By Andy Shay:
Each week during the 2020 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.
Altoona making a postseason run:
Altoona is on a little bit of a postseason run. The Mountain Lions turned heads when they rolled Cumberland Valley right out of the gate and haven’t slowed down. They won a District 6 Class 6A crown in dramatic fashion by going for a two-point conversion and the win after scoring a late touchdown against State College. Last week it was a nice mix of run and pass on offense with a couple turnovers on defense to subdue Williamsport. Now Altoona gets a crack at Delaware Valley, a squad that has battled COVID-19 starts and stops this season. Mountain Lions are the underdog in this PIAA contest, but they have a real shot, too.
Running game propelling Thundering Herd:
Carlisle and its vaunted running game, backed up by a defense that has performed above board all season but flies a little under-the-radar at times, has a crack to move to 4-2 when it faces one-win Cumberland Valley. I’m of the opinion that with the pedigree and history the Eagles bring to the table, any win over Cumberland Valley is a big win even if the Eagles are struggling. Wins against that program are just hard to come by. Most years the Thundering Herd don’t have a legitimate shot. But with the way RB Sean Smith has blown up and the manner in which offensive lineman are moving dudes around this is a winnable game. In fact, the Herd are the favorites.
