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.

Commonwealth Division

A week of big games

This is marquee matchup week in the Commonwealth. And it’s not just about one game, either. I see two games on the slate that fit the bill for me as elite games. The headliner, obviously, is CD East paying a visit to Severance Field to face Harrisburg. Combined, the Panthers and Cougars are 10-2 overall with a non-conference loss. Neither has lost in the division, so there’s that underlying factor, as well.

What strikes me more than anything is how similar these two clubs are in 2021. They don’t boast run-it-up-on-the-scoreboard offenses, but they have enough zip and bite to make it difficult to defend. They are physical up front and defense has been a staple all season. Points will be very hard to come by.

Don’t sleep on the Central Dauphin at Carlisle game. This one has the potential to be sneaky good. The Rams are the favorite and are playing their best football of the season. Carlisle has learned a lot about what they can do and who they are the last three weeks.

Eagles getting their wings

There’s a very good argument to be made that Cumberland Valley played its best game of the season last week and lost to CD East. The Eagles are finding their way, and to have any shot at finishing .500 or better in order to take that next step forward CV needs to take out State College at home.

This won’t be an easy task, but it feels like the Eagles are in a good spot for this matchup. They still have Harrisburg and Central Dauphin left on their schedule, so this one is a must-have.

RECORDS (Week 6 — Overall — Perfect Picks):

Andy Shay: 19-1 — 113-32 — 0

Andy Sandrik: 19-1 — 105-40 — 0

Geoff Morrow: 17-3 — 102-43 — 3

Adam Kulikowski: 17-3 — 97-48 — 1

Friday

Big Spring 42, Camp Hill 7

Andy Shay: Big Spring 38, Camp Hill 14: The Bulldogs have evolved into a handful offensively and are feeling very confident in the direction they are headed. Lions just don’t have enough pieces to keep pace.

Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 50, Camp Hill 22: The Lions won by two touchdowns in last year’s meeting, but the Bulldogs are lining up 60-somethings like a 4:30 p.m. dinner buffet. Plus Big Spring is about to enter a hellish three-week stretch, so a solid result is mandatory here.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 44, Camp Hill 21: Points have been remarkably easy to come by for the Bulldogs, who have put up 60 in three straight games. That trend ends this week, but Big Spring still returns to Newville with its fourth straight win.

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 45, Camp Hill 24: Hey, it isn’t a 60-spot, but the Bulldogs’ offense is going to eat well again Friday night.

Bishop McDevitt 66, Lower Dauphin 7

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 49, Lower Dauphin 7: The Falcons have moved the needle forward lately, but this is a different type of ask. Crusaders are averaging more than 10 yards per play this season.

Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 46, Lower Dauphin 6: Since 2008, the Crusaders have simply dominated the Falcons, winning all 13 meetings, including the last five by an average score of 45-13. Meanwhile, since a Week 1 humbling by powerhouse La Salle College, McD has outscored three foes 193-14.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 44, Lower Dauphin 7: Coach Borelli at LD has done a great job of bringing the best out of his team while also disguising weaknesses. It’s going to be a tough game for the Falcons this week, but that has more to do with their high-powered opponent.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 37, Lower Dauphin 7: Bishop McDevitt’s Stone Saunders has a QB rating of 138.8 — as a freshman with 13 TDs and a goose egg in the INT column. Yep, he’s going to be pretty good.

Central Dauphin 42, State College 21

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 31, State College 17: Nice to see the Rams’ offense come off the COVID-19 list and show more purpose and pop than it has all season. That might be a warning shot, too. Little Lions will need to show more firepower offensively than a week ago to keep up.

Geoff Morrow: Central Dauphin 38, State College 17: Rams have actually dominated the last two meetings, and I have no reason to believe the Little Lions can change that pattern, even at home. Noteworthy: With a loss here, State High is essentially out of the Commonwealth race, which is a rarity for the Lions this early in a season.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 44, State College 13: We were a little concerned about the Rams after two weeks away from football, but it turns out they were just well off enough to put up a 50-spot against Chambersburg. Road trips to SC are always hard, but I think CD is up for the challenge.

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 34, State College 21: Coach Mac and the Rams sure made the most of their mid-season COVID-forced hiatus, unleashing Max Mosey to drop 50 on Chambersburg. Tougher test on tap this week against State College.

Carlisle 34, Chambersburg 7

Andy Shay: Carlisle 34, Chambersburg 29: I don’t think that three-game winning streak to start the season was a mirage for the Thundering Herd. This game is a tight squeeze all the way, but points will be had.

Geoff Morrow: Carlisle 33, Chambersburg 20: Both teams have lost to Commonwealth royalty over the previous two weeks, so this is a chance for each to regroup and get back on the winning track. I just feel the Herd are a bit stronger this season. 

Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 36, Chambersburg 27: The Thundering Herd still have a chance to make this a memorable season, but snapping a two-game losing streak against Chambersburg is never an easy ask in this rivalry.

Adam Kulikowski: Chambersburg 28, Carlisle 27: Forcing Carlisle to rely on its aerial attack should be the focal point of the Trojans’ game plan — anything to get the ball out of the hand of the dynamic Ezeekai Thomas.

CD East 17, Cumberland Valley 10

Andy Shay: CD East 27, Cumberland Valley 13: The Panthers’ defense eliminates the run game and forces offenses to be one dimensional. Eagles are more balanced, but there will be a lot on the QB’s plate in this one. CD East has been extremely balanced overall, and that’s a big key here.

Geoff Morrow: CD East 33, Cumberland Valley 14: Shout-out to Panthers assistant Jameel Poteat, who at this time last year was helping my wife and I finalize our house-buying process while simultaneously struggling through a winless CD East campaign, including a gut-wrenching 7-6 loss to CV. Poteat is one of those dudes who works hard at everything and hates to lose, and I know this season feels good to him and all the deserving Panthers. I think East gets its first win vs. CV since 2014, and I don’t think it’s particularly close, so long as Harrisburg on the horizon isn’t distracting.

Andy Sandrik: CD East 13, Cumberland Valley 7: Both teams have been trending up for weeks, but someone finally has to lose this Friday. I’m still not sure which way this one goes, but I have a good feeling about taking the under.

Adam Kulikowski: CD East  21, Cumberland Valley 14: This is shaping up to be one of those storybook years for the Panthers and first-year head coach Lance Deane. Good vibes keep rolling in Week 6. And for folks curious about the Eagles donning their black pants last week against Altoona — a kit traditionally held for playoff bouts — Coach Oz confirmed that it was in tribute to Tim Rimpfel.

Waynesboro 28, Greencastle-Antrim 14

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 28, Greencastle-Antrim 24: I thought about this one for a long, long time. I believe the Blue Devils can win this game. It’s a toss-up in my book. Going to give the Indians the respect they’ve earned. G-A has to win one of these games, right?

Geoff Morrow: Waynesboro 28, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Though I wasn’t surprised to learn Franklin County is named after Ben Franklin — I was kinda hoping it was Aretha Franklin — I absolutely WAS surprised to learn the county was previously part of Lancaster, York and Cumberland counties before earning its own distinction in the late 1700s, back when former 4th Down picker Jeff Dewees was editor of the Chambersburg Daily.

Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 33, Greencastle-Antrim 22: The Indians were flat in a high-stakes game against Shippensburg last week. Now they find themselves in somewhat of a must-win against an upstart G-A squad perfectly equipped to snap an eight-game losing streak to the ‘Boro.

Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 24, Waynesboro 21: This might be one of the best matchups on the slate. Watching the Blue Devils battle East Penn two weeks ago tells me they have the potential to pull off the upset.

Juniata 37, Halifax 6

Andy Shay: Juniata 28, Halifax 0: How about that win for the Indians in Week 5? That’s next-level stuff defensively. The train keeps rolling for Juniata in this one.

Geoff Morrow: Juniata 30, Halifax 6: Indians have posted a couple of baseball-score victories, including last week’s 8-7 triumph over Middletown that I dang near predicted. (I was so mad at myself for not committing to the upset!) Doubtful this final score resembles a baseball result.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 27, Halifax 7: Teams that lose their starting QB for the season often quit, but not these Indians, who seem to be playing even harder after their field general went down.

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata 40, Halifax 14: That Inidans’ defense has plenty of chops to cause havoc for the gritty Wildcats. Can Halifax offer enough defense to keep this one close?

Harrisburg 31, Altoona 0

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 28, Altoona 7: Mountain Lions are good up front defensively, and their run game is functional. Just too one-dimensional for the Cougars, who are taking care of business in efficient order.

Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 44, Altoona 19: Covering the six most recent meetings between these schools, dating to 2005 but including battles in 2018 and ‘19, the Cougars have THOROUGHLY DOMINATED the Mountain Lions by a combined score of 334-44. Don’t think this one will fit into that mercy-rule mold, though I still think Harrisburg wins handily — so long as they don’t start looking ahead to CD East next weekend. (Same warning given to Panthers up above.)

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 33, Altoona 12: Two straight losses for Altoona, which isn’t ever the way you want to go against the Harrisburg Cougars.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 34, Altoona 27: This might be the quickest game of the Week 6 slate with both teams likely to focus heavily on the run. Give me Kyle Williams as the X-factor.

Cedar Cliff 28, Hershey 7

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 33, Hershey 7: Are the Colts a running team now? Just asking the question. I still see plenty of balance in this offense. Riding a hot RB is never a bad thing.

Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 35, Hershey 6: If you’re the Colts, you take care of business here and start preparing for next weekend’s showdown at Bishop McDevitt. Trojans just don’t have the offense to compete right now.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 24, Hershey 7: The Trojans’ defense can only keep these games close for so long before the offense needs to start catching up.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 30, Hershey 20: Jontae Morris sure looks like he is fully back from an ACL injury that stole his 2020 campaign. Also looks like the reins are off as the Colts prep for the stretch run.

Tri-Valley 53, Marian Catholic 0

Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 34, Marian Catholic 6: Pretty clear Marian is struggling this season, particularly on offense where points have been hard to come by. And the Bulldogs’ defense is no slouch, either.

Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 35, Marian Catholic 0: The perfect tonic for getting over a somewhat surprising and thorough loss to Hamburg is welcoming an 0-5 team that doesn’t seem to know where the end zone is located.

Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 28, Marian Catholic 0: Tri-Valley can’t be happy with the way things slipped away against Hamburg last week. That’s not good news for Marian Catholic, which struggles enough on offense without an angry Bulldogs defense breathing down its neck.

Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 45, Marian Catholic 7: The gents from Tamaqua (I love to say that town’s name!) have posted just 21 points all season. That’s just not enough production to get past the Bulldogs. 

Milton Hershey 34, Mifflin County 30

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 28, Mifflin County 14: See how the Spartans respond to being upset victims. One bad quarter will torpedo most teams. This is a good opponent to find that winning feeling again.

Geoff Morrow: Milton Hershey 29, Mifflin County 7: The Huskies have scored 11 points in five games. That’s an ugly stat even if you’re talking about ice hockey.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 32, Mifflin County 6: For all their recent struggles, the Spartans have at least been competitive throughout the season. The same can’t be said for MiffCo, which hasn’t scored six points in a game since Week 1.

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 45, Mifflin County 7: Many would call what happened to the Spartans last week against Palmyra an upset. No such words will be uttered this week.

Williams Valley 44, Panther Valley 14

Andy Shay: Williams Valley 42, Panther Valley 6: The Vikings are not a high-wire act anymore on offense, but they are efficient enough to be 4-1. Panther Valley has scored one touchdown in 12 quarters and is winless.

Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 43, Panther Valley 0: The Panther Valley Panthers will pose minimal risk to the Williams Valley Williamses.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 35, Panther Valley 6: The Vikings have often had to struggle for their 4-1 record, but win No. 5 should be their easiest get of the season so far.

Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 31, Panther Valley 7: Vikings are a little beat up right now, but who isn’t heading into Week 6? Plenty in the cupboard to get the ‘W’ and move on.

Minersville 28, Pine Grove 14

Andy Shay: Minersville 20, Pine Grove 14: Two losses by a touchdown and another by two scores. PG is in almost every game. Just feel Minersville has enough in the tank to get three or more scores.

Geoff Morrow: Minersville 25, Pine Grove 14: Bounce-back time for the Miners, who two weeks ago put a hurtin’ on Williams Valley. Cardinals aren’t pushovers, but they need to show they can win close games.

Andy Sandrik: Minersville 28, Pine Grove 7: Points seem to come a lot easier for the Battlin’ Miners, but the score could be closer if Pine Grove’s defense turns in another stingy effort.

Adam Kulikowski: Minersville 34, Pine Grove 24: The Battlin’ Miners have no qualms tossing the pigskin around. Senior QB John Adams already has more than 1,200 passing yards with just 3 picks. That’s the steady hand that could cause problems for the Cardinals.

Palmyra 48, Red Land 41

Andy Shay: Red Land 27, Palmyra 23: The trendy pick here is to go with the hot team, and that would be the Cougars. I’m going with the Patriots because … well, because I can. This is a “feel” pick for sure.

Geoff Morrow: Red Land 21, Palmyra 14: Definitely among the toughest games to pick this week. Here are two teams with minimal playoff hopes but with enough moxie to play disruptor. But what happens when the disruptors face each other? Patriots have fewer wins, but they’ve been the more consistent side. I guess that’s why I’ll pick ‘em.

Andy Sandrik: Palmyra 18, Red Land 14: Palmyra hit a major level-up last week during an impressive win over Milton Hershey. Now the Cougars have a really good opportunity to nail down their third win.

Adam Kulikowski: Red Land 28, Palmyra 14: To me, having the more established QB is key in this matchup. That checks the box next to Roman Jensen and the Patriots. 

Shippensburg 27, Mechanicsburg 7

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 33, Mechanicsburg 17: Greyhounds are more balanced, and that makes them more difficult to beat. Both sides of the ball are carrying equal weight. Wildcats will hang around, but over 48 minutes you have to lean toward Ship.

Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 27, Shippensburg 21: Color me naive, but this feels like a potential trap for the Greyhounds. Despite last week’s surprising loss to West Perry, the Wildcats are solid and formidable, especially at home. And maybe, just maybe, Ship will be carrying a bit too much swagger into this game after handling Waynesboro with relative ease last week.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Mechanicsburg 14: I wasn’t sure what to make of the Hounds’ quick start considering their strength of schedule, but Ship’s decisive win over Waynesboro last week tells me Eric Foust’s boys just might be the team to beat in the Colonial.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 35, Mechanicsburg 28: Shippensburg skipper Eric Foust was confident his team could claim another Colonial Division title. Easy to see why with the way this Greyhounds squad has improved each week.

East Pennsboro 21, Susquehanna Township 14

Andy Shay: East Pennsboro 28, Susquehanna Township 7: Not sure what to expect from the Panthers week-to-week. Inconsistent would be a phrase that comes to mind right away. Chance to steer the ship back on course. ‘Hanna is struggling.

Geoff Morrow: East Pennsboro 27, Susquehanna Township 20: All of Susquehanna’s foes from here on out currently boast winning records. While that might seem to spell doom for an 0-5 team, I see signs of improvement. If they’re not careful, the talented but unreliable Panthers could be victimized.

Andy Sandrik: East Pennsboro 36, Susquehanna Township 14: It’s a good thing I have a lot of hair, because I’ve been pulling it out all season trying to pick Panthers games. Township has been suspect on both sides of the ball, so I’m giving EP the nod.

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 21, Susquehanna Township 14: Ditto to the comments from my compadres above regarding the Panthers. They are the Colonial’s box of chocolates.

Boiling Springs 43, Trinity 7

Andy Shay: Boiling Springs 34, Trinity 20: This will be a full metal jacket test for the T-Rocks and that 3-1 record. Something tells me the Bubblers are going to get pushed as well, though. Dandy matchup.

Geoff Morrow: Trinity 39, Boiling Springs 37: Here you have two clearly impressive teams that are a combined 7-2; however, what stands out to me is the losses by both teams are really the only closely contested games they’ve played. Which tells me both have talent, but both need to prove they can win playoff-type games. It’s one thing to rock overpowered foes to sleep; it’s something else to walk away victorious from a 48-minute grind. I’m going Shamrocks because I think they have slightly less pressure on them.

Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 28, Trinity 17: This is a rivalry game that each team fully expects to win. I think Boiling Springs has been a little more tested up to this point, and that makes a difference in a hard-hitting, four-quarter game.

Adam Kulikowski: Boiling Springs 31, Trinity 21: This is a physical test for the Shamrocks — one that I’m not sure they have faced yet this year. How do they respond to that first shot to the jaw?

Upper Dauphin 36, Line Mountain 6

Andy Shay: Upper Dauphin 32, Line Mountain 7: Trojans are coming off a COVID-19 bye and will have plenty of gas in the tank to make it a struggle for the Eagles to keep up.

Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 33, Line Mountain 10: While it was good to see the Eagles score a few touchdowns last week, they still haven’t matched through four games this year (29 points) what they easily surpassed in last week’s victory over the Trojans (46 points). Honestly, UD seems like its next level this season anyway.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 34, Line Mountain 7: I was sad to see UD’s game against Steel-High get canceled last week. I know a win wasn’t in the cards, but the Trojans have been hitting hard this season and have certainly established themselves as a team to beat in the Liberty.

Adam Kulikowski: Upper Dauphin, 37, Line Mountain 14: The Trojans return from a COVID-forced pause. This was a team just starting to hit its stride before said pause.

Northern York 31, West Perry 14

Andy Shay: Northern York 28, West Perry 20: Of course I’m going to continue to pick the Mustangs to lose these tape-measure games. I don’t mind being wrong again, either. Just think the Northern defense has a say in this outcome.

Geoff Morrow: Northern York 28, West Perry 27 (OT): Both programs have been especially difficult to judge this year, which of course makes it fun. I was the only one here to call the Polar Bears’ win over East Penn, but NOBODY saw something like 28-2 coming. Similarly, none of us gave the Mustangs a chance to beat Mechanicsburg. If I was picking one game to watch as a fan this week, this would be it.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 17, Northern 10: No one expected WP to beat Mechanicsburg last week, and folks are going to be just as surprised when the Mustangs ride victorious back to Perry County on Friday.

Adam Kulikowski: Northern York 24, West Perry 21: I haven’t been able to peg West Perry all year, so the Mustangs likely walk away from this one on top. Just saying!

Saturday

Steel-High 26, Middletown 0

Andy Shay: Steel-High 40, Middletown 13: Two ships going in different directions. Rollers are coming off a COVID-19 bye, and the Blue Raiders suffered a monster upset loss to Juniata. Is there a chance for a course correction in 2021 on Cottage Hill? I just don’t see it.

Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 55, Middletown 21: “Steamrollers” is an appropriate name for what Steel-High is doing to its overmatched foes this year. Middletown has better pedigree than previous S-H opponents, but there isn’t enough offense there to counterpunch. Only reason I’m giving the Raiders 21 is I figure there’s a late-game touchdown or two once the result is no longer in doubt.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 45, Middletown 17: Not sure how this game goes any other way than a Rollers blowout.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 54, Middletown 14: I’m just not sure anyone has the right counter punch for this Rollers team at the moment.

CANCELED: Susquenita at Newport; James Buchanan at Maryland School for the Deaf.

Five-star performance

In this section, we’ll feature one former Mid-Penn player who had a particularly impressive week in college football.

Millersville running back Jaheim Morris (Cedar Cliff) scored the game-winning touchdown in the Marauders’ 31-29 comeback win over Lock Haven this weekend.

The touchdown, which came with 3:58 left in the game from a yard out, ended a two-game losing streak.

Morris, a standout with the Colts in high school who set the career rushing record there, had a season-best performance Saturday. He led the team with 95 yards on 17 carries, and had three receptions for 18 yards, in a 31-29 win over Lock Haven.

For the season, the redshirt freshman now has 40 carries, 141 rushing yards, two touchdowns and six grabs for 30 yards. 

CV grad Tim Kissinger drilled a 31-yard field goal in the win and made two of his four PAT attempts.

In on the action

In this section, we’ll list off some of the performances from former Mid-Penn players now in the college ranks

Shippensburg High grad Cody Gustafson caught nine passes for 135 yards and a 57-yard touchdown as Grove City College beat Waynesburg 38-0.

Grant Breneman (Cedar Cliff) was in the midst of a second consecutive good game before an injury knocked him out of Colgate’s 38-21 win over Georgetown. Breneman’s day ended with 173 yards and a first-quarter TD on 13 of 17 passing, plus 11 carries for 36 yards.

State College product Keaton Ellis had a tackle in Penn State’s fifth straight victory, a 24-0 shutout of visiting Indiana.

Camp Hill alumnus Zack Kuntz caught eight passes for 54 yards in Old Dominion’s 28-21 loss to UTEP. ODU fell to 1-4. Joe Joe Headen (Bishop McDevitt) had a pass breakup in the loss.

Grant Smith (Central Dauphin) caught a pair of passes, including a 10-yard, second-quarter touchdown in IUP’s 28-23 win over Gannon in PSAC action. Chambersburg grad Tyler Luther made all four PATs.

Defensive lineman A.J. Perez (Central Dauphin) had a tackle in West Chester’s 21-20 win over Bloomsburg, the Golden Rams’ fourth straight victory, as did Stone Huffman (Cumberland Valley), a redshirt freshman tight end.

Slippery Rock’s Devyn Clair (Bishop McDevitt) had three tackles in the Rock’s blowout 75-0 win over Clarion to improve to 5-0.

Donte Kent (Harrisburg) had three tackles in Central Michigan’s 28-17 loss to Miami (Ohio).

Another former Cougar, Texas A&M’s Andre White Jr. had a season-high eight tackles (five solo), third on the team, in a 26-22 loss to Mississippi State.

And Ronald Kent Jr. (Harrisburg) had three tackles in Western Carolina’s 45-17 loss to Chattanooga.

Bill Williams (Camp Hill) ran 10 times for 29 yards, had a 6-yard reception and recorded a tackle in Shippensburg University’s 59-27loss to Shepherd, the Red Raiders’ first loss of the season. Lower Dauphin product Evan Morrill had three grabs for 25 yards in the loss, and defensive tackle Laron Woody (Middletown) had two tackles.

Statistics unavailable for Carlisle, Chambersburg, Lower Dauphin, Milton hershey, Greencastle-Antrim, Mechanicsburg, Susquehanna Twp., West Perry, Pine Grove,

Did not play: Newport, Susquenita, and James Buchanan

Passing (Com-Att-INTs-Yards)

Stone Saunders, Bishop McDevitt: 9-11-0-278, 4 touchdowns

Roman Jensen, Red Land: 16-31-0-264, 2 touchdowns

Alex Erby, Steel-High: 19-37-1-259, 3 touchdowns

Max Mosey, Central Dauphin: 13-23-1-231, 3 touchdowns

Tucker Chamberlin, Shippensburg: 12-16-0-227, 3 touchdowns

Jared Lyons, Mifflin County: 11-21-1-224, 3 touchdowns

Ethan Eisenberg, Big Spring: 8-11-0-218, 3 touchdowns

Timothy Bonin, Northern: 9-14-0-201, 3 touchdowns

Peyton Shore, Camp Hill; 17-35-3-199, 3 touchdowns

Blake Readinger, Line Mountain: 13-27-2-184, 1 touchdown

Zakii Lewis, Harrisburg: 16-19-1-178, 1 touchdown

Jack Morris, State College: 9-24-1-153, 2 touchdowns

Jordan Washier, Palmyra: 9-15-0-148, 2 touchdowns

Isaac Whiteash, Williams Valley: 8-15-1-140, 2 touchdowns

Isaac Sines, Cumberland Valley: 12-25-1-128, 1 touchdown

Rushing (Att-Yards)

Alex Achenbach, Williams Valley: 21-328, 4 touchdowns

Jack Laing, Boiling Springs: 8-183, 4 touchdowns

Aidan Mencia, Waynesboro: 17-160, 1 touchdown

Brady Morgan, Upper Dauphin: 18-154, 2 touchdowns

Marquise Williams, Bishop McDevitt: 6-153, 3 touchdowns

Jontae Morris, Cedar Cliff: 22-152, 3 touchdowns

Daivin Pryor, Steel-High: 23-136, 1 touchdown

Parker Lawler, Red Land: 11-125, 2 touchdowns

Cyncir Bowers, Bishop McDevitt: 8-121, 1 touchdown

Christian Snyder, Upper Dauphin: 20-120, 1 touchdown

Devin Shepherd, East Pennsboro: 19-119, 1 touchdown

Marcel McDaniels, CD East: 30-107

Trenten Smith, Cedar Cliff: 5-99

Cole Bartram, Northern: 24-93

Sy Burgos, East Pennsboro: 11-93, 2 touchdowns

Mikel Holden, Waynesboro: 19-89, 1 touchdown

Joey Menke, Boiling Springs: 11-89, 1 touchdown

Aidan Metzger, Boiling Springs: 15-88

Max Schlagel, Trinity: 10-87, 1 touchdown

Richie Kowalski, Palmyra: 23-82, 2 touchdowns

Dillion Wakefield, Big Spring: 14-80, 1 touchdown

Trent Herrera, West Perry: 8-80, 1 touchdown

Maurice Collins, Hershey: 14-78

Brady Evans, Williams Valley: 5-75, 2 touchdowns

Nathan Beam, Shippensburg: 14-75

Kyle Williams, Harrisburg: 6-75

Receiving (Rec-Yards)

Isaac Wilson, Mifflin County: 8-210, 3 touchdowns

Logan Schmidt, Big Spring: 2-154, 2 touchdowns

Erby Weller, Shippensburg: 8-127, 2 touchdowns

Parker Lawler, Red Land: 7-126, 2 touchdowns

Mario Easterly, Bishop McDevitt: 4-120, 2 touchdowns

Aidan Herb, Line Mountain; 5-115, 1 touchdown

Tyrone Moore, Steel-High: 9-113, 1 touchdown

Sam Sklar, Red Land: 4-94, 1 touchdown

Justin Cook, Harrisburg: 7-94

Mason Yohn, Northern: 2-89 

Christian Doi, Camp Hill: 8-87, 1 touchdown

Peter Ranck, Halifax: 3-80, 1 touchdown

Durrell Ceasar Jr., Steel-High: 5-80, 1 touchdown

Kamil Foster, Bishop McDevitt: 2-75

Jacob Diemling, Palmyra: 2-74

David Chase, Central Dauphin: 2-70, 1 touchdown

Jaeion Perry, Steel-High: 5-66

Branden Price, State College: 4-61

We’re taking a look around our coverage area to see who helped themselves this week and who did not as we move into Week No. 7 of the high school football season.  

STOCK UP

A refreshed Central Dauphin:

Central Dauphin comes off a COVID-19 pause of two weeks and doesn’t play a game for 21 days and answers the bell with 92 total points in two road games at Chambersburg and at State College. For the Rams it’s almost like the first two weeks didn’t happen.

They in almost no way, shape or form resemble the team that was 1-1 and somewhat fortunate to have a win under their belt when COVID-19 knocked them off the radar. This offense is now a problem for the entire Commonwealth and District 3 Class 6A field.

No cruise control in Week 7 for Bishop McDevitt:

An opponent for Bishop McDevitt, in this case Cedar Cliff, that actually has the capacity to punch back. It’s been so long for the Crusaders since anybody offered anything more than a controlled scrimmage – see the 259-21 the combined score of their last four games as Exhibit A. The Colts have nowhere near the talent level and depth of McDevitt.

And I’m pretty sure that’s just how Cedar Cliff wants it. The more established ground game over the last couple weeks could be a ball-control solution to keeping the lethal McD offense off the field. To know early in the week it won’t be 66-7 again this week is refreshing.

A balanced Mid-Penn Conference:

You look at the scores week-to-week and the inclination is to think there is a major gap between the haves and have nots in the Mid-Penn Conference. I mean there are some major blowouts on a weekly basis. But the reality is those are only small pockets of teams that are struggling big-time. For the most part, the conference has great balance.

We are heading into the final month and eight of nine teams in the Commonwealth, seven of eight squads in the Colonial and all six of the residents in the Capital have a .500 record or better after six weeks. That surprised me a bit when I did the research. I, too, thought the gap was much bigger.

STOCK DOWN

Warmer weather a trend continuing:

For those of you who love the season change and that transition on Friday night to cooler weather and the chill in the air are going to have to wait. The warm days are staying around longer this season. Each of the next two Fridays are expected to be in the mid-70s. That puts us in Week 8 for maybe the first chance of needing to break out the jacket and an extra layer. And they say global warming isn’t real.

Down year for some proud programs:

The Liberty Division is laced with proud small-town football schools from the once tradition-rich Tri-Valley League. They would put on a small-school football show pretty much on an annual basis.

This just isn’t the case in 2021. Names like Line Mountain, Halifax and Newport are ones we’ve all come to know and respect for not only their championship pedigree when they were elite, but also playing at a high level even when the talent pool was a wee bit light.

It’s a struggle in 2021. Juniata, who lost its most valuable offensive weapon to an injury for the season, might claim the top spot and the previously mentioned trio of schools is a combined 2-13 overall. Hope this is just a down year and not a trend.

Class 6A — Record — Previous rank 

1. La Salle College HS (12)       — 6-0   — 3 

2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7)               — 5-1   — 2 

3. North Penn (1)                    — 6-0   — 5 

4. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)          — 2-2   — 1 

5. Central York (3)                   — 5-0   — 4 

6. Mount Lebanon (7)             — 6-0   — 6 

7. Garnet Valley (1)                 — 6-0   — 7 

8. Harrisburg (3)                     — 5-1   — 8 

9. CD East (3)                          — 5-1   — 9 

10. McDowell (10)                  — 5-0   — NR 

Teams to watch: Archbishop Wood (12) 4-2, Emmaus (11) 5-1, Parkland (11) 4-1, Quakertown (1) 6-0, York High (3) 4-1. 

Class 5A — Record — Previous rank 

1. Governor Mifflin (3)            — 5-0   — 1 

2. Imhotep Charter (12)          — 4-1   — 2 

3. Moon (7)                             — 6-0   — 5 

4. Cathedral Prep (10)            — 5-1   — 3 

5. Academy Park (1)                — 4-1   — 4 

6. Chester (1)                          — 6-0   — NR 

7. Manheim Central (3)          — 5-1   — 6 

8. Whitehall (11)                     — 3-2   — 7 

9. Shippensburg (3)                — 6-0   — NR 

10. Unionville (1)                    — 5-1   — 9 

Teams to watch: Cedar Cliff (3) 5-1, Pine-Richland (7) 3-3, South Fayette (7) 4-2, Spring Grove (3) 5-0, West Chester Rustin (1) 4-1.  

Class 4A — Record — Previous rank 

1. Jersey Shore (4)                  — 6-0   — 1 

2. Belle Vernon (7)                  — 5-0   — 2 

3. Thomas Jefferson (7)          — 3-1   — 3 

4. Bishop McDevitt (3)            — 4-1   — 4 

5. Valley View (2)                    — 6-0   — 5 

6. Aliquippa (7)                       — 4-1   — 6 

7. Northwestern Lehigh (11)  — 6-0   — 8 

8. McKeesport (7)                   — 5-1   — 9 

9. Berks Catholic (3)                — 4-2   — 10 

10. Pottsville (11)                    — 5-1   — NR 

Teams to watch: Allentown C.C. (11) 4-2, Bishop Shanahan (1) 5-1, Hampton (7) 6-0, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 5-1, Pope John Paul II (1) 4-2. 

Class 3A — Record — Previous rank 

1. North Schuylkill (11)           — 6-0   — 1 

2. Central Valley (7)                — 6-0   — 2 

3. Wyomissing (3)                   — 6-0   — 3 

4. Notre Dame-GP (11)           — 5-0   — 4 

5. Scranton Prep (2)                — 5-0   — 5 

6. Bedford (5)                          — 6-0   — 6 

7. Central Martinsburg (6)      — 6-0   — 7 

8. Neumann-Goretti (12)        — 4-1   — 8 

9. North Catholic (7)               — 6-0   — 9 

10. Clearfield (9)                     — 6-0   — 10 

Teams to watch: Avonworth (7) 5-1, Boiling Springs (3) 5-1, Danville (4) 5-1, Lakeland (2) 5-1, Wyoming Area (2) 5-1. 

Class 2A — Record — Previous rank  

1. Farrell (10)                          — 4-0   — 2 

2. Southern Columbia (4)        — 5-1   — 1 

3. Sto-Rox (7)                          — 6-0   — 3 

4. Washington (7)                   — 6-0   — 4 

5. Bellwood-Antis (6)              — 6-0   — 6 

6. Serra Catholic (7)                — 5-0   — 8 

7. Windber (5)                         — 6-0   — 7 

8. Wilmington (10)                  — 4-1   — 9 

9. Richland Township (6)        — 4-2   — 5 

10. York Catholic (3)               — 4-0   — 10 

Teams to watch: Bald Eagle Area (6) 5-1, Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 6-0, Karns City (9) 5-1, Laurel  (7) 6-0, Steel Valley (7) 5-0. 

Class 1A — Record — Previous rank  

1. Steelton-Highspire (3)         — 5-0   — 1 

2. Old Forge (2)                       — 5-0   — 2 

3. Muncy (4)                            — 5-1   — 3 

4. Canton (4)                           — 6-0   — 4 

5. Redbank Valley (9)             — 5-1   — 5 

6. Juniata Valley (6)                — 5-0   — 6 

7. Portage (6)                          — 6-0   — 8 

8. Tri-Valley (11)                     — 4-1   — 9 

9. Homer-Center (6)               — 5-1   — 10 

10. Rochester (7)                    — 4-1   — NR 

Teams to watch: Bishop Canevin (7) 5-1, Clairton (7) 3-2, Keystone (9) 5-0, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (7) 4-1, Smethport (9) 5-1, Williams Valley (11) 5-1.