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Bloomsburg at Lewisburg
Lewisburg is trying to make a statement tonight as it hosts undefeated Bloomsburg. The Green Dragons (4-3) have won three straight games and are in the running to host a District 4 Class AAA playoff game if they continue surging the final three weeks. Bloomsburg is ranked No. 9 in the statewide 2A rankings and is trying to hold off Southern Columbia for District 4's top seed.
Quarterback Xavier Carter has given the offense a huge boost since returning from injury, throwing 12 touchdown passes the past three games. Jaylen Walker and Drake Osunde are having big receiving seasons and both average more than 23 yards per catch. Todd Dershem has caught touchdowns in three straight games and Walker has scored touchdowns five ways this year, including on kick and punt returns the last two weeks.
Freshman Ethan Coleman has come on strong in Lewisburg's backfield, running for 254 yards the last three weeks. Linebacker Owen Fellon ignites the defense, averaging 9.1 tackles per game and Elijah Carter has a team-high 8.5 tackles per game with fellow lineman Lucas Cassidy adding four in four games.
Bloomsburg (7-0) features one of the district's most potent offenses, averaging 428 yards per game. Quarterback Shane Frey leads the district in passer rating, totaling 24 touchdowns in his first year starting. Junior Jharee Moore-Stewart has scored touchdowns every way except on a kick return in his little more than 2 ½ seasons. He ripped off a 99-yard touchdown run against Hughesville last week and forms one of the district'st most explosive receiving tandems with Julius Serrano.
Zane Thomas fuels Bloomsburg's defense, averaging 9.1 tackles per game and making nine tackles for loss.
North Penn-Mansfield at Muncy
Muncy (4-3) has allowed just 15 points in four wins this season and the defense came up big again last week in a 14-6 victory against Canton. Four-year starting defensive lineman Nixon Lamper was a wrecking machine, making 14 tackles, including four for loss, and adding two sacks. Nasir Miller (10 tackles), Jackson Guardini and Cullen Reed also had sacks and Nate Rogers and Chase Boozer intercepted passes.
Freshman linebacker Finn Thomas has put together a super debut season and made 12 tackles against Canton, giving him 79. Lamper, Kynton Fish and Jaxson Thomas also average more than seven tackles per game. Rogers is third among area receivers in catches (33) and second in interceptions (5). Boozer has three picks and returned one for an interception at Montgomery.
Quarterbacks Noah Weikle and Noah Walters both have played well and Layken Harris has run for six touchdowns in four games. Boozer and Reed each have 10 catches and four players have run for 150 or more yards. Muncy is fourth in the District 4 Class A standings and will host a Class A quarterfinal if it finishes either third or fourth.
North Penn-Mansfield (0-7) has had to battle a demanding schedule and youth throughout the season and faced the NTL-I's top two teams the past two weeks. Jeremiah Lawrence provided a lift against NTL-I champion Troy, scoring twice and breaking loose for a 77-yard touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Peyton Greene totaled 316 yards with four touchdowns against Northwest.
Curtis Lewis produced four sacks in North Penn-Mansfield's first three games and linebackers Bohdi Nickerson and Bridger Lehman have had strong seasons.
Athens at Canton
Canton (4-3) also is fighting to host a Class A quarterfinal and is third in the standings. The Warriors have doubled last year's win total and feature a strong, young nucleus. The defense ranks third among area teams, allowing 177 yards per game and has held five opponents to 14 or fewer points. Bailey Gardner and Marcus Solomon are having terrific seasons and combined for 27 tackles and three sacks at Muncy. Monte Whitehead added an interception.
Sophomore quarterback Owen Moore has gone over 900 yards for a second straight year and needs 18 to reach 1,000. Rylan Wesneski is tied for eighth among area receivers with 22 catches and Brayden Tucker hauled in a scoring strike at Muncy. Gardner leads the team in rushing and also has 17 catches for 243 yards and a kickoff return touchdown.
Athens (6-1) is in strong position to finish no worse than third in the District 4 Class AAA standings and has won five straight games since losing to Troy in Week 2. Troy is the only team to beat Athens in the past two regular seasons. Four-year starting quarterback Connor Davidson has produced some monster numbers during his scholastic career, totaling 8,105 passing/rushing yards and 97 touchdowns. He has a shot at a second 1,000-1,000 season; has five interceptions and has returned two punts for touchdowns.
Kade Rowe and Gage Marmor form a strong receiving tandem and both caught touchdowns in last week's win against North Penn-Mansfield. Athens has forced a district-best 19 turnovers and Brendan Cooke has four sacks.
Milton at
Southern Columbia
Milton (3-4) is fighting for District 4 Class AAAA's final playoff berth and has moved ahead of Selinsgrove for No. 4 following blowout wins against Northwest and Central Columbia. Freshman Paxton Humphrey threw for 336 yards with three touchdowns in the 51-0 win against Central and the Black Panthers totaled 508 yards, the team's most in the last three years.
Humphrey has thrown for 617 yards since first seeing significant action in Week 5 and Luis Santos ran for a career-high 167 yards against Northwest. The starting defense has not allowed a point in three wins and Milton has five shutouts over the past two years. Schuyler Humphrey, Brady O'Rourke and Jackson Wertz all have 12 or more tackles for loss and each has at least three sacks. Gavin Whiteknight picked off a pass against Central and Brody Locke ran for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Southern (6-1) is fighting Bloomsburg for District 4 Class AA's top seed and the defending state champions likely will need someone to beat Bloomsburg in the next three weeks to get that spot. Regardless, the Tigers look like the team to beat in that field and are ranked No. 2 in the state, their lone loss being a one-pointer at undefeated Mount Carmel. That is the team's lone blemsish in its last 22 games.
Grady Garcia leads the district in rushing and became District 4's first 1,000-yard rusher a week ago, gouging Danville for 161 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Ayden Hockenbroch is having an excellent season and keeping defenses honest, while closing in on a third straight 1,000-yard season. Garcia, Blaise Kissinger and Jake Malacoski all are dangerous receivers and Kissinger caught two touchdowns against Danville.
Southern's defense allows just 193 yards per game and held Mount Carmel to a season-low 248 yards. Jaden Carter has 4 1/2 sacks and Keegan Diehl three interceptions.
Wyalusing at Wellsboro
Wellsboro (2-5) broke out of a four-game losing streak in impressive fashion eight nights ago, downing Towanda, 16-7. The Hornets played their best defensive game this season, holding a potent offense scoreless in the second half. Reed Richardson made 13 tackles, including a safety which helped seal victory, while Kody Enck had nine tackles with a sack and Asher Davenport an interception.
Wellsboro received a big boost with quarterback Griffin Morral returning for the first time since the opening possession in Week 4. He threw for 154 yards and a touchdown and the Hornets scored touchdowns on their first two drives. Max Mascho ran for a season-high 87 yards and Ethan Keane caught three passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Mascho added 45 receiving yards.
The Hornets are eighth in the District 4 Class AAA standings and will reach the playoffs as long as they still in that top eight.
Wyalusing (0-7) is mired in one of its worst seasons and is dressing fewer than 20 players. The Rams have scored in just one game this season and have allowed 138 first-half points the past two weeks. The offense showed some life three weeks ago against Sayre as Jacob Gromley ran for 86 yards and a touchdown and Wiley Trombaugh threw for 76 yards and a score.
Coudersport at Bucktail
Bucktail (0-5) had last week off, so it is playing the Falcons for a second straight time after losing, 41-14 two weeks ago. Coudersport pulled away in the second half after the Bucks trailed just, 14-8 at halftime. Bucktail has been competitive in all five games, but has either been hurt by slow starts or tough second halves.
The exciting part for Bucktail is how many underclassmen are starting as long-time coach Bruce Ransom, in his second go-round there, starts laying a good foundation. Quarterback Corbin Pentz is having another strong season and Teagan Stone has gone over 50 career catches as a junior. Patrick Tarantella caught six passes against Coudersport two weeks ago and Levi Stevenson ran for a touchdown.
Tarantella is averaging a team-high 7.4 tackles per game and Angelo Tarantella 6.6. Stevenson and Thomas Tarantella each have two sacks.
Coudersport (2-5) is coming off a 66-28 loss against Smethport. The Falcons have scored 69 points the last two weeks and Christian Driskell ran for 219 yards and three touchdowns against Bucktail. Driskell has 806 yards this season, topping 100 yards in four of his last five games. Sophomore Alex Adkins ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns against Bucktail.
By CHRIS MASSE