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Welcome to the official forum on high school football for the 2025 season.
During the off-season let’s talk about players, recruiting news, teams, and everything about high school football.
During the season each week let’s talk about match-ups and how teams did. Let us know what player(s) stood out each week.
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I don’t think anyone outside of Cumberland Valley thought they would upset Harrisburg on Saturday and spoil their homecoming. I watched some of the replay on PCNC yesterday and wasn’t all that impressed with Harrisburg. Any of you guys that follow D3 at that game? Seems to me from this side of the state Manheim Township is definitely the favorite to win D3 6A and perhaps avenge their heartbreaking loss in the D3 final last year to Harrisburg. MT’s game against Wilson next week will tell a lot about both teams chances for winning the district title.
Hi Jeff, I watched the game and the game definitely didnt go the way Harrisburg wanted. 4 interceptions (2 on tipped balls) and a shanked punt certainly helped CV. Harrisburg outgained CV by 335 to 120 in yards and still had an opportunity with less than 2 minutes to win the game. Harrisburg’s Defense is playing very well right now and did a good job all game keeping this game close to steal away all things considered. Gotta remember, Harrisburg is playing without 3 Power 5 D1 players that were projected to be in their lineup this season (Lee, Brown, Sheffey) and Harrisburg has a converted WR playing QB so there are growing pains but he is getting comfortable in the role, but due to lack of gametime experience at the position still makes some WR playing QB mistakes. Brown is projected to come back within next 2 weeks and Sheffey might be back this week. I am intrigued to see how this team looks at full strength, especially on the OL because Brown is a difference maker (and on DL too).
Thanks for that report, I was not aware Harrisburg had a couple of key players out with injuries, hopefully they return in time for the playoffs. The converted QB had been playing pretty well the last several games, it’s understandable he had a bad game as he continues to learn on the job and go through some growing pains.
Shamokin looked shaky against Lewisburg. Do we think they finally beat MCA? Will be a great game, a must see dare I say.
I only saw the first half of Shamokin vs Lewisburg but I thought they looked pretty solid.
The whole town of Shamokin will be all fired up with the Indians likely coming in at 9-0 ready to take the Coal Bucket back for the first time in 29 years.
I don’t remember this game being this anticipated since 2002 when both teams came in at 3-0. Hopefully the weather is decent, it should be a great atmosphere.
These are the kind of games I always used to bring in friends from out of the area to see.
@MCA75 I am happy for Shamokin and elated by the hype-build as we approach the Oct 25 Coal Bucket Classic. I have no horse in this race but it’s just really cool to see this once-lauded classic match-up of two historic rivals become relevant again. Growing up, the history of this rivalry was constantly spoken of in almost hushed, reverent tones (particularly during those awesome 70s summers @ The Grove). It’s great for the area and great for D4 (and great for Pennsyltucky!). I wish I could be there to simply observe the two fanbases going nuts for their boys. I hope it’s a well-played, close game, and I hope the respective fanbases have some good ol’ Friday Night Lights fun.
The second half was a battle, Lewisburg had a chance to win it for sure. I agree though, should be great!
D2 Notes: Week 8 Edition. There isn’t much, but I’ll go in-depth with playoffs. A little later than I wanted to send it, but it’ll do. Playoff part coming after this goes up on the forum.
1. North Pocono Stuns Scranton: The most shocking result of the weekend came from the Trojans of North Pocono. A very convincing 21-3 dub over Scranton put them in the lead of the 4A final playoff battle. The next two weeks will be against DV & Prep, respectively, so a couple more upsets could put them in a very solid position to make the playoffs.
2. VV Powers Past DV: This was a close game. Well, for a half or so. Valley View took control & keep their hot streak going, winning 35-25. DV did challenge late, but the Cougars were the much better team. Valley View is essentially locking up the #1 seed, while DV is trying to fight to be the #1 seed.
3. Ty’Meere Wilkinson Legacy Game: In 100+ years of Berwick, no one had the night he had. 28 Carries for 365 rushing yards & 4 TDs. That’s a school record in yards. He single-handedly helped CJ Curry get a massive win against Williamsport. Two of those TDs were 56 & 55 yards, respectively. If the Monday Night Football crew awarded a HIMMY award for District 2, it’d go to him.
4. Not Your Average Chargers: Carbondale ALMOST stunned another powerhouse. Riverside moves to 8-0 in a 19-14 dub over Carbondale. This came a few weeks before losing 7-6 in Bucktown. There was a stretch of the game where the Chargers led, but mainly because Riverside looks uncharacteristic & unprepared on offense. Carbondale is in a 3-team sandwich for one of the final three spots. With Susquehanna & Old Forge left, they must try to see if they can knock off one more team to be at .500.
5. WVC Positives: Malique Campbell ran for 281 yards in a Hanover Are win over CMVT, a 14-point comeback in the final 3:43 led Hazleton to win over Pittston, & Wyo Area clinched the WVC 2 with a win over Lake-Lehman.
D2.
The valley views win over Delaware Valley was a great job by the Valley View coaching staff. They came up with a tremendous game plan. And his Delaware valley with something they didn’t expect. By the time they adjusted to it Valley View changed it up again, but here’s the problem.
Valley View at a chance. To go up in that game probably 35 to 10 and their lack of discipline again. With a stupid unsportsman like penalty. God Delaware Valley back in the game. They better clean it up or they’re not gonna go too far in the play offs. I’m sure the value coaches have gotta be frustrated out of their b******* That’s been going on in the last 3 weeks. I’m so happy to change your mind. You’re gonna love living here so we’re not accepted.
Wyomissing 34-Twin Valley 24 Great Game! Wyo’s ground and pound offense kept TV’S high powered offense of the field enough to secure the win. Wyo hit 2 key pass plays in the game that led to scores. Wouldn’t be surprised to see these 2 meet up again in D3 Championship game although undefeated Lampeter-Strasburg might have something to say about that. LS meets Twin Valley next week then Wyo the next week. LS has a huge offensive line although I don’t think they have the athletes that Wyo and TV have, we soon shall see.
It was great game!! Glad I mad the trek out to the countryside. Worth the trip. First time at TV. Thought Wyo was literally going to run away with the game early, their running game was a machine. But TV just kept grinding and coming back, just couldn’t catch and overtake them. Give them credit. TV has a real nice dual threat QB. Impressed with both his wheels and arm. Wyo’s pass D seemed a little suspect to me at times. Penalties didn’t help their cause either. Does seems inevitably that these two will meet up again sometime in November.
Article on Penn Live from earlier this week that I thought might be of interest to those of you who hate the online only ticket purchase option like I do
Accepting cash for entry to school events may become a requirement in Pa.
Only having cash to pay for a ticket to a school-sponsored activity would no longer stop anyone from gaining entry under legislation that passed the state Senate on Monday.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Chris Dush, would require schools to accept cash as an optional means of buying a ticket to any school-sponsored activities including sporting events sanctioned by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The bill, which passed by a 47-1 vote, now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration in the waning days of the 2023-24 legislative session that ends Nov. 30.
“Many Pennsylvania schools now refuse to accept cash as a form of payment into school-sponsored concerts, plays and athletic events,” Dush said in a statement. “While the mandatory cashless option is much more convenient for some and greatly streamlines the accounting process at the ticket office, for the elderly and others living on fixed incomes, it can make routine attendance at school-sponsored activities much more difficult or impossible.”
His bill was amended in the Senate Education Committee to allow schools to refuse exceeding large denomination bills when entry only costs a low amount such as a $100 bill for admission that costs a dollar.
In the committee, Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny County, said she would support the bill despite her preference to defer to local control.
“I’ve also heard about more and more schools requiring families to buy tickets online and I’m concerned what it means for students whose family rely on cash,” she said. “We shouldn’t be putting up barriers for parents and families who want to watch their kids play and support their education.”
The sole dissenting vote on cast on the Senate floor came from Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-York County, who could not be reached for comment.
Nice reporting!!! You may have a new career 🙂 Let’s tho see how far it gets thru the muck of Harrisburg, but a good sign nonetheless less. I going to do some of my own digging into this proposal. Probably contact my local state reps about this as well. I have spoken to them in the recent past in a related and more general topic of cashless transaction (and credit card fees) in all PA state businesses. I directed them to them current laws in NJ and Mass for an easy boilerplate for legislation. Got the yeah, that makes a lot of sense, we’ll look into it, and then………….crickets.
For the record Twin Valley did take cash, and appeared, only cash. I didn’t see anyone using scanning devices of peoples phones or paper printouts.
Thanks for that info,thats great,I hope it passes. I went to a game last week where they had the option to pay at the gate,but their school website didn’t mention it,so I had already paid online.
Anyone know if they take cash at Twin Valley or did they jump on the on-line only ticketing bandwagon. Didn’t see any info about tickets either way on their website.
Week 8 in NEPA Football Has Arrived. Will put state picks under replies later.
– Delaware Valley vs. Valley View (LFC 1): The big boys are playing here. This game will decide the #2 team in Division 1. Delaware Valley & Valley View have righted the ship since the Scranton Prep games. Which has the advantage? Give me Valley View in a close one, although some NEPA prognosticators favor DV.
– Lakeland vs. Western Wayne (LFC 2): A bit of a wild card here. Lakeland gave Honesdale a legit fight last week & proved that they aren’t an easy out in the division. Western Wayne needs to be careful in this showdown. I think the Wildcats roll past the Chiefs, but they need to make sure they win their games to avoid Scranton Prep stealing the #1 seed away.
– Susquehanna vs. Lackawanna Trail (LFC 3): Susquehanna gave Riverside a scare two weeks ago. Last week was a statement win over Old Forge. Can they take two out of three powers in the league? I doubt it, but Susquehanna is a tough out in this division. They’re only beginning to become a stronger team in the LFC’s small school ranks. A win here for the Sabers would arguably be the biggest in program history.
– Dallas vs. Crestwood (WVC 1): This matchup aged well. It seemed like neither would have luck heading into division play, but both have found much needed momentum. Dallas has their starting QB. Crestwood does not. It might be enough of a difference, but I think Dallas prevails either way & gets one step closer to claiming the division.
– Lake-Lehman vs. Wyoming Area (WVC 2): Division crown is on the line in this one. Lake-Lehman is improved, but needs to keep up in the race for a first round home game, especially with the matchup below. The Wyoming Area offense can score, so it’ll be hard for the Black Knights defense to carry them.
– Mid Valley vs. Scranton Prep (LFC HM): Mid Valley isn’t favored here, but they really could throw a wrench in the 3A battles with a game against the Cavaliers. Prep should take this in a blowout.
– Berwick vs. Williamsport (WVC HM): This would be a subregional game to watch, but we’re in a very important showdown for the 6A race. The Millionaires would be favored in this showdown, but Berwick does play them tough. Is CJ Curry’s team ready to pull off some magic against a 6A D2 favorite? Time will tell, but I don’t see it.
– Scranton vs. North Pocono (D2 HM): This & Paupack/Abington Hts. are equal. I think more is on the line here, especially with Scranton being at #1 & North Pocono needing all the help they can get. I’ll say Scranton keeps up in the 6A battle, while North Pocono fights to stay in the EC race.
– Hamburg vs. Schuylkill Valley (EC Game To Watch?): Let’s add in an important game in the EC rankings in the final few weeks. It might be solely “Hamburg Watch”, if I’m being honest, due to 4A being the only surefire battle. Hamburg is the one team that’ll have a major say as to who might be part of the 4A Eastern Conference race. Hamburg comes in at 5-2, while Schuylkill Valley comes in at 6-1. I think I’ll go with the better record team & see where it all stacks up these final two weeks. Hamburg going to Districts would open up a spot for somebody.
– Minersville vs. Nativity (Subregional): The gauntlet for Nativity ends this weekend. The Green Wave need to make sure they find a way to keep home field advantage in 1A. It won’t come easy against the Battlin’ Miners. They’ll take a loss here, but their most important subregional game is Week 10: One I’ll have a pick for!
Scores
– VV 20, DV 19
– WW 38, Lakeland 14
– LT 34, Susq. 14
– Dallas 26, Crestwood 22
– Wyo Area 49, L-L 14
– Prep 41, Mid Valley 12
– Billtown 21, Berwick 17
– Scranton 31, N Pocono 14
– SV 26, Hamburg 23
– Minersville 32, Nativity 17
State Picks. If I missed anything, I’ll throw in a few more!
District 4
– Danville vs. Loyalsock: Danville 42, Sock 17
– Lewisburg vs. Shamokin: Shamokin 35, L’burg 14
– Montoursville vs. Southern Columbia: SCA 24, Montoursville 21
– Muncy vs. South Williamsport: Muncy 20, SW 14
District 11
– Easton vs. Liberty: Easton 28, Liberty 27
– Nazareth vs. Becahi: Naz 32, Becahi 20
– North Schuylkill vs. Blue Mountain: NS 38, BM 19
District 1
– Downingtown East vs. Coatesville: DTE 33, C’ville 17
– Shanahan vs. Downingtown West: DTW 30, Shanahan 21
– Ridley vs. Haverford HS: HHS 25, Ridley 21
– Springfield Montco vs. Plymouth Whitemarsh: P-W 26, Montco 17
– Jenkintown vs. Morrisville: M’ville 37, J’town 24
District 12
– Northeast vs. Lincoln: Northeast 29, Lincoln 14
– Overbrook vs. KIPP-DuBois: K-DuB 16, Overbrook 10
– La Salle vs. Bonner-Prendie: La Salle 37, B-P 20
District 3
– Wyomissing vs. Twin Valley: Wyo 33, TV 21
– State College (6) vs. CD East (3): SC 24, CDE 14
– Camp Hill vs. Steel-High: S-H 31, CH 13
– West York vs. New Oxford: WY 24, NO 22
– Littlestown vs. Delone Catholic: Litt 23, Delone 20
District 5/6
– Bedford vs. Central (6): Central 37, Bedford 21
– Berlin-Brothersvalley vs. Windber: B-Bros 34, Windy 19
– Northern Bedford vs. North Star: NBC 30, N Star 23
– Marion Center vs. River Valley: River Valley 27, Marion Ctr 20
District 9/10
– Brockway vs. Union/A-C Valley: U/A-C 31, Brockway 22
– Punxsutawney vs. Central Clairon: CC 52, Punxsy 14
– Meadville vs. McLane: GM 33, Meadville 23
– Corry vs. Fairview: Fairview 22, Corry 20
– Sharpsville vs. Farrell: Farrell 24, Sharpsville 21
WPIAL City
– South Fayette vs. Peters Twp.: Peters 34, SF 29
– USC vs. Bethel Park: USC 28, BP 25
– Franklin Reg. vs. Penn-Trafford: FR 27, P-T 21
– Gateway vs. Woodland Hills: Woody 24, Gateway 20
– Latrobe vs. Pine-Richland: P-R 41, Latrobe 23
– Deer Lakes vs. Imani: ICA 37, Deer Lakes 13
– Neshannock vs. South Side: Nesh 20, SS 17
– Clairton vs. Leechburg: Clairton 36, Leechburg 20
– Fort Cherry vs. Bishop Canevin: FC 35, Canevin 28
– USO vs. Westinghouse: Westy 38, USO 15
Crossover & Non-PIAA
– Selinsgrove (4) vs. Hollidaysburg (6): ‘Grove 30, Hollidaysburg 14
– Richland (6) vs. Clearfield (9): Clearfield 31, Richland 17
– Austintown Fitch (OH) vs. McDowell (10): McDowell 23, Fitch 19
– Benedictine (OH) vs. Cathedral Prep: ECP 24, Benedictine 14
– Penn Charter vs. Springside Chestnut Hill: WPC 33, SCHA 21
– Germantown vs. Haverford School: GA 30, HS 24
I agree with almost all of your WPIAL picks, so I’ll just add some notes on a few of the key games tonight
USC vs. Bethel Park – huge game with both teams 7-0, Bethel has the highest scoring offense in the WPIAL averaging over 50 points/game, while USC has one of the best defenses, giving up 7 points or less in 5 of their 7 games thus far. If USC wins they have the inside track to win the conference and be either a #1 or #2 seed in the playoffs, if Bethel wins that sets up a big showdown with Peters Township the last game of the season, I said several weeks ago on this board I could see all 3 of those teams beating each other and ending in a 3 way tie for the conference title. The X factor tonight could be Ryan Petras for Bethel Park, he was their leading receiver last year and is going to Princeton to play both football and baseball, he’s been out all year due to shoulder surgery and this is his first game back. I think USC has the advantage in the trenches and that will be the difference, should be a great game and I’ll be there.
Franklin Regional vs. Penn Trafford – both teams will make the playoffs, if Franklin wins it sets up a game next week against Woodland Hills for the conference title as both teams are undefeated in conference play, if PT wins and Franklin beats Woody next week at home there could be a 3 way tie for the conference title, winner of the conference is likely #3 seed in the playoffs and would have a first round bye. PT is playing much better the last 3 weeks since their loss to Woodland Hills and surprisingly dominated Gateway last week, I like PT’s chances to win a close game, I’d flip the score you predicted.
Clairton vs. Leechburg – both teams undefeated and have high powered offenses, with both averaging well over 40 points/game, Clairton has the 2nd highest scoring offense in the WPIAL and Leechburg is 3rd. The difference is Clairton has 6 straight shutouts and has not given up a defensive TD all year, I think Leechburg will break their shutout streak, but Clairton wins by 3 TDs, as they have dominated this series.
Fort Cherry vs. Bishop Canevin – Ft Cherry’s toughest test to date, these 2 teams played a barn burner last year, with Ft Cherry prevailing 48-41, both of these teams average 40+ points/game, expect another high scoring affair tonight with Ft Cherry winning.
I want to survey my fellow forum members & also give a note here for Dave (I’ll email, if you want more details).
Has anyone been having issues with using this forum page on mobile devices, like on Safari or other browsers? It’s almost unusable for me. It’s very slow & it also doesn’t help with the comment section being at the bottom (which I saw will be fixed). It could also be a problem on my end with the mediocre internet service in the woods of NEPA, so it could be a me problem.
I have trouble using my phone as well and my phone uses safari. It takes a long time to load and sometimes will send me back to the top when I scroll and reloads without me actually reloading it.
@D2 Fan you don’t think one of the D11 teams will make the 3A Eastern Conference? One of Tamaqua, Saucon Valley, and North Schuylkill is probably on the outside looking in. Maybe they will turn down the invite?
Well I really don’t see north Schuylkill keeping it close against blue mountain and they can lose to Pottsville as well. Until they fix and get someone who knows something about defense there in trouble. From junior high to varsity they have all offense and no defense. Its a product of the coach and his defensive staff and the way they practice.
You beat me to it, JCo! I was about to ask around about the playoff in 3A D11 because before today, I assumed it was 8 teams. I assume it’s a Round of 16 bye then?
I’d say the lone team out will make it. My bet is North Schuylkill makes districts over Saucon. Tamaqua seems safe.
Also, wishful thinking from me about CMVT making it to that game. They opted out of the EC playoff game. Shik & Athens are right there in D4 4A, as well.
A D2 note for EC: Paupack isn’t a member in this cycle (or I’m just missing it for some reason). Surprising to me, since they always are in the race if they aren’t in the playoff fight. That means North Pocono/Honesdale would be the team or (less likely), the matchup.
I believe the D11 3A champ plays the D12 3A champ in the round of 16. Winner plays the D2 3A champ in the quarters. Thus is the harsh nature of the math; D11 has 9 3A teams and D2 has 10.
Really surprised about how close MCA played Danville. Should have won the game honestly, a couple sketchy penalties and Darrah’s usual play calling cost them the game. Will be interesting to see how the D4 AAA playoffs shake out. Past two years MCA has beaten Southern in the regular season and gotten blown out in the playoffs. Could see a very hungry MCA team back in Danville in five weeks
I wouldnt look past mifflinburg, if they get in at 5-5 danville may not make week 2
Danville smoked Mifflinburg the first time they played. Also, as of last week (can’t find the power rankings on the D4 website), Lewisburg was #1 in AAA. I know they play a weaker schedule. If Mifflinburg plays Lewisburg round one, I agree, Mifflinburg will see week 2 of the playoffs.
We will find out. Lewisburg and Mifflinburg play for the little brown jug in week 10. Lewisburg also has Shamokin this week which will show how good both shamokin and Lewisburg are at this point.
D2 Notes for the Week 7 Games
1. Game Of the Week (Honesdale vs. Lakeland): Lakeland/Honesdale didn’t disappoint, especially if you like your games wild. Honesdale won a thriller at Chapman Lake, 41-40 over Lakeland. The game was fairly high scoring in the first half (Honesdale up 28-21). Lakeland got two quick TDs, including a kickoff return to start. Honesdale took the lead back in the 4th & sealed it with a late TD. However, Lakeland scored a TD to at least try the onside, but Honesdale persevered & won. Honesdale needs this win to keep up in the 4A race. They’re in contention with a very favorable schedule.
2. Susquehanna Is Legit: Is Susquehanna County starting to look more competitive in football? It looks like the Sabers have turned into a hidden gem team in the area after taking care of business over a down Old Forge team. I almost picked Susquehanna, but I always felt Old Forge was better. Susquehanna is legit & could play spoiler in the 2A race. They have Trail next week to finish the three-team gauntlet & get Carbondale & Holy Cross to finish. The crazy part is that Weston Yannone didn’t have the spotlight all game, like he has this year. It was William Marcy, their RB. Weston Yannone is a sophomore & he’s put the Sabers in a territory a lot of NEPA hasn’t seen in at least two decades. Keep an eye out for him.
3. Prep Staves Off Abington: While albeit sloppy, Prep held onto a 27-21 over the LFC Comets. Prep got a huge lead early, but Abington Heights chipped away, bit by bit. However, the close score did not get to indicate what the game entirely was. Abington Heights is batting under .500 on the year & have a very important Thursday Nighter vs. Paupack, which will determine the Buckhorns fate & also possibly put Abington in a spot to keep DV close, if they slip up.
4. VV/NP Too Close For Comfort: North Pocono is gritty! They found a way to put a scare to Valley View & Dallas in consecutive weeks. However, this was much closer. Valley View & North Pocono seemed to flip momentum in the first half, but the Cougars were able to extend their lead in the 2nd half. But North Pocono was able to take advantage of great field position to get it within 7 late, but it was too late.
5. Dunmore Upsets Mid Valley: Mid Valley’s the latest upset victim in D2, as a down Dunmore team has put up 3 consecutive wins after getting off the schneid, rather quickly. Dunmore had a nice, early lead, but Sparty had plans to come back. An important win to likely lock up the #3 for Dunmore, but a win that puts Mid Valley in danger of not hosting a home game. More on that later.
6. And 4: I went a disappointing 6-4 this week. I almost changed to Susquehanna, but I went off of past history. I should’ve also known better by picking Crestwood over Hazleton. I was due for a stinker week in my local picks. The other two would’ve been picked again.
7. Montrose Finally Wins: It’s been a while, but Montrose got a nice little shutout over Redeemer, 13-0, on Friday Night. This is a win for both teams, who needed to play a competitive game after being a part of many stinkers in recent weeks.
Playoff Battles To Watch
– 1A: It’s still Old Forge vs. Marian in the battle for 1A Subregional. OF (3-4, .434) is ahead of Marian (4-3, .420). Holy Cross is behind the 8-ball but will be eliminated due to the gauntlet with Old Forge, Trail, & Susquehanna to end the year. Old Forge has Cross, Riverside, & Carbondale to go. Marian has Williams Valley, Pine Grove, & Nativity left. It’ll be too close to call.
– 2A: I think all four will stay the same. Susq./Dunmore may battle for #2, but I feel the head-to-head will lock things up.
– 3A: I’ll say it. I’m not counting Scranton Prep out of the #1 seed. An 0.810 for Western Wayne & a .764 for Scranton Prep are the ratings. The stronger schedule goes to Prep. They’ll have a home game with Mid Valley next week & trips to Shore & Moscow to end the year. WW hosts Lakeland & Mid Valley & travel to Bucktown. I thought the road would run through Lake Ariel/South Canaan, but it might have to go through Prep’s “neutral site”.
– 3A HM: Lake-Lehman & Mid Valley are in a TIGHT battle for home field. They’re separated by a measly few pts (.564 for L-L & .553 for Mid Valley). L-L has Wyoming Area, Hanover Area, & the Old Shoe Rivalry to go. Mid Valley gets Prep & WW in back to back games before hosting Lakeland. Expect this to get crazy. Both are in equally difficult positions.
– 4A: Wallenpaupack is in free fall after leading the class after Week 4. They hold onto the #4 by a slim margin. Honesdale has a favorable schedule, with GNA, Dunmore, & West Scranton to go. The Purple & White have road games at Abington Hts, Pittston, & a home game vs. Valley View to end. Not easy. North Pocono needs an upset, somewhere, against Scranton, DV, & Prep to have a shot. I expect the two to miss out to be the Eastern Conference game in 4A, but CMVT & Hamburg are also in interesting spot. Will also this next week after Hamburg/Skook Valley (Spoiler: A state pick).
5A: Abington Heights & DV might have a chance to battle for the #1. As for WVW & West Side, we’re still on a race for best 0-10 record. A battle more enticing than when the Jets attempted to tank with the Jaguars for Trevor Lawrence. West Side has Dunmore, Lakeland, & Honesdale to go. WVW has Wilkes-Barre, VV, & Crestwood. WVW might get the last spot due to strength of schedule. A 13-8 combined record for WVW, as the Invaders’ opponents have an 8-13 record. Might be close. Maybe an upset somewhere puts it all in chaotic territories.
6A: Scranton retakes the lead after beating Paupack. Billtown stays at #2. Hazleton is close by at #3, & by close, I mean (.559 to .552). WBA needs a bit of help to try for #4. Scranton travels to North Pocono, Millionaires travel to Crispin Field, Hazleton hosts Pittston, & Wilkes-Barre plays “rival” WVW. All four should win, which’ll keep things closely contested for another week.
EC Games (if we had 7-week seasons)
– 1A/2A: Holy Cross vs. Marian (Palisades with an outside chance)
– 3A: Pequea Valley vs. Berks Catholic (I think, but Big Spring is also close by if one of them isn’t)
– 4A: Honesdale vs. North Pocono (Hamburg, Paupack, & CMVT are last seeds in & might be in the race, or swaps with Honesdale/NP).
– 5A/6A: Governor Mifflin vs. Dieruff (Muhlenberg is in it, & so is Reading, I think).
Prep’s HC Roken had a Pete Carroll moment and it cost his team a win. I don’t get coaching any more, SJP has a stud field goal kicker, your QB takes the snap, runs a few yards to the left, time out, kick a field goal and game over. I doubt any 6A teams in the State could defeat either of these teams so the Catholic League final will be the de facto State Championship. What are the odds that St Joe Prep and Southern Columbia lose on the same weekend? I should have played the lottery on Saturday.
Southern has lost 4 times this season so far and may lose next week again. They’ll end with either 5 or 6 losses and no district title.
What a game !!!!! Prep should have kicked the field goal at the end of regulation. What was coach Roken thinking ?? Gordan outcoached Roken for sure this game. Both teams are super tough ,big ,fast and talented. Rematch should be another classic. IMO Prep should have run the ball more with 2 stud RBS.
Yes, they have two stud runners but both were unavailable because of injury late in the game. West left the game in the second quarter, I think. Obviously, they’re also missing Roy (who would make the pass rush much better) and Hardy, who was supposed to be their #1 receiver this year and who was their main and very effective kick blocker last year. Not sure who else is out injured. I have no idea who will be back in a month’s time. They’re in big trouble if both runners are out. I doubt Roy makes it back, and even if he does, he probably won’t be 100%.
I know LaSalle has some injuries too, including the fellow whose arm or shoulder seemed to be in a sling at the end of the game.
The Prep had some good chances to score in the first half. As is often the case, they wound up paying for not coming away with points. They need to decide to what extent they actually want to use the very good placekicker they have. Good to see Roken say the loss is on him.
Like I said, I’m OK with $10
That game turned out to be worth every penny of the ticket and processing surcharge and then some! Sounds like it was an amazing game with a boneheaded decision by coach Roken at the end of regulation. Hopefully the rematch is another instant classic, I have a hunch SJP wins, although I’d like to see LaSalle knock them off as would most of the rest of the state. I agree these are the top 2 teams in the state and winner of the rematch is a big favorite to win 6A, assuming they can manage to beat Imhotep the following week, which won’t be an easy task coming off another emotional game against an arch rival.
And then some!!! Yes, I don’t think anyone gets that call at the end of regulation by Prep. Totally ridiculous. Roken must of had Prep by 4 is my only explanation.
Also saw a pretty good game in its own right the night before in North Penn @ CB South. Would not be surprised if 2 of the 4 teams that I saw this past weekend meet-up in the PIAA 6A semi finals.
Good Lord La Salle
What a game. 4 overtimes and win it on a tip pass for a 2 point conversion.
Even after sleeping on it, I’m still trying to process what I witnessed with my own two eyes last night.
I’d hate to be the instigator of a heated conversation, but there might be positive news on the separate playoffs front. This might be a step in the right direction for those who have been wishfully hoping for a change.
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/highschool/2024/10/04/piaa-public-private-catholic-schools-separate-playoffs-legislature/stories/202410040107
A D4 Note From D2 Fan
Upset of the Year award goes to Mifflinburg, as they stunned Southern Columbia’s homecoming crowd tonight, 34-26. Could Southern finish at .500 (or below, if complete chaos happens)? Montoursville, Bloomsburg, & Shikellamy are left on the schedule.
This is Troy & Warrior Run’s year to pounce in D4. We might not even see a home playoff game in Catawissa this year, which is a stunner amongst stunners.
watching the scranton area football becomes increasingly frustrating watching scranton prep become the dominant team in the area as they are able to recruit players from all across the area while the competition is limited in the players available to them. Not only that,but similar to college football with NIL payments to players, prep and other catholic schools pay players by having their tuition covered by various benefactors. no surprise at the results with such an unlevel playing field.
Most of us knew that this was going to be a challenging year for Southern. They lost every skill position player last year to graduation and only returned 1 LB and a few lineman. When the schedule came out I saw losses to Wyomissing, Mt. Carmel, Danville and said they’d be 7-3 at best. I wouldn’t say Mifflinburg was upset of the year (upset yes) because they are probably the best 2-5 team in the state. Losses by 1 to Loyalsock and 1 to Mt. Carmel, 7 to Montoursville and 8 to Holidaysburg. They’ve been competitive in all but 1 of their losses and are getting better. Unfortunately Southern is going the opposite way which is unusual for Roth not to get his players to improve by this point in the year. Southern may lose to Montoursville next week at this rate. I see them meeting up with Troy, hopefully in the district final, but they have to end of the 2 or 3 seed and 2 is probably out of the question but 3 is a possibility if they beat Montoursville. 5-5 won’t get them a 3 seed. Troy will probably beat them by 2-3 scores.
Very fair point. I would’ve thought they’d reloaded to be on a path to 8-2, not 5-6 wins. I expected the losses to Wyo & assumed they’d split Danville & MCA, but this was shocking to me. It wouldn’t shock me if they lose to Montoursville.
I’d say this year’s Mifflinburg team might be the PA equivalent of the LA Chargers. Best 2-5 team is fairly accurate. They’re losing many close games this year.
@ D2. Your presiction for the La Salle/Prep game is a little one sided. St. Joe is not the same team as last year and neither is La Salle. LSs QB is lighting up the sky with his passing and their defense is very much improved to the point that 41 points by St. Joe really isn’t in the cards. St. Joe is still a powerhouse but not as they were in the past. Not predicting a La Salle win but I wouldn’t at all surprised.
I agree with you Paul, I expect this to be a very close game as I think LaSalle has closed the gap significantly with SJP this year, I give SJP a slight edge but would not be surprised if LaSalle wins, the real question is who wins the rematch next month when it counts. And the winner of the rematch gets Imhotep in the D12 final.
LaSalle has a legitimate chance to win the game IMO. It should be a super match up.
Donegal (a 4A school) gets on their bus at halftime and goes home?? Forfeits at halftime?? 4 shutouts in only 8 games?? 3, maybe 4 mercy rule games?? And this isn’t even the first week of the playoffs, this was just last night in PA high school football. Fairfield (D3) done for the year, KC (D10) probably not far behind them. @ D2 Fan, we have our work cut out if we are going to fix this.
I don’t know how you fix it. Football is a brutal sport, if your program isn’t in good shape, you will get crushed, regardless of if you are 1A or 6A. We really should have more leagues that arrange their divisions by strength, rather than pure enrollment, but the good teams wouldn’t like having a tougher road to the playoffs, which means we have to endure mercy rule game after mercy rule game.
You know what, JCo…
This is the way it should be. I made my District 2 co-op divisions a while back that went by strength & size & feel there can be a happy medium. Some conferences should attempt it. I feel like California did something recently to add a bit of competitive balance in all of the CIF leagues (don’t quote me on it. CalPreps had a long soliloquy about it). I don’t know if it has had any affect, but I think it could work.
EPC technically had it for a few years & it seemed like it didn’t affect the South that much. 6A was wide open in D11 playoffs.
Kevin, you’re so right!
I think a lot of these struggling teams would benefit from a more independent schedule. Fairfield, Kennedy, Shenandoah & Panther Valley, & Wilson Area moving to independent would help. Even the Allens & Dieruffs of the world would. Montrose & Redeemer are playing a game tonight as two indies. How huge it’ll be for both programs to have a signature win can’t really be stated. I might’ve chosen Redeemer, but I hope both teams find it as a win for their program.
CMVT really turned the corner flipping to an indie. They need one more win to get to at/above .500 probably for the first time in ages. They hadn’t gone 4-1 since 2000. It isn’t crazy to say they could tonight at Cow Valley. They have Hanover, Redeemer, & Bucktail left to possibly be 7-3, best case running the table to 8-2. They may play Shore or Shamokin in the playoffs, which I think wouldn’t be ideal (an EC game vs. Paupack, North Pocono, or Honesdale could be lopsided, but much less compared to districts). No one outside of me is seeing this & I commend the school for taking that massive leap. Other programs there should, too. More flexibility might help & they’re not terribly far from a few D2 & D11 teams that might fare very similarly.
Maybe 8-man would help a lot of these teams who struggle year in & year out. I feel if they can set up an 8-man class & 4-5 11-man classes, it could work. The best & middling 1A/2A teams (most 3A teams, too) would stay 11-man, while teams that struggle to field teams (or get mercy ruled every week) might benefit to play like teams in 8-man. You might be able to get 50 schools participating, as well as those that left the PIAA in football. I can think of at least 20 that would make the switch (or would be mergers).
I also wish there was a way to allow for more independent & freelance play in any sport, rather than just be forced to play in a conference you have no competitive reason to be in. Look at the EPC in non-football & basketball. The Pocono schools struggle so much to win anything, & even Allentown. When was the last time ES North or Allen had a winning record in anything not basketball-related? I don’t know because it’s been that long. It’d be next to impossible for the PIAA to just break up the leagues & traditions, because football is borderline a religion in PA (just nowhere close to the levels in Texas & the Deep South). However, if there was a way to offer more flexibility to help the struggling find at least a competitive balance that fits them, it can help.
The other thing that could work, especially for weaker teams, is to allow voluntary movements down a class or two. Would Montrose work better as a true 1A? Would Greater Johnstown benefit going indie & playing 2A? It might make Aliquippa want to go back to their “3A roots”, too. What about Butler or the various 5A/6A teams we never talk about here (Harriton, York Tech, etc.)?
PIAA should take notice & more people should jump on the bandwagon involving this conversation!
I’ll get back to this topic at some point hopefully. I think it really needs addressing, but I don’t think anyone else really cares, especially the powers that be. Guess they have bigger fish to fry as they say.
I get the point you’re trying to make about the EPC, but… just last year, ES North had a winning record in boys’ cross country, and Allen was exactly .500 in boys’ soccer. It’s hard but not impossible.
In most sports, it just isn’t worthwhile to athletic departments to have to bus teams all over in order to play independent. Programs aren’t really *forced* into conferences, it’s simply the most economical decision to do so more often than not. Football is a different animal because of the resources required simply to sustain the program, you NEED the numbers in order to make it work.
Rest Of State’s Picks. If I missed a good one, I’ll throw it in later.
District 4
– Mount Carmel vs. Danville: Danville 42, MCA 20
– Loyalsock vs. Warrior Run: Sock 28, WR 17
– Towanda vs. Athens: Towanda 36, Athens 14
District 11
– Freedom vs. Becahi: Freedom 37, Beca 19
– Nazareth vs. Liberty: Naz 34, Liberty 22
– Northampton vs. Easton: Easton 21, N’hampton 17
– Pottsville vs. NW Lehigh: NW Lehigh 34, Pottsville 13
– Tamaqua vs. Southern Lehigh: Solehi 44, Tamaqua 21
District 1
– North Penn vs. CB South: CBS 30, NP 21
– Springfield Delco vs. Haverford: Delco 29, HHS 22
– PJP vs. Pottsgrove: PJP 49, P’grove 10
– Spring-Ford vs. Perk Valley: Perk Val 28, S-F 17
– Rustin vs. Downingtown East: Rustin 30, DTE 21
– Quakertown vs. Upper Dublin: UD 35, Q’Town 16
District 12
– Bonner-Prendie vs. Father Judge: B-P 28, FJ 12
– Arch. Ryan vs. Lansdale Catholic: LC 33, Ryan 14
– Cardinal O’Hara vs. Roman Catholic: Roman 37, O’Hara 13
– St. Joe’s Prep vs. La Salle: SJP 41, La Salle 24
– Imhotep vs. Northeast: IC 34, Northeast 7
District 3
– McDevitt vs. Cumberland Valley: McD 38, CV 9
– Steel-High vs. James Buchanan: S-H 56, JB 10
– Cocalico vs. Ephrata: Cocalico 29, Ephrata 17
– Conrad Weiser vs. Garden Spot: Weiser 30, GS 27
– Manheim Twp vs. Cedar Crest: MT 34, Crest 13
– Biglerville vs. York Catholic: YC 20, Biglerville 14
District 5/6
– Penn Cambria vs. Chestnut Ridge: PC 44, CR 21
– Bellwood-Antis vs. Guilfoyle: BG 43, B-A 14
– Glendale vs. Claysburg-Kimmel: G’dale 23, C-K 13
– Northern Cambria vs. Penns Manor: NoCam 26, PM 18
WPIAL/City
– Penn Hills vs. Pine-Richland: P-R 24, PH 23
– Penn-Trafford vs. Gateway: P-T 27, Gateway 21
– USC vs. South Fayette: USC 38, SF 14
– New Castle vs. Montour: Montour 36, NC 21
– Beaver vs. Deer Lakes: Beaver 30, DL 23
– Lincoln vs. Western Beaver: WB 39, Lincoln 13
– South Park vs. OLSH: SP 39, OLSH 14
– Cornell vs. Fort Cherry: FC 45, Cornell 13
– Jeannette vs. Greensburg CC: Jeannette 25, GCC 23
– Allderdice vs. USO: TA 17, USO 14
District 9/10
– Brockway vs. Central Clarion: CC 49, Brockway 10
– Karns City vs. Redbank Valley: RV 43, KC 14
– McDowell vs. Cathedral Prep: ECP 37, McDowell 23
– Sharon vs. Grove City: Sharon 31, GC 12
– Hickory vs. Titusville: Hickory 33, Titusville 13
Non-PIAA/Crossover + D2 Pick Bonuses
– Conwell-Egan (12) vs. Executive (11): EE 20, CEC 14
– KIPP-DuBois (12) vs. Morrisville (1): Morrisville 38, K-DuB 14
– Middletown (3) vs. Line Mountain (4): Line Mtn 34, Middletown 13
– Jersey Shore (4) vs. Hollidaysburg (6): Shore 38, H’burg 17
– Delaware Valley (2) vs. LI Lutheran (NY): DV 27, LIL 17
– North Pocono vs. Valley View: VV 31, NP 18
I’ve decided to adjust SJP. I’ll go 30-24 in favor of SJP.
Four hidden gems & Jeff’s picks I’ll add for the heck of it.
– Peters vs. Moon: Peters 37, Moon 16
– Central Dauphin vs. CD East: CDE 20, CD 17
– South Philly vs. Palumbo: South 17, AoP 13
– West York vs. South Western: WY 39, S W’ern 13
– ANC vs. Peddie (NJ): Peddie 35, ANC 10
OK, after a week off, do I step back in it and take a shot at some opposite thoughts on your Philly area predictions?? Oh what the heck, just for fun…….
I’ll take North Penn over CB South this evening. Also D-Town East over Rustin. My minor upset special. I agree with Paul above, not seeing SJP putting up 41 on LaSalle tomorrow. I’ll go 28-14 The Prep.
Dang, oh for two in my two local predictions for tonight. At least both game were only decided by one score. NP just couldn’t get anything going on offense this evening. Held to 2 Field goals. Had a chance tho right into the final minute. At this point, I kind of hope to go 0-3 on my predictions 🙂
Like all of your WPIAL picks except Penn Trafford over Gateway, I think Gateway wins that game, they have a very good freshman QB who threw for over 400 yards last week, he missed most of their first 4 games with various injuries, I’ll pick Gateway 34-21. This is always an interesting game, as PT’s head coach John Ruane teaches at Gateway HS and has some of the Gateway players as students.
South Fayette is 6-0 but haven’t played anyone of note, unless USC has a big letdown after their win over Peters last week I see them winning this game fairly easily like you predicted.
A little surprised with your pick of Western Beaver over undefeated Ellwood City, I too like Western in that game, they have beaten Ellwood three straight times, and their QB threw for well over 300 yards against them last year, I don’t think they will win by as big of margin as you predicted but I like them to give Ellwood City their first loss.
An important game you didn’t predict is Peters taking on Moon, will be interesting to see how Peters responds after getting bullied and pushed around by USC, Moon is a very solid team and took Bethel Park to the limit last week, I think Peters gets back on track and wins by a couple of scores.
I have some games for Week 7 to watch! One D2 game goes to the the States Picks because of a crossover showdown. Also, I don’t think Inter-Ac plays this week, so it adds one to the mix.
– Abington Heights vs. Scranton Prep (LFC 1): The Comets & Cavs are two division rivals who face off in a thriller this weekend. Prep is dominant, but the Comets want to play spoiler. Seeing how close the Comets lost to DV as DV did to Prep (within one score), there’s a chance this could be a spoiler game, but I don’t see it.
– Dunmore vs. Mid Valley (LFC 2): The roles have been reversed. Dunmore is not great, but on the up & up. Mid Valley has a legit team in 3A. This game could throw a monkey wrench in 2A & 3A seeding, if Mid Valley loses. I think Sparty takes it. They’re better this year.
– Old Forge vs. Susquehanna (LFC 3): If the Sabers want to lock up the #2 in 2A, they have to beat a down Old Forge team. If Old Forge wants to sniff the playoffs in 1A, this is a must-win. Looking at last week, I don’t think the Sabers are ready, but they showed promise.
– Hazleton vs. Crestwood (WVC 1): Implications galore out in Mountain Top. Hazleton needs this win to challenge Scranton for the 6A #1 seed. A Shedlock-less Crestwood needs to win to battle North Pocono & Honesdale (plus Wallenpaupack) in a contested 4A bubble battle. I’ll go with Hazleton here, since I’m a believer in positive momentum.
– Tunkhannock vs. Lake-Lehman (WVC 2): The Tigers take the trip down Route 29 to face a Lake-Lehman team in a game that can affect seeding in 3A. Lake-Lehman seems comfy at #5, yet if things go south, could drop to #6. An upset helps Tunkhannock challenge for the #7 at bare minimum. I think Lake-Lehman will hold their own, but this is an interesting matchup.
– Scranton vs. Wallenpaupack (LFC HM): A very important game for both teams. Both are on their own losing skids & need this to help their playoff chances. Scranton looks to be better than Paupack, but we shall see if the Purple & White has an upset in them. It’s not likely, so I’ll go with Scranton.
– Pittston vs. Wilkes-Barre (WVC HM): Not too many good WVC games, especially when there are 6 (at the least, any given week). This is potentially a game that can give momentum to the winner. I’ll use past history & say Wilkes-Barre is better.
– Holy Redeemer vs. Montrose (D2 HM): I’ll give love to two teams in the HM section & dedicate this week’s entry to two indies looking to improve. Montrose & Redeemer seem to have taken a step up, but not enough to be very competitive. I’ll give Redeemer the nod in a low-scoring affair. VV-NP would be my pick here, but it has equal implications to Scranton/Paupack.
– Marian vs. Schuylkill Haven (1A Subregion): This subregional has so much left to decide. When the great teams like Haven & Williams Valley play these 1A teams, it has implications galore! I think this goes to Haven, but if Marian can keep up, it’d help their confidence.
– Williamsport vs. Shamokin (6A Subregion): Honestly, this game might not be close, but the Valley City schools are rooting for Shamokin in this one. If it’s a loss for all of them, it’ll help in the long run. Williamsport could use the opponent power rating points, even if it’s two classes lower. Shamokin might run the table & they seem to have “it” this year.
Scores
– Prep 31, AH 21
– Mid Valley 34, Dunmore 14
– OF 26, Susq. 16
– Hazleton 24, Crestwood 13
– L-L 35, Tunk 14
– Scranton 28, Paupack 10
– WBA 23, Pittston 19
– Redeemer 12, Montrose 7
– Haven 38, Marian 13
– Shamokin 38, Billtown 14
Predictions for Danville & MCA this weekend? I’ve got the Ironmen 27 MCA 14. Danville & Southern game could have been a lot closer without costly mistakes from the Tigers.
I think Danville by 2 scores is a solid prediction but I think it might be higher scoring. Danville offense looks impressive. Hoping its closer but time will tell.
MCA’s defense was not very good the 1st 3 games but they seemed to improve the last 3.
I haven’t heard whether MCA’s all state RB is lost for the season with a knee injury or still has a chance to return. The offense has put some points on the board in 5 out of 6 games so far this year, but having him back healthy would definitely help in games like this and down the stretch.
Mt. Carmel has no chance.
Hearing about the Southern Columbia conversation makes me think of something.
Is this the widest open that 2A (or Southern’s class) has been in recent memory? I’m looking at PennLive’s Top 10 & HMs & I can make a case for most of these schools.
1. Troy: Has not missed a beat from last year. They should’ve won D4 2A last year. This is the best chance for a NTL team to get to the finals, maybe ever.
2. Riverside: Feasted on a weak schedule, but they can score & seem to have a good defense. They have to play Trail in Week 10. Important game!
3. Central Clarion: This team scores like 60 pts a game & seems to play great defense. If a high-powered offense runs the table to Mechanicsburg, the Eastern rep better have a good defense or keep up!
4. Seton LaSalle: They’re a private school, so they’d have a good chance. I think they might be WPIAL 2A favorites.
5. Schuylkill Haven: While I think they give up a lot of points (see 72-52), they have a solid offense.
6. Williams Valley: They’re always a tough out. I wouldn’t doubt them winning districts, then making a serious run.
7. Cambria Heights: I forgot they were 2A. They were always a tough out in 1A & I think they can do the same here.
8. Lincoln Ellwood City: They have as good of a chance of winning WPIAL 2A, too.
9. Richland: Richland seems to always be there. This could be their best chance, especially since D6 does not play in the East.
10. South Park: I might agree about them being 2nd best in WPIAL 2A, too.
– Camp Hill might have too many teams to jump.
– Sharpsville looks to be D10 favorite in this class, but does Farrell come back to life?
– Steel-High is down & I expected a bit more. They still look good, but with Alex Erby at Navy, it’s not the same.
– South Allegheny could be a sleeper. We saw a #10 seed win WPIAL 2A recently, if I’m not mistaken.
– Warrior Run could be an ultimate spoiler in D4. I don’t think many of us saw that coming heading into this year.
A couple of things… What makes you say Troy should’ve won the district title last year? D6 has played in the East for 2A over the past several years did something change this cycle. I tried to look for this years brackets under 2024 but it still shows 2023 bracket and district 6 was in the east because Southern played Bald Eagle Area. This is the first time that 2A has been wide open since Southern moved up to 2A. I do think that Troy will win D4 and possibly go to the state final. Southern may end up 5-5 but can only be 6-4 at best. They’ll end up with a 3-6 seed. They need to either be 3 or 6 to avoid a matchup with Troy in the semifinals. Troy beats Southern by 2-3 scores easily this year.
You are correct, Beaver Falls was a #10 seed last year, and beat 4 higher seeded teams to win the WPIAL title with a 14-12 upset over Steel Valley in the final. I agree a lower seed could make a run again this year in WPIAL 2A as there doesn’t appear to be any great teams.
IMO Southern Columbia is still the team to beat until someone knocks them off in the playoffs, the regular season doesn’t matter, especially when losing to a couple of very good 3A/4A teams, a lot of people thought Troy would beat them last year and we know how that turned out. With that being said I agree 2A seems pretty wide open this year and there are a number of teams that have a shot.
Is the era of Southern Columbia dominance over? Is the transfer portal in Catawissa no longer operational? Haven’t watched a Tiger team this discombobulated in forever.
They lost a ton to graduation. All 3 rbs from last year, 2 WR, QB graduated which means corners/safety graduated. I think 1 returning LB, a few on the offensive and defensive line. I agree this year Troy probably beats them by a few scores. Enough with the transfer/recruiting. Although I’ll get it out of the way yes they have 3 transfers from central and people will be in an uproar because they will acquire 0 success points this year and not enough success points next year to make them move up to AAA. All the other years they easily had the success points but not the transfers now timing wise they have the transfers but not the success points.
“Enough with the transfers/recruiting. They have three transfers from Central.” That’s hilarious.
And Danville has a RB from Berwick….
They are a decent team but definitely not on par with other Southern teams from the last few years, even those with a few losses. They are also young and played a tough schedule. I don’t see them getting past Troy this year either.
In years past they prob would have poached Shamokin’s talented young QB but now look at the Indians at 6-0.
They sure look like they won’t win an 8th straight but I made the mistake two years ago when they were 7-3 and said they wouldn’t win a 6th straight. They will reload if they don’t win it all this year. But this year they are very beatable in AA. Troy probably beats them by a few scores in the playoffs.
Ok Southern lost to Wyomissing and to a good Danville team.. The loss to Mt. Carmel could have gone either way. I think they can beat Troy. Southern keeps shooting themselves in the foot with fumbles and dumb penalties. Roth said this would be rebuild year. I expect a good rest of the year and another match up with Troy with the same result as last year
@ Kevin X, I dont think anyone was saying high school football would never be the same because the Eagles were playing on a Friday night, I know I wasnt saying that. My point was just the greed of the NFL in general,and that they used to respect that Fridays were for the high schools . Nothing matters to the NFL anymore they can do what the want and they do. As far as attendence goes the philly suburbs still hold their own especially if there is a good matchup. large student sections have become a common thing these days, however I dont think we see the more consistent good size crowds as say the 70s,80s anymore.Making people jump thru hops to buy a 5 dollar ticket certainly wont help, but thats not going away. The crowds and atmospheres at some of the playoff games, at least the ones I have been to havent really lived up to what I thought when District playoffs in football became the thing. Ive been to thanksgiving day games where the atmosphere and crowds were ten times better,but again those are long gone.
Rest of the state, I was 39-16 & 48-17 overall. What did I observe. I won’t go too much into things.
– The favorites in 5A all went down, from what I saw. I’m not concerned about Roman, Peters, & Rustin, but it’s definitely a defining loss for the season against good teams. They should be able to rebound.
– I didn’t do well with WPIAL picks, but PCC & USC were ones I’m not surprised about getting wrong. I felt both were “go either way” games. South Park over Washington was interesting. I’ll have to keep an eye out for them.
– Danville obliterated Southern Columbia. My MCA prediction might’ve become a lost cause, but Danville seems to be a legit threat to win it all.
– Farrell seems to have turned the corner, beating Wilmington. I’d assume these are the two who will go after the 2A crown.
– So, Corry & McLane. Am I missing something about them?
– Shamokin just might run the table. Wow. They are impressive.
– Back to Bonner, are they the favorites to play in the 4A title game in the East? I’d say so. I wouldn’t be shocked if Bonner lost to a public school like Shamokin or Southern Lehigh in the East final. You’d have to assume D1/D12 4A winner reps the East, or half of the East Final.
Danville and Northwestern Lehigh look especially tough in AAA. Was not expecting NWL to dominate NS like that. Expect these 2 to meet around week 13.
South Park is very good and definitely has a chance to win WPIAL 2A, as of now Seton LaSalle is undefeated and #1 in the WPIAL, followed by undefeated Elwood City, I’m not sold on them yet as they’ve played weaker competition, right now I would have South Park ranked #2 in WPIAL behind Seton. Wash High is down this year, they were exposed by Waynesburg a few weeks ago, and since then Waynesburg has gotten blown out by better teams the last few weeks, including getting crushed by Seton on Friday.
Speaking of Peters, they travel to a very good Moon team this week, who lost a barn burner to Bethel Park last week 45-36, in a game that went back and forth Moon took a 36-33 lead with a little over 2 minutes to go, then Bethel went on an 81 yard drive and scored the winning TD with 4 seconds left in the game, the final score was deceiving as Bethel added a pick 6 on the last play. USC dominated Peters in the trenches and that was the most surprising thing about that game to me, and did a great job of shutting down Peters high scoring offense, as QB Nolan DiLucia was under constant pressure all night.