Week 7 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week: Ryder Tobias

Ryder Tobias delivered a Week 7 victory for his team and the Halifax fans rewarded his efforts with more than 2,200 votes to claim our Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week honor.

He narrowly defeated Susquehanna Twp. running back Rakhi Seville for the top honor.

Tobias was a model of efficiency in a 27-2 victory against Susquenita in Week 7. The senior gunslinger completed 85.7 percent of his passes—a smooth 12-of-14 passing—for 181 yards.

Results: Week 8 Picks and Predictions

Standings:

Name; Week 7; Overall

Andy Shay 16-3; 109-34

Andy Sandrik: 17-2; 108-35

Adam Kulikowski 15-4; 105-38

Thursday, October 9

Milton Hershey 49, Boiling Springs 21

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 33, Boiling Springs 13: Bubblers simply can’t keep anybody from making the scoreboard click over at a consistent pace. Spartans get their crack at win No. 2 this week.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 35, Boiling Springs 14: The Bubblers haven’t been in a close game since their Week 1 win over Littlestown. They’ll have more opportunities against the one-win Spartans, but that street goes both ways, and I think Milton Hershey’s offense will make a difference in this game.

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 35, Boiling Springs 7: While the Spartans have faced their own struggles this season, their offense has shown potential. That should be enough to get win No. 2 this week. 

Harrisburg 21, Cumberland Valley 16

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 35, Cumberland Valley 7: And l think the Eagles have a pretty good defense. That tells you what the Cougars have cooking this season.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 28, Cumberland Valley 10: After surrendering a loss to CV at Severance Field last year, Harrisburg will come into this game looking to make an example out of the Eagles. 

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 35, Cumberland Valley 17: The only teams to truly challenge the Cougars were fellow juggernauts State College and Bishop McDevitt. Not sure the Eagles have the pieces to rise to that level.

Line Mountain 54, James Buchanan 8

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 45, James Buchanan 13: There’s a little gut check in this undefeated Line Mountain team that is going to be unleashed on the Rockets.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 38, James Buchanan 12: The Eagles have won their last two games by a total of three points. Look for unbeaten LM to win by much more than against the slumping Rockets.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 41, James Buchanan 14: After two back-to-back nail biters in which the Eagles won by a combined three points, Eagles should have a more comfortable match up this week. 

Middletown 14, East Pennsboro 10

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 21, Middletown 14: Counting on the Panthers hitting on a couple explosive plays to offset the Blue Raiders defense. Big time toss up game for me.

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 24, Middletown 17: Both squads have had their share of heartbreak over these last few weeks. The team that can best keep its head and roll with the punches will be the one that comes out on top.

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 28, Middletown 21: Coaches love to talk about creating explosive plays. Well, the Panthers created three, including a pair of 80-yard touchdown receptions last week in a narrow loss to division-leading Susquehanna Twp and six more the week before against West Perry. Can the Blue Raiders keep the Panther’s powder dry? .

State College 39, CD East 14

Andy Shay: State College 44, CD East 7: Too much depth on the offensive weapons depth chart for the Panthers to handle.

Andy Sandrik: State College 41, CD East 14: There are just too many ways that State College can do damage for me to predict a close game. Sophomore Connor Kulka continues to impress with 18 TDs against just two INTs.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 48, CD East 14:  Little Lions running back D’Antae Sheffey has an excellent opportunity to reach 1,000 rushing yards on the season this week despite missing a week of action. The senior needs just 127 stripes to reach the milestone. 

Bishop McDevitt 48, Central Dauphin 21

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 35, Central Dauphin 7: I’m looking for the McD defense to be a difference maker in this one against a Rams squad that will battle but that’s about the best it can muster.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 35, Central Dauphin 14: I’m sure Central Dauphin, a tougher squad now than in recent years, will take a lot of pride in giving McDevitt its best effort. But even if the Rams fire on all cylinders, it’s hard to imagine them holding serve with the Crusaders for four full quarters.

Adam Kulikowski:Bishop McDevitt 45, Central Dauphin 20: Crusaders unleash a three-headed monster in the backfield each week with Nazir Jones-Davis, Jerome Larue and Maurice Barnes each averaging more than 5.6 yards per carry. 

Cedar Cliff 57, Carlisle 19

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 42, Carlisle 7: Get your points and work in you need to get done and call off the dogs. It costs nothing to be football nice to a struggling opponent.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 34, Carlisle 7: The Colts will be expected to win this game comfortably, if not by mercy rule. 

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 45, Carlisle 6: The Colts have to be happy to see Carlisle on the docket this week against running through alligator ally over the last month. 

Halifax 23, Newport 0

Andy Shay: Newport 29, Halifax 28: There is not logical reason for this pick other than too many fruity drinks in the 50th state the last few weeks. Halifax is the favorite but give me the Buffs.

Andy Sandrik: Halifax 28, Newport 17: A matchup of two teams that could possibly meet in the District 3-2A postseason. I’ll go with the surging Wildcats for this contest.

Adam Kulikowski: Halifax 34, Newport 28: Two resurgent teams square off in this one–now that’s a feel-good story! Wildcats seem to have a few more weapons at their disposal. 

Susquehanna Twp. 35, Big Spring 6

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 35, Big Spring 14: Hasn’t been as easy for the Tribe the last couple weeks, but stacking wins is what matters and the pictures of how they look are for everybody else to decide through their own lens. All I know is Big Spring is good and won’t have a say in the outcome.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Twp. 39, Big Spring 18: As good as the Bulldogs have been as a team this season, I’m not certain they have the individual personnel to match up with the star-studded tribe.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 41, Big Spring 14: Are the Tribe angry that they had to fight for four quarters against East Pennsboro last week to earn their victory? I see a resharpened effort from Coach Headen’s crew this week.  

Chambersburg 28, Altoona 10

Andy Shay: Chambersburg 34, Altoona 30: In a matchup where the offense for both teams has been MIA more than an asset this season, why not pick a shootout with a little crazy final result.

Andy Sandrik: Altoona 35, Chambersburg 28: Offense has been hard to come by for both teams this season, so let’s make an unhinged prediction and call for a shootout at Mansion Park on Friday.

Adam Kulikowski: Altoona 28, Chambersburg 14: Every time I pick against the Mountain Lions, I get a look of disdain from my wife–an Altoona alum. Not this week! 

Steel-High 26, Camp Hill 12

Andy Shay: Steel-High 54, Camp Hill 7: This simply won’t be a level playing field or a fair fight. That’s how it’s playing out this season for the Rollers and Lions.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 49, Camp Hill 7: The Rollers are scoring over 30 points a game, while the Lions are allowing more than 40 per night. All signs point to a Steel-High blowout win.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 55, Camp Hill 6: Tough to see this one staying within striking distance for the Lions. Rollers dictate what the final score looks like. 

Upper Dauphin 38, Susquenita 7

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 30, Susquenita 20: Head down to your local bowling alley and watch a ringer fire off a turkey – three strikes in a row. That will match the win streak UDA is about to post.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 32, Susquenita 18: Just when we thought the UD program was in a complete freefall this season, the Trojans have clawed back with a two-game winning streak. Make that three games after this week.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 45, Susquenita 7: It took the Trojans some time, but UD’s troops have found their footing in the season’s second half. That momentum continues for another sennight.

Hershey 42, Northern York 14

Andy Shay: Hershey 40, Northern York 7: When you have trouble keeping up on the scoreboard and the visiting team has a bona-fide start at QB that spells all kinds of trouble for the home lads from Dillsburg.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 30, Northern York 7: As a writer for the Dillsburg Banner who’s been following these Northern kids since they were Smurfs, this season has been a tough watch. The script shows no signs of flipping against Cam Sweeney and the Trojans.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 38, Northern York 6: Polar Bears have eclipsed the 20-point mark on offense just twice this season. 

Red Land 23, Shippensburg 7

Andy Shay: Red Land 29, Shippensburg 27: Why not, right? Fully aware the Patriots are on a two-game slide after that stellar 5-0 start. They are still playing good ball and that matters. Ship is the favorite and has earned that.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Red Land 21: The Greyhounds have had a knack for winning close games this season and have an unbeaten record in the Keystone to show for it. Can they keep the ship sailing?

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 35, Red Land 24: Patriots dropped its last two match ups against some of the best competition faced all year. Sledding doesn’t get any easier against Shippensburg in Week 8.

Trinity 38, West Perry 14

Andy Shay: Trinity 14, West Perry 7: I just don’t think the Mustangs offense has enough horsepower to get two touchdowns on this T-Rocks defense. If they score two or more TD’s the chances of winning increase greatly.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 17, Trinity 13: I’m a WP football alumni, so it’s not out of the ordinary to see me side with the Mustangs in 50-50 games. But this Trinity defense, which has allowed an average of four points per game during the Shamrocks’ five-game winning streak, has me concerned.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 21, West Perry 20: Trinity is riding a five-game winning streak in which they’ve allowed no more than 8 points in a game. 

Greencastle-Antrim 21, Juniata 20

Andy Shay: Juniata 34, Greencastle-Antrim 13: The spit and fire the Blue Devils will bring to the table won’t phase the Indians one little bit.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 24, Greencastle-Antrim 21: Yes, the Blue Devils are a two-win team and yes, Juniata is confident right now. But Greencastle is a step up in competition from what the Indians have seen in recent weeks, and if they overlook that, it could cost them the game.

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 33, Greencastle-Antrim 14: This match up looks a lot closer if aliens abduct Jasper Shepps. But barring extraterrestrial intervention, Shepps is an absolute game wrecker in all facets of the game.

Lower Dauphin 35, Mifflin County 26

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 26, Mifflin County 13: The way LD has been building from the early-season ashes has been impressive. Will take their best to keep rolling as MC brings a little extra to the table that could wobble the Falcons.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 23, Mifflin County 12: The Falcons, coming off their best offensive and defensive showing of the season, are in a great spot to win for the fourth time in five weeks.

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 24, Mifflin County 7: The Falcons are winners of their last four of five games and they done it as a unit, getting contributions up and down their roster.

Mechanicsburg 32, Waynesboro 17

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 30, Waynesboro 7: Wildcats stay grounded and take care of what is right in front of them as they prepare for the heavy lifting that’s going to be required in the final two weeks. Defense wins this one in my book.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 32, Waynesboro 10: If the Wildcats don’t get caught looking ahead to Hershey and Shippensburg, they’ve got enough talent on both sides of the ball to win this one comfortably.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 35, Waynesboro 14:  Not going to overthink this one. All signs point to Mechanicsburg handling the Indians without a major issue.

Saturday, October 11

Palmyra 43, Gettysburg 35

Andy Shay: Gettysburg 27, Palmyra 18: Warriors have been kicked around a bit the last three weeks on a playing field that wasn’t level. This one is more balanced and I see some matchup advantages I like that put the Cougars in a tough spot.

Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 25, Palmyra 18: This feels like a coin-flip game, but something tells me Preston Burnett and the Warriors’ offense can scrape together enough points to pull away from Palmyra.

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 28, Palmyra 21: After back-to-back weeks yielding at least 47 points, Gettysburg looks to find its footing defensively. Palmyra provides an opportunity.

Vote Now: Week 7 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week

Vote now for our 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week. Our poll will remain open until Wednesday evening at 11 p.m. Voting is allowed once every 30 minutes.

Editor’s note: We have implemented safeguards to prevent voting which falls outside the spirit of the rules in place. We reserve the right to block users who cast fraudulent votes.

Daimear Coad, WR, State College:  The senior wideout led State College’s group of pass catchers Friday night against Cedar Cliff. In a 35-21 victory against Cedar Cliff, Coad hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass to highlight a 95-yard evening.

Carter Dreibelbis, RB, Upper Dauphin: The senior running back turned in a workhorse-like performance in the Trojans’ Week 7 victory against Camp Hill, 55-12. Dreibelbis logged a game-high 26 carries for 204 yards—an 7.8-yard-per-carry average. He also accounted for a pair of touchdowns.

Jasper Shepps, WR/DB, Juniata: Stop us if you heard this one before. Shepps is a game=changer.  All the senior standout did against Newport Friday night was pick off a pass, recover a fumble and haul in three receptions for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Just another average day’s work.

Ryder Tobias, QB, Halifax: Tobias was a model of efficiency Friday night in a 27-2 victory against Susquenita. The senior gunslinger completed 85.7 percent of his passes—a smooth 12-of-14 passing—for 181 yards.

Rakhi Seville, RB, Susquehanna Twp.: Another day, another win for the Tribe. This week Joe Headen’s crew  got a big performance from Seville who rushed 19 times for 101 yards in a 28-21 victory against East Pennsboro.

Adam Yoder, RB, West Perry: In a game that could have playoff implications, Adam Yoder turned in a stellar performance in the Mustang’s 24-17 victory against Big Spring, rushing for 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 carries on Friday night.

This poll has ended (since 2 months).
Ryder Tobias, QB, Halifax:
47.52%
Rakhi Seville, RB, Susquehanna Twp.:
36.46%
Jasper Shepps, WR/DB, Juniata:
8.05%
Carter Dreibelbis, RB, Upper Dauphin:
7.59%
Adam Yoder, RB, West Perry:
0.30%
Daimear Coad, WR, State College:
0.08%

Week 6 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week: Cohen Bechtel

Cohen Bechtel led Halifax to a Week 65 victory against Camp Hill and the Halifax faithful delivered him our weekly player of the week honor. Bechtel posted a dizzying 184 yards on just 13 carries–including a 78-yard touchdown trot to fuel the Wildcat’s victory against Camp Hill.

Results: Week 7 Picks and Predictions

Name; Week 6; Overall

Andy Shay 13-6; 93-31

Andy Sandrik: 16-3; 91-33

Adam Kulikowski 13-6; 90-34

Susquehanna Twp. 28, East Pennsboro 21

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Twp. 46, East Pennsboro 20: That was a tough loss for the Panthers a week ago, but has no bearing on this matchup at all. Hanna Tribe are a solid four touchdown favorite every single day of the week.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Twp. 42, East Pennsboro 24: Highly-touted ‘Hanna teams have had their hiccup games in past years, but I’ve seen nothing but laser focus from this particular group.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 45, East Pennsboro 30: For East Penn, there simply is no margin of error to compete in this match-up. Turn in the best performance of the season and you might have a chance in the fourth of being within striking distance. 

Steel-High 36, James Buchanan 8

Andy Shay: Steel-High 36, James Buchanan 14: Pretty sure there’s some heat ready to explode for the Rollers after back-to-back losses. Rockets have more dog to fight with, but not enough to keep pace.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 42, James Buchanan 7: James Buchanan’s last four games – all lost by an average of just 6.25 points – can wear on a team just like jabs in boxing. And now Steel-Here is ready to deliver the knockout punch.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 38, James Buchanan 13: The good vibes of the first two weeks have faded for the Rockets who are winless in their last four games. 

Juniata 49, Newport 14

Andy Shay: Juniata 34, Newport 7: Despite these clubs being on level terms with 4-2 marks overall, the balance sheet deep dive reveals the Indians are a heavy favorite.

Andy Sandrik: Newport 23, Juniata 21: The Buffs have a chance if they can force someone other than Jasper Shepps to try to beat them. Shepps has accounted for nearly 40 percent of Juniata’s offense this season and has snared four interceptions.

Adam Kulikowski: Newport 28, Juniata 21: This group of seniors, led by Trevin Arnold, Dalton Kratzer and Zach Bates deserve a ton of credit for turning a Buffs program that struggled the last several years around. Knocking off the Indians would be a statement victory in a season that already is a success.

Greencastle-Antrim 41, Milton Hershey 21

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 27, Greencastle-Antrim 21: The first one is always the hardest one and after getting that first W a week ago, riding the Spartans train this week in this tilt of one-win clubs.

Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 34, Milton Hershey 26: The Blue Devils have been staying competitive with good teams, but losing, and the frustration finally bubbled over in a tough loss to Trinity. This is a golden opportunity for G-A to bounce back, but Milton Hershey has some pep in its step after nailing down its first victory a week ago.

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 21, Greencastle-Antrim 20: In a battle of one-win teams, I’m giving a slight edge a Spartans team coming off a strong performance last week against Newport.

Bishop McDevitt 34, Cumberland Valley 13

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 27, Cumberland Valley 7: Combined these squads have teamed up to win six consecutive games. So those good vibes you get on the North Shore of Hawaii are in play here. Crusaders have been the more steady ship in the Pacific and that matters.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 21, Cumberland Valley 10: In a game where dominant defenses could potentially cancel each other out, CV will need to take another step forward offensively to keep this game within reach. 

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 24, Cumberland Valley 14: The Crusaders defense hasn’t been scored upon for 10 quarters now. While I don’t see the Eagles allowing that streak to continue, posting the numbers needed to pull off an upset seems daunting. 

Mifflin County 17, Waynesboro 6

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 14, Mifflin County 7: Since scoring 42 points in their opener, the Huskies have managed just 35 points over five games including only eight points last week in a victory. Love the MC defense, just feel it takes more than eight points to win this one.

Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 20, Mifflin County 14: The Tribe got a big boost with the return of injured QB Rayshawn Frazier-Hewitt and scored a season-high 49 points in a rout over Northern York. Can they continue the momentum against a solid Mifflin County defense?

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 28, Mifflin County 7: As the competition grew, Mifflin County’s offense stalled out. Indians don’t provide an easy out for the Huskies to get back on track. 

Shippensburg 47, Gettysburg 12

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 24, Gettysburg 14: Nobody in the MPC has managed the art of winning in a tight spot quite like the Greyhounds. They know what it takes to keep their surfboard on top of those big waves.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 30, Gettysburg 28: While the wins aren’t there, the Warriors have a potent offense and will be looking to score early and force Shippensburg into a game of catch-up. The Hounds will be aiming to slow the game down and dominate possession time.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 34, Gettysburg 31: It’s tempting to pick the Warriors in this one. Gettysburg has the offense to keep pace with just about anyone, but slowing opponents has been a struggle again this year. 

Central Dauphin 28, CD East 18

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 20, CD East 13: This tussle of the neighbors inside the same school district is a toss up all the way in my book. East offense has only one TD over the last eight quarters and that is a white caps surf red flag on the beach.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 21, CD East 7: Good defenses have given CD East fits all season, and while the unit possessed by Central Dauphin isn’t necessarily elite, it is plenty talented enough to give the Rams a great chance to win.

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 28, CD East 7: Both teams are searching for answers to regain past glory, but the Rams have more solutions right now than their district counterparts.

State College 36, Cedar Cliff 21

Andy Shay: State College 41, Cedar Cliff 13: There is respect to be handed out to the Colts for being 3-3 overall at this point. However against the other two top dogs in the Commonwealth the Colts have been outscored 90-13. Little Lions are the other top dog.

Andy Sandrik: State College 35, Cedar Cliff 14: There were a lot of questions for the Little Lions about the QB position coming into the season, and sophomore signal caller Connor Kulka has answered most of them by delivering 16 TD passes against two interceptions.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 43, Cedar Cliff 10: Take away the slugfest against fellow Commonwealth powerhouse, Harrisburg, and the Little Lions haven’t yielded more than 14 points to any other opponent. That’s bad news for the Colts. 

Chambersburg 6, Carlisle 0

Andy Shay: Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 7: Been a rough ride for each of these clubs this season and anything can happen here. Trojans have more pieces, but have shattered a bit this season while the Herd have struggled to be competitive.

Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 35, Carlisle 7: While I’d love to think that this rivalry game will be as heated and competitive as usual, it’s hard to take seriously a Carlisle team that’s totaled two TDs over six games.

Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 42, Carlisle 6: Will the Herd find motivation as we enter the final four-game stretch of a season that hasn’t produced a victory to date? 

Halifax 27, Susquenita 2

Andy Shay: Halifax 30, Susquenita 20: When the playing field in terms of talent on the roster has been more level, Halifax has put forth some solid efforts and played well. Blackhawks will need help from the Wildcats in this one.

Andy Sandrik: Halifax 28, Susquenita 7: The Wildcats have found a rhythm and a winning streak. Look for that to continue against a Blackhawks squad that’s been gouged for 153 points over their last three games.

Adam Kulikowski: Halifax 33, Susquenita 14: Part of the fun of writing our predictions each week is digging through the stats to find interesting nuggets. My favorite from Halifax: Teegan Carroll,  the senior linebacker for the Wildcats has 71 tackles including seven for loss. That’s nearly double the number (39) of the second highest Wildcat on the team. 

Trinity 36, Boiling Springs 3

Andy Shay: Trinity 35, Boiling Springs 0: Since that 0-2 start the T-Rocks have rattled off four wins in a row behind a defense that has surrendered only TWO touchdowns over the last 16 quarters. Bubblers don’t have the horses to run with a lock down D.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 28, Boiling Springs 0: Can’t argue against the ‘Rocks defense, which has gotten eight TFLs and four sacks from Marcus Yeager.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 39, Boiling Springs 6: Bubbles have averaged just 11 points per game coming into this Week 7 fray with Trinity. Busting out against a defense as rock-solid as the Shamrock is an awful lot to ask. 

West Perry 24, Big Spring 17

Andy Shay: Big Spring 27, West Perry 25: Game of the Week in the MPC from my vantage point on Waikiki Beach. When there’s nothing in it I always rely on what feels right and in this case to me the Bulldogs just know exactly who they are and aren’t phased by what the opponent does.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 32, Big Spring 24: Maybe the football gods are just favoring WP, a team that surgically snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to stun East Pennsboro one week ago. 

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 34, Big Spring 31: I envision a slugfest in this match-up, which likely means it’ll be a 14-13 defensive battle.  There’s just something about ’em Perry County boys that you know they will fight to the final second. 

Mechanicsburg 35, Northern York 7

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 42, Northern 7: This is a rivalry game so the Wildcats, who have shown their mettle the last eight quarters, will be gunning for the shutout against an offense that struggles on a weekly basis.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 38, Northern 7: Following a close win over ex-division leader Red Land, the Wildcats will be aiming to make an example of backyard heated rival Northern.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 45, Northern 6:  The Wildcats were tested last week against the up-start Red Land Patriots. Easier sledding this week between the hashes. 

Hershey 27, Red Land 17

Andy Shay: Red Land 27, Hershey 25: Marquee matchup and despite the Patriots dropping from the ranks of the unbeaten a week ago, they are still having a magical season and one loss will not derail their smooth ride on some tasty waves. And we all know Hershey could easily win this game.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 28, Red Land 24: The Mechanicsburg Wildcats poured cold water all over Red Land’s perfect season last week. I expect the Patriots will be ready to play, but they have a tough road assignment against a Hershey squad that can put up a lot of points in a hurry.

Adam Kulikowski: Red Land 24, Hershey 21: That Red Land defense held serve last week with Mechanicsburg. Another stout effort will be needed to keep the Patriots in this battle. 

Lower Dauphin 41, Palmyra 7

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 20, Palmyra 6: All I know is the Cougars are a hard team to beat and you have to show up with your best stuff to take them down. Falcons have found their groove and are playing well.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 21, Palmyra 14: The Cougars have been competitive for several weeks running now, while the Falcons are no strangers to close games. I do expect this game at Buck Swank Stadium to come down to the wire.

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 28, Palmyra 7: Through six games this season, the Falcons have epitomized balance, sitting at .500 with 131 points scored and 131 allowed — a statistical deadlock that perfectly reflects their even record.

Saturday, October 4

Line Mountain 27, Middletown 26

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 21, Middletown 7: This won’t be easy on any level for the Eagles against a Blue Raiders outfit that makes you earn your first downs and points the hard way.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 24, Middletown 7: The Eagles rose to the occasion last week, beating Steel-High in a game that many picked them to lose. Now Line Mountain faces a bigger school in Middletown, while also bearing the label of favorites.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 28, Middletown 14: Eagles have just eight turnovers all season. If you’re the Blue Raiders and can steal a possession or two, it could be the ticket to making your underdog card a winner.

Harrisburg 45, Altoona 7:

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 42, Altoona 0: Cougars are one of the more complete teams in the state at any level and that defense is locking down opponents where there playing field isn’t level. Mountain Lions have scored only 66 points to date and this will be the best defense they’ve faced.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 49, Altoona 7: Harrisburg’s defense – which has stacked up 18 sacks, 11 interceptions, and seven forced fumbles – could make life very hard for the visiting Mountain Lions.

Adam Kulikowski:Harrisburg 38, Altoona 7: Give Altoona credit, the Mountain Lions will battle you for a full four quarters. Find a path to victory against arguably the best team in the state is a different story. 

Upper Dauphin 55, Camp Hill 12

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 21, Camp Hill 20: Couple of teams on the famous Rainbow Diner in Honolulu VW struggle bus this season. Only one win between them, but the Trojans offense has shown more life the last eight quarters so that’s my benchmark.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 28, Camp Hill 12: Both of these teams started the season in a bit of a freefall, but while Camp Hill continues to struggle, Upper Dauphin has found some traction, and its first win, in recent weeks.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 41, Camp Hill 14: First, anyone else wish they too were enjoying the Honolulu sunshine our dear friend, AShay is basking in right now?  OK, back to the game… Trojans found some footing on offense after spending the first four weeks of the season in neutral. If that trend continues, Upper Dauphin should have its second ‘Dub’ of the season. 

Vote Now: Week 6 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week

Vote now for our 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week. Our poll will remain open until Wednesday evening at 11 p.m. Voting is allowed once every 30 minutes.

Editor’s note: We have implemented safeguards to prevent voting which falls outside the spirit of the rules in place. We reserve the right to block users who cast fraudulent votes.

Connor Kulka, QB, State College: The Little Lions gunslinger took care of business Friday night against Central Dauphin in a 41-13 victory. Kulka completed a tidy 71 percent of his passes—20-of-28 for 229 yards and three touchdowns.

Cameron Sweeney, QB, Hershey: When the Trojans found themselves in a shootdown against Gettysburg, they leaned on their sharpshooting quarterback. Sweeney had himself an evening in Hershey’s 48-31 victory against Gettysburg.  Sweeney ended a storybook evening with seven total touchdowns, five rushing and another pair through the air. The Warriors struggled all evening to limit Sweeney’s damage on the ground as the senior ripped off 199 yards on 16 carries—a per-carry average of 12.4 yards.

Jasper Shepps, WR, Juniata: On an evening when the Indians made quick work of Susquenita, Shepps hauled in a game-high five receptions for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 48-0 blanking of the Blackhawks.

Cohen Bechtel, RB, Halifax: The Wildcats as a team rushing for 322 yards against Camp Hill. So while Bechtel gets the nod for his individual performance, Carroll, Conrad, and their friends  also ate well. But Bechtel led the way with 184 stripes on 13 carries including a 78-yard touchdown scamper—one of two scores on the evening for the senior.

Jesse Binger and Jordan Myers, RBs, Big Spring: Typically, we nominate one player in each slot, but quite frankly we’re breaking our own rule here because these two gents shouldn’t be separated. Binger toted the rock 14 times for 157 yards and a touchdown while his compadre, Myers hit the hole 12 times for 179 yards and four scores in a 53-7 victory against Boiling Springs. Talk about 1-2 punch.

This poll has ended (since 2 months).
Cohen Bechtel, RB, Halifax: The
56.10%
Jasper Shepps, WR, Juniata:
17.07%
Jesse Binger and Jordan Myers, RBs, Big Spring: Typically
12.20%
Cameron Sweeney, QB, Hershey:
9.76%
Connor Kulka, QB, State College:
4.88%

Week 5 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week: Carter Dreibelbis

The Upper Dauphin fanbase turned out in droves to support their man in our Week 5 Player of the Week fan vote. Carter Dreibellbis earned our weekly honor, capturing 8,689 votes to edge Newport’s Dalton Kratzer.

While Upper Dauphin fell to Line Mountain 33-20, Dreibelbis racked up 117 yards on 18 carries and found the end zone twice to help the Trojans keep pace against the high-flying Eagles.