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The first two losses Loyalsock suffered shared a common theme - the defense playing well enough to win but the offense mustering no points.

The last two Loyalsock wins have shared a common theme as well, with the defense again playing well. But this time, the offense has been outstanding, too, and the result is the Lancers entering Friday's District 4 Class AA semifinals at Hughesville playing their best and most complete football this season.

Loyalsock might be seeded No. 6 and might have lost a Week 2 decision to the No. 2 Spartans, 21-0 but this is a vastly different team and a much more potent one than 10 weeks ago. A stingy defense combined with a suddenly explosive offense has the Lancers thinking second district title in three years.

"It's a good time to start to peak and I think we've started doing that," said three-year starting center Brian Losell. "We're real confident in what we're doing right now. Our offensive line is really coming together the last couple of weeks and we're just all playing real well."

It's the perfect time for the offense to be awakening. After lighting up Central Columbia, 38-13 in the season opener, Loyalsock topped 20 points just once in its next six games. After running for more than 1,100 yards, running back Stephen Stopper moved back to his old position at quarterback and the offense started showing signs of life, scoring 21 points in consecutive weeks against strong Montoursville and Towanda defenses.

That was just the start. As Stopper has settled back into the position he played until his sophomore year and the offensive line has jelled, Loyalsock has scored 35 points in consecutive must-wins over Shamokin and Danville. The Lancers stomped the No. 3 Ironmen in last Friday's quarterfinals, 35-3, gaining 417 yards against a defense that had held eight teams to 14 points or fewer.

"The defense has been playing well all year, but we needed the offense to come along. When we have the offense working we feel like we're tough to stop," Stopper said. "Mike (Kinney) has been playing great at running back and the offensive line is blocking absolutely great and opening up the passing and running game and whenever we have that balance it makes us more explosive."

That was evident Friday when Loyalsock thumped Danville and snapped the Ironmen's six-game winning streak. Stopper completed 10 of 16 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns while Kinney ran for 87 yards and ignited a 207-yard rushing attack. It was the third straight game Stopper increased his passing yardage totals and what had once been a run-heavy offense is now keeping teams off-balance.

That Loyalsock is flourishing offensively late is not shocking. It happened last year as well when Loyalsock rallied from a 3-5 start, won its last four games and captured the Eastern Conference championship. Just like 2008, this offensive line started fairly young but, after gaining experience and confidence, has developed into one of the area's best with Losell anchoring a unit that has paved the way for nearly 800 yards the last two weeks.

"Last year the line took a while to come together but we've picked it up the last couple weeks," said Losell, a key part of a district champion in 2007 and last year's Eastern Conference champion. "We're playing as a team. We have a lot of guys who have stepped up and I've tried being a leader and show them how to go about things."

Since becoming the team's primary ball-carrier in Week 8, Kinney has topped 100 yards twice behind his sturdy line while scoring seven touchdowns. But defenses have been unable to key on Kinney since the passing game has flourished. Stopper has thrown for four touchdown passes the last two weeks, while completing 65 percent of his passes.

Senior wide receiver Frankie Pagana has showed why he is one of the area's best, catching three touchdown passes during the winning streak while reliable tight end Don Kinney has also caught a touchdown.

"Having those two guys is awesome. I know if they are in single coverage or even double coverage they can get open," Stopper said. "If defenses key on those guys that opens things up for the other receivers and they can make plays too and are great players too. Having that many weapons is awesome."

It's all been coming together for an offense that has turned the team's biggest question mark into one of it's biggest strengths. And it presents a great matchup Friday as this rejuvenated offense faces one of the district's stingiest defenses.

Ever since Week 2, the Lancers have wanted another crack against the Spartans. Because the offense has progressed so well, Loyalsock now has that opportunity. It's an opportunity to show Hughesville that it is not the same team it beat in Week 2. More importantly, it's a shot to earn a second district final appearance in three years.

"We knew that score didn't represent the way we played, but they are a very good team and the best team we've played so far," Stopper said. "Ever since that loss we said hopefully we get another shot. Now it's the perfect scenario to be able to play them again and it should be a great game."