CD East’s defense stifles Cedar Cliff to fuel 20-7 victory
CD East used a grind-it-out offense combined with a fast and stingy defense to subdue previously unbeaten Cedar Cliff 20-7 Friday night at The Speedway. It was the Panthers second straight victory.
KEYS TO VICTORY
The 1-2 combination of RB Marcel McDaniels and QB Terrence Jackson-Copney allowed the Panthers to grind on the clock and control the pace and tempo of this game. The duo combined for 37 carries for 254 yards and each scored a touchdown.
CD East led 13-7 at intermission and Cedar Cliff was driving on its opening possession of the second half, moving the ball from its own 28 to the Panthers 35-yard line before disaster struck. A bad snap over the head of quarterback Ethan Dorrell was eventually recovered by the Panthers’ Cameron Livingston at the Colts’ 49. CD East methodically moved the ball downfield, using 12 plays and nearly half of the third-quarter clock, before McDaniel scampered over from 10 yards out on fourth-and-1 to give the Panthers a two-score lead.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Cedar Cliff came into this contest averaging 250 yards a game through the air. The Colts managed only 66 passing yards against CD East. … The Panthers had three touchdowns called back, all on long-distance pass plays covering 33, 64 and 27 yards. That’s 124 passing yards and three scores off the books. … Penalties were an issue for CD East, as the Panthers finished with 12 of them for a whopping 131 yards. … Jackson-Copney led all rushers with 134 yards on 12 carries including a 51-yard touchdown dart in the first quarter that made it 7-0. He also threw for 98 yards to give him 232 total yards. … Colts RB Jontae Morris had 86 yards on 16 carries with a 52-yard touchdown run for their only points.
WHAT WE SAW
The team speed of CD East overwhelmed Cedar Cliff across the board. Dorrell was under intense pressure the final three quarters and the result was his first interception of the season. The Panthers did a good job mixing up their coverages, and that along with East’s aggressiveness and speed on defense limited the Colts to only 156 yards of total offense on 45 snaps.
If they have to, the Panthers have the ingredients to take shots downfield and be a quick-strike offense. At their core, they want to be physical and run the ball. That was on display in full bloom in this one. In the second and third quarters CD East had three scoring drives (two field goals and a touchdown) that consumed 4:32, 7:18 and 5:52 of clock. That’s nearly 18 minutes of time chewed up to score only 13 points. Running the ball and being physical was the game plan, and the Panthers stuck to it.
THEY SAID IT
“Our kids battled. We were mistake-riddled offensively, and we had not done that our first two games. Our defense held in there. East was very methodical in the way they moved the ball. They are so fast, though — they are just so quick. Plays that were getting us 20 and 30 yards the first two weeks were only getting us 5-6 yards this week.” — Cedar Cliff head coach Colin Gillen
“We’re trying to make our identity into being physical and disciplined. We’ve got an experienced line, and we take pride in being able to run the ball right now. We take pride in our defense and just tried to be physical. We came off the ball well defensively, and that helped a lot tonight.” — CD East coach Lance Deane
PANTHERS 20, COLTS 7
Cedar Cliff 0 7 0 0 – 7
CD East 7 6 7 0 – 20
First Quarter
CDE-Terrence Jackson-Copney 51 run (Nickolas Bloss kick), 4:55
Second Quarter
CDE-FG Bloss 28, 10:31
CC-Jontae Morris 52 run (Derek Witmer kick), 8:36
CDE-FG Bloss 30, 1:07
Third Quarter
CDE-Marcel McDaniels 10 run (Bloss kick), 2:51
Fourth Quarter
None
Team Statistics CC CDE
First downs 13 16
Rushes-yards 26-90 41-257
C-A-I 8-19-1 10-19-0
Passing yards 66 98
Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0
Punts-avg. 3-29 3-30
Penalties-yards 6-45 12-131
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Cedar Cliff, Jontae Morris 16-86; Ethan Dorrell 6-(minus-9); Michael Jones 2-14; Ricardo Harmon 1-15; Team 1-(minus-16). CD East, Marcel McDaniels 25-120; Aidan Chandler 4-3; Terrence Jackson-Copney 12-134.
PASSING: Cedar Cliff, Dorrell 8-18-1-66; Bennett Secrest 0-1-0-0. CD East, Jackson-Copney 10-19-0-98.
RECEIVING: Cedar Cliff, Trenten Smith 3-29; Isaiah Maisonet 1-10; Nathan Lusk 1-1; Michael Armanini 2-19; KC Robinson 1-7. CD East, Tymere Thornton 2-28; Mehki Flowers 6-57; Izayah Hitchcock 2-13.
Schuylkill League News and Notes
Another backyard scrap on tap
They may play in different divisions these days — instead of the Twin Valley Conference and/or Tri-Valley League — but that doesn’t mean Tri-Valley (2-0) and Pine Grove (0-2) plan to take it easy on one another.
Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs authored a 21-0 shutout last weekend at Mahanoy Area, using strong play up front from defensive linemen Cam Carlin and Jake Scheib to limit the host Golden Bears to 12 rushing yards and 98 overall. Although Mahanoy Area put up a good scrap defensively, Tri-Valley received an effective effort from senior quarterback Jonas McGrath. He completed nine of his 16 passes — one attempt was picked off — for 121 yards.
Both of his touchdown passes were hauled in by sophomore wideout Layne Yoder, who scored on receptions of 3 and 53 yards while totaling seven catches for 92 yards. Pine Grove, meanwhile, dropped a 26-14 decision to Williams Valley at home, struggling offensively until freshman Carson Lengle checked in at quarterback. Lengle completed five of his 12 passes for 180 yards, with one of his completions locating Aaron Crumrine and covering 68 yards.
Williams Valley looking to stay perfect
Flashing a dominant running game throughout, Williams Valley (2-0) turned back neighboring Pine Grove 26-14 behind sophomore back Alex Achenbach. Achenbach rushed for 235 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, propelling Tim Savage’s squad in front with four minutes to play in the first quarter with a 59-yard score.
Nic Joseph and Jackson Yoder also booked rushing touchdowns for Williams Valley, which relied on its big people up front — Yoder, Ezi Hite, Owen Shoop, Brayden Shadle and Cruz Banda — to generate running lanes against the Cardinals’ front. Getting the ground game flowing against Haven may be difficult, especially since the Hurricanes (1-1) didn’t give an inch against Executive Education. Haven’s Aiden Myers rushed for 136 yards on 21 carries, while quarterback Travis Richie was 8-for-17 for 49 yards. Richie was picked off three times.
Mid-Penn Conference News and Notes: Liberty Division
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.
Result worth the wait for ‘Nita
Forced to wait an extra week to make its 2021 debut — the presence of COVID-19 put everything on hold — Susquenita turned that antsy extra week of preparation into a 22-3 victory Monday at Line Mountain. Louie Frisenda rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown, then set up a second score after the break with a tough-minded 36-yard burst that featured several broken tackles.
And while Derek Gibney’s 10-yard pass to his twin brother, Drew, was set up by Frisenda’s burst, the Blackhawks also picked up a safety and closed out Augie Glass’ first victory as coach on Mason Figard’s late 52-yard interception return.
Although the Blackhawks managed just 173 total yards of offense, Susquenita’s defense limited Line Mountain (0-2, 0-2) to a mere 80 yards while forcing three turnovers. “I’m happy they fought,” Glass said. “They stayed in it. We had some mistakes, but we didn’t have many penalties (5-for-35). I was worried about penalties. We kept fighting. I knew it was going to be a dog fight.”
Glass also lauded the Blackhawks’ special teams, which won the field-position phase of the game and also converted a fourth-and-long when Derek Gibney faked a punt and found his brother for a 25-yard gain. “Our special teams were awesome,” said Glass, who was soaked by his giddy players following the road victory. Although Line Mountain’s only points came on a Brayden Boyer field goal — for the second week in a row — the Eagles did get a combined 28 stops and four tackles for loss from omnipresent inside linebackers Beau Keim and Chandon Maurer.
Only Juniata sitting 2-0 in division play
Behind another sparkling defensive effort, Juniata (2-0, 2-0) remained perfect Saturday night with a 20-0 shutout at Upper Dauphin (1-1, 1-1). The host Trojans were in the red zone twice in the fourth quarter, reaching the Juniata 17 on one possession and later advancing to the Indians’ 8.
Three straight incompletions ended the first thrust — G.G. Ortiz nearly intercepted the final pass attempt — but the second came to a close when UD QB Wil Laskowski was thrown to the turf, fumbled and Trent Kauffman recovered the ball. As a result, Kurt Condo’s squad will lug a scoreless string of 94-plus minutes into its Week 3 scrap at West Perry.
“The defense has been strong this year and we plan to keep pushing,” said defensive lineman Jon Kauffman, who collected four of Juniata’s five sacks. Jacob Condo, Ortiz and Zach Harr rushed for touchdowns to give the Indians all the points they needed. “A win’s a win,” Kurt Condo said. “We’ll take it.”
Crossover play begins this week
Although Juniata has a date with host West Perry (1-1) on its Week 3 agenda, everyone else is scheduled to match up with Mid-Penn Capital foes. Susquenita, James Buchanan, Upper Dauphin, Halifax and Line Mountain will play at home against Camp Hill, Boiling Springs, Trinity, Big Spring and Middletown, respectively. On Saturday, however, Newport will visit Steel-High. What makes things more difficult — whether home or on the road — is Camp Hill (2-0), Boiling Springs (2-0), Trinity (1-0) and Steel-High (2-0) sport perfect marks.
4th Down Magazine Player of the Week (Class 3A-1A): Alex Achenbach
It took just 10 games into his varsity career for Alex Achenbach to have his breakout game.
The sophomore at Williams Valley already had a few hundred-yard games in his back pocket from his freshman campaign, but Friday’s dismantling of Pine Grove was his official statement game.
The 5-foot-10 running back sliced up Cardinals for 241 yards and two scores on just 29 carries, eclipsing his previous career high for yards in a game by nearly 90 stripes. Not bad.
The career outing convinced Vikings fans to come out in droves to vote for their guy. Achenbach picked up 1,696 votes to win our Week 2 Small School Player of the Week poll. It was a heated battle with Boiling Springs FB/LB Aiden Metzger, who lost by a hair (1,634 votes) in the POTW poll for schools in Classes 1A through 3A. Achenbach’s 39% of the vote edged Metzger and popped everyone else, with Tri-Valley WR Layne Yoder finishing with 454 votes.
The Vikings (2-0) and their young back host Colonial-Schuylkill foe Schuylkill Haven (1-1) in Friday’s Week 3 clash. Achenbach, who already has 50 carries and 334 yards, is in good shape to possibly reach 500 yards just three games into the season.
4th Down Magazine Player of the Week Class 6A-4A: Trenten Smith
If there’s been a hotter wide receiver through the first two weeks of the season than Cedar Cliff’s Trenten Smith, we’d like to meet them.
The senior is already north of 300 yards receiving (303 to be precise), a number many high school receivers don’t reach until the midway point of the season, not Week 2.
Maybe it’s for that reason, or maybe it’s because Smith hauled in nine passes for 132 yards and a TD for the 2-0 Colts, coming up big in a tight 33-27 battle over Cocalico, that Smithl is our Week 2 Big School Player of the Week. Fans voted the wideout the top player among the Mid-Penn Conference’s Class 4A through 6A programs by a healthy margin, with the Cliff faithful coming through for 871 votes. And that’s actually splitting some of the vote with Smith’s signal caller, junior Ethan Dorrell, who was a nominee this week as well.
Smith, who has 16 receptions and three TDs already this season, snagged 43% of the vote this week, beating Central Dauphin WR/DB Randy Rudy (541 votes) and Waynesboro RB Aidan Mencia (401).
The Colts have one more week of non-league play with a tilt against 1-1 CD East on Friday.
The Spotlight with Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff quarterback Ethan Dorrell
Week 3: Picks and Predictions
RECORDS (Last week — Overall):
Andy Shay: 23-6 — 42-15
Andy Sandrik: 22-7 — 38-19
Adam Kulikowski: 20-9 — 36-21
Geoff Morrow: 18-11 — 35-22
Friday:
Big Spring at Halifax, 7
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 at James Buchanan, 7
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.
Camp Hill at Susquenita, 7
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.
Cedar Cliff at CD East, 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.
Cedar Crest at Carlisle, 7
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 years — I’m signing a different tune.
Dallastown at Hershey, 7
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.
Dover at Shippensburg, 7
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 at Milton Hershey, 7
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 the ‘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 at Delone Catholic, 7
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.
Juniata at West Perry, 7
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?
Line Mountain at Middletown, 7
Andy Shay: Middletown 42, Line Mountain 7: 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 on Monday, however, doesn’t leave the folks in Herndon much time to correct.
Lower Dauphin at Elizabethtown, 7
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?
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.
Adam Kulikowski: Elizabethtown 28, Lower Dauphin 6: Two teams that are searching for their footing in ‘21. Sign me up for the Bears.
Manheim Central at Susquehanna Township, 7
Andy Shay: Manheim Central 45, Susquehanna Township 7: 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 at Red Land, 7
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?
Mifflin County at Williamsport, 7
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.
Red Lion at Chambersburg, 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.
Schuylkill Haven at Williams Valley, 7
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 4th 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.
Spring-Ford at Cumberland Valley, 7
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 an ‘70s Pinto. Against a Rams club that has yet to yield a single point, that’s trouble.
Spring Grove at 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 Rockets to visit the place we — for a long time — called Area 51 because 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 kid 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 at Hollidaysburg, 7
Andy Shay: State College 38, Hollidaysburg 20: Turnovers and explosive plays will play key factors in this game. 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!
Taylor Allderdice at Altoona, 7
Andy Shay: Altoona 42, Taylor Allderdice 0: 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.
Trinity at Upper Dauphin, 7
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 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 at Pine Grove, 7
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: Cardinals aren’t the type to get run over, but 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 at Gettysburg, 7
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?
West York at Palmyra, 7
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.
Saturday:
Newport at Steel-High, 10 a.m.
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.
Manheim Township vs. Central Dauphin, 7
Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 28, Manheim Township 17: This matchup has been a benefit to both programs over the last few seasons. The Blue Streaks are a step shy of the Rams right now is how I see it. Doesn’t mean it won’t be a heckuva game, though.
Geoff Morrow: Manheim Township 27, Central Dauphin 24: Skipping last year for COVID reasons, these programs have met TWICE — both regular season and playoffs — in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Head-to-head record over those eight meetings? 4-4. A round of applause for supplying this region with some outstanding non-conference football, y’all!
Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 28, Manheim Township 24: The Rams and Blue Streaks have been dominant in recent years, but every minute of football this season has been tense and down to the wire. I expect that trend to continue this week.
Adam Kulikowski: Central Dauphin 24, Manheim Township 20: Fun fact. Max Mosey currently has more rushing attempts (31) than passing attempts (29) through eight quarters of play. Just a hunch, but that changes this week.
POSTPONED: None
CANCELED: Bishop McDevitt at Harrisburg
Mid-Penn Conference News and Notes: Capital Division
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.
Roller’s Erby posting staggering numbers, but not yet tested in ’21:
Steel-High sophomore quarterback Alex Erby has thrown for 647 yards in two games on only 30 attempts with 12 touchdown passes. That’s a ridiculous 21.6 yards per attempt. Yes, the defending PIAA champions have played a couple of less-than-competitive teams. Also don’t forget they lost an all-state wide receiver who verbally declared for Penn State via a transfer.
Typically intriguing matchups might not be in ’21:
Couple of matchups for Capital squads that normally would get us excited to see where it goes, but this season these games will barely move the needle on the competitive meter. Steel-High will tangle with Newport. Think of that game at any point the last half-decade? This year it doesn’t seem in the cards to see a competitive game after the Buffs were rolled by West Perry. Middletown vs. Line Mountain would be fairly predictable in terms of the final result, but the Eagles would bring something to the table. Again, that doesn’t seem to be the case in 2021. Going to take a few more weeks to learn where the balance of power in this crazy division is going to split.

