Milton at Montoursville preview
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Milton PPG--15.5, PPA--25.3; YPG--182.8, YPA--221.5
Milton notes: Despite its record, Milton (1-3) features one of the area's premier defenses. In defeat against Danville last week, that unit allowed just 182 yards and piled up 14 ½ tackles for loss. Linebacker Jackson Wertz was all over the field, making 18 tackles, while defensive end Brady O'Rourke had 11, along with 4 ½ for loss. Michael Runkle added a career-high 10 tackles. Milton held undefeated Mount Carmel to its lowest yardage total in four games and blanked Hughesville, 35-0 in Week 2 as the defense surrendered just 27 yards. Milton's four wins the past two years all have come via shutout. Sophomore quarterback Kamryn Wilson had a big game against Hughesville, throwing for 138 yards and four touchdowns. Fellow sophomore Ja'Cori Brown caught three touchdowns and went for 100 yards a week later against Mount Carmel. Jhemzuel Feliciano produced seven catches for 97 yards and a score at Hughesville. Both his touchdown catches this year have been long ones. Milton is starting mostly underclassmen and has a strong foundation in place. That includes sophomore Brody Locke who leads the team in rushing and who went for 74 yards at Mount Carmel.
Milton player to watch--Schuyler Humphrey: The junior linebacker is another one of those exciting underclassmen and produced 87 tackles a year ago. Humphrey is a three-year starter and is closing in on 200 career tackles. He is averaging a career-best 10.5 tackles per game and has five for loss.
Montoursville PPG--25.0, PPA--23.5; YPG--306.8, YPA--285.8
Montoursville notes: Montoursville (2-2) ran the gauntlet the first three weeks, playing Troy, Jersey Shore and Southern Columbia and that experience paid off last week as it pasted Central Columbia, 48-0. Montoursville is the only team to win at Troy in the last four seasons and allowed just one offensive score in that game before holding Jersey Shore to its lowest yardage total a week later. The Warriors limited Central to 122 yards and Brayden Burkett and Cole Snyder both returned interceptions for touchdowns. Linebacker Jacob Schon made 10 first-half tackles and Burkett had three tackles for loss, adding a fumble recovery. Quarterback Elijah Eck threw touchdowns to three receivers, Burkett, Jay Houseknecht and Colby Ulmer, and is fourth among area quarterbacks with 670 yards. Houseknecht reeled in a 29-yard touchdown against Central and James Williams showed his burst with a 65-yard catch and run touchdown against Jersey Shore. Colton Conklin has run for 95 yards and two touchdowns the past two weeks. He, Kaiden Kleinman and Mason Lapinski all topped 50 yards against Central. Montoursville is fifth in the District 4 Class AAA playoff standings. It has games against three of the teams ahead of it, so Montoursville largely controls its destiny as far as hosting a quarterfinal goes.
Montoursville player to watch--Branson Fogleman: The junior defensive end does a nice job disrupting things off the edge. He knocked down two passes against Jersey Shore and was in on eight tackles against Central. Also a reliable blocker up front, Fogleman had three sacks, seven tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries a year ago as a sophomore.
Outlook: Milton's defense can keep it in games but it needs the offense to get going to try and win this one. Montoursville is the favorite here but this is an intriguing contest between teams loaded with strong underclassmen, so considering the relative youth, anything could happen.