Name; Week 6; Overall: 

Andy Sandrik: 14-5; 98-28

Andy Shay: 13-6; 95-31

Adam Kulikowski: 13-6; 91-35 

Friday, Sept. 27

Non-League

Newport 20, Milton Hershey 18

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 42, Newport 0: Both the Spartans wins have come against squads with sub-.500 records right now. Make is 3-0 and returns Milton Hershey to three up and three down after six games.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 45, Newport 6: That first win was so close, yet so far away for Newport last week. The Buffs won’t have that same opportunity this week against a heavily-favored Spartans team.

Adam Kulikowski:Milton Hershey 49, Newport 6: Spartans rebound from a narrow loss to Trinity last week against a undermanned Newport squad. 

Commonwealth

Bishop McDevitt 28, Altoona 21

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 49, Altoona 7: Should be what promises to be the first of many state passing records kind of night for QB Stone Saunders and an easy Crusaders victory.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 56, Altoona 7: Ever since the Crusaders’ loss to Harrisburg in Week 2, they’ve made a point of annihilating every Commonwealth team that lines up in front of them.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 55, Altoona 13: Did anyone seriously think McDevitt would not be a force in the Commonwealth? 

Chambersburg 38, Cedar Cliff 13

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 35, Chambersburg 20: Colts are on a three-game Commonwealth slide. That’s about to end. Cedar Cliff three straight setbacks are against clubs who have a combined two losses. And the Colts have been right in two of those games down the stretch.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 38, Chambersburg 17: Despite the losses, Cedar Cliff will be the first team to say that it deserves to be in the Commonwealth Division. The Colts have a big opportunity to nail this point home against an offensively-challenged Chambersburg side.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 37, Chambersburg 14: Not letting recency bias warp the fact that the Colts are one of the best clubs in the Mid-Penn.

State College 24, Central Dauphin 7

Andy Shay: State College 20, Central Dauphin 7: Little Lions have a legit next level defense and the Rams are offensively challenged to push the envelope. Huge advantage for SC as they move to 5-1 overall.

Andy Sandrik: State College 24, Central Dauphin 7: Even in a down year this CD team has been a tough out. I respect the improvement the Rams have shown and think they’ll test the Little Lions for at least a half.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 33, Central Dauphin 14: The Rams will need to open up their typically conservative offense to hang in this one for four quarters. 

Cumberland Valley at Central Dauphin East 34, Cumberland Valley 28

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin East 29, Cumberland Valley 10: My concern here is the Eagles offense has scored more than two touchdowns in a game exactly once this season. Undefeated Panthers have found a way to keep the scoreboard ticking over on the points scored side of the ledger with regularity.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin East 20, Cumberland Valley 13: The defense of Cumberland Valley has been sensational on the road, and I think the Eagles will make it tough for for the favored Panthers to put points on the board. That said, where is CV going to find the points to outscore East?

Adam Kulikowski:Central Dauphin East 31, Cumberland Valley 21: A new quarterback under center last week provided a spark for the Eagles. Panthers provide a bigger test. 

Keystone

Hershey 41, Gettysburg 35

Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Gettysburg 7: Anybody get to 4-1 more quietly than the Trojans? Asking for a friend. NOBODY has scored 14 points on Hershey this season and Warriors are lacking depth in terms of weapons at the skill position.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 32, Gettysburg 13: There’s still a couple seats left on the Hershey bandwagon, but those will fill up fast if the Trojans put up a convincing win over a capable Gettysburg squad.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 33, Gettysburg 21: Warriors have the capability to light up the scoreboard, but the Trojans defense has been a key cog in their 4-1 start to the season. 

Shippensburg 24, Lower Dauphin 23 (OT)

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 34, Lower Dauphin 7: Points have dried up for the Falcons offense and the Greyhounds offense has been rock solid (and building) all season. Who had this score if the game is played Week 1?

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Lower Dauphin 14: It’s tough to stop a team that’s rolling, when you’re reeling.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 27, Lower Dauphin 20: It’s quickly becoming a two-horse race for the Keystone division between the Greyhounds and Mechanicsburg. 

Mechanicsburg 35, Red Land 7

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 49, Red Land 7: Victories by the Wildcats this season have been by 28, 21, 34, 29 and 28 points. Mechanicsburg attacks from the opening whistle and only slows down when the outcome has been decided. Defense has been a hidden gem this season. That trend continues here.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 52, Red Land 3: The Wildcats have been demolishing opponents in such a way that picking them to win in any manner other than blowout would be disrespectful.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 41, Red Land 6: Wildcats take care of business with ease. 

Mifflin County 20, Palmyra 0

Andy Shay: Palmyra 27, Mifflin County 25: Couple of one-win teams who have similar issues they are working on and through. Cougars are at home so give me Palmyra in a coin flip game.

Andy Sandrik: Palmyra 28, Mifflin County 24: If you venture out to Buck Swank Stadium, I think you’ll see two feisty teams who both like their chances of getting that second victory.

Adam Kulikowski: Palmyra  21, Mifflin County 14: The Huskies offense has been stuck in first gear just about all season, scoring more than 13 points just once in the first half of the season. 

Northern York 30, Waynesboro 27

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 29, Northern York 14: Very few scenarios out there the Indians haven’t faced this season and they’ve managed to navigate their way to a 4-1 mark. That will come into play against the Polar Bears.

Andy Sandrik: Northern York 21, Waynesboro 14: This might be an out-of-pocket pick, but I get the sense that Northern has turned corner after its cold start to the season. Just a hunch, though, Waynesboro has been better than advertised.

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 31, Northern York 20: The Polar Bears can be a dangerous out if they get moving downhill against you. Indian will have a say in that happening though. 

Capital

Steelton-Highspire 43, Line Mountain 40

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 32, Steel-High 20: Just not sure the Rollers have enough offense in the tank these days to keep pace with a LM squad that knows exactly who it is and has a wealth of experience to boot.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 28, Steel-High 20: The Eagles are more of a proven commodity at this point in the season, but I don’t think the “rebuilding” Rollers are all that far behind. 

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 34, Steel-High 21: The Eagles are in the midst of their most challenging stretch of games with Upper Dauphin in the rearview and Steel-High and a resurgent Middletown on deck.

Camp Hill 7, Halifax 0

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 48, Halifax 0: That was an old-school dose of humble pie the Lions were fed last week by Juniata. This is a good “bounce back” opponent on the heels of getting run over.

Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 35, Halifax 7: Camp Hill is rostered in such a way that the Lions can just as easily win or lose most of the games on their schedule. This is not one of those games.

Adam Kulikowski: Camp Hill 43, Halifax 7: Lions key playmakers find the sledding less challenging a week after being held to just seven points against Juniata.

Upper Dauphin 35, James Buchanan 24

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 34, James Buchanan 14: All I know is UDA is not your typical one-win team. Rockets are 4-1 and have earned those four victories. Trojans will ask some different questions, though.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 37, James Buchanan 13: The Rockets have been perhaps the biggest surprise in all of the Mid-Penn Conference, but I would be shocked if they can stay competitive against an Upper Dauphin team that is worlds better than its record indicates.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 41, James Buchanan 14: Rockets are the feel-good story of the Mid-Penn Conference this year. That doesn’t change with this outcome.

Juniata 49, Susquenita 7

Andy Shay: Juniata 42, Susquenita 0: I’ll take the Juniata defense for $200, Alex, in this one. After last week’s performance, they sent a clear message for all to hear.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 38, Susquenita 7: Shoutout to the ‘Hawks for nailing down their first win last week. Getting another victory this week, however, seems much less realistic against a solid Juniata side. 

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 55, Susquenita 7: It will take a mighty effort from ‘Nita to tally points against a crew who has yielded just 55 points in five games this season. 

Colonial

Big Spring 48, Boiling Springs 21

Andy Shay: Big Spring 27, Boiling Springs 20: Neighbors but not official “rivals” this game still has plenty of bite for each program. Bulldogs have been the more consistent squad and that’s good enough for me.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 24, Boiling Springs 21: The headline will read, “Bulldogs best Bubblers in backyard brawl, barely.”

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 20, Boiling Springs 14: I can’t match the alliteration of my colleague above, but I can tell you the Bulldogs put forth their best effort of the season last week against Greencastle-Antrim. I have every reason to believe the Newville gang will build on that success.

East Pennsboro 35, West Perry 14

Andy Shay: West Perry 20, East Pennsboro 14: So how do the Mustangs respond after being massive upset victims. That is the only question that needs to be addressed early. Panthers are playing some of their best football right now and will have a say.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 24, East Pennsboro 21: A hobbled Brad Hockenberry missed the second half of last week’s upset loss to Middletown. His presence in the lineup, or lack thereof, will have a lasting impact on the outcome of Friday’s game. 

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 31, East Pennsboro 24: Pencil me in for a tentative selection of the Mustangs–Brad Hockenberry’s availability is key to the outcome of this tussle. 

Trinity 42, Greencastle-Antrim 13

Andy Shay: Trinity 28, Greencastle-Antrim 14: The records are Shamrocks 4-1 and Blue Devils 1-4. Trust me the difference between the two squads is nowhere close to that. This will be a tight squeeze most of the way.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 35, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Trinity has scored at least 35 points in every game since being shut out in Week 1. Blue Devils have been competitive every week, but can’t let this turn into a shootout. 

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 36, Greencastle-Antrim 20: Shamrocks continue to prove the naysayers wrong each week. It’s time for last call on this bandwagon. 

Susquehanna Township 21, Middletown 14

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 30, Middletown 14: Can the Blue Raiders do it two weeks in a row. Maybe, but I’m pretty sure Middletown has the full and undivided attention of the Hanna Tribe after last week’s result.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 32, Middletown 18: If ‘Hanna wasn’t playing Middletown, one would imagine the Tribe would be high-diving the Blue Raiders for knocking out West Perry last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Township 44, Middletown 20: Middletown raised eyebrows last week, knocking off West Perry in dramatic fashion. Indians, however, possess a much more diverse offensive onslaught. 

Saturday, Sept. 28

Commonwealth

Harrisburg 42, Carlisle 0

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 49, Carlisle 0: After weeks in a grinder, this is a chance for the Cougars to get some work done in a hurry against a Herd team that struggles to be competitive at this level. A fast start by Harrisburg is in order.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 52, Carlisle 7: I’m old enough to remember the last time Carlisle beat Harrisburg, but my kids aren’t. 

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 55, Carlisle 7:  Want a look at the future of Harrisburg football? Pop into this one after halftime to watch the youngbloods get some varsity action. 

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Brady Seyler, RB, Red Land: Seyler had himself an evening Friday night against Northern York, rushing for 175 yards on 21 carries. He added a touchdown in a 34-14 loss to the Polar Bears.

Torin Evans, QB Susquehanna Twp.:  Five touchdowns on an evening will garner some attention from our gang who identifies Player of the Week nominees. That’s just what Evans did against Steel-High, slinging it for 257 yards on 13-of-19 passing in a 41-20 victory against Steel-High.

Grant Hall, RB, Big Spring:  The Bulldogs would not be denied Friday night against Greencastle-Antrim. In a 20-16 victory against Blue Devils, Hall rushed for a game-high 232 yards on 27 rushing attempted. He logged three touchdowns on the evening.

Elias Coke, WR/S, Harrisburg: Coke did a little bit of everything against Cedar Cliff Friday night. His night included 104 receiving yards and a touchdown as well as a pick-6 on defense in a 28-20 victory against Cedar Cliff.

Zach Bates, RB/WR/K, Newport: In an overtime thriller Zach Bates did all he could to help Newport notch a victory Friday night against Susquenita. He ran for a touchdown, hauled in eight receptions for 109 yards and legged a pair of field goals in a 29-26 double-overtime loss to Susquenita.

Middletown dropped a bomb on the MPC Colonial Division to highlight Week No. 5 of the season. This might be the first year for the conference realignment, but what hasn’t changed is despite a completely new look, what remains the same is the Colonial Division is still crazy.

Thanks in large part to Middletown.

The Blue Raiders pulled off the biggest upset of the 2024 season to date by knocking West Perry from the ranks of the unbeaten with a shocking 14-9 come-from-behind victory in dramatic fashion.

With less than 90 seconds remaining, West Perry was clinging to a 9-7 lead with Middletown inside its own 25. The Blue Raiders hadn’t scored a point since the first quarter and needed at least 60-65 yards to attempt a field goal to win it.

Then came the bomb that shook up the Crazy Colonial. Blue Raiders QB Harrison Ortiz hooked up with receiver Luis Roman for a 78-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 72 seconds remaining. It was the only catch of the game for Roman.

It was a signature win for a once-proud Middletown program that only two short years ago shut football down for an entire season because of pervasive hazing abuse. This group endured a 1-9 campaign a year ago in their return to action.

Clearly this was an upset, but it’s not a fluke. The Blue Raiders two losses in five games each came by two points. I guess you could say Middletown is five or six points away from being unbeaten. That’s pretty simple, but shows the fine line this team is playing on.

That leaves, get ready for it, Trinity as your leader of the Colonial with a spiffy 3-0 mark in division games. West Perry, Susquehanna Township and East Pennsboro each have one loss in the division. Get ready for a crazy race to the finish. There is zero clarity in terms of how this shakes out.

FOR THE RECORD

Bishop McDevitt quarterback Stone Saunders, a Kentucky recruit, is one of the top two in Pennsylvania history when it comes to touchdown passes. The senior fired six tuddy’s to six different receivers in the first half Friday night at Carlisle to pull level with former Steel-High QB Alex Erby at 176 TD passes tossed in a career.

Erby just finished his high school career some nine months ago, and Saunders still has at least five games remaining. The Crusaders gunslinger will set a new standard next week at The Roc in front of the home folks against Altoona.

Saunders eclipsing 200 career touchdown passes is a realistic number in my book.

THE 15TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

In honor of the 15th leader of our great nation, James Buchanan, the school named for him is currently in second place in the No. 2 spot of the MPC Capital Division behind heavy favorite Line Mountain with a 4-1 overall mark and a 3-1 division record.

This on the heels of the Rockets’ third shutout of the season, a 15-0 win over Halifax. I’m not going to put JB in the contender category just yet. Those three Capital Division wins are against a trio of teams who are a combined 1-14 overall. And JB lost to Juniata 48-0.

Still a chance to finish with a .500 season at the halfway point is a monumental step forward. The meat (and potatoes with vegetables and salad along with dessert) of James Buchanan’s schedule awaits.

Upper Dauphin, Steel-High, division leader Line Mountain, East Pennsboro and Camp Hill await their shot at the Rockets. Only UDA has a losing record among that lot and the Trojans just pushed Line Mountain to the brink. One more win still feels like a bridge too far to cross. But the chance to get five wins is so rare for JB the opportunity for that is what matters.

MY 2 CENTS

Here are a few of my random thoughts as we clear the halfway point of the 2024 regular season. Mechanicsburg has spent the first half of the season under new head coach Dave Heckard killing cats. And I don’t see anyone slowing them down before Week 9. … Fellow Keystone mate Shippensburg is also unbeaten and has walked a different path this season but the end result is the same. Hounds and Wildcats are your Week 10 Colonial tilt. I’m taking popcorn orders for that matchup now. … What Harrisburg has accomplished this season continues to impress me. Cougars have been dealt some serious adversity blows and yet they continue to win. Are the Cougars talented, sure. But they are using more than pure talent to win. … Back to the Crazy Colonial, how this shakes out might depend on Big Spring. Yeah the 1-4 Bulldogs. Trust me you don’t want to have an off night against this squad. West Perry, East Pennsboro and Susquehanna Township, all contenders, still play the Bulldogs. Buckle up and bring your best. Big Spring won’t be able to keep up in a track meet, but if they get you in their ground-and-pound sandbox you will go down.

 

Name: Week 5: Overall: 

Andy Sandrik: 17-2; 84-23

Andy Shay: 15-4; 82-25

Adam Kulikowski: 16-3; 78-29

Thursday, Sept. 19

Non-League

Susquehanna Township 41, Steelton-Highspire 20

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 28, Steelton-Highspire 20: That was an old-school lesson learned by the Tribe at the hands of West Perry a week ago. Rollers are still a tough out, see if Hanna picked up a few lessons to carry forward.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 32, Steelton-Highspire 14: No disrespect to Steel-High, but the Tribe are a significant step up in competition from anything the Rollers have seen this season. 

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 31, Steelton-Highspire 28: When Hanna faced adversity last week against West Perry, the Indians didn’t respond. Using that experience as motivation through the rest of the season will be paramount. That starts in Week 5. 

Friday, Sept. 20

Commonwealth

Central Dauphin East 34, Altoona 0

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin East 35, Altoona 7: Passing tests with flying colors and picking up momentum that will be needed down the line. Panthers to 5-0. 

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin East 23, Altoona 6: East High is not only drawing the attention of the Mid-Penn with its undefeated start, the Panthers are also being talked about as a player in the District 3 picture. 

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin East 41, Altoona 6: Panthers seem determined to prove the doubters wrong this season. Bigger tests lurk in coming weeks. 

Bishop McDevitt 56, Carlisle 7

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 42, Carlisle 0: This will struggle to be competitive beyond the first quarter by all indicators.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDecitt 40, Carlisle 0: I took my kids to the Carlisle game last week and it was nice to see the Herd players not just give up on their struggling team. With that said, I can’t think of a single position on the field where Carlisle has an advantage over McDevitt. 

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 55, Carlisle 6:  Crusaders simply have too much talent to allow this tussle to be competitive. 

Harrisburg 28, Cedar Cliff 20

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 40, Cedar Cliff 14: Done picking against the Cougars this regular season. They’ve earned the top spot in the Commonwealth through a road less traveled.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 44, Cedar Cliff 15: The Cougars sleep-walked through their win over Chambersburg last week. Calvin Everett’s squad will need a bigger effort on Friday to win comfortably over the Colts, who know a thing or two about putting points on the board.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 37, Cedar Cliff 6:  A week after battling Bishop McDevitt, the Colts host a Harrisburg crew who seem to be gaining confidence each week. 

State College 29, Chambersburg 7

Andy Shay: State College 24, Chambersburg 7: Little Lions aren’t the most dynamic offense in the division, but they will make you earn every single first down and point the hard way.

Andy Sandrik: State College 30, Chambersburg 6: The unforgiving nature of the Commonwealth schedule is a tough reality for the teams in the bottom half of the division. Chambersburg knows this as well as anybody. 

Adam Kulikowski: State College 41, Chambersburg 13: The gauntlet of the Commonwealth division is unrelenting–a tough reality for Chambersburg, a team that has scored no more than 14 points in its division match ups to date. 

Cumberland Valley 10, Central Dauphin 7

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 27, Central Dauphin 14: If the Rams can keep this game in the teens to win it, their chances go way up. Eagles have glaring flaws, but defense is not one of them.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 24, Central Dauphin 23: On paper this is a game that CV should win, so why does it feel like a toss-up right now?

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 28, Cumberland Valley 27: If the Rams make Cumberland Valley a one-dimensional team, the path to victory for the Eagles becomes  encumbered. 

Keystone

Mechanicsburg 48, Gettysburg 20

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 28, Gettysburg 7: Until somebody can make the Wildcats sweat down the stretch, I’m not picking against them.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 28, Gettysburg 14: Gettysburg needs this game a lot more than Mechanicsburg does, but I’m not sure how the Warriors are going to get the job done against a Wildcats team that has been the portrait of consistency. 

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 34, Gettysburg 20: The Wildcats have consistently played a disciplined brand of football while Gettysburg has ridden a roller coaster each week. Edge to the Cats. 

Hershey 13, Lower Dauphin 3

Andy Shay: Hershey 21, Lower Dauphin 19: Falcons have clearly played better competition than the Trojans and the one-win difference doesn’t impact hopping on the Hershey bus here. Trojans have been more consistent quarter-to-quarter.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 21, Hershey 19: Last chance for the Falcons to get back in contention for the Keystone crown, but it won’t be easy against Hershey and the Trojans’ rushing attack. 

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 28, Lower Dauphin 21: Did we overestimate Lower Dauphin or underestimate other powers in this division? Week 5 might offer a glimpse. 

Shippensburg 42, Mifflin County 13

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 35, Mifflin County 14: If nothing else the Greyhounds offense has been good for 28 or more points in each of their four games. Don’t think the Huskies can match that over 48 minutes.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 33, Mifflin County 13: To have a chance in this one, the Huskies will have to force the Hounds to get away from their game of ball control and chewing up the clock. 

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 27, Mifflin County 14: Greyhounds continue to find ways to add wins to the ledger. No one should be shocked. 

Northern York 34, Red Land 14

Andy Shay: Northern York 20, Red Land 14: Patriots have scored only four touchdowns over its last 12 quarters. Polar Bears aren’t exactly full of firepower, either. Toss-up game all the way.

Andy Sandrik: Northern York 27, Red Land 13: Northern RB Gabe Johnson and the Polar Bears offensive line figured something out last week when the sophomore rumbled for over 300 yards and four TDs.

Adam Kulikowski: Northern York 21, Red Land 7: Give me the gents with just a little more Octane in the tank. 

Waynesboro 47, Palmyra 14

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 29, Palmyra 13: All the Indians games have been pretty tight affairs on their way to a 3-1 mark. Not expecting this one to be a close shave.

Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 33, Palmyra 14: Defense has been a big issue for the Cougars, who have allowed point totals of 47, 34, and 35 over their last three games. That’s welcome news for a Waynesboro offense that has had plenty of pop this fall. 

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 31, Palmyra 7: Cougars have shown signs of life this year, which is refreshing. But there’s still work to be done. 

Capital

Juniata 35, Camp Hill 7

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 27, Juniata 21: I expect this to be a close affair all the way to the bitter end. Juniata presents some interesting matchup problems for the Lions. Still, Camp Hill has the best player on the field and that will show up and be a difference maker.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 28, Camp Hill 21: I think Juniata has what it takes to match up against Camp Hill’s best asset — the passing game — and has the manpower to wear the Lions down over four quarters. That’s not to say Camp Hill QB Drew Branstetter and his boys won’t be up for the challenge…

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 26, Camp Hill 24: Juniata routinely gets overlooked among Mid-Penn powers, but this program repeatedly impressed. Battles upfront will decide this one.

James Buchanan 15, Halifax 0

Andy Shay: James Buchanan 28, Halifax 7: Hey you can knock the Rockets from the ranks of the unbeaten, but they get right back on the win train against the Wildcats.

Andy Sandrik: James Buchanan 30, Halifax 12: How can you tell it’s an election year? The Rockets have a real chance at improving to 4-1 on Friday, that’s how.  

Adam Kulikowski: James Buchanan 35, Halifax 6:  Rockets have to feel good about the start to their campaign. 4-1 is a realistic possibility!

Line Mountain 33, Upper Dauphin 32

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 30, Upper Dauphin 21: This one could be a good old fashion former TVL shootout. Just feels like Line Mountain has a few more options in terms of weapons to hold off UDA.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 28, Upper Dauphin 17: If all else is equal, I’m giving Line Mountain the advantage because they have a game-wrecker in Maxim Johnson, who already has nine sacks and 16 TFLs.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 36, Upper Dauphin 21: The Eagles posses a variety of weapons to keep the Trojans off balance. Not sure UD can keep up for four quarters.

Susquenita 29, Newport 26

Andy Shay: Newport 14, Susquenita 13: Why the Buffaloes over the Blackhawks? Why Not! Both are winless and one gets to enjoy the sweet taste of success on the scoreboard.

Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 13, Newport 12: Say what you want about these two winless squads, but there will be an electricity in the stadium knowing that one of them will finally get to taste victory. 

Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 21, Newport 20: Both squads know this is likely the best opportunity to secure a victory. Newport’s eligible participants makes roster depth a factor. 

Colonial

Big Spring 20, Greencastle-Antrim 16

Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 20, Big Spring 13: Could be lower scoring than this, possibly. All I know is this will be air tight deep into the fourth quarter to decide a winner. Bulldogs don’t feel like a winless squad, but they are.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 10, Greencastle-Antrim 7: Blue Devils were a little banged up last week, so I’m giving winless Big Spring the benefit of the doubt here, even though the Bulldogs have yet to score beyond 14 points this fall. 

Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 28, Big Spring 14: Big Spring is likely the best of the winless squads in the Mid-Penn, but that’s little consolation if they are winless heading into the second half of the circuit. 

East Pennsboro 49, Boiling Springs 13

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 42, Boiling Springs 14: Panthers have found their passing game and are lighting up the scoreboard. Bubblers still struggle to keep up defensively and that spells tough match up. 

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 35, Boiling Springs 14: After an 0-2 start, the East Penn Panthers are rolling behind junior QB Turner Barlup, who is completing more than 70 percent of his passes. 

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 45, Boiling Springs 7: Bubblers have yielded 44, 61, and 33 points over their last three contests. Tough to gain ground in the standings when you lean that heavily on your offense to outgun. 

Middletown 14, West Perry 9

Andy Shay: West Perry 42, Middletown 7: We knew the Mustangs were no joke last season from start to finish. Guess what? That hasn’t changed.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 33, Middletown 8: The cat is out of the bag for West Perry, who fired off the fake punt heard around the world last week. These Mustangs are better than anyone could have guessed.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 55, Middletown 13: Can anyone hold that shifty cat in the West Perry backfield under 100 stripes? Smart money says no. 

Trinity 35, Milton Hershey 25

Andy Shay: Trinity 34, Milton Hershey 13: The T-Rocks new look train keeps rolling down the tracks and I’m not sure the Spartans are equipped to slow down this run game.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 30, Milton Hershey 13: Not many teams have been able to solve the riddle that is hard-running back Christian Joy, and I’m not sure the Spartans will do so this week, either.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 38, Milton Hershey 14: The turmoil of the offseason could have derailed this team, instead it sure seems like it lit a fire under the Shamrocks. 

11.	Conestoga Valley	5-0	11
Grind-it-out victory over two-win Spring Grove. Holding serve and 6-0 is a lock with Lebanon on deck.
10.	Twin Valley	5-0	10
The beat goes on for the Raiders, who have surrendered just 40 points through five games. More stern tests are coming, but this group is riding very high.
9.	Wyomissing	4-1	9
No problem with Elco in Week 5 and the winning streak stretches to three games.
8.	Lampeter-Strasburg	5-0	8
Unbeaten with a couple of solid tests including a 48-minute effort needed to finish off Daniel Boone. Blanking of Warwick in Week 2 still stands out.
7.	Wilson West Lawn	4-1	7
That was a quality win over previously once-beaten Cedar Cliff in a tight squeeze all the way. How you win also matters.
6.	Dallastown	5-0	6
Here we are time for the rubber to meet the road as No. 3 Central York is on the docket next. Chance to really change the narrative, but 5-0 is good enough to date in my book.
5.	Bishop McDevitt	4-1	5
Cheers to Crusaders QB Stone Saunders who tied the state record for career passing touchdowns against Carlisle with 176.
4.	State College	4-1	4
Never expected any competition from Carlisle but the veteran QB and his new cast of receivers are moving the needle on a weekly basis and they are getting better.
3.	Central York	4-1	3
The King Of York County will have that lofty perch tested this week against undefeated Dallastown. Pretty sure this squad knows the drill.
2.	Harrisburg	4-1	2
Nothing easy about the win over Cedar Cliff. Somehow it feels right for this team to take the road less traveled to victories than going the easy route. Battle tested is an understatement.
1.	Manheim Township	5-0	1
Blue Streaks beat Week 5 opponent Hempfield and Week 3 opposition William Penn by a combined score of 80-0. Second half of the schedule doesn’t feature as much meat on the bone, but somehow that feels irrelevant.

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Brad Hockenberry, RB, West Perry: Susquehanna Twp. knew they would receive a heavy dose of Hockenberry Friday night. It didn’t matter. Hockenberry dominated this battle, ending the evening with 270 total yards and three scores in a 31-14 victory.

Eli Reider, QB, Mechanicsburg: The Wildcats quarterback completed 12 of 19 passes for 222 stripes and a pair of touchdowns in a 29-0- shutout of Lower Dauphin Friday night.

AJ Serdar, RB, Camp Hill: Serdar only had eight carries on the evening, but he made the most of each touch, racking up 139 stripes. He reached pay dirt twice in a 43-14 victory against Newport Friday night.

Wyatt Enhrenzeller, QB, Juniata: When the dust settled on Juniata’s 48-0 victory against James Buchanan, the Indians’ quarterback’s stat line looked pretty, pretty, pretty nice: 12-of-15 passing, 240 yards and four touchdowns.

Gabe Johnson, RB, Northern: The Polar Bears aren’t afraid of leaning on the hot hand. On Friday evening, that was Gabe Johnson, the sophomore rock toter who accounted for a staggering 46 carries on the evening. The totals on the evening—344 yards, a 7.5 yard-per-carry average and four scores in a 25-22 loss to Gettysburg.

Christain Joy, RB, Trinity:  If you don’t know this young lad’s name, let us introduce you. Joy logged 11 touches Friday night in a 48-0 victory against Susquenita. The results—200 yards and five touchdowns. He also hauled in three passes for another 42 yards.

It’s been more than a decade since CD East played the first month of a season without a loss. That last time the Panthers were 4-0 was 2011 and that squad hit the home stretch wall.

That is what head coach Lance Dean and his troops will look to avoid this time around with the heaving lifting part of its schedule on deck the final half of the season.

CD East has enough talent at the skill positions offensively to compete. The question will be consistency. In Week 4 the Panthers had an up-and-down outing against winless Carlisle. The Herd made this a game in the third quarter and forced CD East to respond.

Coming off a thrilling win over Cedar Cliff the week prior, playing Carlisle was an ideal opponent for the Panthers because it allowed them to win ugly and not lose any momentum.

There is no reason for CD East not to reach 5-0 with winless Altoona on deck. Whether this group wins six or seven games will be the question. After Altoona, the Panthers face Cumberland Valley followed by rival Central Dauphin. Those are toss-up games.

An invite to the second season will hinge on the results of those two games. And it would not be a surprise if CD East was 7-0 heading into the brutal stretch run where the Panthers play Commonwealth heavy hitters State College, Bishop McDevitt, and Harrisburg in succession.

The first job is to obtain win No. 5 next week and set yourself up to be in the best possible position for what lies ahead.

CATS ARE GOING WILD ON DEFENSE

Pretty clear, at least from my chair, what first-year head coach Dave Heckard made as the top priority when he took over a Mechanicsburg program that was 5-5 a year ago.

The undefeated Wildcats had some talent in the shed to work with, but to win more than five games you can’t allow more points than you score. Surrendering 26 points a game isn’t abjectly bad defense, but five wins is about the most you are going to get allowing nearly four touchdowns a game.

If you remember Heckard as a high school and college player, he kept it pretty simple overall as a linebacker but was ridiculously fundamentally sound in how he went about his business.

After shutting out Lower Dauphin this past Friday, the Wildcats have now surrendered only 26 points through 16 quarters. The Falcons came in the Week 4 Keystone Division contest averaging 20 points a game.

Don’t get me wrong, Mechanicsburg is having no problem putting points up on the board. And 29 against Lower Dauphin is exactly the right number required to create success.

When the other team can’t make it to double digits, that’s a difference-maker.

MUSTANGS SEND A MESSAGE

Head coach Bob Boden and his staff knew. Now the rest of us are in on the secret – West Perry is not taking a step back in any way, shape, or form in 2024 despite heavy losses to graduation.

Welcoming fellow unbeaten Susquehanna Township to Elliottsburg for the Game of the Week, the Mustangs proceeded to steamroll the Tribe in every phase to complete a perfect first month of the season for the fourth consecutive year.

Susquehanna Township has some depth when it comes to weapons, but on this night the best weapon in the West Perry arsenal, Brad Hockenberry, went off and the Indians had no response.

Hockenberry accounted for 270 total yards (158 rushing, 112 receiving) and had the ball in his hands 34 of West Perry’s 55 snaps. That’s carrying the water up the hill for an offense, folks.

A sneaky key to the Mustangs’ triumph was a defense that surrendered fewer than 300 total yards and only two touchdowns.

West Perry is THE team to beat in the new look Colonial Division.

FROM THE ASHES TRINITY RISES UP

Nobody dealt with more offseason turmoil than Trinity. It’s a well-documented time of change in Shiremanstown that covered any and all bases from graduation to transfers to coaching staff turnover.

Here we are a month into navigating the change waters for this program and all Trinity has done is win three straight to post an impressive 3-1 first month that includes scoring 120 points over the last 12 quarters.

Long-time assistant coach and now interim head coach Kevin Yarnevich, his assistants and his players still have a ton of work to do, they will tell you. Hopefully they take a moment and pause to reflect for a brief moment on what they have accomplished.

The T-Rocks are, in my book, the biggest surprise in 2024 at this moment. And based on their performance and looking at their schedule ahead, seven wins is a real possibility.