Pennlive rankings....Week 11.

[Stalker]

By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
With all district playoffs in progress, multiple top-ranked football teams around the state earned a bye week following impressive regular season runs. Others walked right into the win or go home portion of the season and advanced. In fact, just one top 10 program as defeated.

Our updated state rankings are sponsored by Renewal by Anderson of Central Pa. Teams are listed with district, record through Nov. 8 and previous ranking. NR-not ranked.

CLASS 6A	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1. North Penn (1)	11-0	1
2. Mount Lebanon (7)	10-0	2
3. Central York (3)	10-0	3
4. La Salle College HS (12)	9-1	4
5. Harrisburg (3)	10-1	6
6. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)	7-2	5
7. Garnet Valley (1)	11-0	7
8. Parkland (11)	9-1	8
9. Coatesville (1)	10-1	9
10. Pittsburgh C.C. (7)	8-2	10
Teams to watch: Bethlehem Freedom (11) 9-1, Hempfield (3) 7-4, McDowell (10) 7-1, Northampton (11) 11-0, Quakertown (1) 11-0.

CLASS 5A	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1. Governor Mifflin (3)	8-0	1
2. Imhotep Charter (12)	7-1	2
3. Moon (7)	10-0	3
4. Cathedral Prep (10)	9-1	4
5. Manheim Central (3)	9-1	5
6. Unionville (1)	10-1	6
7. Shippensburg (3)	11-0	7
8. West Chester Rustin (1)	9-1	8
9. Penn-Trafford (7)	8-1	9
10. Academy Park (1)	8-2	10
Teams to watch: Gateway (7) 7-3, Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1) 9-1, Spring Grove (3) 9-1, Strath Haven (1) 10-1, Upper Dublin (1) 9-2, Waynesboro (3) 9-2.

CLASS 4A	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1. Jersey Shore (4)	11-0	1
2. Belle Vernon (7)	8-0	2
3. Bishop McDevitt (3)	8-1	3
4. Aliquippa (7)	8-1	4
5. Northwestern Lehigh (11)	11-0	5
6. Lampeter-Strasburg (3)	9-1	6
7. Hampton (7)	11-0	7
8. Thomas Jefferson (7)	7-2	8
9. Valley View (2)	10-1	9
10. McKeesport (7)	8-2	10
Teams to watch: Allentown C.C. (11) 8-3, Bishop Shanahan (1) 8-3, Bonner-Prendergast (12) 8-2, Dallas (2) 8-2, Juniata (6) 9-2, North Pocono (2) 9-2.

CLASS 3A	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1. Central Valley (7)	10-0	1
2. Wyomissing (3)	11-0	2
3. Scranton Prep (2)	9-0	3
4. North Schuylkill (11)	10-1	4
5. Central Martinsburg (6)	11-0	5
6. Neumann-Goretti (12)	9-1	6
7. North Catholic (7)	10-0	7
8. Bedford (5)	9-1	8
9. Clearfield (9)	11-0	9
10. Boiling Springs (3)	10-1	10
Teams to watch: Avonworth (7) 8-2, Fort LeBoeuf (10) 7-2, Jim Thorpe (11) 7-4, Lakeland (2) 10-1, Wyoming Area (2) 9-1.

CLASS 2A	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1. Farrell (10)	8-0	1
2. Southern Columbia (4)	10-1	2
3. Sto-Rox (7)	11-0	3
4. Windber (5)	10-0	5
5. Steel Valley (7)	10-0	6
6. Richland Township (6)	9-2	7
7. York Catholic (3)	10-0	8
8. Laurel (7)	11-0	9
9. Karns City (9)	9-1	10
10. Upper Dauphin (3)	9-1	NR
Teams to watch: Bald Eagle Area (6) 9-2, Beaver Falls (7) 7-3, Bellwood-Antis (6) 10-1, Mount Carmel (4) 9-2, Serra Catholic (7) 10-1.

CLASS 1A	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1. Old Forge (2)	10-0	1
2. Canton (4)	10-0	3
3. Muncy (4)	10-1	2
4. Tri-Valley (11)	9-1	4
5. Redbank Valley (9)	9-1	5
6. Clairton (7)	7-2	6
7. Steelton-Highspire (3)	7-2	7
8. Juniata Valley (6)	8-1	8
9. Williams Valley (11)	8-2	9
10. Bishop Canevin (7)	10-1	10
Teams to watch: Bishop Guilfoyle (6) 6-4, Delone Catholic (3) 6-4, Homer-Center (6) 7-3, Leechburg (7) 9-2, Northern Bedford (5) 8-3, Rochester (7) 8-2.

 

[16th&Georgetown]

NP? Who have they even played?

 

[Stalker]

NP? Who have they even played?

Gtown....consider the source. In my view these guys do surface research (no deep dives) then post teams that satisfy a broad constituency. I've seen people say about Pennlive "they've been doing it for years" as tho that gives it validity. Hopefully no one takes it too seriously, unless of course your team is highly ranked!

** Edited to say I think LaSalle and Coatesville need to be higher for starters. Schedule difficulty matters and LS successfully negotiated a brutal one.

 

[shfoot]

Not quite sure why 5A Unionville is ranked so high. They barely beat Interboro a mid-season 20-19. Haven smacked them. Other than Rustin and Down E, they haven't had any competition.

 

[RoverNation05]

1, 3, and 8 all go down in the 6A rankings - and 4 or 6 is guaranteed to lose today. Blood week in big schools.

 

[Stalker]

1, 3, and 8 all go down in the 6A rankings - and 4 or 6 is guaranteed to lose today. Blood week in big schools.

Yeah, they can do better for sure Rover.
6A, Ridley beats #1 NPenn at NPenn. Not ranked at all! Got to give Ridley respect at 10-1 with only loss to GVal who they hung 37 points on. Come on guys, at least a shout out at Honorable Mention before the game. Maybe view some vids, check some stats, comp, traditional performances. Something!
5A, Exeter at 8-3 destroys #5 Manheim Central 43-26 at Manheim after waffling Wilson 42-14 and Berks Catholic 33-21 in reg sea with narrow losses to CYork and Hempfield, all still playing minus CY losing to Wilson 14-11. Like Ridley, not even Honorable Mention listing pre game?!?!
2A, #4 Windber losses to Westinghouse (10-1) 36-35. Another “no mention” despite Donta Green turning program way around last few. This is big news in Pittsburgh where when last I checked was a pretty big city, lots of papers!? A rising program in Pitt City League and headlining everywhere but Harrisburg evidently. Wake up PL, even I did a write up on them covering Central PA last year!
#8 Laurel lost but to HM Serra Cath.
1A #6 Clairton lost to unlisted OLSH (8-3) who are 48-18 the last 6 years. That's good stuff. A clear and obvious player!

No one said it was easy and upsets happen, but you've got to do your homework. Good luck and health to all the teams today.

 

[RoverNation05]

I get it - there has been an erosion of people who cover football for local news all over the state. I think the Morning Call in Allentown now has two full time sports reporters, period. That’s become the norm every where as local papers shed payroll. There’s just no way to know the state when you’re trying to literally write an entire sports section by yourself every day.

That said, North Penn was certainly a flimsy #1 (I’d be voting LaSalle). I also have been skeptical of Central York spending the year so high. Yes, they were state finalists last year and brought back their quarterback, but they also had all of the toughest teams in their bracket forfeit out until they hit SJP. Never surprised to see a Doug Dahms team get a big D3 win. And I’ve been saying all year Parkland is sharp, but not al that fire talented. Their lack of playmakers hurt them last night.

 

[Hausmann1978]

I agree and no way Pittsburgh central Catholic is the 10th best 6A team in the state. These rankings don't mean anything and are just for fun but at least do a little bit of research. I think they pull numbers and teams out of a hat. They are so far off it's comical.

 

[Stalker]

I get it - there has been an erosion of people who cover football for local news all over the state. I think the Morning Call in Allentown now has two full time sports reporters, period. That’s become the norm every where as local papers shed payroll. There’s just no way to know the state when you’re trying to literally write an entire sports section by yourself every day.

That said, North Penn was certainly a flimsy #1 (I’d be voting LaSalle). I also have been skeptical of Central York spending the year so high. Yes, they were state finalists last year and brought back their quarterback, but they also had all of the toughest teams in their bracket forfeit out until they hit SJP. Never surprised to see a Doug Dahms team get a big D3 win. And I’ve been saying all year Parkland is sharp, but not al that fire talented. Their lack of playmakers hurt them last night.

Good points Rover. And why would they take it as seriously as I do covering D3 and you D11? Good reminder to me on Covid-19 certainly tilted the playing field for teams.
About NPenn, they had the offense this year in a down year in D1 in my view. And dumb me, I always think their D will come around. Garnet Valley has more balance/depth than ever so who knows how far they go.
Agree with you on CYork at state level, tho they were one of the top teams in D3 where parity ruled. It was the SEC this year with everyone largely beating each other up; Hemp, Twp, Wilson, Exet, War, Hbg, etc, etc, etc. Hbg is handling Hemp now but you never know as LL teams are legit. Middletown is playing Wyo even into 3rd!