Loyalsock at Athens playoff preview
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Last meeting: Athens 26, Loyalsock 18, 2006 District 4 Class AA Quarterfinals
Loyalsock PPG--28.0, PPA―28.8; YPG--345.8, YPA―351.9
Loyalsock notes: Injuries have taken a big bite from Loyalsock (4-6) a team which dropped last minute heartbreakers against undefeated Bloomsburg and defending champion Mifflinburg early this season. Still, the Lancers are in the playoffs for a 15th straight season and have the kind of players to make some noise if they clean up some mistakes which have plagued them the last two weeks, specifically missing out on prime scoring opportunities. Quarterback Dyson Dupont has put together a super freshman season, throwing for 1,437 yards and finishing third among area passers during the regular season with 19 touchdowns. He opened last week's Montoursville game going 8 for 8 with 102 yards. Senior Cayden Sones has been a workhorse who has run with determination all season, finishing fourth among area rushers. He ran for a career-high 164 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-28 win against Warrior Run. Zion Cobb has big-play ability and Carter Brown has caught six touchdowns. Junior linebacker Matthew Rickhard has enjoyed a strong breakout season, leading the with 90 tackles, including 65 solos. He also has three interceptions and has become more involved in the passing game down the stretch. Sophomore linebacker Cooper Cowden also has burst onto the scene, averaging eight tackles per game and recovering a fumble last week. Loyalsock is attempting to win its first playoff game since 2023.
Loyalsock player to watch―Jackson Keefer: Like Dupont, Keefer is a freshman who made an a big, immediate impact. He is fourth on the team in tackles, averaging 5.3 per game, and looks like a player who will flourish there the next three years. Keefer also has come on strong as a receiver during the second half and set up the game's first score at Montoursville when he took a shovel pass 36 yards.
Athens PPG―40.2, PPA―7.8; YPG―371.8, YPA―173.9
Athens notes: Athens (9-1) finished second in the NTL-I for a second straight year with its lone loss again coming against champion Troy. The Wildcats have won eight straight since a 31-21 loss at Troy and the starting defense has not allowed a point since Week 5. Athens defeated South Williamsport 17-7 in Week 4 and Muncy, 9-0 two weeks ago. Those, however, are the only teams it has played which have a winning record since the Troy contest. Quarterback Connor Davidson is one of District 4's most explosive players and the offense goes directly through him. A four-year starter, Davidson has totaled, 2,598 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. He needs 24 yards tonight to reach 9,000 career yards, producing 5,560 passing and 3,416 the last four years with 115 touchdowns. Davidson also has six interceptions this season and has returned two punts for touchdowns. Kade Rowe and Gage Marmor each are having big receiving seasons, both reaching 40 catches and 600 yards while hauling in 19 scores. Athens trails only South Williamsport in points allowed and has forced a district-high 30 turnovers. It's +19 turnover ratio also is a district-best. Lineman Brady Flynn has six sacks and three interceptions, while Nolan Raupers returned an interception for a touchdown last Saturday against Sayre.
Athens player to watch―Brendan Cooke: Cooke Athens' second-leading rusher with 514 yards but his biggest impact comes on defense. The senior linebacker has 245 career tackles and averages 6.8 tackles per game this season, making 15 for loss. Cooke also leads Athens with seven sacks.
Winner plays: Either Mifflinburg or Danville
Outlook: Athens has not been in a competitive game since Week 4, so between that and Loyalsock being more battle-tested, this game feels a lot more even than the records would indicate. Still, Loyalsock has struggled defensively and with Athens featuring so many playmakers, its best hopes could rest on winning a shootout. Doing so will certainly be challenging.