Vote now for your 4th Down Magazine Mid-Penn Conference Player of the Week Sponsored by Crown Trophy of Harrisburg (in Lemoyne). Our poll will remain open until Wednesday evening at 11 p.m. Vote once per hour, per IP address for your favorite competitor.
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D’Antae Sheffey, fr., RB, State College: The Little Lions claimed yet another District 6 Class 6A title, beating Altoona 28-7 on Friday. Sheffey spearheaded the offensive charge, rushing 15 times for 176 yards (11.7 yards per carry) and three touchdowns of 9, 9 and 1 yards.
Waylon Ehrenzeller, sr., RB, Juniata: Back after missing the last three regular-season games, Ehrenzeller provided all the juice needed to beat DuBois 17-7 in the District 6/9 Class 4A subregional Friday, scoring two second-half touchdowns and finished with 135 stripes on 21 carries.
Jonathan Kauffman, sr., OL/DT, Juniata: The Juniata defense also came through in the subregional win, allowing just 78 rushing yards, forcing two interceptions and a fumble and sacking DuBois QB Trey Wingard five times. Kauffman was at the center of it (quite literally) with eight tackles and two sacks.
Ezeekai Thomas, sr., RB/DB, Carlisle: The Thundering Herd were knocked out of the District 3 Class 6A quarterfinals 30-14 by Hempfield. But Thomas provided a late-game highlight with a 90-yard pick-6. He also had two receptions for 24 yards.
Isaac Sines, sr., QB, Cumberland Valley: It’s the last hoorah for a POTW regular. Sines had a stellar game, rushing 23 times for 115 yards and going 22 of 29 for 231 passing yards, but the Eagles could not withstand Manheim Township in a 37-31 District 3 Class 6A quarterfinal loss. Sines threw TDs of 31 and 28 yards, ran in two from 3 and 6 yards out, connected on four extra points and nailed a 39-yard field goal.
JD Hunter, sr., RB, Cumberland Valley: Not often do two losing players get nominated, but we’ll make an exception for Hunter after he caught nine balls for 116 yards in a tight 37-31 loss to Manheim Township. His 28-yard TD in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 28-23 lead.
Cole Bartram, jr., RB/LB, Northern: While passing yards were tough to come by, Bartram found some hay on the ground. The junior churned out 140 yards and a 12-yard touchdown to give Northern a 20-7 win over New Oxford in the District 3 Class 5A quarterfinals. That wasn’t all. Bartram had a team-high 11 tackles (two TFLs) and a half a sack.
Stone Saunders, so., QB, Bishop McDevitt: Saunders and the Crusaders dismantled East Pennsboro 42-7 in the District 3 Class 4A quarterfinals. The sophomore tossed five first-half touchdowns and finished 14 of 20 for 350 yards. Those TDs covered 47, 62, 53, 55 and 7 yards. He’s now the McDevitt career passing touchdown leader with 86.
Marquese Williams, sr., RB, Bishop McDevitt: Saunders didn’t hog all the fun. Williams contributed with his hands and legs in the quarterfinal blowout, rushing for 82 yards and a 5-yard score and hauling in 62 receiving yards, including a 53-yard TD.
Dorian Smith, jr., RB, Susquehanna Township: ‘Hanna had little to celebrate in a 52-6 loss to Lampeter-Strasburg in the District 3 Class 5A quarterfinals, but Smith ripped off an 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter for Township’s only score and finished with 100 stripes on eight attempts (plus a 6-yard reception).
Brad Hockenberry, so., RB, West Perry: The Mustangs set new program benchmarks with their 11th win and second playoff win in a season thanks to a run game that carved up Lancaster Catholic in a 63-20 District 3 Class 3A semifinal victory. Hockenberry rushed nine times for 129 yards and three scores covering 30, 44 and 19 yards.
