andy Sandrik: 14-7 — 141-40 — 0
Adam Kulikowski: 14-7 — 140-41 — 1
Andy Shay: 14-7 — 134-47 — 1
* Records in parentheses after school name; District and seed in parentheses before school name.
Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 31, Mifflin County 20: All indicators tell me the Spartans have more horsepower offensively and will find a way to make that a difference-maker here.
Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 29, Mifflin County 17: Huskies need to keep points at a premium if they want to have any chance of getting a win.
Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 27, Mifflin County 23: Another tough matchup for a Huskies team which has lost three of its last four games.
FRIDAY, OCT. 6
Altoona 25, Chambersburg 7
Andy Shay: Chambersburg 20, Altoona 7: Remember the Trojans already own a 3-0 victory this season and the Mountain Lions are scoring precious few points against fellow big schools in the Commonwealth.
Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 24, Altoona 7: The Commonwealth is cruel and unforgiving. That’s what I keep telling my Altoona friend who is losing his mind over the Mountain Lions “not being competitive.”
Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 23, Altoona 13: Mountain Lions are 0-3 in conference play with just seven points scored in each of their division tilts.
State College 55, Carlisle 20
Andy Shay: State College 49, Carlisle 7: For all that offense, I see the Little Lions’ defense becoming more of a force with each passing week and a real key during the late stages of this season.
Andy Sandrik: State College 45, Carlisle 7: You get the sense that State College is going to finish either No. 1 or 2 in the Commonwealth. Carlisle is simply not equipped to keep up with these Little Lions.
Adam Kulikowski: State College 48, Carlisle 14: In five games, Little Lions quarterback Eddie Corkery has a 130.1 QB rating with 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions. As a team, State College has just one turnover on the season.
Cumberland Valley 19, Central Dauphin 14
Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 35, Cumberland Valley 14: Nice to see the Eagles get a win and show a little more pop in their offensive arsenal. They’ll need it all against a Rams team that will look to run to victory but has started to open up the passing game a bit.
Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 27, Cumberland Valley 16: I don’t think there’s a team in District 3 that’s had a harder schedule than Cumberland Valley, and that trend continues when the Rams march onto Chapman Field.
Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 34, Cumberland Valley 21: Business has picked up for Cumberland Valley, which is just outside the postseason bubble if the season ended today despite a tough first half. Rams won’t be looking to help the Eagles’ cause, however.
Harrisburg 34, CD East 27
Andy Shay: Harrisburg 49, CD East 13: Seems losing a game and performing well below expectations in Week 3 has fired up the Cougars’ offense, which is on an absolute tear since then and shows no signs of slowing down.
Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 53, CD East 7: As potent as Harrisburg’s offense has been, it still might be the second-best unit on the team behind the defense.
Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 55, CD East 20: The Cougars seem to be hitting their offensive stride at just the right time. That’s bad news for the Panthers.
Bishop McDevitt 42, Hershey 7
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 54, Hershey 14: We know about the Crusaders’ wicked potent passing attack. Starting to see signs the run game is gaining traction, too. Trojans are built defensively for this powerhouse.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 56, Hershey 21: This should be a McDevitt blowout, of course, but I’m eager to see if Hershey running back Angel Cabrera can bowl over a few Crusaders along the way. He’s really settled into a groove of late.
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 55, Hershey 14: This prediction says more about the insane depth of talent the Crusaders possess than it does the quality of the Hershey squad.
Cedar Cliff 21, Lower Dauphin 16
Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 24, Lower Dauphin 21: This game has a high entertainment factor simply because in 2023 they are like minded in their approach and how they execute. The little details will matter most in this one because at its core there isn’t much difference between these squads.
Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 20, Lower Dauphin 17: All of the research is telling me Cedar Cliff should be favored here, but another part of me wouldn’t be surprised at all if LD springs an upset. The Falcons have been quietly putting away the teams they’re supposed to beat, and now I’m curious to see what they do as an underdog.
Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 24, Lower Dauphin 20: One of the best games on the Week 7 docket, I do believe the Falcons can win, but there’s less margin for error for the boys from Hummelstown.
Red Land 24, Palmyra 7
Andy Shay: Palmyra 20, Red Land 14: For me, this game is all about which defense has a better night. Both are capable of having a huge impact on this outcome.
Andy Sandrik: Palmyra 27, Red Land 14: Palmyra seems to have just a little bit more punch offensively, but otherwise this seems like it’s anyone’s game.
Adam Kulikowski: Palmyra 33, Red Land 28: Both teams likely have this one circled on their calendars as a winnable matchup. Each enters on a losing skid of at least three games. I’ll take the Cougars in a coin flip.
Northern 28, East Pennsboro 21
Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 35, Northern 7: There isn’t a style of game that suits the Panthers more than another. They are more versatile than they are explosive, and that’s tough for a defense to contain. Polar Bears’ offense is coming off a better effort, but hard to see them bringing enough to the table to spring an upset.
Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 35, Northern 14: East Penn is looking more and more like a complete team every week. It’s hard to see a path to victory for the Polar Bears.
Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 38, Northern 13: One team continues to struggle to score points without a go-to weapon on the roster, while the other’s biggest problem on offense is which No. 1 receiver to target.
Gettysburg 49, Waynesboro 34
Andy Shay: Gettysburg 42, Waynesboro 20: I know their record is 3-3, but the Warriors are gaining steam and playing some of their best football right now as they chase down a potential 11th game in the postseason.
Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 20, Waynesboro 7: I love the way Waynesboro is playing as a “rebuilding” team. A win over Gettysburg would be huge, but there are too many guys on the Warriors’ side that will make an upset easier said than done.
Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 43, Waynesboro 20: Gettysburg just might be the most dangerous 3-3 team in the Mid-Penn Conference — especially with a defense that seems to be hitting its stride as we come down the stretch.
Susquehanna Township 25, Greencastle-Antrim 0
Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 26, Greencastle-Antrim 20: The only thing that separates the ‘Hanna Tribe from being 6-0 is a pair of one-point losses. If the Blue Devils keep it close into the fourth quarter, you have to like their chances in a tight game. Tribe need to get the lead and stay in front to be comfortable.
Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 24, Greencastle-Antrim 16: I took ‘Hanna to win the Colonial, and while the Indians haven’t been as dominant as I would have guessed, the pieces are coming together just in time for a crucial tilt with Greencastle.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 27, Greencastle-Antrim 21: Both teams hold a playoff berth as the District 3 power rankings sit right now. Indians have the chops to notch a quality win over the Class 5A Blue Devils and further bolster their playoff resumé.
Shippensburg 14, Mechanicsburg 7
Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 24, Shippensburg 14: Something tells me the Greyhounds will have a say in the outcome of this game and can pull off the upset. Then I realize their offense continues to struggle while the Wildcats, who have been up and down offensively, have been more consistent overall. Tough call, though.
Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 28, Shippensburg 14: Couple of two-win teams looking to shake off losing streaks. The Wildcats have a little more offensively, but this is a 50-50 game all the way.
Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 34, Shippensburg 15: The Greyhounds have scored 19 points just once this season. To put that into context, consider this: in their previous 24 games before the start of the 2023 circuit, they failed to cross the 20-point mark just five times.
West Perry 38, Big Spring 35
Andy Shay: West Perry 49, Big Spring 14: The Mustangs are flying high and can go straight at you with power or use their speed in space to create mismatches and exploit them. Here’s where Big Spring playing Steel-High and Trinity in back-to-back weeks shows up because the margins against West Perry are slim.
Andy Sandrik: West Perry 42, Big Spring 17: I think the Bulldogs want to give West Perry their best shot, but how much do they have in the tank after two grueling weeks against Steel-High and Trinity?
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 43, Big Spring 20: The sledding doesn’t get any easier for a quality Bulldogs squad which over the last two weeks fought Capital Division foes Steel-High and Trinity. Finding a way to keep pace with the Mustangs could be a challenge.
Steel-High 55, Camp Hill 7
Andy Shay: Steel-High 56, Camp Hill 7: Rollers have these three-touchdown bursts that suck the life out of an opponent. And don’t forget about the Steel-High defense in all the points and state records chatter. They show up every week.
Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 55, Camp Hill 14: Everything about Camp Hill it considers a strength, Steel-High does better. Tough matchup for the Lions.
Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 49, Camp Hill 21: When folks talk about the Rollers, the offense garners most of the attention. But Andrew Erby’s defense hasn’t yielded more than seven points in three weeks.
Juniata 48, Boiling Springs 28
Andy Shay: Juniata 35, Boiling Springs 14: Each of the Bubblers’ last four opponents has scored at least 48 points. The Indians aren’t the most powerful offense but certainly have more balance.
Andy Sandrik: Juniata 23, Boiling Springs 17: I love the addition of the Liberty Division to the Mid-Penn. It gives us the chance to see some fresh matchups that we’re not used to seeing.
Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 28, Boiling Springs 14: Bubblers are looking to turn the page after West Perry’s high-octane offense ran unencumbered last week. Indians don’t possess the same horsepower to stretch the spread.
Line Mountain 50, Halifax 14
Andy Shay: Line Mountain 28, Halifax 7: While the Eagles’ offense has been slightly less potent than maybe expected, the defense has answered the bell by allowing only four touchdowns over the last 12 quarters. That is the difference-maker.
Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 32, Halifax 14: Two Liberty teams trending in opposite directions. Eagles have done more than enough to be favored here.
Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 34, Halifax 13: Eagles have all the pieces they need to make this a tough pull for the Wildcats.
Upper Dauphin 52, James Buchanan 6
Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 49, James Buchanan 7: Nothing will prevent the Trojans from keeping their foot on the gas to get six or seven touchdowns as fast as possible. That’s the goal here.
Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 44, James Buchanan 7: You never want to look ahead to the next opponent, but if UD comes out and executes like it should, the Trojans can start thinking about Juniata by halftime.
Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 53, James Buchanan 6: Trojans are on a three-game winning streak and arguably playing their best ball of the season.
Susquenita 42, Newport 14
Andy Shay: Susquenita 35, Newport 7: Been a struggle for the Blackhawks to find wins even when they play well. More of a level playing field against the final team in the MPC looking to grab a W.
Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 28, Newport 6: Susquenita is struggling to earn wins, while Newport is struggling to generate points. Something has to give.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 34, Newport 6: This certainly hasn’t been the season the Blackhawks expected, but this is a week to feel good about the final shine on the scoreboard.
Nativity BVM 30, Tri-Valley 27
Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 28, Nativity BVM 21: Tough to jump back in the saddle after kind of giving a game away when the team you are facing, the Bulldogs, will ask a lot of the same questions of you.
Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 21, Nativity BVM 14: Nativity seemed to have a win over Williams Valley in its back pocket when everything went wrong. And now the Green Wave is tasked with facing a Tri-Valley team every bit as tough as the previous week’s opponent.
Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 35, Nativity BVM 21: BVM’s play through the first three quarters against Williams Valley shows the potential this team possesses to knock off the Bulldogs. Executing on that potential is a different story.
Tamaqua 42, Pine Grove 3
Andy Shay: Tamaqua 42, Pine Grove 14: Hard to compete for results when you surrender 40 or more points most weeks. Tamaqua started slow but has found a couple wins recently, and that matters.
Andy Sandrik: Tamaqua 35, Pine Grove 21: Two teams with losing records, but Tamaqua is on a two-game win streak after starting 0-4. Pine Grove’s defense allowing 40-plus points in each of its last five games also makes the Blue Raiders the favorites here.
Adam Kulikowski: Tamaqua 45, Pine Grove 28: Pine Grove hasn’t played a competitive four quarters since its lone victory of the season in Week 1.
Williams Valley 49, Mahanoy 41
Andy Shay: Williams Valley 49, Mahanoy 21: How in the world did the Vikings pull that victory rabbit out of what looked like a sure loss? Don’t expect a hangover from that kind of triumph. That’s fuel on the fire in my book.
Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 42, Mahanoy 14: Those WV kids are going to be talking about last week’s comeback win for decades to come. This week won’t be as memorable for the Vikings, but still fun.
Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 55, Mahanoy 20: Is there anything Alex Achenbach can’t do? Asking for a friend. Seriously though, this cat did it all last week — 220 rushing yards (two TDs), a passing TD, a kick return TD and a pick-6 to end the game. Expect another heavy dose of No. 5 this week.
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
Trinity at Middletown, 2 p.m.
Andy Shay: Trinity 42, Middletown 7: The road has been wicked tough on many fronts for the T-Rocks. They are a bit limited with a banged up FBS recruit at running back still trying to get healthy. Blue Raiders don’t have enough to make this one tough, and Trinity needs a week where it can cruise a good bit of the second half. Feels like this is that spot.
Andy Sandrik: Trinity 35, Middletown 14: Depending on how much Trinity decides to turn to a banged-up Messiah Mickens, this game could end up being closer than some might think.
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 55, Middletown 13: Shamrocks are heavy favorites in this daytime tilt against the one-win Blue Raiders, who simply don’t have the horses to run with the ‘Rocks.
Cumberland Valley senior Bryce Staretz is the Week 6 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week, and it’s hard to argue with that outcome.
The running back and linebacker put together a career night when the Eagles (2-4) needed it most, rushing for a career high 256 yards in last week’s 35-20 win over Chambersburg. It was a hard-earned night, too, as he toted the rock 34 times and scored twice from 29 and 11 yards out. It’s one of the best running back performances in the Mid-Penn this season.
The effort earned Staretz 5,931 votes, beating Juniata junior receiver/defensive back Connor Boreman’s 4,144. There were 13,303 votes cast this week.
Staretz and CV host rival Central Dauphin in Week 7 action Friday at 7 p.m.
It’s a defensive star getting the love for the Week 6 4th Down Magazine Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week: Tri-Valley sophomore Cole Gemberling.
The linebacker shined in the Bulldogs’ 33-14 win over Shenandoah Valley, with the highlight of the night a 90-yard pick-6. He also added five tackles and a sack for the 4-2 Bulldogs. The youngster is second on the team with 46 total tackles, first with 3.5 sacks and has the one interception.
Gemberling won a thrilling fan vote over Williams Valley running back Alex Achenbach, with 6,866 to the latter’s 6,225. There were 14,381 votes cast.
He and Tri-Valley host Nativity BVM in Week 7 action Friday night at 7.
Vote now for your 4th Down Magazine Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week. Our poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. Voting is allowed once every 30 minutes.
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Alex Achenbach, RB, sr., Williams Valley: It feels like we say this every week, but Achenbach turned in a stellar performance in Week 6 against Nativity BVM. All Achenbach did was rush for 220 yards on 26 carries. He scored twice on the ground. He threw a touchdown pass—oh, and he also delivered a 70-yard kick return for a touchdown. And when his team needed a defensive stop to end the game—yep, you guessed it—Achenback delivered a 60-yard pick six to seal the Vikings win.
Cole Gemberling, LB, so., Tri-Valley: On a night when many of the Bulldogs didn’t play a full four quarters, Gemberling filled the box score with impact defensive plays. He notched five tackles, a sack and a 90-yard pick-six in a 33-14 victory against Shenandoah Valley.
Aiden Myers, RB, sr., Schuylkill Haven: Myers carried the load for the Hurricanes in a 22-13 victory Friday night against Catasauqua with 22 carries for 176 yards and three touchdowns. He also had four tackles, two for a loss.
Luke Stevenosky, RB, sr., Minersville: Stevenosky did it again for the Battlin’ Miners in a 35-20 victory against Pen Argyl, toting the load with 27 carries for 181 stripes and three touchdowns. He also chipped in four tackles to help his team improve to 5-1 on the season.
Vote now for your 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week. Our poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. Voting is allowed once every 30 minutes.
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Nolan Baumert, sr., RB/DB, Line Mountain: Baumert provided the highlight of the Eagles’ 27-0 win over Newport when he returned a blocked field goal 65 yards to pay dirt. That came on the heels of him breaking off an 81-yard run for a score. He finished with 130 yards (six carries, 97 rushing yards; one catch, 33 receiving yards).
Colin Benoist, sr., DL, East Pennsboro: Another week, another undefeated Panther nominee. This time we head to the defensive line, where Benoist, who had seven tackles, showed some sticky hands with a 78-yard interception return for a touchdown that blew up a screen pass and helped East Penn beat Mechanicsburg 29-16.
Connor Boreman, jr., WR/DB/KR, Juniata: Boreman kept Juniata at the front of the Liberty Division pack with an all-around effort in a 46-16 win over James Buchanan. He caught four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown, returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score and finished third on the team with five tackles plus a 39-yard fumble recovery.
Drew Branstetter, jr., QB, Camp Hill: Back after a one-week injury absence, Branstetter guided the Lions to a 22-3 non-division win over Susquenita with a typical performance. The junior completed 16 of 26 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, two to Noah Doi and another to Kobe Moore.
Carter Burton, jr., QB, Lower Dauphin: Burton did most of his damage with his legs in this one, scoring on runs of 1, 37 and 47 yards to lead the Falcons to a 28-7 win over Palmyra. The junior finished with 173 stripes on 18 carries and went 3 of 5 passing for 30 yards. LD finished with 345 yards on 48 carries.
Angel Cabrera, sr., RB/LB, Hershey: The surging Trojans pounded Red Land 41-0 thanks to another monster effort from their breakout running back standout. Cabrera toted the rock 19 times for 154 yards, scoring three times.
Rell Ceasar Jr., sr., WR/DB, Steel-High: Ceasar caught two of QB Alex Erby’s six TDs Saturday afternoon in the Rollers’ 48-7 romp of Middletown, finishing with right catches for 267 yards and end zone trips of 79 and 85 yards.
Mateo Crummel, sr., WR/DB, Central Dauphin: The Rams routed Carlisle 50-16, with Crummel the center of a flawless passing attack. The senior caught six passes for 209 yards (an impressive 34.8 yards per reception) and four touchdowns, and on defense he had three tackles and a pass breakup.
Alex Erby, sr., QB, Steel-High: Erby put himself within striking distance of the career Pennsylvania passing yardage record in the Rollers’ 48-7 win over Middletown Saturday afternoon. He went 21 of 24 for 467 yards and six touchdowns, leaving himself 138 yards shy of No. 1. He’s also 11 TDs away from the state record.
Tyler Erdley, jr., RB, Upper Dauphin: The Trojans stayed in the Liberty co-pilot seat with a 36-0 win over Halifax that saw Erdley chip in on both sides of the ball. He led the rushing attack with 117 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, and on defense he recorded five tackles and an interception. He also had two two-point conversions.
Jared Porter, jr., RB/DB, CD East: Porter kept CD East’s offense moving in a 43-17 loss to State College, churning out 195 yards on just 17 carries and scoring on a 68-yard rush in the opening minutes. He also hauled in four passes for 34 yards.
Marcus Quaker, sr., QB, West Perry: While leading his team to program records for points in a game (72), in a quarter (42) and most combined points (100) in a 72-28 blowout of Boiling Springs, Quaker threw for 142 yards, rushed for 120 and contributed four touchdowns in just a half of play before backups took over a 56-0 game at the break.
D’Antae Sheffey, so., RB, State College: Sheffey was back to his old ways Friday in a 43-17 win over CD East, carrying the ball 21 times for 163 yards and a 26-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. The Power Five recruit also had a 5-yard reception.
Bryce Staretz, sr., RB/LB, Cumberland Valley: What a night for Staretz, who set a career high with 256 rushing yards in a 35-20 Eagles win over Chambersburg. Staretz finished with two touchdowns on 34 carries in CV’s second Commonwealth win this season.
Caleb Wray, sr., QB, Trinity: Wray scored on a 4-yard run in the opening quarter and tossed touchdown passes of 27 and 6 yards in the Shamrocks’ 28-22 victory over Big Spring. He finished 15 of 20 for 181 yards through the air and rushed four times for 2 yards.
Get ready for the home stretch of the 2023 Mid-Penn Conference football season following a rather pedestrian Week 6 that didn’t include many marquee games.
I’m a big fan of the District 3 power rankings and how they are used to determine playoff bids. But after only six weeks, their relevance still doesn’t have enough meat on the bone for me to look at them in any detail. Join me in waiting one more week to talk playoff scenarios, possibilities and bracketology.
Only four teams remain unbeaten through six games. Bishop McDevitt showed its mettle by navigating a legitimate non-conference schedule in defense of its PIAA crown. The Crusaders will win the Keystone Division, again, and are favorites to repeat as District 3 Class 4A champs. No real surprise, there.
Steel-High and West Perry are each 6-0 from the Capital Division, and the Mustangs will welcome the Rollers to Elliotsburg to close out the regular season. Could be a winner-take-all game, but remember Steel-High still has to play Trinity. The Shamrocks are a bit wobbly and banged up these days but want to have a say in this division.
The final unbeaten is East Pennsboro. The Panthers have revealed themselves as a complete team with assets on both sides of the ball and the ability to successfully play a variety of styles. They are the Colonial Division favorites and will be a tough team to knock off the stretch.
On the flip side of the coin there is only one team, Newport, that is winless in the 38-team Mid-Penn Conference. We’re rooting for the Buffaloes to get one.
Four unbeatens entering Week 7 feels about average compared to the last five or so years, but only one winless squad is definitely below the average at this point.
To give you an idea how lopsided this week was, there was only one game on the Week 6 schedule that was decided by fewer than 10 points. Trinity withstood a late comeback from Big Spring to hold off the Bulldogs 28-22 in Newville. Every other game was decided by 10 or more points and most weren’t close.
West Perry set a school record for points scored in a game with 72 against Boiling Springs and didn’t play its starters in the second half after putting up 56 prior to intermission. Bishop McDevitt, Central Dauphin, Hershey, Juniata, State College, Susquehanna Township, Cedar Cliff, Steel-High and Harrisburg all eclipsed the 40 points scored plateau. That’s 10 teams scoring at least five touchdowns in a game in the same week. And none of those games were competitive.
Another reason to give yourself a week before the postseason fire starts to burn: there are a handful of tasty offerings on the docket coming up this week that will help clarify what to expect for those clubs with aspirations to play beyond Week 10.
These Week 7 matchups deserve extra attention: Lower Dauphin-Cedar Cliff, Greencastle-Antrim vs. Susquehanna Township, West Perry at Big Spring, Bishop McDevitt-Hershey and I’ll throw in East Pennsboro-Northern for good measure.
