By Michael Bullock: 

Herb bags another record as Vikings rally

Suffering through a lackluster opening half — Williams Valley netted just 6 yards during this stretch — Bryce Herb and his Vikings teammates found a way following the break as they rescued a 35-28 victory over backyard playmates Tri-Valley. Just 1-for-10 in the first two quarters, Herb targeted four of his eight second-half throws for 90 of his 96 yards and three touchdowns as Tim Savage’s club banked its fifth consecutive victory and moved closer to the top seed in the District 11 Class 1A playoffs. Two of Herb’s touchdown aerials went to Jake Herman (4-79), the second enabling the 6-foot-1 senior to move into the top spot on Williams Valley’s all-time passing chart — one rung above his father, Paul Herb. Bryce Herb added a 17-yard throw to Brady Evans in the fourth quarter that snapped a 28-all deadlock and propelled the Vikings to the Schuylkill 2 result.  added 109 yards and one rushing touchdown, all after moving to tailback at the break, for the resilient Vikings. While Engle (14), Jackson Yoder (18) and Isaac Whiteash (12) combined for 44 tackles, Engle, Whiteash, Herman and Logan Williard picked off Jonas McGrath passes during the 48-minute exercise. Savage’s group also registered five tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback sacks. Up next for Williams Valley (6-1, 6-0) is a trip to suburban Tamaqua for a dustup with a struggling Marian Catholic side (1-6, 1-4) that last weekend dropped its fourth game in a row. Limited to 79 offensive yards while yielding 518, the Colts suffered a 25-0 setback to Minersville. Marian proved susceptible through the air as Minersville freshman Connor Schwalm threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns against the Colts’ defensive group.

Tri-Valley hoping to bounce back immediately

Despite authoring an impressive first half that had Tri-Valley sitting fairly comfortably on a 21-7 cushion — Tri-Valley’s defense conceded a mere 6 yards — Jeff Sampson’s Bulldogs wound up falling 35-28 at Williams Valley. Jonas McGrath completed 10 of his 17 pass attempts for 212 yards and two touchdowns, but he also ran for a third score. Unfortunately, McGrath was picked off four times by Williams Valley linebackers and defensive backs. McGrath hooked up with Chase Herb for TDs covering 33 and 42 yards, while the 6-3, 215-pound Herb added a third score on the ground while rushing 21 times for 105 yards. Freshman Layne Yoder caught four McGrath aerials for 57 yards, while Caden Richards snared two tosses for 37 yards and Herb wound up with three catches for 78 yards. Richards had yet another big outing defensive, accumulating 12 tackles, three more than sophomore defensive end Jake Scheib. Up next for Sampson’s Bulldogs (3-1, 3-1) is a visit to Schuylkill 2 entry Panther Valley (2-5, 2-3). Panther Valley halted a four-game skid last weekend by defeating Shenandoah Valley 34-6.

Pine Grove chasing success in regular-season finale

Sitting at No. 5 in the District 11 Class 3A power rankings — and just behind Tamaqua — Pine Grove hopes to keep its postseason hopes alive by dealing the host Blue Devils (4-3, 2-3) a Schuylkill 2 setback. Frank Gaffney’s Cardinals dropped a 28-20 decision to Lehighton last weekend, even though Ayden Ney rushed for 156 yards — 99 came on a length-of-the-field touchdown run — on 12 carries and Brody Robinson added 62 lengths and two touchdowns on 11 touches. Sophomore Mason Kroh made his second straight start at quarterback, completing six of his 14 passes for 78 yards. Kroh, however, was picked off three times. Shea Morgan continued his impressive work on the flanks, snaring five Kroh aerials for 57 yards. Robinson was a factor defensively with his 19 stops, three more than Morgan and Colin Ibarra.

Standings: 

Andy Shay: Week 5: 15-6  Overall: 74-23

Andy Sandrik: Week 5: 14-7  Overall: 70-27

Jake Adams: Week 5: 15-6  Overall: 71-26  

Geoff Morrow: Week 5: 15-6 Overall: 69-28

District 4-6 Playoffs

Class 6A Championship: Altoona vs. Williamsport, at Bald Eagle Area HS, 7

Andy Shay: Altoona 36, Williamsport 28: No late-game heroics here for Altoona. They have played a quality schedule and have momentum on their side after edging State College. Bottom line, Altoona is the better team.

Jake Adams: Altoona 33, Williamsport 24: Read GMo’s preview first. Now come back. I, too, have had bad luck in the space between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. But the Mountain Lions have not this year, and the former Commonwealth afterthought is now making a solid postseason run.

Andy Sandrik: Altoona 38, Williamsport 21: I remember speaking with Altoona coach Vince Nedimyer Jr. for a preseason interview, and I got off the phone believing that the Mountain Lions had a bright future. I didn’t realize that bright future would become a reality this season, though. 

Geoff Morrow: Altoona 30, Williamsport 20: Those who know me well know my not-so-glorious relationship with Altoona (the town). However, I am beaming with ‘Tuna Pride this week after accurately picking the Mountain Lions to take out State College last week. I will high-five myself — and then probably fall off Horseshoe Curve.

District 3 Playoffs

Class 6A Semifinal: No. 4 York at No. 1 Harrisburg; Harrisburg forfeits (COVID-19)

Andy Shay: We live in a COVID-19 world, and the pandemic is still in charge. Harrisburg earned the right to be the No. 1 seed, but a confirmed case of the virus on their team should eliminate them from playing this week. I have zero problem with the District 3 policy in terms of the COVID-19 rules and regulations they adopted for the playoffs in August. Which means adding another team, even five or so hours after the brackets were finalized and the field is set, doesn’t fly with me. It’s a raw deal for Wilson. But the Bulldogs can keep playing football for a few more games and enjoy the rest of their season. Remember, in August, none of this looked possible.

Jake Adams: My sympathies to the players from both Harrisburg and Wilson. They are the ones most hurt by the events of the last few days. It’s a tough break for all of them. But it’s unsettling, immature and downright pathetic adults are throwing fits in some corners of District 3 over a system that was approved before games began now not going their way. Adults need to use this time to sit their players down and teach them that sometimes this is how life goes, and that at the end of the day, a global pandemic can and will upset the balance of life we have grown accustomed to. We preach that sports can teach how to handle adversity. Well, practice it.

Andy Sandrik: COVID-19 game cancellations were an expected outcome this year, but thanks to the creativity and flexibility — not to mention social media savvy — of programs and athletic directors, the show was able to go on. With that said, I don’t know why District 3 can’t just slide Wilson in to play. They can still do it. Right now. Yeah, I get that “rules are the rules,” but let’s use a little bit of common sense here. Can we just scrap the playoffs and let the fans vote for Thanksgiving Day “bowl” matchups? 

Geoff Morrow: If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that some rules — at least in the world of sports — can be broken. Look what MLB, the NHL and the NBA did to ensure games eventually continued. The world didn’t end. The Lightning, Lakers and Dodgers are no less championship-worthy than anybody who won in 2019 or 1995. Rules were also adjusted to ensure high school athletes were able to compete this fall, and it’s mostly worked out OK. Nothing is perfect, obviously, but we’re learning it doesn’t have to be. Which brings me to this: I feel for Harrisburg’s program, but I understand and respect the decisions made to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. So I don’t have a problem with the Cougars’ forfeit. Those are the breaks. But the unwillingness to slide Wilson back into the mix, especially because the Harrisburg news came so quickly after the brackets were set, doesn’t quite fit for me. 

Class 6A Semifinal: No. 3 Central York at No. 2 Central Dauphin, 7

Andy Shay: Central Dauphin 31, Central York 20: Winning a playoff game is a huge hurdle for Central York to clear. They have been killing cats all season in impressive fashion. At this level, the last two years it has been a poor showing for the Panthers. Even if they put up a fight, the Rams have precious few weaknesses and know how to grind for 48 minutes.

Jake Adams: Central Dauphin 42, Central York 21: The only way the Panthers pull off the upset is if the Rams I saw in the first half of the Carlisle game show up for an entire 48 minutes. I don’t expect that will happen.

Andy Sandrik: Central Dauphin 45, Central York 21: Listen, I won’t be surprised if Central York makes this a game, but don’t forget the Panthers were in a very similar situation last year and got pasted 47-14 by the Harrisburg Cougars.

Geoff Morrow: Central Dauphin 33, Central York 22: The very talented Panthers have absolutely destroyed all foes this year. But just remember, all six of those opponents were big-school York County programs. This is a much different league, literally and figuratively, which Mid-Penn Commonwealth alumnus and CY coach Gerry Yonchiuk knows well.

Class 3A Semifinal: No. 4 Bermudian Springs at No. 1 Middletown, 7

Andy Shay: Middletown 30, Bermudian Springs 14: Both squads will want to pound the ball and set the tone and tempo. Blue Raiders have bigger, stronger and faster backs to get that done. The physical advantage is what separates these two in my book.

Jake Adams: Middletown 38, Bermudian Springs 16: This is still the Blue Raiders’ bracket until someone says otherwise. That will not be the Eagles this week.

Andy Sandrik: Middletown 35, Bermudian Springs 17: This Middletown team seems a little more vulnerable than the state finals squads of years past, but this is still Middletown we’re talking about. Something tells me the Blue Raiders weather an early storm and pull away after halftime. 

Geoff Morrow: Middletown 42, Bermudian Springs 14: The Blue Raiders had little trouble with the Eagles in the 2017 and ‘18 playoffs. I don’t expect much to be different this year.

Class 1A Championship: No. 2 Steel-High at No. 1 Delone Catholic, 7

Andy Shay: Steel-High 49, Delone Catholic 28: You just have to give the Rollers 40-50 points because that’s what they do. Delone defense will present a challenge, but the balance of diversity of the Steel-High offense is a LOT to take on as a defense. Rollers getting off the field on third down will be a key.

Jake Adams: Steel-High 54, Delone Catholic 28: Something tells me the Rollers find another gear this week and turn in one of District 3’s most lopsided title wins of the year.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 38, Delone Catholic 22: Yes, DC is unbeaten, but there aren’t many big schools — let alone 1A programs — that can hold serve with the Rollers.

Geoff Morrow: Steel-High 41, Delone Catholic 29: Third meeting for these programs since September 2019, and the first two battles were high-scoring and competitive. No reason to doubt we see another. Squires lost the regular-season tilt last year, then exacted revenge in the title game. The pattern tells me it’s Steel-High’s turn.

District 4 Playoffs

Class 2A Semifinals: No. 4 Line Mountain at No. 1 Southern Columbia, 7 

Andy Shay: Southern Columbia 54, Line Mountain 7: Making this pick has nothing to do with Line Mountain. They are just next on the list for the powerful, skilled and athletic Tigers.

Jake Adams: Southern Columbia 55, Line Mountain 7: David, meet Goliath. Goliath brought a really big club. Good luck.

Andy Sandrik: Southern Columbia 52, Line Mountain 7: All good things come to an end, and make no mistake about it, Line Mountain’s season was a good thing. 

Geoff Morrow: Southern Columbia 49, Line Mountain 14: Since the Eagles triumphed over Southern in 2007, the Tigers have won nine straight in this series, with seven of those in the playoffs. The last two meetings were a combined 104-0.

District 6-8-9 Class 4A Regional Championship: Juniata vs. Bellefonte, at Altoona HS, 7

Andy Shay: Juniata 29, Bellefonte 25:  Great matchup between these D6 teams. Bellefonte has worked back to .500 after a strange 0-3 start, mainly working the ground game to the tune of about 245 yards per game. Juniata, with QB Jacob Condo running point, has a real shot to win here. The Indians have to get Caleb Seeger and Yaniel Ortiz going first.

Jake Adams: Juniata 31, Bellefonte 22: Seems like the Indians can kick it even when QB Jacob Condo is out. Junior Cameron Sweigart had little problem in last week’s blowout win over James Buchanan. 

Andy Sandrik: Juniata 28, Bellefonte 24: Let’s be real. This has been a trash year for all of us. But, man, the football gods have been smiling on Juniata all season long. I think the Indians keep the magic going for another week.

Geoff Morrow: Bellefonte 33, Juniata 21: I could be wrong here, but the Red Raiders seem to be on a heckuva roll right now. Then again, the Indians won the last meeting between these schools by a 50-0 final. But that was nine years ago. If it goes OT, though, I switch my pick to Juniata.

Week 6 Mid-Penn Regular Season

Cumberland Valley at Spring-Ford, 7

Andy Shay: Spring-Ford 21, Cumberland Valley 10: Once you’ve struggled this many games to score more than two touchdowns in a game, that’s not something that’s going to be fixed.

Jake Adams: Spring-Ford 28, Cumberland Valley 7: Eagles pick up a game after CD qualified for the playoffs, and the result is not likely to be much different. 

Andy Sandrik: Spring-Ford 20, Cumberland Valley 3: Instead of the Rams of CD, the Eagles get the Rams of Spring-Ford. CV is trying to get its offense to shift out of neutral, but it doesn’t help that their opponent is allowing just over five points per contest.

Geoff Morrow: Spring-Ford 28, Cumberland Valley 0: Not your typical CV season, not your typical CV result. Against the unbeaten Rams, who haven’t allowed a point since Oct. 2, it’s a lot to ask to find some type of rhythm.

CD East at Carlisle, 7

Andy Shay: Carlisle 31, CD East 7: Thundering Herd offense has been on a tear for eight quarters, and nothing indicates that will slow down here. Running game is running hot for Carlisle. CD East’s defense is tough, but staying fired up on D when you know the margin of error is almost nothing is tough.

Jake Adams: Carlisle 35, CD East 20: You know your o-line is running in high gear when your running back breaks a school record with more than 330 yards. Holy moly. What’s Sean Smith got for an encore this week?

Andy Sandrik: Carlisle 42, CD East 25: Well then, Carlisle, welcome to the grown-ups table. Now that the Herd know what they are capable of, I’m not sure what scrappy CD East can do to stop them. 

Geoff Morrow: Carlisle 27, CD East 6: Panthers haven’t hit double digits yet this season. Herd, meanwhile, are averaging a touchdown per quarter over their last two games.

Red Land at Twin Valley, 7

Andy Shay: Red Land 21, Twin Valley 13: Patriots have a winnable game here. And when presented that scenario this season, they have performed pretty well.

Jake Adams: Red Land 28, Twin Valley 14: Boldly predicting the Patriots get a pick-6 in this one. 

Andy Sandrik: Red Land 25, Twin Valley 17: Red Land’s season has been loss-win-loss-win-loss, so that means the Patriots are in for a ‘W’ this week, right?

Geoff Morrow: Red Land 20, Twin Valley 14: My parents live in Red Land territory, whereas my brother and his family live within paper-airplane distance of TVHS. The chances of any of them having any idea this game is taking place? Zero point zero.

Bishop McDevitt at Hershey, 7

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 35, Hershey 7: Couple of undefeated Keystone Division squads who ended up on the wrong side of the District 3 playoff COVID-19 plexiglass for making the field. It’s a brutal pill to swallow, so we’ll see here who is able to move on faster.

Jake Adams: Bishop McDevitt 45, Hershey 14: Would’ve liked to see what kind of noise the Crusaders could’ve brought this postseason. And Hershey. But alas. Now both teams need to figure out who wants the pride of being division champ more.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 45, Hershey 17: I distinctly remember a time late in my senior season where I was upset and emotional because of the realization that winning five of our last six games wasn’t going to be enough to get in the playoffs. We were 5-5. I can’t imagine what’s going on in the heads of the Crusaders and Trojans, who haven’t lost a game all season.

Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 44, Hershey 14: I can appreciate the frustration of missing the playoffs when there’s not a single mark in your loss column. However, let’s not forget that the four playoff teams ahead of both of these programs in their respective classifications are also undefeated, too. It’s just bad luck for these two. Welcome to 2020.

Cedar Cliff at Mifflin County, 7

Andy Shay: Cedar Cliff 35, Mifflin County 7: Too much talent and pride on the Colts defense for them to get taken out behind the woodshed for the second week in row. A victory for Cliff is all about its defense and how it performs here.

Jake Adams: Cedar Cliff 35, Mifflin County 14: No way the Colts’ d-line takes that butt-whooping from the Herd offense and doesn’t immediately turn around and take it out on the Huskies. 

Andy Sandrik: Cedar Cliff 35, Mifflin County 21: This has been a bummer of a season for the Colts, but if they take care of business here, they’ll take on Red Land next week with the chance to finish with a winning record.

Geoff Morrow: Cedar Cliff 43, Mifflin County 20: Feels like I should have picked a 35-28 score, but I’m rebelling against this particular pattern.

Lower Dauphin at Palmyra, 7

Andy Shay: Lower Dauphin 14, Palmyra 10: This is a toss-up game now because the Cougars are in a much better place after getting a win last week. The Falcons played their best game of the season against Hershey and lost. Another week of executing at that same level, and it ends this losing streak.

Jake Adams: Lower Dauphin 13, Palmyra 10: This is not a shot against the Cougars. I sometimes just like picking the team with the two-year losing streak. No group of players deserves to deal with consecutive winless seasons.

Andy Sandrik: Palmyra 17, Lower Dauphin 14: I just can’t bring myself to trust the LD offense to generate enough points here. In my mind, it’s going to take a defensive TD — or at least a crucial turnover — for the Falcons to gain the upper hand.

Geoff Morrow: Lower Dauphin 16, Palmyra 13: Falcons end their losing streak at 15 games and taste victory for the first time in over two years, though it will not be easy.

Shippensburg at Greencastle-Antrim, 7

Andy Shay: Shippensburg 26, Greencastle-Antrim 20: Whatever the Greyhounds were searching for to start the season they have found. Still a tight squeeze as the Blue Devils are streaky and can play well in stretches.

Jake Adams: Shippensburg 35, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Are the Greyhounds hitting their stride? Looks like they might be. That doesn’t bode well for the Blue Devils.

Andy Sandrik: Shippensburg 38, Greencastle-Antrim 21: It’s a shame that the Greyhounds don’t get an entire season to iron out the wrinkles, or else we might be talking about Eric Foust’s boys making a run for the division and/or playoffs. 

Geoff Morrow: Shippensburg 24, Greencastle-Antrim 16: Two teams going in opposite directions in terms of winning and losing streaks. Also, did you know the Greyhounds have won nine straight against the Blue Devils dating to the 2011 regular season?

East Pennsboro at Mechanicsburg, 7

Andy Shay: Mechanicsburg 35, East Pennsboro 14: Both teams have been able to keep the scoreboard rolling on their side this season; the big difference I see is the Wildcats have shown the chops to score in myriad ways. East Pennsboro secondary is solid, but this will be a major test.

Jake Adams: Mechanicsburg 38, East Pennsboro 21: Sure, the Panthers lost to Shippensburg last week, but they’ve consistently put up points. Wildcats get their toughest test of the season here before the 5A semifinals next week.

Andy Sandrik: Mechanicsburg 45, East Pennsboro 14: The worst part about getting that rare third-down stop against Micah Brubaker and the Mechanicsburg offense is that your offense then faces the unenviable task of trying to produce points in bunches against the tenacious Wildcats’ defense.

Geoff Morrow: Mechanicsburg 28, East Pennsboro 14: Wildcats haven’t played any “automatic outs” this season and have still been hammering teams. And the defense has been decidedly better over the last three weeks. This is an uphill climb for the capable but inconsistent Panthers.

Northern at Waynesboro, 7

Andy Shay: Northern 28, Waynesboro 14: A couple tight squeezes in a row for the Polar Bears, and answering the bell in tight spots shows mental toughness. Still not convinced their defense can be a difference maker in a game. Indians’ Wing-T offense can be tricky.

Jake Adams: Northern 35, Waynesboro 14: A shame we have to wait until after the playoffs to find out if Northern or Mechanicsburg is the Colonial’s best team. P-Bears get a warmup before the 4A semis.

Andy Sandrik: Northern 28, Waynesboro 21: The Polar Bears are already locked into the postseason, so they have the luxury of resting players, if they choose. The only thing a Northern loss will do here is make the McDevitt folks about a million times angrier than they already are.

Geoff Morrow: Northern 25, Waynesboro 21: The boys from Dillsburg haven’t exactly been dominant on the scoreboard, but showing how to win close games means something. At least until you run into a playoff hammer.

West Perry at Susquehanna Township, 7

Andy Shay: Susquehanna Township 27, West Perry 20: Indians have cleared some hurdles after COVID-19 forced them to start, stop, start again then stop once more. It’s been a crazy season for a lot of teams. The little details are starting to show up for the crew from Elmerton Avenue.

Jake Adams: Susquehanna Township 28, West Perry 16: Having seen both teams against Mechanicsburg this year, I can say they are both hardly boring. Mustangs play with a frenetic energy, and the Indians do have some pop on offense, especially on the ground. That run game proves the difference here. Sandrik beat me to the score.

Andy Sandrik: Susquehanna Township 28, West Perry 16: It’s taken a few games, but I think that young talent on Township has grown a little bit. I think that’s enough to hold off a feisty WP squad at home. 

Geoff Morrow: Susquehanna Township 21, West Perry 20: Both teams coming off their first victories of the season. For their respective coaches, I expect both will battle exceptionally well for another taste.

Big Spring at Halifax, 7 

Andy Shay: Big Spring 39, Halifax 13: When your offense has been pretty consistent all season in terms of production on the scoreboard, that’s a huge advantage for the Bulldogs.

Jake Adams: Big Spring 34, Halifax 12: Schedule juggling hits the Bulldogs, who get to recover from last week’s loss to Steel-High by turning around and thumping the visiting Wildcats.

Andy Sandrik: Big Spring 44, Halifax 16: I’m a little perplexed with how Halifax’s quick-strike offense got completely shut down by Susquenita last week. Bulldogs will have a chance to put on a fireworks show on the road. 

Geoff Morrow: Big Spring 39, Halifax 14: A few years back, the Bulldogs flirted with joining the Tri-Valley League. Well, that didn’t happen, and now the TVL is a memory. But this provides a peek of what that might have looked like for the football program!

Newport at Upper Dauphin, 7

Andy Shay: Newport 33, Upper Dauphin 16: Buffaloes have been roughed up since returning from a COVID-19 siesta of a couple weeks. Chance to turn that around here.

Jake Adams: Upper Dauphin 28, Newport 24: Looks like the closest thing to a toss-up we have in the Mid-Penn this weekend.

Andy Sandrik: Upper Dauphin 28, Newport 21: I think this is a one-possession game for the majority of the contest, but I just feel like the Trjoans are trending a little bit higher than the Buffs right now. Had it not been for a one-point loss to Fleetwood, UD would be coming into this on a three-game winning streak.

Geoff Morrow: Upper Dauphin 38, Newport 34: They can’t really stop anybody, but knowing how to score points will come in handy for the Trojans this week against a Buffaloes team that is playing its second game in five days.

Susquenita at Trinity, 7

Andy Shay: Susquenita 26, Trinity 14: Kudos to each squad for adding another game to the docket. Any game in 2020 is worth playing. Couple of struggling teams, and it just feels like ‘Nita has shown more pop on offense, and that will play a role in this one.

Jake Adams: Susquenita 28, Trinity 14: The COVID-go-round scheduling changes strike again. Trinity, dropped by banged-up Camp Hill before the Lions play in next week’s District 3 Class 2A championship, now tackle the Blackhawks. ‘Nita has struggled, but they’ve got enough in the tank here.

Andy Sandrik: Susquenita 21, Trinity 14: Yeah, I think this is a winnable game for Trinity, but the ‘Rocks are still looking to find that second gear that Susquenita has already discovered.

Geoff Morrow: Susquenita 23, Trinity 16: Might not seem like much at first glance, but the Shamrocks took a significant step forward last week vs. Middletown. Is it enough to set them up for their first win this week? I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t be completely shocked.

Not playing this week: State College, Chambersburg, Camp Hill, James Buchanan

Week 8 Schuylkill League Regular Season 

Pine Grove at Tamaqua, 7

Andy Shay: Tamaqua 32, Pine Grove 14: Just feels like right now Pine Grove doesn’t quite have enough offensive firepower to keep up with Tamaqua for the long haul.

Jake Adams: Tamaqua 30, Pine Grove 20: What GMo said.

Andy Sandrik: Tamaqua 28, Pine Grove 21: The Cards enter this game as road underdogs, but they’ve been playing better of late. Tamaqua should be a few steps ahead, but I think this game is closer than most people think. 

Geoff Morrow: Tamaqua 25, Pine Grove 19: So, follow this: Tamaqua gets smoked three weeks back by Blue Mountain. A week later, Blue Mountain is crushed by Lehighton. Last week, Lehighton knocks off Pine Grove. Which means, this week, the Cardinals sweep the Cubs in six. Wait. Hold on. I am now totally lost …

Williams Valley at Marian Catholic, 7

Andy Shay: Williams Valley 47, Marian Catholic 7: Scoring points has been a real problem for MC this season, scoring seven or fewer points in six of its seven games. Putting points on the board is not a problem for the Vikings.

Jake Adams: Williams Valley 45, Marian Catholic 0: Let’s not get cute here.

Andy Sandrik: Williams Valley 49, Marian Catholic 0: I think the most fun part about following WV this season is that the Vikings don’t necessarily deliver first-round knockouts. They get punched in the mouth and knocked into the ropes, yet still come out of the ring with their arm raised. Finally, WV gets a chance to breathe. 

Geoff Morrow: Williams Valley 47, Marian Catholic 0: Marian has scored seven points in its last four games. The Vikings are going to win this.

Tri-Valley at Panther Valley, 7 

Andy Shay: Tri-Valley 28, Panther Valley 14: Coming of a tough loss in a very good game with former TVL mate Williams Valley means the Bulldogs are in rebound mode. PV snapped its four-game slide and will be feeling good about itself.

Jake Adams: Tri-Valley 30, Panther Valley 15: Because I don’t endorse animal fighting, who wins in a tug-o-war? Bulldog or a Panther? What about Chase Herb plus a bulldog vs. a Panther?

Andy Sandrik: Tri-Valley 33, Panther Valley 17: I don’t care if there are actual Panthers overrunning the streets of Lansford, but naming the Panther Valley mascot a “Panther” is the laziest choice I’ve seen since high school, when I picked “Andrew” as my confirmation name.

Geoff Morrow: Tri-Valley 39, Panther Valley 13: Bounce-back mode engaged for the Bulldogs. Also, why is everything a valley? We need a desert or something up in the Skook. Mix it up, y’all!

SATURDAY’S GAMES

District 3 Playoffs

Class 3A Semifinal: No. 3 Boiling Springs at No. 2 Wyomissing, 1

Andy Shay: Wyomissing 28, Boiling Springs 19: Wing-T vs. Wing-T. Whichever converts the TE waggle better wins. I’m joking, of course. Spartans have depth at those skill positions and come at you in waves. Physically, the Bubblers are up for this challenge, and I expect them to be in the game. Wyo schedule is the worst in District 3, so they haven’t yet played a competitive game.

Jake Adams: Wyomissing 35, Boiling Springs 20: The Spartans have allowed just 19 points, but it comes against a suspect schedule. Still, this is a team with serious playoff experience as the reigning district champs going up against a group that has had a fantastic season. Don’t expect the Bubblers to go down quietly.

Andy Sandrik: Boiling Springs 35, Wyomissing 21: Boiling Springs has played two strides ahead of my predictions all season (and 898 strides ahead of my Camp Hill pick last week), so I’m talking the Bubblers to march out of Wyomissing with a decisive signature win. 

Geoff Morrow: Wyomissing 22, Boiling Springs 15: Against admittedly weak competition, the Spartans have posted four shutouts. And knowing what to do against a Wing-T is part of the players’ DNA. I believe this will be very competitive, but Wyo’s experience probably matters.

By Eric Epler: 

CLASS 6A                               Rec.      Previous
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)             2-0       1
2. North Allegheny (7)                5-0       2
3. Central Dauphin (3)                5-0       3
4. Archbishop Wood (12)            2-0       4
5. McDowell (10)                       4-0       5
6. La Salle College HS (12)           3-1       6
7. Harrisburg (3)                         4-0       10
8. Delaware Valley (2)                3-1       7
9. Nazareth (11)                         5-0       8
10. Parkland (11)                        3-0       9
Teams to watch: Central York (3) 6-0, Pennridge (1) 4-0, Souderton (1) 4-0, Spring-Ford (1) 5-0, Wilson (3) 5-1.

CLASS 5A                               Rec.      Previous 

1. Pine-Richland (7)                    6-0       1
2. Warwick (3)                           6-0       2
3. Gateway (7)                           4-0       3
4. Peters Township (7)                6-0       4
5. Cathedral Prep (10)                4-1       5
6. Governor Mifflin (3)                5-0       6
7. East Stroudsburg South (11)    3-0       7
8. Penn-Trafford (7)                   5-1       8
9. Mechanicsburg (3)                  5-0       9
10. Unionville (1)                       3-0       NR 

Teams to watch: New Oxford (3) 5-0, Southern Lehigh (11) 3-1, Upper Dublin (1) 3-1, Upper St. Clair (7) 5-2, Woodland Hills (7) 5-2.

CLASS 4A                                Rec.      Previous 

1. Jersey Shore (4)                      7-0       2
2. Lampeter-Strasburg (3)           6-0       3
3. Aliquippa (7)                          7-0       5
4. Bishop McDevitt (3)                5-0       4
5. Thomas Jefferson (7)              5-1       1
6. Oil City (10)                            7-0       6
7. Belle Vernon (7)                     5-1       7
8. McKeesport (7)                      6-1       NR
9. Harbor Creek (10)                   6-1       8
10. Crestwood (2)                      6-0       10
Teams to watch: Berks Catholic (3) 4-2, Chartiers Valley (7) 6-1, Conrad Weiser (3) 6-0, Northern (3) 5-0, Plum (7) 7-0.

CLASS 3A                               Rec.      Previous 

1. Central Valley (7)                    7-0       1
2. Wyomissing (3)                      5-0       2
3. Hickory (10)                           6-0       3
4. Montoursville (4)                    7-0       4
5. Bedford (5)                            7-0       5
6. Scranton Prep (2)                   4-0       6
7. Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) 6-0       7
8. North Catholic (7)                   7-0       9
9. Central Martinsburg (6)          7-0       NR
10. Lakeland (2)                         4-0       NR 

Teams to watch: Danville (4) 6-1, Fort LeBoeuf (10) 6-0, Lake-Lehman (2) 7-0, North Schuylkill (11) 5-0, Tyrone (6) 6-0.
 

CLASS 2A                               Rec.      Previous 

1. Southern Columbia (4)            6-0       1
2. Wilmington (10)                     6-0       2
3. Berlin-Brothersvalley (5)         7-0       3
4. Beaver Falls (7)                       7-0       4
5. Bellwood-Antis (6)                  6-0       5
6. McGuffey (7)                          6-1       6
7. Farrell (10)                             5-2       7
8. Sto-Rox (7)                             6-1       9
9. Richland (6)                            6-1       8
10. Brookville (9)                        7-0       NR
Teams to watch: Apollo-Ridge (7) 5-0, Line Mountain (4) 4-1, Windber (5) 6-1, York Catholic (3) 5-1.

CLASS 1A                               Rec.      Previous

1. Clairton (7)                             5-0       1 

2. Old Forge (2)                          3-0       2
3. Jeannette (7)                          6-1       3
4. Steel-High (3)                         5-0       4
5. Canton (4)                              4-0       5
6. Williams Valley (11)                6-1       6
7. Delone Catholic (3)                 6-0       7
8. Reynolds (10)                         6-0       8
9. Muncy (4)                              6-1       10
10. Tri-Valley (11)                       3-1       9
Teams to watch: Bishop Guilfoyle (6) 4-2, Penns Manor (6) 6-0, Rochester (7) 6-1, Smethport (9) 6-0, Tussey Mountain (5) 6-0. 

Each week, our crew will dish out ‘Game Balls” to athletes who turned in impressive performances across our coverage area. Here are our selections for Week of Oct. 23-26 of the regular season. 

Jake Adams’s Game Balls

Garvey Brothers, Boiling Springs: And all the other Bubblers. A year after finishing 0-10, Boiling Springs is playoff bound, having secured the berth with a 35-0 drubbing of Camp Hill to finish the regular season 4-1. The Garvey brothers were center stage. Big bro Patrick scored on an 81-yard punt return, hauled in a 34-yard TD reception, picked off Lions QB Daniel Shuster and scooped up a fumble recovery. Not to be outdone, Carson swiped two Shuster passes, including one he took to the house from 34 yards out. No team played a better defensive game against Camp Hill this season, and it was largely thanks to the siblings.

Sean Smith, RB-LB, Carlisle: I’m told Smith’s 336 rushing yards are a Carlisle record. No Thundering Herd runner ever eclipsed the 300-yard mark before Friday night. It was critical to the Herd’s efforts in beating Cedar Cliff 35-28 in a wild game. Just for fun, Smith scored four times on his 33 carries, covering 63, 11, 8 and 44 yards. Smith nearly doubled his season output in one night, reaching 702 stripes and nine scores. The Herd run game has been led by a bullish offensive line that has put up nearly 1,200 yards in just four games. 

Andy Shay’s Game Balls

Isaiah Houser, WR, Shippensburg: The Greyhounds speedy and dangerous wideout wrecked a game and had the kind of impact that produces only a winning result. Three catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Houser can do that in any game without any warning or notice. And he caught his TD passes from different quarterbacks. His 70-yard catch-and-run from Zack Manning gave Ship an early 12-0 lead in a 25-22 win over East Pennsboro. His 59-yard reception with 2:57 to play from Tucker Chamberlin was the game winner. Two home run bombs in a tight game was the difference between a W and an L.

Jordan Heisey, QB, Northern: All season Heisey has been a rock for the Polar Bears’ offense. Whatever the ask, He’s provided the answer and the Polar Bears are 5-0 and appear headed for the District 3 Class 4A playoffs. Against Susquehanna Township the offense struggled for three quarters for the first time all season, really. Trailing by eight with only 10 points on the board heading into the final 12 minutes, Heisey delivered big-time in the clutch. Northern scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns and Heisey’s short TD run in overtime kept Northern undefeated. He finished 225 total yards (124 passing, 101 rushing) and scored a pair of TD’s on the ground. Clutch in a tight spot.

Patrick Garvey, WR-KR, Boiling Springs: In the crazy world that is 2020 you have a Boiling Springs squad that was 0-10 last year and is now going to the District 3 Class 3A playoffs one season later. All the Bubblers deserve a game ball for going 4-1 overall, but against a Camp Hill pass attack that has very little trouble producing results this season, the Bubblers went out and posted a dominating 35-0 victory. Big plays always change the scope of a game when you run the ground-and-pound Wing-T offense. Garvey hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass (not a running play) and returned a punt 80 yards for another score. Those type of monster plays flip the script on a game in a hurry and that was all the Bubblers defense needed.

Adam Kulikowski Game Balls

Alex Erby, QB, Steel-High: Another week, another dynamic performance from the freshman QB in Roller Town. All Erby did this week was light up the scoreboard with five passing TDs en route to 396 stripes. Oh, and he added sixth on the ground from a yard out for good measure. It’s tough to remember that Erby is a first-year starter at the varsity level.

Caleb Brubaker, DB-WR, Mechanicsburg: Waynesboro quarterback Chance Eyler likely won’t want to hear Caleb Brubaker’s name anytime soon. The twin brother of quarterback Micah played a huge role in disrupting the Indians’ offensive attack. He notched seven tackles and a pair of sacks–including a strip-sack that led to a Wildcats touchdown. Not too shabby.  

Calvin Everett, coach, Harrisburg: Tip of the cap to you, sir. There’s not a coach in the state that fights harder for his team and his school. The Cougars and their leader faced adversity throughout this COVID-impacted season–from the initial cancellation of its season to a delayed start to a race to strap the helmets on enough to meet the qualification standards for playoff competition. At the eleventh hour, Everett secured that coveted match-up his team needed to earn a playoff berth. Now, the boys can simply focus on making that playoff run. Watch out, 6A foes. 

Michael Bullock’s Game Balls

Bryce Herb, QB-DB, Williams Valley: While Herb tossed three second-half touchdown passes and finished with a mere 96 yards through the air, we’re going to recognize the 6-1 senior for rallying to defeat Tri-Valley 35-28 becoming Williams Valley’s all-time passing leader on his 23-yard strike to Jake Herman. The previous mark, which stood for some 35 years, had been owned by Paul Herb — Bryce’s pops.

Chase Herb, RB-DE, Tri-Valley: The 6-3, 215-pound senior uncorked his typical all-around effort, yet it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs tumbled to Williams Valley 35-28 in a possible District 11 Class A championship game preview. Herb rushed for 105 yards and one score on 21 carries, but also caught touchdown passes covering 33 and 42 yards — the latter materializing from a fake punt.

Cameron Smeltz, WR-OLB, Line Mountain: Smeltz played a lead role on the Eagles’ defensive unit, registering 12 tackles — including eight solos and one for loss — as Brandon Carson’s club rallied to defeat Newport 44-21 and run its winning streak to four games. Smeltz also swiped one pass as Line Mountain claimed the No. 4 seed in the District 4 Class 2A playoffs and set up a scrap this weekend at Southern Columbia.

Jackson Yoder, C-ILB, Williams Valley: Working in tandem with fellow inside linebacker Jesse Engle, Yoder piled up 18 tackles as the Vikings rallied from a 21-7 halftime deficit to beat backyard rival Tri-Valley 35-28. Yoder also helped the Williams Valley attack get untracked after the break from his center position, occupying would-be Bulldogs tacklers long enough so Engle could rush for 109 yards and one score.

Derek Gibney, QB, Susquenita: Opportunistic whenever he spotted a crease inside or some space on the flanks, Gibney rushed 10 times for 45 yards and touchdowns covering 3, 7 and 10 yards in Susquenita’s 29-0 conquest of Halifax. The Blackhawks’ QB also threw for 35 yards one touchdown to fellow freshman Bryce McKee. Gibney also had a pair of would-be touchdown passes dropped.

By 4th Down staff:

Welcome to 4th Down Magazine’s vote for Player of the Week presented by Crown Trophy of Harrisburg (in Lemoyne).

The nominees for the week are listed below. Vote for the player with the most impressive performance.

The poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. and voting is allowed once per hour. The winner will be announced Wednesday evening.

Isaiah Houser, WR-DB, Shippensburg: Three catches, two touchdowns including the game winner with under 3:00 to play in a come-from-behind win over East Pennsboro. Houser finished with 136 receiving yards (45.3 average) and had TD catches covering 70 and 59 yards. He also had three tackles, two tackles for a loss and an interception on defense.

Sean Smith, RB, Carlisle: Ran for a staggering 333 yards, what is likely a Thundering Herd record, and scored four of the Thundering Herd’s five touchdowns in a 35-28 victory over Cedar Cliff.

Caleb Brubaker, DB-WR, Mechanicsburg: Twin brother of quarterback Micah wrecked Waynesboro’s offense in a 35-7 victory over the Indians. Blitzing from everywhere, he finished with seven tackles, two sacks — including a strip-sack that led to a Wildcats touchdown — and two tackles for a loss in less than three quarters of work. Also had two receptions for 19 yards.

Lek Powell, QB, Bishop McDevitt: The senior threw for more than 300 yards for the second time in three weeks after rolling up 301 passing yards on Red Land. He also threw a pair of TD passes and rushed for another score in the 42-3 victory.

Patrick Garvey, DB-WR-PR, Boiling Springs: Younger brother Carson also deserves a hat tip here, with his pick-6 and another INT. But Patrick had a monster night, recording an 81-yard punt return TD, 34-yard TD grab, an interception and a fumble recovery. 

Jamir Reynolds-Vasquez, RB-DB, Cedar Cliff: Sure, the Colts lost 35-28, but not without a strong effort for Reynolds-Vasquez. The RB carried the rock 33 times for an even 200 yards and scored on a 37-yard run in the third quarter that got the Colts back within a score. 

Alex Erby, QB, Steel-High: Yeah, six touchdowns will do it. The freshman signal caller fired five scoring passes and ran for another in the Rollers’ 65-30 blowout win over Big Spring. Erby finished 22-of-30 for a tidy 396 yards, his TD tosses covering 10, 23, 7, 20 and 33 yards. He punched in a 1-yard TD as well.

Damein Hammonds, WR-PR, Steel-High: The Rollers’ QB has a lot of headlines, but Hammonds celebrated senior day with a quality performance. He scored on a 23-yard reception, 69-yard punt return and 33-yard reception in a 65-30 win over Big Spring. Hammonds finished with 67 yards on four catches and added an interception.

Trent Herrera, RB, West Perry: The sophomore scored three times to lift West Perry to its first win of the season, 27-20 over Greencastle-Antrim. Herrera finished with 126 yards on 18 carries, scoring on rushes of 20, 12 and 8 yards.

Jordan Heisey, QB-DB, Northern: The Polar Bears held on to its District 3 Class 4A playoff spot in a tight 30-24 win over Susquehanna Township. Heisey was front and center, rushing for 101 yards and passing for another 124 yards. Heisey rushed for an 8-yard TD in the third quarter, then scored the game-winner in overtime on a 1-yard plunge.

Garret Laudenslager, RB-LB, Line Mountain: Laudenslager continued his highly productive senior season by rolling up 252 yards and one touchdown in Line Mountain’s come-from-behind 44-21 victory over Newport. He caught one pass for 10 yards as the Eagles clinched a spot in the District 4 Class 2A playoffs opposite three-time defending PIAA champion Southern Columbia.

Jacob Feese, QB-LB, Line Mountain: Feese triggered Line Mountain’s explosive attack, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for a fourth as the Eagles scored the final 34 points — in a span of 10:21 bridging halftime — in a 44-21 conquest of Newport. While Feese totaled 184 rushing yards on 19 attempts and scored on runs of 6, 57 and 56 yards, it was his 11-yard TD pass to Aidan Herb with 11 seconds left in the first half that sparked the Eagles and helped them overcome a 21-10 deficit.

Jesse Engle, TE-RB-LB, Williams Valley: Shifted to tailback during the halftime break, Engle rolled up 109 yards and one score as the Vikings rallied from a 21-7 deficit to beat their backyard rivals. Engle also made 14 tackles from his inside ‘backer spot, but it was his interception of a Jonas McGrath pass that ultimately put Williams Valley in position to bank the game-winning score on a pass from Bryce Herb to Brady Evans.

Jake Herman, WR-DB, Williams Valley: While Herman authored the first of Williams Valley’s four picks — he swiped a ball in the end zone to deny one early march — it was the second of his two touchdown receptions that had the Vikings in a 28-all deadlock with Tri-Valley heading into the fourth quarter. Herman finished with four catches for 79 yards and scores covering 24 and 23 yards as Tim Savage’s club won its fifth in a row.

Austin Kenny, RB-LB, Susquenita: Although the determined Kenny did not locate the end zone, he generated plenty of damage by rushing 25 times for 209 yards as Scott Acri’s Blackhawks blanked Halifax 29-0 and ran their winning streak to two games. 

{advpoll id=’65’ view_result=’0′ width=’0′ position=’center’}

By Andy Shay: 

This was the perfect storm of wins and losses, and it appears undefeated Bishop McDevitt will not qualify for the District 3 Class 4A playoffs this season. Is that the most 2020 thing you’ve ever heard as it relates to high school football?

The problem for the Crusaders, who are fifth in the still unofficial Class 4A power ratings behind Lampeter-Strasburg, ELCO, Northern and Conrad Weiser, is McDevitt’s opponents winning percentage is an abysmal .271. That’s about as low as it gets through five games.

And despite McDevitt thumping Red Land 42-3 and taking care of what it can control, the other four teams on their schedule — Mifflin County, Lower Dauphin, Cedar Cliff and Cumberland Valley — all lost Friday night. That was the perfect storm that swept Jeff Weachter’s talented squad from fairly comfortably inside the playoff bubble to on the outside looking in.

Cedar Cliff fell to Carlisle in a one-score game. Mifflin County fell to Palmyra 34-25 in a matchup of previously winless squads. Cumberland Valley was doubled up by Chambersburg 20-10 in a game of teams with identical 1-3 records. And winless Lower Dauphin put up a valiant fight but eventually fell to undefeated Hershey 20-3.

When you have more expanded playoff fields this is not a problem. Undefeated and one-loss teams in Class 4A are going to make the eight-team cut. In this crazy pandemic world of 2020, the shortened season brought about reduced playoff fields. It was the right decision. And the power ratings is the most fair and efficient way to measure the on-paper success of any team. The other problem for McDevitt is the four teams above them are all undefeated as well.

We’ve all learned there’s a lot we can’t control during this pandemic and a lot has changed. Add undefeated McDevitt missing the playoffs as something nobody can control. I will say this — and I know Lampeter-Strasburg beat McDevitt last year — none of those four teams were touching the Crusaders head-to-head.

Hershey appears to be on the outside looking in as well despite also being undefeated at 5-0. Trojans have the same problem as McDevitt — their opponents’ winning percentage is an abysmal .268. How does that impact the power rating number? Hershey finished in the No. 6 hole behind 4-2 Red Lion, a two-loss team with a better power rating. As I’ve always said, who you play matters. Quality helps more than it hurts.

I’m not even going to say whether Mechanicsburg is in or out. It APPEARS the Wildcats are the No. 4 team in Class 5A. A team on their schedule, Susquehanna Township, still plays Monday against Newport. That result will figure into the final equation. That’s all I have to say about that.

Harrisburg still needs one more game, and the clock is ticking. Oct. 26 is tomorrow, and the Cougars currently have only three of the required four games played to be playoff eligible. Seems nobody wants to play the Cougars. What happened to “let the kids play” chants? Well, now that the kids are playing it seems a few schools have become opponent selective. My word for those opponent selective schools is cowards.

UPDATE: Harrisburg and State College will play Monday at 4 p.m. in State College 

Boiling Springs went 0-10 last year and will now participate in the District 3 Class 3A playoffs. Everybody else get in line behind the Bubblers when it comes to the feel-good story of 2020. Taking out Camp Hill 35-0 is a shock to me. The Bubblers winning isn’t a surprise at all. Posting a shutout against a good quarterback who has put points and yards up against everybody speaks volumes. I still need some Bubblers gear. Just saying!

The hidden key to Hershey being 5-0 has been its defense. I’ve said that enough that it should not be a hidden key anymore. It wasn’t easy to finally subdue winless Lower Dauphin Friday night because the Falcons put up a fight. Hershey posted a 20-3 victory on the strength of its defense. Lower Dauphin outgained Hershey 234-184 in terms of total yards. But the Trojans defense came up huge with two interceptions, a couple sacks and five tackles for a loss. And for the second consecutive game the D came up with a goal-line stand.

If this weird and wacky season was 10 games like every other year, the team from the Mid-Penn Conference Commonwealth Division that would be making more noise and be in the hunt for a District 3 Class 6A playoff berth would be the Carlisle Thundering Herd. In case you didn’t notice, that’s 12 consecutive quality quarters for the Herd and only one win. They played Central Dauphin tough before nature took over and the Rams pulled away. They were in the game at State College this past Monday every step of the way before falling late 38-29, and they just beat Cedar Cliff to push its record to 2-2. CD East, Cumberland Valley and Hershey are the Herd’s final three opponents. Nothing tells me this team won’t finish 5-2 overall.

My under-the-radar player of the week nod goes to Chambersburg running back Jayden Jones. In a game with Cumberland Valley where yards and points were always going to be hard to come by, Jones rushed for 120 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in a 20-10 victory over the Eagles. Neither offense lights it up, so a couple scores and 100-plus rushing yards is like football gold.

By Andy Shay: 

If the early numbers crunching in the District 3 Class 5A playoff field is correct, it appears undefeated Mechanicsburg will be on the outside looking in during this strange 2020 football season. That won’t be official until after the October 26 deadline.

What the Wildcats have is a dangerous 1-2 punch of an explosive offense that can be a powder keg at any moment and a defense that is fast and creates pressure on an offense to operate at an uncomfortable pace.

Waynesboro’s defense did a good job Friday night and the Indians really still had no say in the outcome of this 35-7 Colonial Division win for Mechanicsburg. The Wildcats defense set the tone, produced four turnovers, 10 negative plays, scored a touchdown and limited the visitors to 130 total yards on 55 snaps.

Time to hand out some grades.

WAYNESBORO INDIANS

Quarterback: Chance Eyler literally had no chance on this night (apologies for the bad pun). He was under some serious heat almost every time he dropped back to throw. The only way to have any shot was to get the ball out way quicker than he’s used to and that had an impact on his accuracy. He did throw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, the first TD through the air Mechanicsburg has allowed in 2021. He had a rough night, but it wasn’t a fair fight. Grade: C

Running Back: Mikel Holden ran hard and found seams. His vision gave him a chance and his 78 yards on 13 carries was the only offense the Indians really mustered. His counterpart in the backfield, Aidan Mencia, struggled. Only 13 yards on 13 carries. Grade: B-

Wide Receivers: It was clear Rhyan Day is their best receiver, and Mechanicsburg knew that. He garnered plenty of attention and caught only two passes for seven yards. The couple times he was open the ball was overthrown. Cade Reed led the Indians in receiving with 43 yards on three catches, but 26 of those yards came against the reserves after it was 35-0.  Grade: C

Offensive Line: Rough night for this crew, no other way to put it. The speed and power of the Wildcats up front and coming off the edge was just too much to handle. When a Wing-T offense has only 54 rushing yards on 34 carries, that’s a problem. Sometimes it was a numbers game and Mechanicsburg won by bringing six or seven guys into the gaps. That’s tough. But 10 negative plays says a lot. Grade: D

Defensive Line: This group did its job. They didn’t allow the shifty Wildcats’ QB to escape all the time and they clogged up the middle on those draw plays that get teams off balance. Marcus Smith won more battles than he lost. He stood out. And they brought some heat up the middle on the pass rush, too. Grade: B

Linebackers: Holden, Callin Kauffman and Jesse Julias did very good against the run, but on those pass plays over the middle they missed too many tackles in space to keep Mechanicsburg’s offense under wraps. Less than 300 total yards allowed isn’t bad. Grade: B-

Secondary: Very nice interception by Day in the end zone. His coverage on that fade route was perfect. He did a good job all night as a lock down corner. It’s not easy to defend this quarterback and group of receivers. Making them sputter means it wasn’t all that bad. Grade: C+

Special Teams: I’m guessing the short kickoffs were to keep the speedy Wildcats from running free. Punts were a bit of a mystery with that rugby style producing a nine-yard punt and a 25-yard kick. Not very helpful on the field position battle posing those numbers. Punt coverage was good, though. Grade: C

MECHANICSBURG WILDCATS

Quarterback: Micah Brubaker had his normal game of 232 total yards and a hand in all four offensive touchdowns. His speed and ability to improvise when he drops back to pass is something I can only describe as special. And the way he finds open receivers after scrambling drives defenses nuts. Not a lights-out game, but solid. Grade: B+

Running Back: Taylor Shearer didn’t get many carries, and it’s clear this offense isn’t designed for him to get 15-18 carries a game. Only had six totes but he averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry. He also had 42 receiving yards on two catches. Eight total touches for 79 yards. Productive.  Grade: B+

Wide Receivers: They have so many options and are best served when several of them are getting three, four or five catches each. Nick Morrison had a big night with 85 yards on four grabs to lead the way. His work after the catch was stellar. I saw only one ball that I would classify as a drop that was catchable. And even that one was in the tough catch category. Grade: A

Offensive Line: Run blocking up the middle was poor all night. I know the Indians were bringing heat up the middle, but that was poor blocking in between the tackles. Tackles Marlon Aristy and Hoyt Lechthaler were solid. Overall, though, way too many holding penalties. Five in one game is far too many. It bogged this offense down.  Grade: C

Defensive Line: Tyree Morris was a terror on the edge and shut down several of those inside handoffs meant to fool the defense. He wasn’t fooled. The guy at the other DE, Sam Geraty, had a good night as well. They were a force together. Grade: A

Linebackers: In order to slow down the Wing-T offense you need the MLB, in this case Aristy, to be on point and playing fast. Yeah, No. 56 did his job in the middle. And Sam Deluca is a rising junior who stood out as well. Overall this group was outstanding. Grade: A

Secondary: Caleb Brubaker is a weapon. There’s no other way to put it. They line him up everywhere and he brings heat and on this night was a game wrecker. James Anderson is a ball hawk at safety and had a 45-yard pick-six. Two interceptions overall and less than 50 percent completion percentage. And very good in run support off the edge, too. Grade: A+

Special Teams: Three touchbacks on kickoffs from Morrison and extra points had some pop as well. Kickoff coverage was shaky, nothing in the return game on punts and a missed field goal from 24 yards. Not bad, but certainly not good. Grade: C

By Andy Shay: 

All Mechanicsburg can do is wait and see what the numbers say in terms of earning a District 3 Class 5A playoff berth.

The undefeated Wildcats took care of what they can control by using a lights out effort from their defense to overwhelm once-beaten Waynesboro Friday night at John H. Frederick Field.

Mechanicsburg’s defense used a strip-sack to force a turnover that led to a touchdown and James Anderson had a pick-six to set the tone for a comfortable 35-7 Colonial Division victory over the Indians.

“Our defense has been playing great all year,” said Wildcats defensive back Caleb Brubaker, who had the strip-sack early in the second quarter that was recovered by defensive Tyree Morris at the Waynesboro 14-yard-line. “We’ve been doing a great job of creating turnovers and getting our offense back on the field.”

Mechanicsburg’s offense was functional, but a step behind its normal high-octane self. The Wildcats’ first touchdown came on a short field after a nine-yard punt by the Indians. The defense set up the second score and Anderson made it 21-0 at halftime with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“The offense struggled a little bit early, but defense came out and set the tone,” said Brubaker, who blitzed from all over the field and along with Morris made life miserable for the Indians’ Wing-T offense. “Defense took control tonight and let the offense know it was our time to have their backs and make a difference.”

The Wildcats’ offense powered by quarterback Micah Brubaker found another gear after halftime and put 14 quick points on the board to make it 35-0 before the midway point of the third quarter.

Micah Brubaker, who finished with 232 total yards and had a say in all four offensive touchdowns, connected with Nick Morrison on a short pass over the middle. Morrison did the rest, breaking three tackles on his way to the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown catch-and-run.

The next time the Wildcats had the ball, with excellent starting field position at the Waynesboro 32 courtesy of the defense getting a three-and-out with the Indians pinned at their own 10-yard-line, Mechanicsburg need only five plays to find the end zone on Micah Brubaker’s second rushing touchdown that made it 35-0.

“I think our defense has been a little bit underrated throughout the course of the season. We’ve really improved up front and our secondary does a good job making teams uncomfortable in the passing game,” said Mechanicsburg coach Anthony Rose, whose defense forced four turnovers and limited the Indians to 130 total yards. “Caleb Brubaker was everywhere tonight, he had two big sacks including that strip-sack.

“In my 23 years of coaching he’s the best defensive player I’ve ever coached. We could put him anywhere. He’s just a game changer for us defensively. The defense just played lights out all night.”

Waynesboro         0-0-0-7—7

Mechanicsburg     7-14-14-0—35

Scoring summary

First quarter

M-Taylor Shearer 32 pass from Micah Brubaker (Nick Morrison kick), 7:04

Second quarter

M-Brubaker 4 run  (Morrison kick), 9:24

M-James Anderson 45 interception return (Morrison kick), :52

Third quarter

M-Morrison 29 pass from Brubaker (Morrison kick), 9:36

M-Brubaker 6 run (Morrison kick), 6:57

Fourth quarter

W-Jared Peck 13 pass from Chance Eyler (Louie Lindsay kick), 11:05

Team stats              W    M

First downs             6       14

Rush-yards              34-54 27-102

Passing                    76    192

Comp-Att-Int           10-21-2 12-18-1

Fumbles-lost           3-2   1-0

Punts-Avg.               5-25.6  2-36

Penalties-Yards       2-25   12-109

Individual statistics

RUSHING: Waynesboro, Mikel Holden 13-78, Aidan Mencia 13-13, Chance Eyler 5-(minus-21), Louie Lindsay 2-(minus-6), Team 1-(minus-12); Mechanicsburg, Micah Brubaker 10-40, Taylor Shearer 6-37, Glenn Robinson 2-(minus-5), Parker Sample 3-11, James Anderson 1-8, Seth Brubaker 4-13, Team 1-(minus-2).

PASSING: Waynesboro, Eyler 10-21-2—76; Mechanicsburg, Micah Brubaker 12-18-1—192.

RECEIVING: Waynesboro, Cade Reed 3-43, Holden 4-13, Rhyan Day 2-7, Jared Peck 1-13; Mechanicsburg, Nick Morrison 4-85, Caleb Brubaker 2-20, Shearer 2-42, Anderson 2-29, Joey Rowland 2-16.