Such a solid Week 4 of high school football in the Mid-Penn Conference. It was nice to be into division play and to start comparing those apples to apples, right? Yes, there were a couple blowouts, but across the board it was a solid slate of entertaining and engaging games. Golf clap all around!
What grabbed my attention right off the jump from the Friday night results was Mechanicsburg taking out Boiling Springs in a wild 39-34 victory. I knew the Wildcats would present problems the Bubblers had not faced yet this season, and I thought Boiling Springs was ready to handle it. They were not, particularly defensively. The offense put 34 points on the board, and that’s a job well done against that defense.
Wildcats RB Parker Sample is growing into his role as the RB1 and feature player in this offense. He’s been a solid back all season, but 22 totes for 245 yards and four touchdowns is next level. Mechanicsburg is a ground-and-pound offense now, and the transition from quarterback-focused a year ago to this new look isn’t easy. A 3-1 record, though, speaks volumes for the coaching staff.
CD East’s Mehki Flowers, seen in this file photo, had a big night for the Panthers against Altoona. (Aaron Wright/4th Down)
CD East is going to have a say in the Commonwealth Division this season. The Panthers are 3-1 after a convincing road victory at previously unbeaten Altoona. And it doesn’t feel like the Mountain Lions played a sub-par game. CD East went out and took this one.
Mehki Flowers had been doing a lot of everything else to help his new squad the first three weeks, minus the big numbers. Hello, big numbers for the Penn State recruit — five catches, 150 yards and three touchdowns. Marcel McDaniels continues to expand his role as the RB1, racking up 187 yards on the ground. And Terrence Jackson-Copney has to be the No. 1 quarterback at this point. All he’s done is win.
The 4th Down Magazine Game of the Week was a very entertaining Colonial Division contest between Greencastle-Antrim and East Pennsboro. Panthers running back Sy Burgos tallied 210 yards including 40 and 66-yard touchdowns. It lived up to its Crazy Colonial billing. Read thefull game reportand Make the Grade from the Panthers’ 26-19 come-from-behind victory.
If you are surprised by the Harrisburg score against Governor Mifflin, then you aren’t paying attention. The Cougars were up to the task for a half, but the Mustangs are a really, really good team and Harrisburg has been through a grinder. Think about it, on the road at Pine-Richland to start, followed by a road trip to Hazleton. Then Manheim Township on short notice and another quick-notice game with state power Mifflin. And the Cougars are 3-1. Yeah, give me Harrisburg against anybody else. This group is competing at another level, and it’s not all based on talent. This loss goes down in my book as one of those rare good ones despite the score. Depth isn’t a luxury Harrisburg has, and Mifflin demands a lot over 48 minutes.
Congratulations to Lower Dauphin for winning back-to-back games for the first time in four years. RB Jacob Kauffman made it so with 233 yards and all three touchdowns for his squad. The defense holding Mifflin County to a field goal was a factor, too.
Cumberland Valley grinding out a win over previously unbeaten Carlisle was the kind of result that was expected. The Thundering Herd weren’t quite sure they could play at this level, the Eagles had their way for three quarters and built a comfortable lead before Carlisle rallied late. Both squads are on more solid footing going forward because of how this game went down. CV needed the win badly, and Carlisle now knows a lot more about itself going forward. One of those rare win-win scenarios.
Why hello Big Spring. I was certain the Bulldogs were the better squad against the Susquenita, a team on an upset roll. QB Ethan Eisenberg made sure that run of upsets didn’t continue with one of those rare perfect outings. He attempted only five passes but completed them all with three of them going for touchdowns and 186 passing yards. That’s a ridiculous 37.2 yards per completion.
Logan Schmidt had five total touchdowns as the Bulldogs dropped a 60-burger on the Hawks. Schmidt had three rushing touchdowns, caught a TD pass and returned a kickoff 84 yards to the house. Always helps to have a versatile athlete who does that much damage.
Red Land dropped to 0-4 with what can be best classified as another close-but-no-cigar loss. The Patriots have been in every game this season with an opportunity to get a W. Nobody has rolled them, including rival Cedar Cliff in a game that was tight all the way.
It was a nice bounceback win for the Colts, though, after getting physically worked over by CD East. RB Jontae Morris is rounding into post-injury form with his best outing of the season against the Patriots. Morris had 224 yards and three touchdowns to grab first star honors in the West Shore School District rivalry contest.
Congratulations to Milton Hershey for claiming the Cocoa Bean Bowl with a narrow 25-20 victory over rival Derry Township School District — better known as Hershey. Dion Bryant worked hard for his 100-plus yard outing to power the Spartans. Three end zone trips is a difference maker.
Bishop McDevitt and Trinity each scored 70 or more points. Was there a Central Pennsylvania Catholic School football directive that was sent out I missed? I know the Crusaders are good. Trinity I need to see in person sooner than later to figure out what new coach Jordan Hill and his staff of MPC alums are cooking in Shiremanstown.
Middletown is still finding its way, but four touchdowns from Audric Bryant, three of them rushing, helps a great deal. The Blue Raiders were always going to overwhelm Newport and win the game. How they did and what they learned about some potential key players is invaluable. Bryant could be the feature back they need.
Upper Dauphin is now the heavy favorite in the Liberty Division. Drubbing Camp Hill by four touchdowns sent a clear message who the top dog in the new division in terms of teams in the MPC but a division with an old name. Alex Hepler, Brady Morgan and Christian Snyder combined for 278 yards on the ground. Balance is always key and three is better than two, always. Trojans are 3-1.
But Alex Hepler was pretty good, too. And Brady Morgan and Christian Snyder were not bad either. Together, they combined for 278 of their team’s nearly 400 yards on the ground to help the Trojans move to 3-1 on the season.
On Saturday, Shippensburg took care of business with a tidy 37-7 defeat of Susquehanna Twp. behind a strong performance from Tucker Chamberlin. Those Greyhounds are now 4-0–the only undefeated team in the Crazy Colonial.
Steel-High’s Daivin Pryor exploded for five touchdowns and 256 yards of offense as the Rollers continued to post on its opponents, this week clubbing Juniata 53-19.
Up two scores late in the third quarter on the heels of the second interception in as many possessions, it looked like Greencastle-Antrim was going to pull off a victory at East Pennsboro.
They were in charge. Momentum was on the Blue Devils side, and they had the ball at the Panthers 20-yard line with a chance to make it a three-score game. The ball was rolling downhill.
Then East Pennsboro came up with its only turnover, a pick in the end zone to avoid going down three touchdowns, and the game changed in a flash. The fourth quarter belonged to the Panthers’ offensive line and backs Sy Burgos and Devin Shepherd. They simply took over in the come-from-behind 27-19 win where East Pennsboro scored the final 20 points.
Time to hand out some grades.
GREENCASTLE-ANTRIM BLUE DEVILS
Taylor Conrad slings a pass Friday night against East Pennsboro. (Adam Kulikowski/4th Down)
Quarterback: Taylor Conrad is a very good high school quarterback because he makes a lot of very good decisions, is an accurate short passer and has some pop on his passes. He completed 11 of 17 throws, and there were a couple clear drops. That interception he threw was a good throw. The defensive back just made a better play and won the race to the spot. Zero fault to him on that throw. Most of the way it looked like a touchdown until the last second. Grade: B
Running Back: There’s a mix-and-match with several guys getting touches, but the load is carried by David Niebauer. He’s not easy to bring down, either, on first contact. He finished with 84 yards and a touchdown and averaged 4.7 a carry. Tavon Cooper on the jet sweeps runs really, really hard and has some speed on the edge. He also had a good game. Grade: B
Wide Receivers: Cooper is more of a catch-and-run guy, but he also had a couple key drops late. The two balls that were thrown deep down the field were nice grabs by the receivers to pick up huge chunks. Their receivers are exactly what they need in this offense. Nothing overwhelming, though. Grade: C+
Offensive Line: When you average 4.5 yards per carry, that is a job well done at this level. I thought they were above average at pass protection as well in terms of keeping the pocket clean. When it came to those critical downs, third and fourth down, they struggled a bit. Grade: C+
Defensive Line: For the better part of three quarters, this group was making a real impact on the game. They were holding the middle and getting home in the pass rush big-time. Bryce Kaiser was a monster and his motor was all-out. The fourth quarter when the Panthers went inside, the wear-and-tear of going both ways showed up, and they simply wore down. Grade: B-
Linebackers: Logan Shifflett in the middle was having himself a night with plenty of solo stops and an interception. Then he lost the battle to cramps and was less effective down the stretch. The edge wasn’t available pretty much all game and that was downright impressive against a guy with Burgos’ speed in the open field. Grade: B
Secondary: This wasn’t about pass defense. For the Blue Devils secondary, it was all about tackling in space and run support. And they were simply splendid all game. Ethan Shank was in the right spot almost every time and stood out. Plus an interception to boot when the other team had only six attempts. Overall high marks. Grade: A-
Special Teams: Kicker Nathan Kirkwood is the best I’ve seen all season. Down a point late in the fourth quarter they sent him out to look at attempting a 50-yard field goal to take the lead. With his leg, I could see it. But after a timeout, the Blue Devils went for it and failed. Kirkwood didn’t give any chance for returns as all four of his kickoffs went for touchbacks. Now punting, clearly not his thing but it didn’t impact the game. Also thought the Blue Devils return game gained them field position. The blocked PAT was a bad snap. Grade: A-
EAST PENNSBORO PANTHERS
East Pennsboro quarterback takes off Friday night against Greencastle-Antrim. (Adam Kulikowski/4th Down)
Quarterback: Keith Oates is only a sophomore, and this was another chance to catch up to the speed of the varsity game. He attempted only six passes but had two interceptions. The one was tipped, so that’s a throwaway. The other one was a bad decision. In fairness, he didn’t have much time to look downfield when he dropped back to throw. He was sacked a few times. I will give him the highest marks for scooping up all those low snaps and making the play still go. That was an issue. Grade: C-
East Pennsboro running back Sy Burgos prepares for Friday’s game against Greencastle-Antrim. (Adam Kulikowski/4th Down)
Running Back: Everyone knows Sy Burgo is fast. He gets a crack and most times he is gone. And he did break free a couple times, once early and once late for big runs. I was impressed how he ran north-south in the fourth quarter and hit the hole with authority. He’s becoming a better back and had 210 yards to show it. In order for Burgos to flash and line up as an RB in the fourth quarter, instead of as a wideout, you can’t overlook the work of Devin Shepherd. He credited his OL for the work, but the way he pounded the rock inside then flashed on the edge set everything up. His 85 yards on only eight totes was the hidden key to victory. Grade: A
Wide Receivers: Who knows, right? Only six passes attempted and two of those were intercepted. They have a lot of guys line up at the wideout spot, nobody saw the rock. Grade: Incomplete
Offensive Line: As the game wore on this group simply took over and made sure the comeback could be completed. I will say the low snaps and the pass blocking need some attention paid to them. But in terms of straight-up blocking in the fourth quarter, it doesn’t look much better than what this group displayed. Grade: A-
Defensive Line: Josh Angelo is only a sophomore, and he’s already 245 pounds and has quick feet. He was a problem all night for G-A and had a couple sacks and a TFL. He also doubled as a fullback down the stretch. There was a period in the second and third quarter where this group struggled at times. They found their game when it mattered most, though. Grade: B
Linebackers: Shepherd and Harrison Laman carry a big level of responsibility with this defense, and that’s obvious. They are asked to do a lot. For the most part they did their jobs. The outside backers didn’t set the edge with any regularity, though. Grade: B
Secondary: Dakota Campbell could play corner for anybody. He’s extremely active in run support and tackles fundamentally sound. They did get beat on a couple big plays for chunks with bad coverage. The pick by Ethan Campbell, though, was special because it never looked like an interception. Great individual effort by him to make the pick that turned the game around. Grade: B
Special Teams: Campbell is also a very good kicker, and he might not have the same leg as his counterpart in this one, but he’s a much better punter. I thought the kick coverage was soft and gave up too many yards to field position. Nothing out of the return game because the other kicker from the other team kicks bombs, and two of his three punts went out of bounds. Grade: C+
East Pennsboro put together a furious comeback at home against Greencastle-Antrim, scoring 20 unanswered fourth-quarter points, to come from behind and clip the Blue Devils 27-19 in a stellar Mid-Penn Colonial Division offering Friday night.
KEYS TO VICTORY
This might sound weird, but in order to get back in this game and have any shot, the Panthers had to go away from star running back Sy Burgos and work inside instead on the edges. And it worked to perfection thanks to an offensive line that opened huge holes the final 12 minutes. East Penn pounded the rock with Devin Shepherd in between the tackles. And the senior responded with 85 yards on eight carries. That opened up the room for Burgos to find those cracks.
East Pennsboro loses this game if it wasn’t for Ethan Campbell. Panthers QB Keith Oates was picked off the first two East Pennsboro possessions of the second half, and the Blue Devils turned the first one into six quick points to surge in front 19-7. The second pick saw G-A set up shop on the East Penn 20, and in the dying minutes of the third quarter had an opportunity to put this one away. Campbell, a senior, made a great break on a throw by Blue Devils QB Taylor Conrad and made a nifty interception in the end zone. It was the spark that lit the fire.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Burgos broke free on a 40-yard run early for a score and added a 66-yard dart to the house late in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to eight points as part of a 210-yard night. He still averaged 10.0 yards per carry despite some excellent defense by the Blue Devils. … Penalties were a problem for Greencastle, especially the 15-yard variety. The Blue Devils finished 9-100 in penalties with five of the nine being 15 yarders. … The ability to convert on third and fourth down eventually came back to stymie G-A, as the Blue Devils were only 5-for-15 overall converting on the chain moving downs. … East Pennsboro won a game where it managed only 16 yards through the air.
WHAT WE SAW
Greencastle-Antrim is going to be a tough out in the Colonial Division. They are well coached, and the defensive game plan to slow down Burgos was on point the first half. It gave the Panthers star fits. East Pennsboro countered with a major adjustment and went straight north-south with its running game in order to soften up the defense a bit.
The Blue Devils had this game right where they wanted it. You let G-A put you inside their box, they will beat you. And even Panthers coach John Denniston knew his team was in deep trouble late in the third quarter. It took some serious commitment by the Panthers to stick to the plan of running the ball inside to win the game.
THEY SAID IT
“It took us to go in the locker room at halftime and come back out and play as a family. We weren’t playing as a family the firs half. We were playing as individuals, and that won’t win you games. The offensive line did everything for us. They set up everything for our offense.” — East Pennsboro LB-RB Devin Shepherd
“This team has an incredible capacity to grind and play all 48 minutes. They could have buckled tonight. They did have us, I felt like they did until we got that pick late in the third quarter. And the offensive coaches going with a heavier run package for the second half, that was key. This is one where we were close to breaking. Sy is such a talent, sometimes you just wait for him to go off. They had an excellent game plan and were executing it. We came out and went straight at them the second half.” — East Pennsboro coach John Denniston
G-A-Brady Diller 12 run (Nathan Kirkwood kick), 9:46
G-A-David Niebauer 10 run (kick blocked), 1:41
Third Quarter
G-A-Taylor Conrad 1 run (run failed), 5:22
Fourth Quarter
EP-Keith Oates 2 run (run failed), 10:53
EP-Oates 1 run (Campbell kick), 4:47
EP-Burgos 66 run (Campbell kick), 2:14
Team Statistics G-A EP
First downs 18 22
Rushes-yards 38-175 49-344
C-A-I 12-18-1 2-6-2
Passing yards 153 16
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Punts-avg. 3-20.7 2-38.5
Penalties-yards 9-100 5-45
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Greencastle-Antrim, David Neibauer 18-84; Tavon Cooper 8-67; Brady Diller 4-15; Taylor Conrad 9-9. East Pennsboro, Sy Burgos 21-210; Devin Shepherd 8-85; Harrison Laman 6-30; Trey Good 2-12; Dakota Campbell 2-6; Keith Oates 8-3; Team 2-(minus-2).
PASSING: Greencastle-Antrim, Conrad 11-17-1-122; Andrew Kerns 1-1-0-31. East Pennsboro, Oates 2-6-2-16.
RECEIVING: Greencastle-Antrim, Cooper 3-45; Diller 1-41; Ethan Shank 4-37; Niebauer 1-14; Erby 1-9; Kerns 1-4; Mason Bowers 1-3. East Pennsboro, Burgos 1-3; William Bragunier 1-13.
Each week, we’re diving into three of the best matchups in our coverage area to help break down what to expect. You can be sure Andy will call it like he sees it with on-point analysis and his pick and prediction for each of the matchups featured.
Andy Shay: Green Street Academy 28, James Buchanan 14: I’d give the Rockets a fair shot in this one. Do they have enough firepower to keep up, I wonder?
Geoff Morrow: Green Street Academy 39, James Buchanan 15: The Baltimore charter school was only founded in 2010, but the Chargers’ football program quickly found a winning formula, albeit against lower-level competition. Rockets will likely have their hands full.
Andy Sandrik: Green Street Academy 42, James Buchanan 7: These Pa. and Md. matchups always throw for me a loop, but I’ll go with the Chargers, who opened their season earlier this month with a 66-0 win.
Adam Kulikowski: Green Street Academy 47, James Buchanan 13: The Chargers trek in from Baltimore with a 66-0 victory in their opening week in hand. Dropping 30 first-quarter points against PACE says they have some gents who could give the Rockets fits.
Bishop McDevitt at Palmyra, 7
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 49, Palmyra 7: Crusaders were off with COVID-19 last week, and Palmyra picked up a win on Monday night. That’s enough right there to make McD a heavy favorite alone.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 47, Palmyra 14: Tough spot for the Cougars coming off a short week. That and the supremely talented Crusaders are champing at the bit to get back out on the gridiron.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 44, Palmyra 7: Congrats to the Cougars on landing that first win last week. This test against Bishop McDevitt, though, will be much, much harder.
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 48, Palmyra 7: Crusaders are set to return after missing a week due to COVID issues. The ‘Dub is their cross to bear.
Boiling Springs at Mechanicsburg, 7
Andy Shay: Boiling Springs 27, Mechanicsburg 14: Love when teams have to pick up the COVID-19 game-wrecking pieces and just say, “Let’s go play!’ This is a good matchup for both teams. The Wildcats will ask questions of the Bubblers that haven’t been asked this season. And Boiling Springs will have most of the answers.
Geoff Morrow: Boiling Springs 25, Mechanicsburg 14: Minimal history between these Cumberland County programs, though both athletic departments deserve praise for hustling to get this game scheduled. Bubblers have earned the pick, but Wildcats will be a tough out and are more than capable of undoing the bubbling momentum.
Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 28, Mechanicsburg 21: I think the Bubbs have done enough to be favorites on the road. Mechanicsburg’s defense, however, will keep this game within reach.
Adam Kulikowski: Boiling Springs 28, Mechanicsburg 27: Another week, another last-minute matchup that has plenty of intrigue. I have to say, I do enjoy the off-the-menu matchups that the COVID chaos creates, though I hate that it comes at the expense of teams struggling with the pandemic.
Andy Shay: CD East 21, Altoona 14: For me, this matchup all comes down to whether the CDE defense can slow down the Mountain Lions’ run game enough to be a difference-maker. Altoona is unbeaten and will be a test, but it’s nothing the Panthers haven’t already seen.
Geoff Morrow: CD East 23, Altoona 16: Potential here to be one of the better games of the week. Unlike a lot of Harrisburg-area programs, Panthers don’t seem too fazed by a trip to Altoona. Something about that Horseshoe Curve sucks the soul from those who aren’t prepared.
Andy Sandrik: Altoona 28, CD East 20: The Mountain Lions seem comfortable in deep water, winning two straight games by one possession. I get the sense they can outlast CD East in a close game. Of course, the great equalizer is the Panthers’ defense, which has gotten stronger every week.
Adam Kulikowski: CD East 28, Altoona 27: Love this test for both teams. We know CD East presents plenty of speed on defense. Is that enough to slow down Mrs. 4th Down’s Mountain Lions?
Watch now: This week’s edition of The Preview breaks down three of the best matchups across our coverage area and we offer our thoughts on who will walk away victorious in Week No. 4.
Cumberland Valley at Carlisle, 7
Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 17, Carlisle 14: Something tells me the Eagles are turning a corner. And for all the Herd’s early season fireworks, the opposition hasn’t provided enough of a test to have Carlisle ready for the CV defense. I respect Carlisle’s D as well.
Geoff Morrow: Carlisle 22, Cumberland Valley 20: When the Herd last beat CV way back in 2004, TikTok was simply the sound clocks made, “Friday Night Lights” was a brand-new movie starring the guy from Dawson’s Creek, and Doja Cat was 9 years old. This could be legendary for the Thundering Herd. Or it could be 17 in a row for the Eagles.
Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 26, Cumberland Valley 22: Like many of you, I was quite surprised to see CV knock off Spring-Ford last week. I expect this game to be close, but I’m leaning toward a well-stocked Carlisle squad that has a metric ton of old scores to settle in the Commonwealth. It starts with CV, which has won 16 straight against the Herd.
Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 24, Carlisle 21: The Eagles are coming off a wild victory against a stout Spring-Ford club. Eagles have the defense needed to keep the root beer flowing for one more week.
Chambersburg at State College, 7
Andy Shay: State College 35, Chambersburg 14: The Trojans have been taking steps forward, but not sure they’ve taken enough to go 48 minutes with the Little Lions. I still think it’s a close game at halftime, though.
Geoff Morrow: State College 35, Chambersburg 20: Speaking of long droughts, I can’t even find the last time the Trojans beat the Little Lions, if ever. This could be an interesting game, though, if the confident Trojans start fast and the hosts get sloppy.
Andy Sandrik: State College 30, Chambersburg 21: Gotta love the hustle from Chambersburg, which is off to two wins in three tries, but it’s going to take quite an effort for the Trojans to steal a road win from SC.
Adam Kulikowski: State College 37, Chambersburg 14: For the Trojans to come out on top, they will need to handily win the turnover battle. The Little Lions have lost five fumbles over their first three games.
Greencastle-Antrim at East Pennsboro, 7
Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 34, Greencastle-Antrim 27: Nobody in the MPC has made a bigger jump out of the gate this season than the Blue Devils. If they keep this game in a box, they will win. The lightning rod for the Panthers, Sy Burgos, is the difference-maker.
Geoff Morrow: East Pennsboro 24, Greencastle-Antrim 16: It’s tough to imagine one player making such a dramatic difference in the ultimate team sport like football, but, hey, the numbers don’t lie for Burgos & East Penn. Though Blue Devils will be ornery.
Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 41, Greencastle-Antrim 24: You might not remember Greencastle’s season-ending win over East Penn, but I’ll bet the Panthers do.
Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 38, Greencastle-Antrim 28: The return of Sy Burgos completely changed the offensive makeup of the Panthers, and that bodes well for the boys in Enola.
Halifax at Trinity, 7
Andy Shay: Trinity 42, Halifax 0: So the T-Rocks have been in choppy waters since the opening week bombshell they dropped. This will get them back on course, no problem.
Geoff Morrow: Trinity 59, Halifax 6: If my math is correct, this foursome of “experts” is now 0-8 in picking Trinity football games. Barring forfeit, we will be 4-8 after this weekend.
Andy Sandrik: Trinity 49, Halifax 0: Much respect to Upper Dauphin, which humbled all the experts with its win over Trinity last week. None of this is good news for Halifax.
Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 45, Halifax 7: Sometimes you just need a week to regroup, gather yourself and continue to define your identity. The ‘Rocks have that opportunity this week with a depleted Halifax squad on deck.
Harrisburg at Governor Mifflin, 7
Andy Shay: Governor Mifflin 28, Harrisburg 21: Well, how about this last-minute matchup for a ring-the-bell game? Harrisburg will show up, and this will be a test the Mustangs know is coming and are prepared for. The Mifflin OL is a difference maker.
Geoff Morrow: Governor Mifflin 35, Harrisburg 28: It’s tempting to pick the Cougars if only because they’re the most fearless bunch in the state. But the newly crowned No. 1 Mustangs have been ridiculously impressive in trouncing early (and capable) competition. No trouncing here, as this is a spectacular last-minute matchup.
Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 26, Governor Mifflin 25: It doesn’t matter if you ask the Cougars to play on another planet, they’re going to show up ready to give you a game.
Adam Kulikowski: Governor Mifflin 33, Harrisburg 31: The Mustangs aren’t going to beat you through the air — GM has less than 60 passing yards in three contests — but that dude, Nick Singleton, sure can be a one-man destructor.
Lower Dauphin at Mifflin County, 7
Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 20, Mifflin County 7: If nothing else, LD has shown toughness and fight this season. And, in this game, that will be enough to make it two in a row.
Geoff Morrow: Lower Dauphin 23, Mifflin County 8: LD closed last season with a triumph over the Huskies, ending a dreadful losing skid for the boys from Hummelstown. I think MiffCo’s defense will keep it close, but until the Huskies sniff out the end zone on an even occasional basis, it’s tough to pick ‘em.
Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 21, Mifflin County 7: All signs point to a road victory for the Falcons, who are facing a MiffCo squad averaging 2.67 points per game.
Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 28, Mifflin County 7: With just one win since 2019, last week’s victory had to be sweet. The Falcons should be on a winning streak by Saturday morning.
Milton Hershey at Hershey, 7
Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 28, Hershey 14: It’s pretty obvious Hershey struggles to score. The Spartans are not exactly lighting it up defensively, either. Trojans’ defense has been solid and will continue to be, but the Spartans have enough pop to get what they need.
Geoff Morrow: Hershey 14, Milton Hershey 13: Spartans have won five of the last six Cocoa Bean Bowls, the legendary series which skipped last year with Milton Hershey canceling its season. Even in defeat, I think Hershey gained some confidence last week, while the Spartans, who SHOULD be favorites here, seem to still be figuring things out against.
Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 21, Hershey 7: I keep getting the sense that Hershey can trap the Spartans this year, but points have been so hard to come by for the Trojans that I just can’t pull the trigger.
Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 35, Hershey 21: I need to see the Trojans muster a little more juice on offense before I pick them to knock off a quality opponent.
Newport at Middletown, 7
Andy Shay: Middletown 28, Newport 6: The Blue Raiders are still working out the details offensively, but their defense will come through and deliver the goods in this one. Buffs have not flashed at all.
Geoff Morrow: Middletown 29, Newport 7: This is probably the most winnable game left on the Blue Raiders’ schedule, which features a consistent flow of quality opponents the rest of the way. Better make it count.
Andy Sandrik: Middletown 28, Newport 14: It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Buffs, who have had very little go their way in lopsided losses to West Perry and Steel-High, but this game is a good opportunity for Newport to play competitive football.
Adam Kulikowski: Middletown 21, Newport 7: Both teams have some nice pieces to the puzzle, but neither has a complete set at this point. That brute, Tajae Brodie, is a difference-maker in this battle especially with Andrew Bates ailing for the Buffs.
Red Land at Cedar Cliff, 7
Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 42, Red Land 14: The Colts are miffed at the offensive performance they displayed against CD East. That balance will show up in this one. Patriots have been close twice in three weeks and can’t get over the hump. The rivalry matters, though.
Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 35, Red Land 21: When I was at the now-defunct Lemoyne Middle School way back in the very early ‘90s, the Cedar Cliff kids called us Red Land kids “farmers.” It was meant as an insult, I guess, but I never really understood or cared, because my dad’s cousin ran a farm and lived in Elizabethtown, not Etters. Anyway, I say all that to give a shout-out to all my former classmates, whether Colts or Patriots. But I’m East Shore now.
Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 32, Red Land 17: Still waiting for the Red Land puzzle to get pieced together this season. Colts will be looking to light up the scoreboard after getting humbled by the CD East defense last week.
Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 35, Red Land 28: The Colts saw speed against the Panthers that they had not experienced in 2021. Gillen’s crew shakes off the setback against a Patriots team still searching for its identity.
Susquenita at Big Spring, 7
Andy Shay: Big Spring 34, Susquenita 27: This game is going to be all about dictating tempo and controlling the chaos that happens in between. Bulldogs’ balance and depth has to be the difference-maker or the ‘Hawks will crash the party.
Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 27, Susquenita 26: Break out the ‘Nita! Last week’s win over Camp Hill is even more impressive when you consider it was a short week, as the Blackhawks’ previous game was just four days earlier. The Fightin’ Hockensmiths have a tough one this week, though.
Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 42, Susquenita 24: I think Big Spring has the personnel to control the ball and hold off the ‘Hawks, but week after week, Susquenita keeps proving us wrong.
Adam Kulikowski: Susquenita 26, Big Spring 24: This is the week ‘Nita can quiet the doubters. Let’s goooooooo!!
Upper Dauphin at Camp Hill, 7
Andy Shay: Camp Hill 28, Upper Dauphin 26: I could easily give you three or four reasons why each of these teams is going to win. The Trojans have been consistently tough. The Lions have been a bit up-and-down. If Brady Morgan gets his, the Lions go down.
Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 33, Camp Hill 28: I kind of want to pick Camp Hill, but I’m last to pick this game, and I couldn’t help but notice Shay picked the Lions. And, since he’s already running away with the “picks” lead, I need to join the other As and get on the Upper Dauphin bandwagon and work to close the gap on AShay. Rarely do I care about or employ strategy and go against my instinct, but this is that rare exception.
Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 28, Camp Hill 21: Love the production UD is getting from RB Brady Morgan, a 5-foot-6 spark plug averaging 102 rushing yards per game, who is also the Trojans leading receiver.
Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin 35, Camp Hill 31: The Trojans have played much of the season without pieces for a variety of reasons. UD getting healthy should provide another gear for this team just in time for the heart of the season.
West Perry at Waynesboro, 7
Andy Shay: Waynesboro 42, West Perry 29: Indians better be ready for the kitchen sink to be thrown at them from the Mustangs, because you know those gadget plays are coming. I respect that. Just feel the Indians have more depth in terms of weapons.
Geoff Morrow: Waynesboro 29, West Perry 27: I remember a time not too, too long ago when both of these programs — not to be mean — weren’t very good or much fun to watch. Today? Two truly accomplished, entertaining programs. Kudos to the kids and coaches at both schools.
Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 30, West Perry 24: Waynesboro is one of the fastest — and meanest — teams in the Colonial, but are the Indians among the smartest? We’ll find out on Friday when the Mustangs, not afraid to run a gadget play or two, show up to Buchanan Auto Stadium to test ‘Boro’s football IQ.
Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 35, Waynesboro 34: This should be a dandy matchup between two clubs that love to play that punch-you-in-the-mouth brand of football. Quick question, Mustang fans: Do you disown Sandrik for siding with his friend, Waynesboro coach Josh Sprenkle, over his alma mater?
Williams Valley at Minersville, 7
Andy Shay: Williams Valley 32, Minersville 15: From my seat, this game comes down to what happens up front when WV has the rock and the Miners’ defensive front has to defend. It’s that simple.
Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 33, Minersville 16: Miners haven’t surrendered a point in two games since getting shellacked by Tri-Valley in their opener; however, the Vikings haven’t scored fewer than four touchdowns in any game vs. Minersville over the last decade. Advantage, Vikings.
Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 28, Minersville 14: The Battlin’ Miners haven’t beaten WV since 2011. I think the streak continues, although this game has potential to be competitive.
Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 38, Minersville 14: Vikings continue to roll behind Alex Acherbach and his 7.9 yards per carry average.
Saturday
Shippensburg at Susquehanna Twp., noon
Andy Shay: Shippensburg 44, Susquehanna Twp. 6: Been an uphill climb for the Indians with all those points allowed, and it gets no easier here with the undefeated Greyhounds making a trip to Elmerton Ave.
Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 42, Susquehanna Twp. 13: Indians — wait, are they still called the Indians? — have fallen on tough times, though I bank on Joe Headen steering the ship to safety sooner rather than later. It’s just not likely to happen against a buzzing bunch like the Greyhounds.
Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 42, Susquehanna Twp. 12: Even at home, it’s hard to see a path to victory for Township, which is allowing 52 points per game.
Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 35, Susquehanna Twp. 7: The Greyhounds’ flag is firmly placed at the top of the Colonial Division. Indians are still searching for traction.
Juniata at Steel-High, 1
Andy Shay: Steel-High 54, Juniata 6: Brutal if you support the Indians in terms of losing your star QB for the season. Now you have to play this. Juniata was never going to win this game anyway; now it’s a matter of trying to stay competitive.
Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 59, Juniata 13: I love watching the Rollers and reading about their successes, but, seriously, their 2021 schedule is boring. This is like if Alabama just played Mercer every dang week.
Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 63, Juniata 6: Really bummed to hear about QB Jacob Condo going down for Juniata. This was likely to be a blowout, anyway, but the Indians were as eager as anyone to take on the Rollers with their best lineup.
Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 68, Juniata 7: Stepping in front of this Roller attack right now is a daunting task — especially after you lose your starting quarterback, Jacob Condo, for the season.
Shenandoah Valley at Pine Grove, 7
Andy Shay: Pine Grove 14, Shenandoah Valley 7: Combined, these teams have scored five touchdowns in five games played. Neither has a win, so somebody is going to celebrate. I’ll take PG in a coin flip.
Geoff Morrow: Pine Grove 35, Shenandoah Valley 6: The Blue Devils haven’t won more than a single game in a season since 2015, whereas the Cardinals might be winless, but they’re mostly competitive and remember what it takes to win.
Andy Sandrik: Pine Grove 14, Shenandoah Valley 0: When in doubt, take the home team. I’m going with the Cards.
Adam Kulikowski: Pine Grove 21, Shenandoah Valley 7: A tough opening to the Cardinals’ season gets a little better Saturday night.
POSTPONED: None.
CANCELED: Harrisburg at Central Dauphin; Line Mountain at Boiling Springs; Northern York at Mechanicsburg; Schuylkill Haven at Tri-Valley.
It was a busy Friday night for the young Susquenita quarterback.
Derek Gibney scored four touchdowns — two rushing and two passing — and ran in and threw for two two-point conversions as well. If he was on your fantasy team this weekend, you probably won.
Gibney’s monster performance for the Blackhawks turned away Camp Hill in a Friday shootout 39-34 and convinced the ‘Nita faithful to vote in droves. The sophomore won this week’s Small School Player of the Week, snagging a whopping 1,909 votes. And in keeping with the weekend’s shootout, he won in a barnburner at the polls as well, edging Upper Dauphin running back Brady Morgan’s 1,759 tallies.
Gibney is just a sophomore running first-year coach Augie Glass’s offense for the 2-0 Blackhawks. He was 10-of-22 for 163 yards through the air and added another 108 stripes on 11 carries. His TD tosses covered 10 and 27 yards, while the TD trots went for 1 and 36 yards.
It was an impressive improvement for Gibney, who the week before in ‘Nita’s season opener — delayed 10 days due to a COVID-19 issue — when he was 5-of-27 for 55 yards, a touchdown and an interception while rushing for just 8 yards on five carries.
There were 4,996 votes cast in the small-school poll this week. Gibney tracked down 38% of those. He and the unbeaten Blackhawks face 2-1 Big Spring on Friday.
Jeffrey Lougee will be known more for his baseball accomplishments over the next three years — and more once he steps onto the Duke baseball field, where he’s committed to play beginning in 2025 — but his high school football career is off to a fine start.
The sophomore inspired the Mechanicsburg faithful following a comeback win over Red Land on Friday, hauling in a monster 6,009 votes to win our Big School Player of the Week honor for Week 3. Lougee and the Wildcats stormed back from a 14-0 deficit to beat the Patriots 27-17 and improve to 2-1.
Lougee scored three times on the ground in the comeback, outsourcing the Red Land offense by himself with touchdown sprints of 27, 30 and 70 yards. According to Hudl, the ‘Cats racked up 333 yards and four scores on 38 carries. Mechanicsburg’s passing attack was 1-of-8 for 34 yards and an interception.
Lougee, who is tasked with replacing the graduated dual-threat dynamo Micah Brubaker at QB, has had a fine season to date. Since a Week 1 loss to Carlisle, he’s led wins over Elizabethtown and now Red Land before this week’s non-division rivalry meeting with Northern (2-1).
His big voting numbers edged out Shippensburg junior Erby Weller in an entertaining race to top honors. Weller, a WR/DB, picked up 5,498 votes. Lougee earned 44% of the vote, and combined the two snagged 85% of the vote. Not bad.
With its ground game humming behind sophomore feature back Alex Achenbach — 400-plus rushing yards and four running touchdowns the past two weeks in wins over Pine Grove and Schuylkill haven — unbeaten Williams Valley (3-0) will try to make it four straight when the Vikings visit Minersville. Junior quarterback Isaac Whiteash, who completed 7-of-13 passes for 152 yards and three scores, appears to be rounding into form as well. Whiteash spread the ball around, targeting Brady Evans, Achenbach and Nathan Cole for touchdown tosses.
Minersville (2-1) has rebounded from its season-opening loss to Tri-Valley by blanking Marian Catholic and Shenandoah Valley. QB John Adams was 8-of-15 passing for 246 yards and three touchdowns as the Miners prevailed 43-0 Sunday. Like Whiteash, Adams’ TD passes were spread around to Lorenzo Yourey, Jason Cullen and Jared Graeff.
PG looking for first victory; hot Tri-Valley on idle
Searching for an offensive spark as well as consistency, Pine Grove’s fourth-year head coach Frank Gaffney inserted freshman Carson Lengle in at quarterback in the second half of the Cardinals’ Week 2 loss to Williams Valley. Well, Lengle received the starting nod last weekend against Tri-Valley, targeting 10 of his 27 aerials for 105 yards in the Cards’ 34-0 setback — Pine Grove’s third straight loss. Junior Mason Kroh, who had been the starter at QB, moved to the flanks and caught several Lengle passes. Dalton Geesey also was involved, catching several balls as well.
Gaffney’s bunch also picked up 100 rushing yards on 16 carries from sophomore Lane Lehman. … Uncorking its most efficient outing in last week’s conquest of Pine Grove — 217 yards rushing and 219 through the air — Tri-Valley (3-0) is dealing with a COVID-19 flareup, and that means Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs will not meet Shenandoah Valley. Senior quarterback Jonas McGrath was 10-for-16 passing for 219 yards, with TD passes going to Jake Tietsworth, Layne Yoder and Levi Murray. Yoder was McGrath’s favorite target, catching five passes for 109 yards.
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.
1. UD rebounds nicely on Homecoming Night
With junior Brady Morgan darting all over the place, Upper Dauphin erupted early and tacked on a third score late in its 22-14 triumph over Trinity. Morgan rushed 17 times for 202 yards and banked all three touchdowns as Kent Smelt’s Trojans (2-1) rebounded from their 20-0 loss to Juniata by claiming the Mid-Penn crossover.
Although Morgan scored twice before the break to give UD a 16-0 advantage, Jordan Hill’s Shamrocks (1-1) were able to pull within a deuce (16-14) in the second half. Morgan, though, was able to break off a 30-yard score with just less than 4:30 to go to put the contest away. Christian Snyder added 77 yards on 17 carries for Smeltz’s Trojans, who rang up 350-plus rushing yards against their Mid-Penn Capital adversary. Morgan also caught two passes for 14 yards and swiped a Trinity pass attempt, returning it 8 yards.
Juniata’s Caleb Smith rushes against West Perry Friday night in Elliottsburg. (Adam Kulikowski/4th Down)
2. Breaks, breaks and more breaks
Although Juniata (2-1) zipped to a 14-0 lead at West Perry, the Mustangs collected 25 unanswered and walked off with a 25-14 victory. Compounding Juniata’s issues was Kurt Condo’s club watched senior quarterback Jacob Condo leave the game with a broken collarbone. The younger Condo limped off one week earlier with a lower leg injury, giving way to Aaron Kanagy before returning when Juniata unveiled its Victory formation at the tail end of a 20-0 whitewash of Upper Dauphin. … As if getting humbled 68-7 Saturday at Steel-High wasn’t difficult enough to absorb, Newport quarterback Andrew Bates was forced to the sidelines by an apparent fractured wrist.
The Buffaloes (1-2) will try to halt their two-game skid when they visit Middletown (1-1) in yet another Mid-Penn crossover. … While Line Mountain (0-3) was showing signs of shucking its offensive struggles, Brandon Carson’s Eagles will be idle this week since their Mid-Penn crossover at unbeaten Boiling Springs has been shelved. What hasn’t changed since the opening week has been the Eagles’ passionate play on the defensive side of the football. Sophomore linebacker Chandon Maurer and Beau Keim, his counterpart on the inside, combined to make 26 tackles in a 28-6 loss to Middletown. Keim also registered three tackles for loss and two sacks. Senior defensive end Wyatt Shaffer also played really well, totaling 13 stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.
Susquenita looking to remain perfect
Still flashing huge grins following its come-from-behind 39-34 victory over Camp Hill, Susquenita will try to make it three in a tow when it visits Big Spring. Sophomore QB Derek Gibney was sensational in the Blackhawks’ win, throwing for 163 yards (10-for-22, 2 touchdowns) and rushing for 108 more (11 carries, 2 scores).
Halifax looking to halt skid; JB welcomes Maryland side
Halifax (0-3) hopes to bring an end to its season-opening slide Friday night, when Earl Mosley’s Wildcats take on Trinity (1-1) in a Mid-Penn crossover. Halifax picked up five more receptions in its 63-13 loss to Big Spring from sophomore wideout Peter Ranck. … James Buchanan (1-2) will try to get back in a winning frame of mind when Cliff Pine’s Rockets host Baltimore’s Green Street Academy. JB was thumped 53-8 by Boiling Springs. The Bubblers owned a 47-0 lead at halftime.
