Mid State Preseason Rankings/Scheduling: All classes, Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
1 State College 12-2
State High returns a pile of talent with a favorable schedule playing St. Augustine Prep-NJ, Harrisburg, Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley at home. They open with fellow District 6 opponent Mifflin County who they beat last year 35-12 and 42-7 in the postseason. The Huskies are rebuilding after graduating 28 seniors but return DL stalwarts in tackles Bronson Smith-Price at 6-5, 320 and Logan Renniger 6-5, 260 to plug the middle. But State’s speed will get the corner then tackle St. Augustine Prep (7-4) who they defeated 19-7 last year in Jersey. SAP went on to lose to St. Joseph Regional (10-2) 16-8 in the Non-Public Group 4 playoffs with SJR winning Group 4 defeating Bergen Catholic 13-0.
2 Manheim Township 10-2
Township opens at home to CD East who they edged last year at Landis Field 16-10. East High has some people but the Blue Streaks are loaded and a tough road out in an opener. Mid rung is still good stuff in the Commonwealth
(CD East, Chambersburg) so you can’t get cocky with these guys. Then comes a road trip to rebuilding Dallastown where they should roll the Wildcats before playing CD East’s big brother Central Dauphin High who they split with last year taking the regular season game 22-12 then losing 27-0 in the postseason rematch.
3 Central Dauphin 9-4
Central Dauphin gets no break from this year’s schedule opening at Wilson, home to Berks Catholic then on to Manheim Township their first three games of the year. Come on CD, play somebody! Then comes a road trips to Cumberland Valley, Harrisburg and State College with Chambersburg at home. They beat Wilson last year 23-7, but it’s never fun opening on the road at Gurski where the Bulldogs are mean. Tough one for the Rams but a noble test to start the season.
4 Harrisburg 13-2
Two time defending Mid Penn-Commonwealth champ Harrisburg like Central Dauphin opens with an array of strong teams, playing at Coatesville before going to Ohio power and defending Div-2 champ Archbishop Hoban….then coming home to play West Shore power Cedar Cliff. Coatesville will be looking for pay back against the Cougars who shocked them 27-24 in the 6A semifinal after Coatesville handled them in the opener 37-6 at Harrisburg’s Severance Field! Too many green parts for the Cougars to come away with a win playing Ortega and company on the road. Rubber match!
5 Manheim Central 14-1, 5A
The Barons return one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the country in Evan Simon and all his principle receivers suggesting they’ll light it up again, beginning with Susquehanna Township and Hempfield at home. Both Hanna and Hemp have veteran Qbs so it could get interesting early with the test being if either can hang. They couldn’t last year losing 44-0 and 28-7 respectively. Then they’re on the road against Warwick and Wilson, teams they edged 27-20 and 20-10 last year at home. Should get interesting!
6 Wilson 8-4
Wilson has a killer schedule, opening at home to Central Dauphin, followed by a road game at fierce rival Governor Mifflin who they defeated 42-28 last year. Then comes Spring Ford against a former member of their staff in Chad Brubaker, the Rams head coach. Coach Brubaker always has them fired up for Wilson, losing last year in West Lawn 33-22, and again in 2017 28-21, and the year before going to double overtime in 2016 before losing 41-40. Some kind of games between these two! Following this is a mandated crossover game with Manheim Central who won last year 20-10.
7 Warwick 9-3, 5A
Warwick should come out smoking playing Ephrata, Garden Spot, Hempfield and McCaskey (Lancaster High) 4 of their first 5 games. But Manheim Central is wedged in game #3 in Lititz, giving Warwick every chance at a win. With both Ds replacing some key parts and two of the best quarterbacks in the mid-state in 6-3, 210 Evan Simon (2753p, 661r, 53%, 30/10) dueling Joey McCracken at 6-2, 185 (1974p, 59%, 27/3), the scorekeeper may have a hard time keeping up. Central won last year 27-20. With just 5 miles separating the towns, it’ll be a packed house with a lot of emotion on the field, and one of the top games in the state September 9th Friday night, under the lights.
8 Berks Catholic 10-3, 4A
They’re rebuilding but will still be a load if they can manage a schedule that has them playing Central Dauphin, McDonogh School and Malvern Prep in 3 of their first 5 games. Exeter, CD and McDonogh kick it off with Exeter the homer. McDonogh will be a hard one in Maryland vs Qb Kristopher Jenner (6-5, 225), a Columbia commit.
9 Governor Mifflin 7-5, 5A
Mustangs open with two homers, Cedar Cliff and Wilson, teams they lost to last season 30-0 and 42-28 before traveling to Cocalico who also beat them 35-21. They’re a good team that could win both going to Denver 2-0. Thereon they’ll cruise until decisive conference games at home vs Exeter Township then finishing at Conrad Weiser. Wilson and Cocalico back-to-back will tell us much about them and set the tone for the year and impact 5A with Cocalico also playing Manheim Central later in the year.
10 Southern Columbia 16-0, 2A
Southern is finally stepping up HUGE traveling to South Carolina to play the top private school in the state, Hammond, owner of 16 state titles. They’re a 3A in the SCISA (SC Independent School Asso.), almost always ranked in SC’s Top 20 with a 10 year won-loss of 117-10. Not as up on SC ball as GA-FL but they are not always in 6A Brynes (Duncan) class, Gaffney, South Pointe etc, but are awesome with inordinate talent. Last year’s freshman CJ Stokes (5-10, 175) is already turning heads and was offered by SC while senior DT Alex Hunley (6-4, 270) already committed to the Gamecocks. Senior DE Jordan Burch (6-5, 250) is the #1 ranked prospect by major services with all the SEC teams (visited Bama) lining up for his services. Southern needs to brace for real speed and physicality not seen in the Heartland Conference vs Shamokin, Shikellamy and Central Columbia.
11 Chambersburg 7-4
Could get off to a hot start opening at home to rival Greencastle-Antrim, then consecutive road trips to South Western and Red Lion before coming home to Altoona. Been a while since South Western scared anyone at The Corral (8-22 last 3) and Red Lion is in a major rebuild. Then we’ll see how much they’ve developed the next week against State College at home who beat them 35-16 last year.
12 Bishop McDevitt 12-2, 4A
Lots of bodies to replace with a charged up Cumberland Valley coming in off a 3-7 season with the memory of their season opening 48-21 loss at home to McDevitt last year. 3-7 still looks like a misprint doesn’t it? Then at Gettysburg who lost significant O skill before coming home to Middletown who is not likely to forget the 40-14 drubbing McDevitt put on them last year in their home opener. The Blue Riders have some great skill types and McDevitt is rebuilding their offense but have some key D people back as well.
13 Cocalico 10-3, 5A
The Eagles open at Conrad Weiser (Berks-1 champ) and Cedar Cliff (Mid Penn-Keystone champ) who are both rebuilding but pesky at home before their home opener against Berks-1 kingpin Governor Mifflin who they defeated last year 35-21. The loss was GM’s second conference loss in four years as they along with Exeter have ruled the roost at 23-2 and 20-4 in conference action.
14 Middletown 14-2, 3A
Lived at the Lamp Post Inn on Main going to PSU (dangerous quarters!) and seeing the great football there and Steelton a mile away checking out the Rollers as well. Most of the crazies I went to HACC with were ex-Rollers before PSU. I digress. Mtown has a manageable schedule opening at home to rebuilding Lower Dauphin, who has their old coach Rob Klock back after a 3 year hiatus. Then comes Northern who rebuilt last year with many back to likely give the Raiders more of a battle than last year’s 29-6 loss. Have a vet line (average 6-0, 215) and a head banger at FB in Kyle Swartz (6-0, 210, sr, 1242r) who is a champion wrestler, going to Army. Then comes their first road game at McDevitt.
15 Lancaster Catholic 10-1, 3A
Lancaster Catholic opens at home to Camp Hill then takes to the road for the next two, Columbia and ELCO, teams they beat last year by an average score of 42-5. They had no trouble with ELCO’s Veer last year and shouldn’t this. Principal challenges will likely come from Donegal with their OL intact running the Wing-T and Annville-Cleona with their good looking Qb Junior Bours and 4 OL’ers with nearly everyone back. LC beat Donegal 22-14 and Annville 23-14 last year on the road. With health, LC could get through the schedule again unscathed, entering the postseason undefeated for a second consecutive year. Look out Middletown, LC is coming.
16 Mount Carmel 10-3, 3A
Tough opener at Central Columbia who they barely beat last year in Mount Carmel 21-13. The Blue Jays were a young bunch last year and will be super primed for this one with so many returning starters. We’ll see if they’re good enough as a lot is expected this year from MCA who also has big numbers returning from a team that only lost to Southern Columbia (16-0, 2A) and North Schuylkill (11-2, 3A); Southern twice.
17 Cedar Cliff 10-3, 5A
If the Colts survive their opening slate of Governor Mifflin, Cocalico and Harrisburg, they will have done a masterful rebuild in a way very few expected. But they are 51-16 the last 6 years. Game one in Shillington will be nasty knowing the Mustangs opened last season getting routed at Cedar Cliff 30-0. The roles are reversed this year with the Colts doing a major rebuild and GM the more veteran team.
18 Shippensburg 10-2, 5A
No Adam Houser (1997r) this year but almost everyone else returns meaning it’ll be a heck of a race in the Mid Penn-Colonial where West Perry, Waynesboro and especially Northern are expected to give battle again. Ship takes on York-Adams teams Dover (35-28), West York (21-14) and Bermudian Springs (37-17) to kick off 2019, but get Dover (good numbers, Qb, Rbs, 3 OL) and Bermudian Springs (40-17 last 5) on the road with West York (won 5 of last 6) expected to be improved.
19 Cumberland Valley 3-7
Excepting Central York….and they have a well-regarded young QB replacing Delaware’s Cade Pribula (brother Beau), CV’s schedule is a killer schedule opening at McDevitt, then home to Central York, Coatesville and Central Dauphin, then to Harrisburg and back home for Chambersburg. That’s a tough row to hoe.
20 Exeter Township (6-5, 5A)
Exeter has a difficult opening game at Berks Catholic who beat them 31-7 last year, then at Boyertown who they crushed 48-27 and Lower Dauphin 43-10. Then comes Spring Ford who won last year’s game 33-27 in overtime. The Eagles as always are going to threaten and if they get through their first four at 2-2 or possibly 3-1, a win at Muhlenberg after the Rams sets them up for a strong finish.
Honorable Mention:
York (11-2, 5A) at Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Central York (8-3) at West York
Northeastern (5-6, 5A) at Solanco
Selinsgrove (5-7, 4A) home Lewisburg
Jersey Shore (7-6, 4A) at Bellefonte
Danville (10-3, 3A) home Shikellamy
Bellefonte (9-3, 4A) home Jersey Shore
Central Dauphin East (3-7) at Manheim Township
Northern (6-5, 5A) at East Pennsboro
Waynesboro (6-5, 5A) at Red Land
Palmyra (8-3, 5A) at Hershey
Susquehanna Twp (6-5, 4A) at Manheim Central
West Perry (8-4, 4A) home Juniata
Hempfield (5-6) home Dallastown
Cedar Crest (5-5) home Lebanon
Lampeter Strasburg (6-6, 4A) home Spring Grove
Lebanon (5-5) at Cedar Crest
Conrad Weiser (9-3, 4A) home Cocalico
1 State College 12-2
State High returns a pile of talent with a favorable schedule playing St. Augustine Prep-NJ, Harrisburg, Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley at home. They open with fellow District 6 opponent Mifflin County who they beat last year 35-12 and 42-7 in the postseason. The Huskies are rebuilding after graduating 28 seniors but return DL stalwarts in tackles Bronson Smith-Price at 6-5, 320 and Logan Renniger 6-5, 260 to plug the middle. But State’s speed will get the corner then tackle St. Augustine Prep (7-4) who they defeated 19-7 last year in Jersey. SAP went on to lose to St. Joseph Regional (10-2) 16-8 in the Non-Public Group 4 playoffs with SJR winning Group 4 defeating Bergen Catholic 13-0.
2 Manheim Township 10-2
Township opens at home to CD East who they edged last year at Landis Field 16-10. East High has some people but the Blue Streaks are loaded and a tough road out in an opener. Mid rung is still good stuff in the Commonwealth
(CD East, Chambersburg) so you can’t get cocky with these guys. Then comes a road trip to rebuilding Dallastown where they should roll the Wildcats before playing CD East’s big brother Central Dauphin High who they split with last year taking the regular season game 22-12 then losing 27-0 in the postseason rematch.
3 Central Dauphin 9-4
Central Dauphin gets no break from this year’s schedule opening at Wilson, home to Berks Catholic then on to Manheim Township their first three games of the year. Come on CD, play somebody! Then comes a road trips to Cumberland Valley, Harrisburg and State College with Chambersburg at home. They beat Wilson last year 23-7, but it’s never fun opening on the road at Gurski where the Bulldogs are mean. Tough one for the Rams but a noble test to start the season.
4 Harrisburg 13-2
Two time defending Mid Penn-Commonwealth champ Harrisburg like Central Dauphin opens with an array of strong teams, playing at Coatesville before going to Ohio power and defending Div-2 champ Archbishop Hoban….then coming home to play West Shore power Cedar Cliff. Coatesville will be looking for pay back against the Cougars who shocked them 27-24 in the 6A semifinal after Coatesville handled them in the opener 37-6 at Harrisburg’s Severance Field! Too many green parts for the Cougars to come away with a win playing Ortega and company on the road. Rubber match!
5 Manheim Central 14-1, 5A
The Barons return one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the country in Evan Simon and all his principle receivers suggesting they’ll light it up again, beginning with Susquehanna Township and Hempfield at home. Both Hanna and Hemp have veteran Qbs so it could get interesting early with the test being if either can hang. They couldn’t last year losing 44-0 and 28-7 respectively. Then they’re on the road against Warwick and Wilson, teams they edged 27-20 and 20-10 last year at home. Should get interesting!
6 Wilson 8-4
Wilson has a killer schedule, opening at home to Central Dauphin, followed by a road game at fierce rival Governor Mifflin who they defeated 42-28 last year. Then comes Spring Ford against a former member of their staff in Chad Brubaker, the Rams head coach. Coach Brubaker always has them fired up for Wilson, losing last year in West Lawn 33-22, and again in 2017 28-21, and the year before going to double overtime in 2016 before losing 41-40. Some kind of games between these two! Following this is a mandated crossover game with Manheim Central who won last year 20-10.
7 Warwick 9-3, 5A
Warwick should come out smoking playing Ephrata, Garden Spot, Hempfield and McCaskey (Lancaster High) 4 of their first 5 games. But Manheim Central is wedged in game #3 in Lititz, giving Warwick every chance at a win. With both Ds replacing some key parts and two of the best quarterbacks in the mid-state in 6-3, 210 Evan Simon (2753p, 661r, 53%, 30/10) dueling Joey McCracken at 6-2, 185 (1974p, 59%, 27/3), the scorekeeper may have a hard time keeping up. Central won last year 27-20. With just 5 miles separating the towns, it’ll be a packed house with a lot of emotion on the field, and one of the top games in the state September 9th Friday night, under the lights.
8 Berks Catholic 10-3, 4A
They’re rebuilding but will still be a load if they can manage a schedule that has them playing Central Dauphin, McDonogh School and Malvern Prep in 3 of their first 5 games. Exeter, CD and McDonogh kick it off with Exeter the homer. McDonogh will be a hard one in Maryland vs Qb Kristopher Jenner (6-5, 225), a Columbia commit.
9 Governor Mifflin 7-5, 5A
Mustangs open with two homers, Cedar Cliff and Wilson, teams they lost to last season 30-0 and 42-28 before traveling to Cocalico who also beat them 35-21. They’re a good team that could win both going to Denver 2-0. Thereon they’ll cruise until decisive conference games at home vs Exeter Township then finishing at Conrad Weiser. Wilson and Cocalico back-to-back will tell us much about them and set the tone for the year and impact 5A with Cocalico also playing Manheim Central later in the year.
10 Southern Columbia 16-0, 2A
Southern is finally stepping up HUGE traveling to South Carolina to play the top private school in the state, Hammond, owner of 16 state titles. They’re a 3A in the SCISA (SC Independent School Asso.), almost always ranked in SC’s Top 20 with a 10 year won-loss of 117-10. Not as up on SC ball as GA-FL but they are not always in 6A Brynes (Duncan) class, Gaffney, South Pointe etc, but are awesome with inordinate talent. Last year’s freshman CJ Stokes (5-10, 175) is already turning heads and was offered by SC while senior DT Alex Hunley (6-4, 270) already committed to the Gamecocks. Senior DE Jordan Burch (6-5, 250) is the #1 ranked prospect by major services with all the SEC teams (visited Bama) lining up for his services. Southern needs to brace for real speed and physicality not seen in the Heartland Conference vs Shamokin, Shikellamy and Central Columbia.
11 Chambersburg 7-4
Could get off to a hot start opening at home to rival Greencastle-Antrim, then consecutive road trips to South Western and Red Lion before coming home to Altoona. Been a while since South Western scared anyone at The Corral (8-22 last 3) and Red Lion is in a major rebuild. Then we’ll see how much they’ve developed the next week against State College at home who beat them 35-16 last year.
12 Bishop McDevitt 12-2, 4A
Lots of bodies to replace with a charged up Cumberland Valley coming in off a 3-7 season with the memory of their season opening 48-21 loss at home to McDevitt last year. 3-7 still looks like a misprint doesn’t it? Then at Gettysburg who lost significant O skill before coming home to Middletown who is not likely to forget the 40-14 drubbing McDevitt put on them last year in their home opener. The Blue Riders have some great skill types and McDevitt is rebuilding their offense but have some key D people back as well.
13 Cocalico 10-3, 5A
The Eagles open at Conrad Weiser (Berks-1 champ) and Cedar Cliff (Mid Penn-Keystone champ) who are both rebuilding but pesky at home before their home opener against Berks-1 kingpin Governor Mifflin who they defeated last year 35-21. The loss was GM’s second conference loss in four years as they along with Exeter have ruled the roost at 23-2 and 20-4 in conference action.
14 Middletown 14-2, 3A
Lived at the Lamp Post Inn on Main going to PSU (dangerous quarters!) and seeing the great football there and Steelton a mile away checking out the Rollers as well. Most of the crazies I went to HACC with were ex-Rollers before PSU. I digress. Mtown has a manageable schedule opening at home to rebuilding Lower Dauphin, who has their old coach Rob Klock back after a 3 year hiatus. Then comes Northern who rebuilt last year with many back to likely give the Raiders more of a battle than last year’s 29-6 loss. Have a vet line (average 6-0, 215) and a head banger at FB in Kyle Swartz (6-0, 210, sr, 1242r) who is a champion wrestler, going to Army. Then comes their first road game at McDevitt.
15 Lancaster Catholic 10-1, 3A
Lancaster Catholic opens at home to Camp Hill then takes to the road for the next two, Columbia and ELCO, teams they beat last year by an average score of 42-5. They had no trouble with ELCO’s Veer last year and shouldn’t this. Principal challenges will likely come from Donegal with their OL intact running the Wing-T and Annville-Cleona with their good looking Qb Junior Bours and 4 OL’ers with nearly everyone back. LC beat Donegal 22-14 and Annville 23-14 last year on the road. With health, LC could get through the schedule again unscathed, entering the postseason undefeated for a second consecutive year. Look out Middletown, LC is coming.
16 Mount Carmel 10-3, 3A
Tough opener at Central Columbia who they barely beat last year in Mount Carmel 21-13. The Blue Jays were a young bunch last year and will be super primed for this one with so many returning starters. We’ll see if they’re good enough as a lot is expected this year from MCA who also has big numbers returning from a team that only lost to Southern Columbia (16-0, 2A) and North Schuylkill (11-2, 3A); Southern twice.
17 Cedar Cliff 10-3, 5A
If the Colts survive their opening slate of Governor Mifflin, Cocalico and Harrisburg, they will have done a masterful rebuild in a way very few expected. But they are 51-16 the last 6 years. Game one in Shillington will be nasty knowing the Mustangs opened last season getting routed at Cedar Cliff 30-0. The roles are reversed this year with the Colts doing a major rebuild and GM the more veteran team.
18 Shippensburg 10-2, 5A
No Adam Houser (1997r) this year but almost everyone else returns meaning it’ll be a heck of a race in the Mid Penn-Colonial where West Perry, Waynesboro and especially Northern are expected to give battle again. Ship takes on York-Adams teams Dover (35-28), West York (21-14) and Bermudian Springs (37-17) to kick off 2019, but get Dover (good numbers, Qb, Rbs, 3 OL) and Bermudian Springs (40-17 last 5) on the road with West York (won 5 of last 6) expected to be improved.
19 Cumberland Valley 3-7
Excepting Central York….and they have a well-regarded young QB replacing Delaware’s Cade Pribula (brother Beau), CV’s schedule is a killer schedule opening at McDevitt, then home to Central York, Coatesville and Central Dauphin, then to Harrisburg and back home for Chambersburg. That’s a tough row to hoe.
20 Exeter Township (6-5, 5A)
Exeter has a difficult opening game at Berks Catholic who beat them 31-7 last year, then at Boyertown who they crushed 48-27 and Lower Dauphin 43-10. Then comes Spring Ford who won last year’s game 33-27 in overtime. The Eagles as always are going to threaten and if they get through their first four at 2-2 or possibly 3-1, a win at Muhlenberg after the Rams sets them up for a strong finish.
Honorable Mention:
York (11-2, 5A) at Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Central York (8-3) at West York
Northeastern (5-6, 5A) at Solanco
Selinsgrove (5-7, 4A) home Lewisburg
Jersey Shore (7-6, 4A) at Bellefonte
Danville (10-3, 3A) home Shikellamy
Bellefonte (9-3, 4A) home Jersey Shore
Central Dauphin East (3-7) at Manheim Township
Northern (6-5, 5A) at East Pennsboro
Waynesboro (6-5, 5A) at Red Land
Palmyra (8-3, 5A) at Hershey
Susquehanna Twp (6-5, 4A) at Manheim Central
West Perry (8-4, 4A) home Juniata
Hempfield (5-6) home Dallastown
Cedar Crest (5-5) home Lebanon
Lampeter Strasburg (6-6, 4A) home Spring Grove
Lebanon (5-5) at Cedar Crest
Conrad Weiser (9-3, 4A) home Cocalico
Last edited:
