EXPLAINING OUR PICKS: It’s the second week of the PIAA district football playoffs, and a week before the state tournaments begin. And the 4th Down Magazine team is here to tell you who will win the District 3, 4, 6 and 11 playoff games this weekend, most of which kick off at 7 p.m. Friday. 

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 and why, with the kind of analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Stick with us all the way through the PIAA state championships in December.

Watch: This weeks edition of 4th & Goal with Andy Shay and Jake Adams features Trinity star running back and Penn State recruit Messiah Mickens. Plus we break down what to expect in this week’s playoff battles.

2023 Standings

Picker: Last Week — Overall — Perfect Picks

Adam Kulikowski: 12-4 — 203-60 — 2

Andy Sandrik: 14-2 — 203-60 — 0

Andy Shay: 13-3 — 192-71 — 1

* Records in parentheses after school name; District and seed in parentheses before school name.

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 6A QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 1 Manheim Township 44, No. 8 York 8

Andy Shay: Manheim Township 45, York 14: It has been easier than expected from start to finish for the Blue Streaks. That’s not an accident, either. Because the Township schedule had some solid meat on the bone. Complementary football has been an asset since the opening quarter of the season.

Andy Sandrik: Manheim Township 44, York 17: For being a high school team, Manheim Township has more of a grown-man roster than might seem fair. I expect the Blue Streaks to overwhelm the Bearcats this week.

Adam Kulikowski: Manheim Township 47, York 20: Blue Streaks quarterback Hayden Johnson has thrown a staggering 40 touchdowns without a single interception. His unmatched precision should position Manheim Township for a deep run throughout the postseason. 

No. 4 Cumberland Valley 20, No. 5 Wilson 14

Andy Shay: Wilson 21, Cumberland Valley 17: This is just a hunch pick. Something just tells me that top to bottom the Bulldogs have a couple slight advantages that will tip the game in their favor.

Andy Sandrik: Wilson 28, Cumberland Valley 21: There’s a saying that you’re only as good as your last game, and if that adage is to be believed, then it’s really hard to pick against a Wilson team that in Week 10 played to within two scores of a Manheim Township team that just may end up winning a state title.

Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 27, Wilson 26: Can it be called an upset if the higher-seeded team wins? Probably not, but it will feel that way if the Eagles pull off this dub. 

No. 3 Central York 42, No. 6 Central Dauphin 34

Andy Shay: Central York 27, Central Dauphin 24: Already played once this season, so they will know what to expect. Here’s the deal for me: the Panthers have an FBS recruit at running back who impacted the Week 1 contest greatly. CD does not have that type of weapon at its disposal.

Andy Sandrik: Central York 24, Central Dauphin 17: Defense always seems to factor in the most in November playoff games, and both of these teams possess solid defensive units. With that said, I think CY’s edge on offense will make the difference in this game. 

Adam Kulikowski: Central York 35, Central Dauphin 21: The Rams are probably at least a year away from being able to go toe-to-toe with Central York and other top-tier teams with X-factor players.

SATURDAY, NOV. 11

No. 7 Cedar Crest at No. 2 Harrisburg, 1 p.m.

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 49, Cedar Crest 7: The Falcons earned their spot by winning eight games and just enough power rankings points to make the cutoff. The kicker to that is Cedar Crest beat exactly one team that finished with a winning record. That will show up Saturday at Severance Field.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 52, Cedar Crest 14: I expect Harrisburg to be well-rested this week, and if the Cougars are also focused, I don’t expect this game to be close. 

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 49, Cedar Crest 14: The Cougars are playing their best football when it matters most. Good for the Harrisburg faithful, but a scary proposition for the Falcons. 

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 5A QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 8 Hershey 34, No. 1 New Oxford 28

Andy Shay: New Oxford 31, Hershey 27: Took a lot for the Trojans to rally and get their first playoff victory in more than a decade with a furious fourth-quarter comeback. And No. 1-seed New Oxford was enjoying a bye week. See where am I going with this? That bye week matters a lot.

Andy Sandrik: New Oxford 32, Hershey 24: The Trojans are coming off a storybook-ending kind of victory that was generated by all hands on deck working double-time. Unconscious efforts like that are a spectacle to behold, but they can come at a cost. If New Oxford gets ahead early, I’m not entirely sure Hershey has enough in the tank to mount another big comeback. 

Adam Kulikowski: New Oxford 34, Hershey 27: Many left Hershey for dead at halftime last week against Exeter Township, but the Trojans found answers at halftime and never lost their will to fight. Beating No. 1-seed New Oxford will take an epic effort for a full four quarters. 

No. 5 Ephrata 31, No. 4 Garden Spot 10

Andy Shay: Garden Spot 42, Ephrata 14: Rematch alert. And the first meeting wasn’t close as Garden Spot claimed a three-touchdown victory. Plus, the No. 4 seed is coming off a bye and Ephrata had to grind out a tough win over Lower Dauphin.

Andy Sandrik: Garden Spot 42, Ephrata 28: Ephrata left a piece of itself on the field last week just to survive against Lower Dauphin, and now it faces an even taller mountain to scale in Garden Spot.

Adam Kulikowski: Garden Spot 27, Ephrata 21: This is already a historic season for Ephrata after reaching the postseason the first time since 1987. An upset of Garden Spot would be icing on the cake. 

No. 2 Cedar Cliff 31, No. 7 South Western 7

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 34, South Western 21: I like everything about where this Colts team is right now. Only loss was to Bishop McDevitt, and they have more balance on offense than you might expect. Sneaky good is what I call them.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 33, South Western 24: Colts vs. Mustangs isn’t just an equestrian fantasy matchup, it’s a high-powered district playoff game that could result in a whole lot of TDs being scored. 

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 42, South Western 14: In a wide open District 3 Class 5A bracket, the Colts have the right mix of firepower and steady defense needed to vie for a title. 

No. 3 Cocalico 42, No. 6 Conestoga Valley 10

Andy Shay: Cocalico 42, Conestoga Valley 7: Only one team, Manheim Central, has scored more than two touchdowns in a game against the Eagles’ defense. And the Cocalico offense averages nearly 38 points a game. Too much for CV to handle.

Andy Sandrik: Cocalico 35, Conestoga Valley 14: Cocalico has a really nice two-way player in RB/DB Aaryn Longenecker, who is just one of many weapons that could make life hard for Conestoga Valley on Friday. 

Adam Kulikowski: Cocalico 47, Conestoga Valley 20: Cocalico is riding a nine-game winning streak heading into its first playoff bout. Ride the hot hand. 

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 1 Bishop McDevitt 54, No. 8 Milton Hershey 14

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 55, Milton Hershey 13: This starts the time of year when the Crusaders don’t ease off the gas quite so early. Did you know the Spartans are the only Keystone Division team to score two touchdowns against the Crusaders?

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 55, Milton Hershey 7: It’s the playoffs now, so expect the Crusaders to strive to be even better than they were in a 55-14 win over Milton Hershey in Week 6.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 49, Milton Hershey 14: The Crusaders are planning for a long journey through the playoffs. This is simply another step on the path to Cumberland Valley High School.

No. 5 Lampeter-Strasburg 23, No. 4 East Pennsboro 20 (2OT)

Andy Shay: Lampeter-Strasburg 42, East Pennsboro 14: This just feels like a bad matchup for the Panthers. Pioneers are run heavy with some pop in the passing game and have a defense that doesn’t have many weaknesses. Losses for L-S are to Wyomissing and Cocalico. East Pennsboro has to have a very special outing to pull off the upset.

Andy Sandrik: Lampeter-Strasburg 38, East Pennsboro 21: Over the years, I’ve seen so many Mid-Penn postseason dreams crushed by the Lampeter-Strasburg Pioneers. This is East Penn’s best team in several seasons, but even so, the Panthers seem like heavy underdogs here. 

Adam Kulikowski: Lampeter-Strasburg 43, East Pennsboro 20: When you have two dynamic receivers and a QB who can throw it to both regularly, an upset is never off the table. Panthers will need their stars to be at their best and the supporting cast to play above their weights to have a say in this battle. 

No. 2 Twin Valley 35, No. 7 Elco 7

Andy Shay: Twin Valley 29, Elco 27: Raiders have three wins by three or fewer points, so they know how to get across the finish line in a tight squeeze. And this game feels like a tight squeeze all the way. Twin Valley defense has to come up big for this win to be anything but a grinder.

Andy Sandrik: Twin Valley 30, Elco 21: I like Twin Valley’s overall résumé just a little more, but Elco certainly has the tools to make this a slugfest until the final whistle.

Adam Kulikowski: Twin Valley 45, Elco 30: Both teams have some firepower to put up points, but the difference to me is the chops Twin Valley has on defense. 

No. 3 Manheim Central 49, No. 6 Susquehanna Township 19

Andy Shay: Manheim Central 34, Susquehanna Township 14: Not exactly the smoothest trip across the regular-season finish line for the ‘Hanna Tribe. Meanwhile, the Barons spent the last month finding their next level with a couple drubbings of playoff squads down the stretch.

Andy Sandrik: Manheim Central 39, Susquehanna Township 21: Manheim Central has done some bad things to some really good opponents. It’s going to take ‘Hanna’s most complete effort of the season to even keep this game within striking distance. 

Adam Kulikowski: Manheim Central 42, Susquehanna Township 20: In high-pressure moments, can the Tribe keep focus and play through adversity? In a playoff battle, the answer to that question will determine how close this battle is in the final stanza. 

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 3A SEMIFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 3 West Perry 49, No. 2 Lancaster Catholic 20

Andy Shay: West Perry 35, Lancaster Catholic 28: Time for the quality of what it took for the Mustangs to reach 10-1 to shine through. Lancaster Catholic will demand West Perry’s best, otherwise the Crusaders will have no trouble taking this one. West Perry has more high-end weapons but will need a better effort defensively than a week ago.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 33, Lancaster Catholic 28: It feels like we in the media have been speculating about a potential West Perry-Wyomissing district title rematch since midseason, but if the Mustangs are thinking about anything other than the Crusaders this week, they could end up watching the championship game from home. 

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 37, Lancaster Catholic 34: Time for the Mustangs to cash in on the mettle they have built through a challenging Mid-Penn Conference schedule. The leg of Ian Goodling could be an X-factor in what our crew believes will be a high-scoring affair. 

SATURDAY, NOV. 11

No. 4 Schuylkill Valley at No. 1 Wyomissing, 7 p.m.

Andy Shay: Wyomissing 49, Schuylkill Valley 7: Spartans are simply too big, too strong and too fast for SV. Of course that’s the case most weeks.

Andy Sandrik: Wyomissing 42, Schuylkill Valley 17: No offense to the nine-win Panthers, but some games are just easier to pick than others. I expect the Spartans to roll. 

Adam Kulikowski: Wyomissing 45, Schuylkill Valley 14: Visiting Wyomissing on a Saturday afternoon in postseason play should strike fear in just about any team. Wyo handles its work in a business-man like fashion. 

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 4 Camp Hill 20, No. 2 Trinity 13:

Andy Shay: Trinity 34, Camp Hill 21: Nobody posted a more impressive Week 1 playoff victory than the Lions. The reward is a rematch with their neighbor/rival whose school is just 1.9 miles away. The FBS recruit at running back will play this time. That’s a game changer.

Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 24, Trinity 21: I remember last week we were all writing Camp Hill’s obituary in anticipation of their matchup against the feared Annville-Cleona rushing attack. And then the Lions won a blowout. Camp Hill has to like its chances this week, even if Messiah Mickens is in the Trinity backfield.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 45, Camp Hill 31: Camp Hill pulled off the Cinderella upset last week, and frankly they’ve shown plenty of fight all season. If the Lions win this week, it would be the biggest upset of them all. 

DISTRICT 4 CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 1 Troy 44, No. 4 Line Mountain 0

Andy Shay: Troy 28, Line Mountain 7: Defense travels, and Troy has a defense that travels better than most. Eagles’ offense has to have a special outing to pull off the upset.

Andy Sandrik: Troy 21, Line Mountain 7: I’d love to pick the Eagles because they’ve had an excellent season and have found their offensive groove in recent weeks. But then I look at this Troy team that has overpowered opponents on both ends of the ball with frightening consistency, and it’s obvious that Line Mountain is going to need a superhuman effort to overcome the Trojan machine.

Adam Kulikowski: Troy 24, Line Mountain 7: The 11-0 Troy Trojans have surrendered just 37 points since Sept. 15 and 68 points this season. To say reaching paydirt will be difficult for the Eagles is a serious understatement.

DISTRICT 6 CLASS 6A CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

No. 1 State College 16, No. 3 Altoona 6

Andy Shay: State College 28, Altoona 14: Rough last month for the Little Lions in the Commonwealth Division. Mountain Lions are better, but they aren’t five touchdowns better — State College’s margin of victory in the first meeting. State College will be looking to rekindle some fire on offense because it was MIA the final three games.

Andy Sandrik: State College 24, Altoona 13: After an offensively challenged October, something tells me State College will need to rely on its defense to scrape past Altoona.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 34, Altoona 17: The Little Lions certainly would have liked to come into postseason play with more momentum, but a week off might be just what this squad needed.

DISTRICT 11 CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY, NOV. 11

No. 2 Williams Valley at No. 1 Schuylkill Haven, 6 p.m.

Andy Shay: Schuylkill Haven 28, Williams Valley 26: Was a crazy game the first meeting back in early September, and I expect more of the same even with the stakes being higher. Hurricanes’ defense came up huge the first time around. Counting on that to be the case again.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 33, Schuylkill Haven 28: No better time for the Vikings to avenge a Week 3 loss than in the district title game. Can’t say it’s going to be easy, though, as these Hurricanes have been the only team that has been able to keep Alex Achenbach under 150 yards this season.Adam Kulikowski:

Williams Valley 34, Schuylkill Haven 27: Do teams that play Williams Valley even need to watch film? The key to beating the Vikings is about as simple as it comes: limit the damage Alex Achenbach can cause. However, most teams have struggled mightily to even come close to executing that plan.

For more content from Eric Epler, visit Pennlive.

CLASS 6A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)          — 8-1 – 1 

2. Parkland (11)                       — 11-0 – 2 

3. Central Bucks West (1)        — 11-0 – 3 

4. Manheim Township (3)       — 10-0 – 4 

5. Central York (3)                   — 10-0 – 5 

6. Pittsburgh C.C. (7)               — 9-1 – 6 

7. Downingtown East (1)        — 10-0 – 7 

8. North Allegheny (7)            — 9-1 – 8 

9. Nazareth (11)                      – 10-1 – 9 

10. Harrisburg (3)                    — 9-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Central Bucks South (1) 10-1, Cumberland Valley (3) 6-4, Souderton (1) 11-0,  

Spring-Ford (1) 9-2, Wilson-West Lawn (3) 7-3. 

CLASS 5A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Imhotep Charter (12)          — 10-0 – 1 

2. Peters Township (7)            — 11-0 – 2 

3. Cocalico (3)                         — 9-1 – 3 

4. Roman Catholic (12)           – 8-2 – 4 

5. West Chester Rustin (1)      — 9-1 – 5 

6. Springfield-Delco (1)           — 10-1 – 6 

7. Chester (1)                          — 10-1 – 7 

8. Cedar Cliff (3)                      — 9-1 – 8 

9. Penn Hills (7)                       — 9-2 – 9 

10. Cathedral Prep (10)           — 6-3 – 10 

Teams to watch: Ephrata (3) 10-1, Garden Spot (3) 9-1, New Oxford (3) 9-1, Pine-Richland (7) 8-3, Southern Lehigh (11) 10-1, Strath Haven (1) 10-1. 

CLASS 4A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Bishop McDevitt (3)            – 10-0 – 1 

2. Aliquippa (7)                       – 9-0 – 2 

3. Pope John Paul II (1)           – 11-0 – 3 

4. Jersey Shore (4)                   – 10-0-1 – 4 

5. Selinsgrove (4)                    – 10-0-1 – 5 

6. Allentown C.C. (11)             – 9-2 – 6 

7. McKeesport (7)                   – 9-1 – 7 

8. Manheim Central (3)          — 9-1 – 8 

9. Dallas (2)                             — 11-0 – 9 

10. Montour (7)                      — 9-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: East Pennsboro (3) 9-1, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 8-2, Thomas Jefferson (7) 9-2, Twin Valley (3) 9-1, Wyoming Area (2) 10-1. 

CLASS 3A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Belle Vernon (7)                  – 8-1 – 1 

2. Wyomissing (3)                   – 9-1 – 2 

3. Avonworth (7)                     – 10-0 – 3 

4. Neumann-Goretti (12)        – 9-1 – 4 

5. Danville (4)                          — 10-1 – 5 

6. Northwestern Lehigh (11)  — 11-0 – 6 

7. Palmerton (11)                    — 11-0 – 7 

8. Central (6)                           — 10-0 – 8 

9. Elizabeth-Forward (7)         — 9-1 – 9 

10. West Perry (3)                   — 10-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: East Allegheny (7) 8-2, Lancaster Catholic (3) 9-1, Loyalsock (4) 8-3, North Schuylkill (11) 9-2, Scranton Prep (2) 10-1, Sharon (10) 8-2. 

CLASS 2A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Farrell (10)                           – 9-1 – 1 

2. Westinghouse (8)                – 9-0 – 2 

3. Central Clarion (9)               — 10-0 – 3 

4. Southern Columbia (4)        – 10-1 – 4 

5. Mount Carmel (4)               — 9-2 – 5 

6. Troy (4)                                — 11-0 – 6 

7. Steel Valley (7)                    — 8-1 – 7 

8. Richland (6)                         – 10-1 – 8 

9. Mercyhurst Prep (10)          — 9-0 – 9 

10. Neshannock (7)                 — 9-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Bald Eagle Area (6) 10-1, Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 10-1, Line Mountain (4) 9-2, Trinity (3) 8-3, Washington (7) 10-1,Williams Valley (11) 9-2. 

CLASS 1A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous                           

1. Steelton-Highspire (3)         — 11-0 – 1 

2. Lackawanna Trail (2)           – 11-0 – 2 

3. Northern Bedford (5)          — 11-0 – 3 

4. Fort Cherry (7)                    — 11-0 – 4 

5. Bishop Canevin (7)              — 9-1 – 5 

6. South Side (7)                     — 11-0 – 6 

7. Muncy (4)                            — 9-1 – 7 

8. Clairton (7)                          — 9-2 – 8 

9. Cambridge Springs (10)      — 10-1 – 9 

10. Redbank Valley (9)            — 9-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: California (7) 10-1, Canton (4) 8-2, Minersville (11) 9-2, Northern Cambria (6) 10-1, South Williamsport (4) 8-2. 

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Bruce Hopeck, jr., QB, Marian Catholic: In a rematch from Week 9, Marian Catholic turned the tables on Tri-Valley thanks to a strong performance from Hopeck and the MC offense. Hopeck threw for a pair of touchdowns while completing 61 percent of his passes for 159 yards in a 14-6 victory. 

Kash Tobin, sr., LB, Tri-Valley: In a defensive battle, every stop matters. And Kash Tobin made plenty of stops to keep the Bulldogs in the fight Friday night against Marian Catholic. While Tri-Valley fell short in a 14-6 loss to Marian Catholic, Tobin came up big in his final high school tilt with a game-high 16 tackles. He also sacked Hopeck once. 

Alex Achenbach, sr., RB, Williams Valley: Achenbach carried the load again for Williams Valley Friday night when the bright lights of the playoffs were shining. The senior ran, tossed and caught a touchdown on a night when he broke the school career rushing and touchdown record. He also had an interception on defense in his team’s 34-20 victory over Catasauqua. 

Cade Sawyers, sr., RB, Southern Lehigh: Sawyers had himself a night Friday against East Stroudsburg South. The senior toted the rock 33 times for 220 stripes and five touchdowns in a 56-19 victory in the District 11 Class 5A semifinal.

Bryce Marino, sr., WR, Palmerton: Marino hauled in a team-high three receptions for 115 yards Thursday evening to help cruise past Jim Thorpe in the District 11 3A quarterfinal.

This was nothing short of a job well done by the Mid-Penn Conference squads in the opening weekend of the second season.

A rock solid 9-5 overall record included six victories that were expected and comfortable. West Perry, Trinity, Line Mountain, Juniata, Altoona and District 3 Class 1A champion Steel-High were all solid favorites to win and performed at a level comfortable enough to advance.

You could have made a case going into the weekend for one-loss West Perry having the least comfortable path to victory, as the Mustangs were likely a little hazy after suffering their first defeat of the season to Steel-High a week earlier. Nothing to worry about in a 21-point victory, though. Expect the lads from Elliottsburg to be back in top form next week.

It was good to see Trinity all-around weapon Messiah Mickens have a big game in the convincing 28-3 triumph over Delone Catholic. The sophomore had been dogged by lower-body injuries most of the season that limited his production. His 178 total yards and two touchdowns is a welcome sight.

The victories by Camp Hill, Milton Hershey and Hershey all qualify as upsets for sure. As the No. 4 seed in Class 2A, Camp Hill took top seed Annville-Cleona out behind the woodshed in a 35-14 victory. Really the win by the Lions isn’t a big-time shocker, but the utter domination was the upset.

Playing against the Capital Division showed up in this one for sure, as the battle-tested Lions used 299 passing yards and four touchdowns from QB Drew Brandstetter to power the offense. And Camp Hill can play some defense. Neighbor and Capital Division mate Trinity awaits in the Class 2A final.

Hershey was staring at a 21-0 halftime hole Friday night. It was hard to see an avenue to success for the home squad in the final 24 minutes. Honestly, it looked like a game waiting to go to mercy rule at the break more than anything. 

Read our full breakdown of Hershey’s victory.

Hershey helped dig its own halftime grave with a pair of turnovers in the Exeter Township red zone. But the Eagles returned the favor in the second half, turning the ball over three times, and Hershey’s offense had enough short fields and built momentum behind four Angel Cabrera touchdown runs to post an improbable 28-27 victory.

Yes, Cabrera was a beast, as expected. He carried 35 times for 175 yards, and his last 10 carries he was running dudes over at his leisure. The difference-maker for Hershey overall was senior Derek Guzman. He made five or six impact plays that had me shaking my head. And he made plays on both sides of the ball. He finished with more than 100 yards receiving and rushing, had an interception and recovered a fumble. Go watch the highlights. He wrecked this game.

Milton Hershey came out like a flamethrower at home in the always popular 8-9 seed contest and flashed to a 22-0 halftime lead behind three touchdown passes from QB Jason Burney. That was just enough cushion for the Spartans against Eastern York. The visitors rallied and made it a one-score game before Angel Roberts returned a kick 79 yards for a score in the fourth quarter to earn the Spartans another date with Class 4A No. 1-seed Bishop McDevitt.

We’ve made it. We’ve reached the postseason.

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):

• Who’s gonna win? The 4th Down crew picks winners in this week’s district playoff matchups
• See the full District 3 playoff brackets
• Elite 11: See Andy Shay’s District 3 power rankings after Week 10
• PIAA football rankings: See Eric Epler’s state rankings from Class 6A to 1A
• See who is the Week 10 Mid-Penn Player of the Week
• See who is the Week 10 Colonial-Schuylkill Player of the Week

PIAA football playoffs schedule and scores: 

Looking for the latest updates and final scores from this weekend’s games around the Harrisburg area? We have you covered:

Friday, Nov. 3

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 5A FIRST ROUND

• No. 8 Hershey 28, No. 9 Exeter Township 27 Final
• No. 5 Ephrata 14, No. 12 Lower Dauphin 13 Final
• No. 7 South Western 21, No. 10 Greencastle-Antrim 3 Final
• No. 6 Conestoga Valley 40, No. 11 Dover 9 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 4A FIRST ROUND

• No. 8 Milton Hershey 29, No. 9 Eastern York 23 Final
• No. 2 Elco 34, No. 10 Big Spring 7 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 3A QUARTERFINALS

• No. 4 Schuylkill Valley 45, No. 5 Littlestown 21 Final
• No. 3 West Perry 42, No. 6 Bermudian Springs 21 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS

• No. 4 Camp Hill 35, No. 1 Annville-Cleona 14 Final
• No. 2 Trinity 28, No. 3 Delone Catholic 3 Final

DISTRICT 4 CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS

• No. 4 Line Mountain 46, No. 5 Towanda 23 Final

DISTRICT 6 CLASS 6A SEMIFINALS

• No. 3 Altoona 26, No. 2 Mifflin County 8 Final

DISTRICT 6 CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP

• No. 1 Juniata, 37, No. 2 Bellefonte 0 Final

DISTRICT 11 CLASS 1A SEMIFINALS

• No. 2 Marian Catholic 14, No. 3 Tri-Valley 6 Final

Saturday, Nov. 4

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 1A CHAMPIONSHIP

• No. 2 Halifax at No. 1 Steel-High, 1 p.m.

DISTRICT 11 CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS

• No. 3 Catasauqua at No. 2 Williams Valley, 7 p.m.

Pennsylvania high school football live updates and highlights

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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.

2023 Standings

Picker: Week 10 — Overall — Perfect Picks

Adam Kulikowski: 18-3 — 191-56 — 2

Andy Sandrik: 17-4 — 189-58 — 0

Andy Shay: 17-4 — 179-68 — 1

* 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?