This was an emotional evening for Cumberland Valley with the recent passing of its legendary head coach Tim Rimpfel, and one of his many coaching tree disciples, Eagles current head coach Josh Oswalt, wasn’t able to be on the sidelines for this game. So, it was not a real surprise the Eagles came out the gates a wee bit sluggish.
But once they figured out what Altoona was doing offensively, the defense slammed the door and the CV offense heated up just before halftime, scoring late in the second quarter and then on its opening possession in the third quarter to seize control.
It wasn’t a riveting game by any stretch of the imagination, but the better team clearly won. Cumberland Valley has now scraped together three straight wins after an 0-2 start. Altoona has dropped two in a row after beginning the season with three wins in a row.
Quarterback: Throwing the ball is not why Aidan Steinbugl is the starting quarterback for the Mountain Lions. That’s pretty clear. He did have time to throw, though, and even the easy ones that were open he didn’t make. Plus he threw a pick-6 on a terrible decision in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach. In the running game he’s a weapon, and a couple of those read-option plays he made a slick pull of the ball to get some yards in space. Grade: C-
Running Back: Ethan Stroup is the go-to back, and he’s a horse between the tackles. He raced to 43 yards in a hurry. He’s a 215-pound between-the-tackles type of runner who doubles as an outstanding linebacker and is clearly an LB at heart. I thought Altoona went away from him too quick and for too long of a stretch in the game. Now, they were getting the edge with Steinbugl and Andre Dokes for a stretch. But not enough mix-and-match to keep the Eagles off balance longer. Grade: B-
Wide Receivers: The more targets Ethan Hileman gets the better off this offense will be in the passing game. He’s a reliable wideout. Too many calls for passes to backs instead of going to Hileman more. Grade: C
Offensive Line: They have some size up front, and for the better part of the first half this group was dominating the game. The Mountain Lions were having success in between the tackles and on the edge. Once CV defense figured it out, they struggled to counter and were getting overwhelmed with quickness and gap shooting. Grade: C
Defensive Line: When it came to in between the tackles, the three down linemen were pretty good all night. Surrendered only 130 yards on the ground. Xavier Duse and Michael Riccio provided some headaches early. But they created zero pressure on the pass rush. The only heat on the QB came from blitzers. Grade: C+
Linebackers: Stroup is a really good outside linebacker. He was all over the field and came up with a couple sacks as well. He was a problem all game for the Eagles. The inside ‘backers were solid against the run, but struggled to recognize when it was a pass and cover those gaps in Cover 3. Grade: B
Secondary: Early on they were right on point, but as the game wore on the CV receivers were winning those one-on-one battles and making all the clutch catches. If it wasn’t for penalties and a couple slips, they easily would have surrendered 200-plus yards passing. Grade: C-
Special Teams: It felt like CV was inches from blocking every punt for the Mountain Lions. The pressure all came from the right side and was consistent. Kicking game was OK, return game was solid but the kick coverage was shaky all night. Grade: C
CUMBERLAND VALLEY EAGLES
Quarterback: Junior Isaac Sines, a lefty, is growing into his role in this offense. He did struggle early, but once he found his groove he motored the Eagles down the field. Completed 11 of 18 passes with a couple drops on good throws when his receiver slipped. He’s sneaky elusive in the pocket, too. If he gets outside, he has the speed to turn what looks like nothing into a chunk play. Throws a nice ball, too. Made only one mistake, and it was that decision to throw the ball for an interception while avoiding a sack. No impact on the game, but take the sack. Grade: A-
Running Back: It’s clear they want J.D. Hunter to be the go-to back because of his ability in the open field. He runs really hard for a back who checks in at only 180 pounds. He doubles as a wideout and is a very dangerous pass receiver as well. I like the changeup Bruce Staretz brings to the run game. Nothing flashy, just falls forward more often than not and runs extremely hard. Grade: B-
Wide Receivers: Griffin Huffman, Caiden Pines and Hunter each had three receptions. They are all good route runners. Hunter had both touchdown catches. They have options, and you can see the pieces are starting to come together. Couple slips on balls that were clear first-down catches. Seriously, this group has some major upside. Grade: B
Offensive Line: They were OK in the run game but didn’t handle the numbers game in tight spaces well. Only a handful of top quality holes that I saw. Most of the work was done by the back. Very good interior pass blocking but didn’t pick up blitzes well at all. Mixed bag. Grade: C
Defensive Line: This group was getting beat both ways most of the first half. Altoona started by pounding it inside with success then found plenty of open space on the edges. Credit for rebounding when the adjustments were made, but on basic execution of the game plan from the jump they struggled at times. Grade: C+
Linebackers: Alex Sauve had himself a game, and he’s only a sophomore who is going to get better … a lot better. He had sacks, tackles for a loss and pass breakups. He was everywhere. It took a while for the outside ‘backers to adjust on the jet sweeps, but once they made the adjustment it was game over. The pick-6 by Max Wilken was a layup as it was such a bad pass. He was in the right area, and as an OLB that’s why it looked so easy. Grade: A
Secondary: In terms of run support, I thought this group was very good. And they were sticky on receivers for the most part in pass coverage. They weren’t really tested, though, as Altoona does not have a developed pass game. Did their job, though. Grade: B-
Special Teams: In addition to being the QB, Sines is a weapon as the kicker. A pair of 35-yard field goals with plenty of leg. Crazy part is he throws left handed and kicks with his right foot. Odd, but who cares? He might win a close game before this season is over. Kick return game was outstanding. Three times it set CV up in very good field position. And the kick coverage was outstanding. Whoever the special teams coach is on the staff should not buy any coffee or doughnuts this weekend for meetings. Punter Paddy Hernjak averaged 46.5 yards on two punts. That’s a big difference maker at the high school level. Grade: A+
On a night where more than 50 Cumberland Valley football alumni gathered to honor legendary Eagles head coach Tim Rimpfel, who died earlier this week, the 2021 Cumberland Valley squad posted its third victory in a row by upending Altoona 27-14 in a Commonwealth Division tilt at The Chap.
KEYS TO VICTORY
Right before halftime, with the visiting Mountain Lions holding a 7-3 lead, Cumberland Valley junior quarterback Isaac Sines caught fire and marched the Eagles right down the field in hurry-up fashion to grab a 10-7 halftime advantage. CV needed only five plays and 72 seconds to travel 57 yards. Sines, who had 6 yards passing prior to that drive, completed all four of his throws for 54 yards, including a 6-yard TD toss to J.D. Hunter — the first of two touchdown passes to Hunter..
Ignited by that late first-half drive to take the lead, CV came out on the opening drive of the second half and again marched right down the field, covering 61 yards in only six plays. The final 34 yards was a Sines-to-Hunter TD pass on a nice piece of improvising by Sines as he eluded pressure and found Hunter in a seam.
Sines finished with 146 passing yards and 52 rushing yards to account for 196 of the Eagles’ 276 total yards with a pair of touchdown passes, two 35-yard field goals and three extra points. … Outside linebacker Max Wilken had a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to ice it for CV. … Altoona had less than 100 total yards the second half, with most of that coming on the final drive in the dying minutes of the game with mostly reserves on the field. … Three of the four turnovers in the game belonged to the Mountain Lions. … All three of Cumberland Valley’s penalties negated plays cover 25 or more yards. … CV punter Paddy Hernjack averaged 46.5 yards per kick on a pair of punts.
WHAT WE SAW
Cumberland Valley was on tilt for most of the first half. The Eagles offense was struggling to move the ball against the tough interior defense of the Mountain Lions, and CV’s defense was getting gashed on the edges by the jet sweep. Altoona had the upperhand most of the first half until that late hurry-up drive by the Eagles. From that moment on the entire dimension of the game changed.
Altoona played well and its ground game was effective. The Mountain Lions just made too many mistakes to win at CV. Not only did Altoona turn the ball over three times, they also had 56 yards in penalties. And once they were down by more than two scores, throwing the ball is not how this offense moves.
“We had a good game plan, trusted our game plan, the receivers made good plays and the line blocked well. That was a good drive that gave us momentum going into the half. It definitely turned the game around for us. We made some adjustments at halftime then came right out and went down the field and scored again. I think we did a much better job finishing the game this week, something we didn’t do well last week.” — Cumberland Valley QB Isaac Sines
EAGLES 27, MOUNTAIN LIONS 14
Altoona 0 7 0 7 – 14
Cumberland Valley 0 10 7 10 – 27
First Quarter
None
Second Quarter
A-Ethan Stroup 11 run (Ian Palilla kick), 8:30
CV-FG 35 Isaac Sines, 5:10
CV-J.D. Hunter 6 pass from Sines (Sines kick), :55
A legendary coach and even better family man passed away Tuesday. Tim Rimpfel was 73.
Talk for a moment or two with those who knew Rimpfel — a head coach at Cumberland Valley, Bishop McDevitt and Trinity along his journey — and it doesn’t take long for the “Rimpfelisms” to emerge.
One of his favorites, “the tape doesn’t lie,” fits both his style as a no-nonsense head coach and his way of life as teacher, a father to Callie and Katie, and a husband to Liz.
A family man. Loving husband. Caring father. Mentor. Life-long friend. Legendary coach.
His highlight reel had it all. And no, it didn’t lie.
“Tim was one of the best coaches to grace the sidelines in high school sports,” said Brad Zell, a former assistant coach under Rimpfel and current Boiling Springs head coach. “He was a great teacher, people loved him as a teacher. He was a great husband and father. He loved his girls to death. Just an all-around great man who everyone looked up to. Just a special person in every aspect that I can think of.”
Rimpfel’s accomplishments on the sideline were many. A sage of the Wing-T offense, he was one of just 11 coaches in Pennsylvania to surpass the 300-win mark, concluding his coaching career with 307 wins and a tidy 100 losses. He guided the Eagles to nine District 3 championships over 24 seasons and the 1992 PIAA Class 4A title, a victory over Upper St. Clair at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium.
Along the way to all those wins and district titles, Tim changed the lives of those with which he crossed paths — and kept in touch with many long after they met.
Whether that was offering advice to former players like Josh Oswalt before they took their first head coaching position (and later the reins of CV), preseason chats or even helping out like he did when another of his proteges, Zell, took over his first program — Rimpfel seemed to know just what to say or do to lean a guiding hand.
And it didn’t matter whether you were on his coaching staff, a player or the ball boy like Joe Headen was when he first met Coach Rimpfel at Bishop McDevitt when he was in the third grade in the mid-1980s — he loved and cared for all. He built relationships, then nurtured them — a task far more difficult than it sounds in our fast-paced lives.
He preached loyalty to his players, but he gave it right back as a life-long friend and mentor to so many. He cared for his fellow coaches, their partners and children.
“It was the family gatherings. The coaches dinners at his house, couples dinners,” Oswalt said. “Making sure everyone’s families and kids were taken care of and that just makes you want to coach with him forever and not let him down. That’s really the foundation that I wanted to have as a head coach because of him. He did it right.”
And his coaches showed the same loyalty to him, often staying on his staff as assistants long after they could have become head coaches themselves.
“I had been offered a job or two before some while Tim was still coaching,” Zell said. “And he got pretty upset at me for not taking the job. And I told him I’m not going anywhere until you go somewhere. I wanted to be a part of what he was doing. We had a lot of those conversations, and when I finally took the job at Boiling Springs he was one of the first I talked to. I said, ‘Well coach, I got it.’ And his response was simply, “It’s about time.’”
There was simply something about his personality, his way, his love of others.
“As special as he was to everyone, my heart goes out to his daughters and (wife) Liz. We lost a football coach, they lost a dad, a husband, a man that everyone loved.”
Oswalt said: “It’s a sad day. But he always coached us after a loss that the sun will rise the next day and we will move forward and remember and learn, and that’s what I’m sure that he would want us to know.”
Indeed.
They said it:
“When I took over at Carlisle, he was one of the first calls. I called him before I took the Carlisle job and asked him if there was anything that I should be concerned with and he rattled off a few things … and then he stopped and said, ‘But there’s not a better person for the job than you.’ Just to hear that from someone that you looked up to so much.” — Oswalt
“On Mondays after a win, they would bake us cookies. And if we didn’t win, we didn’t get cookies. You know as a coach after a loss, you go home and are in your feelings and are upset, well that likely resonated through the whole Rimpfel household. His wife was an athletic trainer. Football was in their blood, but more importantly he was an educator and he did it for the right reasons. He did it for us and with love and passion for the game. His love and passion about teaching us about life was so much more prolific.” — Oswalt
“For me, I have truly four people who I look up to in my life, my parents and my football coaches. Now with the passing of Coach Rimpfel, both he and Rocky Reese (former Shippensburg University head coach) are now gone.” — Oswalt
“He was very proud of people who played for him, coached for him, that had moved on to do other things. I like to think he was proud of his girls for what they accomplished in life and he was pretty proud of the rest of us for being his boys. He was proud of everyone who moved on and took on challenges. He knew he played a part in that.” — Zell
“I was in third grade when I met Tim Rimpfel. On ‘84-85 McDevitt team, I was the ball boy for McDevitt in third grade. I used to look forward to every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (for Bishop McDevitt home football games) going up there and being around high school football and Coach Rimpfel and Gary Quigley and guys that when you are in third grade, those coaches are like Gods to you. … I was just thankful that Coach let me be around them and that program. As a young kid playing football, I knew that is what I wanted to do just from being around those guys and watching Coach Rimpfel. You learned so much just from him. He became a mentor. There was my dad and guys like Coach Rimpfel.” — Headen
“There weren’t many kids that he moved up from ninth grade to JV, and I remember that summer, I was doing weight training and he spoke to my parents and said that he wanted me to play JV football. And come to find out that Coach Rimpfel and my mom had a conversation. I played percussion instruments growing up, and my mom told him how grateful she was that he would think that much of (me), but he is going to be in the band his freshman year. I was crushed. I thought Coach Rimpfel was going to hate me. But it was totally the opposite. He knew my mom was pushing me in the right direction. … It made me see that there were other things that were important besides football.” — Headen
“Coaching for him for 17 years, there are so many great moments and satisfying wins. We also had connecting classrooms in school, so there was a lot of talking football during the school day. Those moments and time spent off the field with him and his family will be remembered.” — former CV assistant coach Michael Whitehead
Hearing the news of the passing of legendary Cumberland Valley/Bishop McDevitt/Trinity head football coach Tim Rimpfel, I spent some time remembering so many years of having the privilege to cover Cumberland Valley when Tim was their skipper.
What I learned in nearly three decades is that Tim wasn’t just a football coach. It was something he did very well and enjoyed. But it wasn’t who Tim was at his core.
I flashed back to 1992 when, as a newjack sports writer who literally had no idea what I was doing to be perfectly honest, I was sent to cover a Cumberland Valley game by the person who gave me a shot — Shelly Stallsmith.
Being ex-military and freshly removed from my time serving that year, I approached learning about the Eagles and their program in a very organized and military fashion. They were good, very good. Their coach was strict and ran a system he believed worked. And they won more than their fair share of games.
I can remember it as clear as yesterday my first encounter with Tim after CV took care of Chambersburg 33-0. I was nervous and a bit surprised to find myself alone on the field with the head coach of the Eagles and nobody else around to ask questions. It was that moment I gained my first peek into Tim Rimpfel the person. He introduced himself, asked me my name and immediately inquired about what I thought of the game.
To this day I have no idea what I said or how I answered his question, but I know it made me pause. Wasn’t I the one supposed to be asking the questions?
From that first meeting in Week 3 of the 1992 season, I always saw Tim in a different light than probably others in my profession. He was always professional, of course. He returned every call, answered every question with occasionally brutal honesty and was available. I don’t recall many “off the record” conversations, either.
Tim was a people person, at least through the lens I grew to admire him from. He was never comfortable talking about himself or what “his” team had accomplished. You could tell that wasn’t part of his DNA — a unique trait in a high school football head coach I’ve come to learn.
The Tim Rimpfel I came to know won more than 300 games, a lot of district titles and a state title in 1992, but none of that was really important to him. He was what I call a selfless servant. And what engaged him more than anything was people.
As a coach he ran a tight ship, and his expectations both on and off the field were sky high. That’s how he thought it was best to extract the very best out of his players and equip them with life lessons.
And when it came to football there wasn’t much gray area with Tim, either. It was pretty black and white from my chair. But it worked and produced a machine of a program at Cumberland Valley.
Underneath all of that, though, was a gentle, kind and extremely engaging person who adored being a mentor and helping others.
When you cover high school football for the Patriot-News, you work extremely close with coaches on a weekly basis.
You establish boundaries and understandings. I always found that easy with Tim, because he was a professional and understood my job and I understood and respected his job. We didn’t always agree, but that didn’t seem to matter.
I probably covered 50 Cumberland Valley games when Tim was the head coach. We spoke a lot. And what I will never forget, and the ultimate life lesson I learned from him over the years, was that people matter.
He never failed to ask how my wife — a fellow teacher, so he immediately had some strange teacher bond I didn’t understand but got it — was doing. As my kids grew up he knew their names and asked how they were doing and what was going on. He knew how to press those family buttons.
And I learned how to press his, in return. His kids. I never knew Tim to light up more when asked about his kids, what was going on in their lives and how were they doing? Ask a football question of Tim, you get football answer. You ask about his kids, settle in for a few minutes cause Tim was now on a roll.
I loved that about him so much. They would be turning the lights out at CV and there was Tim and I on the field chatting about our lives and kids. The football phase of the conversation had long since passed.
Sure, he was a teacher, mentor to many and a damn good football coach. Being a loving and doting father breathed a different kind of life into Tim. That’s not easy when you are running a state-caliber program in Pennsylvania. You hear the stories about something had to give to make that happen.
For Tim, he had this unique perspective where nothing had to give in terms of what was really important to him in order to run a state-caliber football program. That’s a gift.
I can remember fondly looking forward to visiting his office to talk about his team, his depth chart, my disdain for the Wing-T offense and why I was wrong. We had all those conversations. And then we’d spend even more time talking about life and fatherhood.
Those conversations are the ones I have never forgotten.
The smile, that gentle handshake from his massive hand and always addressing me by my first name and asking how my family was doing. It was part of my fall ritual for more than 20 years.
Coach Rimpfel was a lot to so many. To me he was a great human being who cared about others more than himself and adored sharing about his kids and being a father.
My deepest sympathies to Liz, Tim’s wife, and the entire Rimpfel family. Your husband/father was truly a special man. To me he was always a much better person than he was a football coach.
Thanks for the time, coach. A pleasure as always. That’s how I ended any conversation with Tim. And it truly was always a pleasure.
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
Altoona at Cumberland Valley, 7
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 at James Buchanan, 7
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 at Susquenita, 7
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 at Line Mountain, 7
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 at Chambersburg, 7
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.
East Pennsboro at Northern York, 7
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.
Hershey at Red Land, 7
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.
Mechanicsburg at West Perry. 7
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.
Middletown at Juniata, 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.
Mifflin County at Bishop McDevitt, 7
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.
Pine Grove at Schuylkill Haven, 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.
Renaissance Academy at Halifax, 7
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.
State College at CD East, 7
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.
Susquehanna Township at Greencastle-Antrim, 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 at 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.
Tri-Valley at Hamburg, 7
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.
Waynesboro at Shippensburg, 7
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.
Williams Valley at Bloomsburg, 7
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.
Fresh off a needed 26-8 victory over Shenandoah Valley that capped Pine Grove’s all-day Homecoming festivities, fourth-year Cardinals head coach Frank Gaffney will lead his squad into Schuylkill Haven’s Rotary Field searching for a second straight victory. Problem is the Cards (1-3) must get past a Haven program that once included the former Lebanon Valley All-American as its defensive coordinator. And while Pine Grove used a solid ground game fueled by Lane Lehman (28-140, 2 TDs) and Colin Ibarra (12-65, TD) to muscle by Shenandoah Valley, Gaffney’s former boss Mike Farr likely will have something ready — even though the Hurricanes (1-2) and Tri-Valley sat out last weekend while dealing with COVID issues. If Haven can gum up Pine Grove’s rushing attack in the Colonial-Schuylkill crossover, that will put plenty of pressure on Cards freshman Carson Lengle to make some plays at the quarterback position. Lengle was just 1 of 12 against Shenandoah Valley, hitting Aaron Crumrine for a 14-yard gain. When Haven has the ball, Ibarra will try to match or better the 17 tackles the senior backer accrued in the Week 4 success.
Williams Valley finds itself in unfamiliar territory
Despite receiving a career-best effort from junior quarterback Isaac Whiteash — he completed 20 of his 36 pass attempts for 349 yards and one touchdown — Williams Valley (3-1) dropped a 47-24 decision to Minersville. Alex Achenbach added 92 rushing yards and one touchdown on 22 carries, while Hunter Wolfgang latched on to six Whiteash throws, racking up 170 yards and one score. Offense was not the problem, however, as Minersville quarterback John Adams targeted 15 of his 21 heaves for 399 yards and five touchdowns. Brock Polinsky and Jared Graeff each hauled in six throws for 162 and 137 yards, respectively, while combining for four scores. Bloomsburg (1-3), meanwhile, showcased its speed at the skill positions by wheeling past Midd-West 40-21. Running back Madden Locke caught five passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Liam Zentner completed 8 of his 14 attempts for 144 yards and three scores. Zentner also ran for another score. Defensively, Bloom stuffed the box throughout, limiting Midd-West to minus-11 rushing yards. The Panthers were stung by three long touchdown passes — all in the second half — so how Mike Kogut’s club plays things will be interesting.
Tri-Valley hoping to regain form quickly
Idled last weekend by COVID issues that cost his club a date with Schuylkill Haven, Jeff Sampson’s Tri-Valley Bulldogs (3-0) will hit the road for a non-league engagement with Hamburg (3-1). Senior quarterback Jonas McGrath put together solid outings in Weeks 1 and 2 with sophomore wideout Layne Yoder his primary target. Hamburg strung together three straight victories, but ran into perennial hammer Wyomissing and its winning streak promptly went poof. Hamburg has a pair of solid runners in Diohnny Ruiz (24-273) and Tristan Baer (34-221), but the Hawks’ Xander Menapace (25-40-0, 401 yards, 5 TDs) will throw it. Kevin McFarland (10-135) has been Menapace’s main target, but Ruiz and Baer can catch it as well.
We got ourselves a defensive playmaker as a Player of the Week.
Pine Grove linebacker/running back Colin Ibarra is the Week 4 Small School POTY winner, making him a rare breed in the weekly poll. And deserved it was.
The senior snatched up an impressive 17 tackles from his inside spot to fuel the Cardinals’ first win of the season, a 26-8 victory over Shenandoah Valley. Ibarra didn’t just get things done on defense, though, he also contributed a 3-yard scoring run in the second half and finished with 65 yards on 12 totes.
His performance coming off a confidence-boosting victory led to 603 votes for the bruiser, some 36% of the 1,685 cast this week for the small-school nominees. That number easily beat out Williams Valley QB Isaac Whiteash, who finished in second with 299 tallies.
Ibarra now has 48 takedowns this season, which leads Pine Grove, and the team’s lone fumble recovery, according to MaxPreps. His 12 carries last week were his first of the season and made him the second-leading rusher on the team.
The Cardinals visit Schuylkill Haven in Week 5 as they aim for a second straight win.
It was a week of career performances for many Mid-Penn running backs, so it only makes sense that one of several 200-yard rushers ran away with (get it?) this week’s 4th Down Big School Player of the Week honors.
The Mechanicsburg faithful showed up in force to support their guy, junior back Parker Sample, lifting him to 681 votes to take home the Week 4 honors.
Sample was certainly deserving. The first-year starter had easily his best performance of his career, shredding Boiling Springs for 245 yards and four touchdowns on just 22 carries. Sample scored on runs of 51, 23, 4 and 2 yards to propel the Wildcats to a 37-35 victory over the Bubblers in a matchup put together in the 11th hour after both teams lost their previous opponents due to COVID-19 complications.
The output was his first career 100-yard game and more than doubled his yards for the season entering the game (now at 458). And the four scores were his first rushing TDs since a Week 1 loss to Carlisle.
Sample earned 40% of the vote this week, topping Cedar Cliff senior RB Jontae Morris’s 473 tallies.
Sample and the Wildcats are back in action Friday against West Perry as they aim to improve to 4-1.
