Jersey Shore at Hollidaysburg preview
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Jersey Shore PPG--40.0, PPA--18.0; YPG--414.1, YPA--221.5
Jersey Shore notes: Jersey Shore (5-1) has won two straight games in impressive fashion and faces a big test tonight against the defending District 6 Class AAAAA champion. The Bulldogs are second in the District 4 Class AAAA playoff standings and will host a semifinal if they remain among the top two by season's end.
The Bulldogs played their best game a week ago, thumping Williamsport, 52-13 as the offensive line and defensive lines dominated. Offensive linemen Owen Vandruff, Slate Sechrist, Mason Larson, Dubbs Bloom and Zach Myers paved the way for 595 yards, including 450 on the ground. Brodie Herr ran for a career-high 213 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Elijah Jordan added 137. Jordan leads the area in passing yards with 1,296 and has totaled 21 touchdowns. Fullback Bo Sechrist also has scored in consecutive games. Evan Snyder has scored six touchdowns the last two games in all three facets. The senior receiver has gone over 90 yards in all six games and returned an interception for a touchdown against Williamsport. Paul Hale also is among the area's leaders in catches and Trent Severino caught the game-winning touchdown against Dallas. Severino also has played well at defensive end, collecting sacks in consecutive games. Luke Thompson shined against Williamsport off the edge and Vandruff made two tackles for loss. Bo Sechrist averages 11.8 tackles per game and Slate has 15 tackles for loss. Jersey Shore is a win from securing its 12th straight winning season.
Jersey Shore player to watch--Mason Larson: The junior linemen played a key role in Jersey Shore featuring the area's top offense last year and has helped the Bulldogs lead the area in yards per game this season. He was part of a unit which set the tone on the game's opening drive against Williamsport and the play up front will play a crucial role in how tonight's showdown transpires.
Hollidaysburg PPG--29.8, PPA--11.8; YPG--271.8
Hollidaysburg notes: Hollidaysburg has won three of the last four District 6 championships and opened the season 5-0 before losing to three-time defending Maryland state champion Fort Hill, 28-14. The Golden Tigers allowed 14 or fewer points in each of their first four games, shutting out three opponents before holding off Mifflinburg, 37-29 two weeks ago. Quarterback Maddox Bainey has thrown for 942 yards and 14 touchdowns, while three receivers have more than 200 yards. Bainey threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns against Mifflinburg, but also was intercepted four times. Gavin Bell has caught 20 passes for 288 yards and six touchdowns. Cole Delattre caught five passes for 109 yards and a touchdown against Mifflinburg. Mitchell Baronner leads the team in rushing with 364 yards and is coming off a season-best 105 yard performance against Fort Hill. Josh Banks helps fuel the defense and averages 10 tackles per game, adding two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Hollidaysburg player to watch--Gavin Bell: In addition to his offensive contributions, Bell is one of District 6's best defensive backs. He already has intercepted six passes, including three against Butler in a 24-0 win. Bell also made seven tackles each in two victories and has caught touchdowns in two straight games.
Outlook: This will be another playoff-like game in a season full of them for Jersey Shore. Both teams seem similar in composition, so it's interesting to see how they attack each other in what likely will be a close contest.