We're down to the final week of the regular season in Central Pennsylvania high school football.
For some teams, that means that pads will be packed away for good after Friday night's action. But for others, the District 3 playoffs await.
There are several showdowns looming ahead on Friday, the outcomes of which will determine both division titles and playoff positioning.
Here's a look at some of the best matchups:
FOX43 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRENZY GAME OF THE WEEK
Central York (7-2) at York (8-1): Just as it was last year, the York-Adams Division I title race was wide open and fun. And once again, it will likely end with co-champions -- the winner of this Week 10 showdown, plus Red Lion, assuming the Lions can dispatch Dallastown in their Friday night matchup.
This game will also have some impact on the District 3 Class 5A and 6A playoff fields, though both teams have already clinched spots. York High is ranked No. 3 in the 14-team Class 5A field. The Bearcats are trying to catch Cocalico for the No. 2 spot, and would receive a first-round bye if they managed to pull that off. (The 7-2 Eagles will be favored in their Week 10 battle with Lampeter-Strasburg, but the Pioneers are still dangerous).
Central York is ranked third in the eight-team Class 6A field and is looking to hang on to that spot. A third-place finish would put the Panthers in the lower half of the bracket and allow them to avoid a potential semifinal matchup with top-seeded Harrisburg (although one might argue a date with second-seeded Manheim Township isn't much of a reward, either).
There is vast potential for a wild, high-scoring shootout in this game, which features two of the top three offenses in the York-Adams League in terms of points and yardage. York ranks first in both categories, averaging 56 points and 492 yards per game, but Central is No. 3 in both scoring (48 points per game) and yardage (466 per game).
The offenses offer a contrast in styles; York High runs the ball all over the place with Dayjure Stewart (1,569 yards, 25 TDs), Tobee Stokes (490 yards, 8 TDs) and Rob Rideout (448 yards, 16 TDs), while Central airs it out behind QB Cade Pribula, who has thrown for a ridiculous 2,723 yards and 30 touchdowns this season, most of those going to wideouts Taylor Wright-Rawls (33-880, 10 TDs) and Saahir Cornelius (35-766, 11 TDs).
That said, this one could come down to which defense makes the most stops, and York has a clear advantage there. The Bearcats give up just 226 yards per game, while the Panthers allow 348.
