HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Mid-Penn Commonwealth division is crowded at the top, with four teams -- State College, Harrisburg, Bishop McDevitt and Central Dauphin East -- tied for first place.
The first three names on that list aren't surprising; Harrisburg and McDevitt are two of the Mid-Penn's most-storied programs, and State College is a perennial Commonwealth title contender and one of the strongest teams in District 6.
But CD East? Where did they come from?
After years of struggling, the Panthers are having their best season in a decade. Yes, that's still true despite their lopsided loss against State College last week, which snapped their seven-game winning streak.
In addition to having a shot at the Commonwealth title in its hands, CD East is sitting pretty in the District 3 Class 6A power rankings, which are used to determine the 10-team playoff field. The Panthers are playoff-bound.
But they'll have their hands full Friday night.
McDevitt is competing in Class 5A this season after winning three straight District 3 Class 4A titles and making four straight deep runs in the state playoffs (including a title in 2022). The Crusaders have won six in a row and have one of Central Pennsylvania's most-potent offenses, powered by four-year starter and Kentucky recruit Stone Saunders at quarterback.
The FOX43 Frenzy team will preview all of Friday's action at 6 p.m. live from McDevitt's Rocco Ortenzio Stadium, and wrap everything up with scores and highlights at 11 p.m.
Here's a preview of Friday night's Game of the Week.
ABOUT CD EAST: The Panthers reeled off seven straight wins to start the season, but suffered a humbling loss at home against State College last Friday, dropping a 55-17 decision.
The Little Lions ran wild on offense, racking up 464 total yards. QB Eddie Corkery shredded CD East's secondary with 300 passing yards and five touchdowns, while running back Lamar Wilson added 152 yards and three scores on the ground.
Wideout Ty Salazer caught eight passes for 148 yards and scored twice, while Cooper Brushwood capped the scoring with 91-yard TD strike from Corkery in the fourth quarter.
If there's a bright spot for CD East, it was QB Demaj Jalloh, who threw for 209 yards and a touchdown. Running back Leon Parson, who had 875 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first seven games, was held to 37 yards on 11 carries and did not score.
Wideout Santana Young, who led the Mid-Penn with 58 catches (for 846 yards and six scores) heading into last week, did not appear to play against State College. The Trinity transfer's status for Friday is unknown.
So if the Panthers want to rebound, they'll have to tighten things up on defense. That will be a challenge, since McDevitt comes in averaging 39.5 points and 414 yards per game.
After Friday's game at McDevitt, CD East closes the regular season with a home game against Harrisburg. The Panthers can still claim at least a share of the Commonwealth crown, but will need to spring a couple of upsets to do it.
CD East is ranked fourth in the District 3 Class 6A power rankings, which will be used to determine the 10-team playoff field. The Panthers appear to be a safe bet to make the playoffs.
ABOUT BISHOP MCDEVITT: The Crusaders are riding a six-game winning streak since their 35-33 overtime loss to Harrisburg in Week 2. Last Friday, they knocked off Central Dauphin, 28-10.
While McDevitt has just that lone loss on its ledger, it is ranked No. 5 in the crowded Class 5A power rankings, which determine the 12-team playoff field. There are a whopping six undefeated teams in Class 5A, including four that are ranked ahead of McDevitt: New Oxford, Shippensburg, Mechanicsburg, and Conestoga Valley. The remaining two unbeatens, Conrad Weiser and Exeter Township, are nipping at McDevitt's heels.
So the Crusaders have a lot riding on Friday night's matchup, both in terms of the Commonwealth standings and playoff positioning.
They'll bring one of Central Pennsylvania's most dangerous offenses into the fray. Piloted by Saunders, a four-year starter who committed to Kentucky before the season, McDevitt forces defenses to account for a slew of dangerous playmakers.
On Sept. 27, Saunders set the state record for career touchdown passes by throwing for two scores in a 28-21 victory over Altoona. The TDs were the 177th and 178th of Saunders' storied career. He's since added a couple more to the record in the Crusaders' last two wins, so his career mark now stands at 180.
Saunders has completed 122 of 191 passes for 1,760 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. His top target is senior Dominic Diaz-Ellis (35-673, 7 TDs), but he often looks for sophomore Jontai Quick (31-493, 6 TDs).
The Crusader ground game is paced by the tandem of Nazir Jones-Davis (70-561, 7 TDs) and Maurice Barnes (82-489, 5 TDs).