CAMP HILL, Pa. — Setting new records is an old habit for Alex Erby.
The senior quarterback is already Steelton-Highspire's all-time leading passer, but this week can carve his name into Pennsylvania history.
Erby needs just two passing yards to move up to No. 2 on the state's all-time passing yardage list. He's poised to leapfrog Port Allegany’s Matt Bodamer, who passed for 10,948 yards from 2009-12.
With an average outing—by his standards, anyway—Erby could take over the No. 1 spot in Pennsylvania on Friday as well. He's currently 138 yards shy of all-time leader Brett Brumbaugh, who had 11,804 passing yards during his career at South Fayette from 2011-14, according to Pennsylvania Football News.
Finding a way to slow down Erby and the Rollers is the challenge facing Camp Hill, who hosts Steel-High Friday night in a Mid-Penn Capital Division battle that doubles as the FOX43 High School Football Frenzy Game of the Week.
The Frenzy gets underway Friday at 6 p.m., when FOX43's sports team will be on the scene to get you ready for all the action. It concludes with highlights at 11 p.m.
Here's a look at Friday night's matchup.
ABOUT STEEL-HIGH: Erby, a 6-4, 210-pound four-year starter, was instrumental in Steel-High's 2022 run to the PIAA Class A state title, when he threw for 3,389 yards and 40 touchdowns and added six more scores on the ground. The Rollers surged to a 14-1 record that culminated with a 22-8 victory over Union Area in the title game.
This year, the Rollers have picked right up where they left off. Steel-High has racked up six straight victories, averaging 44.3 points per outing, and carry a perfect 6-0 record into Camp Hill.
The Rollers have allowed three total touchdowns in their last three games, so their defense appears to be rounding into postseason form as well.
Erby, who is coming off a 467-yard, six-touchdown performance in last week's 48-7 win over Middletown, has already thrown for 1,718 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, adding four touchdowns on the ground.
Football at Steel-High is a family affair for Erby; his dad, Andrew, has coached the Rollers since 2014, and his twin brother Andrew Jr. is one of his protectors on the offensive line (as well as a top-tier disruptor at defensive end).
The Erby brothers are determined to play together in college, and in July announced they were extending their recruiting period. Both Erbys have reportedly received scholarship offers from Penn State, Maryland, Nebraska, Pitt and James Madison, among others.
But the Erbys are far from the Rollers' only weapons.
Senior RB Ronald Burnette already has well over 500 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while the duo of Durrell Ceasar Jr. and Jaeion Perry lead a small army of dangerous receivers. Ceasar has 1,136 yards and five touchdowns on 37 catches, while Perry has 25 catches for 495 yards and eight scores.
Steel-High is trying to defend its District 3 and PIAA Class 1A titles, and it looks like a good bet to do so on both counts.
ABOUT CAMP HILL: The Lions snapped a two-game skid with last week's 22-3 rout of Susquenita. Camp Hill opened the season with three straight victories before running into a rough patch with losses to Big Spring (29-28 in OT) and Middletown (14-7).
Junior quarterback Drew Branstetter celebrated his return from injury with three touchdown passes against Susquenita last week. He was knocked out of the game in the third quarter of the Lions' loss to Big Spring and missed all of Camp Hill's loss to Middletown, when his team managed just one touchdown.
Branstetter has completed 101 of 150 passes for 1.391 yards and 15 touchdowns in five games for the Lions, adding 95 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.
The Camp Hill QB has plenty of options to look for whenever he goes back to pass; there are five Lions with double-digit pass receptions this season. Juniors Alex Long (33-454, three TDs) and Noah Doi (24-419, eight TDs) are Branstetter's most-frequent targets.
Camp Hill averages 253.8 passing yards and 98.5 rushing yards per game. Their top threat on the ground is senior Kobe Moore, who has 219 yards and a touchdown on 52 carries.
POWER POINTS: Since Steel-High is only one of three Class 1A schools in District 3—the top two teams go directly to the district final—the Rollers don't need to worry too much about their standing in the power rankings, which are used to determine the playoff field in each of the district's six classes. Steel-High is currently the only 1A team with a winning record and is a sure bet to make the postseason.
Camp Hill is currently ranked third in the Class 2A power rankings. The top four teams make the playoffs. While anything can happen over the regular season's final month, at this point the Lions appear to be sitting pretty no matter what happens Friday against the Rollers.
Trinity (3-2) and Annville-Cleona (4-2) are currently ranked 1-2 in the power point standings, while Delone Catholic (3-3) is chasing Camp Hill at the No. 4 spot. The district's three other Class 2A schools—Columbia, York Catholic, and Newport—have a combined 2-16 record, and none appear to be in any position to threaten Delone or Camp Hill for the final two playoff spots.