Week 1 got every team’s feet wet for their non-divisional schedule and now it’s time for teams to either rebound in week 2 or build off a 1-0 start this week. This week’s special guest, and first guest of the 2023 season, is Christian Eby. Eby just started his 4th season covering High School Sports for the Carlisle Sentinel, covering multiple Mid-Penn teams in Cumberland County. Here are our week 2 picks for the Mid-Penn conference:
Record: 19-9
This week’s guest: Christian Eby, sports reporter
THURSDAY GAMES
Mechanicsburg (0-1) vs Cedar Cliff (1-0)
Luke Brown: Cedar Cliff 35, Mechanicsburg 16
The Colts started off strong, avenging their 2022 season-ender Shippensburg with a week 1 win. As for the Wildcats, they put up a fight against Carlisle, and I expect a Colts 19-point W on Thursday.
Christian Eby: Cedar Cliff 31, Mechanicsburg 28
Cedar Cliff found its early-season legs against Ship behind Erik Schriver’s three second-half rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Wildcats gathered over 300 yards through the air against Carlisle. While I think both teams’ strengths will carry into Week 2, I see the Colts toughing out their second win of the season.
Cedar Crest (1-0) vs CD East (1-0)
Luke Brown: CD East 28, Cedar Crest 14
Both sides coming off dominant week 1 W’s, but Deane’s Panthers get the job done over the L-L’s Cedar Crest in week 2.
Christian Eby: CD East 42, Cedar Crest 17
Cedar Crest struck down CD East 29-22 in last year’s matchup. But the 2023 edition of the Panthers, following quite the opening statement against Reading, has a different roar to them. Give me East in a convincing fashion.
FRIDAY GAMES
Bermudian Springs (0-1) vs Boiling Springs (0-1)
Luke Brown: Bermudian Springs 17, Boiling Springs 14
In a battle between Springs, I see Boiling starting off their year 0-2, and Bermudian rebounding back to .500 on the year.
Christian Eby: Boiling Springs 20, Bermudian Springs 14
The Springs combined for 15 points in their season openers. I don’t see big numbers sneaking onto the board in Week 2, but I think Bubbletown bounces back behind the one-two punch of Gage Hughes and Matt McNair.
Milton Hershey (1-0) vs Middletown (0-1)
Luke Brown: Milton Hershey 56, Middletown 7
Milton Hershey is riding high after escaping with a come-from-behind win, and LD handed the Blue Raiders a big-time loss last week. The Spartans make it round 2 this week for the recovering Raiders.
Christian Eby: Milton Hershey 49, Middletown 6
It’s going to be a rebuilding year for the Blue Raiders under head coach Scott Govern. The Spartans walk away from Week 2 unscathed.
Moore Catholic (NY) vs Trinity (1-0)
Luke Brown: Trinity 28, Moore Catholic 20
Trinity handled business in week 1 behind a 2-TD day for Mickens. They defeated the Mavericks from Staten Island in a close one.
Christian Eby: Trinity 29, Moore Catholic 26
Head coach Jordan Hill doesn’t mess around with non-league matchups. So despite not having any knowledge of the Mavericks, I know Moore Catholic is on the Shamrocks schedule for a reason. Trinity brought out the offensive fireworks against Delone Catholic, and with some linchpins in Jacob Ness and Tucker Paynter on the defensive side, I’m rolling with the ‘Rocks.
Shippensburg (0-1) vs Big Spring (0-1)
Luke Brown: Shippensburg 28, Big Spring 21
Both squads are recovering from senior losses as well as week 1 L’s, but I see the Greyhounds keeping the Little Brown Jug for another year, making it an even 12 for Ship.
Christian Eby: Big Spring 27, Shippensburg 23
I recently moved, so I understand the pain of getting everything transferred over to a new address. 201 Eberly Drive has housed the Little Brown Jug for the last 11 years, but I see a new residency at 100 Mount Rock Road in the making. Big Spring wins the battle in the trenches and leans on the backs of Connor Green and Grant Hall to pull out a tight victory in Newville.
West Perry (1-0) vs Newport (0-1)
Luke Brown: West Perry 42, Newport 6
The Mustangs put together an impressive week 1 over a solid Susquenita team, and Newport was shut out 21-0. The 1-2 punch of Goodling and Quaker will shut down the Buffaloes again in week 2.
Christian Eby: West Perry 56, Newport 0
Marcus Quaker. Ian Goodling. Brad Hockenberry. Caleb Gutshall. Enough said. The Mustangs hand Newport its second shutout of the season.
York Catholic (0-1) vs Camp Hill (1-0)
Luke Brown: Camp Hill 24, York Catholic 21
The Lions won on a miracle from Michael Shartle last year, and now it’s time for the Lions to show what they can do against the Fighting Irish, who are recovering from a loss last week to Lancaster Catholic.
Christian Eby: Camp Hill 23, York Catholic 21
I think we all expected the Lions to put up more than 21 points against Newport. But I think there’s a lot to like from Camp Hill’s Week 1 performance, including the first shutout pitched since 2021 and the steady arm of quarterback Drew Branstetter. Lions crank it up a notch in Week 2 to outlast the Fighting Irish.
Steel-High (1-0) vs Eastern (DC) (0-0)
Luke Brown: Steel High 35, Eastern 21
Steel High was truly tested in week 1 for the first time in a while. Eastern brings a lot of question marks to the table, but I see the Rollers advancing to a 14-point win.
Christian Eby: Steel-High 34, Eastern 22
The Rollers rolled out one of the better comebacks in recent memory last week against Imani Christian. Alex Erby dials up another doozy.
Greencastle (1-0) vs Berkeley Springs (WV) (0-1)
Luke Brown: Greencastle 35, Berkeley Springs 0
The Blue Devils’ trip to West Virginia is actually a shorter trip than they’ll take to Delone Catholic next week. They make the trip well worth their time this week with a 5 touchdown shutout.
Christian Eby: Greencastle 33, Berkeley Springs 0
There’s no question this isn’t the same Greencastle team from a year ago. But with some returning pieces on both sides of the scrimmage, the Blue Devils bounce Berkeley for consecutive seasons.
Gettysburg (0-1) vs New Oxford (1-0)
Luke Brown: Gettysburg 38, New Oxford 28
The Warriors fell in a close one with Hershey last week, and New Oxford gained 1 in the W column last Friday, but I see Gettysburg rebounding big and showing everyone that they still belong in the conversation of a Mid Penn top team.
Christian Eby: Gettysburg 35, New Oxford 31
The Warriors went pound-for-pound with Hershey last week but fell a 2-point conversion short of their first win. Quarterback Brady Heiser throws for over 200 yards and three touchdowns this week as Gettysburg survives the Colonials.
Susquehanna Township (0-1) vs Northern Lebanon (0-1)
Luke Brown: Susquehanna Township 28, Northern Lebanon 15
The Indians fell in a heartbreaker last week. They get revenge and start the hot streak this week with the Vikings.
Christian Eby: Susquehanna Township 34, Northern Lebanon 21
This has the makings for one of the best matchups of the Week 2 slate. I think Joe Headen’s bunch comes with some added motivation following a one-point setback to Milton Hershey.
Northern (1-0) vs Chambersburg (0-1)
Luke Brown: Northern 28, Chambersburg 6
Chambersburg challenged themselves with Pope John Paul II last week and faced another challenge in week 2 with the Polar Bears coming off a win.
Christian Eby: Northern 23, Chambersburg 14
Both teams have some question marks on offense. I think it’ll come down to success on the ground, and the Polar Bears have a bruiser in the backfield in Cole Bartram. He gouges the Trojans for two rushing TDs and 175 yards.
East Penn (1-0) vs Palmyra (1-0)
Luke Brown: East Penn 42, Palmyra 13
Palmyra picked up a win in week 1, but East Penn’s 37-6 win was really convincing against York Suburban. East Penn defeats Palmyra in the battle between Orange and Black teams.
Christian Eby: East Pennsboro 34, Palmyra 17
East Penn kicked off 100 years of football in Enola in style with a 37-6 triumph against York Suburban. The momentum carries over, and the Panthers claw their way to victory No. 2.
Hershey (1-0) vs Waynesboro (1-0)
Luke Brown: Hershey 22, Waynesboro 16
I’m loving Hershey High School football right now after last week. If they want to win games, they will have to fight like a Trojan, and they do that again in week 2.
Christian Eby: Hershey 17, Waynesboro 14
I don’t think you can ignore the Trojans’ Week 1 victory against Gettysburg. And on paper, the Indians lack the firepower of past seasons. Hershey sneaks past in a low-scoring affair.
Taylor Allderdice (0-1) vs Altoona (0-1)
Luke Brown: Altoona 28, Taylor Allerdice 14
Altoona needs as much non-league success as they can get ahead of a tough Commonwealth schedule. They grab a non-league win in week 2 to rebound back to .500.
Christian Eby: Altoona 23, Taylor Allerdice 7
Allerdice hasn’t beaten Altoona since the two clubs added each other to the schedule in 2016. The trend continues on Friday.
Downingtown East (1-0) vs State College (1-0)
Luke Brown: State College 42, Downingtown East 35
State College gets right back in business this week with another out-of-division win. Ty Salazer has another impressive performance with 2 TD’s.
Christian Eby: Downingtown East 38, State College 35
I can see this game coming down to a successful two-minute drill. Giving the advantage to the Cougars comes down to last week’s 43-0 blanking of Pennridge.
Central Dauphin (0-1) vs Wilson (0-1)
Luke Brown: Central Dauphin 35, Wilson 34
Despite their week 1 loss to Central York, I love this Rams team in 2022. They scheduled a tough out-of-division, especially with Wilson, who are recovering from a Roman Catholic loss. CD wins the upset of the week in the second of ten weeks.
Christian Eby: Wilson 42, Central Dauphin 38
The Rams are leaps ahead of last season – where they finished 3-7 – after nearly knocking off Central York. The Bulldogs come off a 49-14 beatdown at the hands of Roman Catholic, but I think they show their bark this week in a barnburner.
Carlisle (1-0) vs Governor Mifflin (0-1)
Luke Brown: Governor Mifflin 28, Carlisle 21
Carlisle has a good squad this season, but Governor Mifflin handed them the 7-point loss in week 2.
Christian Eby: Carlisle 26, Governor Mifflin 20
Carlisle’s steady run game and up-tempo offense wore down Mechanicsburg in Week 1. If the Thundering Herd can maintain those two components, I think skipper Brandon Cook is awarded his second career win.
Harrisburg (1-0) vs Delaware Valley (0-1)
Luke Brown: Harrisburg 49, Delaware Valley 12
Harrisburg cruises to victory again this week after a big win over York in the opening week. The Cougars’ Elias Coke has another big-time performance in week 2, grabbing 2 TD’s, and Shawn Lee Jr. puts on a show again this week.
Christian Eby: Harrisburg 42, Delaware Valley 20
If the Cougars breezed past an electric York squad in Week 1, I don’t think there’s much chance against Delaware Valley.
Central York (1-0) vs Cumberland Valley (0-1)
Luke Brown: Central York 31, Cumberland Valley 24
Cumberland Valley’s HC Josh Oswalt beat his former team in Central York last season, but I don’t see it repeating after Central York’s impressive win last week against another Commonwealth division squad. CV starts off 0-2 this season.
Christian Eby: Central York 42, Cumberland Valley 13
The loss of quarterback Isaac Sines to graduation may hurt more than CV originally anticipated, as evidenced by a 35-6 loss to Manheim Township last week. And the Panthers just might be an even more formidable opponent.
GAME OF THE WEEK: McDevitt (1-0) vs DePaul Catholic (NJ) (0-0)
Luke Brown: McDevitt 24, DePaul Catholic 21
McDevitt scraped by with an out-of-state win last week, and they will do it again against the tough Spartans from Wayne, NJ. Penn State offered Deshawn Stewart at DePaul receiver will create challenges, but I see Saunders with another impressive game to continue the winning streak for the Crusaders.
Christian Eby: DePaul Catholic 27, Bishop McDevitt 21
The Crusaders can’t afford another sluggish start after scoring only six points across the first three-quarters last week. With some fresher legs, I’m taking the Spartans as my upset for the week.
Red Land (0-1) vs Northeastern (0-1)
Luke Brown: Northeastern 17, Red Land 14
Red Land has a lot of last year’s team still on the roster, but they just barely lost to a similar Northeastern team after last week’s close loss.
Christian Eby: Red Land 14, Northeastern 10
I’m not sure where this Red Land team stands after nearly knocking off Northern last week. I’m rolling the dice and saying Eric Depew’s bunch gets the job done in a defensive scrap.
Mifflin County (1-0) vs Shikellamy (1-0)
Luke Brown: Mifflin County 28, Shikellamy 21
Mifflin County needs to stay perfect to make a push in a very tough Keystone division race. They do just that in week 2.
Christian Eby: Mifflin County 28, Shikellamy 17
The Huskies carved up Central Mountain 41-7 in Week 1. I don’t see a repeat performance against the Braves, but the boys from Lewistown do enough to move to 2-0.
Lower Dauphin (1-0) vs Twin Valley (1-0)
Luke Brown: Lower Dauphin 28, Twin Valley 24
Lower Dauphin is riding high after their big-time week 1 win, and I see them continuing on that note this week.
Christian Eby: Twin Valley 26, Lower Dauphin 23
LD didn’t get much of a test from Middletown while Twin Valley handled Schuylkill Valley 44-13. The Raiders execute late to clip the Falcons.
James Buchanan (0-1) vs Clear Spring (MD) (0-0)
Luke Brown: James Buchanan 14, Clear Spring 7
The Rocks from JB grab their second straight win over MD’s Clear Spring.
Christian Eby: Clear Spring 13, James Buchanan 8
Twenty points were put up between these two clubs last year. Clear Spring flips the script this time around in another low-scoring affair.
Shenandoah Valley (1-0) vs Upper Dauphin (0-1)
Luke Brown: Shenandoah Valley 28, Upper Dauphin 7
Upper Dauphin is losing a lot of talent in 2023, and they fall for the second straight week to Shenandoah Valley.
Christian Eby: Shenandoah Valley 33, Upper Dauphin 16
I think UD’s 28-0 setback to Williams Valley speaks higher volumes than the 51 points Shenandoah dropped on Columbia Montour Vo-Tech.
Line Mountain (1-0) vs Danville (1-0)
Luke Brown: Line Mountain 31, Danville 18
Line Mountain is on top of the Mid Penn Liberty after their 54-12 win, and they even landed a spot in PennLive’s Mid Penn Dandy Dozen. Kaden Maurer ranked #2 on Mid Penn’s top player in week 1. They’ve got the momentum, and it won’t slow down in week 2.
Christian Eby: Line Mountain 27, Danville 23
Not to take from Luke, but I think momentum will be a crucial piece to the winning puzzle for Line Mountain. Danville will give the Eagles some fits, but it won’t be enough to pry away a win.
Midd-West (0-1) vs Halifax (0-1)
Luke Brown: Midd-West 35, Halifax 8
Midd-West goes on the road for Halifax’s home opener. The Mustangs of Midd-West won by 34 last year, and they tacked on another 27 points to the matchup history.
Christian Eby: Halifax 28, Midd-West 13
Neither Midd-West nor Halifax generated much momentum in their Week 1 performance, but I think the Wildcats are the more well-rounded team.
Biglerville (1-0) vs Susquenita (0-1)
Luke Brown: Susquenita 30, Biglerville 14
Susquenita usually puts up a fight in the Liberty, and the return of brothers Drew and Derek Gibney puts up a solid fight against a great West Perry team. Now, they’ll have the Canners, and send the Canners rolling home on Friday night, winning by 16.
Christian Eby: Susquenita 36, Biglerville 13
After seeing the punches Susquenita threw at West Perry last week, I get a sense there’s a different hunger in Duncannon this year. I’m flying with the Blackhawks.
Selinsgrove (1-0) vs Juniata (0-1)
Luke Brown: Juniata 21, Selinsgrove 13
Juniata is staring into the eyes of a tight Liberty battle ahead of them. They need the week 2 win, and they get it against the Seals.
Christian Eby: Selinsgrove 26, Juniata 18
I have to make one pick based on the cooler nickname, right? Is that how this works? This is another game I think could go down to the wire, so I’m taking the Seals in a coin flip.
