Perhaps it’s entirely fitting that Upper Dauphin is on the cusp of claiming an outright Mid-Penn Liberty Division championship — nearly 50 years since Tom Hain’s Trojans decked Millersburg to win the Twin Valley crown.

Then again, maybe it’s mere coincidence.

Yet while Hain remains involved in the UDA football program as an offensive mentor, there’s still business at hand.

And, quite simply, there’s nothing Line Mountain (4-5, 3-2 Mid-Penn Liberty) would enjoy more than to upend the Trojans (7-2, 5-0) and force their neighbors to share the Mid-Penn Liberty crown with someone.

Although UDA stepped out of league play last weekend, current head coach Kent Smeltz’s squad was forced to fend off Big Spring before leaving Cumberland County with a 42-35 win that stretched the Trojans’ winning streak to six games and kept them plugged into the sixth and final District 3 Class 3A playoff spot.

Since finishing fifth is a mathematical possibility, there’s more work to be accomplished — in addition to celebrating outright Liberty supremacy.

Senior feature back Brady Morgan rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns — all in the opening half — on 14 carries against Big Spring and caught three passes for 45 yards.

Quarterback Aidan Bingaman also enjoyed a productive performance, completing 13 of his 21 pass attempts for 185 yards and a trio of touchdowns — one each to Eli Farence (4 receptions, 67 yards), Konner Walker (3-40) and Alex Hepler (3-33).

All helped the Trojans build a 35-13 halftime advantage.

Farence picked off two passes, while Landon Mace fell on a fumble. Backer Caleb Snyder totaled 15 tackles for a UDA defensive unit that posted 17 stops for loss and five sacks but allowed 474 yards. Morgan and Hepler added seven tackles each.

Sporting its own Mid-Penn Liberty Division championship hopes when Week 9 began, Line Mountain appeared headed for its fourth straight victory by building a 10-0 halftime lead at Juniata while limiting the Indians to 3 rushing yards.

Things changed dramatically, however, as Juniata limited Brandon Carson’s attack to 13 plays from scrimmage. The Indians ultimately won 14-10 behind 1-yard touchdown runs from Seth Laub and Aaron Kanagy.

Ian Bates paced the Eagles with 57 yards and one touchdown on 18 attempts and is close to becoming the first sophomore in Line Mountain history to crack the 1,000-yard barrier.

Bates, however, was limited to just 5 yards after the break. Brayden Boyer’s 31-yard field goal accounted for the other Line Mountain points.

Quarterback Kaiden Maurer completed 5 of 8 throws for just 26 yards and one touchdown. The Eagles finished with 124 offensive yards.

Inside linebacker Chandon Maurer was tremendous throughout the closely contested 48-minute scrap, registering 13 solo tackles (three tackles for loss) while assisting on three others.

The Indians now need the Eagles’ help in claiming a share of the Mid-Penn Liberty. Even Juniata skipper Kurt Condo couldn’t help but chuckle at that notion while answering questions following the game.

Carson’s Eagles, who edged in front of Hughesville, also are playing for a higher seed in the District 4 Class 2A playoffs. A victory would cement that No. 5 spot for Line Mountain, particularly since UDA is a Class 3A program. Hughesville will be playing neighboring Muncy, an undefeated Class A squad.

Juniata, Susquenita hoping for share of Liberty crown

While Juniata had its shot at Upper Dauphin in Week 8, the Indians (6-3, 4-1) watched a short pick-6  and a fumble inside the Trojans’ 5 in the final minute lead to UDA’s 20-13 win in Elizabethville. Hence, the position everyone’s in.

Should Line Mountain prevail, the Juniata-Susquenita survivor will share the Mid-Penn Liberty crown with Upper Dauphin. If the Trojans win, second place will go to Juniata or a Susquenita side (5-4, 4-1) that’s won three straight.

While Laub and Kanagy posted the Juniata touchdowns — Kanagy finished 6 for 16 passing for 121 yards — Lane Peiper’s stop of an airborne Bates on fourth-and-short at the Line Mountain 44 was big. So was Makih Hunt’s late sack.

Getting three touchdown passes from Derek Gibney (12 of 24, two INTs, 177 yards), Susquenita rolled to a 43-12 conquest of James Buchanan. Gibney’s TD throws went to Drew Gibney (6 yards), Kamar Lewis (14 yards) and Athan Robinson (41 yards) as Augie Glass’ Blackhawks constructed a 29-6 halftime lead.

Mason Figard and Bryce McKee added scoring runs of 3 and 15 yards, while Susquenita also picked up a 30-yard fumble return from Laiken Miller.

Newport searching for second straight victory

Mason Messick and Dalton Kratzer each rushed for touchdowns as Newport snapped an eight-game skid with a 14-7 victory at Halifax. Kratzer rushed 17 times for 93 yards.

Now, Todd Rothermel’s Buffaloes (1-8, 1-4) hope to ground James Buchanan (3-6, 1-4) at George Katchmer Field and close out 2022 on a positive note.

One of four Buffaloes to record interceptions, Zach Bellis paced the ‘Port defensive unit with eight tackles. Tyler Geer, Dylan Vadasz and Messick also swiped passes for the Buffs, who yielded just 154 total yards.

James Buchanan dropped its fifth consecutive contest, falling 43-12 to Susquenita. Jacob Frey rushed for 167 yards and a 63-yard score for JB, which conceded three Derek Gibney TD passes.

Halifax to close out against visiting Trinity

While Earl Mosley’s Halifax squad came mighty close to snapping a five-game skid, the Wildcats tumbled 14-7 to Newport. Isaac Miller’s 9-yard touchdown run halved a 14-0 deficit with 4:50 left in the third quarter, but the ‘Cats could draw no closer against a Buffaloes squad that claimed its first win.

Miller finished with 66 yards on 12 carries, while Peter Ranck hauled in eight passes for 61 yards and rushed four times for 39 yards for Halifax (1-8).

Miller amassed an amazing 25 tackles defensively, including one sack.

He’ll need a similar effort to slow down a Trinity squad (5-4) that lost 35-28 in overtime to state-ranked Steel-High. Christian Joy and Messiah Mickens each wheeled for 100-plus rushing yards in the loss, with Joy netting two TDs.

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 DURING WEEK 10

Picker: Week 10 – Overall – Perfect Picks
Adam Kulikowski: 15-5 — 182-55 — 0
Andy Shay: 15-5 — 177-60 — 2
Andy Sandrik: 15-5 — 175-62 — 1
Geoff Morrow: 12-8 — 172-65 — 1

WEEK 10 SCHEDULE

 * In scorelines, home team in all caps

Friday, Oct. 28

MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH

CUMBERLAND VALLEY 37, Altoona 6

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 31, Altoona 14: Eagles have dropped two in a row and are looking to reclaim that winning feeling heading into the second season. Mountain Lions have dropped three of their last four. 

Geoff Morrow: Cumberland Valley 30, Altoona 20: Seems like a good opportunity for the Eagles to get back on the winning track heading into the postseason. Both teams enter on mini two-game slides.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 33, Altoona 17: How much fight do the Eagles have after watching a 17-point lead evaporate against State College? If CV’s heads are in this game, it’s their game to lose.

Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 35, Altoona 17: If you’re the Eagles, now is the time to find that good mojo that was flowing so easily through the first two-thirds of the season. 

Carlisle 27, CENTRAL DAUPHIN EAST 14

Andy Shay: Carlisle 21, CD East 14: Thundering Herd have a playoff berth on the line. The Panthers are playing for pride and ran over rival Central Dauphin last week. Beware of the team with confidence and playing for pride.

Geoff Morrow: Carlisle 24, CD East 18: Very interesting game with East coming off a blowout of rival Central Dauphin, and Carlisle on the precipice of a playoff berth. Not sure if Dallastown would have enough to overtake the Herd for the last playoff spot if it beats Red Lion and Carlisle loses here, but a win erases any doubt.

Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 26, CD East 24: I was much more sure on the outcome of this game BEFORE the Panthers went out and blasted Central Dauphin last week. Now, I’m not so sure.

Adam Kulikowski: Carlisle 24, CD East 23: In a season that has not gone how Lance Deane and the crew at CD East would have liked, you have to give them props for the fight they continue to have. Says a TON about their character. 

State College 36, CHAMBERSBURG 7

Andy Shay: State College 49, Chambersburg 7: The Little Lions have been a dominant squad and are on the cusp of completing a perfect regular season. The playoffs are coming, and those lofty goals for this club are legitimate. Savor the 10-0 first. It’s not as easy as SC made it look.

Geoff Morrow: State College 48, Chambersburg 14: Little Lions just one win away from finishing their first unbeaten regular season since 2008. Note that just one of this season’s wins – Week 2 at Downingtown East – was played within single digits.

Andy Sandrik: State College 44, Chambersburg 10: I can’t understate how difficult it is to make it through the Commonwealth Division with an unbeaten record. This has been a remarkable run for the Little Lions.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 49, Chambersburg 14: Little Lions have been lit all year. No reason to let down now with the playoffs just a week away. 

MID-PENN KEYSTONE

BISHOP McDEVITT 68, Lower Dauphin 14

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 55, Lower Dauphin 7: Competition has been very hard to come by for the Crusaders for weeks. That trend continues.

Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 59, Lower Dauphin 14: A win here coupled with a Manheim Central loss to Exeter would likely give the Crusaders the top seed in the upcoming District 3 Class 4A tournament. However, Lampeter-Strasburg could leapfrog McD with a win over Wyomissing. No matter what, there are some hammers atop the 4A field.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 54, Lower Dauphin 7: McDevitt basically had the Keystone Division wrapped up in the preseason, but this will make it official. More competitive games are on the horizon for the Crusaders.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 65, Lower Dauphin 13: Wishing Crusaders athletic director Tommy Mealy the absolute best as he prepares to take on a new challenge with Elco later this year. Tommy played a critical role in helping 4th Down get off the ground, for which we will be forever grateful. 

CEDAR CLIFF 38, Milton Hershey 14

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 28, Milton Hershey 20: Combined, the Colts and Spartans bring seven consecutive wins to the table. Confidence will be high, and whoever better handles adversity inside this game will prevail.

Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 27, Milton Hershey 23: Second place in the Keystone on the line here, as well as playoff positioning. Both teams are running hot – four-game streak for the Colts, three-game streak for the Spartans. Should be a very entertaining game.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 28, Milton Hershey 26: QBs Kenny Emile (Milton Hershey) and Bennett Secrest (Cedar Cliff) have combined for 28 TDs this season. Could we see an air display at West Shore Stadium?

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 34, Cedar Cliff 28: Two teams hitting their stride at just about the perfect time. Give me the Spartans and the still-under-the-radar QB Kenny Emile. 

HERSHEY 17, Palmyra 7

Andy Shay: Hershey 31, Palmyra 14: Trojans have made the very most possible out of what they have, and a .500 season would be quite an accomplishment. Cougars are still fighting and haven’t tossed in the towel.

Geoff Morrow: Hershey 28, Palmyra 13: The Cougars played Milton Hershey tough last week, and they’ll need another superb effort to avoid ending the 2022 campaign on a nine-game losing streak. Though not ticketed for the playoffs, the Trojans could still seal their first full-season .500-or-better campaign (not counting 2020’s covid-shortened 5-1 mark) since 2013 with a win here.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 24, Palmyra 13: The Cougars would really like to avoid ending their season on a nine-game losing streak, but doing so will require an upset victory over their backyard rivals. 

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 35, Palmyra 7: Nothing but pride on the line in this one. Still, it would take a huge offensive performance for the Cougars to get a much-need victory. 

MIFFLIN COUNTY 41, Red Land 7

Andy Shay: Mifflin County 37, Red Land 7: In the games where the playing field is level, the Huskies have enjoyed some success.

Geoff Morrow: Mifflin County 22, Red Land 10: Huskies guarantee themselves their first winning season since 2018 with a victory over the Patriots.

Andy Sandrik: Mifflin County 28, Red Land 12: The Huskies are not only out of the Keystone Division basement, they’re in a great position to clinch a winning season.

Adam Kulikowski: Mifflin County 33, Red Land 20: Finding the right feel for the Huskies has been a challenge for me all season. Here’s to ending on a high note with this crew. 

MID-PENN COLONIAL

WAYNESBORO 13, East Pennsboro 10 (2OT)

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 20, Waynesboro 17: Couple of teams with high hopes early on that have long since faded. This game is about who still has the desire and hunger. On paper it’s even. 

Geoff Morrow: Waynesboro 17, East Pennsboro 13: Two teams slipping into the offseason on ugly losing streaks. Who puts it together for a triumphant Week 10? 

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 21, Waynesboro 17: Both squads have been taking it on the chin as of late. Just a little more offensive consistency from the Panthers to take them in this 50/50 scrap.

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 21, East Pennsboro 20: I see plenty of paths for either team to add one more notch to the win column. Both teams have to be disappointed with the way this season played out. 

Gettysburg 23, SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP 16

Andy Shay: Gettysburg 28, Susquehanna Township 21: The hotter team is clearly the ‘Hanna Tribe. Gettysburg was served a big-time dose of Colonial humble pie last week. Now it has to earn an outright division title the hard way or it’s a shared crown.

Geoff Morrow: Susquehanna Township 30, Gettysburg 21: No stopping the ‘Hanna right now, it seems. And a win here would mean splitting the Colonial crown multiple ways. Does it cut like a cake?

Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 33, Susquehanna Township 28: The pride of the Colonial Division rests on ‘Hanna stopping Gettysburg from taking the division outright in its maiden voyage. It’s very possible, but the Warriors didn’t get to this point by not being a good football team.

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 24, Susquehanna Township 22: The key to me for the Warriors? Jump out to an early lead. As hot as Township has been, this is a club that plays differently when they take the first punch. 

Greencastle-Antrim 42, SHIPPENSBURG 26

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 28, Greencastle-Antrim 17: Just feels like the Greyhounds are playing their best football of the season right now. The Blue Devils had such a promising start but have fallen on hard times.

Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 31, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Eleven straight wins for the Greyhounds against the Blue Devils, including 10 straight by double digits. A win here and a Gettysburg loss means Ship would get a piece of the Colonial title, too.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 34, Greencastle-Antrim 17: The Greyhounds have hit their stride just in time for the postseason. Greencastle seemed destined for a winning season but now is in danger of a 4-6 campaign after starting 4-0.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 36, Greencastle-Antrim 20: You almost get spoiled by how good the Greyhounds have been over the last several years. While this club may not have the same luster, the end results are looking mighty close heading into the postseason.

Northern York 21, MECHANICSBURG 14

Andy Shay: Northern 20, Mechanicsburg 14: Not a lot of love lost between these nextdoor rivals, and that’s part of the equation. Polar Bears want to pound the rock and be physical. Up to the Wildcats’ defense to be a difference maker in order to pull off the very mild upset.

Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 16, Northern 14: As quickly as I made friends last week accurately predicting the Polar Bears’ one-point win over Gettysburg, I’m going to lose them this week with yet another Colonial “upset” pick, though I’m not sure anything in the Colonial this year should qualify as an upset. Both teams here have been playing well, so my edge goes to the ‘Cats because of home-field advantage. Again, the winner here shares a piece of the Colonial title IF Gettysburg loses.

Andy Sandrik: Northern 21, Mechanicsburg 20: The Polar Bears have played in four games decided by just one point. With rival Mechanicsburg taking the field, this could very well be another razor-thin decision.

Adam Kulikowski: Northern 24, Mechanicsburg 21: Can the Polar Bears get off this roller coaster this week after stopping Gettysburg from claiming the Colonial Division title last week? 

MID-PENN CAPITAL

Boiling Springs 35, CAMP HILL 28

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 21, Boiling Springs 14: Both clubs are looking to find that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes with a victory. Bubblers have lost six straight and the Lions are on a three-game slide.

Geoff Morrow: Camp Hill 20, Boiling Springs 13: There would have been a lot more fanfare for this game if it happened in the first few weeks of the season, but here in Week 10, both teams are dragging themselves across the finish line. The Lions benefit from having a “next week” on the horizon.

Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 24, Boiling Springs 17: Coin flip game to me, but I like Camp Hill’s résumé just a little better.

Adam Kulikowski: Camp Hill 24, Boiling Springs 21: Each team desperately wants to end the regular season on a high note, but the Lions simply have more at stake.

MID-PENN LIBERTY

NEWPORT 17, James Buchanan 12

Andy Shay: Newport 14, James Buchanan 13: After getting that elusive first victory, the Buffaloes close out the campaign with two in a row here. Rockets will have a say in this outcome, though.

Geoff Morrow: James Buchanan 25, Newport 22: When I originally saw this game on the schedule, I assumed I would quickly take the ‘Port. However, I’m suddenly drawn to the Rockets, who enjoyed their success early in the season while the Buffaloes finally won their first game last week. Can’t explain it, but I think JB hangs tough here and maybe even prevails.

Andy Sandrik: Newport 28, James Buchanan 14: My gut is telling me to take Newport for no other reason than the Buffs have tasted victory more recently. 

Adam Kulikowski: James Buchanan 21, Newport 14: Touchdowns will be at a premium Friday night. Rockets just seem to have a few more weapons who could provide a spark. 

Juniata 19, SUSQUENITA 3

Andy Shay: Juniata 13, Susquenita 7: The Indians haven’t scored more than 14 points in each of their last three games. And Juniata is 2-1 in those contests. That tells you all you need to know.

Geoff Morrow: Juniata 29, Susquenita 21: Because the Blackhawks have built some extra confidence with three straight blowout victories against overmatched opponents, I think they keep this one tight. But gotta believe the playoff-bound Indians find a way.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 21, Susquenita 10: Don’t look now, but the Blackhawks have won three straight and now have a chance to end their regular season with a winning record. Something tells me Juniata’s defense has the final say in this one, though. 

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 21, Susquenita 7: ‘Nita takes plenty of aggressive swings on offense, which figures to be a high-risk approach against one of the most pesky defenses in the Mid-Penn. 

Upper Dauphin 25, LINE MOUNTAIN 14

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 28, Line Mountain 20: Trojans have a Liberty Division crown at stake, and the Eagles, despite the loss last week, have been rock solid for a month. Intriguing tilt.

Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 35, Line Mountain 21: If things hold in the District 3 Class 3A playoff picture, we could see a UD vs. West Perry postseason game, and wouldn’t that be fun?

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 40, Line Mountain 19: Both teams have settled into a nice groove, but the Trojans just have more traction and a division crown to play for. 

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 38, Line Mountain 21: The Trojans seem fully prepared to answer the bell in the District 3 Class 3A playoffs. Great test for this crew in Week 10.

SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL BLUE

Williams Valley 21, TRI-VALLEY 14

Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 32, Williams Valley 22: This one has all the earmarks of a classic. The rivalry is still very much alive, and the Bulldogs are unbeaten and have won in a variety of ways, so they are battle tested. Vikings will take their shots, make no mistake about it.

Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 27, Williams Valley 26: Far from a gimme for the unbeaten Bulldogs against their bitter rivals, but they’ve clearly been the more consistent team this season. The Vikings, however, own recent history with wins in eight of the last 10 meetings, including 28-13 in last year’s postseason. Bring snacks.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 26, Tri-Valley 25: Tri-Valley is the favorite here, but if there’s a team that has the confidence and swagger to knock off the Bulldogs, it’s the Vikings.

Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 31, Tri-Valley 28: Perhaps the most intriguing tilt on the docket in Week 10, this is a true slobberknocker in every sense. 

NON-LEAGUE

PINE GROVE 14, Marian Catholic 6

Andy Shay: Marian Catholic 34, Pine Grove 7: Cardinals are surrendering nearly 40 points a game, and that’s hard to overcome for any offense on a weekly basis. Been a long season for PG.

Geoff Morrow: Marian Catholic 21, Pine Grove 13: The Cardinals will be a welcome foe for the Colts after getting dismantled by Williams Valley and then Tri-Valley in Weeks 8 and 9. But I wouldn’t expect a blowout, not if Pine Grove is determined to close a forgettable campaign on a high note.

Andy Sandrik: Marian Catholic 27, Pine Grove 14: I’m not completely convinced MC takes this game in blowout fashion. As many points as Pine Grove has given up this season, the Cardinals have shown improvements on offense over the second half of the season. 

Adam Kulikowski: Marian Catholic 24, Pine Grove 7: The Colts have to be thrilled to make the trek to Cardinal territory after battling Williams Valley and Tri-Valley the last two weeks. 

Trinity 55, HALIFAX 14

Andy Shay: Trinity 42, Halifax 0: Perfect game for the Shamrocks to get some work in, prepare for the second season and finish above .500 overall.

Geoff Morrow: Trinity 59, Halifax 6: As neither Annville-Cleona nor Delone Catholic – the two teams ahead of Trinity in the District 3 Class 2A power rankings – should lose this weekend, it appears the Shamrocks will hit the road for the first round of playoffs. No big deal, because no matter where they play, they have built themselves up for this postseason dance. This is just a warmup.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 45, Halifax 0: It’s time for the young JV Shamrocks to have some time in the limelight. 

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 48, Halifax 6: The Shamrocks seem to have found another gear since their Week 4 loss to West Perry. No slow-down on tap in this Week 10 tilt. 

Saturday, Oct. 29

MID-PENN CAPITAL

STEELTON-HIGHSPIRE 53, West Perry 34

Andy Shay: Steel-High 34, West Perry 31: The Mustangs have been flying high offensively all season; don’t expect that to change. This will be the best defense they’ve bumped up against. And the West Perry defense can be a little loose in stretches, and this Rollers offense makes high demands of every defense.

Geoff Morrow: West Perry 39, Steel-High 32: A couple of observations here: This is the first time these teams have played since 2015, so the familiarity is game film and word-of-mouth only; Both are awesome and explosive; West Perry’s defense has surrendered some points lately, which is a concerning trend entering a game vs. the Rollers; The Mustangs, though, will be INCREDIBLY fired up, so Steel-High will need to match that early energy.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 48, Steel-High 39: I’ve been told by Luke Roman, a correspondent for the Perry County Times, that WP has a chance to be the fifth unbeaten team in PeCo history. The others are Newport (1953), Perry Joint (1959), Susquenita (1976) and West Perry (1989).

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 41, West Perry 40: The only thing standing between West Perry and an undefeated regular season is the toughest matchup they’ve faced all year. It’ll take their best effort to knock off the Rollers. 

MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH

HARRISBURG 42, Central Dauphin 7

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 35, Central Dauphin 0: No idea what went down with the Rams last week, but Harrisburg needs this win and has everything to play for, and CD has been up-and-down all season.

Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 49, Central Dauphin 3: Not going to speculate on what happened to CD last week, and I’m not sure it matters. The Cougars are preparing for the postseason; the Rams are not.

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 45, Central Dauphin 7: If CD East can put a hurting on CD, what can Harrisburg do?

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 43, Central Dauphin 14: Cougars have plenty to play for this week – and against a club that struggled mightily against 3-win CD East squad. Coach Cal’s gents should get a great postseason tune-up.Canceled: Big Spring at Middletown (Bulldogs win by forfeit)

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.