Statistic not reported for the following teams as of Tuesday evening: Boiling Springs, Carlisle, Hershey, Mechanicsburg, West Perry, Tri-Valley, Pine Grove and James Buchanan

Week 3: 

Passing (Com-Att-INTs-Yards)

Peyton Shore, Camp Hill: 14-29-1-340, 4 touchdowns

Alex Erby, Steel-High: 10-11-0-321, 5 touchdowns

Finn Furmanek, State College: 15-25-0-252, 3 touchdowns

Keith Oates, East Pennsboro: 14-24-0-211, 1 touchdown

Tucker Chamberlin, Shippensburg: 7-9-0-204, 4 touchdowns

Shawn Lee, Harrisburg: 19-31-1-202

Braden Landis, Lower Dauphin: 8-16-2-187, 2 touchdowns

Isaac Sines, Cumberland Valley: 10-15-0-171

Louie Lindsay, Waynesboro: 8-19-1-169, 2 touchdowns

Jermere Jones, Chambersburg: 5-8-0-168, 2 touchdowns

Derek Gibney, Susquenita: 10-22-0-163, 3 touchdowns

Isaac Whiteash, Williams Valley: 7-13-1-152, 3 touchdowns

Bamm Appleby, Middletown: 5-12-0-148, 1 touchdown

Nick Snyder, Line Mountain: 10-25-1-121, 1 touchdown

Timothy Bonin, Northern: 9-19-1-98, 1 touchdown

Terrence Jackson-Copney, CD East: 10-19-0-98, XX touchdowns

Colin Lunde, Boiling Springs: 4-5-0-87, 3 touchdowns

Jared Lyons, Mifflin County: 5-20-0-87

Rushing (Att-Yards)

Richie Kowalski, Palmyra: 26-218, 2 touchdowns

Brady Morgan, Upper Dauphin: 17-202, 3 touchdowns

Alex Achenbach, Williams Valley: 13-164, 2 touchdowns

Jacob Kauffman, Lower Dauphin: 10-151, 2 touchdowns

Mahkai Hopkins, Harrisburg: 21-141, 2 touchdowns

Audric Bryant, Middletown: 17-136, 1 touchdown

Terrence Jackson-Copney, CD East: 12-134, 1 touchdown

Daivin Pryor, Steel-High: 5-127, 2 touchdowns

Aidan Mencia, Waynesboro: 13-125, 1 touchdown

Marcel McDaniels, CD East: 25-120, 1 touchdown

Bryce Flenory, Chambersburg: 8-118, 1 touchdown

Derek Gibney, Susquenita: 11-108

Tavon Cooper, Greencastle-Antrim: 9-102, 1 touchdown

Ethan Stroup, Altoona: 19-101, 1 touchdown

Aidan Metzger, Boiling Springs: 5-86, 1 touchdown

Mikel Holden, Waynesboro: 17-85, 5 touchdowns

Sy Burgos, East Pennsboro: 17-85

Jontae Morris, Cedar Cliff: 15-83, 1 touchdown

Zachary Harr, Juniata: 9-82, 2 touchdowns

Logan Schmidt, Big Spring: 5-82, 1 touchdown

Brandyn Davis, Middletown: 6-78

Rhaigeon Parker, Chambersburg: 1-77, 1 touchdown

Christian Snyder, Upper Dauphin: 17-77

Louie Frisenda, Susquenita: 28-76

Andy Jean, Chambersburg: 3-74, 1 touchdown

Finn Furmanek, State College: 15-71, 1 touchdown

David Niebauer, Greencastle-Antrim: 16-71

J.D. Hunter, Cumberland Valley: 24-65

Richie Kowalski, Palmyra: 13-61

Receiving (Rec-Yards)

Tyrone Moore, Steel-High: 5-239, 1 touchdown

Erby Weller, Shippensburg: 7-204, 4 touchdown

Mike Shartle, Camp Hill: 6-156

Christian Doi, Camp Hill: 5-164, 1 touchdown

Jashaun Green, State College: 7-137, 2 touchdowns

Brody Rhodes, Waynesboro: 3-102, 2 touchdowns

Charlie Fortney, Lower Dauphin: 3-93, 2 touchdowns

Breckin Swope, East Pennsboro: 5-93

J.D. Hunter, Cumberland Valley: 3-65, 1 touchdown

Griffin Huffman, Cumberland Valley: 2-63, 1 touchdown

Trey Good, East Pennsboro: 3-62, 1 touchdown

Ty Millhimes, Lower Dauphin: 2-58, 2 touchdowns

Mehki Flowers, CD East: 6-57

Peter Ranck, Halifax: 5-56

Brady Evans, Williams Valley: 2-52, 1 touchdown

Aydan Digrugilliers, Northern: 3-52

Tate Leach, Middletown: 2-51, 1 touchdown

Brayden Boyer, Line Mountain: 5-46

Kyle Kuzinger, State College: 1-46, 1 touchdown

Daquan McCraw, Steel-High: 1-44, 1 touchdown

Isaac Wilson, Mifflin County: 2-40

Canceled: Central Dauphin, Bishop McDevitt

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. 4 of the high school football season.  

STOCK UP

CD East exceeding expectations: 

You have to like where CD East is at right now and where these Panthers, under first-year head coach Lance Deane, are headed. Three quality opponents to start the season — Manheim Township, Warwick and Cedar Cliff — and a 2-1 record from those three is exceeding expectations. They are more physical than you think and rely on line play to fire the engines instead of being skill-position focused. The 12 penalties for 131 yards in the win over Cedar Cliff will require some course correction moving forward. Can’t do that in big games down the line and expect positive results. The bonus in this start is they now know they have two options at quarterback, Tony Powell and Terrence Jackson-Copney. 

Bubblers aim to keep rolling behind high-powered offense

When you think of Boiling Springs you don’t think of the Bubblers as a 50-points-a-game squad. Steel-High scoring 50-plus a game is no surprise. The Bubblers hitting for 50-plus a night on average so far is a mild surprise. Maybe? This team is a beast up front, has weapons they know how to use and is comfortable in its own skin. Boiling Springs has scored 157 points to date in 2021. And don’t expect it to slow down with Line Mountain on deck. Remember that taste of the postseason this club enjoyed in 2020? They are playing like that taste isn’t nearly good enough this year.

‘Nita’s Week 3 performance sends a statement: 

Susquenita is 2-0 after shutting down Line Mountain in its opener and going up-and-down the field with Camp Hill before coming away with a 39-34 victory. Not sure ‘Nita was viewed as having much of a chance in either game. Beating Camp Hill in a track meet is a statement win. Big Spring is on deck this week, followed by Boiling Springs. That duo from Cumberland County will provide a different kind of complete test. Hey, the Hawks winning in convincing fashion out of the gate is the biggest surprise so far in 2021 in my book.

STOCK DOWN

COVID causing havoc, lost opportunity in the Mid-Penn: 

Central Dauphin and Bishop McDevitt battling COVID-19 inside their squads and being forced to cancel games is a part of the world we live in today with this pandemic. It’s going to happen. What is the real bummer is WHO the Rams and Crusaders didn’t get to play. Central Dauphin was slated to play Manheim Township and McDevitt was going to renew acquaintances with former Market Street resident Harrisburg. Those are quality opponents, and losing those games puts each club at a competitive disadvantage going forward. It’s especially troubling for Bishop McDevitt because its division schedule is lacking in quality competition. 

… especially among the Cougars:

Harrisburg is getting kicked in the teeth by COVID-19, and yet the Cougars aren’t the problem. It’s the Cougars’ opponents. Last week it was McDevitt who had to cancel the game. Head coach Cal Everett went out and found a game with Manheim Township and pulled out a stellar overtime victory over the Blue Streaks on less than 36 hours notice. Now this week Harrisburg’s game with Central Dauphin is already canceled. Everett is looking for a game, any game, but the pickings are bound to be slim. It’s starting to feel like 2020 again in some respects. Harrisburg has lost games to McD and CD in back-to-back weeks. That’s brutal.

Keystone Division clubs falling behind

The Mid-Penn Keystone Division had a rough Week 3, and overall this group of teams is struggling in 2021. Only Lower Dauphin and Palmyra picked up wins. The Falcons picked up their first under new head coach Josh Borreli against Elizabethtown while Palmyra handed West York a Monday evening setback, 23-13. Overall, this division collectively owns a 6-16 record entering division play the rest of the way.

Class 6A — Record — Previous rank 

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

2. Archbishop Wood (12)        — 3-0   — 2 

3. Pittsburgh C.C. (7)               — 2-1   — 3 

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

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

6. Mount Lebanon (7)             — 3-0   — 7 

7. La Salle College HS (12)       — 3-0   — 8 

8. Garnet Valley (1)                 — 3-0   — 9 

9. Harrisburg (3)                     — 3-0   — NR 

10. Parkland (11)                    — 2-0   — 10 

Teams to watch: Central Dauphin East (3) 2-1, Downingtown East (1) 3-0, Nazareth (11) 2-1, North Allegheny (7) 2-1, York High (3) 2-1. 

Class 5A — Record — Previous rank 

1. Governor Mifflin (3)            — 3-0   — 2 

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

3. Cathedral Prep (10)            — 3-0   — 3 

4. Upper Dublin (1)                 — 3-0   — 4 

5. Whitehall (11)                     — 3-0   — 6 

6. Gateway (7)                        — 2-1   — 7 

7. Academy Park (1)                — 3-0   — 8 

8. Moon (7)                             — 3-0   — 9 

9. Manheim Central (3)          — 3-0   — 10 

10. Penn-Trafford (7)              — 2-1   — 5 

Teams to watch: Chester (1) 3-0, Exeter Township (3) 2-1, North Hills (7) 2-1, Strath Haven (1) 3-0.  

Class 4A — Record — Previous rank 

1. Thomas Jefferson (7)          — 2-0   — 1 

2. Jersey Shore (4)                  — 3-0   — 2 

3. Belle Vernon (7)                  — 2-0   — 3 

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

5. Allentown C.C. (11)             — 3-0   — 7 

6. Valley View (2)                    — 3-0   — 6 

7. Berks Catholic (3)                — 2-1   — 8 

8. Aliquippa (7)                       — 1-1   — 5 

9. McKeesport (7)                   — 3-0   — NR 

10. Bishop Shanahan (1)         — 3-0   — NR 

Teams to watch: Bonner-Prendergast (12) 2-1, Hampton (7) 3-0, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 3-0, Pope John Paul II (1) 2-1.  

Class 3A — Record — Previous rank 

1. North Schuylkill (11)           — 3-0   — 1 

2. Central Valley (7)                — 3-0   — 2 

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

4. Notre Dame-GP (11)           — 3-0   — 4 

5. Scranton Prep (2)                — 3-0   — 5 

6. Bedford (5)                          — 3-0   — 6 

7. Central Martinsburg (6)      — 3-0   — 7 

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

9. North Catholic (7)               — 3-0   — 9 

10. Clearfield (9)                     — 3-0   — 10 

Teams to watch: Avonworth (7) 3-0, Danville (4) 3-0, Montoursville (4) 2-1, Western Wayne (2) 2-0, Wyoming Area (2) 3-0. 

Class 2A — Record — Previous rank  

1. Southern Columbia (4)        — 3-0   — 1 

2. Farrell (10)                          — 3-0   — 2 

3. Richland Township (6)        — 3-0   — 3 

4. Sto-Rox (7)                          — 3-0   — 4 

5. Washington (7)                   — 3-0   — 7 

6. Bellwood-Antis (6)              — 3-0   — 6 

7. Windber (5)                         — 3-0   — 8 

8. Serra Catholic (7)                — 3-0   — 9 

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

10. York Catholic (3)               — 2-0   — 10 

Teams to watch: Conwell-Egan (12) 3-0, Karns City (9) 3-0, Ligonier Valley (7) 3-0, Northern Lehigh (11) 2-1, Wellsboro (4) 1-1. 

Class 1A — Record — Previous rank  

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

2. Old Forge (2)                       — 3-0   — 2 

3. Rochester (7)                      — 2-0   — 3 

4. Muncy (4)                            — 2-1   — 5 

5. Tri-Valley (11)                     — 3-0   — 6 

6. Williams Valley (11)            — 3-0   — 7 

7. Canton (4)                           — 3-0   — 8 

8. Redbank Valley (9)             — 2-1   — 9 

9. Juniata Valley (6)                — 3-0   — 10 

10. California (7)                     — 2-0   — NR 

Teams to watch: Clairton (7) 0-2, Keystone (9) 3-0, Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7) 2-0, Portage (6) 3-0, West Shamokin (6) 2-0.

Five-star performance

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

Former Camp Hill running back Bill Williams had his best collegiate performance with Shippensburg University Saturday.

The pinball of a runner scored twice in 22 carries and finished with 89 yards, leading the Red Raiders in all three rushing categories. SU beat Edinboro 30-9 in part because of the veteran. It topped last week’s 15-carry, 64-yard performance.

Williams was not the only Mid-Penn alumnus to perform in Ship’s second victory of the season. Lower Dauphin grad Evan Morrill caught a season-high five balls for 52 yards from QB Brycen Mussina, who finished 20-of-28 for 257 yards and two TDs.

Former Altoona defender Josh Russo finished third on the team with four tackles and 1.5 TFLs, while his former Little Lions teammate Tyler Pettuci added another tackle. And Middletown’s Tyler Woody and Ship High’s Cameron Tinner had two and one tackle, respectively.

Closer look

In this section, we look at some of the former Mid-Penn standouts that had big weeks a little closer to home.

• Defensive lineman Raunya Mitchell (Susquehanna Township) had four tackles and picked off a pass that he returned 26 yards for a score in IUP’s season-opening 29-26 win over Kutztown. The PSAC didn’t play last season, but Mitchell has 48 career tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble as he begins his third season with the Crimson Hawks.

• Adam Houser (Shippensburg High) had three carries for 3 yards. Carlisle grad Kurtis Ravenel Jr. had a pair of kick returns for 30 total yards for KU.

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

• Redshirt-sophomore Christian Arrington (Cumberland Valley) recorded his first sack of his career in Rhode Island’s 16-14 win at Albany to move to 2-0. The linebacker finished second on the team with seven tackles, including a TFL.

• Grant Breneman (Cedar Cliff) was 12-of-24 for 142 yards in Colgate’s 24-3 loss to Stonybrook. Breneman was sacked four times and picked off twice but led the team with 22 rushing yards on 13 attempts. 

• Penn State moved to 2-0 with a 44-13 beatdown of Ball State and linebacker Charlie Katshir (Cumberland Valley) recorded his first three tackles of the season. 

• Linebacker Andrew White (Harrisburg) had his first sack of the season and finished with three tackles as Texas A&M beat Colorado 10-7 to advance to 2-0.

• Linebacker Forrest Rhyne (Waynesboro) had a pair of tackles in Villanova’s 55-3 thumping of Bucknell.

• Damion Barber (Harrisburg) had two more tackles, bringing him to six this season, but Austin Peay was walloped by No. 20 Ole Miss 54-17.

• Zack Kuntz (Camp Hill) had his best game of the young season, just his second with new team Old Dominion after a few seasons at Penn State, with a team-high three receptions and 61 yards from his tight end position. The Monarchs beat Hampton 47-7 for their first win of the season after rushing for a program-record 358 yards.

• Defensive tackle A.J. Perez (Central Dauphin, Temple University) had three tackles in West Chester’s 56-10 win over Mercyhurst. Harrisburg grad and QB Yahmir Wilkerson rushed twice for nine yards and had an incompletion.

• Former Cedar Cliff RB Jaheim Morris scored on a 1-yard rush in Millersville’s 21-17 victory over Clarion, the Marauders’ first win of the season.

*RECORDS (Last week — Overall):

Andy Shay: 20-6 — 62-21

Andy Sandrik: 18-8 — 56-27

Geoff Morrow: 18-8 — 53-30

Adam Kulikowski: 15-11 — 51-32

*-entering Monday night

Friday:

Big Spring 63, Halifax 13

Andy Shay: Big Spring 42, Halifax 7: This is a layup game for the Bulldogs. Their job is to make it so.

Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 49, Halifax 7: There will be some individual statistical bright spots for the Wildcats this year, which will have to suffice since victories will be difficult to accumulate. Good chance for Bulldogs to bark.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 35, Halifax 0: This game is a mismatch, which has been a common theme for the Liberty in these Mid-Penn crossover matchups.

Adam Kulikowski: Big Spring 38, Halifax 7: This Wildcats team has plenty of heart and fight entering each week knowing that they are severely undermanned. Bulldogs just have more tools at their disposal. No shame in that.

Boiling Springs 53, James Buchanan 8

Andy Shay: Boiling Springs 49, James Buchanan 0: Like the fact the Rockets come into this on the heels of a win; however, that feeling will be erased quickly by the Bubblers.

Geoff Morrow: Boiling Springs 60, James Buchanan 14: Bubblers have amassed 100+ points already, while the Rockets have nearly surrendered that many through two weeks. Not a good sign if you’re hunting a competitive contest.

Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 44, James Buchanan 0: Pressure will be on the backups to preserve the shutout.

Adam Kulikowski: Boiling Springs 50, James Buchanan 6: Cheers to JB notching a ‘dub last week against Halifax. The chore this week is Herculean.

Susquenita 39, Camp Hill 34

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 33, Susquenita 19: So, Camp Hill likes to throw the ball a bit, and while ‘Nita has some elements that are working well, playing pass defense isn’t one of them. And that is the ol’ matchup problem.

Geoff Morrow: Camp Hill 39, Susquenita 13: Good on the Blackhawks for making all four of us look like dolts picking against them last week. Granted, that’s not always difficult. But defending the Lions’ aerial attack is.

Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 24, Susquenita 14: Over the years, the ‘Hawks have made a habit of making me look bad for picking against them, but then losing when I pick them the following week. I’m not falling for it this year. Camp Hill to the moon!

Adam Kulikowski: Camp Hill 30, Susquenita 13: The Lions got a firsthand view Monday of what to expect from the ‘Hawks, as many on the team were in Herndon to witness Susquenita’s season-opening victory against Line Mountain. What they saw was a team that could be vulnerable against a good passing attack. That’s the Lions’ whole M.O.

CD East 20, Cedar Cliff 7

Andy Shay: CD East 28, Cedar Cliff 27: This one is going to be very interesting. The Colts and Panthers each have faced two quality opponents, so they have been in the fire aplenty. I like the CD East defense to be a difference maker.

Geoff Morrow: CD East 33, Cedar Cliff 30: The first matchup between these programs since 2009 promises to be a doozy. And the fact that I just used the word “doozy” means I might have leapfrogged AShay as the oldest picker in the bunch.

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 33, CD East 28: Whoever can find the most defensive consistency will have the advantage in this game. But from where I’m sitting, I’m taking the “over” this week.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Cliff 30, CD East 27: Both teams turned in outstanding performances in Week 2. The key to this matchup might be the health of Panthers starting QB Tony Powell, who suffered an ankle injury in East’s win against Warwick and appears to be out this week. Without their No. 1, the Panthers may need to find creative ways to get Penn State recruit Mehki Flowers involved in the offense.

Carlisle 45, Cedar Crest 0

Andy Shay: Carlisle 21, Cedar Crest 14: I think the balance of the Thundering Herd’s offense helps them navigate what is sure to be the most complete test they have faced to date.

Geoff Morrow: Cedar Crest 25, Carlisle 24: At this point, I have no way of knowing which 2-0 record is legit, which isn’t. Maybe both are. Maybe neither. But I think there’s a good chance of some excitement at Ken Millen Stadium.

Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 28, Cedar Crest 21: Great measuring stick game for both teams. I’m riding the hot arm of Carlisle QB Louie Shank.

Adam Kulikowski: Cedar Crest  28, Carlisle 21: I initially pencilled in the Thundering Herd here, but after taking a look at what the Falcons did to their first two opponents — 90 points and more than 800 total yards — I’m singing a different tune.

Dallastown 20, Hershey 13

Andy Shay: Dallastown 35, Hershey 0: The struggles for the Trojans on offense continue as they search for their initial points this season. Dallastown has not had any trouble making the scoreboard roll.

Geoff Morrow: Dallastown 29, Hershey 13: Trojans get their first points; Wildcats get their second victory.

Andy Sandrik: Dallastown 34, Hershey 7: The Wildcats just gave two L-L teams all they could handle, even earning a rare scalp over Manheim Township last week. None of this is good news for Hershey.

Adam Kulikowski: Dallastown 38, Hershey 6: The Trojans’ offense hasn’t generated a point in eight quarters of play so far this season. With limited bullets in the chamber, the climb will be a tough one in Chocolate Town. 

Shippensburg 47, Dover 20

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 35, Dover 0: Defense has been a bright spot for the ‘Hounds in the early going, and it appears that trend will continue against a Dover squad that was blanked by Northern last week.

Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 27, Dover 7: Gotta hand it to Shippensburg’s defense. Well, I mean, I guess you don’t. Maybe the Greyhounds don’t need handouts. Maybe they’ll just take what they want from you and leave you depleted.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 28, Dover 0: This game would have been harder to pick if Dover didn’t just take a thrashing from Ship’s Colonial playmate, Northern.

Adam Kulikowski: Shippensburg 38, Dover 6: The pieces are coming together just as they always do in Franklin County for Eric Foust’s crew.

East Pennsboro 30, Milton Hershey 26

Andy Shay: Milton Hershey 27, East Pennsboro 20: Spartans are just getting the wheels oiled back up and running after sitting out the 2020 pandemic season. RB Dion Bryant will create some problems for sure. Don’t know the status of Panthers RB Sy Burgos. He didn’t play last week, and EP was blanked.

Geoff Morrow: Milton Hershey 30, East Pennsboro 14: Obviously a lot can change depending on who does — or doesn’t — suit up. But the Spartans’ bounce-back domination of ‘Hanna was enough to sell me.

Andy Sandrik: Milton Hershey 28, East Pennsboro 21: No idea whether or not we’ll see Sy Burgos, who set East Penn’s single-game rushing record in Week 1 but was absent from the field in Week 2. Milton Hershey is going to be a tough out either way. 

Adam Kulikowski: Milton Hershey 35, East Pennsboro 28: Like my amigos above stated, the status of Burgos is the big question mark. Either way, I think it is a tough road to stop a Spartans offense that will continue to get better each week after their lengthy hiatus.

Greencastle-Antrim 34, Delone Catholic 13

Andy Shay: Greencastle-Antrim 28, Delone Catholic 20: Eight solid quarters from the Blue Devils despite the 1-1 record. They have some cooking in Antrim Township. Squires are struggling, too.

Geoff Morrow: Greencastle-Antrim 19, Delone Catholic 8: It feels like an eternity ago when all of us picked Delone to spank Trinity in Week 1. Now we’re all casually like, “No worries, G-A, you got this.” But it could be a tight battle.

Andy Sandrik: Greencastle-Antrim 21, Delone Catholic 14: Nice rebound win for the Blue Devils last week, and I think they’ve got the tools to outlast Delone this week.

Adam Kulikowski: Greencastle-Antrim 24, Delone Catholic 21: The Blue Devils only have a 1-1 record, but this is a team that has performed well. G-A reaps the rewards again in Week 3.

West Perry 25, Juniata 14

Andy Shay: West Perry 26, Juniata 19: So, all indications are the Mustangs have more than enough weapons to keep a defense honest. The Indians don’t have a “dynamic” offense, but they do bring strong D to the table.

Geoff Morrow: West Perry 21, Juniata 7: The Indians’ defense (3 points allowed) has been impressive, but, goodness gracious, what the heck got into the Mustangs last week? I’m riding that momentum with this pick, though I don’t think the sailing will be quite as smooth for the hosts.

Andy Sandrik: West Perry 30, Juniata 14: The Mustangs left no doubts when they put the hammer down in what was supposed to be a competitive game against Newport, the favorite to win the Liberty. WP can absolutely do the same thing to Juniata this week.

Adam Kulikowski: West Perry 34, Juniata 28: The Mustangs rule Perry County after knocking off Newport last week. Why not conquer neighboring Juniata as well?

Middletown 28, Line Mountain 6

Andy Shay: Middletown 42, Line Mountain 7: The Blue Raiders had a very rough welcome to their 2021 season for new head coach Scott Acri. This will be a better opportunity to learn a few things about this Middletown team as the playing field won’t be slanted. Eagles are struggling to score points.

Geoff Morrow: Middletown 29, Line Mountain 6: I’m trying to think of when else a team (like Middletown) might go from playing Bishop McDevitt one week to Line Mountain the next. Playoff baseball maybe? Wrestling? Whatever. This just feels weird. Congrats (probably) to Scotty Acri on Victory No. 1 with the Blue Raiders.

Andy Sandrik: Middletown 30, Line Mountain 7: After McDevitt last week, the Blue Raiders should have a little more room to breathe against Line Mountain. The Eagles are still seeking their first TD of 2021.

Adam Kulikowski: Middletown 28, Line Mountain 7: If the Eagles can clean up the missed opportunities that plagued their Week 2 battle against Susquenita, this could have the makings of a closer battle. A short turnaround after playing Monday, however, doesn’t leave the folks in Herndon much time to correct.

Lower Dauphin 32, Elizabethtown 12

Andy Shay: Elizabethtown 14, Lower Dauphin 7: Neither offense is going to light it up, so you follow the defense, and the Bears have performed at a higher level than the Falcons on that side of the ball. If one team gets to 21, that’s your winner.

Geoff Morrow: Elizabethtown 17, Lower Dauphin 10: For a couple of schools just 13 miles apart, this is the first meeting since 2013. The bigger question — for me, anyway — is do you take 283, 230 or 743 to get there?

Adam Kulikowski: Elizabethtown 28, Lower Dauphin 6: Two teams that are searching for their footing in ‘21. Sign me up for the Bears.

Andy Sandrik: Elizabethtown 10, Lower Dauphin 0: Tough loss last week for the Bears, who were less than 11 minutes away from shutting out Mechanicsburg. In a game that screams defense, I think E-Town’s unit holds up just a little bit better than LD’s.

Manheim Central 60, Susquehanna Township 0 

Andy Shay: Manheim Central 45, Susquehanna Township 7: The Barons’ defense has surrendered seven points in eight quarters. The Tribe is struggling to move the ball with any consistency offensively. It’s a bad matchup for ‘Hanna.

Geoff Morrow: Manheim Central 40, Susquehanna Township 13: Offensive struggles for young programs are certainly understandable, but the Indians have surrendered A LOT of points already. That’s a bit disconcerting with a powerhouse like Central coming to town.

Andy Sandrik: Manheim Central 42, Susquehanna Township 14: If you’re Township, you really, really don’t want to enter division play at 0-3, but I don’t see how the Indians are going to avoid that with the Barons coming to town.

Adam Kulikowski: Manheim Central 34, Susquehanna Township 14: One team presents a stifling defense. The other struggles to put crooked numbers on the scoreboard.

Mechanicsburg 27, Red Land 17

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 17, Red Land 14: All I know is the Wildcats have a defense that keeps them in games. Mechanicsburg could easily be 0-2 and searching for answers; instead, it’s 1-1 and only has to focus on the offense getting better. Patriots can win this game on merit, but confidence matters. And, at 0-2, belief is easier talked about than found.

Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 20, Red Land 18: After losing to Northern York and Northeastern, at least the Patriots aren’t facing a directional school. So they have THAT going for them. Wildcats have won two straight in the series.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 21, Red Land 14 (OT): Points could be hard to come by in this one as both offenses continue to find their way. This is a 50-50 game to me that might take longer than regulation to settle.

Adam Kulikowski: Red Land 24, Mechanicsburg 21: I feel like the Patriots are starting to put the pieces together. Will that be this week?

Williamsport 24, Mifflin County 2

Andy Shay: Williamsport 28, Mifflin County 7: There’s some pop to the Millionaires’ offense that the Huskies simply can’t muster right now.

Geoff Morrow: Williamsport 33, Mifflin County 14: If you combined these programs and formed a Millionaire Husky, what would it spend its money on? Endless supply of dehydrated salmon treats? Enough KONG balls to fill a swimming pool?

Andy Sandrik: Williamsport 27, Mifflin County 7: The Millionaires have to be eager for redemption after playing within a touchdown of Altoona last week. Something tells me they find it against MiffCo on Friday.

Adam Kulikowski: Williamsport 20, Mifflin County 7: The Huskies continue to search for the right mix of youngsters entering Week 3. In eight quarters of play so far, Mifflin County has just six points to show for the grass stains on their pants.

Chambersburg 21, Red Lion 7

Andy Shay: Red Lion 28, Chambersburg 20: The Trojans actually own a victory this season, and that is a factor; however, the more pop on offense belongs to Red Lion, and that should be enough to get them victory No. 1 this season.

Geoff Morrow: Chambersburg 20, Red Lion 14: It doesn’t feel like an upset to be picking the Trojans at home. I’m more surprised by the Lions’ lopsided loss to Waynesboro last weekend than C-burg’s inability to hang with a really solid Spring-Ford lineup.

Andy Sandrik: Red Lion 28, Chambersburg 14: Both of these squads are coming off crushing losses, so it could very well come down to who has the shorter memory. Red Lion has had a little more offensive pop, so I think the Lions have the edge here.

Adam Kulikowski: Red Lion 31, Chambersburg 14: The gents from Red Lion are licking their wounds a bit after a surprisingly lopsided loss to Waynesboro. Expect a rebound against a soul-searching Trojans squad.

Williams Valley 38, Schuylkill Haven 8

Andy Shay: Williams Valley 28, Schuylkill Haven 13: Vikings are back to the pound-it-on-the-ground ways, and that’s just fine with the kin up in Williamstown.

Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 20, Schuylkill Haven 7: I was going to write something semi-intelligent about the Vikings being an outstanding small-school program, but I’ll instead spend my time here warning you NOT to read Sandrik’s joke directly beneath me.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 24, Schuylkill Haven 7: Alex Achenbach has been a workhorse for WV, accounting for 50 of the Vikings’ 72 carries. Guess after all that, you could say he might have an achin’ back. … I’ll show myself to the door.

Adam Kulikowski: Williams Valley 30, Schuylkill Haven 27: A key injury limited the playbook for the Vikings last week against Pine Grove. It didn’t seem to bother Alex Achenbach, who, by the way, earned 4^th Down Magazine’s Small School Player of the Week honors. WV will need another huge night from its back to keep the root beer flowing.

Cumberland Valley 23, Spring-Ford 19

Andy Shay: Spring-Ford 31, Cumberland Valley 3: The Rams have not allowed a single point this season, and through eight quarters the Eagles have one touchdown and one field goal. Defense will put up a fight for CV, but the math just doesn’t add up for anything but a result like this.

Geoff Morrow: Spring-Ford 27, Cumberland Valley 14: This was a battle last year (20-14 Rams), and you have to figure something is going to spark the Eagles’ offense soon. But it’s naive to think they’ve earned the upset pick yet.

Andy Sandrik: Spring-Ford 33, Cumberland Valley 10: Even if the Eagles play an unbelievable defensive game, they’re still going to need their offense (5 ppg) to score on the Rams, who have yet to allow a point this season.

Adam Kulikowski: Spring-Ford 28, Cumberland Valley 14: The Eagles’ offense is firing like a ‘70s Pinto. Against a Rams club that has yet to yield a single point, that’s trouble.

Spring Grove 39, Northern York 7

Andy Shay: Spring Grove 28, Northern 21: The Rockets will push the Polar Bears in a different kind of way than they’ve experienced so far this season. How they respond matters. A toss-up game in my book.

Geoff Morrow: Northern York 23, Spring Grove 21: Two teams with impressive starts to the young season. I also think it’s appropriate for the Rockets to visit the place we — for a long time — called Area 51 because Eric Epler swears he witnessed aliens invading Dillsburg one year during another sporting event.

Andy Sandrik: Spring Grove 24, Northern York 21: The Polar Bears have done a remarkable job on their prove-the-world-wrong tour, but make no mistake, Spring Grove will be Northern’s toughest test yet.

Adam Kulikowski: Northern York 24, Spring Grove 21: Do-it-all Mason Yohe can be a difference-maker in what should be a very close matchup. If you need a late field goal, he’s the young lad I’m taking to make the kick in the Mid-Penn.

State College 34, Hollidaysburg 20

Andy Shay: State College 38, Hollidaysburg 20: Turnovers and explosive plays will play key factors in this game. The Little Lions’ defense will turn the tide of this one.

Geoff Morrow: State College 39, Hollidaysburg 16: I’m rummaging through the series history here, and it’s been absolutely dominated by State High. Last close contest was 2004, and the Little Lions still won it.

Andy Sandrik: State College 32, Hollidaysburg 27: For this pick, I once again turned to my shiv-wielding friend from Altoona. Had nothing nice to say, of course, but he did reveal State should have the advantage this week.

Adam Kulikowski: State College 38, Hollidaysburg 14: Do you ever have one of those words that you consistently misspell — even when it’s easy? Yep, that’s Hollidaysburg for me!

Altoona 28, Taylor Allderdice 20

Andy Shay: Altoona 42, Taylor Allderdice 0: The Mountain Lions are feeling very good about themselves at 2-0, and this opponent won’t pose a threat to those good-feeling vibes.

Geoff Morrow: Altoona 41, Taylor Allderdice 14: Can’t tell you much about the Dragons. But they did rack up a forfeit victory over a school from West Virginia last weekend. That’s at least according to Allderdice’s schedule. The Oak Glen (WV) site simply lists the game as cancelled. Regardless, Mountain Lions feast.

Andy Sandrik: Altoona 35, Taylor Allderdice 7: Two teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. I’m taking the Mountain Lions.

Adam Kulikowski: Altoona 34, Taylor Allderdice 14: Vince Nedimyer and his Mountain Lions knew they needed to capitalize on their non-conference schedule before they entered league play. So far, so good.

Upper Dauphin 22, Trinity 14

Andy Shay: Trinity 42, Upper Dauphin 21: Tight spot for the T-Rocks in terms of momentum. Huge win in the opener, and then lost a game to COVID. Not easy to validate two weeks apart, but opportunity knocks.

Geoff Morrow: Trinity 33, Upper Dauphin 14: Surely would have been a very different prediction a few weeks ago, but the Trojans couldn’t find the end zone against Juniata, and the Shamrocks probably benefited from the unexpected extra week of practice. This could get ugly.

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 44, Upper Dauphin 12: Considering all the losing Trinity has been through in recent years, my preseason expectations were low for new coach Jordan Hill and his ‘Rocks staff. And, wow, all it took was one game, and now I expect the green machine to win by 30 every week.

Adam Kulikowski: Trinity 28, Upper Dauphin 13: Shamrocks got an unexpected week off but return with momentum still on their side. Tyler Rossi is the key to unlocking Jordan Hill’s second career varsity victory as a head coach.

Tri-Valley 34, Pine Grove 0

Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 21, Pine Grove 14: This one is going to be a lot closer than most think it will be. I have one of those feelings about this game. A Pine Grove upset will not surprise me at all, but T-V has earned the pick.

Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 25, Pine Grove 16: The Cardinals aren’t the type to get run over, but the Bulldogs are bouncing right now, and they’ll need turnovers or some kind of early spark to swing momentum. Otherwise, T-V moves to 3-0.

Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 28, Pine Grove 7: T-V is clicking on all cylinders right now. Bulldogs all the way.

Adam Kulikowski: Tri-Valley 35, Pine Grove 20: I got to see Pine Grove play last week against Williams Valley. Loved the fight in the Cardinals. Just not sure there’s enough firepower to hang with the Bulldogs.

Waynesboro 55, Gettysburg 49 (3OT)

Andy Shay: Waynesboro 21, Gettysburg 14: This Indians team has me all confused after eight quarters. Still think they are a quality squad. Looked the part a week ago. Gettysburg will demand another game at that level.

Geoff Morrow: Gettysburg 20, Waynesboro 19: This is the proverbial throwing-numbers-into-a-hat type of pick. It’s almost like each of these programs is purposefully writing their game plans in hieroglyphics just to keep people guessing.

Andy Sandrik: Gettysburg 21, Waynesboro 14: Someone got mad in the ‘Boro last weekend. I don’t think any of us were expecting the beatdown the Indians gave Red Lion. Waynesboro is going to need that same effort to knock off Gettysburg. It’s a tough ask against the Warriors, though, especially on the road.

Adam Kulikowski: Gettysburg 21, Waynesboro 20: You have to love the way the Indians took it to Red Lion last week if you are a fan of Waynesboro. Can they do it two weeks in a row against another quality opponent?

Saturday:

Steel-High 68, Newport 7

Andy Shay: Steel-High 49, Newport 7: This is not where you go to find answers after getting bulldozed in your opener. Bad spot for the Buffaloes.

Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 55, Newport 13: Good morning. Welcome to Cottage Hill. Now take your shellacking and go home, please.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 35, Newport 7: Getting trucked by West Perry, and then seeing Steel-High next on the calendar, has to be the Mondayist back-to-work feeling ever.

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 56, Newport 7: What happened to Newport in Week 2 against West Perry + what the Rollers did to those poor souls from Belmont Charter = deja vu all over again, Yogi.

Harrisburg 20, Manheim Township 17 (OT)

Andy Shay: Harrisburg 27, Manheim Township 14: A last-second change with the Cougars and Blue Streaks, each losing their Week 2 opponents to COVID. So they decided to square off. Why not, right? Cougars have enjoyed better success, know their identity and should be able to make the game suit them. Won’t be a walk in the park, though.

Geoff Morrow: Harrisburg 33, Manheim Township 26: There’s not been a lot of “silver lining” with COVID, but one positive — especially in the sports world — is tossing standard practices aside and being more creative and open-minded about things like scheduling. Two potentially outstanding games were whacked because of COVID; the two schools caught in the middle said, “Screw it, let’s play!” And here we are. I love it. 

Andy Sandrik: Harrisburg 33, Manheim Township 17: Not quite the flair of a Harrisburg-McDevitt matchup, but hey, we’ll take it.

Adam Kulikowski: Harrisburg 28, Manheim Township 21: In a COVID-influenced landscape, adjusting on the fly has become a requirement for teams. Cougars seem best equipped to adjust their lineup and play in what amounts to be a backyard pickup-style contest.

Monday:

West York at Palmyra, 6

Andy Shay: West York 20, Palmyra 17: This one is truly a coin flip for me. Heads was Palmyra, tails was West York. My guess here is West York.

Geoff Morrow: Palmyra 14, West York 6: I have three colleagues who live in West York, but our office is nearly 30 miles away from the borough. This isn’t relevant to my prediction, but I just think it’s weird.

Andy Sandrik: Palmyra 24, West York 14: I’m giving Palmyra the benefit of the doubt because it has put a few more points on the board, but this game has a coin-flip feel to it.

Adam Kulikowski: West York 21, Palmyra 13: Both teams are still looking to find their footing. Palmyra has been outscored by a combined 40 points in their first two contests.

POSTPONED: None

CANCELED: Bishop McDevitt at Harrisburg; Manheim Township at Central Dauphin

• Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings: December 10
• Picks and Predictions for the PIAA Championships
• Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings: December 3
• Picks and Predictions for November 29-30
• Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings: November 26