Season Standings:

Name: Week 1; Overall

Andy Shay 21-8; 21-8

Adam Kulikowski 18-11; 18-11

Andy Sandrik 17-12; 17-12

Week 2: 

Thursday, August 28

Steel-High 18, Juniata 14:

Andy Shay: Juniata 27, Steel-High 19: First crack for the Rollers this season, while the Indians have already been through an all-out battle to get a victory. Sticky game to pick, but Juniata won’t be overpowered on any front and that matters.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 21, Steel-High 14: This is a risky pick on my part because Steel-High is projected to have a really nice team this season. However, the Rollers didn’t have a Week 1 game, while Juniata carved out a defensive-minded victory over a tough Selinsgrove team. The rhythm built from those varsity reps – along with having Jasper Shepps on the roster – will make the difference for the Indians.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 28, Juniata 21: Both teams possess the pedigree needed to end on the right side of this one. Rollers have been prepping for Juniata for two weeks now. They will be ready in what is their season opener.

Friday, August 29

Cedar Cliff 26, Central Dauphin 7

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 27, Cedar Cliff 7: Couple of squads looking to crack the “W” ledger side of the standings. Feels like the Rams are in a much better spot after four quarters of season. 

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 20, Cedar Cliff 13: Rams are in a great spot to send Cedar Cliff to an 0-2 start.

Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 28, Cedar Cliff 14: The Rams have an opportunity to put the Colts in a position they haven’t been in since 2008–0-2 to start the season. 

Cumberland Valley 35, Carlisle 0

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 23, Carlisle 6: So what will we learn about these two offenses when they take another bite of the apple? First crack was less than stellar for sure.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 25, Carlisle 0: The Eagles have plenty of work to do to get their offense on track, but they should have opportunities thanks to a stalwart defense that showed its chops by holding District 3 power Manheim Township to a single TD in Week 1.

Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 37, Carlisle 6: Neither team produced much on offense in Week 1 with a combined seven points scored among these Commonwealth teams. Eagles are poised to turn the page. 

Chambersburg 26, CD East 21

Andy Shay: Chambersburg 28, CD East 19: One of those matchups where both teams will feel like this is a winnable game. Trojans might have a little more seasoning right now and are at home.

Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 27, CD East 21: This should be a tight matchup between two squads that each grinded out hard-earned victories in Week 1. I’m giving the Trojans the advantage at home, but this one really could go either way.

Adam Kulikowski: CD East 28, Chambersburg 27: Cheers to Tyshaun Pollard on his first career victory as a head coach.  I see no reason why his gents can’t keep him undefeated. 

State College 37, Altoona 7

Andy Shay: State College 42, Altoona 0: Simply the difference right now between those with a full cupboard and those trying to find a can or two in the cupboard.

Andy Sandrik: State College 45, Altoona 7: No need to overcomplicate this pick. The Mountain Lions are severely outgunned here.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 41, Altoona 21: Only question here is just how long the Little Lions will need to stay on the throttle. 

Gettysburg 41, Waynesboro 34

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 25, Gettysburg 20: Feels like the Warriors did enough right to win and didn’t and Waynesboro almost did enough to lose and somehow found a way to persevere. There is carry over for both of those scenarios.

Andy Sandrik: Waynesboro 23, Gettysburg 18: The Tribe made plenty of mistakes last week, but still found a way to win. Conversely, the Warriors made plenty of big plays, but still managed to lose. Both teams will be eager to repair their respective narratives on Friday.

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 33, Waynesboro 28: We saw plenty of sparks from the Warriors last week to be optimistic about their chances in Week 2. 

Shippensburg 22, Hershey 19

Andy Shay: Hershey 27, Shippensburg 14: Could go sideways for the Greyhounds in a hurry here if they aren’t able to control the pace and tempo against the Trojans. Hershey is a little sneaky good without you knowing it.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 21, Shippensburg 7: The key to victory for the Greyhounds will be limiting mobile Trojans’ QB Cam Sweeney, who ran six times for 88 yards and four TDs last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 28, Shippensburg 21: If the Greyhounds are to win, they will need to force Trojans QB Cam Sweeney to beat them through the air. Tall task. 

Mifflin County 14, Northern York 0

Andy Shay: Mifflin County 28, Northern York 7: When you head into Week 2 looking for your first touchdown of the season it’s always an uphill climb and the Polar Bears are going up against a defense that showed early bite.

Andy Sandrik: Mifflin County 27, Northern York 7: The Huskies have yet to allow a TD, while the Polar Bears have yet to score one. 

Adam Kulikowski: Mifflin County 33, Northern York 6: This is a good time for Mifflin County to face Northern, a team still searching for its identity. 

Red Land 16, Lower Dauphin 6

Andy Shay: Red Land 21, Lower Dauphin 20: I’m going to go ahead and hitch my fifth wheel to the Patriots this week. Why not? Red Land is riding sky high after a rivalry win. Still think LD overall is the more complete team, but hey we all make our choices.

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 17, Red Land 14: This pick would have been much easier to make if Red Land had not pulled off an upset victory over Cedar Cliff last week.

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 21, Red Land 20:  I’m not saying I’m not a believer in what the Patriots were able to accomplish last week. But I need to see a larger body of evidence. 

Big Spring 53, Camp Hill 14

Andy Shay: Big Spring 34, Camp Hill 14: That Little Brown Jug finding its way back to Newville is a boost you can’t put a price on. Biggest upset in Week 1 belonged to Big Spring and why not make it 2-0 I say.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 28, Camp Hill 14: My understanding is that I’m not a popular man in Newville or on the Big Spring Barstool page after picking the Bulldogs to fall in their rivalry game against Shippensburg. Hopefully this pick will once again grant me access to Saylor’s Market.

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 41, Camp Hill 13: Did anyone make a bigger statement in Week 1 than the Bulldogs? Bandwagon can add a few more riders if the good times keep rolling in Week 2.

Halifax 39, Upper Dauphin 0

Andy Shay: Halifax 20, Upper Dauphin 16: If these two teams had played a week ago I might have been inclined (100 percent, actually) to go the other way. Getting rolled and losing key players to injury makes this a toss-up game for sure.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 13, Halifax 7: Even though Upper Dauphin was facing mighty Williams Valley, I don’t think any of us expected the Trojans to get pasted by seven scores last week. I’m giving UD the benefit of the doubt for its recent program history, but the Trojans could very well be in trouble this week.

Adam Kulikowski: Halifax 21, Upper Dauphin 14: The Trojans season got off to an ugly start, getting blanked by Williams Valley and sustaining potentially season-altering injuries to Eoghan Savage and Carter Dreibelbis. 

James Buchanan 20, Susquenita 0

Andy Shay: James Buchanan 29, Susquenita 23: Who can continue the fireworks on offense provides the answer to your “keys to victory” question. My today guess is JB, would probably be different tomorrow.

Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 33, James Buchanan 27: If Susquenita can put up 21 points against a bigger and stronger West Perry squad, the ‘Hawks can score even more against JB, right? The Rockets have shown some pop of their own, and won’t go away easily.

Adam Kulikowski: James Buchanan 34, Susquenita 20: The Rockets showed a little fire power in Week 1–can they continue to trend higher against the Blackhawks?

Line Mountain 62, Newport 7

Andy Shay: Line Mountain 34, Newport 14: Being more competitive is a step in the right direction, but the Eagles present problems at a whole different level for the Buffaloes. 

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 30, Newport 14: It certainly seems like Newport is in better shape than in years past, but a Buffs win over Line Mountain and QB Kaiden Maurer would be nothing short of an upset.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 38, Newport 21: Absolutely love to see the Buffaloes trending upward after a few tough seasons. Eagles are the more refined machine at this point. 

Middletown 22, Milton Hershey 7

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 27, Middletown 20: Why not take the Spartans in a true toss-up game, right? Blue Raiders have no issues on defense but the offense has started slowly. Spartans offense showed more spark in the opener.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 23, Middletown 13: I like both the Milton Hershey offense and the Middletown defense in this one. If the Spartans can cross that 20-point barrier, I think they win.

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 21, Middletown 7: Blue Raiders offense sputtered in Week 1, mustering less than 100 yards. Finding a way to get out of first gear can open the door to more positive results as we enter division play.

Susquehanna Twp. 62, Greencastle-Antrim 6

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 42, Greencastle-Antrim 7: A comfortable and confident quarterback with a deep arsenal of weapons will steer Hanna comfortably past a Blue Devils defense not fully equipped for this much heat this early.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Twp. 38, Greencastle-Antrim 14: There are many ways ‘Hanna can hurt you, the most potent of which is QB Torin Evans, our top player to watch in the Colonial Division this fall. Evans diced up South Western last week, completing nearly 80 percent of his passes for 268 yards and two TDs.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 45, Greencastle-Antrim 20:  The Tribe’s offense is what keeps defensive coordinators up at night. Can the Blue Devils find enough answers in Week 2 to make this one relevant in the final stanza? 

West Perry 28, Boiling Springs 0

Andy Shay: West Perry 32, Boiling Springs 27: I need way more information and games played from these two clubs to know enough to make a somewhat educated guess. Translated this is a pure guess. Bubblers Week 1 result was shocking and West Perry was expected but on many fronts both outfits overperformed perhaps.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 28, Boiling Springs 21: Congrats to the Bubblers for a big Week 1 win over Littlestown. A road victory over the Mustangs – who got 266 yards and two TDs on 23 carries from Evan Jutba last week in a win over Susquenita – won’t be as easy.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 24, Boiling Springs 20: Mustangs found another stud back that embodies that West Perry-tough attitude. I see another heavy workload for the young lad Friday night.

East Pennsboro 16, Trinity 9

Andy Shay: Trinity 24, East Pennsboro 0: Yes the Shamrocks offense will be a work in progress this season. But they have some pieces. On the other side of the ball they are loaded and the only way to make ground is through the air to deep targets and hit them. Panthers don’t have the horses for that scenario.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 21, East Pennsboro 7: The Shamrocks may have lost last week, but QB Mason Boyer and WR Maddox Jarzynski established quite the connection, with the signal caller finding his man 12 times for 171 yards. This type of rapport could pay dividends for Trinity in what could be a close game against East Pennsboro.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 27, East Pennsboro 14: In tight games, I tend to err on the side of teams with the ability to hit the homerun. That’s the Shamrocks in my book.

Saturday, August 30

Mechanicsburg 35, Palmyra 7

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 38, Palmyra 7: I know both teams are 1-0, but it’s still hard for me to see any way the Cougars are able to keep pace in this one as the Wildcats are explosive. 

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 37, Palmyra 16: Gotta respect what Palmyra was able to do in its 30-0 win over Lebanon, but do the Cougars have the depth to stay with Mechanicsburg for four quarters?

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 45, Palmyra 13: Perhaps we’ll be bulletin board material in the Palmyra locker room, but defeating Lebanon and knocking off Mechanicsburg are two very different beasts. 

Harrisburg 29, Bishop McDevitt 21

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 27, Bishop McDevitt 20: Long live Market Street Mayhem. Enough of my old-school, throwback cheerleading. The Week 1 results matter, but in this game throw them aside and enjoy the theatrics that will unfold. Because a drama-free game is definitely NOT going to happen. 

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 28, Bishop McDevitt 20: The Cougars come in with some pep in their step after dispatching a premier Pa. program in Imhotep Charter, while the Crusaders are still looking to find their footing after getting thumped by an all-star team from Canada. Advantage Harrisburg.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 33, Bishop McDevitt 27: The premier match up on the docket is a Saturday afternoon tilt at Severance Field. Both of these teams are stacked with Division 1 talents–but I’m giving the ready-on-Week-2 nod to Coach Cal’s Cougars.

September 22:

Cedar Crest 25, Lower Dauphin 21

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 27, Cedar Crest 20: Feels like a toss-up game at first glance. Falcons are coming off a season where they recorded first postseason win in a quarter century but lost some critical skill players and are thin up front. Falcons have less questions that need answered right now.

Adam Kulikowski: Lower Dauphin 33, Cedar Crest 21: Our 4th Down crew is bullish on LD’s prospects with QB Braeden Heckard back for another circuit. 

Andy Sandrik: Lower Dauphin 21, Cedar Crest 13: Expect some ruffled feathers when Cedar Crest travels to LD for some PIAA-sanctioned Falcon-on-Falcon violence. The boys from Hummelstown return their starting QB, among other key players, and seem to have the edge in this one.

West Perry 49, Susquenita 21

Andy Shay: West Perry 34, Susquenita 14: Mustangs are still picking up the pieces after a hard fall in 2024. And WP lost its nearly 1,300-yard back, too. Blackhawks don’t have the parts required to make Mustangs sweat this one out.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 28, Susquenita 14: Judging this one based on which team is more equipped to plug in new pieces and execute in Week 1. That team to me is clearly in green and white.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 42, Susquenita 7: The Mustangs are coming off a losing season, yes, but I don’t expect them to cede their dynastic control over Perry County any time soon.

Big Spring 23, Shippensburg 20

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 30, Big Spring 14: Greyhounds won 10 games a year ago and have more than enough key pieces still around to have some serious lofty expectations. Too big, too fast and too strong for the Bulldogs this early.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 37, Big Spring 14: 4th Down has high expectations for the Greyhounds again in 2025–just check out our season preview. Today, that talent shines even if the lights aren’t on yet. 

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Big Spring 12: The Greyhounds come into this season with a solid group of returners who still can’t play in their newly-built stadium, which won’t have lighting installed until at least mid-October. Big Spring, unfortunately, seems like it will be the one paying the price for this delay.

Line Mountain 38, Lewisburg 13

Andy Shay: Lewisburg 27, Line Mountain 24: The prohibitive favorite in the MPC Capital has a wicked tough opener against a Green Dragons squad that won 10 games a year ago and still has a defense that makes you earn it.

Adam Kulikowski: Line Mountain 21, Lewisburg 20: The Green Dragons will be breaking in a new QB while the Eagles return plenty of top talent. That opens the door for Line Mountain to get redemption from last year’s 26-23 loss.

Andy Sandrik: Line Mountain 24, Lewisburg 20: This game was a nail-biter last season, and although Line Mountain lost, I think the Eagles bring back enough All-Star talent to spring an upset over the Green Dragons this time around.

Allentown Central Catholic 19, Trinity 16

Andy Shay: Allentown Central Catholic 20, Trinity 13: Huge fan of the T-Rocks defense and the Vikings have a lot to prove offensively. However, Trinity offense is a huge question mark. Shamrocks offense finds some firepower early they win this one.

Adam Kulikowski: Allentown Central Catholic 28, Trinity 21: ACC’s dual threat quarterback Patrick Cahill offered glimpses of his versatility last year as a sophomore, registering 779 passing yards and 364 rushing yards. Look for an even bigger impact in ‘25.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 17, Allentown Central Catholic 10: Just when we were ready to feel sorry for a “depleted” Trinity squad last preseason, the team rallied for a 9-3 campaign under the guidance of first-year coach Kevin Yarnevich. I have a feeling the ‘Rocks take another big step forward this fall, starting with a hard-earned win over ACC.

Palmyra 30, Lebanon 0

Andy Shay: Palmyra 32, Lebanon 12: Could be another tough year for the Cougars in the MPC Keystone, but this is a winnable game on every front. Take ‘em one at a time, right? 

Adam Kulikowski: Palmyra 34, Lebanon 6: This is one match-up the Cougars have circled annually on their calendar. Time to take full advantage. 

Andy Sandrik: Palmyra 28, Lebanon 7: The Cougars don’t want to miss out on what could be their most winnable game of the season. Cedars aiming for a fresh start after going 0-10 last fall.

Hershey 42, Milton Hershey 25

Andy Shay: Hershey 28, Milton Hershey 20: Little forced family fun to start the season with the Bean Bowl on tap in the town founded on chocolate. Trojans have more pieces to the puzzle that are known so a slight nod to the lads from Derry Township School District.

Adam Kulikowski: Hershey 37, Milton Hershey 33: Hershey QB Cam Sweeney enters the ‘25 circuit as a favorite to take home division MVP honors. Expect plenty of fireworks in this battle for the bean.

Andy Sandrik: Hershey 33, Milton Hershey 27: Expect electric play at QB with two dynamic athletes — Hershey’s Cam Sweeney and Milton Hershey’s Logan Jerry — slated to guide their teams.

Williams Valley 51, Upper Dauphin 0

Andy Shay: Williams Valley 36, Upper Dauphin 27: Vikings are regarded as one of the preseason 10 best teams in PIAA Class AA. Good enough to get my pick for Week 1.

Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 41, Upper Dauphin 30: Both teams have some quality pieces that will pay dividends throughout the season. Give the Week 1 edge to the Vikings in my book. 

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 33, Upper Dauphin 24: No better way for the Trojans to prepare for their season in the Capital Division than with a high-powered tangle with their former TVL rival.

Chambersburg 27, Gettysburg 15

Andy Shay: Chambersburg 36, Gettysburg 14: Don’t look at the Trojans winning only four games a year ago and think that wasn’t a noteworthy season. The MPC Commonwealth is a gauntlet again these days. Warriors have a stud RB and next level lineman but it still won’t be enough against the experienced lads from Franklin County.

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 27, Chambersburg 21: The Warriors simply couldn’t find consistency last year; getting off to a fast start against a Commonwealth team with a new head coach could provide the momentum needed to fully turn the page on ’24.

Andy Sandrik: Chambersburg 32, Gettysburg 15: This seems like a good spot for Chambersburg’s long-time assistant Gary Carter to pick up a win in his first game as head coach of the Trojans.

Middletown 13, Donegal 8

Andy Shay: Middletown 29, Donegal 7: Let’s just say this is a very, very favorable first bite of the apple for the Blue Raiders in 2025.

Adam Kulikowski: Middletown 33, Donegal 14: If the Blue Raiders come out on top as predicted by our crew, they will need to limit the damage done by Caiden Leaf—Donegal’s bruising game-change who is expected to slide into the back field this season.

Andy Sandrik: Middletown 24, Donegal 17: The Indians return their top passer, rusher, and receiver from last season, a group which pushed Middletown to overtime in 2024. This game could be closer than a lot of folks think.

Boiling Springs 35, Littlestown 13

Andy Shay: Littlestown 42, Boiling Springs 7: It will take some time for the pieces in South Middletown Township to be picked up and change course. Right now it’s a struggle to stay competitive for the Bubblers.

Adam Kulikowski: Littlestown 43, Boiling Springs 13: Littlestown coach Corey Brittle handed the reigns of the offense over to senior son Brody Bittle this year. This Week 1 match up seems to be the perfect opener to get acclimated to the role of QB1.

Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 24, Littlestown 20: The Bubblers, who hammered Littlestown in 2024, have enough talent to best the Bolts once again.

Lancaster Catholic 43, Camp Hill 7

Andy Shay: Lancaster Catholic 27, Camp Hill 22: Just not sure if the Lions have the horses to run with LC for 48 minutes. I do know Camp Hill will take their shots and get after it and if the Crusaders don’t counter the Lions are not afraid to win when they shouldn’t.

Adam Kulikowski: Lancaster Catholic 28, Camp Hill 14: Lions traditionally like to sling the rock—we’re about to learn what that looks like with the graduation of Drew Branstetter.

Andy Sandrik: Lancaster Catholic 34, Camp Hill 24: The Lions have a number of issues to address, the most important of which is finding a man to replace QB Drew Branstetter, now playing for Gettysburg College.

CD East 36, York 20

Andy Shay: CD East 23, York 20: New head coach and lots of rebuilding going on with the Panthers and level set opportunities won’t be something CDE sees many weeks. This is one where the playing field is fairly equal.

Adam Kulikowski: CD East 24, York 21: The Panthers face plenty of changes heading into the new campaign. Getting a Dub in Week 1 can do wonders for a program that is again evolving.

Andy Sandrik: York 30, CD East 23: This game has coin-flip written all over it, and my coin flipped in favor of the team from White Rose City.

Mechanicsburg 38, Carlisle 7

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 27, Carlisle 17: Wildcats are riding a regular season winning streak they want to keep rolling. And it should despite the questions that need answered at QB. T-Herd have some pop, but not enough overall to keep up over 48 minutes.

Adam Kulikowski: Mechanicsburg 32, Carlisle 24: This one comes down to who produces the better answers to the question marks they have entering Week 1. That team to me is the Wildcats.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 42, Carlisle 21: The Wildcats lost some of the best talent in the Mid-Penn with the graduation of QB Eli Reider, RB Isaac Dollman, and WR Josh Smith, yet they return enough talent that I still see them as heavy favorites against Carlisle.

Central York 23, Central Dauphin 9

Andy Shay: Central York 27, Central Dauphin 17: There is zero expectation the Rams win this game. They are not close on the overall talent depth chart. However, they need to be competitive and make it a game and that will be the right step made.

Adam Kulikowski: Central York 34, Central Dauphin 20: Taking down York’s most elite program is no small feat. I need to see more from the Rams who figure to be on the upswing before making that gamble.

Andy Sandrik: Central York 28, Central Dauphin 14: It’s never easy, or smart, to pick against Central Dauphin, but smart money is on the Panthers, who have won their last four meetings over the Rams.

Hollidaysburg 34, Altoona 7

Andy Shay: Hollidaysburg 32, Altoona 14: Until the Mountain Lions show they have a next gear overall, it’s nearly impossible to lean their way.

Adam Kulikowski: Hollidaysburg 27, Altoona 24: I wouldn’t be surprised if Altoona walks away with the Week 1 victory in what figures to be a tight match up.

Andy Sandrik: Hollidaysburg 33, Altoona 17: Both squads have graduated their top skill players, but the Golden Tigers still deserve to be favored over Altoona, a squad coming off a one-win season.

Newport 24, Juniata Valley 19

Andy Shay: Juniata Valley 28, Newport 14: I do believe the offense will provide more pop for the Buffs this season, but not enough to close the gap with the Hornets.

Adam Kulikowski: Juniata Valley 31, Newport 14: The Buffalos boast an increased roster from recent years. How quickly that pays dividends is yet to be determined.

Andy Sandrik: Juniata Valley 28, Newport 12: I’m expecting an improved season from the Buffs, but they’ll have to play a really clean game to beat the Hornets, who won by four scores last fall.

Minersville 35, Halifax 13

Andy Shay: Minersville 39, Halifax 20: There will be more opportunities to show the progress the Wildcats are making and will make in 2025. Just not seeing it in this matchup.

Adam Kulikowski: Minersville 33, Halifax 6: Finding ways to slow the Battlin’ Miners could prove to be challenging for opponents in 2025.

Andy Sandrik: Minersville 35, Halifax 0: Miners’ QB Dante Carr will be looking to get off to a fast start against Halifax following a junior season that saw him throw for more than 1,700 yards and 22 TDs.

Spring Grove 34, Northern York 0

Andy Shay: Spring Grove 30, Northern York 28: Could go either way and like the key components for the Polar Bears on offense. Just very concerned about their defense. SG has lots of question marks as well.

Adam Kulikowski: Northern York 30, Spring Grove 14: The Bill ‘Milldawg’ Miller era concluded with another underwhelming season in 2024 in Dillsburg. Turning the page provides an opportunity for new energy and ideas from a long-time Mechanicsburg coach.

Andy Sandrik: Northern York 24, Spring Grove 21: The Jeff Costello era begins with a win in Dillsburg.

State College 41, Gateway 14

Andy Shay: State College 42, Gateway 14: There’s a gap the Gators need to close after getting spanked in this tilt a year ago. All I know is the Little Lions look better than the outfit of 12 months ago and that group was solid.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 23, Gateway 13: Elite programs in flux after a slew of graduations always find a way to replenish. The Little Lions are one of those teams that always seem to have the answers when the whistle blows.

Andy Sandrik: State College 17, Gateway 7: The Little Lions have graduated way too much talent to consider them as a contender in the Commonwealth Division, but they could sway my opinion with a rout over Gateway.

Waynesboro 27, Greencastle-Antrim 21

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 36, Greencastle-Antrim 13: All indicators are the Indians have more seasoning at the positions that move the scoreboard needle and the Blue Devils are looking for answers to questions at those spots.

Adam Kulikowski: Waynesboro 31, Greencastle-Antrim 24: This could be one of the best match ups on the Week 1 docket. In Week 1 as we all learn what each team truly possesses, this one is a true toss up.

Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 30, Waynesboro 28: I could be leaning the wrong way on this one, but I like Greencastle’s Wing-T style of offense to get the job done against a Waynesboro team aiming to sort out its linebacking corps.

Juniata 18, Selingsgrove 7

Andy Shay: Juniata 27, Selinsgrove 7: Call me crazy but I think the Indians have the best player on the field on both sides of the ball. I’ve been wrong before, though – MANY times.

Adam Kulikowski: Selingsgrove 28, Juniata 14: Seals have a few more pieces to provide an offensive spark including senior wide out Gavin Bastian than their counterparts in Juniata.

Andy Sandrik: Selinsgrove 21, Juniata 7: I think Juniata has the defense to keep this game close, especially with Jasper Shepps patrolling the secondary, but I’m not yet sure where the Indians are going to get their points from this season.

Manheim Township 7, Cumberland Valley 0

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 28, Manheim Township 21: Remember this was NOT a competitive game a year ago up front. It was Varsity vs. JV. If that changes the Eagles fly. This might feel like an upset pick but it’s really not. 

Adam Kulikowski: Cumberland Valley 27, Manheim Township 21: Preseason hype is just that until you prove it on the field. The Eagles have that opportunity ahead of them. Can they cash in?

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 21, Manheim Township 14: The Eagles are quietly being picked as the dark horse of the Commonwealth Division this season. A win over the powerful Blue Streaks would certainly add credibility to this prediction.

Red Land 17, Cedar Cliff 14

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 35, Red Land 14: More forced family fun as the mates from West Shore School District square off. Let’s be honest they are NOT mates. We all know that. Patriots have a new skipper, philosophy and not many horses in the stable. Cedar Cliff is simply miles ahead at this point.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 24, Red Land 14: The Colts have had the upper hand in this rivalry lately—and there’s no reason to think that changes in 2025.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 28, Red Land 21: The Colts graduated their QB, while their top RB, Princeton “PJ” Dent, is now playing football for Harrisburg. Can Red Land close the distance on its rival? 

Susquehanna Twp. 42, South Western 14

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Twp. 42, South Western 14: Speed is a killer and experience at the QB position shows up in spades for the Indians here.

Adam Kulikowski: Susquehanna Twp. 41, South Western 14: The Indians, under still-head-coach Joe Headen, possess all the weapons needed to make this a truly memorable season. That starts with taking care of business in Week 1.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Twp. 30, South Western 13: The Tribe have all the tools to overwhelm the Mustangs in their home opener.

August 23: 

James Buchanan 60, York County Tech 13

Andy Shay: James Buchanan 30, York County Tech 14: This used to be the one game and sometimes the ONLY game the Rockets would win in a season. That’s no longer the case.

Adam Kulikowski: James Buchanan 21, York County Tech 13: A year ago James Buchanan was a bit of a Cinderella story early. Can history repeat itself?

Andy Sandrik:  James Buchanan 21, York County Tech 7: The Rockets might have the best player on the field in Christian Pine. That’s more than enough to make a difference against the Spartans.

Clarkson North (ON) 27, Bishop McDevitt 7

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 42, Clarkson North (ON) 7: Remember be nice to your friends north of the border and always remember that hate is a learned behavior. But what do I know other than McD is loaded and the other team is from Canada.

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 31, Clarkson North 28: While I consider myself an avid football fan, I’m not well version on my Canadian high school teams. But research tells me Clarkson hails from Mississauga, Ontario and runs an elite football program. Last year, these gents took on Imhotep Charter, falling 38-20 to the PA powerhouse program.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 38, Clarkson North 21: Canadian invader Clarkson North put up some points in a loss to PA power Imhotep Charter last season. Can the Chargers keep up with the defending PIAA Class 5A champion Crusaders?

Bethlehem Catholic 28, East Pennsboro 10

Andy Shay: Bethlehem Catholic 28, East Pennsboro 14: Love what the Panthers have at QB and they play tough on defense. But overall they have some major firepower to replace and not sure the Hawks help them find their way at a nice leisurely pace.

Adam Kulikowski: East Pennsboro 24, Bethlehem Catholic 20: Both teams enter Week 1 with plenty of question marks to answer. Give the nod to the Panthers in this opener.

Andy Sandrik: Bethlehem Catholic 20, East Pennsboro 7: Panthers appear to have a defense to stay competitive for a spell, but have too many holes to fill at the RB and WR positions to stick with BC for four full quarters.

Harrisburg 40, Imhotep Charter 26

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 28, Imhotep Charter 21: Two teams ranked in the Top 10 in Class 6A for the preseason state rankings. Cougars are higher of the two but that doesn’t mean squat in my book. I just love the matchup more than anything. Nobody loses an ounce of heavy hitter status based on the result.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 34, Imhotep Charter 33: Both teams are absolutely stacked with Division 1 talent—no shock there. I’ll side with the Coach Cal’s gents in a potential playoff preview.

Andy Sandrik: Imhotep Charter 28, Harrisburg 21: Historically, Harrisburg is at its most vulnerable in the early stages of the season. I’ll take Imhotep for that reason, but the Cougars are undoubtedly in for a monster campaign.