STEELTON, Pa. — With only three weeks left in the regular season, the majority of the games on this week's schedule have some sort of implications, whether it's in division races or for playoff positioning.
The FOX43 High School Football Frenzy Game of the Week is no exception.
Camp Hill's visit to Steelton-Highspire Friday night could have impact on both the Mid-Penn Capital Division title race and the District 3 Class 2A playoff bracket, depending on the outcome.
It also pits two defending District 3 champions against one another. Camp Hill rolled to the Class 2A title last season, while Steel-High won the Class 1A crown on its way to a second straight state title last year, before getting bumped up to Class 2A this season.
Thanks to some uncharacteristic early season losses, Steel-High finds itself in the midst of a three-team race for the Mid-Penn Capital title. But the Rollers are sitting pretty on top of the District 3 Class 2A power rankings, which are used to determine the four-team playoff bracket at the end of the regular season. A win on Friday would boost their chances in both races.
Camp Hill is currently 1.5 games out of first place in the Capital race and ranked No. 3 in the Class 2A power rankings. An upset Friday night would vault the Lions back into the Capital title picture and help their chances of securing a spot in Districts.
That's what's at stake Friday night. Here's a closer look at the matchup.
ABOUT CAMP HILL: The visiting Lions have lost two of their last three games, including a 30-21 setback against Upper Dauphin last Friday. The mini-slump has muted a strong start for Camp Hill, which started the season 3-1.
In addition to their loss against UD, the Lions also fell 42-41 to Lancaster Catholic in double overtime in their season opener, and were hammered 35-7 by current Mid-Penn Capital leader Juniata on Sept. 20.
Camp Hill's wins have come over Big Spring (14-13), Susquenita (55-7), Newport (43-14), and Halifax (7-0).
The Lions are 3-2 in the Capital division, 1.5 games behind front-runner Juniata and a game behind runner-ups Steel-High and Line Mountain, who they face in Week 9 before closing the regular season at James Buchanan.
Camp Hill probably can't catch Juniata in the division race, but a win over Steel-High would go a long way toward securing the Lions a spot in the upcoming District 3 playoffs. They currently are sitting at No. 3 in the Class 2A power rankings, behind the front-running Rollers and Lancaster Catholic. Upper Dauphin sits at No. 4.
The mathematical intricacies of the power rankings make playoff predictions difficult at this point, but it's probably safe to assume the Lions need at least one more win, and possibly two, to lock down a playoff spot. That's why Friday's visit to the Rollers is a big one.
If the Lions get into the playoffs, they know they can do some damage, as evidenced by their surprising run to the District 3 Class 2A title and an appearance in the state quarterfinals last year.
To win on Friday, Camp Hill will need a big performance from senior quarterback Drew Branstetter, who has thrown for 1,488 yards and 19 touchdowns and is second on the team in rushing with 293 yards and a TD on 31 carries this season. His top target, Alex Long, has hauled in 32 receptions for 568 yards and five scores.
Juniors Alexander Serdar (38-294, four TDs) and M.A. Scaringi (45-235) help power Camp Hill's ground attack, which averages 129 yards per game.
ABOUT STEEL-HIGH: The Rollers were bumped up to Class 2A in the offseason, so they won't be able to defend the District 3 and PIAA Class 1A titles they captured in last year's perfect 16-0 run.
Steel-High, which won three Class 1A state titles in the last four years, is trying to maintain that championship mentality with a lot of new faces, since the guts of last year's title team is gone, thanks to graduation.
There have been some struggles; Steel-High dropped a 29-14 decision to Juniata back on August 30 (ending the Rollers' 29-game winning streak), and fell 41-20 to Class 4A playoff contender Susquehanna Township in a non-league game on September 19.
But the Rollers have won four of their last five games overall, including a 55-0 rout of James Buchanan last week and a wild 43-40 triumph over Line Mountain in a rainstorm two weeks ago.
As a result, Steel-High finds itself tied with Line Mountain for second place, a half-game behind Juniata, which faces Greencastle-Antrim in a non-league matchup this week. Line Mountain defeated Juniata 20-18 on Sept. 6, so it's possible that their could be a three-way tie for first in the Capital race at the end of the regular season if everyone wins out.
Steel-High is also ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A power rankings, so the Rollers could be looking at home-field advantage the playoffs if they keep winning. After this week's visit from Camp Hill, Steel-High closes the regular season at Susquenita (2-5) and at home against Newport (1-6).
The Rollers lost arguably the most successful senior class in program history after last season, but don't think they're any less dangerous. Wide receiver and defensive back Nazir Fuller helped subdue Line Mountain with a late interception two weeks ago, and Angel Luciano, a standout linebacker, is receiving college looks.
Other players to watch include RBs Jaishawn George and Jerome Ross Jr., quarterback Yahmir Ceasar, and wideout James Evans.