Week 9 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Vertical Raise PA

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Week 9 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Vertical Raise PA

It wasn’t just his arm that led Halifax’s Teegan Carroll to Week 9 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week honors.

It was also his legs. The sophomore quarterback helped the Wildcats snap a four-game losing streak in a 46-22 win over Newport. He did it with 153 rushing yards and 118 passing, plus he contributed to five touchdowns on the ground and in the air.

Some 3,113 Wildcats fans voted for Carroll, topping Line Mountain running back Nolan Baumert (2,674 votes). There were 6,775 total votes cast this week.

Carroll and Halifax (4-5, 2-4 Liberty) visit Trinity to close out the regular season Friday at 7 p.m.

Week 9 Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week: Kash Tobin

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Week 9 Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week: Kash Tobin

Kash Tobin was a nightmare last week, just in time for Halloween, and that earned him our Week 9 4th Down Magazine Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week honors.

The senior linebacker spearheaded an impressive defensive effort in Tri-Valley’s 16-6 win over Marian Catholic, recording 18 tackles, a sack and two pass breakups. He also rushed for 30 yards.

The senior picked up a whopping 4,180 votes from fans this week, easily topping POTW regular Alex Achenbach (Williams Valley), who picked up 938 votes. There were 5,785 total votes cast.

Tobin and the Bulldogs (5-4, 2-2) visit arch rival Williams Valley in the regular-season finale Friday at 7 p.m.

High School Football: Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings after Week 9

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High School Football: Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings after Week 9

For more content from Eric F. Epler, visit Pennlive.com.

CLASS 6A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)          — 7-1 – 1 

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

3. Central Bucks West (1)        — 9-0 – 3 

4. Manheim Township (3)       — 9-0 – 4 

5. Central York (3)                   — 9-0 – 5 

6. Pittsburgh C.C. (7)               — 8-1 – 6 

7. Downingtown East (1)        — 8-0 – 7 

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

9. Nazareth (11)                      – 8-1 – 9 

10. Harrisburg (3)                    — 8-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Central Bucks South (1) 8-1, Northampton (11) 8-1, Souderton (1) 9-0, Spring-Ford (1) 8-1, Wilson-West Lawn (3) 7-2.

CLASS 5A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Imhotep Charter (12)          — 9-0 – 1 

2. Peters Township (7)            — 9-0 – 2 

3. Roman Catholic (12)           – 7-1 – 4 

4. Southern Lehigh (11)          — 9-0 – 5 

5. Cocalico (3)                         — 8-1 – 6 

6. West Chester Rustin (1)      — 7-1 – 7 

7. Springfield-Delco (1)           — 8-1 – 8 

8. Chester (1)                          — 8-1 – 9 

9. Cedar Cliff (3)                      — 8-1 – 10 

10. Penn Hills (7)                     — 7-2 – NR 

Teams to watch: Cathedral Prep (10) 5-3, Ephrata (3) 8-1, Exeter Township (3) 8-1, Garden Spot (3) 8-1, Pine-Richland (7) 6-3, Strath Haven (1) 8-1. 

CLASS 4A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Bishop McDevitt (3)            – 9-0 – 1 

2. Aliquippa (7)                       – 8-0 – 2 

3. Pope John Paul II (1)           – 9-0 – 3 

4. Jersey Shore (4)                   – 8-0-1 – 4 

5. Selinsgrove (4)                    – 8-0-1 – 5 

6. Allentown C.C. (11)             – 7-2 – 6 

7. McKeesport (7)                   – 8-1 – 7 

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

9. Thomas Jefferson (7)          – 8-1 – 9 

10. Lampeter-Strasburg (3)     — 8-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Dallas (2) 9-0, East Pennsboro (3) 8-1, Milton (4) 8-1, Montour (7) 8-1, Twin Valley (3) 8-1.  

CLASS 3A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

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

2. Wyomissing (3)                   – 8-1 – 2 

3. Avonworth (7)                     – 9-0 – 3 

4. Neumann-Goretti (12)        – 7-1 – 4 

5. West Perry (3)                     — 9-0 – 5 

6. Danville (4)                          — 8-1 – 6 

7. Northwestern Lehigh (11)  — 9-0 – 7 

8. Palmerton (11)                    — 9-0 – 8 

9. Central (6)                           — 9-0 – 9 

10. Elizabeth-Forward (7)       — 9-0 – 10 

Teams to watch: North Schuylkill (11) 7-2, Penn Cambria (6) 8-1, Schuylkill Valley (3) 8-1, Scranton Prep (2) 8-1. 

CLASS 2A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Farrell (10)                           – 9-0 – 1 

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

3. Richland (6)                         – 9-0 – 3 

4. Central Clarion (9)               — 9-0 – 4 

5. Southern Columbia (4)        – 8-1 – 6 

6. Mount Carmel (4)               — 7-2 – 7 

7. Troy (4)                                — 9-0 – 8 

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

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

10. Neshannock (7)                 — 8-1 – NR 

Teams to watch: Bald Eagle Area (6) 8-1, Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 8-1, Line Mountain (4) 7-2, Schuylkill Haven (11) 8-1, Trinity (3) 6-3. 

CLASS 1A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous                               

1. Steelton-Highspire (3)         — 9-0 – 1 

2. Lackawanna Trail (2)           – 9-0 – 4 

3. Northern Bedford (5)          — 9-0 – 3 

4. Fort Cherry (7)                    — 9-0 – 5 

5. Bishop Canevin (7)              — 7-1 – 6 

6. Canton (4)                           — 8-1 – 2 

7. South Side (7)                     — 9-0 – 8 

8. Redbank Valley (9)              — 9-0 – 7 

9. Muncy (4)                            — 8-1 – 9 

10. Clairton (7)                        — 7-2 – NR 

Teams to watch: Cambridge Springs (10) 8-1, Lakeview (10) 8-1, Minersville (11) 7-2, Northern Cambria (6) 8-1, South Williamsport (4) 7-2. 

Vote Now: Week 9 Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week

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Vote Now: Week 9 Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week

Vote now for your 4th Down Magazine Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week. Our poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. Voting is allowed once every 30 minutes.

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.

Browser cookies must be accepted to vote.

Alex Achenbach, sr., RB, Williams Valley: Achenbach keeps what is seemingly a weekly slot in our Player of the Week polls with another strong performance — this time rushing for 237 yards on 26 carries. He scored four times on the evening en route to a 54-0 shutout of Shenandoah Valley. 

Matthew Machalik, sr., QB, Palmerton: It took Machalik just 16 carries to tally 196 stripes against Tamaqua Friday night in a 34-14 victory. The senior also added three touchdowns. On defense, he picked off Tamaqua’s Luke Kane.

Niko Carestia, so., RB, Schuylkill Haven: Carestia turned in his best statistical performance of the season Friday night when the sophomore diced up Minersville’s defense for 195 stripes on 24 carries (8.1 yards per carry). He reached paydirt four times to fuel his team’s 35-28 victory.

Kash Tobin, sr., LB, Tri-Valley: Tri-Valley notched a 16-6 victory against Marian Catholic. Leading the way for a stout defense was Tobin, who tallied 18 tackles, one sack, two pass breakups and also chipped in 30 yards rushing on the evening. 

Dainn Vassallo, sr., LB, Notre Dame-Green Pond: Vassallo churned out a game-high 19 tackles Friday night in a 56-6 victory against Pine Grove. He also recorded an interception. 

This poll has ended (since 2 years).
Kash Tobin, fr., LB, Tri-Valley:
72.26%
Alex Achenbach, sr., RB, Williams Valley:
16.21%
Niko Carestia, so., RB, Schuylkill Haven:
11.29%
Matthew Machalik, sr., RB, Palmerton:
0.19%
Dainn Vassallo, sr., LB, Notre Dame-Green Pond:
0.05%

Vote now: Week 9 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Vertical Raise PA

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Vote now: Week 9 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Vertical Raise PA

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

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.

Browser cookies must be accepted to vote.

Put those Candy Boxes Away; No more Sub Sales; Retire from Washing Cars! And elevate your team’s fundraising this season with Vertical Raise!

Vertical Raise is the premier online fundraising platform for organizations of all types and sizes. Vertical Raise provides solutions to the challenges of fundraising by utilizing its best-in-class software to create the easiest, most efficient and effective fundraising.

Justin Bardo, jr., LB, Mechanicsburg: Bardo had an absurd 19 tackles in the Wildcats’ 34-22 win over Greencastle-Antrim. Mechanicsburg recorded three turnovers in its second straight win, with Bardo responsible for two interceptions. 

Cole Bartram, sr., RB, Northern: We may never see another night like it. Bartram put up the kinds of numbers Friday night some players are lucky to have in an entire season, rushing for an insane 500 yards and nine touchdowns on an otherworldly 48 carries in a 63-42 victory over Gettysburg. He had 1,120 yards and 12 TDs entering Week 9.

Nolan Baumert, sr., RB, Line Mountain: Baumert capped a furious 40-30 comeback victory over Juniata with a 55-yard dash to the end zone with 25 seconds left, gifting the Eagles a share of the Liberty Division title. He finished with 185 yards on 17 carries, adding a third-quarter TD as well, and caught a 21-yard pass.

Teegan Carroll, so., QB/LB, Halifax: Carroll accounted for five touchdowns in a 46-22 victory over winless Newport, and he finished with 153 rushing yards and 118 passing to help the Wildcats snap a four-game losing streak.

Durrell Ceasar Jr., sr., WR/DB, Steel-High: Caesar’s 73-yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown put the Rollers ahead in the second quarter, and his 77-yard touchdown reception in the third kept the game close before they finally pulled away from Trinity in a wild 42-37 victory. Caesar finished with four receptions and 77 yards.

Derek Gibney, sr., QB, Susquenita: Gibney overcame two interceptions to throw for 262 yards and three touchdowns on a tidy 17-of-26 passing in a 48-6 blowout of James Buchanan. Improving the Blackhawks to 4-5, he also rushed for 42 yards and a TD on two carries and had two tackles on defense.

Grant Hall, jr., RB, Big Spring: Hall averaged a whopping 15.3 yards on 14 carries, finishing with 214 yards and a couple of trips to the end zone in the Bulldogs’ 42-14 victory over Upper Dauphin. He also snagged three passes for 53 yards, including a go-ahead 45-yard TD grab.

Nijeer Kittrell, sr., RB, Milton Hershey: Subbing in for an injured Elijah Johnson, Kittrell performed admirably on both sides of the ball in a 41-6 rout of Palmyra. He rushed for 141 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown, doing most of his damage in the second half. And he returned an interception to the house.

Shawn Lee Jr., jr., QB, Harrisburg: Lee did plenty in a 60-14 blowout of Chambersburg, going 13 of 23 for 174 yards and a couple of touchdowns (22, 29 yards) and an additional 106 yards and two scores (10, 28 yards) on 11 rushes. And he chipped in a defensive interception for good measure.

Bron Mosley, sr., RB, Altoona: Mosley twice had to score go-ahead touchdowns, the second finally pushing the Mountain Lions ahead of Carlisle for good in a 28-19 victory. He finished with three TDs (2, 1 and 7 yards) and 162 stripes on a workmanlike 36 carries.

Keith Oates III, sr., QB, East Pennsboro: In a Colonial Division championship-winning performance, Oates’ threw for 206 yards (12 of 22 passing) and ran five times for 15 times in a 31-28 comeback win over Susquehanna Township. He threw two TDs and won the game with a 1-yard QB sneak and successful two-point conversion pass with 1:25 left to play.

Marcus Quaker, sr., QB, West Perry: On a night when the 9-0 Mustangs ran for 403 total yards in a 48-24 win over Camp Hill, Quaker churned out 111 of them. The dual-threat QB scored four times on nine carries, including a 44-yard dash in the first quarter, ahead of a mammoth Week 10 game against Steel-High.

Stone Saunders, jr., QB, Bishop McDevitt: Saunders, a Kentucky verbal commit, was again his efficient self in a 42-0 blowout of Mifflin County, finishing with 287 yards and four scores on 21-of-29 passing. He threw two TDs to Alabama commit Rico Scott.

Josh Smith, jr., WR/DB, Mechanicsburg: Smith caught 10 passes for 117 yards and fourth-quarter touchdowns of 32 and 8 yards in a 32-22 win over Greencastle-Antrim. He also, on a trick play that had him throwing, connected with Henry Notarfrancesco for a 67-yard TD.

Bryce Staretz, sr., RB, Cumberland Valley: Staretz scored two crucial touchdowns, a 6-yarder in the first quarter and game-winning 39-yard with 2:56 to play, in the Eagles’ stunning 17-10 upset over State College. He finished with 134 yards on 20 carries in the home win.

This poll has ended (since 2 years).
Teegan Carroll, so., QB/LB, Halifax:
45.95%
Nolan Baumert, sr., RB, Line Mountain:
39.47%
Bryce Staretz, sr., RB, Cumberland Valley:
8.41%
Keith Oates III, sr., QB, East Pennsboro:
1.90%
Durrell Ceasar Jr., sr., WR/DB, Steel-High:
1.67%
Justin Bardo, jr., LB, Mechanicsburg:
0.80%
Grant Hall, jr., RB, Big Spring:
0.68%
Derek Gibney, sr., QB, Susquenita:
0.32%
Marcus Quaker, sr., QB, West Perry:
0.31%
Cole Bartram, sr., RB, Northern:
0.27%
Stone Saunders, jr., QB, Bishop McDevitt:
0.10%
Josh Smith, jr., WR/DB, Mechanicsburg:
0.03%
Bron Mosley, sr., RB, Altoona:
0.03%
Shawn Lee Jr., jr., QB, Harrisburg:
0.03%
Nijeer Kittrell, sr., RB, Milton Hershey:
0.03%

Sunday Morning QB: Northern’s Cole Bartram runs wild; CV’s turnaround continues; East Penn stakes claim as Colonial’s best; Line Mountain flexes its muscle and a look at the playoff picture

Andy Shay
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Sunday Morning QB: Northern’s Cole Bartram runs wild; CV’s turnaround continues; East Penn stakes claim as Colonial’s best; Line Mountain flexes its muscle and a look at the playoff picture

What a wild and crazy Week 9 in the Mid-Penn Conference, just what you want as the stakes in the chase for division crowns and postseason berths gets more intense.

A few of the clutch results include Line Mountain coming on like gangbusters in the second half to stake a claim to the Liberty Division crown by overpowering Juniata, East Pennsboro climbing off the deck to shock Susquehanna Township and Cumberland Valley holding off State College in the dying seconds to stun the Little Lions.

But the most wild showing Friday night was Northern running back Cole Bartram and his stunning performance against Gettysburg. The Polar Bears’ battering ram set the Mid-Penn Conference record for rushing yards in a single game with 500 stripes and nine touchdowns. His record performance came on 48 carries.

The 500 yards stands out because it’s a record, but I’m not sure the nine touchdowns and 48 carries aren’t more impressive. I remember former Cedar Cliff running back Coy Wire once notching 40-plus carries in a playoff game back in 1996. In more than three decades I can’t remember a running back approaching 50 carries, and I’ve never heard of one dude getting nine rushing touchdowns.

Bartram eclipsed the great LeSean McCoy from Bishop McDevitt, who had 404 yards against Red Land in 2003, as the No. 1 rushing performance by a Mid-Penn Conference RB. “Shady” needed only 31 carries and scored five touchdowns that day in a 48-27 victory. For those who saw Shady play in the early 2000s, his record performance felt like just another day at the office.

Bartram’s 500-yard performance places him tied for third in state history with Eastern York’s Alex Cooley (2012), a full 222 yards behind former Penn State standout Journey Brown’s 722 yards for Meadville in 2015.

Cumberland Valley’s turnaround nothing short of impressive

At the midway point of the season, Cumberland Valley was 1-4 and its 2023 rebuild was in shambles. Offensive challenges were going to front and center, and the Eagles still had Central Dauphin and State College on the schedule.

Today, the surging Eagles have stacked four consecutive victories to get to 5-4, and they’re on the cusp of making the District 3 Class 6A playoffs after a stunning goal-line stand by the CV defense preserved a 17-10 victory in a game where the Eagles never trailed.

It’s fitting the CV defense put this one away because the second half of this season has been carried by that unit. It only surrendered four touchdowns the last three games, and two of those opponents were Central Dauphin and State College. That’s next-level stuff.

State College was poised to forge a tie in this one late when the Little Lions cobbled together a drive and had first-and-goal at the CV 4-yard-line. CV stuffed the first two plays, and star linebacker Alex Sauve recovered a fumble on third down for the decisive nail in the coffin.

Cumberland Valley scored 19 points against Central Dauphin and 17 against State College, and the Eagles claimed victory on both those occasions. That’s all you really need to know.

Line Mountain takes Liberty driver’s seat

Congratulations to Line Mountain for rallying from behind to beat Juniata in a wild chase for the Liberty Division title. The Eagles are 5-0 in division play with a 40-30 victory that was nip-and-tuck all the way.

The 40 points scored by Line Mountain was its most this season and came at exactly the right time. LM needs to replicate that next week, though. Hey, winning division crowns isn’t always easy, right?

Four touchdown passes from QB Kaiden Maurer was much needed for this team. Toss in 185 rushing yards from RB Nolan Baumert, including a 55-yard TD scamper in the final minute to ice the victory, and the one-two punch was simply too much for the Juniata defense.

They still have to play 4-1 Upper Dauphin in Week 10 to make the title their own. Juniata is 4-1 and is still part of a three-way tie scenario should UDA bounce Line Mountain in the regular-season finale.

Upper Dauphin still has a say in this championship chase, but the upper hand clearly belongs to Line Mountain.

East Penn shows they’re Colonial’s best

As I sat in the press box at Roscoe Warner Field just off Progress Avenue Friday night, as the key Colonial Division showdown between East Pennsboro and Susquehanna Township trickled into the fourth quarter, I had this sense the Panthers were going to do it again.

I’m not often right — see my picks this season for example — but on this occasion the deja vu I sensed was spot on.

In early September the Panthers trailed Milton Hershey on the road by a touchdown with less than seven minutes to play. There was no panic by the Panthers, they simply found another gear and scored twice down the stretch to subdue the Spartans 34-28 after trailing at halftime.

A similar scenario played out Friday night (READ MAKING THE GRADE HERE), only this time it was clear the Panthers needed some help to rally from two scores down.

The Indians provided the assistance by going silent offensively thanks to a bushel basket of penalties. Once East Pennsboro seized momentum, it was clear they would win. The Panthers scored twice in the final six minutes to seize a 31-28 victory.

Here’s the kicker: East Pennsboro could have easily scored a third touchdown during the onslaught but had a pass picked off in the end zone to end a drive.

When it mattered most, the potential Colonial Division champions believed they were the better team and went out and did the hard part — they showed it.

The Panthers can go 6-1 in the Colonial with a win over Waynesboro in Week 10.

Playoff picture analysis

Heading into Week 10, I always look for teams on the playoff bubble and see how much control they have of their own destiny. That’s how I define “fun” when it comes to the District 3 Power Rankings.

Let’s start in Class 2A where Camp Hill sits in the fourth and final spot. There’s really no drama here, as the 4-5 Lions will be No. 4 whether they win or lose. Moving to Class 4A, Big Spring is on the wrong side of the cutoff line at No. 11 and has some serious ground to make up to make the dance. It’s possible, but they are way behind No. 10 Susquehannock.

In Class 5A there’s 12 spots open for the taking and Hershey, Lower Dauphin, Greencastle-Antrim and Gettysburg are currently in the Nos. 9, 10, 12 and 13 spots, respectively. That’s going to be worth following as Week 10 plays out.There’s no real drama in Class 6A, to be honest. Cumberland Valley currently sits in the No. 8 spot and isn’t threatened by anyone below them. I’m just wondering if the Eagles can keep the train rolling and beat Altoona in Week 10 can they move up a spot to No. 7 or even No. 6 and somehow avoid playing either Manheim Township or Harrisburg in the first round — two squads they have already locked horns with and lost.

High School Football: Andy Shay’s Elite 11 Rankings After Week 9

Andy Shay
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High School Football: Andy Shay’s Elite 11 Rankings After Week 9
11. Conestoga Valley7-2NR
Welcome, Buckskins, the first new addition to the Elite 11 in weeks. The upset of previously unbeaten Exeter Township is a big reason why. A one-point loss to Garden Spot isn’t a bad loss, but getting rolled by Manheim Central the previous week was. The response, though, was something worthy of joining the ranks.
10. West Perry9-011
Time for the Mustangs to head to the season finale with No. 9 Steel-High still unbeaten after doubling up Camp Hill 48-24.
9. Steel-High9-010
Taking the best shot Trinity had, the Rollers needed all their weapons firing to hold off the Shamrocks 43-37. This one definitely goes down as a quality win.
8.Wyomissing8-19
No problems at home for the Spartans Saturday afternoon, racing to a 41-0 lead after three quarters in a result that was exactly as expected.
7. Exeter Township8-17
Fair to say the Eagles were upset victims and fell from the ranks of the unbeaten by getting edged out by Conestoga Valley 34-27.
6. Manheim Central8-17
As the weather turns cooler, the Barons are marching toward second-season mode after thrashing Governor Mifflin 48-0. The shutout is noteworthy.
5. Cocalico8-16
Only one team, Manheim Central, has scored more than two touchdowns on the Eagles. And that came in a loss to Cocalico. Thrashed Berks Catholic and rolling along nicely.
4. Central York9-04
Was always going to beat one-win Reading; the 39-0 final score means they took care of business efficiently and did what needed to be done.
3. Harrisburg8-13
For the second time this season the Cougars put up 60, this time hanging nine touchdowns on Chambersburg in a 60-14 Saturday afternoon victory. Eight of those touchdowns came in the first three quarters.
2. Manheim Township9-02
The last time somebody scored on the Blue Streaks, it was September. Wow. Three shutouts in a row, including the 59-0 thrashing of Penn Manor.
1. Bishop McDevitt9-01
Before this contest with Mifflin County was four minutes old, the Crusaders already had 21 points on their way to a comfortable 42-0 victory.

Making the Grade: East Pennsboro 31, Susquehanna Twp. 28

Andy Shay
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Making the Grade: East Pennsboro 31, Susquehanna Twp. 28

East Pennsboro saw its hopes for a Colonial Division title slipping away in the second half Friday night at Susquehanna Township’s Roscoe Warner Field.

The Panthers trailed by 12 points, and their quarterback, Keith Oates III, was sitting on the bench after he suffered an injury on defense in the third quarter. It could not have looked more bleak, really.

Then the Indians started to self-destruct, robbing them of all their intensity and focus via an avalanche of penalties. It was the help East Pennsboro needed to have a faint heartbeat in the game.

Oates returned under center, and at linebacker where he had at least a dozen tackles, and East Pennsboro owned the fourth quarter.

A pair of short touchdowns runs by Oates and JJ Gossard in the final six minutes pushed the inspired Panthers across the finish line for a stunning 31-28 come-from-behind victory over the shell-shocked Indians.

Susquehanna Township has only itself to blame for this loss. In the end, the Indians finished with 17 penalties accepted for a staggering 147 yards. And there were another handful of penalties declined.

Full credit to the Panthers, who, when the door swung open and opportunity presented itself, played their best two-way football of the night.

Time to hand out some grades.

EAST PENNSBORO PANTHERS

Quarterback: After struggling to find any sort of rhythm in the passing game the first half, Oates was on fire down the stretch. He finished 12 of 22 for 206 yards with a pair of touchdowns and a bad-decision interception late that looked more costly to the Panthers than it ended up being. His return from injury to play that well was the spark that ignited the fire. Grade: A-

Running back: Still a junior with one more year left, Gossard is the perfect feature back for this offense. He’s faster in space than you think and hit the hole really hard and with authority. He helped keep the offense moving when the passing game was riding the struggle bus. His 4.3 yards per carry was earned the hard way. Grade: B+

Wide receivers: The ball was going Breckin Swope’s way a lot early, and he was doing OK with five grabs. But Trey Good is the one who changes the game even though he was not targeted much early. But during the frenzy down the stretch he showed up with two big grabs. The speed of the ‘Hanna corners was an issue, but when it counted these two won those critical 1-on-1 battles. Do not underestimate the value of the three catches by tight end Paul Sanderson for 30 yards. Grade: B

Offensive line: Rough start for this group as the speed and strength of the Indians up front was giving it fits. In the middle of the first half the Panthers switched to a more run-based offense to get something going, and slowly this group started to make waves. The blocking on the power traps off tackle was exceptional all game. They protected their QB admirably and overall they had a pretty good, but not great, night. Grade: B

Defensive line: Like their counterparts on offense in the trenches, a slow start defined the d-line. But with each possession you could see this group climbing off the deck and starting to make plays. Senior Ahmar Lumbard made several strong stops at the point of attack, and late in the game when the Indians needed 50 yards to claim victory, this unit came up with a couple big QB stops. Grade: B

Linebackers: As much as he brings to the table as the QB, Oates is a better pure linebacker. He is strong, physical and finds his way to the football. Officially, he finished with eight tackles, but after they review the tape I think that number goes up. He was all over the field. And despite missing the better part of a quarter he was still the leading tackler. Grade: A

Secondary: No real big plays for the Indians in terms of broken coverages or anything along those lines. And they tackled well in space, which is a must against an Indians offense that thrives on green grass. Gossard and Good had a fantastic night at the safety position. Only 204 passing yards allowed is a very respectable number. When it really mattered, they locked this game down defensively. Grade: A

Special teams: I agree on the short kickoffs, although ‘Hanna’s returner managed to cause mayhem when he did get his mitts on the ball. That 10-yard punt early didn’t help, but overall the kicking game was good. Ali Alami might have missed his first PAT, but he more than made up for it by banging home a 37-yard field goal. Grade: B

SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP INDIANS

Quarterback: Only a sophomore, Torin Evans has some serious tools. He gets the ball out really quick, and the offense is clearly designed so he doesn’t have to make many second and third reads. He throws to his first option almost every time. The lefty can spin a ball, though. He made a couple midrange throws that caught your attention. When the game went sideways in the second half for the Indians, he struggled as well. That’s not his fault. Grade: B-

Running back: Dorian Smith is a weapon for this team. What I like most about him is he has speed on the edge, and inside the tackles his vision and twitch are next level. He is not easy to corral in tight spaces. He did his job with 134 yards on 27 carries with a couple touchdowns. Grade: A

Wide receivers: There’s a reason Lex Cyrus is an FBS prospect as a junior. Sure, everyone knows he’s fast. But he’s a better route runner than he probably gets credit for, and what really stands out is he wins more than not on contested catches. He had 13 catches, on 14 targets, for 110 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Jarrett Kern is going to be special, too. He gets open a lot, and that’s not an accident. Grade: B+

Offensive line: They opened some big holes early, and overall they had a pretty good night. Pass blocking was excellent until the last drive. But as the game wore on they were creating less and less space for Smith to operate. The playing field leveled after halftime, and they didn’t find another gear. Grade: B-

Defensive line: Most of the first half they were the Indians’ most dominant group on the field. They were creating all kinds of problems. But they went quiet after halftime and struggled to have any impact down the stretch when the Indians needed something to go their way. They are aggressive, though, and East Pennsboro took advantage of that in the run game when it mattered. Grade: B

Linebackers: This is where the Indians struggled to get any traction overall defensively, outside of a few splash plays here and there. They were gashed on the edges in the run game when the Panthers switched their offensive focus and were late on short coverages down the stretch. Grade: C

Secondary: For most of the game this group was fantastic, up in the face of the Panthers’ receivers and aggressive. When it mattered most, though, they were in off coverage and had backed off the receivers. Not sure why, but they clearly struggled in the less aggressive posture and got beat soundly a couple times. Grade: B

Special teams: Penalties on special teams didn’t cost the Indians any points, but a too-many-men-on-the-field penalty and a false start on extra points early were a sign of what would come later. The short punts and kickoffs gave the Panthers several positive field-position advantages. The return game when Cyrus found the ball was electric. Overall, though, it was a glaring struggle. Grade: C

Pennsylvania high school football: Scores, highlights from Week 9 in Mid-Penn Conference and midstate

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Pennsylvania high school football: Scores, highlights from Week 9 in Mid-Penn Conference and midstate

Two (co-)division champions could be crowned by the end of this week. The rest of the titles in the Mid-Penn Conference likely have to wait until Week 10, making for a fun finale before the postseason.

Here’s how things look right now:

  • Harrisburg (7-1, 5-0 Commonwealth) can clinch at least a share of the Mid-Penn Commonwealth title with a win over Chambersburg on Saturday. The Cougars are heavily favored. State College and Cumberland Valley both trail by a game.
  • Bishop McDevitt (8-0, 5-0 Keystone) faces 4-4 Mifflin County and can claim a share of the division in what is expected to be a blowout victory. Outright titles for McDevitt and Harrisburg likely have to wait until Week 10, but each feels like a foregone conclusion at this point.
  • We almost get a Liberty Division championship game with Juniata (5-3, 4-0) visiting Line Mountain (6-2, 4-0). The winner is a game up on the lose, and likely Upper Dauphin (5-3, 4-1).
  • Same in the Colonial Division, which has suddenly gotten juicy with East Pennsboro’s shocking Week 7 loss. The Panthers (7-1, 4-1) now visit surging, and likely slight favorite, Susquehanna Township (5-3, 4-1) in a game that will almost certainly decide the division.
  • And the best race of them all will have to wait one more week. Steel-High and West Perry, both undefeated, won’t face off until Week 10. As long as the Mustangs don’t stumble over Camp Hill and the Rollers over Trinity this week, we know where all eyes will be a week from now.

So buckle up. The penultimate week of the Pennsylvania high school football season looks like a dandy.

As always, bookmark this page on your phone, laptop or tablet to follow every matchup and see every highlight from the Mid-Penn and some of the teams in the Colonial-Schuylkill League. We’ll update scores throughout the night on this page (refresh the page to see new updates), and you can follow our Twitter feed below for minute-by-minute updates.

PIAA football: Week 9 Mid-Penn analysis, staff picks and previews

Each week 4th Down Magazine will preview the weekend slate, predict the winners and provide extra analysis. Here’s everything to get you ready for Week 9 of the PIAA high school football season:

Mid-Penn Conference football schedule and scores: Week 9

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

Friday, Oct. 20

  • Altoona 28, Carlisle 19 Final
  • Central Dauphin 49, CD East 20 Final
  • Cumberland Valley 17, State College 10 Final
  • Bishop McDevitt 42, Mifflin County 0 Final
  • Cedar Cliff 41, Red Land 7 Final
  • Lower Dauphin 21, Hershey 14 Final (OT)
  • Milton Hershey 41, Palmyra 6 Final
  • East Pennsboro 31, Susquehanna Township 28 Final
  • Northern 63, Gettysburg 42 Final
  • Mechanicsburg 34, Greencastle-Antrim 22 Final
  • Shippensburg 27, Waynesboro 0 Final
  • Boiling Springs 6, Middletown 5 Final
  • West Perry 48, Camp Hill 24 Final
  • Big Spring 42, Upper Dauphin 14 Final
  • Halifax 46, Newport 22 Final
  • Susquenita 48, James Buchanan 6 Final
  • Line Mountain 40, Juniata 30 Final
  • Tri-Valley 16, Marian Catholic 6 Final
  • Notre Dame Green Pond 56, Pine Grove 6 Final
  • Williams Valley 54, Shenandoah Valley 0 Final

Saturday, Oct. 21

  • Chambersburg at Harrisburg, 1 p.m.
  • Trinity at Steel-High, 4 p.m.

Pennsylvania high school football live updates and highlights

Click on this Twitter/X list link to follow updates from area teams and reporters from tonight’s games.

Week 8 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Vertical Raise PA: Bennett Secrest

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Week 8 Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Vertical Raise PA: Bennett Secrest

Cedar Cliff quarterback Bennett Secrest’s arms and legs propelled him to Week 8 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week honors.

The Colts junior did a little bit of everything in a 55-18 blowout of Keystone Division rival Palmyra. Through the air, he completed 10 of 15 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. And on the ground he shredded the Cougars for 144 stripes and three TDs on just 14 carries.

Some 3,249 Colts fans lifted Secrest to POTW status, besting Cumberland Valley senior running back Bryce Staretz (2,837 votes). There were 6,713 total votes cast this week.

Secrest and the Colts (7-1, 4-1) host backyard arch rival Red Land (2-6) on Friday at 7 p.m.

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