We’re rolling into Week 7 of the high school football season in Central Pennsylvania.
Here are some of the biggest games we’ll be monitoring this week on the FOX43 High School Football Frenzy.
FOX43 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRENZY GAME OF THE WEEK
Chambersburg (5-1) at Central Dauphin East (2-4)
Chambersburg’s offense revolves around Mid-Penn rushing leader Keyshawn Jones, who has racked up 983 yards and 10 touchdowns on 115 carries — an impressive yards-per-carry average of 8.5. Jones had 104 yards and two scores in last week’s 28-14 victory over Cumberland Valley. Quarterback Brady Stumbaugh has completed 43 of 90 pass attempts for 746 yards and 10 scores, so teams can’t just load up the box to stop Jones.
The Trojans’ only loss of the season was a 35-16 setback to State College in Week 5. Chambersburg is currently tied for second place in the Commonwealth with Central Dauphin, but there’s still a path toward a division title for the Trojans if Harrisburg knocks off State College this week. Should that happen, Chambersburg could wind up on top if it wins its upcoming games with Harrisburg (Oct. 12) and CD (Oct. 19).
CD East has lost two of its last three games, sandwiching losses to Commonwealth co-leaders Harrisburg (42-0) and State College (39-15) around a 17-16 victory over Altoona. The Panthers average 164 rushing yards per game, and they spread those carries around; eight different players have logged at least 10 carries through the first six weeks. Junior Bryce Baker (39-367, two TDs) is the team’s rushing leader.
OTHER GAMES TO WATCH:
State College (6-0) at Harrisburg (5-1)
OK, it’s a Saturday game, and the FOX43 Frenzy Five generally focuses on games set for Friday night. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t focus on this Commonwealth Conference clash, which could very well determine the conference champion.
The Little Lions and the Cougars come in with identical 3-0 records in league play, so the winner will have first place all to themselves. The matchup also features two of the top quarterbacks in the Mid-Penn Conference in State College’s Tommy Friberg and Harrisburg’s Kane Everson. Friberg ranks fifth in the conference in passing (48-for-77, 1,009 yards, 11 TDs, 4 INT), while Everson checks in at No. 2 (65-for-98, 1,210 yards, 16 TDs, 4 INT).
Everson also ranks 10th in the conference in rushing, with 589 yards and seven scores on 65 attempts.
The Lions’ Cohen Russell is ranked fourth in the conference in receiving, with 457 yards and five touchdowns on 14 catches. Harrisburg counters with the tandem of Donte Kent (12-304, six TDs) and Rynell Gantt (12-251, two TDs).
Shippensburg (5-1) at West Perry (6-0)
Undefeated West Perry’s grip on sole possession of first place in the Mid-Penn Colonial Division will be on the line when the Mustangs host the Greyhounds, who shook off an upset loss to Mifflin County in Week 4 by defeating Greencastle-Antrim 26-14 last week.
Shipp is probably the last, largest obstacle between West Perry and a division title; the Mustangs already romped past Northern York 42-20 in last week’s first-place showdown, and they’ll be favored in all of their remaining games should they win this week. Shippensburg is one of three teams — along with Northern York and Mifflin County — currently a half-game behind the Mustangs in the Colonial race.
The Greyhounds will be no pushover. Their offense features one of the league’s top rushers in senior Adam Houser, who ranks third in the conference in rushing, with 944 yards and 11 TDs on 103 carries. Shippensburg averages 257 yards per game on the ground.
West Perry counters with the 1-2 punch of Kenyon Johnson (63-664, nine TDs) and Terrance Quaker (46-502, 11 TDs), both of whom rank in the conference’s top ten. Quaker also has two TDs on kickoff returns (85 and 84 yards), a 38-yard TD on a punt return, and a 30-yard score on an interception return this season. His 17 total touchdowns lead the entire Mid-Penn Conference.
Shipp averages 331 yards and 28 points per game; West Perry comes in at 295 yards and 45 points per game, but the Mustangs have scored three touchdowns on kick returns and have two defensive scores. West Perry also allows just 236 yards per game on defense; Shippensburg allows 318.
Warwick (5-1) at Manheim Township (5-1)
The Warriors enter Friday’s neighborhood rivalry game alone in first place in Section 1 of the L-L League, a half-game ahead of Wilson and a full game up on Township, which dropped a 16-14 decision to the Bulldogs last week for its first loss of the season.
Warwick, whose only loss was to Manheim Central in Week 2, enters with the L-L League’s highest-scoring offense (46.5 points per game) and its stingiest defense (8.3 points per game). The Warriors rank fourth in total yards per game (385) and fifth in yards allowed (246 per game). They’ve also shut out three of their six opponents.
The Warriors have a unique quarterback platoon, using Adam Ricketts (57-of-92, 1,085 yards, 10 TDs) and Joey McCracken (30-for-44, 530 yards). Nick Fucci (74-409, 11 TDs) is the team’s primary rusher, while wideout Trey Glass is the league’s top receiver, with 34 catches for 612 yards and seven TDs.
Township QB Harrison Kirk leads the league in passing yards, with 1,144. He has completed 72 of 127 passes and has 11 touchdowns with just two interceptions. His top target is Hilton Ridley (14-228), but Jon Engel (11-103, TD), Brett Benjamin (10-261, three TD) and Cameron Horst (9-156) also get plenty of looks as well. Jaden Floyd (86-464, two TD) is the Blue Streaks’ leading rusher.
York (6-0) at Red Lion (4-2)
York High is alone in first place in Section 1 of the York-Adams League, one game clear of a four-team logjam in second. One of those four teams is Red Lion, which has the unenviable task of trying to slow down the torrid Bearcat offense — the best attack in District 3, from a statistical standpoint.
York leads all District 3 teams in scoring average (59 points per game) and total yardage (531 per game). The Bearcats average 390 yards per game on the ground and 141 yards per game through the air. The closest margin of victory in any of York’s first six games was 28 points; that came in the Bearcats’ 42-14 victory over Cedar Crest in Week 3.
Dayjure Stewart leads the York-Adams league in rushing 106-1,393, 24 TDs), while Robert Rideout has chipped in with 361 rushing yards and is second in the league in receiving yards with 561 on just 13 catches. Rideout’s 15 total touchdowns tie him for third in the league. QB Seth Bernstein has only thrown 47 passes this season, but he’s completed 28 of them, for 828 yards and 13 scores (just two picks).
Red Lion ranks near the middle of the pack in the York-Adams league in total offense (274 yards per game), but the Lions average 35 points per game. Their defense comes in yielding just 18.7 points and 269 yards per game, but it will have its hands full this week.
The Lions’ players to watch are QB Zach Mentzer (58-of-91, 822 yards, 11 TDs), wideout Randy Fizer (14-165, six TDs), and RB Tyler Ness (62-314, five TDs).
