We've already arrived at Week 7 of the high school football season in Central Pennsylvania, and from here on out, there will be big games aplenty.
This week has an especially large number of big games on the docket -- so many that we had to add a few honorable mentions to the normal Frenzy Five. (Hey, you can never have too much football, right?)
Remember, we'll have all the scores and highlights on Friday night, starting at 10 p.m. And be sure to watch the High School Football Frenzy at 6, when we'll set up all the action from the site of our Game of the Week.
Let's get to the games:
FOX43 Frenzy Game of the Week
Boiling Springs (1-0, 5-1) at Big Spring (1-0, 5-1)
The road to the Mid-Penn Capital title still goes through defending state champion Steelton-Highspire, but Friday's clash between Boiling Springs and Big Spring should determine who is the No. 1 title contender. Both teams are tied with the undefeated Rollers in first place.
(Steel-High faces Trinity this week, which is certainly not a pushover, but it's also safe to call the Rollers the favorites in that matchup.)
Boiling Springs has won two in a row since falling to Mechanicsburg in a 39-34 shootout back in Week 4. The Bubblers hammered Susquenita 52-8 two weeks ago, and blasted Trinity 43-7 last week. In the latter game, Boiling Springs spotted the Shamrocks and early 7-3 lead, but reeled off five touchdowns before halftime to put the game away early.
Senior running back Jack Liang was the stat star against Trinity, rushing for 183 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries to power the Bubblers' Wing-T attack. He scored on TD runs of 7, 95, and 64 yards -- and even added a 30-yard field goal for Boiling Springs.
Big Spring has won four in a row since its 34-14 loss to Shippensburg in Week 2, including a 42-7 triumph over Camp Hill last week.
The Bulldogs' offense is a little more diverse that Boiling Springs' run-heavy Wing-T, but they still do more of their damage on the ground. Senior Dillon Wakefield leads the way with 508 yards and nine touchdowns on 64 attempts, while Logan Schmidt has 358 yards and six scores on 26 attempts. QB Ethan Eisenberg has completed 36 of 54 passes for 898 yards and 12 TDs.
Other Games to Watch
Cedar Cliff (3-0, 5-1) at Bishop McDevitt (3-0, 4-1)
Sole possession of first place in the Mid-Penn Keystone division is on the line Friday as the Colts cross the Susquehanna to visit McDevitt.
Cedar Cliff is riding a three-game winning streak into Friday's showdown, having dispatched Hershey 28-7 last week. The Colts' only loss of the season was a 20-7 setback against CD East in Week 3.
The Cedar Cliff offense revolves around senior running back Jontae Morris and junior quarterback Ethan Dorrell, the catalysts of a balanced attack that averages 356 yards per game. Morris has racked up 885 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 114 attempts, whiel Dorrell has completed 69 of 108 passes for 836 yards and nine scores. Senior wideout Trenton Smith is Dorrell's top target, with 34 catches for 495 yards and five TDs.
McDevitt has won four straight since dropping its season opener to state powerhouse La Salle College and missing its Week 2 game due to a COVID-19 outbreak. The Crusaders have outscored their opponents 259-21 during their current hot streak, including a 66-7 drubbing of Lower Dauphin last week.
Freshman sensation Stone Saunders is already one of the Mid-Penn's top passers, with 1,039 yards and 17 touchdowns on 56-of-84 passing. The backfield tandem of Marquese Williams (49-674, four TDs) and Cyncir Bowers (30-436, three TDs) powers the ground game, while Mario Easterly 25-463, seven TDs) is the guy to watch out for on the flanks.
Northern (2-0, 4-1) at Shippensburg (3-0, 6-0)
It's a first-place showdown in the Mid-Penn Colonial race as the undefeated Greyhounds host Northern York, which lurks a half-game behind them in the division standings.
The Polar Bears lost a game to COVID-19 earlier this year, and have won two in a row since falling 39-7 to Spring Grove back in Week 3. Last week, they dusted West Perry, 31-14.
Most of Northern's key contributors on offense are underclassmen. Junior QB Timothy Bonin has completed 39 of 67 passes for 589 yards and eight touchdowns in five games, while the backfield tandem of junior Talon Balluscio (72-386, four TD) and Cole Bartrum (49-319, four TD) does most of the heavy lifting on the ground. Seniors Trenton Peach and Aydan Digrugilliers have combined for 22 catches, 333 yards and three TDs.
Shippensburg has looked impressive during its current six-game winning streak, and is coming off a 27-7 rout of Mechanicsburg last week. The Greyhounds are tough to stop because they spread the ball around so effectively; there are four players in their backfield with at least 200 rushing yards, led by senior Nathan Beam (68-326, two TDs). QB Tucker Chamberlain has completed 35 of 56 pass attempts for 705 yards and 11 scores. Junior Erby Weller leads Shippensburg with 24 receptions for 480 yards and eight TDs.
Central York (2-0, 5-0) at Spring Grove (2-0, 5-0)
It's a battle of unbeatens as two of the three teams tied atop the YAIAA Division 1 standings square off in Spring Grove.
Central York, the defending division and District 3 Class 6A champ, has barely been challenged during its current five-game winning streak (the Panthers' Week 4 contest with Red Lion was wiped out by COVID-19). They're averaging 43.8 points per game and have outscored opponents 219-73 this season.
QB Beau Pribula, the Penn State recruit, has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,131 yards and 15 touchdowns. He threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another in last week's 60-0 rout of South Western.
Spring Grove is off to its best start on more than a decade, but the feel-good story around the Rockets was marred by last week's news that a player attacked an official after their 31-14 win over Dover.
On the field, Spring Grove has thrived behind a defense that ranks second in the league (165.7 yards and 10.2 points allowed per game) and a run-heavy offense paced by YAIAA rushing leader Zyree Brooks, who has racked up 983 yards and 14 touchdowns on 98 carries.
Kennard-Dale (2-0, 5-1) at Gettysburg (3-0, 4-2)
The Warriors currently hold a half-game lead over Kennard-Dale in the YAIAA Division 2 standings, so Friday night's winner will have the top spot to themselves.
After a 1-2 start that included a wild, 55-49 triple-overtime loss to Waynesboro, Gettysburg has righted the ship with four straight victories, including a 70-26 drubbing of Eastern York last week. The Warriors run-heavy attack is paced by running back Landon McGee, who has 361 yards and six touchdowns on 68 carries. QB Brady Heiser has completed 30 of 75 passes for 475 yards and seven scores.
Kennard-Dale fell 18-16 to Octorara in its season opener, but hasn't lost since. The Rams rely on a tried-and-true formula -- control the clock with the ground game, and shut the opponent down with stingy defense. K-D is ranked second in the league in scoring defense (9.5 points per game), first in yards allowed (165.5 per game), and is fourth against the run (95.8 yards per game).
On offense, the Rams average a league-high 299.3 yards per game on the ground, paced by RBs Steven Lukes (46-699, 10 TDs) and Micah Partee (50-350, four TDs).
Honorable Mentions
Lampeter-Strasburg (1-0, 5-1) at Donegal (0-0, 4-1)
Donegal's Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3 opener against Garden Spot last week was pushed back by COVID-19, but the Indians are still very much in the section race, a half-game behind co-leaders Ephrata and L-S.
The Indians host L-S this week and visit Ephrata next week, so this is a crucial part of their schedule.
Donegal is 4-0 since falling to backyard rival Elizabethtown in Week 1, while the Pioneers have won five in a row since falling to Warwick in their season opener.
Fairfield (2-0, 3-1) at York Catholic (2-0, 4-0)
Two of the three teams currently tied atop the YAIAA Division 3 standings square off Friday in York, as the undefeated Fighting Irish, who have had two games scrapped by COVID-19, face what could be their biggest challenge of the season thus far.
Central Dauphin East (3-0, 5-1) at Harrisburg (2-0, 5-1)
Showdown Week in the Mid-Penn concludes on Saturday with a battle for first place in the Commonwealth as the resurgent Panthers take on the mighty Cougars. Harrisburg has won two in a row since falling to powerful Governor Mifflin on Sept. 17, while East has won five straight since its 24-21 loss to Manheim Township in the season opener.
