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.
COVID forces tilt featuring the top teams in the Keystone to be canceled:
Big game for the undefeated Hershey Trojans this week after the scheduled contest with fellow unbeaten Bishop McDevitt became a COVID-19 casualty game. That game has been moved to November 13 at the Concrete Palace. The task at hand for Mark Painter’s troops is a match-up with Manheim Central. This game matters because despite their struggles the Barons are still regarded as a marquee program in Pennsylvania. True this Manheim Central team is struggling at a level not seen since the 1970s with a 2-5 record overall. Here’s the rub for me. Hershey’s offense has some weapons and can hit you in a variety of ways. Manheim Central has not been good defensively at all. The problem for Hershey in this game lies in the quality of opponents they’ve faced this season to date. And by that I mean there’s nothing Hershey is going to throw at Manheim Central that the Barons, who have played a very good schedule, haven’t already seen. It will be a good test for sure. The Trojans’ offense has a match-up advantage against the Barons defense. The most direct path to victory is to take advantage of that.
Battle of West Shore School District on tap:
The most intriguing game on the Keystone slate involves West Shore School District residents Red Land and Cedar Cliff. Each squad is 3-3 and has every reason to believe they are the better team and are capable of winning this game. Running the ball is the bread-and-butter for the Patriots and Colts. Surprisingly the Patriots defense has been more sound than Cedar Cliff’s up-and-down group on D. This is going to be a good one.
