Picks and Predictions for Week 1

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Picks and Predictions for Week 1

Week 1 Mid-Penn Schedule: 

Friday, Sept. 25

Juniata at Middletown

Andy Shay: Middletown 38, Juniata 7: I’m going to give the Indians a touchdown and am well aware the Blue Raiders took a beating at the QB position in that scrimmage with CD. And I also know that will not matter.

Jake Adams: Middletown 49, Juniata 0: Let’s not get cute here. The Blue Raiders are a machine that will welcome Mid-Penn newcomer Juniata very, very rudely. 

Andy Sandrik: Middletown 44, Juniata 0: The Indians have always been a tough out in the newly defunct TVL, and may yet be a tough out in the Mid-Penn, but Middletown… yeah, that’s not the team you want breaking you in for conference play. 

Geoff Morrow: Middletown 40, Juniata 12: Holy crap. I am so far behind the Andys and Jakes of the world. My head has been buried so deep in other life stuff that I completely forgot Juniata (and others) are part of the Mid-Penn now. 

4th Down’s weekly show, High School Football Now with Eric F. Epler and Andy Shay, has a new home exclusively on the Small Player, Big Play app. Down the app today from Android or Apple and give us a watch!

Related: Middletown preview

Related: Juniata preview

Cumberland Valley at Altoona

Andy Shay: Cumberland Valley 41, Altoona 13: Former Eagles standout and Shippensburg University alum Josh Oswalt gets his first win at his high school alma mater. About time I could write that. It’s long overdue.

Jake Adams: Cumberland Valley 35, Altoona 3: Josh Oswalt’s spread offense finally reaches the Red and White. I don’t expect it to be running in midseason form, but it’ll be interesting to see what the result is.

Andy Sandrik: Cumberland Valley 33, Altoona 7: I’m as excited to see the Eagles’ new offense #TakeFlight as much as the next guy, but I’m wondering if we’ll even get to see beyond Page 1 of CV’s playbook in this contest.

Geoff Morrow: Cumberland Valley 43, Altoona 19: Blair County is an easier trip in September than it is in December. (I’m speaking physically here. Like the roads and things.) Advantage, Eagles.

Related: Cumberland Valley preview

Related: Altoona preview

James Buchanan at Big Spring

Andy Shay: Big Spring 25, James Buchanan 15: Welcome back to the MPC, Rockets. Appears JB has some talent to work with, and the Bulldogs are looking to fill the void created by weapons that have moved on. Still think BiS gets it done on the ground.

Jake Adams: Big Spring 27, James Buchanan 14: Rockets at Bulldogs, a well-established rivalry, back again with JB in its old stomping grounds. Big Spring has a bunch of weapons to replace, but the backfield appears stable and could grind out some good yards this week.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 31, James Buchanan 14: The Rockets return to the Mid-Penn after making strides during a four-year hiatus to build the program as an independent team. JB comes in confident now that it remembers what it feels like to win, but will that be enough for the Rockets to snap a 22-game losing streak against teams from the MPC?

Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 28, James Buchanan 20: Feels good to say “Jimmy Buck” again.

Related: James Buchanan preview

Related: Big Spring preview

Susquenita at Boiling Springs

Andy Shay: Susquenita 27, Boiling Springs 20: What does all that experience mean for the Bubblers and that nasty L streak they are carrying around? We are gonna find out. ‘Nita (gloriously displayed on their helmets) has a bit of junkyard dog in them and is my sleeper pick to win the Liberty.

Jake Adams: Susquenita 21, Boiling Springs 14: The Bubblers, I think, will end their losing streak this year, but I know how tough the Blackhawks have been in the TVL the last few years and think they’ll be a challenge. But I could be wrong and wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest.

Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 19, Boiling Springs 17: My gut feeling is to take Boiling Springs, which returns a wealth of experience, but until the Bubblers snap their 11-game losing streak, I’m going to keep picking against them. 

Geoff Morrow: Boiling Springs 22, Susquenita 20: Feels like I picked the Blackhawks wrong every game last year, which, if nothing else, speaks to their ability to keep things interesting AND my inability to figure out just what Perdix’s role is in all things ‘Nita.

Related: Boiling Springs preview

Related: Susquenita preview

Line Mountain at Camp Hill

Andy Shay: Camp Hill 28, Line Mountain 13: I’m going to ride Lions veteran QB Daniel Shuster here. Not sure of the weapons at his disposal, but he’ll find them. First taste of the MPC for Line Mountain. Welcome!

Jake Adams: Camp Hill 35, Line Mountain 17: If the Lions can replace two-way talent Frank Shartle II properly, they’ll be just fine. That requires one or more players stepping up in the run game and another one or two at linebacker. Good thing? The Lions’ passing game should be improved.

Andy Sandrik: Camp Hill 33, Line Mountain 6: Excited to watch the season progression of senior Camp Hill QB Daniel Shuster, who gets to test his arm against Line Mountain, an ex-TVL squad making its Mid-Penn debut. 

Geoff Morrow: Camp Hill 24, Line Mountain 20: Might not end up this close, but this seems like kind of a cool game. I’m digging this new Mid-Penn look.

Related: Camp Hill preview

Related: Line Mountain preview

Exeter Township at CD East

Andy Shay: Exeter Township 34, CD East 20: The Eagles have a game under their belt and despite the loss put up nearly 500 yards of offense. They will score points. Not sure the Panthers, who are preparing for their third opponent for this game, can be quite ready.

Jake Adams: Exeter Township 32, CD East 24: And this is the perfect example of why this season cannot possibly go smoothly. We’re only in Week 1 and East is on their backup-backup opponent. 

Andy Sandrik: Exeter Township 37, CD East 30: Part of me wants to think that East can trade blows with the Eagles, who took heavy graduation losses from last year’s district semifinals team. Another part of me thinks that returning all-league QB Gavin McCusker is going to put on a fireworks show. Maybe both things can be true.

Geoff Morrow: Exeter Township 28, CD East 21: Ain’t nothing like a last-second change of schedule. Gotta figure Eagles have the edge with a productive win over Hempfield last week while the Panthers were still scrimmaging.

Related: CD East preview

Berks Catholic at Cedar Cliff

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 21, Berks Catholic 20: The last time the Colts played a game it was an embarrassing performance in a District 3 championship game. That’s some fuel to light a fire right there. The Saints are the clear favorite. And I know the Colts are filling some huge shoes at important spots. I’m done picking them to lose big games until it happens — the D3 final doesn’t count as a game, either, cause it wasn’t.

Jake Adams: Berks Catholic 35, Cedar Cliff 20: Both teams made the district championship a season ago, but it appears the Colts have more new pieces to acclimate. And I think that shows in this hastily thrown together Week 1 matchup.

Andy Sandrik: Berks Catholic 28, Cedar Cliff 7: I can’t, in good faith, convince myself the Colts are going to beat the Saints when two days ago I was predicting Lower Dauphin to give CC a run for its money in the post-Jaheim Morris era.

Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 22, Berks Catholic 21: I feel like I just accidentally copied AShay, though I didn’t notice his prediction until AFTER I made mine. Whatever. AShay is cool. I’m proud to sometimes think like him.

Related: Cedar Cliff preview

Chambersburg at Central Dauphin

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 35, Chambersburg 7: Rams are the Alpha Dog in the division, and the Trojans have been knocking at the door. Some key losses means there’s going to be a gap. And playing a team like CD to learn how to plug those holes is a tall, tall ask.

Jake Adams: Central Dauphin 35, Chambersburg 21: The Rams look really, really dangerous. That’s what happens when a healthy chunk of a state championship finalist comes back.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 28, Chambersburg 14: The Trojans want so badly to become one of the top programs in the elite Commonwealth and have made strides with their ascent in the division’s pecking order, but in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. Chambersburg is being asked to do just that in Week 1 against defending champ Central Dauphin, a team the Trojans haven’t beaten since 2013.

Geoff Morrow: Central Dauphin 40, Chambersburg 20: So, some 2019 stuff is coming back to me, even though it feels like 8 million years ago. I remember the Trojans are a player now. But I also know the Rams are arguably the best team in the area.

Related: Central Dauphin preview

Related: Chambersburg preview

Northern at East Pennsboro

Andy Shay: Northern 26, East Pennsboro 23: This is going to be a scrap because the Polar Bears no longer have an ace in the hole. Up front Northern is better. EP has more seasoned and known weapons. I’m leaning on the hogs up front as the deciding factor. 

Jake Adams: East Pennsboro 28, Northern 21: You know what? Let’s go for the upset. Longtime CD assistant John Denniston snags his first career head-coaching win in his first try.

Andy Sandrik: Northern 28, East Pennsboro 21: For four years, Kyle Swartz was a cheat code for the Polar Bears. Something tells me this game is closer than expected as Northern adjusts to playing the game with mere mortals on its roster. 

Geoff Morrow: Northern 25, East Pennsboro 15: Hard to imagine a Panthers team without Todd Stuter patrolling the sideline. It’s not hard to imagine this being a fun contest.

Related: Northern preview

Related: East Pennsboro preview

Hamburg at Halifax

Andy Shay: Hamburg 20, Halifax 13: The best player on the field, Diohnny Ruiz, plays for Hamburg, and in this strange world we now live in that’s enough a difference maker for me.

Jake Adams: Halifax 26, Hamburg 23: The Hawks won this one handily last year. But the Wildcats return a sizable amount of weapons. Gut call, considering how little I know outside the Mid-Penn.

Andy Sandrik: Hamburg 24, Halifax 21: Halifax had best keep an eye on Hamburg’s HB/LB Diohnny Ruiz, who was all-league on both sides of the ball last season. 

Geoff Morrow: Hamburg 30, Halifax 7: At first I thought this said “Harrisburg at Halifax,” and I was like, “Uh oh. That’s not good for the Wildcats.” After correcting myself, this still feels like an uphill battle to me.

Related: Halifax preview

Red Land at Hershey

Andy Shay: Red Land 20, Hershey 13: Scoring enough points to stay competitive is a hurdle Hershey must overcome this year. They have the horses to be better, but can they execute? Patriots are cooking with more they can trust right now. Should be a good one.

Jake Adams: Red Land 23, Hershey 20: This might be one of the juiciest matchups of the first week. The Trojans and Patriots both return a sizable chunk of last year’s squads, and at some valuable positions. This one’s a coin toss to me.

Andy Sandrik: Red Land 17, Hershey 7: All signs point to improved seasons from both the Patriots and Trojans, so this is a tough one to call. I’m giving Red Land the advantage because the Pats beat up on Hershey 31-6 in last year’s meeting.

Geoff Morrow: Red Land 20, Hershey 14: I went to Red Land, but I’m not a homer. I just flip coins.

Related: Red Land preview

West Perry at Mechanicsburg

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 42, West Perry 7: Welcome to the Colonial Division, Wildcats. You get to open with a Mustangs team that is solid up front but replacing all those yards and points at the skill positions is a process. And Wildcats QB Micah Brubaker is sneaky good.

Jake Adams: Mechanicsburg 35, West Perry 10: We know the Wildcats will rack up yards. But can they finish off a few more drives this year AND, more importantly, make more stops on defense? That’s the key to a successful Colonial Division debut.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 28, West Perry 10: The Mustangs have strength on the offensive line, which is where games are ultimately won or lost, but WP’s new cast of playmakers will need to start producing almost immediately to keep pace with the rejuvenated Wildcats, led by Micah Brubaker, perhaps the biggest QB threat in the Colonial Division.

Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 33, West Perry 14: Boss’ son plays for the Wildcats, so I’m just predict right now that Mechanicsburg wins the Super Bowl this year and hope it gets me a quality job review.

Related: Mechanicsburg preview

Related: West Perry preview

Bishop McDevitt at Mifflin County

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 44, Mifflin County 0: Thinking this is more like a scrimmage than a Week 1 game. The talent gap is rather large here. 

Jake Adams: Bishop McDevitt 56, Mifflin County 3: The Crusaders are built to score a billion points, and that starts in Week 1.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 42, Mifflin County 0: The Crusaders are great on offense and exceptional on the defensive side of the ball. I think McDevitt’s starters and backups work hard to keep MiffCo off the board. 

Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 55, Mifflin County 7: Running wild in Lewistown.

Related: Bishop McDevitt preview

Related: Mifflin County preview

Hollidaysburg at Palmyra

Andy Shay: Hollidaysburg 20, Palmyra 16: This is my guess pick of the week. The fact the Golden Tigers already have eight live quarters under their belt has to mean something, right?

Jake Adams: Palmyra 28, Hollidaysburg 13: Normally, I’d like a team coming in with two games in hand, but the Golden Tigers are already 0-2 and went 0-4 pretty decisively against Mid-Penn competition last year. Cougars cruise here.

Andy Sandrik: Hollidaysburg 28, Palmyra 13: I’m going to disagree with Jake here. Even at 0-2, I fully expect the Golden Tigers to be more prepared for the lights in Week 3 than an untested Palmyra in Week 1. That’s not a slight on the Cougars, either, just another weird-but-true reality of 2020.

Geoff Morrow: Palmyra 21, Hollidaysburg 17: Such an intense, classic rivalry here. It’s like cats vs. dijon mustard.

Greencastle-Antrim at Susquehanna Township

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 33, Greencastle-Antrim 26: The Blue Devils will be improved and look to play at a much different pace than their opponent. I fully expect the Hanna Tribe to flash, but G-A will make it grind over 48 minutes.

Jake Adams: Susquehanna Township 41, Greencastle-Antrim 19: It’ll be a 3-4 team race in the Colonial this year, perhaps the most entertaining division race to watch in the entire Mid-Penn. ‘Hanna firmly belongs in that camp, while G-A will be looking to play spoiler all year.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 48, Greencastle-Antrim 21: The Indians will, as expected, make their Colonial Division debut an explosive one. This is, however, one of Greencastle’s best teams in years. Can the Blue Devils keep the game entertaining?

Geoff Morrow: Susquehanna Township 35, Greencastle-Antrim 14: I remember Jake issued an edict last year saying we now have to spell out “township” in these school names. I gave in, but it will always be “Twp.” in my heart.

Related: Susquehanna Twp. preview

Related: Greencastle-Antrim preview

Newport at Trinity

Andy Shay: Newport 20, Trinity 7: Both squads are shopping for weapons to emerge at the skill positions. This is a box of chocolates game to me — not sure what you are going to get.

Jake Adams: Newport 28, Trinity 21: I’m going to struggle the first few weeks figuring out these Liberty-Capital crossover games. But I’m not sure what to expect from a rebuilt Shamrocks offense that will have a new QB, new RB and several new receivers. 

Andy Sandrik: Trinity 14, Newport 7: Both teams replacing some key skill players so points might come at a premium on Friday night. Coin flip game in my mind, so going with the home team.

Geoff Morrow: Trinity 21, Newport 18: It’s a good nickname battle. Let’s hope this is also a good actual battle. I think it will be.

Related Newport preview

Related: Trinity preview

Shippensburg at Waynesboro

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 24, Waynesboro 13: In a year when very little resembles what we saw in 2019 because of COVID, the Greyhounds are lethally predictable. That will serve them well against the pesky Indians.

Jake Adams: Shippensburg 28, Waynesboro 14: The Greyhounds may not be able to get to warp speed after some lightning-fast graduations, but they’re still big, still strong, still confident and still have some speed left over.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 21, Waynesboro 12: Ship appears to have the best team on the field this week, and perhaps in the Colonial Division all season, but Week 1 is a dangerous time to be taking Waynesboro’s best shot.

Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 30, Waynesboro 20: Remember that one year Brennan Marion coached the ‘Boro and added some spice to the entire Colonial? That was fun. Indians have been pretty competitive since, too.

Related: Shippensburg preview

Related: Waynesboro preview

Saturday, Sept. 26

Upper Dauphin at Steel-High

Andy Shay: Steel-High 33, Upper Dauphin 22: To me this game goes one of two ways, either’s a fun up-and-down Saturday thriller on Cottage Hill, or the Rollers take the Trojans out behind the woodshed. The over-under for touchdown plays covering 60 or more yards is 3.5.

Jake Adams: Steel-High 37, Upper Dauphin 32: Two favorites in their respective divisions with two potent offenses, this also has the makings of an excellent Week 1 clash. If the Rollers’ rookie QB Alex Erby proves the preseason hype correct, this could be a fun, high-scoring game.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 30, Upper Dauphin 20: My wife wants us to take the kids to Hersheypark on Saturday, but it’s gonna be really hard not to stay home and search for a livestream of this juicy matchup. 

Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 44, Upper Dauphin 30: Rollers family suffered some recent heartbreak, and I think the team rallies around that and wins one for the community.

Related: Upper Dauphin preview

Related: Steel-High preview

*State College, Lower Dauphin, Carlisle: No contests scheduled

Related: State College preview

Related: Lower Dauphin preview

Related: Carlisle preview

Week 3 Schuylkill League Schedule: 

Friday, Sept. 25

Jim Thorpe at Pine Grove

Andy Shay: Jim Thorpe 26, Pine Grove 14: I don’t think I realized JT was nicknamed the Olympians. WHAT a great nickname. There’s a physical level between the old TVL (rest in peace you beautiful small-school league) and the Schuylkill League. The Cards are finding that out.

Jake Adams: Jim Thorpe 27, Pine Grove 20: I think I played a youth league baseball game against a team from Jim Thorpe 20 years ago. That’s my special nugget of knowledge for this one.

Andy Sandrik: Jim Thorpe 28, Pine Grove 7: The transition to Schuylkill League football hasn’t been an easy one for 0-2 Pine Grove, and I’m not sure the road gets any easier this week for the Cards, who now have to deal with the 2-0 Olympians.

Geoff Morrow: Jim Thorpe 35, Pine Grove 21: If you’re gonna play against just one guy, Jim Thorpe probably isn’t the guy you want to face.

Related: Pine Grove preview

Williams Valley at Nativity BVM

Andy Shay: Williams Valley 37, Nativity BVM 12: The Vikings are to the point where they just want to outscore you and provide their fans as much splash and big plays as possible. They are fun to watch. Nativity is 2-0 but hasn’t faced a test like this.

Jake Adams: Williams Valley 35, Nativity BVM 13: I think the Vikings want to atone for finishing third in the last year of the Tri-Valley League. I see they averaged 12.2 yards a carry last week. That must feel nice.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 28, Nativity BVM 24: Looks like it’s business as usual for the Vikings, who opened with a 54-0 win over Shenandoah Valley. I’m curious to see if unbeaten Nativity, which went 0-2 against TVL teams last year, can challenge Williams Valley. 

Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 45, Nativity BVM 14: Pre-, mid- or post-pandemic, the Vikings are a safe bet to win football games.

Related: Williams Valley preview

2020 Preview: Upper Dauphin Trojans

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2020 Preview: Upper Dauphin Trojans

By Michael Bullock: 

Coach: Kent Smeltz, 3rd season (25-9)

Classification: 2A

League/division: Mid-Penn Liberty

2019 record: 12-1 (9-0 Tri-Valley League)

Postseason: Beat Delone Catholic 36-28 in District 3 Class 2A championship. Lost to Southern Columbia 63-22 in PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals.

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs

Tyler Cleveland: 0-1, 0, 0

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Chance Crawford (Mbg): 161-759, 4.7, 5

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TDs

Kyle Casner (Mbg): 25-518, 20.7, 5

Key returning players: Chance Crawford, sr., RB-DB (Millersburg); Tyler Cleveland, sr., QB-DB; Hayden Harner, sr., WR-OLB; Elijah Latshaw, sr., OL-DL (Mbg); Jaben Jury, sr., OL-DL (Mbg); Alex Gannon, sr., OL-DL; Dominic Fulkroad, sr., OL-DL; Bransen Byle, sr., OL-DL; Kyle Casner, sr., WR-DB (Mbg).

Outlook: While graduation definitely belted Smeltz’s prolific Trojans, the Millersburg upperclassmen now on the scene will help up front while the skills can provide plenty of pop. So, all is not lost as UDA shifts from the Tri-Valley League to the Mid-Penn’s freshly minted Liberty Division. Yes, Smeltz’s program is in transition. Yes, the rest of the Liberty will be looking to unseat the Trojans. Regardless, a football program that spans almost all of northern Dauphin County is not about to yield anything without a scrap.

3 Things to Know:

1. Trojans hoping to maintain momentum: Propelled by a senior-heavy squad featuring All-State QB Macklin Ayers (3,000 yards from scrimmage) and highly productive running back Jake Ramberger, Kent Smeltz’s Trojans collared the Tri-Valley League’s final crown, captured a District 3 Class 2A title and advanced to state play before encountering eventual state champ Southern Columbia. When it was over, 18 seniors played their final high school football games in Upper Dauphin orange and black. Now comes the test of plugging some less-experienced performers into some prime-time positions while trying to fend off the rest of the Mid-Penn’s determined Liberty Division rivals. “That’s one of the things we talked about [Sept. 18] at our last practice before [the Trinity] scrimmage,” Smeltz said. “There’s no magical potion out there. There aren’t these magical plays that we know and nobody else knows. It’s hard work. It’s as simple as that. It’s hard work. Do you put in the time? Are you willing to be focused at practice? Coaches have to put in the time to prepare, and players have to put in the time at practice to prepare for a game. It’s a grind. It is a grind. That’s the challenge. That senior class that we had last year, they certainly set the standard, and hopefully the underclassmen learned from that. We’re bringing in some kids from Millersburg that weren’t exposed to that, so that’s a little bit of a challenge. They’re very eager, but this is a new system for them.”

2. Year 1 of U.S. 209 cooperative agreement about to begin: Even though UD said so long to its sizable senior class, Smeltz’s Trojans definitely will benefit from the arrival of a number of former Millersburg players as a full-scale cooperative relationship gets underway. And since the Indians closed out 100-plus years of football by claiming a District 3 Class 1A championship and reaching states, those underclassmen who opted to continue their careers nine miles away will capably fill some of those existing holes. Chance Crawford is a dependable two-way back, while receiver Kyle Casner averaged just over 20 yards per catch and can run past plenty of defensive backs. Linemen Elijah Latshaw and Jaben Jury bring experience and bulk to the Trojans. Another player who could have helped plenty was versatile Caden Feaster, but he suffered a preseason knee injury and will be unavailable. Former Millersburg head coach Aaron Wright also has joined the UDA staff. “I don’t think there’s been any issue. They struggled the last few years, so they’re willing just to fall in line and do what we ask. That’s for the older kids, the juniors and seniors,” Smeltz said. “The underclassmen, it’s maybe been a little bit more of a shock to them how we do things; they’re not used to that. But the upperclassmen — ‘whatever Coach, whatever’ — are so willing to adapt and just do whatever we ask them to do. … I don’t think there’s been a total buy-in from the younger kids, but from the older kids there’s been buy-in from Day 1.”

3. Program A + Program B = UDA — and hopefully more success: While Smeltz & Co. would love to have more time to fine-tune the transition and fully incorporate the former Millersburg players into the Upper Dauphin way of doing things, that won’t be the case since the Trojans must open against perennial hammer Steel-High in a Mid-Penn crossover. Quite simply, UD is going from finishing one season against powerful Southern Columbia to opening another against dangerous Steel-High. Yikes! “Because of the Millersburg kids coming on to the team, we’re running a different offense and a different defense than what they’ve been used to — so it’s a big learning curve for them,” Smeltz said. “Once again, they’ve been trying really hard, but there’s nothing like experience. So, by the middle of the season I think we’ll be a much better team than we are at the beginning of the season, but opening up with Steel-High we’re not getting any type of leeway there. We’re going right into the lion’s den with the first game, so it’s concerning cause the kids just don’t have a lot of experience in our systems. We’re going to try hard and see what happens.”

2020 Preview: Bishop McDevitt

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2020 Preview: Bishop McDevitt

By Andy Sandrik: 

Head coach: Jeff Weachter

Classification: 4A

Division: Mid-Penn Keystone

2019 Season: 8-4, 5-1 in Keystone

Postseason: Lost to Lampeter-Strasburg in the District 3-4A quarterfinal

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Lek Powell: 155-254, 2,054, 18

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg., TD

Marquese Williams: 155-1,019, 6.6, 15

Receiving: Rec-Yards,Avg., TD

Mario Easterly: 52-761, 14.4, 7

Omari Hopkind: 20-492, 24.6, 3

Key Players: QB Lek Powell, Sr., QB; Marquese Williams, So., RB; Mario Easterly, Jr., WB-DB; Kamil Foster, Jr., WR-DB; Gabe Arena, So., OL-DL; Julian Bakos, Sr., OLB-DE; Jamoni Heron George, Jr., LB; Riley Robell, So., LB; Danny McHale, Sr., OL-DL; Omari Hopkins, Sr.,; Dedrick Tinker, Sr., WR-RB-DB

OUTLOOK: If this year were like any other year, we’d be talking about this team’s chances to compete for a state title. But the reality of this fall is that the Crusaders will be competing for one of just four spots in the district playoffs, and losses — either by final score or game cancellations — could leave Bishop McDevitt on the outside looking in. The good news, in case you haven’t heard, is that the Crusaders are an excellent football team. They will be favored in every regular season game they play this fall. If McDevitt can play a full schedule this season, and earn a signature win over Cedar Cliff and/or Cumberland Valley, we like the Crusaders chances to not only qualify for the postseason, but to make a run.

3 THINGS TO KNOW


1. Williams hitting the OL books
Following an electric freshman season that featured 15 TDs and more than 1,000 yards, it’s hard to imagine McDevitt marching out an even better version of RB Marquese Williams this fall. Yet Weachter reports that Williams has only gotten bigger, faster and smarter since last season.
 

Williams has done everything that’s been asked of him, even study the playbook: From the perspective of a lineman.

“We made Marquese learn the blocking schemes as if he’s a lineman,” Weachter said. “We made LeSean (McCoy) do the same thing. When you do that, your understanding of how to run the ball is better.”
 

That understanding goes beyond the running back, as Weachter can count on Williams for not only yards, but opposition intel as well. Weachter acknowledges that technological improvements, like instant replay, have made it easier for coaches to pick up on what’s happening between the lines, but he said it’s still important to get the feedback from his RB.

“Marquese has great peripheral vision like Shady, so he can talk more about what he’s seeing,” Weachter said. “He can talk more on a coaches level now about what he’s seeing and what he likes.
“He has just physically and mentally matured since last year, so he’s going to be tough to handle.”

2. Altered Schedule

Harrisburg and Milton Hershey are off the schedule because of COVID-19 season cancellations. McDevitt won’t be meeting national power St. Mary’s Ryken, as scheduled, either. Even Middletown, a PIAA tournament regular, won’t be able to challenge the Crusaders after making the move from the Keystone Division to the Capital.
 

The question for McDevitt is can its schedule, in its current form, prepare the Crusaders for a deep postseason run? Another question worth considering, as the number of District 3 4A qualifiers has dipped from 10 teams to four: Will McDevitt be able to rack up enough power points to qualify for the dance?

Not so fast, Weachter says.
 

“Losing all of those teams is a little frustrating, but I’m just happy that we’re getting to hopefully play some games,” Weachter said. “I haven’t looked at the other 4A teams, but I know we have two 6A teams on our schedule and the rest are all 5A, so you’ve got to win anyway. You just have to win, and hope you get in.”

If there’s a silver lining to the schedule changes, it’s that the Crusaders can continue their rivalry with Cumberland Valley, which was added to the schedule for Oct. 16 to replace Harrisburg. This game will be played one week after Keystone heavy hitter Cedar Cliff welcomes McDevitt to West Shore Stadium. These two games will not only give us a better idea of how good the Crusaders really are, these contests could go a long way in determining whether Weachter’s squad make it to the playoffs at all.

3. “We’ll go as far as our O-Line takes us”

Even if McDevitt didn’t have Williams, the Crusaders would still be loaded at the skill positions. QB Lek Powell developed a steady hand last season and returns this fall with an even stronger arm. He has a deeply talented wide receiving corps of Mario Easterly, Omari Hopkins, Kamil Foster, and Dedrick Tinker.
 

McDevitt’s defense, with DE/LB Julian Bankos wreaking havoc to lead by example, will ensure that the Crusaders are in every game this year.

The biggest question mark for McDevitt lies with the young offensive line, which struggled at times last seasons, but returns with a year of on-the-job experience. These dudes are big — check out the measurements for Kameron Zeangle (6-0, 250), Cole Brandenburg (6-7, 240), Ethan Straining (6-2, 230), and Gabriel Arena (6-4, 250) — but aside from senior Bradenburg, all are sophomores.
 

Weachter is banking on 2019’s baptism under fire to pay dividends for his boys in the trenches this season.

“We’ll go where our offensive line goes,” Weachter said. “We were young last year and we’re still young this year, but we’ve seen improvements. We’ve got some good size for the offensive line to gel, and if we can do that, and get some good secondary play, we’ll be a really good football team.”

2020 Preview: Red Land

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2020 Preview: Red Land

By Adam Kulikowski: 

Head coach: Frank Gay, 17th season overall (92-83), 11th season at Red Land (50-58)

Classification: 5A

Division: Mid-Penn Keystone

2019 season: 4-6 (2-4)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att.,Yards, TD

None

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Dylan Rodenhaber: 35-140, 4.0, 1

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Chase Lawler: 34-378, 11.1, 3

Hayden Zechman: 16-228, 14.3, 2

Key returners: Dylan Rodenhaber, sr., RB-LB; Chase Lawler, sr., WR-DB; Hayden Zechman, sr., WR-OLB; Robert Rodgers, sr., RB-LB; Adrien Ortiz, sr., RB-DB; Cole Archambeault, sr., OL-DL; Kaden Peifer, jr., TE-LB; Nate Smith, jr., OL-DE; Sam Sklar, jr., WR-DB; Brady Lydon, jr., OL-DL; Gavin Feliciano, jr., K-P.

Outlook: The Patriots’ stock continues to rise as Frank Gay and his crew work to rebuild the them into a contender in the Keystone Division. While a postseason berth appears to be out of reach in a year where District 3 will punch only four tickets in the 5A class, a winning record is not — and that would be another step forward for the Lewisberry bunch.

3. Things to Know:

1. QB 1: Frank Gay named junior Landon Henline the starting quarterback Monday morning, just days before the Patriots are scheduled to face off against Hershey. It took a pair of scrimmages and an intense battle during an abbreviated offseason for the 6-foot-3 Henline to earn the nod over freshman Roman Jensen. “We wanted to see: could they command an offense?” Gay said of the pair before the veteran coach gave the starting nod to Henline. “Could they handle pressure? Could they be efficient? Our quarterbacks are going to be game managers, they are not going to be guys we have to rely on to win games. They are both brilliant kids in the classroom and on the field. Roman is a freshman coming up. He hasn’t seen a lot of big kids flying at him. It is just different. Landon, he played JV for us and did well, but then he broke his leg.”

2. Ready to run: You could hear the excitement in the voice of Gay when he spoke about the potential he saw in running back Dylan Rodenhaber. The senior — an established force on defense as a linebacker who was a leading tackler as a junior — prototypes as a bruising back who can grind out the tough yards in between the tackles. But looks can be deceiving. “He’s 215 pounds,” Gay said. “He can run hard inside, but he has some wiggle that you wouldn’t expect. He showed that against Big Spring in a couple runs. You are going to pay for it if you try to bring him down.” While Rodenhaber won’t be the starting quarterback when the Patriots roll into Hershey High School on Friday, don’t be surprised if he takes a few snaps as the 2020 season unfolds.

3. Promising front line: Three new starters will open the season on the offensive line for the Patriots. The good news for that group? One of those vacant positions will be filled by a former starter who took a year off from the game. Center Cole Archambeault is back on the roster, joining Brady Lydon and Nate Smith — who Gay praised as one of the toughest kids he’s coached in his 31 years — as penciled-in starters. A pair of promising sophomores, Addison Janovich (6-2, 210) and Bryce Stevens (6-2, 265) are battling for the remaining open slots. “We have some really young, talented linemen who if I can get them on track, we’re going to be OK because we have good kids in the fold. We just need to nurture them and get them ready to play as fast as we can.”

2020 Preview: Cedar Cliff Colts

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By Adam Kulikowski: 

Head coach: Colin Gillen, 7th season (57-16)

Classification: 5A

Division: Mid-Penn Keystone

2019 season: 10-3 (6-0)

Postseason: Lost to Cocalico 45-7 in the District 3 Class 5A championship.

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att,Yards, TD

Gannon McMeans: 112-218, 1,442, 14

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Jontae Morris: 17-149, 8.8, 2

Jamir Reynolds-Vasquez: 9-66, 7.3, 1

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Ramon Garcia: 8-74, 9.3, 0

Elijah Ikeda: 7-61, 8.7, 2

Key returners: Seth Gillen, sr., OG; Antonio Rodriquez, sr., OT; Gannon McMeans, sr., QB; Elijah Ikeda, sr., FB-LB; Adam Enrico, sr., TE; Ramon Garcia, sr., WR; Jamir Reynolds-Vasquez, sr., FS-WR; Ben Eisenhower, sr., DL; Alex Widmer, sr., K; Matt Switzler, sr., P; Claude Godineaux, jr., OT; Jontae Morris, jr., CB.

Outlook: The back-to-back Keystone Division champion Colts possess plenty of pieces to compete for their third straight division title and more. Who they ride this year, however, will be far different from the 2019 campaign which featured a heavy dose of the Colts’ all-time leading rusher, Jaheim Morris, who toted the rock 365 times for more than 2,400 yards and 27 scores during his senior circuit in the Mid-Penn Conference. Look for Colin Gillen’s Colts to lean a little more on the arm of Gannon McMeans as a pair of young backs, Jamir Reynolds-Vasquez and Jontae Morris (yep, the younger brother of Jaheim), find their footing in the backfield. The Colts’ quest to repeat as division champs begins Friday against a more athletic — but still rebuilding — Lower Dauphin squad.

 1 Gannon ready for a bigger role: With a year of start experience under his belt, McMeans is ready for a bigger role in the offense. That’s good, because the Colts are breaking in a new stable of skill positions players after the departure of Morris and Gillen’s top five receivers from the 2019 campaign. Early indications are that McMeans, who worked through the offseason to improve his accuracy after completing 51% of his pass attempts as a junior, is ready for the challenge. “I was extremely pleased with our quarterback play,” Gillen said of the work done by McMeans and backup Ethan Dorrell during Friday’s scrimmage with East Pennsboro. “We have two very good quarterbacks in Gannon and Ethan Dorrell, a sophomore. Both made excellent decisions, and Gannon did a phenomenal job extending plays with his legs, keeping his eyes downfield. He’s a great leader and a kid that has learned the offense now with four years [of experience] reading the coverages.” Added Gillen: “Last year, we were asking our quarterback to be more of a game manager, whereas this year we are asking him to make more decisions. We will be more balanced 50-50 (run-pass) this year as we had been in years past. … I think he’s ready. Last year, when you are a first-year starter, having a returning tailback like we had and a great defense, it was easy to just have him manage the game. This year, we are going to be more dynamic on offense. We were one-dimensional last year, and that was something in the offseason that we really focused on. I think we are ready to take that step.”

2. Backfield rotation: The natural thing to think after your all-time leading rusher departs for Millersville University would be that the running game will take a step back. While there’s no doubt the Colt won’t call any back’s number more than 300 times during the 2020 season, Gillen believes his backfield has a pair of backs who would start on just about any team in the state. Enter Reynolds-Vasquez and Jontae Morris. Both are returning starters on defense — Reynolds at free safety and Morris at corner — and now each will have an expanded role on offense in the more-balanced Colts offense. “We have two stellar tailbacks,” Gillen said. “Jamir had a great night [Friday in the scrimmage]. Had a couple touchdowns — one of which was a long run that was like an ESPN highlight — and Morris, a different runner who is taller, leaner more of a slasher kid. He’s very physical. He reminds me of his brother with a little less wiggle. He’s a quick north-south kid who also starts at corner. I joke that we have two tailbacks who would start on 95 percent of the teams in Pa. Both are dynamic runners. Both are physical finishers.” Both will play key roles in the Colts success in 2020.

 3. The stoppers: One of the best defenses in the Mid-Penn Conference last year figures to rank among the best in the league again in 2020. Their strength starts up front with junior Claude Godineaux and Mid-Penn All-Star Ben Eisenhower anchoring the defensive line. Elijah Ikeda and Adam Enrico will provide stability to the linebacker group as other young lads find their varsity footing after the graduation of team-leading tackler Kevin Lusk. Add in an experienced secondary featuring Reynolds and Morris — and a newcomer in Trenten Smith, who has the potential to be a standout corner in his first campaign — and you see the ingredients needed for a defense who should keep opponents in check most Friday nights. “Our outside linebackers are young but have physical tools they need,” Gillen said. “They just don’t have a lot of game experience. So allowing them some time to develop will be critical. I’m really excited for us in the box. Teams are going to have very tough sleighing running in the box against us this year.”

Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings

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Eric F. Epler’s State High School Football Rankings

By Eric Epler: 

CLASS 6A – Record – Previous rank
1. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) – 2-0 – 2
2. Central Dauphin (3) – 0-0 – 3
3. North Penn (1) – 0-0 – 5
4. Delaware Valley (2) – 0-0 – 6
5. North Allegheny (7) – 1-0 – 10
6. State College (6) – 0-0 – 7
7. Easton Area (11) – 0-0 – 9
8. McDowell (10) – 2-0 – NR
9. Seneca Valley (7) – 1-0 – NR
10. Parkland (11) – 0-0 – NR
Teams to watch: Canon-McMillan (7) 1-1, La Salle College HS (12) 1-0, Nazareth (11) 0-0. 

CLASS 5A – Record – Previous Rank

1. Pine-Richland (7) – 2-0 – 1
2. Gateway (7) – 2-0 – 2
3. Warwick (3) – 1-0 – 3
4. Cathedral Prep (10) – 2-0 – 4
5. Peters Township (7) – 1-0 – 6
6. Governor Mifflin (3) – 1-0 – 8
7. Upper Merion (1) – 0-0 – 9
8. East Stroudsburg South (11) – 0-0 – 10
9. Upper St. Clair (7) – 1-1 – 7
10. Moon (7) – 2-0 – NR
Teams to watch: Brashear (8) 0-0, Shippensburg (3), 0-0, Woodland Hills (7) 2-0.

CLASS 4A – Record – Previous rank

1. Thomas Jefferson (7) – 2-0 – 1
2. Jersey Shore (4) – 2-0 – 2
3. Berks Catholic (3) – 1-0 – 3
4. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) – 1-0 – 4
5. Bishop McDevitt (3) – 0-0 – 5
6. Belle Vernon (7) – 2-0 – 6
7. Allentown C.C. (11) – 1-0 – 10
8. Aliquippa (7) – 2-0 – NR
9. Oil City (10) – 2-0 – NR
10. McKeesport (7) – 1-1 — 9 

Teams to watch: Berwick (2) 1-1, Chartiers Valley (7) 2-0, Harbor Creek (10) 2-0. 

CLASS 3A – Record – Previous rank
1. Central Valley (7) – 2-0 – 1
2. Wyomissing (3) – 1-0 – 2
3. Clearfield (9) – 1-0 – 4
4. Hickory (10) – 2-0 – 5
5. Middletown (3) – 0-0 – 6
6. Scranton Prep (2) – 0-0 – 7
7. Bedford (5) – 2-0 – 8
8. Montoursville (4) – 2-0 – 9
9. Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) – 2-0 – NR
10. Saint Mary’s (9) – 1-0 – 10
Teams to watch: Danville (4) 2-0, North Catholic (7) 2-0, North Schuylkill (11) 2-0.

CLASS 2A – Record – Previous rank

1. Southern Columbia (4) – 1-0 – 1
2. Wilmington (10) – 2-0 – 2
3. Dunmore (2) – 0-0 – 3
4. Berlin-Brothersvalley (5) – 2-0 – 4
5. Beaver Falls (7) – 1-0 – 5
6. Mount Carmel (4) – 0-0 – 7
7. Bellwood-Antis (6) – 2-0 – 9
8. Farrell (10) – 1-1 – 6
9. McGuffey (7) – 2-0 – NR
10. Washington (7) – 1-1 – 7
Teams to watch: Brentwood (7) 2-0, Richland (6) 1-1, Windber (5) 2-0. 

CLASS 1A – Record – Previous rank

1. Clairton (7) – 2-0 – 1
2. Old Forge (2) – 0-0 – 3
3. Jeannette (7) – 1-1 – 4
4. Canton (4) – 1-0 – 5
5. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) – 1-1 – 2
6. Steel-High (3) – 0-0 – 6
7. Muncy (4) – 2-0 – 7
8. Williams Valley (11) – 1-0 – 8
9. Portage (6) – 2-0 – NR
10. Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7) – 2-0 – NR
Teams to watch: Coudersport (9) 1-0, Rochester (7) 2-0), Tri-Valley (11) 0-0.

2020 Preview: Line Mountain

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2020 Preview: Line Mountain

By Michael Bullock: 

Coach: Brandon Carson, 5th season (21-25)

Classification: 2A

League/division: Mid-Penn Liberty

2019 record: 3-8 (3-6 Tri-Valley League)

Postseason: Lost to Troy 27-14 in District 4 Class 2A first round.

                                           Returning leaders

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TDs

Jacob Feese: 9-28, 213, 2

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Jacob Feese: 177-1,049, 5.9, 12

Receiving: Att-Yards, Avg, TDs

Aidan Herb: 19-375, 19.7, 5

Key Returning players: Dominick Bridi, sr., OG-DE; Jacob Feese, sr., QB-OLB; Garret Laudenslager, sr., RB-OLB; Cameron Smeltz, sr., WR-SS-K; Ki Phillips, sr., RB-ILB; Tyler Bradley, sr., WR-CB; Wyatt Shaffer, jr., OT-DT; Beau Keim, jr., RB-ILB; Aidan Herb, jr., WR-CB; Jace Hackenburg, jr., WR-SS.

Outlook: Unable to shake self-inflicted wounds such as turnovers and penalties, those inopportune mistakes bedeviled the Eagles for a second straight season in 2019. While the presence of Jacob Feese enabled Brandon Carson’s bunch to revive a ground game that had been inconsistent, Line Mountain’s passing game misfired repeatedly. So, if the Eagles can put both offensive elements together often enough — Carson’s bunch sports eight returning offensive starters — these guys can make a run at Liberty Division supremacy. Quite simply, early season positive results could light a lengthy fuse.

3 Things to Know:

1. Having Bridi back should provide options up front: Difficult to deal with when he’s rolling off the edge, 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior Dominick Bridi is big enough to cause all sorts of problems in the trenches yet athletic enough to line up at tight end if the Eagles want him there. Line Mountain’s top tackler (96) a season ago despite putting his hand in Tri-Valley League dirt every weekend, Bridi also posted a team-best 11 tackles for loss and registered 3.5 sacks. No wonder the four-year starter was tagged the Mid-Penn Liberty’s preseason defensive player of the year. And that’s coming off a junior campaign in which he landed TVL all-star honors on both sides of the ball. Imagine how happy brand new defensive line coach Ron Pratt had to be upon arriving from neighboring Shikellamy. Since Bridi will need to be accounted for on every snap, that could be the primary reason why ball-finding Jacob Feese likely will line up on the opposite end of the Mountain’s d-line. “We have two kids that really are physical and have a pretty good nose for finding the ball,” head coach Brandon Carson said. “With [Ki] Phillips and [Beau] Keim back at inside linebacker, those two guys can make plays right in front of them and then also kind of sideline to sideline. … We have a lot of kids that this will be their third year as starters, so it’s an experienced group.”

2. Feese hoping to refine passing skills as full-time QB: After gaining just over 1,000 yards while shifting between running back and quarterback — while averaging just south of 6 yards per crack — Carson & Co. are hoping Feese can stretch the field with his arm so the Eagles can avoid opponents opting to plan nine, 10 or even 11 defenders in the box. Since Line Mountain has several players out wide that can go yard at any time such as Garret Laudenslager, Aidan Herb and Cameron Smeltz, getting the ball in space or taking advantage of single coverage could add a dimension to an Eagles attack that’s been predictable. “Jacob worked really hard in the offseason on mechanics, and repetitions and trying to develop a little more finesse with some of his [throws] and touch where he needed touch,” Carson said. “So, he’s done a nice job understanding how some throws need to be thrown. We’re still working on some progression stuff and some pre-snap reads, but he has the ability to make all the throws. It’s just doing it consistently and then just understanding, from my standpoint, what he’s best at and make certain I take advantage of the stuff that he’s better at than other things.”

3. Early positive results could do wonders for experienced group: Despite qualifying for District 4’s Class 2A playoffs each of the past two seasons, Carson’s Eagles couldn’t avoid finishing with sub-.500 marks both years. What made last season’s finish even more difficult was Line Mountain closed the 2019 campaign with six consecutive setbacks. So, finding a way to skip past Camp Hill when the 2020 season finally gets going is a priority for a proud program with plenty of talent that goes into every year with expectations. Clipping backyard rivals Upper Dauphin and Halifax in Weeks 2 and 3 would be even better. “It’s pretty critical [to get off to a good start], because you just don’t want that doubt creeping in,” Carson said. “I want them to have a good feeling. Probably every coach is in the same boat, but if we can have some positive results early hopefully it steamrolls in the right direction.”

News and Notes: Schuylkill League

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News and Notes: Schuylkill League

By Michael Bullock: 

Pine Grove hoping to even early-season mark

Following last weekend’s season-opening 36-20 reversal to an explosive Notre Dame-Green Pond side at home, Pine Grove (0-1) will dive into Schuylkill League play Friday night at perennial hammer North Schuylkill (1-0). It’s the same North Schuylkill program that brought an end to the Cardinals’ 2019 campaign in the opening round of the District 11 Class 3A playoffs, as Frank Gaffney’s club tumbled 42-20 at North Schuylkill. And while Pine Grove was in at halftime in last season’s finale — North Schuylkill opened it up after the break — the Cardinals trailed NDGP 22-20 in the third quarter following Josh Leininger’s 10-yard touchdown run. Unfortunately for the Cards, the two-point try after Leininger’s score was turned aside by the visiting Crusaders. NDGP, which piled up 456 yards of offense, went on to open things up by tacking on two more touchdowns.

Matt Frauen rushed for 166 yards and 3 TDs for NDGP, while quarterback Collin Quintano completed 23 of his 33 pass attempts for 208 yards and two more scores. Brody Robinson had Pine Grove in front on a 15-yard touchdown run, but NDGP rattled off three scores and took a 22-8 lead at the break. While Shea Morgan’s 93-yard return of the second-half kickoff reignited the Cards and Leininger’s TD scamper had them within two, they never could pull even. Robinson finished with 92 yards on 13 attempts, while Leininger tacked on 70 yards on 12 tries. Leininger completed 8 of his 18 throws for 66 yards (2 interceptions), but was really impressive defensively, matching a single-game record by totaling 19 tackles. North Schuylkill encountered little resistance in its opener, handing veteran skipper Wally Hall his 100th victory following a 50-21 pasting of host Mahanoy Area. Jake Hall tossed four first-half touchdown passes for the Spartans, who were sitting on a 44-14 cushion at the halftime break.

Delayed Williams Valley will get going … in a hurry

On pause for the better part of a week courtesy of a COVID-19 flare-up, Williams Valley (10-3 in 2019) will have a bang-bang start to its 2020 campaign by playing twice in five days. While Tim Savage’s Vikings will entertain Shenandoah Valley (0-1) Friday night at The Stauff, the reigning District 11-1A champions will turn right around and visit Mount Carmel’s Silver Bowl on Tuesday night. With QB Bryce Herb, TE Jesse Engle and an experienced offensive front returning, the biggest question marks for Savage’s club are: (1) Who will carry the football and (2) just which untested wide receiver will Herb opt to target. Shenandoah Valley qualified for the District 11 playoffs a season ago, but low numbers caused the Blue Devils to close down early and forfeit games near the end of the season. Shenandoah Valley struggled in its opener, falling 49-7 to a rebuilt Tamaqua outfit that last season claimed District 11’s 3A crown. Mount Carmel (10-3 in 2019) had its own COVID-19 delay, so John Darrah’s Red Tornadoes will be taking the field for the first time when the Vikes venture to southeastern Northumberland County.

Darrah’s Tornadoes, whose three 2019 losses were handed to them by Southern Columbia, North Schuylkill and Southern Columbia, were hit hard by graduation. Yet the expectations always run sky-high in Mount Carmel, where the Tornadoes have captured a handful of state championships. They’ve also piled up a state-record 866 victories. Darrah, who grew up in Mount Carmel and played on two state championship teams, also has familiarity with Williams Valley since he served as Tri-Valley’s D-coordinator for five seasons, including the Bulldogs’ daring run to the 2009 PIAA Class A semis. 

2020 Preview: East Pennsboro Panthers

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2020 Preview: East Pennsboro Panthers

By Jake Adams: 

Head coach: John Denniston, 1st season

Classification: 4A

Division: Mid-Penn Colonial

2019 season: 3-7 (3-4 Capital)

Postseason: did not qualify

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Zach Zeiders: 15-30, 208, 1

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Jacob Shermeyer: 155-596, 3.9, 6

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Jacob Shermeyer: 18-189, 10.5, 1

Daiquaan Everett: 8-78, 9.8, 0

Key returning players: Jacob Shermeyer, sr., RB-LB; Zach Zeiders, sr. QB-S; Gavin Garlinger, sr., TE-LB; Jude Gourdier, sr., OL-DL; Dominic Weaver, sr., OL-LB; Jacob Dein, jr., OL-DL; Jaren Boles, jr., OL-DL; Syrell Burgos, jr., RB-DB; Justin Moore, jr., OL-DL; Harrison Laman, jr., RB-LB; Joshua Wortherly, jr., WR-DB; Devin Shepherd, so., RB-LB; Colton Yohe, so., OL-DL.

Outlook: A new division, a new coach and a pandemic. No sweat, right? Denniston wishes. In steps a longtime assistant at Central Dauphin, replacing the Panthers’ longtime head coach, Todd Stuter, as East Penn slides from the Capital to the Colonial. None of this is to say the Panthers, a notoriously tough team for years, will be a pushover. They most certainly won’t. But this is a young group trying to acclimate to a new system. 

It’s a good group to make this kind of leap in 2020, though, Denniston believes. He’ll have a few years with the same linemen, and he inherits Jacob Shermeyer, and tireless two-way player who is aiming to crack 2,000 yards for his career.

3 Things to Know:

1. If there’s one thing to their advantage … It’s fitness. Like every other team, the Panthers lost valuable time in the weightroom this offseason due to the shutdown. But new head coach John Denniston said he had his players focus on “fitness, plyometric strength.” It may not translate to record numbers on the bench press, but Denniston feels the group won’t be too far behind the 8-ball. “As I look at it from 10,000 feet,” Denniston said, “I’m actually really content with what we have. I think we have a nice blend of size up front and we’ve got some playmakers. Now, we’ve got some unproven playmakers, but the challenge we have as coaches everyday is [to make them successful].”

2. Bringing a CD mentality: Denniston arrives after spending years in the Central Dauphin program, where he was tasked with integrating the middle school program with the high school. “I put a really nice model together there,” he said. Now, Panthers fans shouldn’t expect the team will become the Rams, one of the Mid-Penn’s most dominant teams, especially overnight. They are two very different schools. But he’s bringing over an emphasis on athletic, powerful, suffocating defense and incorporating it with East Penn’s established 4-4 formation, one in which defensive coordinator Joe Shermeyer is sticking around to lead. Denniston is a Trinity grad who went on to play football at Duquesne in the 1980s, so he has years of experience in the Mid-Penn but also has that D-I college pedigree. 

3. Jacob’s ladder to climb: Denniston also inherits a talented two-way player in Jacob Shermeyer, a running back/linebacker who has been with the program all four years. Two years ago, Shermeyer was one of the backs that attempted to replace Temple-bound Onasis Neely, one of the top backs in the state before his graduation. Shermeyer has put up a pair of 500-yard seasons since in the midst of the Panthers’ retooling. “Jacob’s definitely the leader of the team. He’s a three-year starter, four-year letter winner, terrific young man,” Denniston said. “High expectations for him. He’s run behind some very, very young lines the last couple of years.” Now he’s got one of the largest lines of his career to run behind, one that is 230-240 pounds across the board, his coach said. And the hope is with a new scheme and more experience, Shermeyer can explode with a big season. “We’re expecting a lot out of Jake,” Denniston said. “He’s very versatile, we can play him at any running back position, we can play him out of the slot, we can play him out wide.” Can’t forget his playmaking on defense last year, where he racked up 105 tackles, 14.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, caused two fumbles and picked off two passes.

2020 Preview: Mechanicsburg Wildcats

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2020 Preview: Mechanicsburg Wildcats

By Jake Adams: 

Head coach: Anthony Rose, 3rd season (8-13)

Classification: 5A

Division: Mid-Penn Colonial

2019 season: 6-5 (3-3 Keystone)

Postseason: Lost to Warwick in District 3 Class 5A first round 34-6.

RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Comp-Att, Yards, TD

Micah Brubaker: 53-90, 989, 12

Rushing: Att-Yards, Avg, TD

Micah Brubaker: 94-409, 4.4, 9

Caleb Brubaker: 33-151, 4.6, 1

Receiving: Rec-Yards, Avg, TD

Caleb Brubaker: 13-290, 22.3, 4

Taylor Shearer: 16-230, 14.4, 2

Key returners: Caleb Brubaker, sr., WR-DB; Micah Brubaker, sr., QB; Taylor Shearer, sr., WR-DB; Tyree Morris, sr., TE-DE; Hoyt Lechthaler, sr., OL-DL; James Nguyen, sr., OL-DL; Nick Morrison, sr., WR-DB-K; Dominic Zeno, sr., RB-DL; James Anderson, sr., WR-DB; Cedar Brill, sr., OL-DL.

Outlook: There’s excitement Bru-ing in Mechanicsburg. The Wildcats are fresh off a surprisingly entertaining season that ended in the team’s first playoff berth in years. And another year with the dynamic Brubaker twins ensures a higher entertainment value in their senior years. 

Mechanicsburg’s addition to the Colonial, along with former Keystone foe Susquehanna Township, creates a ton of intrigue in the rejiggered division, which suddenly appears to be more competitive than ever. There’s no McDevitt or Cedar Cliff to fight through, but can the ‘Cats knock off Shippensburg, ‘Hanna, neighborhood rival Northern and and leap to the top of the pile? It’ll be fun to watch.

3 Things to Know:

1. Consistency the key: Last year’s upstart Wildcats were explosive, especially coming off defensive turnovers. Led by Micah Brubaker, the dual-threat QB who danced around defenses with the best of them, the ‘Cats routinely hit on shot plays for big yards. But there was a weakness — sustained drives. Undersized at several spots, Mechanicsburg struggled to grind down teams with short passes and the run game. Keegan Neill was a capable back, and Micah’s wheels were impressive, but it didn’t translate enough with 10-play, 80-yard drives. That’s something Anthony Rose recognizes. “We need to continue to improve up front, and that’s one thing I’ve been really impressed with offensive lineman [in the weight room],” the head coach said. “The main thing is we gotta be able to run the ball effectively.” Replacing Neill could be a committee of Taylor Shearer, Dom Snowden and Glen Robinson. The Brubakers, including Caleb on end-arounds, will also be included, but Rose said he wants to take some of the onus off Micah’s legs after he ended the season a bit banged up.

2. Tyree and the Troops: Brando Arristy and Tyree Morris were an impressive pair of bookends on the d-line a year ago. Now, it’s Morris headlining a group that hopes for bigger things from Dominic Zeno up front, Marlon Brando at linebacker and Caleb Brubaker and Nick Morrison in the backfield. Morris in particular can be a gamechanger; he had 79 tackles and eight sacks, two picks and two fumble recoveries at d-end. Mechanicsburg made strides last year on this side of the ball and needs to take another step if it wants to return to the postseason as one of just four Class 5A teams in districts this year. The ‘Cats were turnover machines a year ago, with 12 picks and multiple forced fumbles. But if they can shave just a little of the 4.5 yards per carry and 175.5 rush yards per game, it could make all the difference. “One positive thing is we have so many starters coming back,” Rose said. “I just think we turned the page defensively last year, especially in the (defensive backfield).”

3. Welcome to the neighborhood: The Wildcats tag along with Susquehanna Township as the newest tenants in the Colonial, a suddenly exciting division dominated for years by Shippensburg, a team that was undefeated in the regular season. The move was planned before Mechanicsburg’s resurgence a year ago. “It’s exciting times,” Rose said. “I like the fact that we’ll be facing Ship, they’ll offer a very stern test.”

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