It’s almost time for football season, and the Mid Penn’s best were on full display at 2023 Media Day at Cumberland Valley High School. All the Mid Penn teams started off their year doing interviews and taking pictures on Chapman field. The end goal is to return to “The Chap”, the site of the PIAA football championships when December rolls around. One team from the Mid Penn Commonwealth reached it last year, when Harrisburg fell to St. Joe’s Prep the 6A Championship, but will the Commonwealth division have enough power to send another team to Chapman field?
1. Harrisburg (10-0 OVR, 7-0 DIV)
Harrisburg is thought of as the best public school team in the state of Pennsylvania, and I think they’ll be successful once again in league play. With a much weaker Commonwealth division in 2023, the Cougars’ toughest challenges in the season will be State College and Manheim Township. The non-division matchup with the Blue Streaks from Manheim Township will be their third in 2 years, when the Cougars took a 4-point loss in week 2, then gaining a 44-6 dominant win in the 6A District championship, which led them to another win against State College, 27-7, earning the Cougars a trip to the 6A State Championship, where they finished as runner ups. Harrisburg will return a lot in 2023, including quarterback Shawn Lee, stud wide receiver Elias Coke, and nationally ranked Sophomore Kevin Brown.
2. State College (9-1 OVR, 6-1 DIV)
State College will have a lighter out-of-division slate where I see them winning all 3 against Williamsport, Downingtown East, and Hollidaysburg. Then, they’ll get into divisional matchups starting with Altoona, Central Dauphin, and CD East. I see the Little Lions starting 7-0 and finishing with just one loss to Harrisburg. The only loss Harrisburg took in 2022 was in the state semi-final to Harrisburg, losing 27-7 after previously beating the Cougars 20-6 in week 8. Finn Furmanek will be a big loss at QB for State College, while I see Ty Salazer having a big year at WR and DB for the Little Lions.
3. Cumberland Valley (5-5 OVR, 4-3 DIV)
It’s no secret that the Eagles are a rebuilding group, with a loss of Isaac Sines at quarterback and lots of other losses on defense. Incoming junior Kaden Schoenly will be a solid replacement at QB, but Deagan Rardain and Grant Shepley are two viable options for Coach Oswalt if he takes the Eagles in that direction. The Eagles opened up with two huge wins in 2022, beating Manheim Township and Central York to start the season, two games I see going from W to L this season. After that, I see them going ⅘ in their next five, beating Spring Ford, CD East, Chambersburg and Central Dauphin, and just losing to Harrisburg. In their last 3, I see a second straight loss to Carlisle and another loss to State College, and finishing with a win to Altoona to finish the year .500.
4. Central Dauphin (4-6 OVR, 4-3 DIV)
Central Dauphin will open with a tough stretch of Central York, Wilson and Coatesville, meaning all their wins will come in division this season. Luckily, I see the Rams winning more divisional games than losing, winning against Chambersburg, Carlisle, Altoona and CD East, and losing to State College, Cumberland Valley, and Harrisburg. The linemen will be a big focus, having Maryland commit Anthony Robsock and James Madison signee Evan Bushong up front. Keyron Plummer will also have a spotlight, looking for a strong return at the quarterback position after missing most of his junior season.
5. Central Dauphin East (6-4 OVR, 4-3 DIV)
CD East will have a big year in 2023, a chance for head coach Lance Deane to show the Mid Penn conference, and maybe the state that they can stay successful consistently. No, their numbers may not show it, but last season was not a washout for the Panthers, as a first year football player, who was trying it out as a senior, had football change his entire life. Of course I’m talking about Vincent Carroll-Jackson, the lineman who got the attention of Matt Rhule and Nebraska, earning an offer from the Huskers after one year of experience. Deane knows a thing or two about coaching, as he’s been a huge part of Micah Parsons’ journey to NFL glory. This season, East High will open up 2-1 with non-division wins against Reading and Northeastern. As far as divisional stuff, the Panthers can beat CV, Altoona, CD and Carlisle.
6. Altoona (6-4 OVR, 3-4 DIV)
The Mountain Lions will have a much different season than CD, getting half of their wins in the 3 weeks of non-division play. They’ll have Hollidaysburg, Taylor Allderdice, and Mifflin County in the opening 3, winning all 3 of those games, then heading into divisional play with the Commonwealth foes in State College, where they’ll take their first loss, starting the year 3-1. From there, they can beat CD East, and they’ll start the back 9 pretty rough, dropping to Harrisburg, Chambersburg and Central Dauphin. At the 4-4 mark, they can close out with wins against Carlisle and Cumberland Valley. Hayden Speece and Bron Mosley will be the forces on the line and at RB/LB in 2023.
7. Carlisle (4-6 OVR, 3-4 DIV)
Coach Brett Ickes stepped down after leading a great group to the playoffs last season, allowing the Herd to bring in Brandon Cook, an assistant from Shippensburg University as well as OC Chance Powell, a veteran high school football coach, who’s spent time with state-wide known programs like McDevitt and Harrisburg. The list goes on and on for Carlisle’s losses, including QB Louie Shank, PSFCA East-West all star EZ Thomas, big time lineman Layton Schmick, and star WR transfer Jeremiah Hargrove. This opens the door for the WR pairing of Carson Swartz and Eli Hargrove to step up big time for The Herd. They’ll open with a backyard brawl, facing Mechanicsburg, then head into tougher non-divisional games against Governor Mifflin and York, where I see them losing. Into divisional opponents, they open with the mighty Harrisburg, Chambersburg and Central Dauphin, where I see 1 more win, kicking off the season at 2-4, and rebounding with a .500 finish, beating CV and CD East, losing to State College and Altoona, finishing at 4-6.
8. Chambersburg (3-7 OVR, 2-5 DIV)
The Trojans start the year with Pope John Paul II, a rare team facing a different non-divisional opponent than 2022, as Chambersburg faced CB East in last year’s Peach Bowl Event, which will be re-done as the Rose Bowl at York Suburban on August 25th and 26th. As for the rest of their non-divisional, they’ll have Northern and Waynesboro, and I see them finishing those opening 3 with a 2-1 record. Then, I project they’ll struggle in division play, starting off with losses to CD, Carlisle and CV, rebounding with Altoona and CD East, then closing with losses to Harrisburg and State College to close the year at 3-7.
