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Central Mountain at Warrior Run
Warrior Run started its season the same way it has the previous two, with a hard-fought win against Muncy. The Defender defense came up big on a night the team lost five turnovers, paving the way for a 14-7 win. A year ago, the defense started ahead of the offense and that could be a good omen since the Defenders enjoyed their best season ever, winning a record 10 games and sharing the HAC-III championship.
Rutgers-bound lineman Jackson Albright made seven tackles and David Stiner had 1 ½ sacks. Garrrett Williams added a sack and Bryson Weigel and Zayas Reynolds intercepted passes. The Defenders did not allow a point until the fourth quarter and allowed just 52 rushing yards.
Once the offense cleaned up the mistakes, it moved the ball well with Denyn Beachel running for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He also topped 90 yards for the 12th time in 13 games. Quarterback Logan Stevenson threw for 166 yards in his first varsity start and Liam Moore caught six passes for 83 yards. Warrior Run has won seven straight regular-season games going back to last year.
Central Mountain gave Mifflin County a battle and showed a lot of progress in a 28-19 loss. The Wildcats held a lead for the first time in two years and quarterback Kyle Everett ran for a career-high 133 yards and a touchdown. Equally important, Central Mountain did not grow discouraged when Mifflin County heated up, nearly making it a one-score game in the fourth quarter before a 2-point try was not converted. Linebacker Kole Corman inched closer to the program's career tackle record and made 13, including 11 solos. Jacob Rembold added 11 tackles and Kai Fravel had two tackles for loss. Everett and Tanner McCall both collected sacks.
Cowanesque Valley at Wellsboro
Wellsboro often plays some of its toughest opponents in the season opener and, after facing Montoursville the previous three years, went to Lakeland last Saturday. The result was not what Wellsboro wanted but the experience playing a strong team immediately paid dividends last year when it went 6-5 and reached the District 4 Class AA playoffs.
Wellsboro's defense played well until wearing down late. The Hornets held Lakeland to 13 points over the first three quarters and entered the fourth, trailing 13-6. Quarterback Griffin Morral led the team in rushing and passing last season and scored the game's touchdown. The three-year starter has gone over 2,000 career passing yards and is closing in on 1,000 career rushing yards. Christian Main caught three passes and Kody Enck, who intercepted six passes a year ago, added two.
CV has enjoyed one of the best runs in program history over the past four seasons but he has been hit hard by injuries thus far. Despite those, the Indians held a nine-point fourth quarter lead at Canton a week ago before losing, 22-9. Because construction of a new stadium has hit some delays, CV is playing at least its first six games on the road this season.
Dave Hess is one of six area players in the 2000s to go over 1,000 career rushing and receiving yards. He is trying to become the first to make it a triple crown with passing, but the quarterback was injured against Canton after running for 83 yards and a touchdown. Max Millard will play a large role if Hess cannot play tonight. Three-year starting junior Stevie Olson tied for the area sack lead with nine a year ago as CV went 5-6 and reached the District 4 Class AA playoffs.
Lewisburg at
Shikellamy
Lewisburg produced some quality offensive numbers in a season-opening loss against Danville, but also allowed 325 rushing yards as the Ironmen pulled away in the second half. Junior linebacker Owen Fellon provided a defensive bright spot, making a career-high 15 tackles. Sophomore Patrick Fleck also made an impact and collected a sack, while junior Todd Dershem had two tackles for loss.
Four-year starting wide receiver/running back Jaylen Walker totaled an area-best 171 receiving yards. He and Fellon split carries and Fellon, a former tight end, showed promise with 61 yards on nine carries. Quarterbacks Xavier Carter and Jett Jamieson split time, combining for 213 yards. Carter also ran for a touchdown, while finding Jamieson with a 30-yard pass. Lewisburg held a late lead against Shikellamy a year ago before the Braves scored in the final minute and won, 29-27.
Shikellamy showed that resilience again in its season opener, erasing a nine-point fourth quarter deficit and defeating defending District 4 Class AAA champion Mifflinbug, 26-21. Quarterback Bobby Felmy burst onto the scene in his first start, throwing for 189 yards and four touchdowns, while running for a team-high 99 yards. Three of his four touchdown passes went to different receivers. That includes Thomas Pollock, a four-year starter who is the district's current active leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Pollock has produced 180 catches for 2,725 yards and 23 touchdowns the last four years. He had nine catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns in last year's Lewisburg game.
Shikellamy went 5-6 last year, reaching the District 4 Class AAAA semifinals and returns a quality core from that team.
Otto-Eldred
at Bucktail
Bucktail's offense created optimism going forward, moving the ball well against a Cameron County team which routed it twice last season. The Bucks have some nice weapons, who have received extensive playing time the past two years.
Quarterback Corbin Pentz, coming off a 1,000-yard season as a freshman, threw for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Teagan Stone caught two of those scores and produced both 100-yard rushing and receiving games last year. Stephen Heiser had a big day, running for a career-high 148 yards. He was one of four players to go over 30 yards, highlighting that this team could be both dangerous and deep.
Patrick Tarantella made eight tackles against Cameron County and Levi Stevenson intercepted a pass. JJ Ditty added a blocked kick.
Bucktail is hoping to exact some revenge after Otto-Eldred won last year's game, 50-8. The Terrors struggled in their opener, losing 72-29 to Smethport. Quarterback Ryan Schenfield returns after totaling 840 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
North Penn-Mansfield at Towanda
North Penn-Mansfield is fielding one of its youngest teams in recent memory and struggled in its opener, losing 48-0 against South Williamsport. The Panthers defeated Towanda, 24-17 a year ago. Jeremiah Lawrence ran for 97 yards and a touchdown in that game and is back after missing the season's final seven weeks as a sophomore.
Linebacker Bodhi Nickerson had a big game against South, making a career-high 12 tackles. Conner Lewis added seven and blocked a kick. Colton Pelllett recovered a fumble. Pellett has four kickoff returns for touchdowns the previous two seasons, three coming last year.
Towanda had little trouble in its opener, defeating Sayre, 55-2. The defense did not allow a point and limited Sayre to 106 yards. The Black Knights also forced five turnovers, Gabe Wolf intercepting two passes.
Jazick Brown ignited the offense, running for a career-best 182 yards and two touchdowns. Gage Evans also went over 100 yards, totaling 115 with two scores. Quarterback Reese Sluyter is a mobile threat and ran for 136 yards in last year's game at North Penn-Mansfield.