Hughesville at Troy playoff preview
Trending
Last meeting: Troy 36, Hughesville 0, 2023 district quarterfinals
Hughesville PPG―13.3, PPA―24.9; YPG―188.8, YPA―302.6
Hughesville notes: Hughesville (4-6) turned things around following an 0-4 start and won four of its next five games, highlighting that with a 10-7 victory at Loyalsock. The Spartans, however, dropped their finale, 31-13 against rival Muncy, trailing by 25 until scoring on the game's final play. Hughesville had controlled the line of scrimmage in consecutive thrilling wins against Warrior Run and Loyalsock but struggled both run and stop the run last Friday. The Spartans should get a boost with the return of standout defensive lineman Jerry Barton who has 21 tackles for loss and held Loyalsock to its lowest point total this season two weeks ago. That night, Hughesville made a dramatic late stand, stopping Loyalsock on third and fourth-and-1 from the 4-yard line. Linebackers Chase Shrawder, Maliki Emmil and Alphonzo Smith all average more than nine tackles per game and Carter Gordner intercepted his third pass a week ago. Shrawder ran for more than 100 yards in four consecutive games before last week, gouging Warrior Run for a career-high 202 yards on 38 carries. He also returned an interception for a score in that comeback win. Connor Anstadt again leads the district in punting yards and also is tied for the area lead with three field goals. Julian Smith caught three passes for 74 yards and a touchdown against Muncy.
Hughesville player to watch―Nick Stubbs: Stubbs has given the secondary a spark and has interceptions in two of his last three games. That included a clutch end zone pick in overtime against Warrior Run. Stubbs also threw the ball well against Muncy, producing 111 yards and a touchdown.
Troy PPG―40.7, PPA―14.5; YPG―346.8, YPA―235.3
Troy notes: Troy (9-1) is seeking its fourth consecutive district final appearance and captured its fourth straight NTL-I championship. The Trojans went undefeated in league play, handing Athens its lone loss, but also have not played a team with a winning record since Week 4 when they edged Montgomery, 14-7. Montoursville won at Troy, 26-19 in its season opener. Troy has overpowered its last seven opponents and has not had to play the starters late in any of those contests. Quarterback Spencer Martin has attempted just 78 passes, but also has gone over 1,000 yards. Trey Teribury is an explosive receiver and a quarter of his 28 catches have gone for touchdowns. Unlike last year when all-stater Brendan Gilliland commanded the running game, Troy attacks defenses with a plethora of backs. Jayden Kutt leads the way with 603 yards and 11 touchdowns and is one of six players who has topped 200 yards this year. The defense has produced 24 turnovers and three defensive scores. Logunn Heasley has picked off four passes, taking two for touchdowns.
Troy player to watch―Josiah Pesesky: A true jack of all trades, Pesesky, only a sophomore, is one of the district's most versatile players. He has scored touchdowns four ways and picked off four passes. Pesesky has a district-best three kickoff returns for scores and four of his 16 catches have produced touchdowns.
Winner plays: Either Southern Columbia or Towanda
Outlook: Troy is the favorite here and is obviously a strong team. This Trojans team, however, is not as dominant as the past three have been. If Hughesville plays like it did in Weeks 8 and 9, this could be interesting. If not, Troy likely rolls.