James Keifer of Warrior Run flips the ball to Eli Butler at Warrior Run High School. Loyalsock won 24-23. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Warrior Run road to final: defeated No. 3 Loyalsock, 21-7 and No. 2 Towanda, 43-20

Warrior Run PPG–31.9, PPA–17.9; YPG–320.8, YPA–239.5

Warrior Run notes: Warrior Run (8-4) is making history tonight, playing in its first district championship. It has been quite a turnaround for a program which has made multi-win improvements in each of the past three years after going winless in 2021. The Defenders also have won playoff games in consecutive years for the first time and are the district’s first No. 6 seed to reach a championship since Loyalsock in 2014. The Defenders have won all three playoff games the past two years on the road and are 6-1 on the road this season. Warrior Run rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit at Loyalsock and started strong against Towanda, taking a 29-7 lead against a team which had won six straight games. Warrior Run’s offensive line has flourished throughout the postseason, paving the way for a balanced attack which has scored 63 points in the last six quarters. Eli Butler has topped 100 yards rushing and has gone over 1,100 yards this season. James Keifer threw for 109 yards and Sam Hall became the area’s all-time leader in career receiving yards after catching three passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Hall is one of only two ara receivers to go over 3,000 career yards and also is second with 167 catches. Stone Allison is second among area players with 10 ½ sacks and Keifer has interceptions in two straight games. Colby LeBarron and Denyn Beachel have combined for 158 tackles.

Warrior Run player to watch–Isaiah Betz: The senior defensive end is a four-year starter and had a big game against Towanda with 10 tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss. Betz is second on the team in tackles, averaging nine per game and has 16 tackles for loss to go along with 5 ½ sacks. Betz went over 100 tackles this season last week, a phenomenal stat for a defensive lineman.

Troy road to final: defeated No. 8 South Williamsport, 63-27 and Southern Columbia, 69-28

Troy PPG–53.2, PPA–13.3; YPG–440.8, YPA–208.9

Troy notes: Troy (12-0) has been the state’s top-ranked Class AA team for most of the season and ended Southern’s run of seven straight state championships, as well as 42 straight playoff wins, last week. Troy returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as well as an interception with Lincoln Chimics doing both. He and Mason Smith have combined for seven return two touchdowns this season and Troy has a remarkable 18 return touchdowns, nine kickoffs, nine punts, over the last three years. Quarterback Evan Woodward is an excellent dual threat who has gone over 1,000 yards passing the past two seasons and who ran for 143 yards against Warrior Run. Brendan Gilliland is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing and averages 13.3 yards per carry, while collecting 13 sacks. Chimics averages 27.6 yards per catch and has scored 16 touchdowns four ways, taking two interceptions for scores. Troy effectively spreads the ball around and five players have run for more than 390 yards. Jack Burbage helps spark the defense and needs four tackles to reach 100 this season. Troy has forced 22 turnovers and scored five defensive touchdowns. The Trojans have won 20 straight regular season games and are 24-1 over the past two seasons, losing last year’s district final to Southern, 14-0 in a quagmire.

Troy player to watch–Reed Palmer: The sophomore defensive lineman has made a big impact in his first year starting. Palmer is averaging nearly six tackles per game and has six sacks. Palmer also has 15 tackles for loss and is a good blocking tight end who has caught two touchdowns.

Winner plays: Bedford or Steelton-Highspire

Outlook: Warrior Run is playing its best football at the perfect time. That trend must continue tonight for it to have a shot in this game. Stopping the big play will be crucial as will be sustaining drives to try and limit how often Troy’s explosive offense touches the football.