As the leaves start to turn, the stakes rise across the Mid-Penn. Week 5 brings us grudge matches, revenge tours, and programs on the edge of breakout or breakdown. From Central Dauphin’s quest to snap a losing streak against Cumberland Valley to Steel-High trying to slow the high-flying Tribe, this slate is packed with storylines.

Thursday, September 18

Susquehanna Twp. 35, Steel-High 20

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Twp. 42, Steel-High 14: Feels very odd to say the Rollers don’t have the firepower on offense to keep pace. That is rare, indeed. However that is the case in this one with the electric and quick-strike Tribe and their offense. Hard to keep up. 

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Twp. 44, Steel-High 17: No offense to the unbeaten Rollers, but the average score of a ‘Hanna game this fall has been close to 54-7, in favor of the Tribe.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 55, Steel-High 21: Tribe continue to roll over formidable opponents–an attestment to the weaponry Coach Headen has at his disposal. 

Friday, September 19

Cumberland Valley 24, Central Dauphin 15

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 20, Cumberland Valley 13: CV Eagles are in a losing vortex that is hard to shake out of without help from the opposition. CD Rams are in a better spot it seems with two straight wins and feel good about where they are. That matters.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 20, Central Dauphin 17: If Central Dauphin can break through that 21-point barrier against CV’s stout defense, the Rams have a good chance to beat the Eagles for the first time since the 2019 season.

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 21, Cumberland Valley 20: Every time I think I know what to expect from the Eagles, they prove otherwise. Which CV team will host the Rams?

State College 40, Chambersburg 0

Andy Shay: State College 42, Chambersburg 7: Third hammer opponent in a row for the Trojans on the heels of games with McDevitt and Harrisburg. Just survive and move forward the schedule gets more balanced from here on in.

Andy Sandrik: State College 44, Chambersburg 14: How unforgiving is the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division? Just ask the Chambersburg Trojans.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 34, Chambersburg 14: You might not know it from the final scores, but this Chambersburg squad is not an easy out. 

Bishop McDevitt 49, Carlisle 0

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 42, Carlisle 6: The rebuild from that 0-2 start continues for the Crusaders as the Thundering Herd are not capable of matching wits with an opponent at this level in 2025.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 49, Carlisle 0: This is a contest where the Thundering Herd need to focus on the small victories within the game, instead of the big picture. 

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 55, Carlisle 6: Crusaders are simply playing for different reasons than the Thundering Herd at this point in the season. 

Altoona 14, CD East 0

Andy Shay: CD East 28, Altoona 24: This one is tricky because after getting drilled in its first two games the Mountain Lions have rallied and made some noise. CD East will get the best shot Altoona has and if they are ready, it’s their game to lose.

Andy Sandrik: Altoona 18, CD East 15: The Panthers are 0-2 in games decided by two scores or less. It’s not exactly the vote of confidence East High needs going into a game against Altoona that could very well go down to the wire.

Adam Kulikowski: Altoona 31, CD East 28: Mountain Lions are trending up after scoring just seven points in each of their first two games. Offense continues to take steps forward Friday night against the Panthers.

Red Land 47, Northern York 7

Andy Shay: Red Land 35, Northern York 0: Make it 5-for-5 for the undefeated Patriots who continue to soar and all systems are go against a winless Polar Bears squad. Red Land has scored more than 100 points over the last eight quarters.

Andy Sandrik: Red Land 28, Northern York 7: It’s been a cinderella season for the boys from Red Land, but this Friday the Patriots will be playing the role of Goliath against the winless Polar Bears.

Adam Kulikowski: Red Land 42, Northern York 6: Patriots have all the momentum going in their favor, yielding 14 or less points in three of their four victories this season.

Shippensburg 21, Mifflin County 6

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 20, Mifflin County 7: Certainly not a smooth ride for the Greyhounds but full credit to Ship for finding a way to still post victories. Neither offense has displayed much firepower so expect a defensive struggle.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Mifflin County 7: Every single game has been a tooth-and-nail struggle for Shippensburg. Can the ‘Hounds find some relief against a Mifflin County squad that’s totaled seven points over its last eight quarters?

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 34, Mifflin County 14: Greyhounds have found success leaning on their backs and a steady defense. That formula should prove successful in Week 5. 

Lower Dauphin 27, Hershey 24

Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Lower Dauphin 7: It would take another massive effort for the Falcons to pull off two shocking results in as many weeks. Hershey has the QB in Cam Sweeney who fully qualifies as a difference maker.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 24, Lower Dauphin 14: Just when we were ready to count LD out, the Falcons pulled off a stunner over Mechanicsburg. Hershey QB Cam Sweeney, a man closing in on 1,000 combined rushing and passing yards, presents a whole new challenge for the boys from Hummelstown.

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 28, Hershey 21: Falcons defense continues to make an impact in its opponent’s backfield, averaging just over seven tackles for loss a game. 

Palmyra 9, Waynesboro 7

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 21, Palmyra 7: Very similar teams in so many ways, the only difference being the Indians have just a little more firepower in the tank offensively to lean on and over 48 minutes that will show up.

Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 25, Palmyra 14: Expect a close game from a couple of one-win squads looking to get back on track. Waynesboro has just a little bit more offensively and can pull away late with a steady effort.

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 24, Palmyra 20: Both teams enter this fray reeling from three-game losing streaks. Indians have the tools to get back on the track this week.

Mechanicsburg 35, Gettysburg 14

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 24, Gettysburg 17: What we have here is a battle of wills. The Wildcats defense vs. Warriors offense and how that matchup plays out will reveal who comes out on top in the end. Strength vs. Strength is always super appealing.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 28, Gettysburg 25: Mechanicsburg’s strength, its defense, will be tested by a Gettysburg side that excels in scoring points.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 34, Gettysburg 14: Wildcats have the type of defense that can make a slip last week just a blip on the calendar.  

Line Mountain 33, Upper Dauphin 20

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 55, Upper Dauphin 0: Dealers choice for the Eagles as they still need to keep that edge and stay sharp. Trojans aren’t providing much resistance this season.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 48, Upper Dauphin 0: This game can get as ugly as unbeaten Line Mountain wants to make it. 

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 45, Upper Dauphin 6: Eagles can control the throttle in this one, getting reps to some of the youngsters. 

Newport 55, Susquenita 12

Andy Shay: Newport 30, Susquenita 7: When it comes to firepower the Buffs have the best player on the field and will be able to keep the scoreboard moving. Blackhawks aren’t built to run up and down the field.

Andy Sandrik: Newport 28, Susquenita 18: I actually think this Perry County scrap will be closer than most experts think, but Newport has a dynamic QB in Trevin Arnold who can carry the Buffs to the finish line.

Adam Kulikowski: Newport 33, Susquenita 6: Buffaloes have found a resilient element to their game that’s been lacking the last several seasons. Winning this Perry County tussle is a matter of pride. 

Juniata 27, Camp Hill 10

Andy Shay: Juniata 34, Camp Hill 0: Slow and steady has been a recipe for success for the Indians this season and this matchup provides an opening to break out of that grind-it-out pace. Camp Hill is battling uphill on many fronts this season including defensively.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 35, Camp Hill 7: The Indians have yet to score more than 19 points in a game this season. That should change on Friday against a Camp Hill side that’s struggled to be competitive this fall.

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 42, Camp Hill 13: Some weeks, it feels like a grind for the Indians, but this is not one of those weeks.

Halifax 14, James Buchanan 10

Andy Shay: Halifax 27, James Buchanan 25: I expect this one to go back and forth and enter the final four minutes with the outcome very much in doubt. Last big play wins, maybe?

Andy Sandrik: Halifax 28, James Buchanan 27: The win-loss record might not show it, but the Wildcats possess more offensive pop than they have in years.

Adam Kulikowski: James Buchanan 31, Halifax 24: Wildcats defense is susceptible to leaks. Rockets have enough in the cupboard to take advantage. 

East Pennsboro 35, Boiling Springs 10

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 27, Boiling Springs 7: Very quietly and a little below the radar the Panthers have become confident and comfortable in their own football skin and are on the same page on what it takes to get the job done.

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 28, Boiling Springs 17: The Panthers have settled into a nice groove in recent weeks and have a good chance this week to roll off their fourth win in a row.

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 21, Boiling Springs 7: Bubblers have scored just six points over the last three weeks. Panthers won’t make life easy for the gents in Purple and Gold.

Trinity 17, Milton Hershey 6

Andy Shay: Trinity 28, Milton Hershey 7: There are issues with the T-Rocks offense and that isn’t likely to change. However, they are backstopped by a defense that is surrendering less than 11 points a game (one touchdown on average) and that will win you plenty of games. 

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 42, Milton Hershey 21: Until Milton Hershey can shore up a defense that’s allowing more than five TDs per game, it’s going to be hard to pick the Spartans to win.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 48, Milton Hershey 28: If the Spartans are going to slow the Shamrocks, it starts with limiting the damage wideout Maddox Jarzynski can do downfield–tough task. 

Big Spring 27, Greencastle-Antrim 17

Andy Shay: Big Spring 20, Greencastle-Antrim 7: If you dig deep beyond the game with Hanna Tribe, the Bulldogs defense has been doing some of the heavy lifting to help Big Spring reach three wins in four games. Expect that trend to continue.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 23, Greencastle-Antrim 17: The Bulldogs are 3-0 when RB Grady Hope goes over 100 rushing yards. Look for Hope to do just that against a Greencastle team that was subdued by East Penn’s running game last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 28, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Bulldogs have committed just two turnovers all season. Taking care of the rock will make this an uphill battle for G-A.

West Perry 38, Middletown 17

Andy Shay: Middletown 19, West Perry 14: In their three wins the Blue Raiders have surrendered only 21 total points. Heck, even in defeat they allowed only 19 points. Pretty clear why I picked Middletown in this one.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 28, Middletown 21: How soon can WP forget about the ‘Hanna game? If the Mustangs have a short memory, they’ve got a good shot to win this battle of 3-1 teams.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 24, Middletown 21: This might just be one of the most intriguing match ups on the slate in Week 5. Mustangs look to avenge last season’s 14-9 loss to the Blue Raiders.

Saturday, September 20:

Harrisburg 42, Cedar Cliff 0

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 42, Cedar Cliff 7: Based on their schedule to date, more needs to be said about the Cougars defense this season. That will show up in spades in this matchup.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 44, Cedar Cliff 14: A portion of Harrisburg’s success this fall should be given to the Cougars’ leading rusher, PJ Dent, who transferred in from Cedar Cliff this season.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 48, Cedar Cliff 14: How does one challenge a Lamborghini? That’s the task facing the Colts this week.