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Jeremiah Hargrove, jr., RB/DB, Carlisle: History was made Friday night, and Hargrove was at the center of it. The Herd beat Cumberland Valley 26-20, the first win in the series since 2004. Hargrove sliced up CV’s defense for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. He also picked off a pass and blocked an extra point.
David Chase, sr., QB, Central Dauphin: The nominal running back/receiver went under center Friday night and simply led the Rams to a 34-14 win over Altoona with 19 carries, 161 yards and and four touchdowns of 4, 25, 30 and 15 yards.
Deakon Schaeffer, jr., RB, Mifflin County: Schaeffer scored the game-winning 22-yard touchdown (on the ground) to lift the Huskies to a 24-20 victory over Hershey. The junior finished with 198 rushing yards and 3 receiving, scoring twice in the win.
Rico Scott, jr., WR, Bishop McDevitt: The Crusaders haven’t been challenged in a bit, the latest win a 55-14 drubbing of Red Land, but Scott shined in one half of work. He hauled in four TD passes on five total receptions, finishing with 90 yards. He scored on passes of 5, 33, 35 and 4 yards.
Brady Heiser, so., QB, Gettysburg: The top team in the Mid-Penn Colonial again won by multiple scores, beating Greencastle-Antrim 42-28. Heiser led the charge with a monster performance that included 339 total yards (293 passing and 46 rushing) and four touchdowns.
Tavon Cooper, sr., RB, Greencastle-Antrim: You know the rules: you run for 200 yards, win or lose, and you get nominated. Cooper did that, ripping off 224 yards and hauling in 87 more through three receptions in the Blue Devils’ 42-28 loss to Gettysburg. Cooper scored twice in the loss.
Parker Sample, sr., RB/DB, Mechanicsburg: The Wildcats blanked Waynesboro 28-0 behind a 206-yard night from Sample. The senior contributed in multiple ways, rushing for 158 stripes, passing for 11 and picking up 37 more on three receptions. He also scored two TDs and snared a sack.
Connor Green, jr., RB, Big Spring: Green was part of a two-headed attack (with Grant Hall: 98 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, two TDs) that toppled Boiling Springs 33-27. Green torched the Bubblers for 171 yards and three ground scores that traveled 13, 4 and 40 yards.
Derek Gibney, jr., QB, Susquenita: The junior was 15 of 27 passing for 204 yards and hit his brother, Drew, for two touchdowns of 9 and 40 yards to lead the Blackhawks to a comfortable 35-0 win over Halifax.
Ian Bates, so., RB, Line Mountain: Will another Eagle win POTW for the second straight week? Bates has a case after a 177-yard, four-touchdown performance in Line Mountain’s 48-8 win over James Buchanan.
Aiden Ritter, sr., LB, Upper Dauphin: Ritter was the beneficiary of a Tegan Engle tipped pass, snagging the deflection and returning it 5 yards for a TD as the Trojans popped Juniata 20-13. Ritter finished with 11 tackles (second on the team) as UD held Juniata to 258 offensive yards and forced two turnovers.
Jaeion Perry, jr., RB, Steel-High: Perry and the Rollers steamrolled Newport 68-14, with Perry collecting a remarkably efficient 229 yards on just four touches. He ran twice for 153 yards, scoring on runs of 85 and 68 yards, and caught two passes for 76 yards, one of which was a 69-yard score.
Marcus Quaker, jr., QB, West Perry: He’s back again. The POTW nominee regular had 265 passing yards and 109 rushing as the Mustangs pounded North Penn-Mansfield 49-21. Quaker finished with six touchdowns, including runs of 7, 5 and 23 yards and hit Ian Goodling for three scores of 30, 16 and 52 stripes.
Ian Goodling, jr., WR, West Perry: Goodling had a huge night on the receiving end of Quaker’s electric arm, hauling in 11 passes for 191 yards and scoring the aforementioned TDs of 30, 16 and 52 yards in a 49-21 win.
Lex Cyrus, yr., RB, Susquehanna Twp.: Lex Cyrus proved to be one slippery dude Friday night against Northern. After Northern scored first in overtime, Cyrus took the first snap of the Indians possession from the 10-yard line. The Polar Bears appeared to have him bottled up for a loss, but Cyrus shimmied his way out of tackles, raced around defenders to the edge and dove into the end zone. Moments later Twp. converted a two-point conversation. Game over. Cyrus ended the evening with 3 rushing for 85 yards and two scores. He also hauled in 11 receptions for 41 stripes.
Carlisle pulled off a thundering upset of Cumberland Valley on the road at The Chap to steal the Week 8 spotlight.
It has been nearly two decades since the Herd beat the Eagles. Carlisle’s last triumph over CV came in the 2004 playoffs. That’s a milestone win no matter what direction your season has gone. And it’s been a rough one filled with injuries, adversity and ups and downs for the Herd.
Carlisle jumped out to an early lead before the Eagles struck back with a pair of TD tosses courtesy of Isaac Sines’s left arm. That’s where this game took a major turn. Sines left the game midway through the second quarter and never returned. CV’s offense, without their senior leader, loses almost every ounce of firepower in its tank. Carlisle seized on the open door and brought home a six-point victory.
Carlisle junior Jeremiah Hargrove was a three-phase game wrecker. He rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, picked off a pass defensively and blocked an extra point on special teams.
After a zero-win campaign a year ago, Joe Headen’s Susquehanna Township Indians are making a strong case to go from the outhouse to the penthouse by making the playoffs in 2022.
The ‘Hanna Tribe made it three wins in a row, and improved to 5-3 overall, with a two-point conversion in overtime to edge Northern. It was the second consecutive week the Polar Bears were forced to extra time. Last week Northern stopped a two-point conversion in OT to win it.
Northern rallied late, scoring the final 10 points in regulation, including a 22-yard Mason Yohn field goal with six seconds left to force OT. The Polar Bears put seven on the board to begin the extra session, and The Tribe answered with a Lex Cyrus touchdown and Javon White’s two-point game winner.
Two tough games remain for the Indians, at East Pennsboro and a home finale with Colonial Division kingpin Gettysburg. The road to a postseason invite down the stretch is going to demand ‘Hanna continue to play at a high level. Then again, if it was easy it wouldn’t be as much fun, right?
Flashback to Week 4 when Trinity was outplayed and outclassed by still undefeated West Perry in a 40-14. After the game, second-year head coach Jordan Hill challenged the effort of his troops.
Hill sent a crystal clear message to a Shamrocks team that had lost three straight and was 1-3 overall. Two of those losses came at the hands of the No. 5-ranked Class 5A team in the state (Roman Catholic) and the No. 1 Class 3A squad in the state (Wyomissing). Losing to West Perry, looking back, isn’t a bad loss. But there’s a big difference between getting beat and not showing up. That night the T-Rocks didn’t show up.
Since that loss in Elliottsburg the Shamrocks have quietly worked their way back into postseason relevancy by reeling off three straight wins, including a shutout of rival Camp Hill in Week 8. Defense is where Trinity is making the most strides during this hot streak. The pieces are coming together. Offensively, they have an identity that starts with a pounding ground game and being physical.
Camp Hill had no answers as Messiah Mickens and Max Schlager each cleared 100 yards for the T-Rocks. The duo combined for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Trinity is the class of District 3 Class 2A field this season in terms of overall talent. Now the T-Rocks are starting to play like it.
Gettysburg, which remains unbeaten against Mid-Penn Conference foes, is showing itself to be the class of the Colonial Division this season, but it was pushed in a different direction by Greencastle-Antrim.
The Warriors have been suffocating teams the last month with an efficient running game and stingy defense. Gettysburg hasn’t been blowing teams away, per se, but it also hasn’t allowed more than 14 points to each of its last four opponents.
That all changed this week when the Blue Devils dropped a 21-point second-quarter bomb on Gettysburg to seize a 21-14 intermission lead. The Warriors’ response when the game went a little sideways is telling. Gettysburg used big plays to overwhelm G-A 28-7 the second half on its way to a season-high 42 points.
Wideouts Tanner Newman and Sean Higgins were flamethrowers for the Warriors. The two-way standouts combined for 263 receiving yards on only six catches (48.3 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. QB Brady Heiser finished with 339 total yards and four touchdowns, and standout RB Jayden Johnson piled up 147 yards on the ground with a touchdown.
It’s clear Gettysburg wants to pound the opponent into submission with its run game and let the defense hold down the fort. It’s a fairly simple formula that works for the Warriors. However, when pushed they can light the lamp and have the dudes to play wide open with their hair on fire.
West Perry stayed unbeaten behind another monster outing from QB Marcus Quaker. The Mustangs took a 150-plus mile road trip to one-win North Penn-Mansfield as a replacement game for the Middletown forfeit. For the sixth time in eight games West Perry scored 35 or more points behind six touchdowns and 374 total yards from Quaker.
Upper Dauphin turned the tables on Juniata to seize control of Liberty Division supremacy by using defense as the engine that powered a come-from-behind six-point victory. Wow!
The Trojans trailed the defensive-minded Indians 13-6 heading into the fourth quarter, turned away a couple Juniata chances to salt the game away with a big stop, scored a TD halfway through the quarter then used a big play and a defensive touchdown to win it. Aiden Ritter snared a deflected pass by LB Tegan Engle and bulled into the end zone from 4 yards out to nail down the victory.
It’s very likely Central Dauphin will not make the playoffs for the second consecutive year. On the flip side this might be one of the better pure coaching jobs Glen McNamee and his staff have done in years at CD. The Rams didn’t have many options at the quarterback position because of injuries heading to Altoona Friday night.
The answer was to put running back/wide receiver David Chase in the shotgun and keep it very simple. Chase answered the call with 161 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries to power CD to its third win of the season in a convincing 34-14 triumph over the five-win Mountain Lions.
Stop us if you heard this one before. Williams Valley running back Alex Achenbach is our Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week.
Achenbach made it happen yet again – and the Vikings needed every inch, yard, meter and whatever measurement one wants to toss out there in order to pull out a 22-21 victory over Blue Division playmate Mahanoy Area. Achenbach rushed 25 times for 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns (2, 80) – he cracked the 1,000-yard plateau for the second straight season – as Tim Savage’s squad erased deficits of 13-0 and 21-14 before pocketing the win on Achenbach’s successful two-point try.
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) …
This week we chat with Susquehanna Twp.’s Dorian Smith on The Spotlight with Andy Shay.
Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 38, Carlisle 14: One of the most slippery and elusive quarterbacks I ever saw was Ben Dupree from Susquehanna Twp. I’m telling you Isaac Sines is a close second. He is making so much happen for this Eagles offense.
Geoff Morrow: Cumberland Valley 41, Carlisle 16: Dumbly picked against the Eagles last week, though that wasn’t because I doubted CV but, in hindsight, because I gave way too much credit to Central Dauphin. There are no such issues this week against the slumping Thundering Herd.
Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 39, Carlisle 14: If Carlisle was 100%, which I’m not sure it is, I’d like the Herd to give CV a track meet. But something tells me the Eagles will win this one comfortably.
Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 45, Carlisle 20: The Eagles’ offense is humming along right now to the tune of around 30 points per game. That should be plenty to knock off the Thundering Herd.
Central Dauphin 34, ALTOONA 14
Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 20, Altoona 14: I like this matchup for both teams for a lot of reasons, and I know the Rams have injury concerns at the QB position. Call this a “feeling” pick, but I think CD pulls this one out.
Geoff Morrow: Altoona 28, Central Dauphin 20: It’s looking very much like the Rams will miss the playoffs for a second straight year, which is unheard of in CD territory. If the Rams have any hope whatsoever, this is a must-win.
Andy Sandrik: Altoona 21, Central Dauphin 14: If the Mountain Lions can find a way to play from ahead, this is a winnable game.
Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 21, Altoona 20: This one is a 50-50 toss-up to me with the Rams banged up and embarking on a long journey. Call this a hunch that I’m sure to hear about from Mrs. 4th Down if I’m wrong!
Chambersburg 7, CENTRAL DAUPHIN EAST 3
Andy Shay: Chambersburg 28, CD East 19: That was a gut-punch loss the Trojans absorbed at Altoona. They have put together more quality football than their record indicates. On a level playing field like this, I like the Trojans.
Geoff Morrow: Chambersburg 23, CD East 14: Somebody will no longer be tied for last place in the Commonwealth after this one. Both teams are on four-game skids (0-4 in the division), but the Trojans have been a bit more competitive in their losses.
Andy Sandrik: CD East 20, Chambersburg 17: A risky pick, but this one’s a toss-up in my book.
Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 31, CD East 20: This one is all about pride as we grind into the final third of the regular season. Two clubs on the skids: Which will still fight on Friday night?
MID-PENN KEYSTONE
Mifflin County 24, HERSHEY 20
Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Mifflin County 14: The biggest difference here is Trojans have a QB-WR combination that can stretch a defense and create big plays. And you know it’s coming. I like Hershey’s defense against this Huskies’ offense.
Geoff Morrow: Hershey 25, Mifflin County 20: Assuming the Trojans can brush off a 70-0 loss to McDevitt last week — and they should, because the Crusaders playing in the Keystone is an ongoing joke — they should bounce back against the banged-up Huskies.
Andy Sandrik: Hershey 38, Mifflin County 9: Would you rather absorb repeated crushing blows from RB Angel Cabrera or get scorched in the passing game by Daniel Painter and Marcus Sweeney? Pick your poison. I think Hershey’s due for a blowout.
Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 31, Mifflin County 28: Earlier this year, I might have sided with the Huskies. But after watching Hershey running back Angel Cabrera bulldoze opponents earlier this year, I’ll lay stake to the team with the wrecking ball and a dangerous dual-threat QB.
CEDAR CLIFF 38, Palmyra 6
Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 42, Palmyra 7: The Colts bring some serious momentum into this one with back-to-back grinder victories where the outcome was up in the air for a long time. Offense has been more consistent, and here it could explode.
Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 38, Palmyra 6: Currently on the outside of the District 3 Class 5A playoff picture, the Colts have a favorable schedule down the stretch and could/should be right there at the end of the regular season. Tough to see the clawless Cougars (six-game losing streak) giving much push-back.
Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 35, Palmyra 3: Cedar Cliff’s defense could very well shut out the Cougars, who are averaging 7.6 points per game.
Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 45, Palmyra 6: This is a game the Colts need to stay in the playoff hunt and one that should be handled quickly.
BISHOP McDEVITT 55, Red Land 14
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 70, Red Land 0: Trust me, typing in this score is not fun. That’s just the reality of the gap the Crusaders enjoy over everyone else in the Keystone.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 71, Red Land 7: Whatever. It’s annoying to pick these games every year, especially at this point in the season. I enjoy McD’s non-league and playoff games, but these Keystone contests are boring.
Andy Sandrik:Bishop McDevitt 65, Red Land 3: For what it’s worth, Red Land is more likely to win this game than I am to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Andy Shay: Shippensburg 20, East Pennsboro 10: It’s tough to climb out of a nasty tough-loss spin cycle, and the Panthers are riding a two-game “bad beat” run. Ship’s offense has scored three touchdowns only once in its last four games. See how that plays out in this one.
Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 17, East Pennsboro 14: Panthers have lost two straight heartbreakers, so I’m cautious about what happens this week in what should be another close game. For picking purposes, I gotta go with Ship, which hasn’t lost a regular-season game at home since Oct. 2, 2020 (Mechanicsburg).
Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 35, East Pennsboro 15: I can tell you the ‘Hounds will come into this game feeling underappreciated and angry after once again having their stadium dreams dashed by the school board this week.
Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 21, East Pennsboro 20: I see this as a potentially close matchup, but I’ll side with the favorite if for no other reason than to protect my slim picks lead.
GETTYSBURG 42, Greencastle-Antrim 28
Andy Shay: Gettysburg 34, Greencastle-Antrim 7: There’s a formula that works for the Warriors, and they are riding that wave to a potential division crown in their first year back in the MPC after an eight-year absence. Blue Devils showed early promise but have stumbled lately.
Geoff Morrow: Gettysburg 33, Greencastle-Antrim 14: A tale of two seasons-within-a-season for the Blue Devils, who started 4-0 but have followed with three straight double-digit losses. Now they’re facing the Colonial leaders, who’ve won five straight. And it’s about to be six.
Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 32, Greencastle-Antrim 7: Five straight wins for the Warriors. Three straight losses for the Blue Devils. Give me Gettysburg in a blowout.
Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 28, Greencastle-Antrim 14: The Warriors have proven to be a mighty big challenge for their Colonial foes this year. I see no reason for that to stop this week.
SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP 38, Northern York 37 (OT)
Andy Shay: Susquehanna Twp. 28, Northern 21: The more consistent team this season of the two has been the ‘Hanna Tribe. This is a toss-up game all the way.
Geoff Morrow: Susquehanna Twp. 30, Northern 25: The ‘Hanna is back! Consecutive victories by a combined score of 61-23. Sitting somewhat comfortably in the District 3 Class 4A playoff picture. And earning a home favorite nod from me against a quality Polar Bears club coming off a wild two-OT victory at East Penn. Should be fun!
Andy Sandrik: Northern 33, Susquehanna Twp. 28: With the exception of the season opener, every single Northern game has come down to the wire. I see this one going no differently, with the Polar Bears making the last play to win.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 28, Northern 27: Well, well, well… Look at all the seats now taken up on the bandwagon! Tribe fans, just remember I sat alone in my pick of the Indians last week.
MECHANICSBURG 28, Waynesboro 0
Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 17, Waynesboro 7: Couple of struggling offenses who combined average 11.5 points a game. The big difference here is the Wildcats’ defense has not struggled and the Indians’ defense has been tossed around a bit.
Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 17, Waynesboro 10: The Wildcats’ defense has been consistently tough, and the ‘Boro offense has been consistently lackluster. Both teams have good kickers, though.
Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 12, Mechanicsburg 10: Don’t forget that the ‘Boro led division frontrunner Gettysburg at halftime last week. There won’t be many opportunities in this one, so whoever can best take advantage will win.
Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 21, Waynesboro 17: Two low-scoring teams. Logic says it should be a low-scoring game, which of course means they will each probably throw 30-plus points on the board.
MID-PENN CAPITAL
BIG SPRING 33, Boiling Springs 27
Andy Shay: Big Spring 33, Boiling Spring 20: This one is pretty simple for me in what otherwise is a pretty level playing field. The Bulldogs have the better and more experienced quarterback.
Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 27, Boiling Springs 21: It lacks the shine of recent seasons, but this rivalry contest between a pair of 2-5 squads should still kick up some interest and at least a handful of really cool plays. I just think the Bulldogs have a bit more in the cupboard.
Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 23, Big Spring 17: The Bulldogs were so close, yet so far away against West Perry last week. Facing the Bubblers’ defense after that adrenaline dump against the Mustangs is easier said than done.
Adam Kulikowski: Boiling Springs 24, Big Spring 21: The Bubblers might not have the luster they did a year ago, but their defense can still cause plenty of problems for Big Spring in this match up of 2-5 squads.
Trinity 26, CAMP HILL 0
Andy Shay: Trinity 27, Camp Hill 14: The best player on the field, Max Schlager, suits up for the Shamrocks. Camp Hill has struggled offensively the last couple of outings, and Trinity plays a very aggressive and attacking defense that can be burned if you can handle the pressure.
Geoff Morrow: Trinity 26, Camp Hill 18: Shamrocks have had two weeks to prepare for this rivalry showdown. I think that matters here, especially because the Lions — who hadn’t surrendered more than 17 points in any previous game this season — just gave up 71 to Steel-High on Saturday afternoon. Two teams feeling very differently about things coming into this one.
Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 23, Trinity 21: You know that meme where Matthew McConaughey is smoking a heater and staring crazily at his phone? That’s me convincing myself that Camp Hill has a shot to pull yet another big upset.
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 28, Camp Hill 21: Just toss out the 71 points Steel-High threw up against the Lions last week. The Lions’ defense has played tough otherwise all season. I expect that defense to show up against Trinity. But will it be enough?
MID-PENN LIBERTY
SUSQUENITA 35, Halifax 0
Andy Shay: Susquenita 52, Halifax 7: Couple of teams have roughed up the Blackhawks. This is a game where they can do a little of that on their own.
Geoff Morrow: Susquenita 50, Halifax 7: The Blackhawks this season are 3-0 against teams with losing records, 0-4 against teams with winning records. This one will get them back to .500.
Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 45, Halifax 12: ‘Nita with a much-needed breather this week.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 45, Halifax 6: Blackhawks have plenty of firepower to make this an easy decision against the undermanned Wildcats.
LINE MOUNTAIN 48, James Buchanan 8
Andy Shay: Line Mountain 34, James Buchanan 7: Line Mountain sophomore RB Ian Bates will be too much for the Rockets to deal with over four quarters. Enjoy the 200-plus miles of travel from Mercersburg to Mandata.
Geoff Morrow: Line Mountain 30, James Buchanan 14: While the Eagles have won three of their last four, the Rockets have lost three in a row and four of their last five. But, hey, at least it’s about 5 or 6 hours, round trip, in a bus. For a league game.
Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 45, James Buchanan 10: Nobody was expecting JB to win any of its last three games against West Perry, Juniata, and Upper Dauphin, but, boy, when it rains on the Rockets, it pours. JB is giving up an average of 57 points per game during its three-game skid.
Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 45, James Buchanan 7: Ever since Line Mountain nearly knocked off Tri-Valley, the Eagles have been a different team. What they found centers around sophomore Ian Bates’ emergence.
UPPER DAUPHIN 20, Juniata 13
Andy Shay: Juniata 20, Upper Dauphin 19: Something tells me this is going to be a crazy finish, and the final five minutes will be full of unexpected twists and turns. Still … D-E-F-E-N-S-E. That’s the Indians’ speciality.
Geoff Morrow: Juniata 27, Upper Dauphin 20: This is for all the Liberty Division marbles. These two teams are a class above the rest of the Liberty this season, and both have been red hot — the Trojans starring on offense, the Indians on defense. And, when it comes down to it, you know what they say about defense and championships!
Andy Sandrik: Juniata 21, Upper Dauphin 10: Juniata has been leaps and bounds above its Liberty competition this season. Will that trend continue against the fast-paced Trojans?
Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 21, Juniata 14: There’s just enough trickery in the Upper Dauphin offense to confuse any defense, even one as stout as the Indians trot out each week. Does that mean it will be easy? No. But certainly winnable.
SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL RED
Pine Grove 23, SALISBURY TOWNSHIP 13
Andy Shay: Pine Grove 26, Salisbury Twp. 14: This is a real opportunity for the Cardinals (not the ones who went down to the Phillies in the National League playoffs). The Falcons have surrendered nearly 300 points and lost seven straight.
Geoff Morrow: Pine Grove 27, Salisbury Twp. 13: Some of us thought LAST week was the week the Cardinals slipped back into the win column. Some of us were wrong. But the winless Falcons have been blown out in six straight contests. So, well, THIS is the week PG gets its mojo back.
Andy Sandrik: Pine Grove 18, Salisbury Twp. 6: Allentown has been a blowout destination this season, but maybe the Falcons can give the Cards a game this weekend.
Adam Kulikowski: Pine Grove 27, Salisbury Twp. 14: If you’re a Cardinals fan, you might have had this one circled for a while as you scanned the calendar for winnable matchups.
SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL BLUE
TRI-VALLEY 21, Mahanoy Area 6
Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 27, Mahanoy Area 19: I’m confident the undefeated Bulldogs know what they are up against from this Golden Bears squad. That 4-3 record is a mirage. You sleepwalk through a quarter of this game, either side, and you are going down. T-V will be on point.
Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 28, Mahanoy Area 14: The Golden Bears gave Williams Valley all it could handle last weekend, and this one could easily be another down-to-the-wire finish. But the Bulldogs are chomping down on foes right now, so if you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, you lose, and you lose by multiple touchdowns.
Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 38, Mahanoy Area 27: This has “trap game” written all over it for Tri-Valley. I still think the Bulldogs win, but they might have their hands full along the way.
Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 33, Mahanoy Area 20: If you haven’t had a chance to watch a few highlights of Mahanoy Area’s Colm McGroarty, I highly recommend it. This cat can be trouble — just not sure the Golden Bears have enough other pieces to knock off the ‘Dawgs.
WILLIAMS VALLEY 40, Marian Catholic 7
Andy Shay: Williams Valley 32, Marian Catholic 20: It’s not like Marian Catholic will have to guess where the ball is going. The Vikings don’t play many football tricks offensively. Limiting mistakes is key for WV to make sure MC doesn’t put another full-metal-jacket scare into the faithful in Williamstown.
Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 26, Marian Catholic 13: The Vikings have had to survive some self-inflicted wounds this season, and they’re (mostly) finding a way to keep on winning. Tri-Valley looms in Week 10, but first things first means trying to tame the Colts here.
Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 33, Marian Catholic 21: Vikings RB Alex Achenbach has posted 17 TDs in seven games this fall while averaging 8.2 yards per pop. If he runs like that again this week, look for WV to land its third straight win.
Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 36, Marian Catholic 14: Forgive me for looking ahead to that tasty Week 10 matchup against Tri-Valley for the Vikings. Both clubs should enter that one riding winning streaks.
NON-LEAGUE
Steelton-Highspire 68, NEWPORT 14
Andy Shay: Steel-High 70, Newport 6: I would be very happy if the Rollers kept it under 70 and cruised home late. Winning is a foregone conclusion in this one.
Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 76, Newport 6: Another horrible mismatch. The Buffaloes, who’ve been playing better lately, still gave up 52 to Susquenita last week. The Rollers, meanwhile, have scored 74, 61 and 71 over their last three games.
Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 71, Newport 0: If Steel-High wanted to, it could put way more points in this game than the 71 I predicted.
Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 84, Newport 0: The only question in this one is how long it will take the Rollers to let off the gas.
West Perry 49, NORTH-PENN MANSFIELD 21
Andy Shay: West Perry 49, North Penn-Mansfield 7: This is a grab-bag game for the Middletown forfeit. Congrats to the Mustangs and Panthers for making this happen, and enjoy the road trip, West Perry.
Geoff Morrow: West Perry 55, North Penn-Mansfield 6: Hasn’t been a great season for the one-win Panthers from way up in Tioga County, but they’re filling a schedule gap for the unbeaten Mustangs (who were originally scheduled for a Week 8 showdown with Middletown), and I always salute teams who are willing to play tough non-league foes. And “tough non-league foe,” ladies and gentlemen, describes West Perry right now. They’ve come a LONG WAY since that dreadful multi-season losing streak.
Andy Sandrik: West Perry 55, North Penn-Mansfield 7: Thank you to the Panthers for picking up this game. Now I have a WP game to watch this week while I run on the treadmill. Make it 8-0 for the Mustangs.
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 45, North Penn-Mansfield 13: OK, so I don’t have any fancy stats this week from the West Perry crew, but I’d like to know when was the last time the Mustangs were 8-0 to start the season?
Saturday, Oct. 15
MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH
State College 20. HARRISBURG 6
Andy Shay: Harrisburg 20, State College 10: Defense seems to take over when these two programs face off lately. Little Lions have found ways to win when it was dicey, and the Cougars are playing their best football of the season right now. Expect a physical game.
Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 27, State College 24: I went back and forth a few times here before settling on the Cougars. These are outstanding programs, neither of whom will be the least bit intimidated. Both are explosive. The last two meetings have been low-scoring, each winning one. But only one team has a defense pitching shutouts, and that type of “you ain’t scoring, PERIOD” attitude swayed me to choose Harrisburg.
Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 33, State College 17: The Little Lions have found a way to win every big game this season, but Harrisburg. I was going to go a little bit deeper with my analysis here, but I think “but Harrisburg” is sufficient enough.
Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 28, State College 27: In what might be the best matchup in the state in Week No. 8, my next five cookies would go to punching a ticket to this Severance Field battle. Give me the red-hot Cougars!
MID-PENN KEYSTONE
MILTON HERSHEY49, Lower Dauphin 21
Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 27, Milton Hershey 26:This is my final “feel” pick of the week. I just think right now the Falcons are in a good spot to endure this kind of game and come out on top. It’s that simple.
Geoff Morrow: Milton Hershey 30, Lower Dauphin 27: Tough one last week for the Falcons, and this could be another tough one. And it’s important, too — especially for LD — in terms of playoff chasing/positioning. While the State High-Harrisburg game is the premier Saturday afternoon battle, this one has the potential to be just as exciting.
Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 33, Lower Dauphin 27: The Spartans seem to have found their groove on offense after putting up 41 points against a stingy Mifflin County defense last week. I’m taking Milton Hershey in a close game.
Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 34, Lower Dauphin 30: I always wonder just how good the Spartans could be if they ever had the same sort of offseason prep their foes have. Tough out for the Falcons in this one.
As they continue their preparations for a Week 8 encounter against yet another Colonial-Schuylkill Blue Division playmate, one significant piece of video Jeff Sampson and his Tri-Valley coaching staff undoubtedly examined had to be last weekend’s scrap between Mahanoy Area and Williams Valley.
Not only because the state-ranked Bulldogs (7-0, 2-0 C-S Blue) are entertaining Mahanoy (4-3, 1-1) this weekend — and the Golden Bears led for a good bit of last weekend’s matchup — but also because fourth-ranked Tri-Valley and Williams Valley will wage their annual neighborhood battle in Week 10.
Tri-Valley, meanwhile, didn’t have much trouble maintaining its perfect mark as the Bulldogs bested Nativity 43-6 behind another productive outing from Kameron Wetzel. Playing in just his second game since returning from a leg injury, Wetzel rolled up 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries.
Sampson’s Bulldogs, who sit atop the District 11 Class 1A power rankings, led 29-6 at the halftime break.
While Wetzel’s scoring runs covered 48 and 20 yards, Jake Scheib hauled a Kole Miller pass 58 yards for Tri-Valley’s first score. Following Wetzel’s first TD, the Bulldogs upped their lead to 29-0 behind a 1-yard blast from Scheib and Miller’s 13-yard throw to Layne Yoder.
Although Nativity cashed in just before halftime, Wetzel’s 20-yard touchdown run and Reece Huntzinger’s 8-yard TD sweep closed out yet another win as Sampson’s Bulldogs rolled up more than 300 yards on the ground. Miller wound up completing five of his 12 attempts for 134 yards and two scores. He was picked off once.
Porter finished with a team-high eight tackles. Porter, Cole Gemberling and Wyatt Allgeier were credited with sacks. Tri-Valley yielded 192 offensive yards, but only 39 of those came on the ground.
Mahanoy jumped out to a 13-0 advantage in the opening quarter — Colm McGroarty scored on runs of 85 and 55 yards to give the hosts their early cushion — yet despite conceding the lead in the third quarter the Golden Bears were up 21-14 at one point in the final stanza. Mahanoy retook the lead early in the final quarter on McGroarty’s 54-yard TD burst. McGroarty finished the night with 23 carries for 246 yards and all three Mahanoy TDs.
Williams Valley answered on its next possession, capping a run-happy march with an Isaac Whiteash 1-yard QB sneak and then took the lead for good when Alex Achenbach ran it in for the two-point conversion. Mahanoy was able to rack up 371 offensive yards, 335 on the ground, yet surrendered 328 to the Vikings.
Williams Valley trying for three straight
Williams Valley (5-2, 2-0) finally subdued the host Golden Bears when Whiteash scored on a 1-yard run with a mere 7:41 showing on the scoreboard and Achenbach provided the game-winning points on a two-point conversion.
Achenbach, who earlier in the game rushed for touchdowns covering 2 and 80 yards, ran 26 times for 219 yards as the Vikings chalked up their second consecutive victory. Now, Tim Savage’s squad will entertain a gritty Marian Catholic squad (4-3, 2-1) that’s trying to squeeze into the District 11 Class 1A playoffs.
Heading into this weekend, the Colts sit fifth. Only the top four advance to postseason play.
Whiteash finished with 99 yards on 6-for-12 passing, with four of his throws hauled in by favorite target Brady Evans (four receptions, 62 yards). Six Vikings amassed 10 tackles or more, with Logan Williard piling up 16. Cruz Banda, Aiden Miller and Brayden Crisswell each adding 11 stops, and Brady Shomper and Bryant Hoover had 10.
Marian (4-3, 2-1) powered its way past Shenandoah Valley 36-0 as Jayden Fermin wheeled 13 times for 98 yards and Matt Martin churned out 89 yards and two scores on nine attempts. Stan Dakosty’s Colts, who were up 29-0 at the break, averaged 8-plus yards per carry while totaling 325 lengths on 40 totes.
Martin ran for scores of 12 and 9 yards — and tacked on a two-point conversion — both in the opening half. Michael Silliman added a 33-yard scoring run, while quarterback Bruce Hopeck cashed in from 2 yards out.
Martin added 11 stops for the Colts, one fewer than Joey Walko and two fewer than James Rodino.
Pine Grove hoping to bring halt to six-game slide
Maybe this will be the week when Dave Shiffer’s Pine Grove program (1-6, 0-5 Red Division) finally tastes victory … again. If so, the Cardinals need to go all the way to suburban Allentown to snare an elusive positive result.
Awaiting Pine Grove when Shiffer & Co. arrive in the Lehigh Valley will be winless Salisbury (0-7, 0-5), just the latest squad to get leveled by Palmerton. Salisbury suffered a 51-6 setback, falling behind 48-0 at the break.
Limited to 105 offensive yards — the Falcons did not gain a single yard in the passing game — running back Nicholas Beck netted 73 and one touchdown on just eight attempts. Salisbury also turned the ball over twice on fumbles. Jacob Gibbons paced Salisbury’s defense with eight tackles, one more than George Spann.
Well, it’s about to get really, really interesting for those following the Mid-Penn Liberty Division — and whether or not one favors a particular program fervently or just enjoys high school football.
One thing we definitely know is only one team will be sitting atop the Liberty Division standings without a loss — either reigning champion Juniata (5-2, 3-0) or an Upper Dauphin squad (5-2, 4-0) that last season finished second and will host this season’s matchup of league unbeatens.
Both come into this weekend’s scrap in Elizabethville sporting four-game winning streaks. And while Juniata has surrendered a mere seven points during its recent spurt — Boiling Springs ended the Indians’ string of three consecutive shutouts — Upper Dauphin has been flashing its combustible attack.
While Juniata stepped out of league play last weekend and turned back Boiling Springs 13-7, Kurt Condo’s squad was trailing by a 7-0 count when the fourth quarter began. However, a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Aaron Kanagy and Seth Laub’s 3-yard blast with 3:12 left had the Indians up 13-7.
The phase that bailed Juniata out was a defensive unit that forced six turnovers (three interceptions, three fumbles) and No. 6 was taken away at the Bubblers 29 with 2:53 to go. All four Boiling Springs drives in the fourth quarter ended with turnovers.
And Juniata, which played much of the game without leading rusher and leading tackler Waylon Ehrenzeller, took advantage of those short fields. A good thing, too, since the Indians totaled just 159 offensive yards. Laub led Juniata with 33 rushing yards on 11 attempts, while Kanagy was 9 of 22 passing for 75 yards while running for 19 more.
Freshman Jasper Shepps picked off two passes and caught three throws for 48 yards. Casey Smith also swiped a Boiling Springs throw and his nine tackles paced the Indians.
As for Upper Dauphin, Kent Smeltz’s Trojans overwhelmed James Buchanan 72-13 behind an explosive multi-pronged attack that constructed a 52-6 halftime edge. Brady Morgan needed just three carries to pile up 159 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 16 yards.
UDA, which is trying to hang on to the sixth and final invite to the District 3 Class 3A playoffs, is averaging just north of 41 points per game. Contrast that with Juniata, District 6’s top-ranked Class 4A outfit, which is yielding just south of eight points per contest.
Cole Wallace (four carries, 62 yards), Caleb Snyder (4-58) and Branden Fetterhoff (3-8) also rushed for touchdowns. Quarterback Aidan Bingaman completed eight of his 11 pass attempts for 133 yards, making TD throws to Wallace (one reception, 41 yards) and Konner Walker (2-37). Wallace made eight stops, one fewer than Aiden Ritter.
Line Mountain attempting to extend winning streak
Buoyed by an offensive unit that scored on six of its seven possessions while piling up 355 yards, Line Mountain (3-4, 2-1) pocketed its second straight victory with a 43-13 triumph at Halifax.
Ian Bates continued his dazzling play by rushing for 154 yards while scoring touchdowns covering 1, 34 and 8 yards — he netted 120 yards on 14 tries in the opening half as Brandon Carson’s Eagles opened a 27-0 lead. Bates also caught two passes for 34 yards.
Freshman quarterback Kaiden Maurer, making his second varsity start, completed 12 of his 16 pass attempts for 154 yards and one score. Maurer’s lone TD pass came on a 16-yard throw to classmate Max Johnson on fourth-and-long. The Eagles converted nine times on third and fourth down.
Quinn Dunkelberger provided a nice changeup in the running game, collecting 45 yards on 13 carries and scoring from a yard out with 7:11 to play. Junior Chandon Maurer was his younger brother’s favorite target, hauling in four passes for 59 yards. The older Maurer scored on a 5-yard run.
Line Mountain’s defense also was effective, as the Eagles limited Halifax to 109 total yards. Kohen Shingara, Colby Rebuck and Brady Bingaman paced the Mountain with five tackles apiece. Johnson had four tackles, three for loss, and a sack.
Bates also swiped a Halifax pass.
James Buchanan (3-4, 1-2) has lost its last three contests, yielding 171 points in those setbacks. Cliff Pine’s Rockets are led offensively by quarterback John Stoner and feature back Jacob Frey.
Susquenita needs victories to reach postseason
Rebounding nicely from its 10-7 loss at non-league playmate Camp Hill, Susquenita overwhelmed Newport 52-14 behind a balanced offensive unit that piled up 430 yards — including 275 through the air as starting QB Derek Gibney was 14 of 27 for 239 yards and four touchdowns.
Two of Gibney’s touchdown throws went to Athan Robinson (3-32), who pocketed first-half TD receptions covering 9 and 7 yards as Augie Glass’s Blackhawks (3-4, 2-1) opened a 23-7 halftime lead on their northern neighbors. Louie Frisenda added a 1-yard touchdown run and Hunter Thomas booted a 29-yard field goal on the final play of the opening half.
Gibney added TD passes covering 20 and 28 yards to Kamar Lewis and twin brother Drew Gibney in the final quarter. Drew Gibney caught six balls for 92 yards for the Blackhawks, who sit eighth in the District 3 Class 3A field and need to get to sixth to qualify for postseason play.
Susquenita’s defense allowed just 163 offensive yards, with 155 of those coming on the ground.
Halifax (1-6, 0-4) wound up dropping a 43-13 decision to visiting Line Mountain on Homecoming Night. Ashton Carter’s 79-yard return of the second-half kickoff put Earl Mosley’s Wildcats on the scoreboard, while Teegan Carroll’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Gabriel Viars late in the fourth quarter accounted for Halifax’s other score.
Carroll was 5 of 9 passing for 60 yards and one score, but he was picked off once. Peter Ranck grabbed three passes for 31 yards, while Line Mountain limited the Halifax ground game to 49 yards on 18 tries.
Isaac Miller paced the Wildcats with 15 tackles, three more than Landon Klinger.
Difficult test awaits Newport
Just when Newport (0-7) appeared poised to break through with a needed victory, the Buffaloes suffered a 52-14 setback at home to Susquenita. If that wasn’t disheartening, imagine how Todd Rothermel’s squad must feel since Steel-High (5-1) is en route to Newport.
That’s state-ranked Steel-High, the No. 1 team in the District 3 Class 1A power rankings.
Newport struggled to get its offense going against Susquenita, amassing 163 total yards, with all but 8 gathered by the ground game. Just one week after rushing for 209 yards and three scores at Line Mountain, Aiden Dishman paced the Buffs with 58 yards on 13 attempts.
Mason Messick (12-39) and Dalton Kratzer (6-46) shared 85 yards and two touchdowns for Newport. Messick scored from the 2 in the second quarter — the Buffs trailed 23-7 at the half — while Kratzer motored 40 yards for his score late in the third quarter.
Messick totaled just 8 yards passing (3 of 8, one INT). Zach Bellis made nine stops defensively, but the Buffs were bumped up for 430 offensive yards by the balanced Blackhawks.
Since Steel-High received a forfeit victory over Middletown last weekend — the Blue Raiders’ season was scrapped due to a significant hazing incident — Andrew Erby Sr.’s Rollers have had two weeks to prepare for Rothermel’s Buffs. At the top of defensive coordinator George Miskinis’ to-do list is trying to find a way to keep quarterback Alex Erby from sitting in the pocket having all kinds of time to find a receiver.
When the Rollers last played, they collared Camp Hill by a 71-20 score, a victory that capped a three-game run during which Steel-High rolled up an impressive 206 points. Alex Erby threw four touchdown passes and scampered for a fifth score against Steel-High, while Bamm Appleby swiped three passes.
Tylishaun Parker added two rushing touchdowns for the high-octane Rollers.
One of the season’s newest members to a starting lineup is now one of 4th Down Magazine’s newest Player of the Week nominees. And suddenly a winner.
Line Mountain freshman quarterback Kaiden Maurer is this week’s Player of the Week after making just his second varsity start. He led the Eagles to a 43-13 win over Halifax going 12-for-16 passing with 155 yards and a touchdown.
Maurer has made appearances in six games and holds a tidy 65% completion percentage, and he’s 16 for 26 for 204 yards and a TD in his two starts.
On a week in which 1,281 votes were cast, Maurer picked up 354, easily topping Juniata freshman Jasper Shepps’s 293.
Two setbacks are to ranked teams, Cumberland Valley and Hempfield, by a combined total of seven points. And the Blue Streaks offense is rolling with 97 points the last two games.
10.
Lampeter-Strasburg
6-1
10
Sixth consecutive game where the Pioneers’ defense has limited the opposition to 14 or fewer points with a convincing 30-7 triumph over Berks Catholic.
9.
Central York
6-1
9
Only loss is to ranked Cumberland Valley by a couple points early in the season. After a couple more close dog fights, they had no trouble rolling one-win Northeastern.
8.
Hempfield
6-1
8
The Black Knights know how to win a close game against a quality opponent. Wilson is just the latest victim as the Bulldogs suffered a 20-16 setback for only their second loss of the season. Hempfield also beat Manheim Township and William Penn, each by only three points. Impressive.
7.
Wyomissing
7-0
7
Penn State coach James Franklin was in the house Saturday to check in on 2023 recruit OL J’ven Williams from the Spartans, and the Wyomissing simply overpowered Cocalico by surrendering seven or fewer points for the fifth time in seven games.
6.
Solanco
7-0
6
The Golden Mules are enjoying a magical season, this time edging previously unbeaten Elizabethtown by three points. It was the fifth win this season for Solanco by eight or fewer points. That’s not easy to accomplish week after week.
5.
Cumberland Valley
6-1
5
Eagles dominated the first half and led Central Dauphin 21-0 at intermission before the Rams fought back in the second half to at least put some pressure on CV. Offense is powering this team, scoring 30 or more points for the third time in four games.
4.
Manheim Central
7-0
4
Barons have scored 153 points in their last two games, including 83 against winless Lebanon in Week 7. Only 21 of those points came after halftime. Maybe this week’s opponent, Conestoga Valley, can provide more resistance with four wins under its belt.
3.
Exeter Township
7-0
2
No surprise at all the Eagles are 7-0 at this point. Here comes the real tests for this squad with fellow ranked teams Hempfield and Manheim Central on the docket in the final three weeks.
2.
Harrisburg
5-1
3
How about the Cougars rolling Altoona and CD East by a combined 100-0? Somebody has found their game, it appears. Massive MPC Commonwealth battle with unbeaten State College on Saturday at Severance Field.
1.
Bishop McDevitt
5-1
1
Scored a season-high 70 in blanking a .500 Hershey team that had won three in a row coming into this matchup. Despite scoring only 14 points in their season-opening loss to fellow state-ranked hammer Imhotep Charter, the Crusaders are now averaging 50 a game.
