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Hughesville at Northwest
Hughesville (0-4) hits the road and hopes to turn its season around against undefeated Northwest. The defense is doing all it can to keep Hughesville in games, but the offense has been held scoreless three times. Northwest has topped 30 points in all four wins, so both facets will have to come together tonight.
Hughesville limited Mifflinburg to seven first-half points a week ago before wearing down late. Linebacker Chase Shrawder is having a strong season, averaging 11.3 tackles per game, while defensive end Jerry Barton has an area-high 13 tackles for loss. Barton produced four tackles for loss in each of Hughesville's first three games. Julien Smith produced a sack against Mifflinburg and Carter Gordner has two interceptions.
Quarterback Nick Stubbs found Aviel Harry for a 60-yard touchdown two weeks ago against Lewisburg. The offense topped 300 yards that game with Shrawder running for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Northwest (4-0) already has doubled last year's win total and is fighting for the top seed in District 4 Class A. This is the fourth straight winless team Northwest will be playing after it routed CMVT, 76-0 in a rare Tuesday night game, 11 nights ago. The Rangers lean on their running game and four rushers have more than 200 yards, including Loegan Ditz who has a team-best 297 yards. Quarterback Cole Cavuto has made the most of his passing opportunities and six of his 13 passes have gone for touchdowns. He also has not been intercepted.
Three players have sacks and Caleb Ide leads the team in tackles, averaging 10.3 per game. Senior Ben Bonham has three sacks and five tackles for loss.
Lewisburg at Warrior Run
Injuries have taken a frustrating toll on both teams tonight and both Lewisburg and Warrior Run are trying to put the pieces together as they try and make second-half pushes. Warrior Run (3-1) led undefeated Bloomsburg late in the first half a week ago, but lost area leading rusher Denyn Beachel to a torn ACL and quarterback Logan Stevenson for an extended time. That, on top of losing standout two-way lineman Garrett Williams to a torn ACL in Week 2.
Emiliano Torres played well in place of Stevenson, throwing for 153 yards and a touchdown. Liam Moore caught two scores and is fourth among area receivers with 18 catches and third in yards (381). Bryson Weigel will try picking up the load after Beachel totaled more than 1,500 yards the past two seasons and looked good against Bloomsburg with 48 yards on seven carries.
Two-way lineman Jackson Albright will play at Rutgers next year and made a goal-line tackle to preserve last year's 29-24 win against Lewisburg. He has 3 ½ sacks this season and Weigel has two interceptions. Chase Wirnsbeger leads the team with 22 tackles, 20 which are solos.
Lewisburg (1-3) also has been hit hard by injuries losing quarterbacks Xavier Carter and Jett Jamieson during the first four weeks. Still, Lewisburg showed its promise with a 38-17 win against Hughesville two weeks ago. Jamieson threw for 266 yards in that game and Jaylen Walker put on a show with five catches for 219 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a score. Drake Osunde is coming on strong this season and had three catches for 95 yards in the opener at Danville.
Walker has intercepted two passes and junior linebacker Owen Fellon is having a quality season, averaging 10 tackles per game. Elijah Carter has two sacks and Todd Dershem averages 6.3 tackles per game.
With District 4 Class AAA taking eight teams this season, Lewisburg still remains in good position to make the playoffs. It enters tonight eighth in the standings, well ahead of Nos. 9-10.
Cowanesque at N.P.-Mansfield
Cowanesque Valley (1-3) won its first game a week ago and North Penn-Mansfield is hoping it can do the same tonight. North Penn-Mansfield (0-4) once dominated this series, but CV has taken the last two games, including a year ago when it won, 35-8.
Lineman Stevie Olson helped CV control things on both sides in last week's 29-0 win against Wyalusing, producing four tackles for loss, paving the way for 230 rushing yards and adding an 18-yard score on his first carry. Four players had sacks and Justin Schaar produced a three-sack game three weeks ago at Wellsboro.
Dave Hess is third among area rushers (425 yards) and ran for 169 yards with two scores last week. Colton Begley ran for 30 yards and is second on the team in tackles, averaging 5.3 per game. Logan Huntington averages a team-high 6.3 and also has an interception. CV held a 9-0 fourth quarter lead in its opener at Canton before the Warriors rallied.
North Penn-Mansfield erased a 17-point deficit against Sayre and took a fourth quarter lead a week ago before the Redskins rallied in the closing minutes and won, 23-21. The Panthers have made nice strides for such a young team the last two weeks, scoring 48 points. Jeremiah Lawrence ran for 71 yards and a touchdown against Sayre, while freshman Bridger Lehman ran for and caught touchdowns.
Bodhi Nickerson averages 11 tackles per game and fellow junior Connor Lewis is tied for second among area players with four sacks. Luke Vanloon has an interception and sack the past two games.
Troy at Wellsboro
Wellsboro (1-3) played tough defense in last Saturday's 14-6 loss at Canton and will try leaning on that again tonight against the three-time defending NTL-I champions. The Hornets could be without three-year starting quarterback Griffin Morral who suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter at Canton and did not return. Still, the Hornets had a chance to potentially tie up until the game's final play and turned Canton away on four different trips into its territory.
Wellsboro collected seven sacks against Canton with linemen Levi Champaign and Lance Starkweather generating two each. Christian Main added an interception. Max Mascho caught a touchdown from Derrick Blasz and Main had six catches for 117 yards and a score in a 26-13 win against Cowanesque Valley three weeks ago.
Wellsboro is seventh in the District 4 Class AAA standings. The top eight advance to playoffs.
Troy (3-1) has won three straight since a season-opening loss against Montoursville and took control of the league once again with wins against Athens and Towanda. The Trojans also won a showdown of defending Large School and Small School Division champions last week, edging Montgomery, 14-7.
Troy has not lost a league game since 2022 and has not allowed more than two offensive touchdowns in a game during its current win streak. The Trojans kept Montgomery out of the end zone until the fourth quarter and scored 14 points early in the fourth to build a two-score advantage. Jayden Kutt and Josiah Pesesky combined for 130 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Trey Teribury is a big-play threat who had 84 yards against Montgomery and who went for three catches, 107 yards and two touchdowns against Athens.
Troy is the only team to defeat Athens during the regular season over the last two years.
Bucktail at Smethport
Bucktail (0-3) has played well in parts of all three games and is hoping it can put all four quarters together tonight. The Bucks have been competitive in all three games, a nice step forward from last year, and feature several underclassmen among their starters.
Sophomore quarterback Corbin Pentz totaled 176 yards and threw for and ran for touchdowns against Moniteau. Junior wide receiver Teagan Stone is averaging 16.5 yards per catch and three players have topped 100 yards rushing. Patrick Tarantella ran for 66 yards last week and Stephen Heiser gashed Cameron County for 148 yards in the opener.
Angelo Tarantella caught a 25-yard touchdown pass last week and Marv Robinson intercepted one. Bucktail has an interception in every game and is allowing 16 fewer points per game than a year ago.
Smethport (3-1) features an explosive offense and has averaged 55.3 points in three victories. That includes a 72-point showing in the opener against Otto-Eldred and 56 points in the rematch a week ago.
Jude Kisko has run for 491 yards and seven touchdowns for the Hubbers, while Maddox Dickerson adds 384 yards with five scores. Mason Swanson has thrown for 252 yards and four touchdowns with Aiden Tanner hauling in nine passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns.
Shamokin at
Central Mountain
Central Mountain (0-4) is in a tough spot tonight, heading to play the state's No. 2-ranked Class AAAA team. Still, the Wildcats hung with Shamokin a year ago in Mill Hall, giving it a battle for a half. Central Mountain made positive strides the first three games but fell on hard times in last week's 44-0 loss at Selinsgrove.
Linebacker Kole Corman is having another super season, averaging an area-best 17 tackles per game. He has a program record 343 career tackles. Fellow linebacker Jacob Rembold also is having a good season, producing 9.5 tackles per game. Tanner McCall has added four tackles for loss and two sacks.
Gavin Heverly showcased his big-play ability two weeks ago against Williamsport, producing three long kickoff and punt returns, while adding five catches for 62 yards. Quarterback Kyle Everett ran for 133 yards against Mifflin County and found Heverly for an 80-yard touchdown a week later at Warrior Run. Rembold returned an interception for a score in that game and Alex Johnson took a kickoff for another touchdown.
Shamokin (4-0) has won 24 straight regular season games and is coming off a big 35-14 win against Jersey Shore in a rematch of the last two District 4 Class AAAA championships. Wake Forest-bound Logan Steele ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns with Noah Ringes going for 101 yards. Steele also caught a 35-yard touchdown from Barrett Walsh and has returned both a punt and interception for touchdowns this year.
Ryan Bickert also has taken an interception to the house and snuffed out a Jersey Shore drive at the end of the first half with an end zone interception. Shamokin denied Jersey Shore points on three separate drives inside the 10-yard line. Colin Steinhart is an all-state defensive back and picked off five passes in last year's district championship.
By CHRIS MASSE