The best total wargame will probably be one that offers a significant variety of gadgets, a detailed gameplay, and a rich, total universe to regulate. These game titles are not pertaining to beginners, and need a bit of practice and determination before you can succeed. However , the cost-free types of some total wargames are good options for beginners.
Attila deviates from the usual formula of the entire War series by bringing out new guidelines and reinterpreting the basics. It pays homage towards the fall from the Roman universe, as places and cities burn and nomadic tribes burrow in the Roman empire. Meanwhile, the emperors are transformed against by way of a own officers, and the Huns strike like a tsunami.
Empire is an devoted game that spans three different cinemas: the Unites states, Europe, and India. The sport also takes into account sea lanes, technological progress, and the Enlightenment, which usually led to the Industrial Revolution. The game’s focused design allows the player to experience the complexity of historical incidents and to grapple with the worries between progress and imperialism. However , it falls brief in one area: the advertising campaign AI would not quite grasp the multi-region community map. However , rules of survival game the sport deserves reward for trying something different.
Shogun 2: This kind of sequel to Shogun: Total Warfare: Shogun extended on the research laid by simply its forerunner, but it really wasn’t as well designed as the predecessor. While its strategy was solid and it is gameplay superior, it presented many insects and a poor performance. Nevertheless , Attila nonetheless managed to produce a unique encounter for Total War followers. The game highlighted a new duress battle auto mechanic, which meant it was a standout in the series.
Vote now for your 4th Down Magazine Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week. Our poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. Vote once per hour for your favorite competitor.
Editor’s note: We have implemented new safeguards to prevent voting which falls outside the spirit of the rules in place. We reserve the right to block users who cast fraudulent votes.
Alex Achenbach, Williams Valley, jr., RB/DB: Raise your collective hands if you’ve heard something similar about Williams Valley’s remarkably productive junior feature back: Well, he’s good. Achenbach showed as much Friday night, rushing for 217 yards and three touchdowns (9, 21, 64) on 14 carries as the Vikings halted a two-game skid by popping Nativity 48-12 in their Colonial-Schuylkill Blue Division opener.
AJ Lozano, Notre Dame-Green Pond, jr., WR/FS: When do-it-all quarterback Danny Darno needed a big play, he turned to Lozano. The junior hauled in a team-high six passes for 133 stripes and three scores in a 36-24 victory against North Schuylkill.
Landen Matson (so.) and Dalton Clymer (jr.), Northwestern Lehigh, RBs: Ok, we’re going to cheat a little here–and hey, we can do that, right? It’s hard to separate this pair since the thunder-and-lightening duo provided all the pop for Northwestern Lehigh Saturday in a 20-0 shutout against Saucon Valley. Matson ripped off six carries for 141 stripes while Clymer ground out 22 carries for 116 and a pair of scores.
Brady Evans, Williams Valley, sr., WR/DB: Evans uncorked his typical numbers in the Vikings’ 48-12 conquest of Nativity, hauling in four passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns. The biggie was a 76-yarder that had Williams Valley up 21-0 at one point.
Kameron Wetzel, Tri-Valley, sr., RB/DB: Back in action for the first time since suffering a Week 1 lower leg injury, Wetzel rushed for touchdowns covering 52, 73 and 10 yards as the state-ranked Bulldogs roughed up Shenandoah Valley 48-0 in their Blue Division opener. Wetzel also picked off a second-half pass to set up his third rushing score.
Lane Lehman, Pine Grove, jr., RB/DB: Even with the Cardinals headed for their fifth consecutive setback, Lehman rushed for touchdowns of 79, 12 and 2 in Pine Grove’s 53-28 loss to Red Division playmate Palmerton. Lehman’s 79-yard score even had the Cards up early.
Jolten Flory, Tri-Valley, sr., WR/DB: Flory contributed quite a bit after the break, returning a pair of interceptions for scores as the Bulldogs opened Blue Division play by battering Shenandoah Valley 48-0. Flory’s pick-sixes covered 35 and 40 yards as Jeff Sampson’s state-ranked squad improved their perfect record to 6-0.
Vote now for your 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Crown Trophy of Harrisburg (in Lemoyne). Our poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. Vote once per hour for your favorite competitor.
Editor’s note: We have implemented new safeguards to prevent voting which falls outside the spirit of the rules in place. We reserve the right to block users who cast fraudulent votes.
Cole Bartram, jr., RB, Northern: Bartram led the mercurial Polar Bears to a 29-18 comeback win over Greencastle-Antrim with 175 yards and three touchdowns. His last two, covering 26 and 2 yards, came in the third quarter to give Northern the lead and hold onto it.
Marcus Quaker, jr., QB, West Perry: The yardage wasn’t much (it didn’t need to be), but the points were. Quaker ran for 109 yards and four touchdowns on just 10 carries and added two more TDs and 77 yards on 3-of-7 passing in the 6-0 Mustangs’ 54-21 win over Boiling Springs. His rushing TDs went for 41, 34, 1 and 15 yards, and his passing TDs covered 23 and 54 yards.
Max Schlager, sr., WR/LB, Trinity: Schlager pushed the surging Shamrocks to a 38-21 win over Big Spring with an impressive two-way performance Friday. He scored on runs of 2 and 44 yards, totaled 88 stripes on the ground, recorded eight tackles and picked off two passes.
Brady Morgan, sr., RB, Upper Dauphin: Morgan shredded Halifax in a 56-13 win for 151 yards on just eight carries, taking three of them to the house. He also had 17 yards on two receptions as the Trojans remained unbeaten in Liberty Division play.
Waylon Ehrenzeller, sr., RB/LB, Juniata: Ehrenzeller rumbled for 183 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just 11 touches in Juniata’s 48-0 win over James Buchanan. He also had 10 tackles on defense as the Indians posted their third straight Liberty Division clean sheet.
Aiden Dishman, sr., RB, Newport: Rushing yards were not hard to come by for two players on this list (see the next entry). Dishman wrecked Line Mountain for 209 yards and three touchdowns (45, 79, 10) on 19 carries but fell 24-23 in this one. Dishman scored a TD in overtime, but the Newport placement was blocked.
Ian Bates, so., RB/DB, Line Mountain: It was Bates and his Eagles that came out ahead of the 24-23 OT win, and Bates was the only one who out-shined Dishman. The diminutive sophomore scored twice, including a 60-yarder that popped Line Mountain in front early in the fourth quarter and 1-yarder in OT that had the Eagles in front, and ripped off a career-high 279 yards on 34 attempts – thanks to nine of his rushing attempts resulting in gains of 10 yards or more. He also caught two passes for 16 yards.
Ty Millhimes, jr., RB, Lower Dauphin: Millhimes ran for 198 yards and three scores and threw a 71-yard TD to Charlie Fortney to lead the Falcons to a 42-7 win over Palmyra.
Marcus Sweeney, sr., RB, Hershey: Three long touchdowns powered the Trojans and Sweeney past Red Land 27-7. Sweeney ripped off an 86-yard TD run and hauled in a 94-yard TD reception. Sweeney also returned a kickoff 91 yards to the house. He finished with 98 receiving yards and 94 rushing.
Jermain Gondwe, jr., K, Gettysburg: Let’s give some love to the kicker who kept the Warriors in sole possession of the Mid-Penn Colonial lead. Gondwe drilled a 19-yard game-winning field goal as the clock struck all zeroes in a 17-14 win over Shippensburg. The win is Gettysburg’s first against the Greyhounds since 2008.
Shawn Lee, so., QB, Harrisburg: Lee engineered a clinic in a 48-0 win at Altoona, throwing for 289 yards and five touchdowns. Most of the damage came in the first half. He hit Kyle Williams four times for 123 yards and two TDs, Amir Jones for two TD passes totalling 65 yards and Elias Coke for a 56-yard TD.
Devin Shepherd, sr., RB, Central Dauphin: The Rams popped Carlisle 42-14 on Thursday, and Shepherd was at the center of an offense that ran for 352 yards on 49 touches. Shepherd was responsible for 18 of those carries, 142 of those yards and scored twice.
Stone Saunders, so., QB, Bishop McDevitt: The Crusaders blew out Milton Hershey 68-22 and Saunders took to the bench after halftime, but the sophomore dominated in the first 24 minutes with 360 yards and six touchdowns on 19-of-25 passing. He also ran for a TD.
Marquese Williams, sr., RB, Bishop McDevitt: The Crusaders also did damage on the ground in Friday’s 68-22 win over the Trojans. Williams rushed for 108 yards on 10 totes and added 103 stripes on five receptions. He totaled four touchdowns, as well.
D’Antae Sheffey, fr., RB, State College: Sheffey scored four times as the Little Lions pounded CD East 42-14 on the road Friday. The rookie finished with 131 yards on 12 carries, scoring from 13, 19, 23 and 37 yards out.
What an interesting Week 6 in the Mid-Penn Conference.
There were a couple of surprising results for traditionally strong programs that have navigated some choppy waters recently. Mechanicsburg picked up its second win in three games after an 0-3 start by edging previously one-loss East Pennsboro by a field goal in a game that featured 17 total points. And how about Susquehanna Township not only beating Waynesboro but posting a shutout to improve to 3-3 overall?
It has been a rough ride this season for Central Dauphin, a powerhouse program. This is not unexpected, but you can see this team adding building blocks. It continued against Carlisle Thursday night. The Rams gave State College a full test the previous week and came out and played at the same level, thrashing the Thundering Herd by four touchdowns. That was not expected.
Week 6 was more about the individual performances, and they were massive in terms of production. It was what stood out more than anything around the Mid-Penn Conference.
Let’s start with Hershey senior wide receiver and kick returner Marcus Sweeney. The Trojans won their third in a row after starting 0-3 by overpowering Red Land by 20. Sweeney had three touchdowns, each scored in a different manner and covering more than 85 yards. He had a 91-yard kickoff return, a 94-yard catch-and-run receiving touchdown and took a handoff and galloped 86 yards for another score.
In a wild Liberty Division contest Line Mountain used a blocked extra point in overtime to hold off Newport 24-23. This game was all about a couple running backs — Ian Bates from Line Mountain and Newport’s Aiden Dishman. The duo combined for 511 yards and five touchdowns on 53 carries. That’s a ridiculous 9.6 yards per carry. Bates had 280 yards on 34 totes, and Dishman went for 231 on only 19 carries with three scores.
Harrisburg struggled at times in the first half of the season, but this assemblance of talent is starting to find its groove. The Cougars went on the road to Mansion Park and thrashed a one-loss Altoona squad 48-zip. Quarterback Shawn Lee completed only nine passes, but five of those went for touchdowns as he finished with 289 yards passing. That’s an average of 32.1 yards per completion. Don’t forget about the shutout, either.
Bishop McDevitt needed only a half to post 68 points against Milton Hershey. The Crusaders unleashed the full arsenal, as well. QB Stone Saunders threw for 360 yards and six touchdowns, averaging a not-often-seen 14.1 yards per pass attempt. Running back Marquese Williams showed why he’s an FBS-level recruit by eclipsing 100 yards rushing and receiving with four total touchdowns on 15 touches. His average was a tidy 14.1 yards per touch.
West Perry remains unbeaten, and for the second straight week this high-powered Mustangs offense cleared the 50-point barrier in a victory over Boiling Springs. Quarterback Marcus Quaker accounted for six Mustangs touchdowns (four rushing, two passing) and cleared 100 yards on the ground. Running back Tren Herrera didn’t find the end zone — that was Quaker’s duty on this night — but he did roll up 154 yards rushing on 18 totes.
Gettysburg stayed unbeaten against Mid-Penn Conference opponents in its first season back in the conference after an eight-year hiatus in the YAIAA. The Warriors, who fell to New Oxford in Week 2, knocked Shippensburg out of contention for the Colonial Division title by edging the Greyhounds 17-14. Once again it was running back Jayden Johnson doing the heavy lifting for Gettysburg, compiling 157 yards on 20 carries.
The Warriors control their own destiny in the Crazy Colonial with a perfect 3-0 mark and a rocky road to navigate ahead. They look well equipped to tackle it. Northern and Mechanicsburg are 2-1 in the Colonial and everybody else is 1-2 in the division. This is going to be fun to watch unfold.
Speaking of Northern, the Polar Bears continued their up-and-down ride by coming from behind to overtake Greencastle-Antrim 28-18 and hand the Blue Devils their second consecutive loss after a 4-0 start. Northern RB Cole Bartram had 175 yards and three touchdowns to power Da Polar Bears.
Lower Dauphin is 4-2 overall and for the second consecutive week cleared 40 points and thrashed the opposition — this time it was Palmyra. Falcons RB Ty Millhimes fell 2 yards short of a 200-yard outing with three touchdowns and also threw a 71-yard touchdown pass. Are the Falcons a playoff team? Cedar Cliff, Hershey and Bishop McDevitt are still on the docket for LD.
Speaking of Cedar Cliff, the Colts snapped a two-game slide and climbed back to .500 overall by doubling up Mifflin County. Don’t sleep on this team. They could still be a six- or maybe even seven-win squad this season. This team will go as far as the defense carries it.
Camp Hill survived against Susquenita, posting a 10-7 victory. The Lions have scored only two touchdowns the last eight quarters. That has to change with Trinity and West Perry still to come.
Those Shamrocks from Trinity are finding their identity with back-to-back wins to get back to .500 overall. Three more interceptions against Big Spring, two from Max Schlager, gives the T-Rocks 12 picks on the season. The attacking defensive style is starting to work. Schlager is so key to this team. He also had nearly 100 rushing yards and a couple touchdowns.
Shenandoah Valley’s Ben Dempster and Minersville’s Luke Stevenosky battled for this week’s Colonial-Schuylkill League Player of the Week honor until the final minutes of voting.
When all the votes were tallied, no one could outgun Dempster—and that just might be fitting given that no one could stop the junior quarterback Friday night either. More than 8,000 votes were cast with Dempter amassing 3,512 to Steveosky’s 3,444.
Just to refresh for folks—Dempster was a perfect 12-for-12 passing for 253 yards and 6 touchdowns against Hancock in a 51-20 victory.
This week on The Spotlight with Andy Shay, we caught up with the dynamic running back from Gettysburg, Jayden Johnson.
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) …
Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 20, Carlisle 17: There is not a lick of football analysis in this pick. This is an “I got a feeling” pick all the way. The Rams seem like they are ready to win a toss-up game.
Geoff Morrow: Carlisle 24, Central Dauphin 20: Thundering Herd haven’t beaten CD in forever and a day. Last year’s game was close (24-21), so is THIS the year Carlisle finally solves the Ram Jam?
Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 23, Central Dauphin 22: If Carlisle plays a clean game, it has a 50-50 shot or better to take this. If history has any say, it’s been decades since CD has lost to the Herd.
Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 24, Carlisle 21: In a reload year, the Rams have battled State College, Chambersburg, Coatesville and Wilson tough. Coach Glen McNamee’s crew gets a much needed win.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY 38, Chambersburg 14
Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 24, Chambersburg 7: As long as the Eagles don’t hang their heads about loss No. 1 last week, they should be fine here. The Trojans’ offense doesn’t have enough consistent punch for this matchup.
Geoff Morrow: Cumberland Valley 28, Chambersburg 14: Bounce-back time for the Eagles, and I expect they’ll get the job done.
Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 36, Chambersburg 14: Chambersburg has been a thorn in CV’s side with three wins over the last four meetings. Not sure the Trojans have enough giddyup to stay with the Eagles this year, though.
Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 35, Chambersburg 14: Yes, the Eagles fell from the ranks of the undefeated last week against Harrisburg. But don’t expect a hangover here.
Friday, Sept. 30
MID-PENN COMMONWEALTH
Harrisburg 48, ALTOONA 0
Andy Shay: Harrisburg 26, Altoona 14: Friendly reminder the Mountain Lions are a 4-1 squad, so they aren’t going to be an easy out. Cougars have a long road trip on their plate and have struggled early in games to get traction.
Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 40, Altoona 20: Weird things sometimes happen out in Blair County for Harrisburg-area teams, but an upset here would be even weirder. Not because the Mountain Lions aren’t good (they are), but because the Cougars seem to be rounding into playoff form already. Also, it says it’ll be in the 50s on Friday evening, but, knowing Altoona like I do, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s -18 at kickoff.
Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 32, Altoona 14: Most programs are fearful of Harrisburg. I know I am. I’m still having nightmares about that “Lucky Chucky” doll that gained notoriety on the Cougars’ sidelines last fall. But Altoona isn’t scared, and I think the Mountain Lions give Harrisburg a game, at least for a few quarters.
Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 35, Altoona 7: The Kyle Williams show should travel well in this one. Book me for a share of Cougars.
State College 42, CENTRAL DAUPHIN EAST 14
Andy Shay: State College 35, CD East 14: When the Little Lions get rolling downhill, they are hard to slow down. And the Panthers have surrendered 10 touchdowns to CV and Altoona the last eight quarters. Numbers sometimes tell a story.
Geoff Morrow: State College 44, CD East 13: Little Lions are on a collision course for an enormous Week 8 Saturday afternoon showdown at Harrisburg. The other Commonwealth foes cannot be overlooked, but State High appears to be all business right now, and East is still figuring things out.
Andy Sandrik: State College 42, CD East 12: Punch in. Punch out. Don’t do anything stupid. If the Little Lions follow these guidelines, they will be 6-0 at the end of the night.
Adam Kulikowski: State College 45, CD East 14: The Little Lions have given up more than 14 points just once this season. If the Panthers are to pull off the upset, they will need to find another offensive gear.
MID-PENN KEYSTONE
Bishop McDevitt 68, MILTON HERSHEY 22
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 49, Milton Hershey 14: This sort of “not anywhere near the same level opponent” is what the Crusaders are pretty much going to see the rest of the regular season.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 53, Milton Hershey 7: Again, McDevitt should be in the Commonwealth. Crusaders are probably four touchdowns better than every other team in the Keystone this year.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 55, Milton Hershey 16: Has anyone thought about letting two Keystone teams play McDevitt on the same night?
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 45, Milton Hershey 21: The Spartans enter this fray as heavy underdogs, but MH QB1 Kenneth Emile is one of those underappreciated athletes who could create a little havoc for the Crusaders.
Lower Dauphin 42, PALMYRA 7
Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 27, Palmyra 7: So Palmyra hasn’t scored a touchdown in its last two games, and while Lower Dauphin isn’t a superpower offensively, they did ring up 49 on Red Land last week.
Geoff Morrow: Lower Dauphin 30, Palmyra 8: Coming off two straight disappointing losses, the Falcons brought the claws out last week and absolutely shredded Red Land. If LD plays like that again, I don’t see the Cougars hanging in beyond halftime. However, with some of these inconsistent Keystone teams, you just never know.
Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 23, Palmyra 13: Points have been just a little easier to come by for the Falcons. Cougars are averaging 7.4 points per contest.
Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 33, Palmyra 13: I’m siding with the team with fewer unanswered questions and a touch more balance in their offense. That’s the Falcons.
CEDAR CLIFF 28, Mifflin County 14
Andy Shay: Mifflin County 20, Cedar Cliff 17: Going with the chalk here and taking the Huskies. Colts are on a two-game slide and looking to find answers offensively against another tough defense.
Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 28, Mifflin County 21: Huskies have never beaten the Colts (0-4 all time), and this year provides a great chance for the crew from Lewistown. But I have a feeling Cedar Cliff will bring a little extra something to the table this weekend.
Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 23, Mifflin County 20: I honestly think smart money is on the Huskies, but I took the Colts second in the Keystone, and I’m not ready to eat my words just yet.
Adam Kulikowski: Mifflin County 30, Cedar Cliff 24: It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to pick the Huskies to knock off a quality program. As a high school football fan in general, it’s nice to see different programs step into the spotlight.
HERSHEY 27, Red Land 7
Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Red Land 7: When it comes to this Hershey team, I see their strength as defense, and the Patriots’ offense has to come alive and somehow flip the script. Trojans are full of confidence, and that matters.
Geoff Morrow: Hershey 27, Red Land 10: Not sure what happened to the Patriots last week, but the 49-3 implosion vs. LD does not bode well entering a road game in Derry Township against a Trojans team coming off back-to-back quality victories.
Andy Sandrik: Hershey 33, Red Land 14: The Trojans seem to have found the next gear and have a pep in their step now that they’ve tasted a few wins.
Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 45, Red Land 13: Watching Hershey’s Angel Cabera run over every opponent in sight gave me secondary soreness. He is one force I just don’t know that the Patriots can stop.
MID-PENN COLONIAL
MECHANICSBURG 10, East Pennsboro 7
Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 14, Mechanicsburg 7: This has all the ingredients for an old-school defensive battle. I fully expect points to be hard to come by, and the Wildcats’ offense has to find a way to get at least two scores to have any chance of grabbing a victory.
Geoff Morrow: East Pennsboro 23, Mechanicsburg 20: With the exception of the Week 4 victory over Susquehanna Township, the Wildcats have really struggled to put up points this season. That’ll have to change to pull the upset here, though I think this is a tricky spot for the Panthers.
Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 21, Mechanicsburg 7: Thanks in part to the Panthers taking out unbeaten Greencastle-Antrim, the Colonial is back up for grabs. EP Nation has to be wondering, “Why not us?”
Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 28, Mechanicsburg 14: Made the mistake of underestimating the Panthers last week. I will not do the same two weeks in a row!
NORTHERN YORK 29, Greencastle-Antrim 18
Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 20, Northern 13: Blue Devils are coming off their first loss, and their response here will be critical. Polar Bears are up-and-down and are 1-3 in their four games decided by 10 or fewer points.
Geoff Morrow: Northern 22, Greencastle-Antrim 21: Nothing makes sense anymore. Up is down. Down is left. Right is wrong. And the Polar Bears are about as predictable as Kyrie Irving. So, truly, this is a guess. And I’m guessing home field is a factor.
Andy Sandrik: Northern 28, Greencastle-Antrim 17: This group of Bears is anything but a “celebration” right now after a gut-punch loss to Waynesboro last week. Northern will be mad, but will that be enough against the Blue Devils? I think it will.
Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 24, Northern 23: I really don’t know what to make of the Polar Bears. One week they knock off Shippensburg, the next they fall to Waynesboro. Talk about Jekyll and Hyde.
GETTYSBURG 17, Shippensburg 14
Andy Shay: Gettysburg 21, Shippensburg 14: Warriors will look to pound the rock and keep this game simple and basic. Greyhounds don’t make a lot of mistakes, so fundamentals and mistakes are in the spotlight.
Geoff Morrow: Gettysburg 20, Shippensburg 13: Warriors have allowed just one touchdown over their last two games, and that defensive prowess is enough to convince me they’re favorites at home against the defending Colonial champs.
Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 24, Gettysburg 21: All I know is that Ship gets to have film night on an inflatable projector screen and I don’t. That needs to change.
Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 28, Shippensburg 21: If Gettysburg is to win the Colonial in its first year back in the Mid-Penn, knocking off Ship is the statement the Warriors need to send. Call it recency bias, but after Ship dropped its matchup against Northern, I think the division smells the king’s blood in the water.
SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP 23, Waynesboro 0
Andy Shay: Waynesboro 28, Susquehanna Twp. 14: It’s been tough sledding for the Franklin County Indians, but an upset over Northern should provide some extra spark. ‘Hanna is vastly improved and will have a say in this outcome.
Geoff Morrow: Waynesboro 17, Susquehanna Twp. 13: Strange stat: Waynesboro has scored exactly 13 points in each of its wins while tallying more than that in two of three losses.
Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 21, Susquehanna Twp. 20: If Waynesboro thinks of this as a “trap game,” it will lose. I’m expecting an intense scrap between the Indians and Indians.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 28, Waynesboro 21: By logic, I should be picking Waynesboro. But I just have a gut feeling Township is leaving this game with the upset in hand.
MID-PENN CAPITAL
Trinity 38, BIG SPRING 21
Andy Shay: Trinity 27, Big Spring 21: A couple of surprise two-win teams, and by that I mean the fact both of these squads are 2-3 at this point was not the expectation. Somebody gets to .500, and this about desire and will to win.
Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 38, Trinity 28: Bulldogs won this battle each of the previous two seasons. And while the Shamrocks got back on the winning track last week, whereas Big Spring got waxed by Steel-High, this still feels like the Bulldogs’ game to lose.
Andy Sandrik: Trinity 24, Big Spring 17: I’ve now walked two laps around the ol’ workout track and still can’t get a good read on this game. I’m taking the Shamrocks, who made a statement against the defending division champs last week.
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 28, Big Spring 24: Fun fact: Both starting quarterbacks have tossed more interceptions than touchdowns. To me, this game is about who can protect the rock and minimize mistakes.
West Perry 54, BOILING SPRINGS 21
Andy Shay: West Perry 42, Boiling Springs 21: Nobody has slowed down the Mustangs, who are averaging 40 points a game this season. And the Bubblers have been prone to surrender some yards and points defensively. That’s a glaring matchup mismatch in my book.
Geoff Morrow: West Perry 30, Boiling Springs 14: Closest game the Mustangs have played thus far ended 24-0. This one COULD be close if the Bubblers snap out of their slump, but at this point, there’s no reason to doubt West Perry’s ability to keep rolling on their Fantastic Voyage. (RIP, Coolio.)
Andy Sandrik: West Perry 44, Boiling Springs 7: I’m a fairly simple football fan: I like yardage and touchdowns. And West Perry provides that, but I find myself looking forward to seeing the defense on the field more than the offense. That’s how good the Mustangs have been this season.
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 48, Boiling Springs 24: I’m predicting the Mustangs drop 48 in this one, but don’t listen to me … just ask Marcus ‘Nostradamus’ Quaker what he thinks.
MID-PENN LIBERTY
UPPER DAUPHIN 56, Halifax 13
Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 40, Halifax 7: In their three wins, the Trojans have scored 120 points. When they get rolling, they go big. And the Wildcats have surrendered a ton of points in 2022.
Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 48, Halifax 14: Trojans score points in bunches. Wildcats surrender points in bunches.
Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 45, Halifax 0: Give the gutsy Wildcats credit for buying the ticket and taking the ride, but this is a one-way trip to blowout city.
Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 55, Halifax 6: A high-powered offense against a leaky defense doesn’t leave many question marks.
JUNIATA 48, James Buchanan 0
Andy Shay: Juniata 35, James Buchanan 7: Couple of 3-2 teams looking to take a big step forward. The Indians are much better equipped to take that next step.
Geoff Morrow: Juniata 36, James Buchanan 0: Each of the Indians’ last three games have been shutouts. Granted, the first of those three was them getting blanked by West Perry, but they’ve followed up with bagels over Newport and Halifax.
Andy Sandrik: Juniata 42, James Buchanan 7: This game is a good example of why picking a game solely by win-loss records is a bad idea.
Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 38, James Buchanan 14: I think this might be a little closer game than my compadres. Still one the Indians should handle comfortably.
LINE MOUNTAIN 24, Newport 23 (OT)
Andy Shay: Line Mountain 26, Newport 21: Taking the Eagles here because they have one victory to their credit while the Buffaloes are still in search of that elusive first win. Toss-up game in my book.
Geoff Morrow: Line Mountain 32, Newport 14: It wasn’t a victory, but the Buffaloes took a nice step last week with 20 points. The Eagles, meanwhile, suffered a disappointing loss to Susquenita. While I think LM is a clear favorite, this could be tricky if the ‘Port gets some early momentum.
Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 24, Newport 21: It’s such an overused cliché, but it’s true: Who wants it more? Both teams have a shot this week.
Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 31, Newport 28: The Buffaloes appeared to take a few steps forward last week. That makes this a competitive tilt.
SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL BLUE DIVISION
Tri-Valley 48, SHENANDOAH VALLEY 0
Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 48, Shenandoah Valley 8: Three of the Bulldogs’ five wins have been very tight squeezes, and that much heat in their kitchen at the halfway point serves them well. This will not be a close one, though.
Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 50, Shenandoah Valley 12: Coming off a one-point nailbiter, the Bulldogs could use a game like this to reset.
Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 44, Shenandoah Valley 10: This game is the “Mike Bullock Lock of the Week” probably.
Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 48, Shenandoah Valley 6: For three quarters against Line Mountain, the ‘Dawgs looked tamable. The rest of the season, they’ve been completely lights out.
Williams Valley 48, NATIVITY BVM 12
Andy Shay: Williams Valley 32, Nativity BVM 20: Two straight losses for the Vikings. Folks are probably a little grumpy in Williamstown because winning lots of games has become expected. Defense has to be a more consistent contributor and will be challenged by the BVM offense.
Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 33, Nativity BVM 15: Good battle from the Vikings last week vs. Loyalsock, but it’s still back-to-back losses for the small-school power. Nativity is no pushover, but WV needs this one.
Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 28, Nativity BVM 16: I’ve never been to Tower City, but I like to think of the Vikings as a small-school Cumberland Valley: always expected to win. And WV will be expected to win again this week, despite two straight losses.
Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 37, Nativity BVM 28: Some internal strife could have been a factor the last two weeks. Can the Vikings get back on track in Week 6?
SCHUYLKILL-COLONIAL RED DIVISION
Palmerton 53, PINE GROVE 28
Andy Shay: Palmerton 49, Pine Grove 7: Over the last 12 quarters, Pine Grove has surrendered 175 points. That kind of number makes staying competitive nearly impossible. Palmerton gives up plenty of points, too. Difference is the 3-2 Blue Bombers can also light up the scoreboard.
Geoff Morrow: Palmerton 60, Pine Grove 14: Cardinals just surrendered 66 to Jim Thorpe a week after Palmerton hung 54 on the Olympians. That’s some football math that doesn’t add up to a promising result for Pine Grove.
Andy Sandrik: Palmerton 47, Pine Grove 6: I’m just not sure this is the game where the nightmare ends for the Cards.
Adam Kulikowski: Palmerton 55, Pine Grove 13: The Cardinals will need to match Palmerton strike for strike to stay in this game. Is that a battle the Cards are equipped to handle?
NON-LEAGUE
CAMP HILL 10, Susquenita 7
Andy Shay: Camp Hill 31, Susquenita 14: The Lions have been sitting on their first loss of the season for two weeks. That’s a long stretch with a sour taste on your tongue. The Blackhawks’ offense has been hot and cold.
Geoff Morrow: Camp Hill 33, Susquenita 20: Honestly, that’s a heckuva win for the Blackhawks last week against a Line Mountain side that had been playing pretty well. However, a repeat result against the Lions is unlikely, especially with Camp Hill having an extra week off to prepare.
Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 28, Susquenita 18: Back to winning ways for the Lions, who have been training literal weeks for this game.
Adam Kulikowski: Camp Hill 35, Susquenita 28: You know coming in, neither team is afraid to get into a battle. I’m siding with the one that seems better equipped to make fewer mistakes. Canceled: Steel-High at Middletown
We got ourselves our first defensive stud winning Athlete of the Week.
The Week 5 winner of the 4th Down honor goes to Newport’s Ethan Grove. The sophomore linebacker had an impressive 10 tackles on defense during a 41-20 loss to Upper Dauphin. Grove’s blocked punt return touchdown (from 10 yards out) briefly made it a 27-20 game in the third quarter.
Grove pulled in 337 votes this week, topping Mifflin County senior Isaac Wilson’s 228. Third was Upper Dauphin senior Branden Fetterholf.
Looking for a trend associated with Jeff Sampson’s Tri-Valley football program?
Well, let’s just say the Bulldogs have had some mighty close calls in the odd-numbered weeks and convincing victories in their other two outings.
Which brings us to Tri-Valley’s Week 6 encounter — the Bulldogs’ Colonial-Schuylkill Blue Division opener at Shenandoah Valley. Yet while the trends may be suggesting one thing, any time any Schuylkill County adversaries clash on some football field it’s going to be competitive.
At the very least, these outfits will gladly engage in some physical football.
Elevated to No. 5 in Pennsylvania’s Class 1A rankings, Sampson’s resourceful Bulldogs (5-0) maintained their unblemished record by fending off pass-happy Executive Education 19-18 beneath the bright lights of the Hegins-Valley View Metroplex.
Noah Porter and Jake Scheib rushed for touchdowns as Tri-Valley erased an early 6-0 deficit — Porter motored in from the 16-yard line, while Scheib barreled over from 10 yards out – but it took Layne Yoder’s 24-yard interception return to snap a 12-all tie and propel the hosts to the Dub.
Yoder finished with a pair of picks as the Bulldogs swiped five passes in total. Jake Tietsworth, Cole Gemberling and Porter also recorded interceptions, while Porter blocked a field-goal attempt and Scheib registered a late sack to preserve the W.
Whew!
Scheib rushed for a team-high 87 yards for Tri-Valley, which totaled 226 yards from scrimmage. Quarterback Kole Miller added 35 yards on the ground, 71 through the air while completing six of his 17 attempts. He was picked off once.
Shenandoah Valley (1-4) cracked the victory column last weekend, hammering Hancock, Maryland, 51-20 as Ben Dempster (12 of 12) piled up 253 yards and six touchdowns passing. Nick Ryan hauled in five passes for 168 yards, with four of those five grabs resulting in touchdowns. Ryan also picked off a Hancock pass.
Aaryn Nickerson also caught five passes for 49 yards and one score.
Alex Kozlosky added two receptions for 36 yards and another TD, but he made a bigger impact on defense while totaling 15 tackles for a Blue Devils club that forced four turnovers.
Williams Valley hoping to shrug off two-game slide
Caught in a two-game skid, count Williams Valley (3-2) among those Colonial-Schuylkill League programs welcoming Blue Division play — even if it means Tim Savage’s Vikings will be boarding a bus destined for Nativity’s home digs in Saint Clair.
Savage’s antsy Vikings hope to regain their high-octane form after dropping back-to-back scraps against Minersville (30-12) and state-ranked Loyalsock (35-29). Williams Valley made things interesting last weekend, rallying from a 27-6 halftime deficit to pull within a single score of the visiting Lancers.
While the Vikes were bumped up defensively and yielded 500 yards to ‘Sock, Savage’s club managed to rally as Alex Achenbach rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Achenbach also caught four passes for 72 yards, including a late score.
Isaac Whiteash completed nine of his 22 pass attempts for 136 yards, an interception and the aforementioned score to Achenbach. Logan Williard added 49 yards on 10 totes, scoring once.
Williard had a productive night defensively, totaling 10 tackles (four for losses) and one sack while Whiteash was in on 15 stops ( 13 solo) before his two-way night was over. Bryant Hoover also had a busy night, recording nine tackles.
Nativity (2-3, 0-1) opened Blue Division play last weekend on the road, dropping a 15-12 decision at Marian Catholic despite five catches from Noah Dolbin for 117 yards and a 63-yard TD.
Dolbin also paced Nativity with nine tackles.
Quarterback Ben Kreitzer was 7-for-13 passing for 130 yards and his lengthy heave to Dolbin. Samuel Spolski led Pat Mason’s Green Wave with 56 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Pine Grove chasing much-needed positive result
In the midst of a four-game losing streak, Dave Shiffer’s Pine Grove Cardinals (1-4, 0-3) hope to start turning things around this weekend when Palmerton (3-2, 1-1) pays a visit. Just keeping things close would be a positive for the Cards.
Mason Kroh totaled 245 offensive yards last weekend – Kroh rushed 12 times for 92 yards and one touchdown, but he also completed 17 of 37 passes for 153 yards – but it was hardly enough as Shiffer’s club was jolted 66-14 by Jim Thorpe. Thorpe led 47-7 at halftime.
Robbie Schaeffer was Kroh’s top target, catching five passes for 49 yards.
Jim Thorpe (2-3, 2-1) rolled up 509 yards of offense against Pine Grove. Nine Olympians carried the ball as the visitors piled up 303 rushing yards and seven touchdowns — from seven different players. QB Brett Balliet threw for 206 yards (9-for-12) and three scores.
Palmerton (3-2, 1-1) will arrive in Pine Grove trying to flush its latest result, a 55-18 loss to Notre Dame-Green Pond, despite 248 yards from dual-threat quarterback Matt Machalik. He passed for 184 yards (16-for-24) and picked up 64 more on the ground.
Machalik accounted for all three Bombers scores, one rushing and two passing.
Although the Upper Dauphin ground game needed a few weeks to locate what works and who’s in fine form, the Trojans hope to unleash its potent running attack yet again.
Here’s a guess that surpassing 340 collective rushing yards in back-to-back outings – and bounce off victorious in both contests – just isn’t enough for Kent Smeltz’s program. So, will they make it three in a row this weekend when neighboring Halifax (1-4, 0-2) makes the short jaunt up Rte. 225 for a Mid-Penn Liberty Division encounter?
What adds to UD’s productive ground assault – admittedly, it is difficult to prepare for the Trojans’ Pistol Wing-T scheme in a single week – is Smeltz’s club (3-2, 2-0) has had multiple 100-yard rushers fueling those numbers and three players reach that mark overall.
Last weekend, in a 41-20 conquest of host Newport, senior Branden Fetterhoff uncorked a career-best effort by rushing for 135 yards and scoring three times on just 14 attempts.
Trailing 7-6 midway through the second quarter, Fetterhoff wheeled 48 yards for his first score as UD grabbed its second lead of the night. The speedy senior added touchdown runs of 4 and 15 yards after the halftime break as the Trojans created separation and won going away.
Brady Morgan also carried the ball 14 times, collecting 115 yards and a 4-yard score just before halftime as the Trojans took a 20-12 lead that put them in front to stay. Morgan also caught four passes for 29 yards as QB Aidan Bingaman threw for 174 yards.
Bingaman’s numbers – he completed 13 of his 17 pass attempts; Bingaman’s lone interception was returned for a score – helped the Trojans pile up 500-plus offensive yards.
Another cog in UD’s rushing game has been Konner Walker, who gained 100-plus yards in a Week 4 triumph over Susquenita. Walker rushed four times for 33 yards, but caught four passes for 62 yards as Bingaman spread the ball to four targets.
Walker did flash his speed in the third quarter, answering Newport’s blocked punt return for a score by taking the ensuing kickoff 85 yards to the house. Eli Farence also put together some fine offensive numbers, hauling in four Bingaman aerials for 72 yards.
Tegan Engle paced the Upper Dauphin defense with eight tackles – he recorded one of the Trojans’ seven tackles for loss – and fell on one Newport fumble. Smeltz’s bunch authored five takeaways, recovering three fumbles and picking off a pair of passes.
As UD was vanquishing Newport, Earl Mosley’s Halifax club was getting blanked 55-0 by reigning Mid-Penn Liberty champion Juniata at home. The Wildcats trailed 41-0 at halftime.
Mosley’s remarkably youthful group managed just 48 offensive yards against Juniata’s stingy defensive unit – 27 on the ground and 21 through the air. Plus, freshman quarterback Teegan Carroll was sacked six times, twice by lineman Jonathan Kauffman.
The Wildcats also were bumped up defensively, as Juniata totaled 400-plus offensive yards despite 16 stops from junior linebacker Isaac Miller. Miller also recovered one fumble, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Halifax from tumbling to defeat for the second straight week.
Juniata seeking third Liberty Division shutout in succession
Back at home this weekend following its successful trek to Halifax, Juniata (3-2, 2-0) will be chasing its third consecutive Mid-Penn Liberty whitewash when James Buchanan pays a visit to Klingensmith Stadium to square off against the reigning Liberty champs.
Since league play kicked off two weeks ago, Juniata has blanked Newport (36-0) and Halifax (55-0) in succession while climbing into a share of the Liberty lead with Upper Dauphin.
While Kurt Condo’s Indians rolled up 258 rushing yards against the Wildcats – 12 players carried the football before the game came to a close – Waylon Ehrenzeller needed just seven attempts to rack up 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Seth Laub also scored twice for Juniata, posting 27 yards on just three attempts as the Indians broke out to a 41-0 advantage.
The Indians also threw for 154 yards as Aaron Kanagy (8-17-0-91), freshman Jasper Shepps (1-1-0-53) and Wyatt Ehrenzeller (1-1-0-10) took turns sharing the passing load. Shepps tossed the lone touchdown pass, hooking up with Grant Reinhold for a 53-yard score.
Condo utilized lots of players defensively before the night was over, but the Indians were able to sack freshman quarterback Teegan Carroll six times for (minus-35 yards). High-motor senior lineman Jonathan Kauffman put Carroll on the ground twice.
James Buchanan (3-2, 0-1) returns to Mid-Penn Liberty action after suffering a 51-8 loss to undefeated West Perry in a non-league contest. While the high-octane Mustangs opened a 51-0 lead by halftime, they finished with nearly 360 offensive yards.
Quarterback John Stoner found some room to operate, collecting 55 rushing yards on 14 attempts and 15 through the air (2-9-0). Stoner squeezed over from a yard out to spoil the West Perry shutout with just 19 seconds showing on the clock.
Newport skipper Todd Rothermel returns home yet again
Although his Newport Buffaloes (0-5, 0-2) have been pestered by season-long struggles, head coach Todd Rothermel would enjoy nothing more than to skipper his ballclub to a win over Line Mountain – his alma mater – and send the Ressler Field faithful home cranky.
Rothermel’s Buffs showed some flashes last weekend, scoring in all three phases of the game before falling at home to Upper Dauphin by a 41-20 count. Newport took a 7-6 lead with 4:19 gone in the second quarter when Mason Messick threw a 33-yard TD pass to Darian Cohick.
Although UD cashed in on a long TD run to retake the lead, the Buffs responded by going back in front (14-12) with 1:24 to go in the half on Travis Lilly’s 53-yard interception return.
The visiting Trojans scored just before the halftime break and early in the third quarter to make it 26-14, but Ethan Grove’s 10-yard return of a blocked punt had the Buffs down six with 6:32 to go. Unfortunately for the ‘Port, UD scored twice to pull away to the victory.
Messick wound up completing six of his 14 pass attempts for 88 yards and his throw to Cohick – he was picked off twice – while Aiden Dishman led the Buffs with 48 rushing yards on 10 tries.
Line Mountain (1-4, 0-1) fell behind by two scores early and had to play uphill throughout its Mid-Penn Liberty opener yet wound up losing 35-21 at Susquenita.
Tharon Wagner and Ian Bates rushed for touchdowns – Wagner’s first-half scoring run covered 61 yards, while Bates cashed in from 17 yards out after the break – while Kaiden Maurer lofted a 64-yard touchdown pass to Connor Finlan that pulled the Eagles within 35-21.
Freshman Max Johnson finished with six tackles from his defensive end spot, with four stops coming behind the line of scrimmage. Johnson also recorded his club’s lone QB sack.
We’d be remiss for not mentioning how tight last year’s encounter was, as Line Mountain prevailed 13-10 at Newport. The Eagles, however, didn’t firm up the result until inside backer Chandon Maurer knocked down a fourth-down pass to douse Newport’s flickering hopes.
Susquenita stepping out of league play
Still abuzz following its 35-21 conquest of visiting Line Mountain, Susquenita (2-3) will collide with former Blue Mountain League playmate Camp Hill (4-1) on the road. Since both sides like to toss the ball around the yard, this one may take a while to complete.
Augie Glass’ Blackhawks opened a 13-0 lead last weekend, constructing that cushion with 4:56 gone on a pair of touchdown runs by Derek Gibney (29, 1). Although Line Mountain answered, ‘Nita responded with a 32-yard by Hunter Thomas and Wyatt Jumper’s 4-yard TD run.
Gibney flashed his strong right arm throughout – he had a 49-yard pass to Blaise Swancer erased by a holding penalty just before halftime – throwing TDs to Athan Robinson (24 yards) and Payton Garcia (19 yards) as Susquenita kept the Eagles at arm’s length.
Gibney completed 14 of his 24 pass attempts for 229 yards and those second-half scores – he was picked off twice – with twin brother, Drew, latching on to four aerials for 99 yards.
The Blackhawks also benefited by falling on three Line Mountain fumbles.
Camp Hill tacked up its latest victory without playing, as Tim Bigelow’s Lions were awarded a forfeit win over Middletown since the latter’s season was scrapped for a hazing incident.
Two weeks ago, Camp Hill lost a 16-6 contest at Big Spring despite 228 passing yards and one TD from Drew Branstetter (25 of 36). Alex Long caught eight passes for 59 yards and the Lions’ lone score, while Tommy Corbin and Kobe Moore shared 10 receptions for 90 yards.
Senior Luke Parise enjoyed a monster outing defensively, recording 19 stops with four tackles behind the line of scrimmage. All four TFLs were credited as quarterback sacks.
