ELLIOTTSBURG, Pa. — The first month of high school football is almost in the books, and we're entering the thick of conference games across Central Pennsylvania.
This week's FOX43 High School Football Frenzy Game of the Week is a first-place battle in the Mid-Penn Conference's Colonial division, and it pits two of Central PA's highest-scoring offenses against one another as West Perry hosts Susquehanna Township.
The game will kick off at 7 p.m., but FOX43's Frenzy crew will preview all the action live from West Perry High School beginning at 6 p.m.
Here's a look at Friday night's matchup.
ABOUT WEST PERRY: The Mustangs are 3-0 and coming off a 16-0 victory at Upper Dauphin last week. It was the second shutout win in three weeks for West Perry, which had a rare off night offensively. The Mustangs put up 102 points in their two previous wins over Susquenita (58-0) and Boiling Springs (44-21).
Against Upper Dauphin, Brad Hockenberry stayed red-hot for West Perry, rushing for 176 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18 carries. Hockenberry, who entered last week's game averaging an astounding 30 yards per rush attempt, already has 614 yards this season. He's found the end zone 10 times in three games.
Senior quarterback Marcus Quaker, a Mansfield recruit, is in his fourth year as a starter under center for the Mustangs, who were expected to regress a bit after going 11-2 and making a run to the District 3 Class 3A title game last year. So far, that regression hasn't happened; West Perry has allowed just three touchdowns on the season while the offense has flourished.
ABOUT SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP: The Indians improved to 3-0 overall and won their second straight Colonial division game with a 61-10 rout of Boiling Springs last week, riding a red-hot performance from junior quarterback Torrin Evans, who threw for 413 yards and five touchdowns.
Susquehanna Township outgained Boiling Springs 581-192 in total yards and even scored a defensive touchdown on a fumble return.
It was a typical offensive explosion for the Indians, who have put up 132 points in their first three games. Hanna has also defeated Penn Hills (36-30) and Greencastle-Antrim (35-13) this season.
Evans has completed 48 of 67 passes for 908 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first three games. His top targets are Lex Cyrus (13-270, 3 TDs) and Jarrett Kern (13-260, 4 TDs), but there are seven Indians with at least one catch so far this season.
Hanna does most of its damage through the air, but Xavier Rivera has 189 yards and a touchdown to lead the Indian ground attack.
The Indians are coming off a 7-4 campaign last year. They lost 45-34 to Manheim Central in the first round of Districts.