Each week during the 2021 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.
Cougars gaining momentum:
Make it three wins in the last four contests for the suddenly streaking Palmyra, which used a 28-point third-quarter explosion and four turnovers to thump Milton Hershey. The Cougars welcome Red Land to Buck Swank with a real opportunity to make it four out of five. Raise your hand if you saw this coming for Chris Pope’s crew?
Crusaders rolloing on offense:
This is all you need to know about why Bishop McDevitt has been steamrolling teams since it lost that opener to La Salle College: the Crusaders, in four games, are averaging 10.6 yards per play on offense. Hard to imagine that number dropping much against Lower Dauphin this week, either.
Each week during the 2021 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.
CD find its offensive groove after layoff:
Maybe I missed something, but in the two weeks Central Dauphin was idle battling COVID-19 issues the Rams found something offensively that was missing the first couple of games. That is a very good sign for this club. No signs of rust, either. For the first game in 21 days, to drop 50 on Chambersburg and roll up more than 500 yards is impressive. Max Mosey threw for 224 with a couple touchdowns, and the running game averaged 7.9 yards per carry. Perfect timing with a road trip to State College on deck this week.
Shining a spotlight on Issac Sines:
My spotlight player this week is Cumberland Valley quarterback Isaac Sines. He’s a gritty quarterback with a stronger left arm than you think, and he is very adept at making something out of nothing at times. The Eagles are a more balanced offense running Josh Oswalt’s system, but CV is playing CD East and I’m sorry to say running the ball will be a limited options proposition. The Panthers’ defense is stellar against the run. Sines has some elements as a QB that gives CV more of a fighting chance. It’s still an uphill climb for the Eagles in this matchup.
On the road again…..
The Harrisburg “Road Warriors” Cougars are back on the bus this week for the fourth time in six weeks. And these aren’t short bus trips, either. This week it’s Altoona. Harrisburg has already played games in suburban Pittsburgh, Hazleton and Governor Mifflin in 2021. They know the drill, though, by now.
We’re taking a look around our coverage area to see who helped themselves this week and who did not as we move into Week No. 6 of the high school football season.
STOCK UP
Shippensburg Greyhounds
At first glance this might seem like shooting fish in a barrell. How are the 5-0 Greyhounds on the rise? After watching high school football teams shape themselves for 30 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that really good teams go through a building process and when you can clearly see it and identify it, well that’s when you have something special cooking.
Was it only a little over a month ago that Shippensburg beat a struggling Hershey team 7-0 on a touchdown in the dying minutes? That is the same Shippensburg team that just erased Waynesboro by three touchdowns. Looking at the schedule ahead, considering the state of the Crazy Colonial Division, you can see potential landmines dotted throughout the second half of the season – Mechanicsburg on deck, upstart West Perry, surging Northern.
All coming up for the Greyhounds. After what this club showed in Week 5, I would be shocked if Shippensburg finishes anything other than 10-0. They are building week-by-week, which is something easy to say but not easy to accomplish.
CD East Is A Commonwealth Contender
I’m sorry, but years of institutional knowledge is hard to shake. Am I the only one who keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop with the CD East Panthers? I’ve been waiting for a couple weeks and I’m done. I’m ready to throw the Panthers’ hat in the ring as Commonwealth contenders.
The bones of this club under first-year head coach Lance Deane are built on defense, running the rock and being physical. And they are executing that plan. Those are some solid bones that are hard to break. I’m not saying this squad is the clear-cut favorite or anything. I just believe their voices will be heard. I mean you don’t just take State College out behind the woodshed without a very good reason. That doesn’t happen by accident. The defense is getting better.
CD East’s offense has seen plenty of adversity already at the quarterback position and it was barely noticeable. The last five games might be a wee bit tougher than the first five, but this 4-1 squad is confident and comfortable with who they are and how they accomplish getting there.
Bishop McDevitt QB Stone Saunders
Normally there’s plenty of buzz and fanfare around a young and promising quarterback at Bishop McDevitt. Through no fault of their own, the Crusaders’ regular-season schedule is nothing short of brutal in terms of competition inside the Keystone Division. That’s a fact, not an opinion. McD is five or six touchdowns better than every other team except Cedar Cliff.
That has allowed freshman Stone Saunders to quietly and efficiently establish himself as the QB1 for McDevitt. The 6-1, 185-pound Saunders has some talent at wideout to work with for sure. But how he goes about his part of the equation is just as important. He’s completing 64 percent of his passes, averaging 190 yards a game, has 13 touchdowns passes with the all-important zero interceptions. And he’s not playing much into the second half these days, either.
For a special talent like Saunders, having the cover of a schedule like this might at first glance seem problematic. I see it the other way and will serve his development well for when the real bullets start flying.
STOCK DOWN
Cumberland Valley in Black Pants?
I almost fell out of my chair in the corner of the press box at The Chap when after I heard the familiar “here come the Eagles”, I saw Cumberland Valley hit the field in black pants. In case you didn’t know, there was a tradition established by the late legendary head coach Tim Rimpfel that the Eagles only break out the black pants for certain postseason games. The really big ones. Michael Whitehead Jr. followed the same tradition when he took over as the head coach. Now I know current head coach Josh Oswalt is a CV alum and knows the drill with the black pants but is also carving out his own niche in New Kingstown.
Maybe the black pants were a one-night thing for the Altoona game as the community honored the passing of Rimpfel last week before the game. That’s my hope. Coach Oswalt wasn’t able to be on the sideline for this game, so I was not able to ask him about the black pants for a regular season Week 5 game. Maybe he made them part of the new look Eagles under his leadership. They are, after all, a very good look. And I have no problem with change. It’s a good thing. But this one was such a steep tradition, I guess I needed a warning or something before having one of those traditions I adored jarred right in front of me. Either way, CV and black pants will always be a playoff thing in my mind.
Middletown struggles are real
With a regime change in Middletown, change from a championship mentality to a new-kid-on-the-block mentality was never going to go well. Particularly with the talent pool a little light compared to say the previous decade. The cupboard was a bit empty, and this was always going to be an uphill climb for the new regime. But losing to Juniata 8-7, full props to the Indians for making this a defensive slugfest without their best player, is a clear either launching point or breaking point for this squad. Middletown is now 2-2 overall and next up is the big-play machine and undefeated Steel-High Rollers.
Like I said, 2021 was always going to be an uphill climb. The mountain now is a lot higher.
Each week, we’re scouring the Mid-Penn, Lancaster-Lebanon, York, and Berks conferences to determine the top 11 teams in the area regardless of classification. Take a look at which teams made the cut after Week 5. Disagree, let us know on Twitter (@4thdownmag) and Facebook.
11.
Wyomissing
5-0
11
Has posted two straight 40-point victories and wins by an average of four scores. Cruising along. Next up is Southern Columbia. The cruising will halt, I believe.
10.
Steel-High
4-0
9
Lost the game to Upper Dauphin this week to COVID-19 and couldn’t find a contest to fill the void.
9.
Cedar Cliff
4-1
10
Colts RB Jontae Morris has more than 400 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in his last two outings.
8.
Exeter Township
3-2
8
Rebounded nicely from a loss to No. 7 Hempfield by blanking West York. Still has a brutal schedule ahead, but this team has earned its stripes.
7.
Hempfield
3-2
7
Solid win by a touchdown over a 2-3 Warwick side that is much better than its record. Couple of breather games ahead on the heels of four straight legitimate tests.
6.
Manheim Central
5-0
5
Barons survived a turnover laced battle with Wilson that featured seven giveaways including six interceptions - three for each team. Another test on deck with Warick paying a visit.
5.
CD East
4-1
6
Panthers made a statement by beating State College in every phase of the game to close out the Little Lions. CD East is getting better, too.
4.
Bishop McDevitt
3-1
4
Not getting much competition, but that is part of the equation the Crusaders can’t control. Has outscored last three opponents 193-14 including 63-0 against Mifflin County.
3.
Harrisburg
4-1
3
Coming off the first loss of the season, Cougars responded well with a win over a Carlisle team that provided a good test.
2.
Central York
4-0
2
Came off a bye week thanks to COVID-19 and responded by going out and scoring a season-high 68 points against Dover.
1.
Governor Mifflin
5-0
1
Mustangs have scored 42 or more points in each of its five contests to date including second straight with 49. Offense is a machine that makes every opponent eventually chase them. And it’s an uphill climb.
Vote now for your Big School and Small School Players of the Week. Voting will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. and you can vote once per hour.
Isaac Sines, jr., QB/K, Cumberland Valley — Sines is starting to find his rhythm, having thrown five touchdowns against a single interception in three straight Eagles wins. The latest was their most emotional, following former coach Tim Rimpfel’s death. The junior guided CV to a 27-14 win over Altoona, tossing a 34-yard TD and a 7-yarder, drilled two 35-yard field goals and finished a season-best 12 of 18 for 155 yards.
Stone Saunders, fr., QB, Bishop McDevitt — A lot of big numbers came out of the Crusaders’ 63-0 rout of Mifflin County, but Saunders was perfectly efficient with a 9-for-9, 126-yard performance under center. He threw four touchdowns that traveled 15, 13, 12 and 22 yards in the first half.
Roman Jensen, so., QB, Red Land — The Patriots finally snapped a touch skid of close losses with a 21-0 blanking of Hershey for their first win of the season. Jensen led the way, completing two-thirds of his passes (14 of 21) for 166 yards, a pick and three touchdowns that went for 5, 18 and 69 yards. He connected on two of those, the first and third ones, with Sam Sklar. The pair teamed up for four passes and 122 stripes.
Joey Menke, sr., RB/LB, Boiling Springs — The Bubbler train keeps on chugging after a 52-8 dismantling of Susquenita, their second 50-point outburst in three weeks. Menke popped in two TD runs of 23 and 13 yards and ran nine times for 99 yards. (Aiden Metzger was good for 10 carries, 106 yards and three TDs). Menke also added a sack, tackle for loss and five tackles to help stifle the Blackhawks, who managed just 110 offensive yards and turned the ball over five times.
Ethan Eisenberg, jr., QB, Big Spring — Three straight 60-point performances! An incredible feat for the Bulldogs. Eisenberg again helmed an offense that shredded James Buchanan for 507 yards in a 64-6 win, completing all six of his passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers in the first half. Those scores went for 52, 5 and 25 yards.
Kyle Williams, jr., RB, Harrisburg — The Cougars survived a confident Carlisle side in a 34-14 Saturday matinee. Williams found multiple ways to beat the Thundering Herd, dashing for 163 yards and a score (42 yards) on 10 carries while hauling in eight passes for 82 yards and another TD (10 yards).
Juice Selby, sr., WR, Central Dauphin — The Rams returned from a two-week COVID-19 hiatus and wasted no time getting back to business with a 50-21 win over Chambersburg. Selby caught a pair of touchdown passes from QB Max Mosey (11 of 18 for 224 yards), which traveled 27 and 26 yards, in the second quarter to build an insurmountable lead. The senior receiver finished with eight receptions and 188 yards, the best receiving numbers in the Mid-Penn this week.
Marcel McDaniels, sr., RB, CD East — McDaniels led all runners in the conference this week with 202 yards, the only one over the 200-yard mark, and two scores in the Panthers’ 34-13 win over State College. Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter to ice the game and were identical 47-yard bursts. He finished with 25 carries and caught two passes for 62 stripes.
Jontae Morris, sr., RB, Cedar Cliff — Two big games in a row for the bellcow back. Following a 230-yard, three-TD performance a week ago, Morris set a career high in rushing TDs with four (including a 22-yarder and 10-yarder) on 18 carries, covering 180 yards in Friday’s 48-20 win over Lower Dauphin.
Small School: 3A-1A:
Landon Kuntzelman, jr., QB, Trinity — The Shamrocks offense continues to hum. Kuntzelman helmed a 42-7 blitz at Newport on Friday, accounting for five total touchdowns. He threw three in the first half — a 30-yarder and 67-yarder to Tyler Rossi, and a 25-yarder to Trey Weiland — and ran in a pair of 3-yarders. Kuntzelman finished 9-of-21 passing with a pick and 212 yards, and he ran three times for 22 stripes.
Tyler Rossi, sr., RB, Trinity — Speaking of Rossi, the back had himself a day offensive, eclipsing 100 yards rushing and receiving. In the Shamrocks’ 42-7 win over Newport, Rossi caught two touchdowns of 30 and 67 yards, ran 19 times for 117 yards and caught three passes for 116 stripes.
Ian Goodling, so., WR/DB, West Perry — It was a great night for the Mustangs’ defense, which bottled up a talented Mechanicsburg offense in a 30-19 upset victory. Goodling snagged an interception and posted a career-high 12 tackles, doubling his season total in one game, according to West Perry Football Stats on Twitter. He also finished with 35 yards on three receptions and caught a two-point conversion.
Brady Evans, jr., WR, Williams Valley — The Vikings opted to go up top for both of their scores in a 13-6 victory at Bloomsburg. Evans, the athletic 6-foot-3 junior, was the beneficiary as he caught eight passes for 149 yards and both of the Vikings’ touchdowns. He scored on a 21-yard toss from QB Isaac Whiteash before the break that tied the score (6-6), he added his second TD early in the third on a halfback pass from Alex Achenbach that resulted in a 70-yard catch-and-run to eventually win the game.
Christian Doi, sr., WR/LB, Camp Hill — The Lions snapped a two-game skid and improved to 3-2 with Friday’s 19-17 win over Line Mountain. Doi did a little of everything, snagging an interception and wrapping up 10 tackles. He also hauled in eight passes for 87 yards on offense.
Beau Keim, sr., LB/RB, Line Mountain — Keim certainly displayed his many talents in Line Mountain’s 19-17 loss to Camp Hill. Rushing seven times for 27 yards, Keim’s 11-yard dash late in the opening half had the Eagles (0-4) up 14-13 at the break. He also managed to get to Camp Hill quarterback Peyton Shore twice for losses of 20 yards and picked off a Shore throw late in the third quarter, returning it nearly 50 yards to set up Brayden Boyer’s 40-yard field goal.
Isaac Miller, so., RB/LB, Halifax — Miller uncorked a terrific two-way effort as Halifax (1-4) shrugged off its early season start and blanked Renaissance Academy 20-0. Miller rushed 19 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns for Earl Mosley’s Wildcats, who were locked in a scoreless tie at the halftime break. Miller also registered 11 tackles on defense as Halifax pitched a shutout.
Ashton Carter, jr., DE/RB, Halifax — As good as Miller was at locating the football, Carter might have been better as he piled up 14 tackles and three sacks in Halifax’s 20-0 whitewash of visiting Renaissance Academy. Carter also contributed at the offensive end, rushing two times for 4 yards as the Wildcats broke into the win column.
Welcome to Week 5 of another episode of “As the World Turns” inside the Mid-Penn Conference’s wild wild west — the crazy Colonial Division.
This week’s offering includes one team asserting itself as the clear front runner, two upsets, a tighter grouping of standings and the promise of plenty more to come in the second half of the season.
Shippensburg has emerged as the clear front-runner in the Colonial on the heels of a convincing three-score win over Waynesboro. Running back Amari Kerr scored three times, and Blake Orndorff had a pair of interceptions for the Greyhounds. It’s clear Ship is the class of the division and everyone else is playing for second place.
Huge upset victory for West Perry against Mechanicsburg by outscoring the Wildcats. That says a lot about how far the Mustangs offense has come this season. Scoring 30 and winning by double digits is a sound triumph. Three touchdowns from RB Trent Herrera played a big role.
Northern took East Pennsboro out behind the Bostic Field woodshed and unleashed a physical pounding on the Panthers to the tune of a four-score victory where the defense pitched a shutout. East Pennsboro finished with only 134 total yards and an abysmal 82 on the ground.
After five weeks, seven of the eight Colonial teams boast a winning record, and the division race features two unbeatens in Shippensburg (2-0) and Northern (1-0) followed by four squads at 1-1.
Watch Cumberland Valley’s tribute to Tim Rimpfel plus interviews with former CV fullback and NFL player Jon Ritchie, former assistant coach Ron Audo and athletic director Michael Craig.
If you didn’t know it before today, CD East is a serious contender for the Commonwealth Division crown. The Panthers jumped out to an early 21-0 lead and never let off the gas to drill State College by three scores. CD East’s defense put a blanket over the Little Lions to dictate how this one was going to play out. Panthers RB Marcel McDaniels had a stellar 202 yards on 25 totes with a pair of touchdowns. He is becoming a beast in this offense.
No rust offensively for Central Dauphin after a two-week COVID-19 hiatus. The Rams piled up nearly 500 yards of total offense to subdue Chambersburg by throwing up a 50-burger on the board. Wideout Juice Selby had a monster outing with 188 yards on eight grabs with a pair of touchdowns.
Red Land had been in several games with chances to post a win but hadn’t been able to close … until Friday night when the Patriots blanked Hershey 21-0. Congrats to the Patriots. WR Sam Sklar had four catches for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Bishop McDevitt continues to boat race Keystone squads, this time putting up 63 on Mifflin County and pitching a shutout. QB Stone Saunders threw only nine passes, completing all of them with four touchdowns. RB Cyncir Bowers returned a kickoff for a score and had 117 rushing yards and a score on only three carries. That’s 138 points in the last eight quarters.
Big Spring is another scoring machine lately, rolling up 60-plus again to overpower James Buchanan. Quarterback Ethan Eisenberg had another perfect outing, completing all eight of his passes for 186 yards with three touchdowns.
Trinity improved to 3-1 overall, using five total touchdowns from quarterback Landon Kuntzelman to overpower Newport. Kuntzelman threw for 212 with three touchdowns and added another couple scores on the ground. Tyler Rossi added 100 yards rushing and receiving to finish with 233 all-purpose yards with a couple touchdowns. Big night for the T-Rocks.
In a titanic power shift for the Capital Division, Middletown will very likely not be a player this year for the first time in a long time after Juniata pitched a defensive gem to edge the Blue Raiders 8-7. The Indians are missing arguably their best player and still showed the guts to subdue Middletown.
The Blue Raiders are the only team in the Capital with a .500 record. The other six squads all have three or more victories after five weeks.
Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 35, Lower Dauphin 14: Falcons come in flying high with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2017. Colts are showing more balance on offense than ever, and that is a real problem.
Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 27, Lower Dauphin 16: While the Falcons have allowed just 15 points total over the last two weeks (both victories), the Colts bring a different level of offense than those other clubs. In fact, the Cliff lit up LD for 95 points in two previous meetings. That kind of slugging won’t happen this year, but Falcons will need a special effort to pull the W.
Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 28, Lower Dauphin 14: Falcons fans have to be happy with LD, which is off to a 2-1 start. It’s going to take their biggest effort yet, however, to go 3-1 with the Colts invading the Concrete Palace.
Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 35, Lower Dauphin 7: Great to see that 2-1 record in the ledger for the Falcons after some lean times in Hummelstown. Colts are the more battle-tested at this point.
Friday
Cumberland Valley 27, Altoona 14
Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 17, Altoona 7: I respect the Mountain Lions’ run game, and they will want to run the rock again just like the first four games when four out of five plays were a run. Eagles’ run defense has been solid all season. It’s strength vs. strength, and that nod goes to CV.
Geoff Morrow: Cumberland Valley 25, Altoona 14: I was likely to pick CV anyway, but no way in heck I’m picking against the Eagles now. Tim Rimpfel is a legend and was so revered by the Eagles’ community that the attendees will make it feel like a 12th man is out there with the boys in red and white. R.I.P., sir.
Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 21, Altoona 7: How much wind was taken out of Altoona’s sails when the undefeated Mountain Lions were stuffed against CD East? This is a bad spot for ‘Toona coming against a CV team that not only has a superb defense, but an offense that is just starting to catch up.
Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 26, Altoona 24: This is sure to be an emotional game for an Eagles community grieving the loss of legendary coach Tim Rimpfel. Key for me is CV jumping out to an early lead to force the Mountain Lions to deviate from their run-based attack.
Big Spring 64, James Buchanan 6
Andy Shay: Big Spring 49, James Buchanan 14: You might say the Bulldogs are feeling their offensive oats a little these days with 60 being the magic number. Could be another 60-point outing, but I say they get what they need and get out.
Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 57, James Buchanan 6: Believe it or not, this was just a two-touchdown game last year. But the Bulldogs are cooking with rocket fuel these days.
Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 64, James Buchanan 19: Make it three straight 60-point outings for the Bulldogs.
Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 55, James Buchanan 7: The way this team is performing, that Oct. 8 matchup against Boiling Springs could be mighty intriguing. This one, however, is not. ‘Dawgs cruise against a Rockets team still searching for a fuse.
Boiling Springs 52, Susquenita 8
Andy Shay: Boiling Springs 49, Susquenita 21: Time to get some work in on the defensive side of the ball for the Bubblers. That crew was cuffed around last week. Offense fires every week. Angry Boiling Springs a bit, maybe?
Geoff Morrow: Boiling Springs 52, Susquenita 23: Match an offense that’s been churning out chunks of yards and points all year with a defense that just surrendered 60 (and last year gave up 50+ to these Bubblers), and it’s not likely to be pretty. ‘Nita needs to right its ship. And fast.
Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 34, Susquenita 21: There’s no such thing as a good loss, but the Bubblers are certainly a better football team after their slugfest with Mechanicsburg last week. This has potential to be a statement game for Boiling Springs, but I have a feeling the ‘Hawks keep it close until halftime, if not longer.
Adam Kulikowski: Boiling Springs 45, Susquenita 21: Boiling Springs and Mechanicsburg threw haymakers at each other for four quarters last week. Bubblers more than proved their mettle despite the setback. Expect Brad Zell’s crew to get back on track against the ‘Hawks.
Camp Hill 19, Line Mountain 17
Andy Shay: Camp Hill 35, Line Mountain 14: Lions have been a tough squad to nail down, which means they have been inconsistent and are not taking care of the ball very well. Eagles struggle to score enough points to keep up.
Geoff Morrow: Camp Hill 23, Line Mountain 6: I trust the Lions about as much as I want to wrestle a real lion, but unless the Eagles went out and bought an offense during their COVID break, I won’t be picking them to beat any decent team.
Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 42, Line Mountain 26: I think the Eagles roll up their most points yet this season, but Camp Hill ultimately comes away with win No. 3.
Adam Kulikowski: Camp Hill 38, Line Mountain 14: The Eagles have just 381 yards of offense … in three games this year. That paltry yield just won’t be enough to beat a Lions team that can move the ball.
Central Dauphin 50, Chambersburg 21
Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 24, Chambersburg 14: Three weeks without trading paint is a long time when the other squad has been putting pieces in place each and every week. Rams return at the right time, but this won’t be easy.
Geoff Morrow: Central Dauphin 30, Chambersburg 10: I’m not all that moved by CD’s absence for most of September; this is a program that is always prepared. What DOES move me, though, is the history between these schools, and it has been written in dark, heavy ink by the Rams. Until Chambersburg can start beating teams like CD, it will remain a pest but not a Commonwealth contender.
Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 21, Chambersburg 18: The Rams will be playing a live opponent for the first time in 21 days. If the Trojans come out and start landing blows early, they’ve got a chance.
Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 28, Chambersburg 14: Welcome back, Rams! The Gang Green should be hungry after spending a third of the season idle. The rust factor could make this a lower-scoring affair, but either way, I expect CD to roll.
Northern York 28, East Pennsboro 2
Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 35, Northern York 14: That battle in the trenches is going to be important, and something tells me the Panthers have a slight advantage there. Plus that ability to run the ball inside or outside and do damage is tough to defend. East Pennsboro pulls away late.
Geoff Morrow: Northern York 28, East Pennsboro 27: I recognize that this Sy Burgos kid is a beast for East Penn, and Northern was knocked down by COVID last Friday a week after getting slugged by Spring Grove. But Spring Grove is quite good, and I suspect the Polar Bears have regrouped in their spaceship and will find a way at home.
Andy Sandrik:East Pennsboro 24, Northern York 21:Northern’s best bet to win this game is ball control. The more the Polar Bears can keep Sy Burgos — averaging more than a first down per carry — off the field, the better chance they’ll have.
Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 35, Northern York 28: That Panthers’ line looked really nice opening alleys for Sy Burgos to gallop through last week against Greencastle-Antrim. If they can do that again against the Polar Bears, a win should be in the cards.
Red Land 21, Hershey 0
Andy Shay: Red Land 28, Hershey 20: The Patriots have gone the distance against better teams and have been much closer to at least a couple victories. This time they get across the finish line.
Geoff Morrow: Red Land 22, Hershey 19: Except for Hershey’s fall-in-a-hole disappearance against Carlisle, these teams’ combined eight losses have actually been somewhat (or very) closely contested battles. So this is NOT your typical 0-4 vs. 0-4 dud. I expect two worthy sides, strategizing and helmet-knocking, and the one with the fewest mistakes triumphing in the end.
Andy Sandrik: Red Land 21, Hershey 17: Coin-flip game for a pair of close-but-no-cigar teams looking to nail down that first win. Something tells me the Patriots find a way at home.
Adam Kulikowski: Red Land 24, Hershey 14: I had an early ticket on the Red Land bandwagon. I think this is the week the train actually leaves the station.
Juniata 8, Middletown 7
Andy Shay: Middletown 33, Juniata 13:All I know is the Indians’ defense will show up and make it difficult on the Blue Raiders. Not sure what Juniata can do on offense, though. Seems like Middletown is starting to fit some of the puzzle pieces into place.
Geoff Morrow: Middletown 16, Juniata 14:Let’s start by assuming the Blue Raiders can find their way to Juniata. From there, I expect the Indians are comfortable at home and quite mad about many things. Though I think Middletown has the talent to prevail, I fully expect a nasty, tough skirmish.
Andy Sandrik: Middletown 32, Juniata 10: Make it three straight wins for the Blue Raiders, who might be able to distance themselves from the Indians and look ahead to Steel-High by the third quarter.
Adam Kulikowski: Middletown 35, Juniata 17:Juniata held Steel-High to its lowest point total all season — 53 points — last week. I expect the Indians’ defense to keep them in the game, but the Blue Raiders appear to be hitting their stride entering Week 5.
Bishop McDevitt 63, Mifflin County 0
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 61, Mifflin County 3: Even if they played five times, every outcome would look like this. No fun making this pick, but reality is reality. Massive mismatch.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 63, Mifflin County 0: Did you know that the actual Bishop McDevitt — his name was Phillip Richard McDevitt, and he lived from 1858 to 1935 — was an 1877 graduate of Philly’s La Salle College High School, which is currently ranked No. 3 in the Class 6A state rankings? Both McDevitt high schools in PA are named after this dude, so I assume he had a wicked stiff-arm.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 55, Mifflin County 0: Pretty big mismatch here. McDevitt should have no problems this week.
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt, 63, Mifflin County 6: Not a question here who leaves Rocco Ortenzio Stadium Friday evening with the ‘dub.
Schuylkill Haven 14, Pine Grove 7
Andy Shay: Pine Grove 14, Schuylkill Haven 7: Points have been tricky for each offense this season. Don’t expect that to change in this one. Team that wins the turnover battle in a game like this is going to be celebrating.
Geoff Morrow: Pine Grove 26, Schuylkill Haven 13:My guess is the Cardinals have put that 0-3 start definitively behind them. Also, these schools are just 13 miles apart and don’t really have any history on the gridiron. So maybe the Hurricanes, off the previous two weeks, will surprise all of us.
Andy Sandrik: Pine Grove 21, Schuylkill Haven 14: I’m loving the hustle from 5-10, 145-pound sophomore Garrett Lehman, who leads Pine Grove in rushing and all-purpose yards. He could have his biggest game yet this weekend.
Adam Kulikowski: Pine Grove 17, Schuylkill Haven 14: Both clubs have struggled to score the rock in ‘21 with each team busting past the 14-point mark just once so far. Make that two for Pine Grove after Friday.
Halifax 20, Renaissance Academy 0
Andy Shay: Halifax 30, Renaissance Academy 29: I give Wildcats QB Carter Enders the keys to this one and say throw it all game.
Geoff Morrow: Halifax 35, Renaissance Academy 28: As far as I can tell, the Knights have a decent chance to win the first game in program history, though it appears the varsity football program just started this year after COVID ruined 2020 for them. But I’m giving the hometown edge to the Wildcats, who possess a good bit of heart despite being outmanned in many (all?) of their league games.
Andy Sandrik: Renaissance Academy 27, Halifax 21:Raise your hand if this is your first time hearing about Renaissance Academy. Why not the Knights?
Adam Kulikowski: Halifax 35, Renaissance Academy 31: I could fit all I know about Renaissance Academy on a single crib note. That makes this a bit of a homer pick, but pencil me in for the Wildcats, who I think will be able to put up points behind the arm of Carter Enders.
CD East 34, State College 13
Andy Shay: CD East 21, State College 17: This one is a bit tricky. State College’s offense, particularly through the air, has some juice. The Panthers’ defense is sound and getting stronger. What gives?
Geoff Morrow: CD East 27, State College 21: It’s been hammer after hammer after hammer after hammer for the Panthers. That either wears you out or makes you tough, and I KNOW it’s the latter for this group. Little Lions haven’t been tested like that this year, so East could — maybe should — snag its first win vs. State High since 2014.
Andy Sandrik: CD East 24, State College 10: I think CD East has enough offense to match TDs with State College, if necessary, but the real star of the game could very well be the Panthers’ defense, which just keeps getting better and better.
Adam Kulikowski: State College 28, CD East 27: What a matchup this should be at The Speedway Friday night. I love what East’s defense has been able to do as a fast, physical unit. I give the edge to Little Lions and QB Finn Furmanek, who have yet to throw a pick in 73 attempts.
Greencastle-Antrim 24, Susquehanna Township 7
Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 35, Susquehanna Township 14: The Blue Devils are more than just your ground-and-pound offense. They have some athletes on the outer edges, too. Much better than their 2-2 record.
Geoff Morrow: Greencastle-Antrim 29, Susquehanna Township 13: I don’t see the Indians getting blown out as they have been, but maybe this is their destiny until they get around to finally and officially dumping that nickname. It appears to have been wiped from the school’s website at least. Now they just need to find a replacement. How about Susquehanna Township Progress? “Pros” for short. “Prose” for the academic teams.
Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 45, Susquehanna Township 21: Greencastle has had so many heart-pumping, down-to-the-wire games this season, so a close game is never out of the question, but all signs point to a Blue Devils blowout.
Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 34, Susquehanna Township 17: The Blue Devils are not to be taken lightly — not with their physical line and a pair of quality backs at their disposal. Just ask East Pennsboro, which last week needed 20 fourth-quarter points to steal a win from the Franklin County boys.
Trinity 42, Newport 7
Andy Shay: Trinity 42, Newport 20: It’s been a struggle for the Buffs, and now the injury bug has taken a bite off the apple. T-Rocks are in validation mode after a little up-and-down first 12 quarters.
Geoff Morrow: Trinity 52, Newport 21: While it’s still really early in the Jordan Hill era of Trinity football, I want to see the Shamrocks win on the road. They’re 2-0 with two comfy wins at home, and 0-1 with an eye-opening loss when the bus travels. Get it done with swagger up in the ‘Port, and maybe it’s time to give them some Capital consideration.
Andy Sandrik: Trinity 38, Newport 24: Is there a team in the Liberty with a tougher non-division schedule than Newport? If the Buffs can stay competitive here, that will be enough to show me they’ll be just fine when division play opens next week, even if they’re 1-4.
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 35, Newport 20: Do the Buffaloes have enough firepower with Andrew Bates sidelined with an injury? Cupboard probably needs one or two more items to get past the Shamrocks.
Hamburg 36, Tri-Valley 18
Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 31, Hamburg 20:So, a week off with COVID can have a slight impact on the offense. And it might. But defensively, I expect the Bulldogs to pick up right where they left off.
Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 14, Hamburg 13: I foresee a competitive conflict in Berks County, as the defensive-minded Bulldogs will need their best to slow the hungry Hawks. An interesting, if rare, matchup.
Andy Sandrik: Hamburg 16, Tri-Valley 9: Maybe I’m overestimating Hamburg’s offense, but nobody has been able to shut out the Hawks, not even Wyomissing.
Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 34, Hamburg 24: The Bulldogs were on quite the roll before a COVID hiatus sidelined T-V last week, yielding just seven points in three games while tallying 102 points.
Shippensburg 33, Waynesboro 14
Andy Shay: Shippensburg 28, Waynesboro 26: There has been a quiet calm to the way the Greyhounds have gone about their business this season. That workmanlike approach will serve them well against the Indians. And if you don’t think Waynesboro is fully capable of winning this game, you would be wrong.
Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 25, Waynesboro 21: I get the feeling that if Ship coach Eric Foust looked out his window at lunchtime and saw Bigfoot fighting a green alien, he’d mumble under his breath, “Hmm, interesting,” and then turn back to his sandwich and take a bite. In other words, it’s back to business. I think that kind of focus-on-the-task-at-hand attitude serves the Greyhounds well in this crucial Colonial scrap.
Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 24, Waynesboro 15: Shippensburg would prefer to run the ball anyway, but when it does come to airing it out, will the ‘Hounds be going to Erby Weller (83 ypg), who likely draws the coverage of all-state DB Rhyan Day? This matchup could prove to be the difference in the game.
Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 26, Shippensburg 24:Look, Shippensburg is the team to beat in the Colonial. And hats off to Coach Foust and the Greyhounds because just about every year that statement is true. But tattoo the bullseye to their backs long enough, and someone is going to hit it. Maybe that is Waynesboro this week.
West Perry 30, Mechanicsburg 19
Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 38, West Perry 21: Even though the Wildcats are more of a running team this year, don’t forget they are still finding ways to rack up those chunk plays that swing a game. Mustangs have found ways to stay in games, and you have to respect that.
Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 28, West Perry 20: How will the Wildcats react with actually having more than a day to prepare for this opponent? Ha. The Mustangs are a fun bunch, but Mechanicsburg appears to be rather quickly ironing its early season wrinkles. A warning: ‘Cats cannot look past this game to Ship next week, or West Perry will bite.
Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 34, West Perry 28 (OT): Mustangs are playing much tougher than the numbers indicate, while the ‘Cats are just finding ways to overcome every challenge in front of them.
Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 35, West Perry 21:I haven’t quite been able to get a handle on what to expect from the Mustangs this year, but what I do know is that the Wildcats have found some of that special sauce that teams need to burn at a high level.
Williams Valley 13, Bloomsburg 6
Andy Shay: Williams Valley 33, Bloomsburg 13: There have been individual flashes on offense for the Vikings, but they haven’t put together an outing where they pull both the run and pass together and just roll offensively. This could be that game.
Geoff Morrow: Bloomsburg 26, Williams Valley 21: I see this as a problem spot for the Vikings, whose hard-charging ship through the regular season was swamped unexpectedly last weekend. Meanwhile, after losses to three tough teams, the Panthers tasted victory for the first time last week and undoubtedly crave a lot more.
Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 21, Bloomsburg 17: None of us saw the uppercut coming, the one from Minersville that ended the Vikings’ perfect season last week. Winning this road game is not automatic.
Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 34, Bloomsburg 17: The Vikings have shown flashes with quarterback Isaac Whiteash topping the leaderboard in Week 4 passing yards with 349 and Alex Achenbach consistently a top rusher. A healthy Vikings team down the stretch could be tough to beat.
Saturday
Carlisle at Harrisburg, 1
Andy Shay: Harrisburg 28, Carlisle 21: Key for the Thundering Herd will be showing up and believing they can compete from the very first minute. Cougars are a blue-collar group this year, so you know they believe in what they are doing. Harrisburg is comfortable in a tight game, and that will show up.
Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 33, Carlisle 20: An interesting matchup pitting two teams who started 3-0, then suffered (very different) losses to strong foes in Week 4. It’s a great test for each program, gauging how the kids do after swallowing disappointment last week. In Carlisle, I might have taken the Herd; but at Severance, I will not pick against the Cougars.
Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 24, Harrisburg 16: If Carlisle can put together four full quarters, you better believe they’ve got a chance to compete with Harrisburg.
Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 34, Carlisle 24: Dropping a game against Governor Mifflin on short notice shouldn’t be a knock against the Cougars — especially after the tallies in the win column against Pine-Richland, Hazleton and Manheim Township to start the season. Kyle Williams and the Cougars flex their strength in the trenches to pound past Carlisle.
Palmyra at Milton Hershey, 1:30
Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 42, Palmyra 19: The Spartans have shown themselves to be a consistent squad offensively and find ways to get what they need on the scoreboard. Cougars are up against it here.
Geoff Morrow: Milton Hershey 33, Palmyra 20: There might be better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon in Derry Township, but not many. Despite some uneven performances from both sides, I expect a clean effort and a competitive contest.
Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 36, Palmyra 14: I think it’s going to be tough sledding for Palmyra, but the Cougars should have a little more room to work than in last week’s 75-7 loss to McDevitt.
Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 38, Palmyra 14: Some elements of Palmyra’s game seem to be rounding into form; I’m just not sure the Cougars will put it all together before squaring off against a Spartans squad that has proven to be a tough out.
