Friday, Oct. 18

Non-League

East Pennsboro 36, James Buchanan 0

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 38, James Buchanan 14: Remember the Panthers started ice cold and were 0-2 while the Rockets were firing on all cylinders to start the season and didn’t lose the first month. That’s flipped as EP looks playoff bound with this victory.

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 45, James Buchanan 21: Rockets are on a losing skid but they haven’t stopped punching. I think they’ll find the end zone in this game, just not nearly as often as the Panthers, who have grown exponentially over the course of this season.

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 45, James Buchanan 7: Panthers currently hold the No. 7 seed in the District 3-AAAA Power rankings–and no, Mr. Shay, it is not too early to look!

Commonwealth

Cedar Cliff 31, Altoona 20

Andy Shay: Altoona 27, Cedar Cliff 24: I know the Mountain Lions are a one-win team and the Colts have two more victories. Four of Altoona’s seven losses have been two or fewer scores. They are not easy to beat and I just feel they are ripe to get a second “W”.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 30, Altoona 21: The Colts are coming off their best offensive performance in Commonwealth play. If they can recreate that effort in Mansion Park, they’ll come home winners.

Adam Kulikowski:Altoona 31, Cedar Cliff 24: My picks against Altoona recently have been berated by my Altoona-grad wife. And rightfully so! This one shouldn’t be.

Bishop McDevitt 41, Central Dauphin East 21

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 32, CD East 14: Crusaders are taking care of their Commonwealth Division duties in workmanlike fashion in preparation for the playoffs. The Panthers first loss was an eye opener and revealing.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 38, CD East 28: I think the Panthers match up a little better with McDevitt than they did with State College last week. It’s still going to be an uphill battle for East High. 

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 44, CD East 23: Taking in the Panthers loss to State College last week provided a first-hand glimpse at the vulnerabilities of Lance Deane’s crew. Crusaders with D1-QB commit Stone Saunders are well equipped to challenge East’s air defense. 

State College 60, Carlisle 0

Andy Shay: State College 49, Carlisle 0: Never like picking a team to get shut out, but just the way this cookie crumbles right now as my four eyes see it.

Andy Sandrik: State College 48, Carlisle 7: Every team in the Commonwealth has talent, but State College is showing once again what happens when you add depth to the equation. 

Adam Kulikowski: State College 45, Carlisle 6: Little Lions aren’t afraid to sling the rock when they see weakness. Just ask CD East. 

Harrisburg 27, Central Dauphin 7

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 21, Central Dauphin 7: Cougars are looking to rebound after getting bounced by Cumberland Valley at home a week ago. Rams are not easy to beat, but not sure they have enough offense in this matchup over 48 minutes.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 28, Central Dauphin 7: Was the CV loss a wake up call for Harrisburg, or foreshadowing of things to come? Cougars will answer at least part of that question on Friday. 

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 28, Central Dauphin 14: How do the Cougars respond to being upset last week by Cumberland Valley? Sharps would say Harrisburg showcases their true colors. 

Chambersburg 17, Cumberland Valley 10

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 27, Chambersburg 14: Here we go again with CV making a late season push to be part of the second season. Springing the upset of Harrisburg came out of left field kind of. Now it’s time to validate when you are the better team.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 21, Chambersburg 18: Trojans have the athletes to put some points on the board. Their best path to victory will be playing from ahead against a CV squad whose offense was more opportunistic than explosive in a surprise win over Harrisburg. 

Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 28, Chambersburg 21: CV forced four interceptions a week ago against Harrisburg. If the defense continues to win the turnover battle, the Eagles will fortify their hold on a 6A playoff seed. 

Keystone

Gettysburg 47, Mifflin County 30

Andy Shay: Gettysburg 31, Mifflin County 27: This is my “on any given night game”. Why do I feel if these two teams played 10 times each might win five of those. Heads on my coin was Gettysburg.

Andy Sandrik: Mifflin County 21, Gettysburg 18: Huskies have allowed only 7.3 points per contest over their last three games. If they can find just a little bit of offense to go along with that defensive effort, they’ll have a really good shot to win. 

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 28, Mifflin County 27: I see this game as a toss up. Both teams have rolled through the 2024 circuit searching for consistency.

Mechanicsburg 42, Hershey 21

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 35, Hershey 14: All the Wildcats do is win games by three or more touchdowns every single week. Until that changes, I’m gonna ride the train. Wildcats are a complete team.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 42, Hershey 19: I will watch any football team that streams its games free of charge on YouTube, like Mechanicsburg does. Bonus points if that team is also one of the best in the Mid-Penn, like Mechanicsburg is. 

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 32, Hershey 28: This just might be the biggest test of the year to date for the undefeated Wildcats–one I fully expect this crew to ace. 

Lower Dauphin 31, Waynesboro 0

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 28, Waynesboro 26: This could be a wild one. Indians are struggling and the Falcons are playing better in recent weeks with back-to-back wins. Still a tight squeeze. 

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 21, Waynesboro 7: I’m going with the LD defense, which has allowed just seven points over the last eight quarters.

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 31, Lower Dauphin 28: Waynesboro is on a three-game skid, but make no mistake this is a dangerous team fully capable of knocking off the Falcons. 

Shippensburg 28, Northern York 14

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 40, Northern York 14: Yeah the ‘Hounds have had a couple close shaves, but they have been extremely consistent offensively. That’s your difference maker here – more weapons.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 42, Northern York 14: At the beginning of the year, we thought Ship was performing beyond its capabilities. Now as we approach the end of the regular season, the Greyhounds now look the part of contender.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 37, Northern York 26: The Greyhounds seemingly have found another gear offensively. That’s bad news for the Polar Bears.

Red Land 21, Palmyra 7

Andy Shay: Red Land 31, Palmyra 7: For what they lack in consistency, the Patriots have been explosive at times on a more level playing field. Expect some fireworks from Red Land in this one.

Andy Sandrik: Red Land 21, Palmyra 14: Brady Seyler has quietly racked up back-to-back 100-yard rushing weeks for the Patriots. Make it three straight for the senior RB. 

Adam Kulikowski: Red Land 27, Palmyra 20: Cougars haven’t scored more than 14 points since their Week 1 victory while the Patriots have topped the 14-point mark just twice this season. So, of course, both will ‘light up’ the scoreboard this week. 

Capital

Camp Hill 21, Line Mountain 19

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 39, Camp Hill 26: The better team is clearly Line Mountain. I just can’t let go of seeing the Lions as a dangerous squad to take out, though. Eagles are a solid favorite based on ‘24 results.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 55, Camp Hill 40: If you have any players from these schools on your high school fantasy team, start them now! 

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 31, Camp Hill 20: Eagles present a stiff test to a Camp Hill squad that appears to be scuffling a bit down the stretch. 

Juniata 42, Halifax 0

Andy Shay: Juniata 48, Halifax 0: Whole stole the Juniata defense last week and made them look like a regular high school defense? That was an outlier in terms of body of work. Wildcats don’t have the horsepower to generate any consistent pressure.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 49, Halifax 0: After getting smoked for a season-high 40 points last week, Juniata’s proud defense would like nothing more than to make an example out of somebody. 

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 45, Halifax 6:  The winless Wildcats struggle to put points on the board. Juniata is not a team that you right that woe against. 

Upper Dauphin 47, Newport 14

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 44, Newport 14: Did you know the Trojans have not only won three straight after bottoming out at 1-4, but UDA has scored 111 points over the last 12 quarters. The train has left the station.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 43, Newport 14: We’ve always known UD can run the ball, but QB Aidan Bingaman throwing four TDs last week showed us there’s another dimension to this Trojans offense. 

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 34, Newport 21: The vibes in Newport have been trending up, but knocking off the Trojans presents a new level challenge. 

Steelton-Highspire 49, Susquenita 0

Andy Shay: Steel-High 49, Susquenita 14: Once the pieces for this new-look Rollers outfit fell into place, it kind of looks the same as it ever was in some ways. Bad news for the Blackhawks.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 42, Susquenita 7: Rollers have found a new offensive gear during their three-game winning game streak. Not great news for a Susquenita squad still picking up the pieces after allowing 46 points last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 45, Susquenita 14: Rollers enter this fray with a three-game winning streak and plenty of momentum to keep the good vibes going. 

Colonial

Big Spring 37, Middletown 11

Andy Shay: Big Spring 35, Middletown 32: Recent form clearly favors Big Spring. This has all the markers of a wild one breaking out. Give me the Bulldogs and their recent form.

Andy Sandrik: Middletown 38, Big Spring 35: Middletown’s allowed over 39 points per contest during its three-game slide. Big Spring’s defense can relate after surrendering 70 last week. Should we expect a barn burner in Newville?

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 41, Middletown 38:  Two straight clunkers give me pause picking the Blue Raiders. Bulldogs are winners of three of their last four. 

Boiling Springs 15, Greencastle-Antrim 13

Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 45, Boiling Springs 14: Did you see what the Blue Devils did to Juniata last week – dropping a 40-burger on the Indians’ vaunted defense for win No. 2. Yeah, give me G-A.

Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 42, Boiling Springs 14: Anyone else shocked at how thoroughly the Blue Devils dispatched Juniata last week? There will be no postseason for Greencastle, so look for them to play the rest of their schedule like it’s the Super Bowl. 

Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 43, Boiling Springs 13: Five of Greencastle-Antrims eight games have been decided by a one-score margin. This one will not be. 

Milton Hershey 58, West Perry 37

Andy Shay: West Perry 30, Milton Hershey 20: Only the result was missing for West Perry to say they plugged some of the leaks in their 2024 ship. Losing to Trinity by a point is a tough pill to swallow, but beyond that they performed. The result will bear out the fruits of their labor this week.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 28, Milton Hershey 17: The Mustangs were an extra point away from ending a losing streak against a contending Trinity team last week. I think WP gets over that hump this time.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 31, Milton Hershey 14: It’s been a tale of two halves for a Mustangs squad that rode a four-game winning streak before dropping four straight. The time is now for the Mustangs to find their footing again as they sit just outside the playoff cutline. 

Susquehanna Township 40, Trinity 34 (2OT)

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 34, Trinity 32: Enjoy this one, folks. All the indicators of a barn burner are in full bloom. Don’t think for a second the T-Rocks don’t believe they are the better team. Hanna will have something to say about that.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 28, Trinity 21: I’m easily swayed by big numbers, and the Tribe’s 70-point outburst against a respectable Big Spring squad was certainly a big number.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 35, Trinity 33: This just might be the most intriguing game on the docket this week with the battle for the Colonial division on the line. A win by Trinity and you can hand the division title to the Shamrocks. A win by Twp., and we’ll have to wait one more week to see how things shake out.

At this point the story of the 2024 season, no matter how it plays out in terms of the end, lands on the Catholic school in Shiremanstown – Trinity.

We all know what this program endured during the offseason with the coaching staff, losses to graduation and key players opting to transfer. The fact this team is 7-1 speaks volumes about interim head coach Kevin Yarnevich, his staff and most importantly the players.

Winning the Colonial Division title would still be a major upset should the Shamrocks pull it off. They are unbeaten in the division and play one-loss Susquehanna Township this week. Nothing like a tasty Week 9 division game with so much on the line.

Trinity pulled out a narrow one-point victory over West Perry in Week 8, and how they won this game is hard to figure out. But when the cards are falling your way, wins sometimes just happen.

West Perry, who had been struggling but gave the T-Rocks their very best shot, hit for two touchdowns covering 80 or more yards by stud RB Brad Hockenberry. The Mustangs also recovered a fumble in the end zone in the fourth quarter. I mean that to me screams West Perry win.

A missed PAT after the final touchdown was the final margin on the scoreboard, but remember the Trinity defense made that one-point cushion stand up for more than nine minutes.

Susquehanna Township will have a say in deciding how the Colonial Division plays out. And you can bet the Indians want a piece of the pie. They are in fine form after hanging 70 on Big Spring and will challenge Trinity’s defense in a new and unique way.

To me it doesn’t matter whether Trinity wins the Colonial title outright or shares the crown. What they have accomplished this season under extreme change and upheaval is simply remarkable.

KEYSTONE COLLISION COURSE

Eight up and eight down for Shippensburg and Mechanicsburg as they stay on course for a promising Week 10 showdown for the Keystone crown. The Wildcats continue to impress with all eight of their victories coming by 21 or more points. Shippensburg has faced two close shaves, Lower Dauphin and Waynesboro, but navigated each of those stern challenges to stay unbeaten.

Mechanicsburg has the tougher Week 9 opponent with Hershey on deck. Shippensburg will face Northern York. I still think both these clubs will be unbeaten when they square off to close out the regular season.

In a solid Week 8 victory over previously mentioned Waynesboro by 22 points, Mechanicsburg went for 350-plus yards on the ground and controlled every aspect of the game. Isaac Dollman had 197 yards rushing with a pair of INT’s on defense and QB Eli Reider added another 151 yards on the ground. Wildcats are tough to wrangle and slow down.

THREE COMMONWEALTH HAMMERS

As the chase for the big-school division narrows, it’s pretty clear there are three teams in legitimitate contention for the title – Harrisburg, Bishop McDevitt and State College.

What about CD East you ask? Good for the Panthers getting to 7-0 before the meat of their schedule with narrow wins over Cumberland Valley and rival Central Dauphin. Those victories matter – a LOT.

Week 8 was the litmus test with State College paying a visit to the Speedway and the result was a 55-17 thrashing by the visiting Little Lions. And the Panthers still have to play Harrisburg and McDevitt. Hard to see East as part of the championship equation. On one level, finishing 7-3 would still be overperforming based on realistic expectations in my book.

Harrisburg, McDevitt and State College each have one loss. Feels like another Commonwealth crown for the Cougars from my seat in the press box.

MY 2 CENTS

Looking at how the final couple weeks shake out, Line Mountain, Steel-High and Juniata look to be on course to share the Capital title this season with one division loss each. Steel-High reaching that pinnacle in 2024 says a lot considering the cliff the Rollers started at after winning a PIAA championship a year ago. … It’s safe now, there are eight games in the books. You can start looking at the District 3 Power Rankings and start crunching the numbers. I won’t peek for the first time until later in the week, but you have the license to start the madness in the chase for playoff spots. … My performance of the week goes to Upper Dauphin QB Aidan Bingaman, who threw for 201 yards against Susquenita in a 46-14 win. He completed only nine passes and four of those went for touchdowns. That’s a stunning average of 22.3 yards per completion.

Name; Week 7; Overall

Andy Sandrik: 14-5; 112-33

Andy Shay: 14-5; 109-36

Adam Kulikowski: 15-4; 106-39

Thursday, Oct. 10

Colonial

Milton Hershey 62, Boiling Springs 27

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 32, Boiling Springs 21: Spartans are 2-2 in their last four games and have found some more offense to lean on to help a defense that gives up yards and points. Bubblers’ struggles are all around.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 35, Boiling Springs 14: The Bubblers have raised their scoring average in recent weeks, but continue to give up points in bulk. I’m not sure that trend stops this week.

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 45, Boiling Springs 7: Spartans possess a few more weapons to utilize as we enter the stretch run of the season. 

Friday, Oct. 11

Non-League

Greencastle-Antrim 40, Juniata 21

Andy Shay: Juniata 31, Greencastle-Antrim 7: Only three touchdowns surrendered the last four games and 62 total points allowed this season. Give me the Juniata defense, please.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 14, Greencastle-Antrim 0: Has any team in the Mid-Penn had a more heartbreaking season than Greencastle this fall? The Blue Devils have been competitive almost every week, but only have one win to show for it.

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 24, Greencastle-Antrim 21:  Blue Devils have shown that they are a tough out each week. No solace there, however.

Commonwealth

Altoona 21, Chambersburg 14

Andy Shay: Chambersburg 22, Altoona 14: Several close calls for the Mountain Lions, but the bottom line is they are still without a victory. Chambersburg has three wins and is looking to make it three straight for the Trojans. Won’t be easy, though.

Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 28, Altoona 14: I trust Chambersburg a little bit more than the Mountain Lions, who have been shut out four times in seven games this fall. 

Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 31, Altoona 21: Both teams have had shining moments this year including the Mountain Lions taking a playoff-bound Bishop McDevitt squad to the wire. Key match ups favor the home squad. 

Bishop McDevitt 28, Central Dauphin 10

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 28, Central Dauphin 7: Despite a 2-5 record, the Rams have proven themselves as a tough team to beat. Nearly upset rival CD East undefeated apple cart last week. Crusaders have to pay attention to details with this team. Talent gap heavily favors McD offense.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 38, Central Dauphin 14: With all due respect to the steadily-improving Rams, they’re going to have matchup problems all over the field against the star-studded Crusaders.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 31, Central Dauphin 14: Finding enough firepower to keep up with the Crusaders is a tall task for any team. Rams are no exception. 

Cedar Cliff 41, Carlisle 13

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 20, Carlisle 17: After a hot start it has been a rough ride for the Colts in the Commonwealth Division. If Carlisle is still a hungry team to get win No. 1 they have a real shot because this playing field is more level.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 24, Carlisle 7: I’d love to pick my backyard team to spring the upset here, but Carlisle is averaging 5.4 points per game. If the Colts put up 20 points, I think that’s more than enough to win.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 21, Carlisle 7:  There’s no better time than the present for the Colts to snap that five game slide. 

State College 55, Central Dauphin East 16

Andy Shay: State College 21, CD East 14: And so begins the stretch where the rubber meets the road for the undefeated Panthers from CD East. Not sure they have the depth to hang with the Little Lions.

Andy Sandrik: State College 23, CD East 21: The Panthers are now entering the gauntlet of their season. State College is a little more battle-tested and has the numbers to wear down CD East, but make no mistake, Lance Deane’s squad has been looking forward to this battle and is eager for the challenge.

Adam Kulikowski: CD East 31, State College 28: When is the last time the Panthers have opened a season with eight straight victories? Asking for a friend.  Whether or not CD East stays undefeated, this is quickly becoming one of those seasons you remember for a long time. 

Keystone

Gettysburg 42, Palmyra 14

Andy Shay: Gettysburg 20, Palmyra 13: Couple of squads who have endured their fair share of time on the struggle bus. Warriors find a way to get the victory here.

Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 28, Palmyra 14: Gettysburg seems to have a little bit more in the cupboard, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this game evolved into a barnburner.

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 35, Palmyra 20: Both teams struggle to stop opponents, so one should expect this one to feature some fireworks. Give the edge to the Warriors who possess the more experienced cats. 

Lower Dauphin 9, Mifflin County 7

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 26, Mifflin County 19: Couple of three-win teams looking to make a late season push to the next level. Feels like the Falcons have figured out a few things offensively at this point.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 33, Mifflin County 14: My preseason pick of LD winning the Keystone was a bust, but the Falcons still have a team that can make a run for the postseason.

Adam Kulikowski: Mifflin County 28, Lower Dauphin 21: Huskies are playing their best football of the season, riding a two game winning streak. This one is decided late. 

Mechanicsburg 35, Waynesboro 13

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 35, Waynesboro 14: The undefeated Wildcats have not had a game decided by fewer than 21 points this season in seven outings. That is not an accident.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 44, Waynesboro 7: The Wildcats were finally challenged last week when they were locked in a 14-all contest with Northern. How did they respond? By scoring 28 unanswered points and turning the nail-biter into yet another blowout victory.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 38, Waynesboro 14: Eli Reider has quietly been one of the finest quarterbacks in the Mid-Penn Conference, completing 71 percent of his passes and tossing just one interception. 

Shippensburg 42, Red Land 0

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 42, Red Land 7: This has been a mild surprise run by the Greyhounds, but they are looking more and more like a championship quality team with each passing week.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 35, Red Land 14: Big win for the Patriots over Hershey last week, but stopping this Shippensburg rushing attack will be no easy task.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 41, Red Land 13: Cheers to the Patriots who knocked off a quality club in Hershey last week. Just not sure the Patriots have the pieces to replicate that effort against the Greyhounds.

Capital

Steelton-Highspire 37, Camp Hill 14

Andy Shay: Steelton-Highspire 30, Camp Hill 28: Bottom line is the Rollers do not have a bad loss on their schedule and this Rollers squad has been consistent week to week. Lions have been up and down, but are easily capable of winning this one.

Andy Sandrik: Steelton-Highspire 33, Camp Hill 21: Lions QB Drew Branstetter and Co. can put points up on anybody, but I’ll still trust the Rollers’ defense over a Camp Hill “D” that has been especially susceptible in recent weeks.

Adam Kulikowski: Steelton-Highspire 37, Camp Hill 21: Lions are entering Week 8 with injuries at some key positions while the Rollers are finding their stride. 

Newport 42, Halifax 7

Andy Shay: Newport 20, Halifax 14: I expect this to be a close one, but the Buffaloes have found a way to get a victory against Milton Hershey two weeks ago and the winless Wildcats still aren’t sure they can win and that matters.

Andy Sandrik: Newport 14, Halifax 12: Both of these teams have made strides this season. I think the Buffs have the “been there, done that” winning advantage, but I’m also impressed with how the Halifax defense has played over the last three games. Coin flip?

Adam Kulikowski: Newport 28, Halifax 7: Zach Bates, the elusive running back for the Buffs is the most dynamic weapon on the field. If the Wildcats can contain him, they should be in this match up–however, that’s a big if. 

Line Mountain 59, James Buchanan 17

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 37, James Buchanan 13: Only one game separates these clubs in terms of their overall records. Don’t be fooled, though, LM is clearly the stronger squad and will show that.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 49, James Buchanan 14: Too many weapons on the LM side for this game to be close, plus the Eagles seem to have found another gear since that loss to Steel-High in Week 6.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 44, James Buchanan 13: Rockets have had their moments this season, but in this one the Eagles are the superior squad. 

Upper Dauphin 46, Susquenita 14

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 33, Susquenita 20: Not sure you can say the Trojans own a loss that doesn’t belong and they beat Camp Hill a week ago. That kind of momentum matters.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 38, Susquenita 10: I’ll have whatever Caleb Snyder’s having. He put up some some dude-like numbers — 44 carries, 338 yards,  4 TDs — in Upper Dauphin’s win over Camp Hill last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 45, Susquenita 14: ‘Nita is averaging less than 10 points per game through Week 7. That’s tough sledding against an Upper Dauphin crew who has plenty of weapons to light up the scoreboard. 

Colonial

Susquehanna Township 70, Big Spring 27

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 28, Big Spring 14: Two straight victories by a touchdown each time shows what the Indians are made of. Bulldogs provide a physical challenge, see how Hanna handles that.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 33, Big Spring 18: Tribe QB Torin Evans is averaging more than 250 passing yards a game and has thrown 18 TDs against two interceptions. Could he be in for another big game this week?

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 41, Big Spring 30: Bulldogs promise to provide a physical challenge to the Indians. I see coach Joe Headen’s crew taking advantage of earlier adversity this season have his gents ready for the battle. 

Trinity 27, West Perry 26

Andy Shay: Trinity 31, West Perry 14: If you had Trinity at 6-1 entering this game on your bingo card, congrats you are smarter than us all. T-Rocks are gaining momentum week to week, too. The bottom has fallen out on the Mustangs and they are scrambling to pick up the pieces right now.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 28, West Perry 21: Trinity sure seems like it’s on track to nail down its first win against WP since 2015.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 35, West Perry 21: The Mustangs haven’t scored more than 14 points in a game since mid-September.  Where did the offense go? 

Saturday, Oct. 12

Commonwealth

Cumberland Valley 24, Harrisburg 21

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 28, Cumberland Valley 7: Eagles have lost three of their last four games and that is not the kind of tag you want to have on your luggage when you visit Market Street in Harrisburg to visit the Cougars.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 24, Cumberland Valley 10: Harrisburg is not the team you want to see after three straight losses. CV has the defense to keep it close, but if the Eagles get discouraged this game could get ugly.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 31, Cumberland Valley 7: You know Josh Oswalt’s teams will never lay down, but the weapons each bring into this battle are not the same. 

Keystone

Hershey 42, Northern York 7

Andy Shay: Hershey 20, Northern 17: Still trying to figure out what happened to the Trojans last week in that upset loss to Red Land. Hey the Polar Bears have to feel like they have a shot now.

Andy Sandrik: Northern 21, Hershey 14: Give the Polar Bears some credit, they made seemingly-invincible Mechanicsburg work for it last week. This most certainly seems like a winnable game for Northern after Hershey’s mystifying loss to Red Land.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 28, Northern 21: Trojans stumbled last week against Red Land. I’m betting on a rebound performance from a club that had previously won four straight. 

Colonial

East Pennsboro 42, Middletown 17

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 21, Middletown 14: Shake off last week and move forward if you are the Panthers. They’ve been playing some solid ball. Don’t bring your best to the table and Middletown will gladly add another loss to your column. Blue Raiders are NOT easy to beat.

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 28, Middletown 21: Four wins over the last five games for the Panthers, with that loss coming to Susquehanna Township last week. I think EP still has enough momentum for a bounce back win, here.

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 33, Middletown 21: After a sluggish start to the season, the Panthers are rolling as winners of four of their last five games. Middletown is no easy out, however. 

Name; Week 7; Overall

Andy Sandrik: 14-5; 112-33

Andy Shay: 14-5; 109-36

Adam Kulikowski: 15-4; 106-39

Friday, Oct. 4

Non-League

Line Mountain 55, Middletown 21

Andy Shay: Middletown 21, Line Mountain 19: If nothing else, the Blue Raiders have proved themselves as a tough out. And they have the defense to back it up.

Andy Sandrik: Middletown 24, Line Mountain 21: An intriguing Mid-Penn crossover game if I’ve ever seen one. I still like LM to win the Capital, but Middletown has more than answered the bell in the deeper Colonial.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 28, Middletown 21: The Blue Raiders are showing plenty of signs of life with tough loss against Susquehanna Twp. and a victory over West Perry. But I’m giving the edge to the experiences Line Mountain squad. 

Commonwealth

Harrisburg 33, Altoona 0

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 35, Altoona 7: Love the fight Altoona put up last week, but the ask is another level against the Cougars and they will demand more and that’s a mountain the lads from District 6 can’t climb.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 42, Altoona 10: Full credit to Altoona for pushing McDevitt last week, but there are far too many paths to victory for the Cougars for me to see this game being anything other than a Harrisburg rout.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 43, Altoona 13: Give credit to the winless Mountain Lions for the fight they showed against Bishop McDevitt. But you have to wonder what the effect of that battle will have this week against one of the best teams in the Commonwealth.

Bishop McDevitt 30, Cumberland Valley 8

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 28, Cumberland Valley 14: Fully expect the Eagles to put up a fight in this one, just not sure they have nearly enough horsepower to keep up with the Crusaders over 48 minutes.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 33, Cumberland Valley 7: Crusaders will be looking to make a statement after squeaking past Altoona last week. I’m not sure if the Eagles have enough offense to keep this game within reach.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 34, Cumberland Valley 20: A quarterback change earlier this season lit a fire for the Eagles. Not sure there’s enough weapons on the Eagles sideline to hang in for four quarters against the Crusaders, however. 

Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 13

Andy Shay: Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 21: More of a level playing field for both club, edge in this one goes slightly to the Trojans side against the winless Thundering Herd.

Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 32, Carlisle 24: My wife’s alma mater (Chambersburg) is playing my kids’ school (Carlisle), yet the only one in this house who is excited by this matchup is a West Perry grad (me).

Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 34, Carlisle 14: After scoring 2, 3, 14 and 7 points, the Trojans erupted for 38 against Cedar Cliff. Can Chambersburg replicate that success against a struggling Carlisle team?  

State College 38, Cedar Cliff 0

Andy Shay: State College 28, Cedar Cliff 7: Something the Little Lions seems to enjoy is making each game a physical dog fight. Not sure the struggling Colts can meet that challenge.

Andy Sandrik: State College 32, Cedar Cliff 14: The Colts are learning first-hand just how demanding the Commonwealth can be. It seems like a long shot for Cedar Cliff to keep pace with State College, which has the talent to get ahead and the depth to stay ahead.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 34, Cedar Cliff 14: The Colts were exposed a bit by Chambersburg last week. The battle certainly does not get easier against the Little Lions. 

Central Dauphin East 21, Central Dauphin 20

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin East 21, Central Dauphin 7: With what the Panthers have on deck the last three weeks, this is a game they should win. It’s a rivalry and the shoe is on the other foot in terms of the clear favorite. Won’t be easy, but still like the Panthers.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin East 24, Central Dauphin 14: Raise your hand if you had East High undefeated going into Week 7. Anyone?

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin East 28, Central Dauphin 14:  When is the last time the Panthers started a season 7-0? Asking for a friend. 

Keystone

Shippensburg 35, Gettysburg 7

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 28, Gettysburg 14: What I admire most about the ‘24 Greyhounds is they have been the model of football consistency. They are exactly who you think they are, and they know that as well. That shows up each Friday night.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 27, Gettysburg 21: After surviving in overtime last week, Shippensburg could be vulnerable for a let-down game in this spot. The Hounds, however, have been so locked in this fall it’s hard for me to believe that will actually happen.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 31, Gettysburg 28: Greyhounds possess three dudes who have at least 44 carries and are averaging 5.4 yards-per-carry or more. Can the Warriors limit the damage done by these lads?

Red Land 20, Hershey 13

Andy Shay: Hershey 34, Red Land 14: There’s a formula for the Trojans and they are pretty deft at finding their way inside that comfort box. Should be a little easier to find this week against the Patriots.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 32, Red Land 10: One of the hardest riddles to solve in high school football is the dual-threat QB. Hershey has a good one in Cameron Sweeney, who averages 10.6 yards per carry from his signal-caller position.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 44, Red Land 7: Trojans know who they are while the Patriots are still searching for the right formula.

Lower Dauphin 44, Palmyra 0

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 28, Palmyra 14: Combined these two clubs have lost eight consecutive games. Biggest struggles for the Falcons has been offensive output. Should be a good opportunity here to put some points on the board.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 24, Palmyra 21: Lower Dauphin should be a bigger favorite in this spot, but these backyard rivalry games are often closer than expected.

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 26, Palmyra 14: This hasn’t been the season the Falcons were hoping for, but there’s still time to notch a few victories. That starts Friday against Palmyra.

Mechanicsburg 42, Northern York 14

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 35, Northern 14: Simply because isn’t this what every Wildcats victory looks like this season? Polar Bears can be flammable, but Mechanicsburg has more firepower.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 38, Northern 13: Only one opponent has been able to stay within three scores of the Wildcats, who are on track to annihilate the Keystone this fall.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 41, Northern 20: Wildcats have been a model of consistency each week through the 2024 circuit while Northern’s ride resembleds that of the Great Bear at Hersheypark.

Mifflin County 20, Waynesboro 14

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 34, Mifflin County 20: The Indians have lost their two games by a combined total of 10 points – including a one-point upset to Northern York a week ago. That dose of humble pie should serve Waynesboro well in this one.

Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 38, Mifflin County 27: Waynesboro has the offensive pop to dig itself out of holes, but the Tribe could save themselves a lot of headaches if they just come out of the gates a little bit faster.

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 28, Mifflin County 21: The Indians aren’t going to blow you away with gaudy numbers or flashy plays. Just steadily grinding you into submission.

Capital 

Upper Dauphin 30, Camp Hill 21

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 21, Upper Dauphin 19: Lions have scored only two touchdowns over the last eight quarters. That is cause for concern. This is a zinger of a matchup, though.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 28, Camp Hill 21: The Lions are an entirely different team when QB Drew Branstetter is healthy and in the lineup. If Branstetter is out again, like he was last week against Halifax, the Trojans have the horses to outslug Camp Hill.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 34, Camp Hill 20: Injuries are a factor for every team in Week 7, but it is especially crucial in this one if the Lions do-it-all cannot suit up or is severely limited.

Susquenita 23, Halifax 6

Andy Shay: Susquenita 29, Halifax 20: Couple of one-win teams who struggle to put up enough points on a weekly basis to be competitive. So why not have some fireworks go off when they square off, right?

Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 14, Halifax 7: Both of these teams have earned respect within the Capital in recent weeks, but only one can come away with a win on Friday.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 21, Halifax 7: Nita appears to have a few more viable options offensively that the ‘Cats who have only cracked double-digits in points once this season.

Steelton-Highspire 55, James Buchanan 0

Andy Shay: Steelton-Highspire 28, James Buchanan 20: That was a huge victory over Line Mountain last week for the Rollers. Be careful red flags going off, though, for this one. Rockets are not an easy out this season and have four victories they bring to the table.

Andy Sandrik: Steelton-Highspire 38, James Buchanan 14: The Rockets have been better than advertised, but I’m still leaning on the Rollers as heavy favorites, especially after how they took care of business against Line Mountain last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Steelton-Highspire 41, James Buchanan 13: The Rollers are still a work in progress as we head into Week No. 7 but there’s a very good chance Steel-High finishes the regular season on a five-game winning streak.

Juniata 33, Newport 6

Andy Shay: Juniata 35, Newport 0: This is a physical mismatch and it will be tough for the Buffaloes to generate much offense against this defense.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 36, Newport 7: Zach Bates helped lift the Buffs to an improbable first victory with three TDs last week, and I think he’s good for another score in a game this week that should otherwise be dominated by Juniata. 

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 31, Newport 13: The Juniata defense will have plenty to say about what Newport’s Zach Bates is able to do in this one after showcasing his elusiveness the last two weeks.

Colonial

Big Spring 30. West Perry 13

Andy Shay: Big Spring 21, West Perry 14: Mustangs have dropped two straight and offense has lost some of that pop that fueled them early, but over the last eight quarters has gone silent. Bulldogs grind out the upset.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 24, Big Spring 21: This felt like a slam-dunk pick just a few weeks ago, but now, not so much. 

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 28, Big Spring 27: We’re about to find out if the Mustangs have a miss in the engine or just a faulty warning light. I’m banking on the former.

Trinity 41, Boiling Springs 13

Andy Shay: Trinity 37, Boiling Springs 14: Five consecutive weeks the T-Rocks have eclipsed 35 points. Make it six straight in this one.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 39, Boiling Springs 18: Boiling Springs would love nothing more than to spring an upset over its rival, but how much of a dent can the Bubblers really make against the suddenly-rock solid ‘Rocks?

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 43, Boiling Springs 20: ‘Rocks running back Christian Joy is averaging a staggering 11.3 yards-per-carry through 78 totes. That’s video-game level production.  

Susquehanna Township 35, East Pennsboro 28

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 29, Susquehanna Township 26: I expect this one to be wild. I can see a path to victory for both sides, and I think Hanna can win this game. Panthers get the nod because they are confident and playing their best football right now.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 30, East Pennsboro 21: The rebuilding Colonial Division was supposed to be a cinch for the talented Tribe, but week after week, opponents are making Hanna earn it. 

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 31, East Pennsboro 28: Losing to West Perry a few weeks ago might have been the best thing to happen to the Tribe. Since that loss, we’ve seen a tougher more resilient Twp. That renewed mentality will pay dividends down the stretch.

Milton Hershey 30, Greencastle-Antrim 29

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 26, Greencastle-Antrim 20: It just doesn’t feel like these two clubs are a combined 3-9 right now. Seems like both squads have played better than their record.

Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 28, Milton Hershey 18: With all due respect to the Newport Buffaloes, their win over Milton Hershey raised a lot of eyebrows, and makes this week’s contest sure seem like a winnable one for the Blue Devils.

Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 30, Milton Hershey 21: Both teams have flashed moments that make you think they should be better than their record—and others that help you understand why they are not. Question is which can compile a more complete four quarters of football.

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Stone Saunders, QB, Bishop McDevitt: Saunders etched his name into the Pennsylvania record books, setting a new record for career passing touchdowns. The Kentucky recruit tossed a pair of TDs and finished the evening with 153 yards as the Crusaders knocked off Altoona, 28-21 on Friday.

Aaron Angelo, WR-LB, East Pennsboro: East Pennsboro may have entered its match up again West Perry as an underdog, but they sure didn’t play like one. Angelo grabbed five passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns to fuel the Panther’s 35-14 victory. On defense, he captured an interception to help seal the victory.

Zach Bates, RB, Newport: A week ago, Bates nearly fueled the Buffaloes first victory of the season. This week, Bates and his mates in Newport got that coveted victory. Bates carried the rock 20 times for three touchdowns and 145 yards in a 20-18 victory against Milton Hershey.

Cooper Brushwood, WR, State College: When State College needed a big play, the Little Lions turned to Brushwood who hauled in seven receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown to push State College past Central Dauphin, 24-7.

Sean Elliott, RB-LB, Hershey: Hershey leaned heavily into its running attack and who could blame them. Sean Elliott had himself an evening with 26 carries, 134 yards, and two touchdowns in Hershey’s 41-35 win against Gettysburg.

Grant Hall, RB, Big Spring: Hall turned in another big time performance for the Bulldogs, rushing for 259 yards and two touchdowns in a 48-21 victory against Boiling Springs.

ACCOLADES FOR SAUNDERS

Plenty of intrigue to dig into as we glide past Week 6 of the Mid-Penn Conference football season, but there is no other place to start than a couple of individual records getting eclipsed from the Commonwealth Division.

Bishop McDevitt senior quarterback Stone Saunders, a Kentucky recruit, took over the No. 1 spot in career touchdown passes in the state of Pennsylvania by surpassing fellow MPC mate Alex Erby from Steel-High, who set the standard last season, with his 177th TD toss early in the first quarter on the road to victory against Altoona.

The next Erby record of interest for Saunders is the career passing yards mark. Saunders went over 11,000 yards Friday night, becoming only the third QB in state history to eclipse that mark. Saunder is still more than 2,200 yards behind Erby’s 13,562 mark, though. Feels like that one is a bridge too far for Saunders.

Still pretty heady stuff, the top two record setting quarterbacks in the state of Pennsylvania in terms of career yards passing and touchdowns thrown are a couple of lads from the MPC.

CD East senior running back Leon Parson has had a spectacular first season at his new school after transferring from Bishop McDevitt. Now Parson has etched his name in the Panthers football record books for the most rushing yards in a single game.

Parson eclipsed current NFL running back Chase Edmonds by rushing for 315  yards in a tough grind-it-out victory over Cumberland Valley. Parson also had four touchdowns, including the game winning TD deep into the final quarter.

This record was earned, too. Parson carried the rock a staggering 35 times and averaged a difference making 9.0 yards per carry. Parson is well on his way to a 1,000-yard season with more than 800 rushing  yards and 10 touchdowns.

PANTHERS CLIMB BACK INTO CONTENTION

There were some lofty expectations around this East Pennsboro team when the season kicked off. And it had serious merit, it wasn’t just a flyer based on one of those well if a couple things fall into place expectations. Panther have some dudes.

Well when you start 0-2 including a loss in your division, well you kind of fall off the relevancy radar. Well since losing to MPC Colonial mate Trinity a month ago, East Pennsboro has said hold my root beer we got work to do.

On the heels of a convincing 35-14 drilling of once-beaten West Perry the Panthers are in the hunt for the MPC Colonial title. Wideout Aaron Angelo had himself a game against the Mustangs. He caught all five passes thrown his way for a mind blowing 191 yards (38.2 yards per catch) including TD catch-and-runs covering 88 and 73 yards. And he intercepted a pass as well on defense, one of four turnovers created by the EP defense.

Trinity, if you had the Shamrocks winning the MPC Colonial Division on your preseason bingo card you are not being truthful, continues to headline the division with a perfect 4-0 division mark. The Panthers are a game back along with Susquehanna Township. West Perry and Big Spring, told you the Bulldogs had more bark than their record, are each 2-2 in the Colonial.

This will continue to be a crazy division title chase, but East Pennsboro has definitely climbed its way back to having a say on how this plays out.

KEYSTONE PICTURE STILL BLURRY

Mechanicsburg kept on rolling in Week 6, crushing Red Land 35-7 to make it six wins that kind of all look the same. As we’ve said before the Wildcats are killing ‘Cats. And M’burg continues to share top billing with fellow unbeaten Shippensburg as the front runners in the MPC Keystone.

Here’s the thing … Why do I think Hershey might have the final say in how this shakes out and I’m not sure what the Wildcats look like under a real test because they haven’t had one.

The six Mechanicsburg opponents to date have a combined seven victories. Nothing the Wildcats can do about that, except take care of business on their end and they are doing that. But six in a row without a true test gets dicey the longer you go.

Shippensburg and Mechanicsburg play each other the final week of the regular season. The Greyhounds have already knocked off Hershey, so they totally control their own destiny. The Hounds haven’t been as impressive overall as the Wildcats, edging LD by a point last Friday and getting pushed to the limit by Waynesboro. Still, 6-0 says it all.

The trio of contenders, Shippensburg, Mechanicsburg and Hershey, are crystal clear. I can’t get a sense of who has an upper hand, though. Excited to see how this one plays out.

MY 2 CENTS

Running backs Samir Edwards-Pace and Sean Elliott along with quarterback Cam Sweeney combined for nearly 400 rushing yards in a wild 41-35 victory over Gettysburg. The trio combined for 45 totes and accounted for five of the six Trojans touchdowns. That’s a ridiculous 8.8 yards per carry. … Congrats to Newport for picking up win No. 1 of the season, using three Zach Bates touchdown runs to edge Milton Hershey 20-18. … If nothing else, and remember that Middletown knocked West Perry from the ranks of the unbeaten last week, the Blue Raiders are extremely difficult to beat. Susquehanna Township QB Torin Evans threw for 235 yards on 14 completions and needed every bit of his strong effort to nudge past Middletown 21-14. … Upset of the week goes to Chambersburg. The Trojans walked into their Week 6 matchup with Cedar Cliff toting a single victory achieved more than a month ago. Not only did Chambersburg drop the Colts, who have lost four straight, it was a dominating 25-point victory.