Halfway through the regular season there are still plenty of teams that continue to ride the consistency roller-coaster. Week-to-week results continue to span the gamut and that always makes high school football more fun.
For example, this week Trinity started to climb out of its tailspin by nearly doubling up Boiling Springs, once-beaten East Pennsboro had no problem at all dispatching previously undefeated Greencastle-Antrim, Carlisle had surrendered nearly 100 points its previous two games then turned around and limited Chambersburg to a touchdown to snap a two-game slide.
How about Central Dauphin? The Rams are clearly struggling this season and its defense has been battling to reach the standard for the program. It’s certainly closer after CD limited powerful State College to 19 points in a loss where the offense managed one touchdown. Still, you can clearly see this Rams squad continuing to battle despite a 1-4 mark.
Hershey now believes it can win games, and taking out rival Milton Hershey by a touchdown for the Cocoa Bean Bowl bragging rights shows what can happen when another potential close loss becomes a win. The Trojans have found that ever-elusive confidence. Hershey running back Angel Cabrera had 172 yards on the ground with a touchdown to pace the offense. And their defense came up huge twice, stopping the Spartans deep in the red zone on 4th-down.
For the fifth time in school history West Perry starts a season 5-0. I’m not sure what is more impressive, the 200-plus points scored or the 28 points surrendered through 20 quarters? I know the meat of the Mustangs’ schedule is on deck, but this squad is playing complementary ball and looks ready for a next-level challenge.
Hard to imagine Steel-High struggling offensively, and the Rollers didn’t necessarily struggle out of the gate; it seemed they were a little sluggish and searching for their stride. In a win over fellow state title contender Bishop Canevin and a setback to Westinghouse, a quality loss for sure, Steel-High failed to score more than 21 points. You just knew it wasn’t going to last, though. How about 135 points the last eight quarters, including 61 against Big Spring in Week 5?
Welcome back to the Mid-Penn Conference, Gettysburg. The Warriors are 4-1 overall and unbeaten against MPC squads after blanking Mechanicsburg 14-0 on Thursday night. Next up for Gettysburg is fellow one-loss outfit Shippensburg for Week 6.
Speaking of Gettysburg and Shippensburg, the duo comprises half of the four teams in the MPC Colonial Division that have each reached the halfway point with sparkling 4-1 records. East Pennsboro and Greencastle-Antrim are the other pair.
Speaking of East Pennsboro, the Panthers came out flying Thursday night at home against the Blue Devils with three first-quarter touchdowns on their way to a 23-7 lead. The defense took care of the rest. The game was more even than the final 30-13 final. Four Greencastle-Antrim turnovers was a difference maker.
Speaking of Thursday night games, there were three of them in Week 5. I don’t mind the odd Thursday game during the course of a season. But several of them on a weekly basis are being done for a reason is what it tells me. I’ll take Thursday night over Saturday night any day.
One of the more stunning results for Week 5 saw Lower Dauphin drill Red Land 49-3. All indicators told me this was a toss-up game. Falcons didn’t seem to think so, obviously.
Bishop McDevitt had no trouble rolling past Cedar Cliff, behind five touchdowns and 142 yards from RB Marquese Williams. The victory might have come at a cost as top WR Tyshawn Russell suffered a lower leg injury and was on crutches later in the game.
On Saturday, Harrisburg continued to regain its momentum with Coach Cal back at the helm, knocking off the previously undefeated Cumberland Valley Eagles in commanding fashion. The Commonwealth division racing is shaping up nicely with CV, Harrisburg and State College all vying for the title.
A week after Northern knocked off Shippensburg, the Polar Bears couldn’t keep the momentum going against Waynesboro in a 13-10 loss. Quality win for the Indians who previously had been struggling to find its footing.
Editor’s note: Irregular voting in both our Mid-Penn and Schuylkill League polls disqualified several candidates from consideration. Our team at 4th Down reserves the right to disqualify any candidate who gains an advantage through voting outside the spirit of the rules. Our team is also working to implement new safeguards for our next polls to ensure that this weekly honor continues to be fair and fun for all.
Last week it was running backs who raced to be Athlete of the Week. This week it was Swiss Army knives.
West Perry junior Ian Goodling had his fingerprints all over the Mustangs’ 40-14 win over Trinity last week. The receiver/defensive back/kicker had 33 yards on three receptions. On defense he picked off a pass and returned it 96 yards to the house. He also had another interception. And he drilled 26- and 45-yard field goals and four PATs to finish with 16 points.
THE BLUE DEVILS (4-0, 1-0): You see the sterling record, so of course this Franklin County program has all its cylinders well-oiled and firing. It’s been a combination of a strong push up front, which has allowed RB Tavon Cooper to routinely break into the second level, and a hardcore defense that just doesn’twant to break. It’s true that rival Waynesboro stood even at 21-all with the Blue Devils early in the second half. Indians’ back Mikel Holden was tough to lasso. But Cooper flashed TD runs of 19 and 29 yards down the stretch to wrap a 35-21 G-A win.The RB finished with 229 stripes and three scores.You don’t hit those elevated numbers without help. Opponents must pay attention to versatile Darren Kline and QB Logan Alvey, as well. Both have pitched in big plays when needed. In all, Greencastle-Antrim banked 422 offensive yards vs. the Indians, a robust 287 on the ground. Devin McCauley’s crew is equipped to run off script in needed, but no opponent has forced it through four weeks.
THE PANTHERS (3-1, 0-1): No one said the regular season would be easy, and coach John Denniston and his Panthers knew week 4 opponent Gettysburg would be its toughest to date. The good news is one setback doesn’t break a season, so there’s plenty of fight remaining for what should be a wild run inside the Colonial ranks. QBs Keith Oates and Dakota Campbell paced the early action, which led to EP’s 3-0 start and brought some momentum to Gettysburg on Friday. A couple of second-half rips from the Warriors, including a Landon Keefer pick-6, took it and sealed the Panthers’ fate in a 27-11 final. The Panthers, like the Blue Devils, are most comfortable when powered by rushing attack, but EP only managed 3.2 yards per carry vs. the Warriors. Top receivers Aaron Angelo and Chase Deibler can provide a bit more balance in tight situations.In addition, tough DL’s Colin Benoist, Josh Angelo and LB Aaron Angelo have the grit to close rushing lanes. That assignment is top priority.
THE SERIES: The all-time series between East Pennsboro and Greencastle-Antrim is tied at 8 games apiece. The Panthers won last year’s matchup 27-19.
THE X-FACTOR: Campbell and Greencastle-Antrim’s Jackson Eby are two proven kickers. But, in a battle between rush-heavy offenses that have the ability to sustain drives for long minutes, settling for 3-pointers probably won’t cut it. Every possession will matter Thursday, so protecting the ball better than the other side is paramount.
THE PICK:
Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 28, East Pennsboro 7: Should the Blue Devils clear this hurdle and reach 5-0, they are without question the biggest surprise team of 2022. G-A defense has surrendered only five touchdowns through 16 quarters.
Geoff Morrow: East Pennsboro 23, Greencastle-Antrim 17: This has quickly become a VERY important game for the Panthers, whose Colonial title hopes move to life support already if they fall to G-A. I’m expecting a battle, but I like the home team’s chances to bounce back against an opponent who is probably starting to feel a bit invincible.
Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 35, East Pennsboro 25: And just like that, the Blue Devils are one of the teams to beat in the Colonial.
Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 21, East Pennsboro 20: The Panthers will need to find another gear to stop the Blue Devils achieving the best start to its season since 2015 (4-0).
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 on The Spotlight with Andy Shay, we caught up with Hershey do-it-all QB1 Daniel Painter.
Andy Shay: Gettysburg 20, Mechanicsburg 14: The Warriors haven’t surrendered more than 20 points to an opponent in any of their three wins. Not sure the Wildcats have the firepower offensively to snare this one.
Geoff Morrow: Gettysburg 30, Mechanicsburg 14: Back when they were previously division foes about a decade ago, this had become a one-sided rivalry with the Wildcats winning five straight from 2009-13. But it’s almost like the Warriors left to go find themselves, succeeded, and now they’re ready to compete for the Colonial crown yet again.
Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 28, Mechanicsburg 17: This game won’t be a gimme for Gettysburg, but I think the Warriors’ defense puts them in a good position to snare this road win.
Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 28, Mechanicsburg 14: One thing I learned when Gettysburg bullied East Penn a week ago: Its big men can take over a game.
EAST PENNSBORO 30, Greencastle-Antrim 13
Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 28, East Pennsboro 7: Should the Blue Devils clear this hurdle and reach 5-0, they are without question the biggest surprise team of 2022. G-A defense has surrendered only five touchdowns through 16 quarters.
Geoff Morrow: East Pennsboro 23, Greencastle-Antrim 17: This has quickly become a VERY important game for the Panthers, whose Colonial title hopes move to life support already if they fall to G-A. I’m expecting a battle, but I like the home team’s chances to bounce back against an opponent who is probably starting to feel a bit invincible.
Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 35, East Pennsboro 25: And just like that, the Blue Devils are one of the teams to beat in the Colonial.
Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 21, East Pennsboro 20: The Panthers will need to find another gear to stop the Blue Devils achieving the best start to their season since 2015.
SHIPPENSBURG 34, Susquehanna Township 13
Andy Shay: Shippensburg 31, Susquehanna Township 14: The Greyhounds are reeling a bit after getting bounced last week. Question is, can the Indians keep them wobbly long enough to make this a game?
Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 29, Susquehanna Township 13: Program power sometimes means prognosticators give (or don’t give) certain teams too much (or enough) credit. I think we overvalued Ship a bit, but I also know that aforementioned program power means there’s an expectation to bounce back, to figure things out, and to start brand new winning streaks. I see that with the Greyhounds this week.
Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 33, Susquehanna Township 14: How long can ‘Hanna keep this game in reach?
Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 24, Susquehanna Township 21: OK, raise your hand if you saw the Greyhounds falling to Northern last week. Does the Polar Bear blueprint aid the Indians Thursday night?
Friday, Sept. 23
MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH
Altoona 28, CENTRAL DAUPHIN EAST 14
Andy Shay: Altoona 27, CD East 20: Have a feeling this one could be tight most of the way, but in the end I see the Mountain Lions’ defense rebounding after getting run over by State College and being a difference-maker down the stretch.
Geoff Morrow: CD East 26, Altoona 21: There’s no shame in losing to State College or Cumberland Valley, as these teams did last week. But those were sizable lumps the Mountain Lions and Panthers took, respectively. With each needing a bounce-back effort, I’ll go with East High, which won the last two meetings by multiple scores.
Andy Sandrik: Altoona 28, CD East 21: I like Altoona’s body of work just a little more than East, but I still see this being a tight game throughout.
Adam Kulikowski: CD East 35, Altoona 28: Keep me in the proverbial dog house with Mrs. 4th Down (an Altoona alum) for another week.
Carlisle 18, CHAMBERSBURG 7
Andy Shay: Chambersburg 38, Carlisle 35: Thundering Herd have dropped two straight and surrendered nearly 100 points in those two setbacks. That’s a red flag. Trojans are coming off a tough loss to Central Dauphin. Toss-up game all the way.
Geoff Morrow: Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 21: I already typed in 28-21 as my predicted final score, but you know what’s interesting here? These classic rivals have evenly split the last 12 games (6-6), but only one of those dozen games ended with the losing team within a touchdown. In other words, whoever wins usually wins by a lot.
Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 34, Chambersburg 30: My wife is a CASHS grad, while my kids go to Carlisle. No matter who I pick, no one will be offended because I’m the only one in this house who follows high school football.
Adam Kulikowski: Carlisle 35, Chambersburg 31: This one is a 50-50 matchup to me. The difference? The Thundering Herd possesses a few more offensive weapons in the cupboard.
STATE COLLEGE 19, Central Dauphin 8
Andy Shay: State College 42, Central Dauphin 14: Usually a classic when these two square off recently, but the talent level gap this season is just too big to ignore. Little Lions are keeping the scoreboard rolling, hitting 40-plus in three of their four wins.
Geoff Morrow: State College 44, Central Dauphin 28: CD has really bullied the Little Lions over the last three meetings, and I don’t expect the Rams will simply lay down and hand over the keys to State High just because the Little Lions are at home and rolling heavy right now. But I can’t pull the trigger on the upset because it seems too much separates these historically powerful programs at this exact moment.
Andy Sandrik: State College 27, Central Dauphin 23: Everyone here seems to be calling for a State College blowout, but even though the Rams are 1-3, they’ve been competitive almost every time out. I don’t think that changes here.
Adam Kulikowski: State College 43, Central Dauphin 21: The Little Lions have big expectations for a Commonwealth title and a deep run into states while the Rams are just beginning to find their footing on the way back up the mountain.
MID-PENN KEYSTONE
BISHOP McDEVITT 48, Cedar Cliff 7
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 49, Cedar Cliff 14: This is a bad spot for the Colts after getting upset a week ago by surrendering a two-score lead in the fourth quarter. This is not the outfit to face when you need to fix what is broken.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 53, Cedar Cliff 7: When things are going well for McD – and they often are – the Colts are one of the only Keystone foes to usually give the Crusaders a worthy challenge. But last year was 56-0, and it appears the Cliff still has plenty to figure out before it’s ready to compete at this level again.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 52, Cedar Cliff 14: How long can the Colts keep this one competitive before the floodgates burst?
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 55, Cedar Cliff 14: I’ve learned long ago to never count out Colin Gillen’s crew. They always seem to find a way to put their best foot forward against Bishop McDevitt. The mountain this year just seems too steep to climb.
Lower Dauphin 49, RED LAND 3
Andy Shay: Red Land 21, Lower Dauphin 20: This is strictly a guess. I see four to five avenues to victory for each squad. Tomorrow I might pick it the other way, but this is where my coin (heads) landed today.
Geoff Morrow: Red Land 20, Lower Dauphin 17: These teams’ schedules and results thus far have been weird. This could end a million different ways, but here’s what we know for sure: somebody will win.
Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 21, Red Land 19: Coin-flip game? Low scoring? Best reads I can gather for this one.
Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 35, Red Land 20: I thought I’d see more fight coming from the Patriots against Milton Hershey than last week’s 35-10 loss indicated. Perhaps I need a recalibration.
HERSHEY 28, Milton Hershey 21
Andy Shay: Hershey 21, Milton Hershey 14: The schedule has been kind to the Spartans, and they have taken full advantage to post a 3-1 mark. I know Hershey has only one win, but they have figured some things out and been competitive weekly against far superior opponents.
Geoff Morrow: Milton Hershey 27, Hershey 24: Both coming in hot after impressive victories last week. Add the rivalry factor, and this could be a beaut. However, I give the edge to the Spartans, who’ve claimed three straight and six of the last seven in this classic series.
Andy Sandrik: Hershey 28, Milton Hershey 23: There’s a lot more than usual at stake in this Cocoa Bowl for the Trojans and Spartans, now Keystone Division playmates.
Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 28, Hershey 20: Just as I learned a wee bit about the Patriots last week when the Spartans carved them up, I think Jeff Boger’s crew learned a little something about the mixer needed for this version of Milton Hershey football.
MIFFLIN COUNTY 14, Palmyra 0
Andy Shay: Mifflin County 28, Palmyra 7: Huskies are very balanced offensively and spread the ball around to their weapons. That just feels like too much for the Cougars defense right now.
Geoff Morrow: Mifflin County 33, Palmyra 14: To me, this just comes down to confidence. Right now the Huskies have it, while the Cougars are desperate to find it.
Andy Sandrik: Mifflin County 24, Palmyra 10: Tough spot for Palmyra. Huskies stock is rising, and fast.
Adam Kulikowski: Mifflin County 35, Palmyra 10: The Huskies are having their best season in ages while the Cougars are struggling to find their offensive footing.
MID-PENN CAPITAL
STEEL-HIGH 61, Big Spring 7
Andy Shay: Steel-High 47, Big Spring 20: This is about Big Spring playing out-of-its-mind defense to keep this game within range. Rollers have tipped the axis and seem to have the full arsenal on all-systems-go right now.
Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 43, Big Spring 32: Remember, this was a blowout the other way last year. With the Rollers putting up something like 512 points last week, it’s easy to get on that bandwagon. But the Bulldogs are figuring it out in a hurry and are certainly capable of the upset. Defense needs to force multiple turnovers, though, and I don’t see that happening with the experienced Rollers QB.
Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 49, Big Spring 21: Wait, HOW many points did the Rollers put up against Boiling Springs last week? The Capital Division is Steel-High’s division to lose, without a doubt.
Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 55, Big Spring 20: Cast aside now any rumblings you might have heard about the Rollers’ conditioning. Andrew Erby’s crew lit up the nitro last week. An encore performance is possible.
TRINITY 26, Boiling Springs 14
Andy Shay: Boiling Springs 31, Trinity 21: It has gone sideways for both these squads since a fairly promising early salvo or two. Combined, the Shamrocks and Bubblers have lost five consecutive games. Somebody needs to find the shiny, happy feeling, right?
Geoff Morrow: Trinity 28, Boiling Springs 21: I get the wheels fall off sometimes, and a bad day turns into an ugly day real fast. But 74 is a huge number. I know the Shamrocks aren’t exactly riding along on a victory party bus right now, but there’s room here to land a few figurative punches and close the first half of the season on a high note.
Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 28, Trinity 14: I’m not going to bust the Bubblers too hard for getting hit with a 74-point bomb last week, as I’ll give all the credit to a talented Steel-High team. With that said, I like the Bubblers’ defense to slow the run and force a turnover or two this week – and make it three straight wins in their rivalry series with Trinity.
Adam Kulikowski: Boiling Springs 38, Trinity 24: Trinity got outmuscled last week against West Perry. The Bubblers have the right mix up front to replicate the challenge the Shamrocks faced last week. Will the results match as well?
MID-PENN LIBERTY
Juniata 55, HALIFAX 0
Andy Shay: Juniata 34, Halifax 0: Something tells me first downs might be hard to come by for the Wildcats in this matchup.
Geoff Morrow: Juniata 38, Halifax 7: Not much to write about here. Just two programs on opposite poles right now. But things can turn in a hurry. The Wildcats beat the Indians in 2018, which was only four years ago!
Andy Sandrik: Juniata 33, Halifax 0: Not sure I see a path to victory, or even the end zone, for the Wildcats.
Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 44, Halifax 6: Indians get a nice tune-up in this one before squaring off against James Buchanan and Boiling Springs the next two weeks.
Susquenita 35, LINE MOUNTAIN 21
Andy Shay: Line Mountain 27, Susquenita 20: Couple of 1-3 teams, but why does it feel like the Eagles have turned a corner and the Blackhawks are still trying to navigate their way through the corner?
Geoff Morrow: Line Mountain 28, Susquenita 13: If the Eagles win here, they’ll be heavily favored next week against Halifax, then have a winnable game in Week 7 against James Buchanan, and suddenly that 0-3 start feels like a century ago. But the key for Line Mountain is actually winning this game first.
Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 28, Susquenita 25: Line Mountain flipped a switch in Week 3 and has been full speed ahead since. I still see this as a knock-em-down, drag-it-out battle that could go either way.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 24, Line Mountain 21: ‘Nita’s Derek Gibney is a risk-taker with the ball, which might make this a bit of an upset. Question is, for whom will the risks he takes pay out Friday night?
Upper Dauphin 41, NEWPORT 20
Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 49, Newport 7: Trojans love to keep their foot on the gas with that fast-paced offense, and the Buffaloes have been struggling to keep teams out of the end zone.
Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 50, Newport 0: Buffaloes haven’t scored since Week 1, have lost seven in a row dating to last season, and, well, it’s fair to look back or look ahead to better times.
Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 42, Newport 7: It’s been week after week of body blows for the Buffs, and this week doesn’t promise to be any easier against a UD squad that believes it’s much better than its 2-2 record.
Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 55, Newport 6: To me, I’ll be watching to see if this matchup can jump-start a new level of confidence for Trojan QB1 Aidan Bingamen. My magic 8-ball (is that still a thing?) says yes.
NON-LEAGUE
TRI-VALLEY 19, Executive Education Academy 18
Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 29, Executive Education Academy 21: Good thing the Bulldogs have already been in a struggle to the final whistle because this is the best team they have seen to date and will challenge them in new ways.
Geoff Morrow: Executive Education Academy 26, Tri-Valley 21: This is a tricky one. Clearly the Bulldogs are, once again, really good. But they’ve also shown some recent vulnerability. Meanwhile, the Raptors are 3-1 against a pretty solid schedule (including a win over Berks Catholic), and there’s room here for a takedown. Will the Allentown area charter school be able to deliver in tough confines?
Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 33, Executive Education Academy 24: Every week when I turn away and then return for another look, Tri-Valley just looks better every time. Which is a good thing for the ‘Dawgs, because they just might be facing their toughest opponent yet.
Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 45, Executive Education Academy 21: Tri-Valley survived a test two weeks ago against Line Mountain, then cruised to a 37-0 victory against Schuylkill Haven last week. ‘Dawgs hold serve another week to move to a sparkling 5-0 record at the midpoint of the regular season.
WEST PERRY 51, James Buchanan 8
Andy Shay: West Perry 49, James Buchanan 0: When your QB1 makes the bold call he thinks they can hang 40-plus on Trinity and then they go out and do it that isn’t throwing shade at the opposition. This offense has horsepower and is riding high.
Geoff Morrow: West Perry 44, James Buchanan 12: The Mustangs’ first-half schedule hasn’t exactly been filled with roadblocks, but you can’t find any fault in their effort, their performance or their results. Things get tougher in the second half, but despite the Rockets’ 3-1 mark, this should be another multi-score win for WP.
Andy Sandrik: West Perry 55, James Buchanan 0: Take away a few special teams miscues last week and there’s a good chance we’d be talking this week about how the Mustangs pitched three consecutive shutouts for the first time in school history. Didn’t happen. But there’s an opportunity to start a new streak with the Rockets coming to Elliottsburg.
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 48, James Buchanan 7: Personally watched the Mustangs’ big dawgs eat last week against Trinity. Very impressive. That group of gents – on both sides of the ball – are the unsung heroes on a team filled with stud playmakers.
Loyalsock Township 35, WILLIAMS VALLEY 29
Andy Shay: Loyalsock Township 28, Williams Valley 26: Anybody who beats Southern Columbia will be a favorite to beat almost anybody else in my book until Southern is no longer elite as a program.
Geoff Morrow: Loyalsock Township 32, Williams Valley 20: You’d never know it from reading the 4th Down crew’s predictions, but did you know the Lancers have beaten Southern Columbia this season? Echo, echo, echo…
Andy Sandrik: Loyalsock Township 23, Williams Valley 17: Both teams took one on the chin last week to have their undefeated seasons spoiled. Who can rebound? I’ll take the team that owns a regular-season win over Southern Columbia.
Adam Kulikowski: Loyalsock Township 33, Williams Valley 21: Word is that the Vikings were navigating some issues last week, resulting in a shorter roster than normal. Curious if they are back to a full squad. Either way, I’ll echo my fellow cronies in siding with the team that knocked off Southern Columbia.
Saturday, Sept. 24
MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH
HARRISBURG 30, Cumberland Valley 14
Andy Shay: Harrisburg 28, Cumberland Valley 17: The Eagles are ready for this game. Question is, can they win it? Harrisburg clearly has more overall talent. Are the Cougars ready to win this game?
Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 35, Cumberland Valley 28: Another tricky one in a week full of tricky ones. CV is clearly playing its best football in years, and Harrisburg remains one of the state’s premier programs and is running hot with its head coach back on the sideline. The Cougars have roughed the Eagles up the last five meetings. And while that might not have a negative impact on CV’s psyche heading into this one, I think it might have a positive impact on Harrisburg’s.
Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 35, Cumberland Valley 21: CV coach Josh Oswalt might stop taking my gardening texts after this prediction, but I picked Harrisburg and CV 1-2 in the Commonwealth, and I can’t stray from that now. Especially after the way the Cougars’ defense just drained the life away from an explosive Carlisle team last week.
Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 35, Cumberland Valley 30: Two weeks ago – before the return of Coach Cal – I would have taken the Eagles in this spot. It was evident then that they missed their leader. But after the Cougars drop-kicked Carlisle into Week 5, I believe Harrisburg is back to being ‘drip.’
MID-PENN COLONIAL
WAYNESBORO 13, Northern 10
Andy Shay: Northern 28, Waynesboro 7: I just haven’t seen enough out of Waynesboro’s offense to see how they challenge the Polar Bears, who have to be juiced up after dumping Ship a week ago. “No letdown” will be the calling card in Dillsburg.
Geoff Morrow: Northern 24, Waynesboro 14: Awesome win for the P-Bears last week, but this is still a team that lost to a mediocre York-Adams program the week prior. So it’s hard to know what to expect. However, while I think the Indians are fully capable of winning on Saturday afternoon, they’ve not yet shown that same “awesome win” capability Northern just did.
Andy Sandrik: Northern 25, Waynesboro 23: The Polar Bears showed last week how much fire and intensity they can play with when the rest of the football world expects them to lose a game. Can they play the same way in a road game they’re expected to win?
Adam Kulikowski: Northern 33, Waynesboro 21: When you knock the king off the top of the hill, you need to back it up the next week. Polar Bears do just that against an Indians team still searching for its top gear.
SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL RED DIVISION
Jim Thorpe 66, PINE GROVE 14
Andy Shay: Jim Thorpe 27, Pine Grove 7: The Cardinals have scored four touchdowns all season. Despite both clubs owning 1-3 marks, the Olympians have been the more consistent squad offensively.
Geoff Morrow: Jim Thorpe 35, Pine Grove 14: Olympians have been a lot more competitive this year, so I’m going with the visitors.
Andy Sandrik: Jim Thorpe 26, Pine Grove 10: Offensive consistency has me leaning toward the Olympians. Pine Grove has not put points on the board since Sept. 2.
Adam Kulikowski: Jim Thorpe 33, Pine Grove 6: Neither team is going to light up the scoreboard, but the Olympians sport a balanced offense with just a few more difference-makers on board.
That’s the question Line Mountain (1-3) hopes to answer in the affirmative when Brandon Carson’s club pays a visit to Susquenita (1-3, 0-1) this weekend for their Mid-Penn Liberty Division opener.
The last Liberty Division squad to begin league play, Line Mountain wrapped up its difficult non-conference slate last weekend by downing Marian Catholic 26-19. Now the Eagles hope to pin down their second win.
While Marian spent the early portion of the contest ganging up on feature-back-turned-quarterback Nolan Baumert, that provided just enough space for burner Ian Bates to rattle off a pair of long-distance touchdown runs.
Bates rushed 68 yards for his first score with more than three minutes remaining in the opening quarter, a timely touchdown that came on the Eagles’ initial play from scrimmage following a punt block that Marian turned into a Michael Gelatko return and score.
Then, with 7:57 left in the first half, Bates scooted 57 yards for another score that had the Eagles up 13-6 at the break.
Bates finished with a career-high 124 yards on just 11 attempts.
While the determined Baumert made it 19-6 late in the third quarter with an 8-yard run off an option keeper, his 57-yard run on the first play of Line Mountain’s next series eventually led to a 3-yard TD by fullback Chandon Maurer that made it a three-score contest.
Baumert wound up with 89 yards on 10 attempts before leaving the game with a slight ankle injury. Regardless, he’ll be difficult to keep out of the Line Mountain lineup.
Line Mountain’s defensive unit had a productive night as well. While Maurer piled up 20 tackles, Quinn Dunkelberger added 18 and Brayden Boyer wound up with 13. That trio also combined for 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, and Maurer recovered a fumble.
Just a few miles down Route 225 from Line Mountain’s Mandata home, Susquenita was dropping a 30-7 decision to Upper Dauphin. Augie Glass’s Blackhawks had all kinds of trouble stopping the run, as the Trojans rushed for 341 yards and added 72 more through the air.
Susquenita also conceded six tackles for loss and three sacks. Plus, Blackhawks quarterbacks were picked off twice.
Upper Dauphin chasing a second straight victory
Headed for Newport’s Katchmer Field this weekend – where he spent a number of years as the Buffaloes’ defensive coordinator – Kent Smeltz won’t worry about friendly reunions until after his Upper Dauphin Trojans (2-2, 1-0) scrap with Todd Rothermel’s outfit.
UDA was able to rush for 341 yards in a 30-7 conquest of Susquenita as Brady Morgan totaled 146 yards and one score on 14 attempts and Konner Walker tacked on 110 more and another score on just seven totes.
Walker also caught two passes for 58 yards and another touchdown while part of UD’s offensive attack, and he picked off two passes on defense.
Aidan Bingaman only attempted six throws, but he completed three for 72 yards and two scores, the second to Landon Mace for a 14-yard touchdown.
Sophomore linebacker Caleb Snyder paced the Trojans with 10 tackles, including three stops behind the line of scrimmage. Aiden Ritter added six stops, while Tegan Engle, Chase Grassmyer and Max Nestor authored sacks.
Newport (0-4, 0-1), meanwhile, is still trying to get its offensive house in order after a 36-0 shutout at the hands of Juniata. It was the third consecutive shutout loss for the Buffaloes, the first time that’s happened since the 1969 campaign.
Aiden Dishman squeezed out 63 yards on 17 carries for Newport, which was limited to 82 offensive yards by the Juniata defense. The Buffs picked up a tremendous effort from ‘backer Zach Bellis, who racked up 14 tackles, caused one fumble and recovered another.
Juniata making trek to Dauphin County
Hoping to continue its march toward a second straight Liberty Division crown, Juniata (2-2, 1-0) will visit Halifax in search of its second league victory in as many weeks.
Kurt Condo’s Indians cuffed Newport 36-0 last weekend at home.
While quarterback Aaron Kanagy threw for 124 yards by completing six of his 12 pass attempts – he was picked off twice – two of those Kanagy aerials led to touchdown receptions in the first quarter by Seth Laub (9 yards) and freshman Jasper Shepps (29).
Juniata actually led 23-0 after one quarter.
Laub added 89 yards on six carries, while Waylon Ehrenzeller finished with 51 yards on nine attempts. Ehrenzeller scored twice, cashing in from 15 and 2 yards.
Jonathan Kauffman led Juniata’s stifling defense with eight tackles.
Halifax (1-3, 0-1) opened Liberty Division play by dropping a 27-7 decision at James Buchanan. Earl Mosley’s Wildcats managed 94 offensive yards, with just 38 coming on the ground.
Merely one week after sharing nearly 300 rushing yards, Cohen Bechtel and Isaac Miller combined for 52 on 18 carries against the JB defense. Miller did catch a 14-yard touchdown pass from Teegan Carroll for Halifax’s lone score.
Miller was all over the place defensively, amassing 22 tackles. Bechtel added 10.
JB to square off against unbeaten West Perry
Cliff Pine’s James Buchanan squad (3-1, 1-0) may be one of the pleasant surprises in District 3, but the Rockets have yet to run into anything quite like West Perry (4-0).
What’s interesting is Bob Boden’s Mustangs already own wins over Susquenita, Newport and Juniata. Can they run their record to 4-0 against Liberty Division opposition?
West Perry was in terrific form last weekend by wheeling to a 40-14 victory over Trinity.
Trent Herrera rushed for 182 yards on 24 carries, scoring twice on runs of 4 and 14 yards. Herrera’s 14-yard TD, which came with 3:19 gone in the third quarter, had West Perry up 26-0.
Quarterback Marcus Quaker accounted for 162 yards from scrimmage, passing (7 of 10) for 80 and running for 82 more. His 7-yard touchdown run capped the Mustangs’ latest success.
Ian Goodling also contributed plenty, catching three passes for 35 yards, booting field goals of 26 and 45 yards, and closing out the third quarter with a 97-yard interception return.
And for those who happen to call the upper end of Dauphin County and/or western Schuylkill County home – say, somewhere near the U.S. 209 corridor – and you’re not enthused by any of the other local high school football matchups on tap … this one’s for you.
And if you really want to soak up the ambience between the stately tall pines that stand guard around Jerry Stauffenberg Field, a lawn chair works.
What yours truly is getting at is Friday’s non-league scrap between Williams Valley (3-1) and a Loyalsock program (3-1) wandering in from Williamsport’s outskirts should be terrific for those who really enjoy offensive football. If these teams get rolling, an over of 75 is in play.
Since both units suffered their first losses one week ago, they both should be inspired.
Outmuscled up front by an aroused Minersville club, Tim Savage’s Vikings were limited to 14 yards rushing and wound up on the losing end of a 30-12 result. Fullback Logan Williard paced the Vikes with 25 yards on seven attempts and reserve Gage Miller rushed for a 13-yard score, but the Miners really put the clamps on Alex Achenbach, yielding nothing on 11 totes.
Plus, Minersville piled up 11 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Williams Valley QB Isaac Whiteash (11 of 23) managed to throw for 134 yards and one touchdown – Williard hauled in the scoring pass – and was picked off once. Favorite target Brady Evans pocketed four passes for 95 yards.
Defensively, down lineman Cruz Banda topped Williams Valley with 11 stops, two tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Williard added seven tackles.
Which brings us to state-ranked Loyalsock.
Justin Van Fleet’s Lancers dropped one spot to sixth (Class 3A) after a 17-14 loss to Danville at home despite running 63 plays to the Ironmen’s 34 and despite outgaining Danville 457-206.
Yikes!
Well, turnovers can complicate things and ‘Sock totaled three as quarterback Tyler Gee had a trio of passes swiped. Gee still managed to complete 14 of his 22 attempts for 279 yards. Even with all-state wideout Rian Glunk sidelined with an injury, athletes Jaylen Andrews (6-121) and Gage Patterson (5-64) had productive outings on the perimeter.
And if Gee wasn’t throwing it all over Ken Robbins Stadium, all-state feature back Davion Hill was doing his thing between the tackles or on the edges by piling up 168 rushing yards on 31 attempts and one score. Gee also rushed for a touchdown.
Defensively, Van Fleet’s experienced group features a terrific set of linebackers in Gavin Rice, Cy Cavanaugh and Logan Bastian. And keep an eye on big-play defensive end David Boring coming off the edge.
Plus, this team is accustomed to competing against quality sides since Van Fleet’s Lancers have defeated Berks Catholic, an improving Hughesville program featuring a staff flush with former ‘Sock assistants and Southern Columbia.
So, Williams Valley needs to bring it. The Vikings are capable of exhibiting some high-octane offense. And that could up the fun factor.
Tri-Valley hoping to maintain its perfect mark
Tri-Valley’s Reece Huntzinger returned the opening kickoff 83 yards for a 7-0 lead just 15 seconds in last week. Perhaps more impressive fireworks are in play as Tri-Valley (4-0) will welcome Allentown’s Executive Education (3-1) to the Hegins-Valley View Metroplex.
Executive Education, eastern Pennsylvania’s nomadic independents, suffered a 42-19 loss to Upper Moreland that dropped the Raptors from the unbeaten ranks.
Tri-Valley, meanwhile, is still there and hoping to stay.
Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs may have jumped in front of host Schuylkill Haven quickly, but they weren’t content with their one-score lead. Kole Miller, who rushed for two scores and threw for two more a week earlier against Line Mountain, took over at that point.
Miller (6 of 10, 99 yards) fired all three of his touchdown passes on Tri-Valley’s first three offensive series, finding Layne Yoder from 13 yards out, hooking up with Jolten Flory for a 30-yard TD pass and going back to Yoder for a 31-yard score that had the visitors up 28-0.
Yoder was the ‘Dawgs top receiver with four catches for 64 yards. Filling in for injured Kam Wetzel yet again, Huntzinger paced the Tri-Valley ground game with 54 yards on 17 carries.
Defensively, interceptions from Yoder, Flory and Jake Tietsworth helped the Bulldogs limit Haven to 35 yards through the air. Huntzinger (6 tackles), Kash Tobin (7 tackles) and Noah Porter (8 tackles) kept Haven contained on the ground, limiting the Hurricanes to 107 yards.
Freshman Cole Gemberling paced Tri-Valley with nine stops.
Executive Education showed plenty of vulnerability at stopping the run, yielding 262 yards on the ground and four touchdowns to Upper Moreland’s Stephen Broderick (4, 2, 4, 2). Hassan Johnson and quarterback Shawn Herbert added rushing TDs for UM.
What Sampson’s bunch will need to be concerned about is strong-armed quarterback Darmel Lopez making plays throwing the ball. Lopez rang up three touchdowns through the air, finding Emery Plummer (45), Damon Young (28) and Jeremiah Rodriguez (41).
Lopez was averaging 255-plus yards per game passing going into the Upper Moreland clash. His three passing scores in Saturday’s loss increased his total to 10.
Pine Grove trying to end skid
Following a pair of road losses, at least Dave Shiffer’s Pine Grove Cardinals (1-3, 0-2) won’t need to worry about boarding a bus this weekend. Shoring up a run defense is priority No. 1 as the Cards take on another Colonial-Schuylkill Red Division adversary.
Northern Lehigh rushed for 408 yards and seven touchdowns – not one Northern Lehigh back gained more than 71 yards – to hand the Cardinals a 61-0 setback. Pine Grove also yielded 110 passing yards and 518 overall.
Ouch!
Conversely, Pine Grove was limited to 43 total yards as Mason Kroh (5-12-0) threw for 64 and the ground game totaled negative-21 yards on 23 attempts.
Lane Lehman picked up 14 yards rushing, but he needed 11 tries, and caught a pair of Kroh passes for 56 yards. Defensively, the junior totaled a team-high eight tackles.
Jim Thorpe (1-3, 1-1) didn’t deal all that well with Palmerton quarterback Matt Machalik, who completed 14 of 26 passes for 305 yards and rushed 21 times for 230 yards and three scores.
No wonder Palmerton celebrated after landing a 54-29 haymaker.
The Black Knights own a quality win (William Penn) and fell to No. 9 Central York by 10 points in their four games. The Lancaster-Lebanon League is deeper and stronger than ever. Huge tilt with Manheim Township this week.
10.
Lampeter-Strasburg
3-1
10
Posted its second shutout in the last three games and is playing a little angry after dropping the opener. Do not sleep on this club down here at No. 10.
9.
Central York
3-1
9
Spring Grove isn’t a struggling team and brought a couple solid wins to the table for this one. And the Panthers promptly went out and won going away by 35 points. This team is getting better.
8.
Manheim Township
3-1
8
You pull off a massive road upset at Harrisburg then have to run around and validate with another full-metal-jacket test on the road at Spring-Ford. The 17-14 result might not look like a thing of beauty, but trust me, it was a gem of a win.
7.
Wyomissing
4-0
7
Berks Catholic is a winless team you really don’t want to play. They are battle tested and give their best shot. The Spartans were not surprised by BC, but it took a solid outing to stay unbeaten.
6.
Solanco
4-0
6
Three of the Golden Mules’ four games have been decided by one or fewer scores. Some might say it’s a team living on the edge. But also that kind of consistency in tight spots is not an accident.
5.
Cumberland Valley
4-0
5
You can almost see the confidence of this team come pouring out on the field. Never gave CD East a chance to be in the game, and that will serve them well in a titanic matchup with Harrisburg on deck.
4.
Manheim Central
4-0
4
The balance offensively this Barons squad has is going to make them an even tougher out. Nearly 550 yards of total offense against a Susquehannock team they were always going to roll, and four touchdowns through the air and three on the ground. Balance!
3.
Harrisburg
2-1
3
The return of head coach Calvin Everett to the sideline after his three-game suspension certainly had an impact on the Cougars. They went out and drilled Carlisle to restore some order on Market Street.
2.
Exeter Township
4-0
3
Fully aware the talent level at Governor Mifflin has fallen off a cliff for this season and the Mustangs are a one-win team. Still, the Eagles winning by 30 just doesn’t look like the right result in this matchup. Quality of schedule is definitely up for debate, but the results are not.
1.
Bishop McDevitt
2-1
1
Had to wait an extra week for the response from the Crusaders after that Week 1 setback to hammer Imhotep. And good gracious what a response. Taking La Salle College out to the woodshed with a 56-7 win is a clear message delivered.
