CLASS 6A 

Rank – Team – District – Record — Previous 

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)        – 6-1 – 1 

2. Garnet Valley (1)              – 8-0 – 2 

3. State College (6)               – 9-0 – 3 

4. Coatesville (1)          — 7-1 – 4 

5. Nazareth (11)           — 8-1 – 5 

6. Emmaus (11)            — 8-1 – 6 

7. North Allegheny (7) — 8-1 – 8 

8. Harrisburg (3)          — 6-2 – 9 

9. Downingtown East (1)      — 7-2 – 7 

10. Pennsbury (1)                  — 8-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Bethlehem Freedom (1) 7-2, Central York (3) 8-1, Downingtown West (1) 7-1, McDowell (10) 7-2, Northampton (11) 9-0. 

CLASS 5A 

Rank – Team – District – Record — Previous 

1. Upper Dublin (1)               – 9-0 – 1 

2. Exeter Township (3)          – 9-0 – 2 

3. Imhotep Charter (12)         – 4-2 – 3 

4. Strath Haven (1)                — 9-0 – 4 

5. Roman Catholic (12)         — 7-1 – 5 

6. Bethel Park (7)                  — 8-1 – 6 

7. Solanco (3)                        — 9-0 – 7 

8. Cathedral Prep (10)           — 7-2 – 8 

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

10. Southern Lehigh (11)      — 8-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Gateway (7) 7-2, Pine-Richland (7) 6-3, Upper Moreland (1) 8-1, Upper St. Clair (7) 7-2. 

CLASS 4A 

Rank – Team – District – Record — Previous 

1. Aliquippa (7)            – 8-0 – 1 

2. Bishop McDevitt (3)         – 7-1 – 2 

3. Jersey Shore (4)                 – 9-0 – 3 

4. Central Valley (7)              – 9-0 – 4 

5. McKeesport (7)                 – 9-0 – 5 

6. Manheim Central (3)         — 9-0 – 6 

7. Pope John Paul II (1)         — 9-0 – 7 

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

9. Meadville (10)         — 8-1 – 9 

10. Armstrong (7)                  — 8-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: Bonner-Prendergast (12) 7-1, Crestwood (2) 8-1, Highlands (7) 8-1, Valley View (2) 7-2. 

CLASS 3A 

Rank – Team – District – Record — Previous 

1. Wyomissing (3)                 – 9-0 – 1 

2. Danville (4)              – 9-0 – 2 

3. Elizabeth Forward (7)       – 9-0 – 3 

4. Belle Vernon (7)                – 6-2 – 4 

5. Loyalsock (4)           — 8-1 – 5 

6. Avonworth (7)                   — 8-1 – 6 

7. Lancaster Catholic (3)       — 9-0 – 7 

8. West Perry (3)          — 9-0 – 8 

9. Penn Cambria (6)              — 8-1 – 9 

10. Freeport (7)            — 8-1 – 10 

Teams to watch: General McLane (10) 8-1, North Schuylkill (11) 7-2, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 7-2, Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) 7-2, Oil City (10) 7-2, Western Wayne (2) 7-2. 

CLASS 2A 

Rank – Team – District – Record — Previous 

1. Farrell (10)                        – 8-1 – 1 

2. Mount Carmel (4)              – 9-0 – 2 

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

4. Lakeland (2)             – 9-0 – 4 

5. Steel Valley (7)                 — 8-0 – 5 

6. Berlin Brothersvalley (5)  — 9-0 – 6 

7. Beaver Falls (7)                 — 8-1 – 7 

8. Westinghouse (8)              — 8-0 – 10 

9. Troy Area (4)           — 8-1 – 9 

10. Sto-Rox (7)            — 6-2 – NR 

Teams to watch: Bishop Guilfoyle (6) 7-2, Central Clarion (9) 9-0, Neshannock (7) 8-1, Williams Valley (11) 7-2. 

CLASS 1A 

Rank – Team – District – Record — Previous 

1. Canton (4)                         – 8-1 – 1 

2. Steelton-Highspire (3)       – 7-1 – 2 

3. Bishop Canevin (7) – 8-1 – 3 

4. Tri-Valley (11)                  — 9-0 – 4 

5. Reynolds (10)           – 8-1 – 5 

6. Muncy (4)                          – 8-0 – 6 

7. Penns Manor (6)                — 9-0 – 7 

8. Eisenhower (10)                — 9-0 – 8 

9. Northern Lehigh (11)        — 8-1 – 9 

10. Northern Bedford (5)      — 9-0 – 10 

Teams to watch: Laurel (7) 8-1, Port Allegany (9) 8-1, Redbank Valley (9) 8-1, Windber (5) 8-1. 

Lane Peiper, so., OL/DL, Juniata: Part of a Juniata defensive unit that really came on after halftime, Peiper totaled eight stops in the Indians’ come-from-behind win over Line Mountain. His biggest play came early in the fourth quarter when he dropped the Eagles’ Ian Bates for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-short at the Line Mountain 43.

Chandon Maurer, jr., ILB/RB, Line Mountain: Maurer was all over the field in the Eagles’ 14-10 loss at Juniata, involving himself in 13 solo tackles, 3 assists and three tackles for a loss. The Eagles limited Juniata to just 3 rushing yards on 11 attempts in the first half.

Jacob Frey, jr., RB/ILB, James Buchanan: Frey cranked out a strong individual performance, but it wasn’t enough as the Rockets were grounded 43-12 by Susquenita. Frey rushed 19 times for 167 yards, scoring his lone TD on a 63-yard run.

Derek Gibney, jr., QB/DB, Susquenita: Continuing his late-season surge, Gibney completed 12 of his 24 throws for 177 yards and three touchdowns as the Blackhawks kept alive their hopes for a share of the Mid-Penn Liberty crown. Gibney’s TD throws to his twin brother, Drew, Kamar Lewis and Athan Robinson covered 6, 14 and 41 yards, respectively.

Dalton Kratzer, fr., RB/LB, Newport: Kratzer rushed 17 times for 93 yards and one touchdown as Todd Rothermel’s Buffaloes finally cracked the win column with a 14-7 triumph at Halifax. Kratzer’s 6-yard run early in the second half upped the lead to 14-0.

Zach Bellis, jr., LB/OL, Newport: Bellis ignited a strong Newport defensive performance in Friday’s 14-7 success at Halifax, posting a team-high eight stops as the Buffaloes limited the host Wildcats to 154 offensive yards and forced four turnovers – all interceptions. Bellis was in that group, picking off one pass.

Eli Farence, sr., WR/DB, Upper Dauphin: Farence put together a productive outing on both sides of the ball as Upper Dauphin held off non-league playmate Big Spring 42-35. Farence caught four passes for 67 yards and one touchdown, a 32-yarder that snapped an early 7-all tie. Defensively, Farence finished with five tackles and swiped a pair of passes.

Brady Morgan, sr., RB/DB, Upper Dauphin: Morgan played a huge role in Upper Dauphin’s 42-35 victory at Big Spring, rushing 14 times for 153 yards and scoring first-half TDs of 23, 44 and 6 yards. Morgan also hauled in three passes for 45 yards as the Trojans rolled up nearly 400 yards of offense while running their win streak to six.

Bennett Secrest, so., QB, Cedar Cliff: Not a bad West Shore Rivalry debut for the rookie. Secrest threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 18 stripes and another score to lead the Colts to a 42-0 blowout win over rival Red Land.

Cole Bartram, jr., RB, Northern: Bartram was the biggest weapon as the Polar Bears handed Gettysburg a 24-23 loss, the first in Mid-Penn Colonial action for the Warriors this season. Bartram earned 124 hard yards on 28 carries, scoring a third-quarter TD from 18 yards out to go up 14-9.

Demaj Jalloh, so., QB, CD East: A big night for Jalloh, who led the Panthers to their first win in six games with an 18-of-29, 241-yard, two-touchdown night. It helped CD East beat rival Central Dauphin 35-0. Jalloh tossed touchdowns of 15 and 59 yards.

Stone Saunders, so., QB, Bishop McDevitt: Saunders torched Mifflin County in a 54-6 win, throwing for 237 yards and six touchdowns. His TDs included passes of 51, 30, 47, 42 and 5 yards. 

Ronald Burnette, jr., RB, Steel-High: Huge night Thursday for Burnette, who was back from an injury. Burnette averaged nearly 10 yards a carry, finishing with 266 stripes on 28 totes in a 35-28 win over Trinity. He scored three touchdowns that traveled 64, 4 and 51 yards.

Marcus Quaker, sr., QB, West Perry: The Mustangs are 9-0. Say that out loud again. Quaker has been sensational all season and was again Friday, throwing for 178 yards (12 of 23) and rushing for 175 (11 carries) in a 42-20 win over Camp Hill. He rushed for two TDs of 23 and 6 yards and threw a 27-yarder. Finn Furmanek, sr., QB, State College: Statistically speaking, perhaps nobody had a better night in Week 9 than Furmanek. The senior produced 262 passing yards (16 of 20) and 156 rushing yards (13 carries) to guide the Little Lions to a 48-31 win over Cumberland Valley. He ignited a comeback down 17-7 with TD passes of 89, 25 an 44 yards and ran another in from 8 yards out.

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. Vote once per hour, per IP address for your favorite competitor.

Editor’s note: We have implemented new 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.

​​Dante Carr, Minersville:, fr., QB:  Dante Carr didn’t shy away from a shootout Friday night against Schuylkill Haven. The freshman turned in his best performance of his young varsity career when he slinged the rock for 325 yards on 13 completions and four touchdowns in a 47-39 victroy. He also rushed for another 49 stripes. Not bad, kid.

Jake Scheib, Tri-Valley, sr., RB/DT: Scheib upped Marian Catholic’s discomfort level on both sides of the football as the powerful senior cranked out a strong overall performance in the Dawgs’ 33-7 victory. Scheib rushed eight times for 99 yards and one touchdown, but also caught a pair of passes for 60 yards. In addition, he made six tackles for a Tri-Valley defense that limited run-happy Marian to 186 offensive yards.

Brock Polinsky, Minersville, sr., FS/WR: If you are watching any highlights of Minersville’s 47-39 shootout victory against Schuylkill Haven, you’ll be hard pressed to find many without free safety Brock Polinsky who seemed to be in on just about every tackle Minersville made Friday night. The senior chalked up a game-high 17 tackles to help his mates walk off the field with a ‘dub.

Payton Fasnacht, Blue Mountain, jr., RB/CB: When Blue Mountain needed production, they turned to their most trusted weapon, Payton Fasnacht. He didn’t disappoint. The junior ripped off 125 yards on 17 carries and hauled in four passes for another 83 yards. He took it to the house twice in a 14-6 victory against Bangor to propel his squad.

Brady Evans, Williams Valley, sr., WR/DB: Evans was his typically productive self last weekend, catching three passes for 101 yards and one touchdown in Williams Valley’s 42-22 triumph over Shenandoah Valley. Of course, Evans’ load score was a biggie covering 64 yards right before the halftime break.
Reece Huntzinger, Tri-Valley, sr., RB/LB: Huntzinger also wreaked all sorts of havoc throughout Tri-Valley’s 33-7 conquest of Marian Catholic, rushing 10 times for 34 yards and two scores before playing a significant role in limiting the Colts’ offensive attack. Huntzinger totaled nine tackles from his inside backer spot – including 1.5 quarterback sacks – but he also picked off a Marian throw.

How about Week 10 games with division title implications to spice up the curtain coming down on the 2022 regular season?

There’s an elephant in the room from Week 9, CD East 35, Central Dauphin 0, that produced the single-most jaw dropping scoreline of the 2022 season to date. More on that later.

First, how about the Mid-Penn Conference Capital and Colonial Division titles coming down to a winner-take-all (almost) to decide champions. It’s beautiful when the schedule and results pair up to produce Week 10 high drama.

Let’s start in the Capital Division. This is pretty clear cut. Undefeated West Perry will travel to one-loss Steel-High on Saturday with the winner taking the title outright. Make no mistake, the Rollers want to win the Capital title, but it’s not rare for Steel-High to win or be in the mix for a MPC crown. This is a HUGE deal for the Mustangs. Opportunities to win championships are sometimes separated by decades.

And this promises to be a helluva game with a couple high-powered offenses looking to outgun the other. Steel-High stayed in the title chase by nudging a Trinity team that is ready for the second season, 35-28 in overtime. When you get 266 yards from a running back, Ronald Burnette in this case, it makes winning so much easier.

West Perry QB Marcus Quaker and RB Trent Herrera continue to be the front-line firepower for the Mustangs’ offense; each post three touchdowns in a 42-20 victory over Camp Hill. Ian Goodling had eight catches for 163. The Mustangs certainly have the firepower to keep pace with the Rollers. 

Gettysburg had emerged as the power of the Colonial Division and only needed to win one of its final two games to secure the title outright. The Warriors will have to wait until Week 10 to see if they can get across the finish line and raise a title banner.

That’s because the wild-ride Northern Polar Bears continued their up-and-down season by upsetting Gettysburg by rallying from behind twice. That victory means the chase for the Colonial Division title is now in full crazy train mode.

Gettysburg is still driving the engine, though. All the Warriors, who have only one loss in the Colonial, have to do is beat the red-hot Susquehanna Township Indians to earn the outright Colonial crown. If there’s one team you don’t want to be playing right now it’s Joe Headen’s Indians.

The Hanna Tribe won their fourth in a row, flying past overmatched East Pennsboro by scoring the first 22 points on their way to a comfortable 30-9 victory.

That means the Indians, who were 0-10 a year ago and had lost 15 of their previous 17 games heading into 2022, are playing for a share of a division championship. Wow!!

Susquehanna Township beats Gettysburg in Week 10 and the Colonial Division title could be a two, three or four-way shared prize. Mechanicsburg and Shippensburg each have two Colonial losses along with the Indians. It took until deep into the season but the Colonial Division finally entered full Crazy Colonial mode.

Congratulations to Bishop McDevitt on wrapping up the Keystone Division title. It was a foregone conclusion the high-powered Crusaders would be the champs, but that does not diminish their excellence. McDevitt has scored 414 points in eight games after taking out Mifflin County 54-6.

CD East went into its game against rival Central Dauphin riding a five-game losing streak. The Rams were 3-2 in their previous five games after starting the season 0-3 and were uber competitive in losses to unbeaten State College and Cumberland Valley.

None of that mattered on Friday night. The Panthers made it two wins in a row over their fellow Central Dauphin School District mates. And when the final is 35-0 that means it wasn’t much of a fair fight. CD East coach Lance Deane should be proud of his team. They didn’t quit on themselves and were rewarded.

I peeked at the District 3 power rankings briefly last week, but still didn’t care that much. This week, however, the postseason picture has crystalized and deserves some attention.

Entering the final week of the regular season 15 teams from the Mid-Penn Conference are above the playoff yellow line in their respective PIAA classifications. Camp Hill (2A), Upper Dauphin (3A) and Carlisle (6A) currently rest in the final spot to earn an invite. So Week 10 results for those teams are going to be difference makers.

Northern pulling off the upset of Gettysburg puts them right back in the mix and on the playoff bubble in Class 5A. They are the only MPC squad on the bubble. The Polar Bears play Mechanicsburg, a 4-5 team who has won three of its last four, in a rivalry game. The Wildcats and Polar Bears are not football fans of each other to put it mildly.

Aiden Ritter’s only interception of the season was a big one.

And it was enough for the Upper Dauphin senior to earn this week’s 4th Down Magazine Player of the Week. 

Ritter, a linebacker, snagged a tipped pass off the hands of teammate Twgan Engle and returned it 5 yards for a decisive score in a 20-13 win over Juniata last week. He also added 11 tackles as UD held Juniata to 258 total yards.

It’s been a solid season for the senior, who has 52 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and the aforementioned pick-6.

Ritter picked up a tidy 546 out of a total 1,509 total votes cast. He easily beat Line Mountain sophomore Ian Bates, who had 381 votes. 

Ritter and his Trojans (6-2) teammates have a non-division game against Big Spring next. 

EXPLAINING OUR PICKS: The 4th Down Magazine crew picks all games involving Mid-Penn Conference teams, as well as Schuylkill-Colonial League games featuring former members of the now-defunct Twin Valley Conference. Come playoff time, they’ll expand to include all District 3 teams, as well as the local District 4, District 6 and District 11 programs. Then they’ll get really bold in the state semifinals and start picking games across the state. The predictions are meant for entertainment purposes only because, truth be told, these guys aren’t very bright. Three of them are former full-time sportswriters (dummies), and the other decided to start a high school football magazine despite the fact he already works a full-time job. But, dangit, they like to watch football, think about football, write about football, and eat. That last one isn’t related to picking football games unless you count the mustard on the keyboard. As always, enjoy, and don’t take it too seriously. Nobody here hates any program. Any perceived disrespect is a figment of your imagination. Except Sandrik, who absolutely DESPISES … (transmission interrupted) …

2022 STANDINGS THROUGH WEEK 8

Picker: Week 9 – Overall – Perfect Picks
Adam Kulikowski: 18-3 — 167-50 — 0
Andy Shay: 19-2 — 162-55 — 2
Andy Sandrik: 17-4 — 160-59 — 1
Geoff Morrow: 18-3 — 160-59 — 1

WEEK 9 SCHEDULE

 * In scorelines, home team in all caps

Thursday, Oct. 20

MID-PENN CAPITAL

WEST PERRY 42, Camp Hill 20

Andy Shay: West Perry 38, Camp Hill 14: Mustangs are rolling, and points on the scoreboard are what carry this team. Defensively, they started slow a week ago but eventually joined the party. Don’t forget about the defense. Lions are struggling to score and keep up.

Geoff Morrow: West Perry 40, Camp Hill 14: Perhaps not so surprising since the Capital, sans Middletown, isn’t very strong this year, but the Lions will be just the third team with a current winning record the Mustangs have faced (Juniata and Trinity are the others). So long as West Perry doesn’t look past Camp Hill to Steel-High next week, the unbeaten mark should remain into Week 10.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 44, Camp Hill 7: As of late, the Mustangs haven’t been perfect while pursuing their perfect season, with slow starts in back-to-back games. It’s important this week for WP to be clean, sharp and healthy.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 47, Camp Hill 13: This has quickly become one of those seasons the gents from Elliottsburg will talk about long after they hang up the cleats. 

Steelton-Highspire 35, TRINITY 28 (OT)

Andy Shay: Steel-High 42, Trinity 28: Are the Shamrocks ready to take the next step and put the Rollers on tilt? Steel-High is in control of this outcome. Can the T-Rocks wrestle some of that power away and make this a game down the stretch?

Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 53, Trinity 20: The Shamrocks’ defense pitched an impressive shutout last week vs. rival Camp Hill. Somehow that ‘D’ will still have to be significantly better this week to prevail against a team that has scored 74, 61, 71 and 68 points over its last four games. 

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 52, Trinity 21: To me, the only path to victory for Trinity is scoring a lot of points. Like, a metric ton. And even if that happens, it’s still an uphill battle for the Shamrocks.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 55, Trinity 23: Just like clockwork, the Rollers are hitting their stride just as we get closer to the playoffs. 

Friday, Oct. 21

MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH

CARLISLE 24, Altoona 14

Andy Shay: Carlisle 27, Altoona 24: Not sure how to see this game. Altoona has been more consistent. Carlisle is a box-of-chocolates team: You are never quite sure what you are going to get. Mountain Lions deserve to be the favorite, so I’m taking the underdog?

Geoff Morrow: Carlisle 28, Altoona 21: Here’s why I love high school football: CV and Carlisle were headed in completely opposite directions entering last week. The Herd hadn’t beaten CV since 2004. (For context, the Red Sox had just rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS en route to the World Series title, which seems like forever ago.) Then Carlisle springs one of the biggest upsets of the year, and they’re STILL giving folks (a.k.a. Sandrik) the business for not picking them. Yet I guarantee if you would have asked Carlisle faithful for an honest prediction last week, all would have said CV. Ha. Herd just needs to avoid a let-down this week.

Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 33, Altoona 27: All I was hearing last weekend at the Bellaire Elementary FallFest is how Carlisle can make the playoffs if it takes care of business over these last two, winnable games. I don’t think the Mountain Lions will make it easy, though. 

Adam Kulikowski: Altoona 34, Carlisle 28: Props to the Thundering Herd, who upset a Cumberland Valley team riding high last week. Keeping that kind of momentum going can be challenging. 

Central Dauphin East 32, CENTRAL DAUPHIN 0

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 42, CD East 14: Did you know, because of their ridiculous schedule and how tough it’s been, the Rams still have a legitimate shot at making the postseason? Yes, this is a rivalry game as well. Rams are playing good football. CD East is not right now.

Geoff Morrow: Central Dauphin 40, CD East 20: You might want to believe this intense sister school rivalry produces a bunch of closely contested games that come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter. But you’d be wrong. Only one of the last seven meetings was competitive for 48 minutes.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 42, CD East 13: The Rams seem to win their toss-up games while also playing up to the level of superior opponents. How will CD fare in a game where it’s favored? 

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 35, CD East 14: Plenty of fight in these Rams, battling through injuries at key positions to contend for a playoff berth.

STATE COLLEGE 48, Cumberland Valley 31

Andy Shay: State College 28, Cumberland Valley 7: Not knowing the status of Eagles QB Isaac Sines makes the CV points total tricky. The outcome? Even with Sines playing and healthy, the Little Lions are the pick.

Geoff Morrow: State College 33, Cumberland Valley 14: A pair of stunning results last week: CV falling to Carlisle, and State High shutting down Harrisburg. I think the Little Lions are immune to hangovers, so I expect they’ll be up to task even if the Eagles regroup and play their best ball again.

Andy Sandrik: State College 30, Cumberland Valley 17: I’m making this pick under the assumption Sines is out. If he is playing, give the Eagles another TD here, but the Little Lions are still winning.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 34, Cumberland Valley 17: The Little Lions made quite the statement last week against Harrisburg. Add in the uncertainty of Sines, who left last week’s game and didn’t return, and it’s tough to see a path to victory for the Eagles this week.

Harrisburg 41, CHAMBERSBURG 0

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 41, Chambersburg 7: How you respond when you lose matters in high school football. Still a lot on the table for Harrisburg this season, and the Trojans don’t have the horses.

Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 44, Chambersburg 14: The Cougars put a hurting on Carlisle the week after losing to Manheim Twp. earlier this season. I imagine they’ll take out their frustrations again on another overmatched foe. But Harrisburg has work to do, more than many of us expected.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 49, Chambersburg 7: This game looks, smells and feels like one of those nights where a madder-than-hell Harrisburg team could very well put up a 70-spot just to put the rest of the football world on notice.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 45, Chambersburg 6: Cougars are looking to rebound as they get tuned up for the postseason. This is a great opportunity to do just that. 

MID-PENN KEYSTONE

Bishop McDevitt 54, MIFFLIN COUNTY 6

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 59, Mifflin County 7: Another tune-up game for the Crusaders. That’s the Keystone Division in 2022. 

Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 61, Mifflin County 6: They’ve met twice, and the combined score is 96-0. The only question here in another boring McDevitt-involved Keystone game is whether the Huskies score their first ever points against the Crusaders.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 65, Mifflin County 7: I’m running out of creative ways to describe how Bishop McDevitt is hilariously better than any other team in the Keystone.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 67, Mifflin County 13: There’s not a team in the Keystone Division that can contend with the Crusaders. That’s no disrespect to the feisty Huskies, either.

Cedar Cliff 42, RED LAND 0

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 41, Red Land 21: Another rivalry game, and it’s a critical ‘W’ for the Colts to put on the board to keep their postseason aspirations on an upward trajectory. 

Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 28, Red Land 10: It’s now three wins in a row for the Colts, who have little room for error playing just inside the Class 5A playoff bubble. And, more importantly for those in the West Shore School District, a win here would complete a decade’s worth of wins vs. the Patriots, who last beat Cedar Cliff in 2012.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 34, Red Land 16: Just when we think this is a rebuilding year for the Colts, they go and win three games in a row to put themselves in playoff contention. Key for Red Land is playing scrappy and making the game uncomfortable for its school district rival.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 38, Red Land 24: Colts can run their winning streak to four straight with a victory against the Patriots. If this team is to make the 12-team Class 5A postseason dance, this is a must-win. 

Hershey 31, LOWER DAUPHIN 21

Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Lower Dauphin 27: This one is a coin flip for me. Taking the Trojans’ ability to stretch the field with a couple big plays as the difference-maker. 

Geoff Morrow: Hershey 27, Lower Dauphin 21: Each team enters on a mini slide, each having their swagger sapped by a few losses in a row. But it’s still a rivalry and should be fun. I just think the Trojans have been a little better.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 28, Hershey 24: I like how tough LD has played these past several games, even in losing, and I like the Falcons’ chances in this 50-50 scrap.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 24, Lower Dauphin 21: This might be one of the nail-biter tilts on the Week 9 docket. I could see paths to victory for each team and also reasons to pick against each. 

Milton Hershey 29, PALMYRA 16

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 42, Palmyra 13: Spartans simply have too much firepower for a Cougars squad that has trouble slowing teams down.

Geoff Morrow: Milton Hershey 55, Palmyra 14: A couple of impressive, multiple-score takedowns of decent foes (Mifflin County and Lower Dauphin) over their previous two outings, the Spartans are barreling toward a potentially very entertaining and important game in Week 10 vs. Cedar Cliff.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 39, Palmyra 10: The Spartans have found their groove. Not sure how much resistance they’ll face against a Palmyra squad that’s lost seven in a row. 

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 45, Palmyra 6: This time of year, there are teams that are motivated to hit the playoffs firing on all cylinders and others who have already figuratively turned in their pads. Spartans are the former – currently the No. 5 seed in District 3 Class 4A.

MID-PENN COLONIAL

NORTHERN YORK 24, Gettysburg 23

Andy Shay: Gettysburg 28, Northern 14: Strength vs. strength. In this matchup, the Warriors are better at the same game that makes the Polar Bears successful. 

Geoff Morrow: Northern 27, Gettysburg 26: Am I predicting an upset? Am I predicting the Polar Bears’ third straight one-point game? Yes and yes. The Colonial Division has more top-to-bottom parity this year than any division in recent memory, and I’m thinking Northern plays with something extra this week against the division leaders.

Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 28, Northern 21: If you’re a fan of Colonial football, enjoy another competitive, down-to-the-wire contest from Northern. If you’re a Polar Bear parent, you just might want to get your blood pressure checked. 

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 45, Northern 21: A Warriors win Friday night against Northern locks up a Colonial Division championship. Not a bad first dance in the division. 

Mechanicsburg 20, GREENCASTLE-ANTRIM 14

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 17, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Another toss-the-coin-in-the-air game, but something about the Wildcats and making every game close feels like they are comfortable with this type of game and know the ropes.

Geoff Morrow: Greencastle-Antrim 14, Mechanicsburg 11: Even during their current four-game slide, the Blue Devils have still shown an ability to score. The Wildcats, meanwhile, specialize in preventing teams from scoring. Can G-A do just enough at home to stop its losing streak?

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 24, Greencastle-Antrim 17: It’s been a close-but-no-cigar kind of skid for the Blue Devils, who have lost four straight. I think we’ve got another nail-biter this week with Mechanicsburg’s defense making the difference. 

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 21, Greencastle-Antrim 20: The Blue Devils are one of those teams you kind of scratch your head and wonder what could have been with just a few breaks the other way. Wildcats ride a few more weapons on both sides of the ball to extend G-A’s frustrations.

Shippensburg 33, WAYNESBORO 13

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 34, Waynesboro 14: It hasn’t been a “typical” season for the Greyhounds, but they are still a capable squad and have the playoffs on the horizon.

Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 23, Waynesboro 7: The Indians have scored more than twice in just one game all season. While that hasn’t prevented them from being competitive, it HAS kept them from winning. And you usually need more than two scores to beat Ship.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Waynesboro 10: Points have come at a premium for Waynesboro. I get the sense it’s going to take a handful of turnovers or big special teams plays for the Indians to stay within striking distance. 

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 35, Waynesboro 20: There will be no Colonial Division title in the cards for Shippensburg, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty to play for down the stretch. 

Susquehanna Township 30, EAST PENNSBORO 9

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Twp. 30, East Pennsboro 27: Never pick against a team on a hot streak. The ‘Hanna Tribe have won three straight and are hungry for more. They believe. Panthers are gonna be a tough out, though.

Geoff Morrow: East Pennsboro 26, Susquehanna Twp. 23: While this presents two teams on opposite three-game streaks, and the safe bet is undoubtedly red-hot ‘Hanna, I see this as very evenly matched. The Panthers need it more, though.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Twp. 28, East Pennsboro 19: Picking against ‘Hanna has been a losing proposition this season, so let’s see what happens if I pick the Tribe to win. 

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 28, East Pennsboro 21: Indians coach Joe Headen would be the first person to tell you his club is far from a finished product, but the fight Township put up after Northern rallied to force overtime last week was so encouraging to see. 

MID-PENN LIBERTY

JUNIATA 14, Line Mountain 10

Andy Shay: Juniata 21, Line Mountain 14: Juniata let one slip away last week. That loss to UDA was a stinger. The template for success doesn’t change, though. Not sure the Eagles can knock Juniata outside of its comfort zone.

Geoff Morrow: Juniata 14, Line Mountain 6: This was a 6-3 Juniata win last year, and these foes always seem to play games that come down to the wire (though usually with more than nine total points). If Juniata brings its ‘A’ game, it could win handily, but the Eagles have a skill at mucking things up and keeping themselves within striking distance.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 28, Line Mountain 14: How well can Juniata bounce back from that loss to Upper Dauphin that could very well determine the Liberty championship? If the Indians can stay focused, this is their game to lose.

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 20, Line Mountain 7: Just a few feet separated the Indians from victory last week against Upper Dauphin. That Juniata ‘D’ isn’t going to let that happen for a second straight week. 

Newport 14, HALIFAX 7

Andy Shay: Newport 34, Halifax 7: The more competitive team in this battle of struggling Liberty Division squads has been the Buffaloes. They’ve earned a ‘W.’

Geoff Morrow: Newport 35, Halifax 15: This is the first time the winless Buffaloes have been favored all season, and they’ve earned it with some gutsy showings in recent weeks against quality foes.

Andy Sandrik: Newport 33, Halifax 7: The win-loss record doesn’t reflect how much the Buffs have improved over this second half of the season. This week, Newport will get that elusive first victory. 

Adam Kulikowski: Newport 24, Halifax 14: The results may not show it, but the Buffaloes have been making strides in the right direction over the last few weeks. It’s time to be rewarded for their efforts. 

Susquenita 43, JAMES BUCHANAN 12

Andy Shay: Susquenita 38, James Buchanan 14: When the Blackhawks have enjoyed a matchup advantage, they tend to light up an opponent. I could see that happening here as well.

Geoff Morrow: Susquenita 52, James Buchanan 8: While a playoff berth seems like a long shot for the Blackhawks, they’re still a near lock to finish at least .500 and could give Juniata a great battle next week.

Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 42, James Buchanan 12: Defense has been too much of a liability for the Rockets for me to call this a competitive game. 

Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 38, James Buchanan 21: Blackhawks aren’t afraid to sling it. This is one of those weeks where the Gibney brothers show up large in the stat book. 

SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL RED

Notre Dame-Green Pond 48, PINE GROVE 14

Andy Shay: Notre Dame-Green Pond 41, Pine Grove 7: When you face a quarterback who has 30-plus total touchdowns and you’ve struggled to keep teams off the scoreboard, that says one-sided game.

Geoff Morrow: Notre Dame-Green Pond 50, Pine Grove 7: The Crusaders score in bunches, and the Cardinals’ defense – until recently, anyway – hasn’t exactly slowed opponents. Call this a mismatch.

Andy Sandrik: Notre Dame-Green Pond 39, Pine Grove 10: The Cardinals will need to find an answer for Crusaders QB Danny Darno, who has thrown 19 TDs and run for another 13.

Adam Kulikowski: Notre Dame-Green Pond 43, Pine Grove 14: The do-it-all QB1 over there on the Notre Dame-Green Pond side, Danny Darno, is primed to cause all sorts of problems for the Cardinals. 

SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL BLUE

WILLIAMS VALLEY 42, Shenandoah Valley 22

Andy Shay: Williams Valley 49, Shenandoah Valley 0: One team, the Vikings, has more firepower than most. The other team, the Blue Devils, has scored 87 points in eight games.

Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 59, Shenandoah Valley 0: The Blue Devils’ lone victory is Hancock (Md.), which is the same team against whom Halifax claimed its only victory. In other words, the Vikings roll.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 48, Shenandoah Valley 3: It’s going to take a lot of offense for Shenandoah to hold serve with the explosive Vikings. But that’s an awfully tough ask for a Blue Devils squad averaging 2 points per game during its three-game losing streak. 

Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 55, Shenandoah Valley 14: The only question in this one to me is how long it will take the Vikings to be able to let off the gas. 

Tri-Valley 33, MARIAN CATHOLIC 7

Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 41, Marian Catholic 7: Quite the former TVL double-dip for MC. Last week it was Williams Valley and now the unbeaten Bulldogs. Talk about stressing a defense.

Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 44, Marian Catholic 0: Just one week away from Tri-Valley vs. Williams Valley for all the marbles! We should ask the Colts for a scouting report after this weekend since they just played WV last week.

Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 39, Marian Catholic 7: MC could surely use a breather after last week’s beatdown loss against Williams Valley. But with 8-0 Tri-Valley due up next, it’s hard to envision anything like that this week. 

Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 42, Marian Catholic 20: When was the last time the Bulldogs reached 9-0 to start the season? Asking for a friend. 

NON-LEAGUE

Upper Dauphin 42, BIG SPRING 35

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 33, Big Spring 27: This will not be an easy outing for the Trojans. Big Spring is better than its 3-5 record and has some potential to overpower UDA. Getting this game into a shootout is key for the Trojans.

Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 28, Big Spring 26: Unless they’ve added a game I don’t know about, this is the Bulldogs’ season finale. And don’t underestimate the importance of this game to the Trojans, who could win the outright Liberty title by beating Line Mountain next week and still potentially miss the District 3 Class 3A playoffs if they lose here and Berks Catholic wins its final two games. Best bet for UDA is not leaving anything to chance by taking care of business vs. Big Spring. 

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 24, Upper Dauphin 21: Key for Big Spring will be possession time. If the Bulldogs can win the clock, they can beat the fast-paced Trojans.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 38, Big Spring 20: The Trojans should be riding high after a thrilling last-second hold to preserve their victory against Juniata last week. This one should be a little less stressful. 

Canceled: Middletown at Boiling Springs (Bubblers win by forfeit)

While Tim Savage’s high-powered Williams Valley football program appears to have its feet back under them following a midseason slide, the Vikings have one more week of preparation remaining before they square off against neighborhood rival Tri-Valley for the Colonial-Schuylkill League’s Blue Division crown.

Of course, that’s assuming both squads hold serve this weekend.

And for the Vikings (6-2, 3-0 Blue Division), Week 9 means a visit from struggling Shenandoah Valley (1-7, 0-3) awaits this weekend at The Stauff. Trap game? Yeah, but …

Williams Valley spent last weekend walloping Marian Catholic 40-7 in Williamstown. Savage pocketed his 100^th career victory and became the winningest coach in Williams Valley’s proud history. Savage’s historic success moved him past his former coach, the late Jerry Stauffenberg, and he accomplished his feat in his 11^th season fronting his alma mater’s program.

“I would like to thank every player I have coached, every coach that I have coached with and, finally, every coach that has ever coached me,” Savage stated on Twitter, a short time after Williams Valley closed out its latest victory. “One hundred wins in under 11 years is an accomplishment shared by many throughout a football life.”

Alex Achenbach rolled up his third game in as many weeks with 200-plus rushing yards — Achenbach carried the ball 21 times for 219 yards and one touchdown and added 49 yards and a score receiving — and the Vikings’ defensive unit shut down the visitors’ ground game.

Senior quarterback Isaac Whiteash completed seven of his 20 attempts for 130 yards and four touchdowns — one each to Achenbach and Logan Williard, along with a pair to favorite target Brady Evans (four receptions, 81 yards).

Williard sparked a Williams Valley defensive unit by making 10 tackles (one fewer than Bryant Hoover) as Marian managed just 26 rushing yards on 29 attempts. The Vikings also forced five turnovers, four fumbles and a pick from Achenbach.

Shenandoah Valley, meanwhile, dropped its third outing in as many weeks, falling 21-6 to Nativity. Nick Ryan enjoyed a huge night, catching 12 passes for 172 yards and the Blue Devils’ lone touchdown.

Quarterback Ben Dempster finished with 14 completions in 20 attempts for 191 yards — he was picked off twice — and his touchdown pass to Ryan. He added 48 rushing yards on 18 tries. Junior linebacker Kelvyn Cordero paced the Blue Devils with 11 tackles, including a pair behind the line of scrimmage.

Tri-Valley looking to remain perfect

State-ranked Tri-Valley (8-0. 3-0) turned back a dangerous Mahanoy Area 21-6 at the Hegins-Valley View Metroplex, remaining unbeaten in Blue Division play and strengthening its grip on the No. 1 spot in the District 11 Class 1A power rankings.

Yet with a Week 10 showdown with neighborhood rival Williams Valley looming, Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs cannot lose focus since a visit to Marian Catholic (4-4, 2-2) is on tap. And Stan Dakosty’s Colts are hoping to find a way to improve their No. 5 perch in the 1A power rankings and squeeze into the four-team playoff field.

Able to get some production from its ground game, Tri-Valley parlayed the work of Kam Wetzel (10 carries, 67 yards), Jake Scheib (10-50) and Reece Huntzinger (9-49) — each scored touchdowns — into a 21-0 lead after three quarters. QB Kole Miller was 9-for-16 passing for 125 yards, spreading the ball to five receivers.

Where the Bulldogs really excelled was defending the run, as Huntzinger (16 tackles), Scheib (10 tackles), Noah Porter (eight tackles) and Jolten Flory (eight tackles) spearheaded an effort that limited Mahanoy Area to just 93 yards on the ground.

Marian also encountered a defensive wall at Williams Valley, netting just 26 yards on 29 attempts. Running back Matt Martin was contained by the Vikings, picking up just 14 yards on 11 tries, even though one of his carries went for 20 yards.

Marian’s lone score came on a touchdown pass from Bruce Hopeck (5-of-12, 0 TDs, 92 yards) to Michael Gelatko, who had two catches for 74 yards and his first-half score.

Linebacker Joey Walko amassed 15 tackles.

Pine Grove finally halts nasty skid with road win in Lehigh Valley

Finally — thanks to a long-awaited 23-13 triumph at suburban Allentown’s Salisbury Township that ended a six-game slide — six weeks of frustration is over for an exhaling Pine Grove football program.

Unfortunately for Dave Shiffer’s Cardinals (2-6, 1-5), they’ll be back up against it this weekend when an explosive Notre Dame-Green Pond outfit (6-2, 5-1) rolls into southern Schuylkill County for a Red Division scrap.

Lane Lehman did much of the heavy lifting for Pine Grove, rushing 32 times for 212 yards and catching one pass for another 14. Quarterback Mason Kroh (2 of 5, 29 yards) pocketed all three touchdowns for the Cards, posting all three scores while rushing for 55 yards on 16 attempts.

Lehman had one sack among his four tackles. Nick Wolff paced the Cards with seven stops.

Notre Dame-Green Pond outran Jim Thorpe 57-40 last weekend, as dual-threat quarterback Danny Darno completed 24 of his 35 pass attempts for 343 yards and four touchdowns yet also ran 16 times for 156 yards and two scores as the Crusaders posted nearly 600 yards of offense.

Josh Ludlow added 69 yards and two scores on 12 rushing attempts, but he also caught nine passes for 99 yards. A.J. Lozano added four receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns, while James Wisecarver (5-61) and Julian Baker (4-54) each caught TD passes.