CLASS 6A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) — 0-1 – 1 

2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) — 1-0 – 2 

3. North Allegheny (7) — 1-0 – 4 

4. Parkland (11) — 1-0 – 5 

5. Harrisburg (3) – 1-0 – 6 

6. Central Bucks West (1) — 1-0 – 8 

7. State College (6) – 1-0 – 7 

8. Nazareth (11) – 1-0 – 8 

9. Coatesville (1) – 1-0 – 10 

10. Garnet Valley (1) – 0-1 — 3 

Teams to watch: Bethlehem Freedom (11) 1-0, Central York (3) 1-0, Emmaus (11) 1-0, La Salle College HS (12) 1-0, Manheim Township (3) 1-0. 

CLASS 5A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Imhotep Charter (12) — 1-0 – 1 

2. Pine-Richland (7) – 0-1 – 2 

3. West Chester Rustin (1) – 0-0 – 5 

4. Roman Catholic (12) – 1-0 – 10 

5. Penn Hills (7) – 1-0 – 8 

6. Cathedral Prep (10) – 0-1 – 4 

7. Strath Haven (1) – 1-0 – 9 

8. Whitehall (11) – 1-0 – NR 

9. Upper Dublin (1) – 1-0 – NR 

10. Gateway (7) – 0-1 – 3 

Teams to watch: Bethel Park (7) 1-0, Cocalico (3) 0-1, Exeter Township (3) 1-0, Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1) 1-0, Warwick (3) 1-0. 

CLASS 4A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Bishop McDevitt (3) – 1-0 – 1 

2. Aliquippa (7) – 0-0 – 2 

3. Thomas Jefferson (7) – 1-0 – 3 

4. Manheim Central (3) – 1-0 – 4 

5. Pope John Paul II (1) – 1-0 – 5 

6. Allentown C.C. (11) – 1-0 – 6 

7. McKeesport (7) – 1-0 – 7 

8. Bonner-Prendergast (12) – 1-0 – 8 

9. Jersey Shore (4) – 1-0 – 9 

10. Selinsgrove (4) – 1-0 – 10 

Teams to watch: Armstrong (7) 1-0, Central Valley (7) 1-0, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 1-0, Meadville (10) 1-0, Twin Valley (3) 1-0 

CLASS 3A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Belle Vernon (7) – 0-0 – 1 

2. Wyomissing (3) – 1-0 – 2 

3. Loyalsock (4) – 1-0 – 4 

4. North Schuylkill (11) – 1-0 – 5 

5. Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) – 1-0 – 7 

6. Avonworth (7) – 1-0 – 10 

7. Neumann-Goretti (12) – 0-1 – 3 

8. Scranton Prep (2) – 1-0 – 8 

9. West Perry (3) – 1-0 – 9 

10. Danville (4) – 1-0 – NR 

Teams to watch: Berks Catholic (3) 1-0, Central (6) 1-0, Elizabeth-Forward (7) 1-0, Grove City (10) 0-1, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 1-0 

CLASS 2A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Southern Columbia (4) – 1-0 – 1 

2. Farrell (10) – 1-0 – 2 

3. Dunmore (2) – 1-0 – 3 

4. Beaver Falls (7) – 1-0 – 4 

5. Trinity (3) – 1-0 – 5 

6. Westinghouse (8) – 1-0 – 6 

7. Steel Valley (7) – 0-0 – 7 

8. Richland (6) – 1-0 – 8 

9. Central Clarion (9) – 1-0 – 9 

10. Executive Education (11) – 1-0 – 10 

Teams to watch: Bald Eagle Area (6) 1-0, Imani Christian (7) 0-1, Mount Carmel (4) 0-1, Riverside (2) 1-0, Troy (4) 1-0, Williams Valley (11) 1-0.

CLASS 1A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Steelton-Highspire (3) — 1-0 – 1 

2. Bishop Canevin (7) — 0-0 – 2 

3. Canton (4) — 1-0 – 3 

4. Northern Bedford (5) — 1-0 – 4 

5. Union Area (7) – 1-0 – 5 

6. Lackawanna Trail (2) – 1-0 – 6 

7. Muncy (4) – 1-0 – 8 

8. Brockway (9) – 1-0 – 9 

9. Port Allegany (9) – 1-0 – NR 

10. Minersville (11) – 1-0 – NR

Teams to watch: Clairton (7) 0-1, Greensburg C.C. (7) 1-0, Northern Lehigh (11) 0-1, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (7) 1-0, Windber (5) 1-0.

11.	Steel-High	1-0	11
Acceptable first result against a team that was built to go up and down the field with the Rollers. We know Steel-High has weapons on offense, but putting up 42 points against Imani Christian is well above average.
10.	Cocalico	0-1	6
Does falling to Warwick in a tight three-point game warrant the Eagles falling out of the Elite 11? It’s called a quality loss for a reason, and this one fits the bill. Still think this squad has reason for plenty of optimism.
9.	Warwick	1-0	NR
Waged a defensive battle with Cocalico in a game where neither offense managed to eclipse 200 total yards. They were on the fence to start the season, but this result leaves no doubt they must be included.
8.	Exeter Township	1-0	9
A very good sign for the Eagles when all the top performers on offense are part of the new crew of underclassmen who will be shouldering the load for this squad. Defense, as expected, will be a force.
7.	Wyomissing	1-0	8
Stop me if this sounds familiar: the Spartans scored more than 50 points and their opposition struggled to make first downs. Plenty of key turnover, but the results look eerily familiar already.
6.	Central York	1-0	7
CY was pushed in every way you want when putting Central Dauphin on the schedule and answered the bell. It helps when your FBS commit at RB goes for 250-plus rushing and a half dozen touchdowns. Defense has some ground to make up, though.
5.	Manheim Central	1-0	5
No problem for the Barons with West Chester East. The 56-0 whitewash means the offense, as expected, is going to present plenty of problems. Holding the Vikings to fewer than 100 total yards is attention-worthy in my book.
4.	Manheim Township	1-0	4
Completely dominated Cumberland Valley in every phase from start to finish. Blue Streaks were in complete control sparked by QB Hayden Johnson completing 72% of his passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns. A complete effort.
3.	State College	1-0	3
The final score against Williamsport, a 49-20 victory for the Little Lions, is a wee bit misleading overall. State College led this one 28-0 after one quarter and most likely eased off the gas a bit after 12 blazing minutes. More passing yards than rushing stripes, which is a pleasant surprise.
2.	Harrisburg	1-0	2
Led by RB Nehemiah Ewell’s 207 rushing yards on only 10 carries with a couple touchdowns, the Cougars had very few problems dispatching York High by 30.
1.	Bishop McDevitt	1-0	NR
Took more than three quarters for the Crusaders to shake off the rust against a pesky Mount St. Joseph squad from Baltimore. This was a test on many fronts, but in crunch time McD’s big-time playmakers showed up and made sure the result was the right one.

Alex Achenbach, RB, Williams Valley: The Vikings are never hesitant to lean on their big dogs and boy did they ever Friday night against Upper Dauphin when Achenbach toted the rock a whopping 40 times for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 28-0 shutout against Upper Dauphin.

Noah Porter, RB, Tri-Valley: Porter did it all for Tri-Valley Friday night against Minersville in a 38-34 loss. The 210-pound junior rushed for 154 stripes on 28 carries and hauled in four receptions for another 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Aiden Hess, QB, Catasauqua:  In a 48-22 victory Friday night against Northern Lehigh, Hess completed a tidy 64.7 percent of his passes—11-of 17— for 208 yards and five touchdowns. That’s a QB rating of 146.6 if you’re keeping track at home. Oh, and Hess added four carries for another 44 yards and a touchdown on the night. Not too shabby.

Luke Stevenosky, Minersville: In a tight battle against Tri-Valley Friday night, the Battlin’ Miners senior back delivered. Stevenosky ended the evening with 25 carries for 131 yards and  three touchdowns in a 38-34 victory.

Alex Moser, Pen Argyl: When Green Knights QB Brad Rissmiller needed a big play, he knew just who to turn to Friday night against Wilson Area.  Enter Alex Moser. The 6-1, 160-pound senior hauled in just three passes on the evening, but he sure made the most of his opportunities in a 49-20 victory. Moser broke loose for a 90-yard touchdown—one of two TDs on an evening that tallied 148 total receiving yards.

Passing:

Aiden Hess, Catasauqua: 11-17, 208 yards, 5 TDs

Blake Schwartz, Tri-Valley: 11-20, 180 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT

Brad Rissmiller, Pen Aryl: 6-6, 179 yards, 2 TDs

Tyler Miller, Blue Mountain: 7-11, 178 yards, 2 TDs

Dante Carr, Minersville: 6-15, 165 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Greg Campbell, Bangor: 9-12, 133 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT

Bruce Hopeck, Marian Catholic: 5-11, 114 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Rushing:

Alex Achenbach, Williams Valley: 40-230, 2 TDs

Noah Porter, Tri-Valley: 28-154

Jayden Fermin, Marian Catholic: 15-142, 1 TD

Luke Stevenosky, Minersville: 25-131, 3 TDs

Grady Newhard, Northern Lehigh: 21-128, 1 TD

Payton Fasnacht, Blue Mountain: 16-95, 1 TD

Niko Carestia, Schuylkill Haven: 16-91

Hunter Reitz, Catasauqua: 11-84

Jason St. Leger, Salisbury Township: 8-78, 1 TD

Receiving:

Alex Moser, Pen Argyl: 3-148, 2 TDs

Ian Juica, Catasaqua: 7-146, 4 TDs

Lorenzo Yourey, Minersville: 3-87, 1 TD

Will Jacobson, Blue Mountain: 2-80, 1 TD

Noah Porter, Tri-Valley: 4-79, 2 TDs

Layne Yoder, Tri-Valley: 5-61, 1 TD

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

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.

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High School Football: Andy Shay’s Sunday Morning QB looks back on Week 1 in the Mid-Penn Conference

Messiah Mickens, so., RB, Trinity: The recent Penn State verbal commit kicked off his second varsity season with a bang, rushing for 185 yards and adding 66 receiving in the Shamrocks’ 49-12 rout of Delone Catholic. Mickens scored twice on the ground and once more through the air.

Ronald Burnette, sr., RB, Steel-High: Burnette scored a couple late touchdowns and finished with 23 carries for 157 yards in a 42-27 win over Imani Christian. Burnette rushed to pay dirt from 50 and 24 yards out in the second half to ice the victory.

Angel Cabrera, sr., RB, Hershey: Cabrera ripped off three touchdowns, finishing 19 for 167 on the ground and three touchdowns. His every yard and score was pivotal in the Trojans’ 36-35 win over Gettysburg.

Nehemiah Ewell, yr., RB, Harrisburg: Ewell became one of the first 200-yard rushers of the season in the Cougars’ 50-20 win over York High on Saturday. Ewell got there with a pair of long TD runs in the fourth quarter, covering 49 and 84 yards, to finish with 10 carries for 207 stripes (and a 5-yard reception).

Connor Green, sr., RB/DB, Big Spring: Green displayed strong two-way play, rushing for 140 yards and two TDs on 17 carries while chipping in nine tackles on defense. But the Bulldogs lost 17-14 to Greencastle-Antrim. 

Brady Heiser, jr., QB, Gettysburg: Heiser kicked off a potential breakout junior season with nearly 300 combined yards in a 36-35 loss to Hershey. He finished 16 of 25 for 178 yards and two TDs, plus he added nine carries for 121 stripes and a rushing score. 

Justin Kaplan, jr., RB, Palmyra: Kaplan nearly became one of the first 200-yard rushers of the young season when he shredded Lebanon for 192 stripes and a pair of scores on 11 carries. The Cougars won 51-7. 

Keith Oates III, sr., QB, East Pennsboro: The Panthers cruised to a 37-6 win over York Suburban thanks in part to Oates’ multiple talents. He went 12 of 22 for 222 yards and two touchdowns (44 and 24 yards) and rushed for another short score. On defense he added a sack.

Micah Reeves, sr., DL, Camp Hill: Our first defensive star of this season’s polls. Reeves finished with three sacks in a 21-0 win over Newport and jumped to the top of the Mid-Penn Conference lead in that category with that effort. Those were his only three tackles of the night.

Eli Reider, jr., QB, Mechanicsburg: Reider completed 25 passes for 301 yards and a pair of scores in the Wildcats’ 35-28 loss to Carlisle. The first TD went for 22 yards to give Mechanicsburg the first points of the season, while adding a short TD pass in the second half.

Erik Schriver, sr., RB, Cedar Cliff: Schriver plowed in for three TDs of 5, 7 and 4 yards and finished with 136 stripes on 21 totes to lead the Colts to a 29-13 win over Shippensburg to start the season.

Rico Scott, sr., WR, Bishop McDevitt: The future Power Five talent opened his season with a nine-reception, 124-yard, two-TD performance as the Crusaders edged out a 20-14 win over Mount St. Joseph (Maryland).

Finding that signature result that was a standout above all the others to open the 2023 season just didn’t materialize. There were plenty of results that required further review to clarify the outcome, but that one jaw-dropping result just wasn’t in the cards this year.

That does not, however, mean there wasn’t plenty going on that warrants a little Week 1 Sunday Morning Quarterback analysis.

I’m going to start with Central Dauphin. The Rams are coming off a three-win season and looking to find their way back into the relevancy conversation. With Key’Ron Plummer back under center after missing the final seven games in 2022, the Rams will have more than offensive punch and horsepower. That defense might be a cause for concern, though.

I get it was an FBS recruit, Central York running back Juelz Goff, that obliterated the CD defense at The Speedway. The Pitt recruit was too solid inside the tackles and too fast in the open field. He finished with six touchdowns and 279 rushing yards on 27 carries in 45-35 Central York victory. The path to better results for CD starts and ends on the defensive side of the ball — that was pretty clear.

Bishop McDevitt looked lethargic, sloppy and slightly underprepared for Mount St. Joseph (Maryland). The Crusaders still have better dudes than most, and when it mattered, in the fourth quarter, Alabama recruit Rico Scott took over the game with a pair of touchdown receptions inside the final 10 minutes to secure a come-from-behind victory.

The offense won’t sputter at this level over the course of the next nine weeks. That much we know. Remember, the War Eagle D for the Crusaders is a game-wrecker, and in this one they were the real difference maker on a night when the state title banner was unveiled at The Roc. The Gaels managed only one touchdown offensively and finished with 21 rushing attempts for a net 1 yard.

For the third straight game in 12 months, state-ranked Trinity took Delone Catholic out behind the woodshed. This time it was the combination of QB Caleb Wray and star RB Messiah Mickens who lit up the Squires in a game the T-Rocks won by 37 points.

Mickens, a sophomore who is already committed to Penn State, rolled up 251 total yards and a pair of touchdowns while Wray threw for 208 yards and a trio of touchdowns.

Head coach Jordan Hill has the right mix of elite talent and experience this season, and expectations are rightly high for the gents from Shiremanstown.

Hershey gets a shout out for grabbing a one-point victory over a rebuilding Gettysburg squad that still has an elite quarterback. Big win for the Trojans. Any field goal to win inside the final 200 seconds of a game is big. Cole Goodman’s 32 yarder deep into the final quarter was the difference on the scoreboard.

Carlisle outlasted Mechanicsburg by a touchdown to give new Herd head coach Brandon Cook victory No. 1. Marquise Miller’s three touchdowns were a difference maker for Carlisle. Miller will have to do that on a consistent basis for the Herd to compete in the Commonwealth Division. Despite the loss, Wildcats newjack quarterback Eli Reider threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns. A very good sign for the Wildcats moving forward.

With expectations sky high in Elliottsburg, all West Perry did breaking in a couple new backs behind veteran quarterback Marcus Quaker was score 45 points and cruise to a three-score victory over Susquenita. The Blackhawks were competitive throughout and will be a player in the chase for the Liberty Division title if they continue to put points on the board.

All the following results turned out pretty much as expected. And for the winners there is absolutely nothing wrong with a “solid victory” to open the season. Camp Hill blanking Newport and winning by 21 points; Cedar Cliff having more push in the trenches to hold Shippensburg at arms length and win by 16; East Pennsboro taking out York Suburban by the mercy rule; Lower Dauphin clobbering Middletown by 45 is not unexpected at all; and State College having little trouble with Williamsport to win by four touchdowns.

The Pennsylvania high school football season kicks off tonight, and there’s so much to look forward to in 2023 — especially in the Mid-Penn Conference.

The league features multiple returning PIAA champions, semifinalists and surprises from a season ago, and many of those teams look poised to be right there at the finish come December. It’s got the makings of one of the most entertaining seasons in recent memory, and there have been some dandies of late.

This year, 4th Down Magazine is launching a live blog every Friday to give you a one-stop shop to track every score in the midstate, from Mid-Penn squads to former Tri-Valley League teams now in the Colonial-Schuylkill League. Be sure to check back in constantly for the latest updates, highlights and scores throughout the night. And if you’ve missed any of the previews leading up to opening kickoff for your favorite team, we’ve got you covered.

Happy football season, let’s have a good one.

PIAA football: Week 1 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 1 of the PIAA high school football season:

• Who’s gonna win? The 4th Down crew picks Week 1’s matchups
• Elite 11: See Andy Shay’s preseason District 3 power rankings
• Mid-Penn Commonwealth breakdown: Top players, predicted standings and more
• Mid-Penn Keystone breakdown: Top players, predicted standings and more
• Mid-Penn Colonial breakdown: Top players, predicted standings and more
• Mid-Penn Capital breakdown: Top players, predicted standings and more
• Mid-Penn Liberty breakdown: Top players, predicted standings and more

Mid-Penn Conference football schedule and scores: Week 1 results

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

Friday’s games

• York Tech 14, James Buchanan 7 (Final)
• Hollidaysburg 21, Altoona 13 (Final)
• Carlisle 35, Mechanicsburg 28(Final)
• Central York 45, Central Dauphin 35 (Final)
• CD East 55, Reading 6 (Final)
• Pope John Paul II 22, Chambersburg 0 (Final)
• Manheim Township 35, Cumberland Valley 6 (Final)
• State College 49, Williamsport 20 (Final)
• Bishop McDevitt 20, Mount Saint Joseph 14 (Final)
• Lower Dauphin 45, Middletown 0 (Final)
• Cedar Cliff 29, Shippensburg 13 (Final)
• Northern 13, Red Land 7 (Final)
• Hershey 36, Gettysburg 35 (Final)
• Milton Hershey 35, Susquehanna Township 34 (Final)
• Palmyra 50, Lebanon 7 (Final)
• Mifflin County 41, Central Mountain 6 (Final)
• Greencastle-Antrim 17, Big Spring 14 (Final)
• Littlestown 23, Boiling Springs 8 (Final)
• Camp Hill 21, Newport 0 (Final)
• Trinity 49, Delone Catholic 12 (Final)
• West Perry 45, Susquenita 22 (Final)
• Waynesboro 21, Spring Grove 3 (Final)
• Hamburg 49, Halifax 19 (Final)
• Line Mountain 54, Athens 12 (Final)
• Williams Valley 28, Upper Dauphin 0 (Final)
• Pine Grove 20, Northern Lebanon 14 (Final)
• Minersville 38, Tri-Valley 34 (Final)
• East Pennsboro 37, York Suburban 6 (Final)

Saturday’s games

• Steel-High 42, Imani Christian Academy 27 (Final)
• Troy 56, Juniata 21 (Final)
• Harrisburg 50, York 20

Pennsylvania high school football live updates and highlights

Top to bottom, the Mid-Penn Conference is stacked with talent that will find its way to football fields across the country on Saturdays. 

There are obvious talents like Bishop McDevitt QB Stone Saunders, who recently verbally committed to Kentucky. But the glam positions aren’t the only ones with next-level talent. 

With the 2023 PIAA high school football season days away from kicking off, here are 21 players from every division of the Mid-Penn who have caught recruiters’ eyes and are worth watching on Friday nights. Not every top recruit is included to provide a mix from Commonwealth studs to Liberty standouts, and more players are sure to establish themselves as bona fide stars this fall. Who else do you think should be mentioned?

(Names are listed alphabetically.)

Jarome Benjamin, OL/DL, Gettysburg

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds an offer from Albright

Scouting report: Between Benjamin and a teammate we’ll see shortly on this list, the Warriors have a pair of big space-eaters with multiple college offers. Benjamin can line up at tackle and guard on the o-line and routinely stands up defensive lineman. 

Kevin Brown, Harrisburg

Year: Sophomore

Recruiting status: 4-star recruit holds offers from Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia and several other Division I programs

Scouting report: Keep an eye on the years and positions of the top Commonwealth prospects, because you’ll sense a theme. Brown checked in last week as one of three Pennsylvania products in the Class of 2026 to make 247Sports’ initial Top 100. His game film proves why. Brown, who played right tackle last year, moves well laterally and gets to the second level to open up big holes in the run game or on screens better than most linemen his age and size. The Cougars seem to have a lot of fun using him as a blocking weapon.

Aubrey Carter, DL, Susquehanna Township

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds offers from Lehigh, Navy, Miami (Ohio), Central Michigan and other Division I programs

Scouting report: Group of Five and FCS schools have been all over the game-wrecking lineman, who shows a penchant in his highlights for penetrating the gaps not because of his power but because of an impressively quick first step that routinely beats guards to the point of attack. Carter’s speed is also on display chasing down terrified quarterbacks or swallowing up running backs before they can bounce a run outside. 

Lex Cyrus, WR, Susquehanna Township

Year: Junior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds offers from Penn State, Wisconsin, Pitt, Texas A&M and other Division I programs

Scouting report: ‘Hanna looks like the runaway favorite for the Mid-Penn Colonial title, and Cyrus will be a big reason why. Few in the state have his level of speed — he set the District 3 100-meter record in the spring. Everything portends his first 1,000-yard season and a breakout campaign for a skilled pass catcher who already has the attention of multiple Power Five programs. More could be on the way.

Jaceb Dickerson, DL, Gettysburg

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds offers from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago

Scouting report: Mostly rushing off the edge, Dickerson is more than just a lineman who can plug up space for his linebackers to get all the glory. He had 66 tackles (13 TFLs) and 3 ½ sacks last season in just eight games and has good burst to blow up plays.

Alex Erby, QB, Steel-High

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: 3-star recruit holds offers from Pitt, Nebraska, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota and other Division I programs

Scouting report: Erby has a chance to lead the Rollers to their third PIAA Class 1A championship in four years, and a good one at that. The Power Five recruit, who should make his decision sometime this season or shortly after, is on pace to become the greatest Steel-High QB in history and one of the best the Mid-Penn has seen. He threw for 3,389 yards and 40 touchdowns last season en route to his second state title.

Andrew Erby Jr., OL/DL, Steel-High

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: 3-star recruit holds offers from Penn State, Nebraska, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio and other Division I programs

Scouting report: Alex’s brother, Erby Jr. is a destructive force in his own right in the trenches. On offense, he can line up along the line and even as a hulking fullback to open up cavernous running lanes and provide time for his brother to survey the field. On defense, he recorded an eye-popping 11 sacks in his junior season and has caught the eye of several marquee college programs, including Penn State. 

Michael Gaul, LB, State College

Year: Junior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds Division I offers from Virginia Tech, Akron, Connecticut and Toledo

Scouting report: Gaul plays wide receiver on offense and uses that speed to his advantage on defense, where he can combine it with power to lay some devastating hits. But his film shows an athlete who doesn’t just fly into the backfield; he’s patient at the line of scrimmage and waits for the right moment to plug a hole and swallow up running backs. No wonder he had more than 120 tackles last year and is catching on with college scouts. 

Derek Gibney, QB/P, Susquenita

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit has received interest from Juniata, Colgate and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Scouting report: Gibney has a chance to lead the Blackhawks, predicted by 4th Down Magazine to finish third in the Liberty Division this year, to a run at the division crown if he can follow up on an impressive junior season that saw him throw for 1,655 yards and 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions (he added 315 yards and six TDs rushing). Such a performance should surely solidify college interest in the veteran and land him a home playing on Saturdays.

Zachary Mell, DL, Big Spring

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds offers from Misericordia and Juniata

Scouting report: The Bulldogs sure do like to produce top-notch defenders, and Mell looks like the next one likely to find himself on a football field on Saturdays. He picked up his first two offers in recent months, and if he can follow up a junior season that saw him register 2 ½ sacks and 56 tackles (9 ½ for loss), more should be on the way.

Tyler Merrill, OT, Cumberland Valley

Year: Sophomore

Recruiting status: 4-star recruit holds Power Five offers from Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and several others

Scouting report: The Commonwealth has quite a few linemen set to play at the next level, including a couple Power Five recruits. Merrill can make the case as the best of them all, or soon could. The 2026 recruit has multiple Big Ten (Big Eighteen?) offers already and is poised to be the anchor of an Eagles team that looks like it might rely on the run a bit more this season. He played on both sides of CV’s line as a freshman and projects at tackle at the next level, with an impressive burst into the second level and immense power at such a young age.

Messiah Mickens, RB, Trinity

Year: Sophomore

Recruiting status: 4-star recruit verbally committed Sunday to Penn State over offers from Texas A&M, Ohio State, Alabama and other Power Five programs

Scouting report: When 247Sports released its initial Class of 2026 rankings, Mickens debuted as the 30th overall prospect in the nation and the best in PA. The offers (see above) tells half the story, while the tape tells the rest. After landing an offer from the Aggies before his first varsity play from scrimmage, Mickens put together an impressive rookie season of 961 rushing yards, 200 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. He’s nearly impossible for defenses to contain, is slippery even at full speed and displays tackle-breaking power even when swarmed in the backfield.

Marcus Quaker, QB, West Perry

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds an offer from Penn

Scouting report: It seems like the Mid-Penn has been talking about Quaker for a decade, that’s how long he’s been dominating up in Perry County. With an Ivy League offer in his back pocket, Quaker can cap off one of the best four-year stretches in Mustangs history. Last season he led West Perry to arguably its best season ever, going 11-2 and making the District 3 Class 3A final. He threw for 2,021 yards, ran for another 1,240 and accounted for an overwhelming 45 touchdowns.

Jaire Rawlison, DB, Bishop McDevitt

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit has verbally committed to Kent State

Scouting report: There are going to be a lot of Crusaders on this list, but it’s hard to discount the overwhelming talent they have on both sides of the ball. Rawlison and a teammate coming up very soon make up half of a defensive backfield with multiple Division I offers that terrorized offenses last year. He returned two interceptions for scores last season and recorded two tackles. Rawlison holds nearly a dozen offers beyond his verbal to Kent State.

Chase Regan, DB, Bishop McDevitt

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit has verbally committed to James Madison

Scouting report: Meet the other half of McDevitt’s dynamic defensive backfield. Regan, a JMU commit with more than a dozen other FCS offers, recorded 55 tackles (10 for loss) from his safety spot and also caught a pair of interceptions for the defending state champs last season. He’s able to plant his foot decisively and close in on short passes and running backs and wraps up well in the open field. He also can score as a punt returner and break containment on the edge with his speed.

Anthony Robsock, OT, Central Dauphin

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: 3-star recruit verbally committed to Maryland

Scouting report: Let’s add some Commonwealth veteran savvy to this list with Robsock, who holds several FCS and FBS offers and has chosen to head south of the state border to join the Terrapins. The Rams look like a team primed for a big bounceback in 2023, and Robsock can anchor a lot of that effort on the offensive end especially, along with another D-I teammate in James Madison pledge Evan Bushong.

Stone Saunders, QB, Bishop McDevitt

Year: Junior

Recruiting status: 3-star recruit has verbally committed to Kentucky

Scouting report: Saunders will join Kentucky in two years and play for a Liam Coen-led offense that has a penchant for bringing the best out of QBs. In the meantime, he’s got a chance to put up some truly crooked career numbers. He already has 6,620 yards and 100 TDs and was named the PA Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022. He’s got seemingly unlimited weapons around him, sure, to make life easy for him, but it takes a special talent to make McDevitt’s offense hum the way he does.

Rico Scott, WR, Bishop McDevitt

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: 4-star recruit has verbally committed to Alabama

Scouting report: The third-ranked prospect in the state heading to Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide over more than a dozen Power Five offers, Scott is one of the most exciting players to watch on Friday night’s right now. He caught 66 passes for 1,184 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and led the Crusaders to the PIAA Class 4A championship. Scott has breakaway speed before and after catching the ball and displays soft hands, and he’s really good at getting open off-script when the play breaks down.

D’Antae Sheffey, RB, State College

Year: Sophomore

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds Power Five offers from Pitt, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech and other Division I programs

Scouting report: The Commonwealth has a few future Division I players (what else is new?), but none bring more juice on Friday nights than Sheffey, who exploded onto the scene last year as a freshman. He’s an easy all-state candidate again this year after putting together the Little Lions’ fourth-best rushing total in a season ever (1,725 yards), while adding 24 total touchdowns. Those are some incredible numbers for a division that makes it very hard for running backs.

Nick Slogik, Edge, Bishop McDevitt

Year: Senior

Recruiting status: 3-star recruit has verbally committed to Eastern Carolina

Scouting report: Mid-Penn baseball fans will recognize this name. Slogik originally committed to the Pittsburgh Panthers’ baseball team but has since flipped to ECU football, over several other D-I offers, including Maryland and Syracuse. Playing mostly as a three-down defensive end for the Crusaders, he sheds blocks easily and is disruptive in run defense or pass rushing.

Amil Way, DB, Trinity

Year: Junior

Recruiting status: Unranked recruit holds offers from Central Michigan and West Virginia

Scouting report: Way’s best trait on film appears to be his ability to fight off receivers with his size to get to the ball or to shed a block to make a tackle on a ball carrier flying around the edge. He can play in single coverage and win more often than not, finishing last season with 52 tackles and eight interceptions. Trinity stunned almost everyone to finish with a 10-5 season and make the PIAA Class 2A semifinals, thanks in part to Way’s shutdown defense, and could be in line for another big season in the Capital Division.