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Week 1 football preview: Muncy at Warrior Run

Some quick thinking by Muncy athletic director Curt Chilson and Wariror Run AD Nate Butler helped make this game possible. Warrior Run (7-5 last year) originally was scheduled to host Loyalsock but that game was canceled Tuesday and Muncy’s (9-5) contest at South Williamsport was canceled the following day. Later that night, however, Warrior Run and Muncy put this game together, the Pennsylvania Heartland Conference approved it and now both teams have a coveted opportunity.

This is the seventh straight year these nearby rivals will open the year against each other and it has been an outstanding series with each team winning three times. Warrior Run defeated Muncy 35-6 last year and went 7-5, recording its first winning season since 2006, winning the first playoff game in program history and reaching the District 4 Class AAA semifinals.

This is a new-look Warrior Run team after nearly every starter graduated. Two-way starters like Logan Smedley, Nathan Michael and Michael Buck provide a solid nucleus and the Defenders are bursting with promising first-time starters eager to show they can build off what last year’s team started.

Muncy was in a similar position as Warrior Run last year and its young team jelled quickly, capturing a second straight District 4 Class A championship, winning its first-ever state tournament game and reaching the state semifinals. A strong group of starters returns and Muncy is especially stacked in the backfield, led by all-state running back Ethan Gush and dual-threat quarterback Branson Eyer.

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