Around the Schuylkill League Week-5

Tagged under: District 11, News

Daniel Reed | October 6, 2020

Covid19 has forced many changes this season for football around the state, including the Schuylkill League as well. This year was supposed to be the first season for the Schuylkill/Colonial League cooperative schedule, aka: merger in my opinion, but with this virus creating havoc for many, teams in the Schuylkill League were forced to make quick changes to their schedules with teams from the Colonial League not participating in football for a period of time. Therefore, games that are usually played later in the season, are now played earlier such as one game in particular in the Schuylkill League Division 1, Jim Thorpe at Lehighton, playing for the 209 Trophy, usually played the last game of the regular season, will now be played this week. Jim Thorpe comes into this game winning the last two by a combined average score of 24.5 to 6.5, winning last years contest 21 to 7. Lehighton(2-2), averaging 28 points a game while giving an average of 30 a game, comes into this weeks game on a positive note winning last weeks high scoring affair against Schuylkill Haven 60 to 42, while Jim Thorpe(3-1), averaging 20 points a game, giving up an average of 16, comes into the game trying to rebound after last weeks loss to North Schuylkill 36 to 0. Lehighton holds the edge over the Olympians over the last 11 meetings winning 7, one of which was a playoff matchup in 2017. That all said, I will stick to my heart and have to say, defense wins this one with Jim Thorpe coming out on top in a close battle 28 to 16.

Another Schuylkill League Division 1 game that has my attention takes place at Blue Mountain’s Eagles Nest between the Tamaqua Blue Raiders(3-1) vs Blue Mountain Eagles(1-3). Tamaqua will be looking to rebound from their loss last week to Pottsville 21 to 12, while Blue Mountain tries to end their 3 game losing streak by a combined total of 15 points, losing to Jim Thorpe in week 2, 22 to 21, North Schuylkill in overtime 20 to 14, and last week to Pine Grove 20 to 12. The Eagles come into this weeks matchup averaging 20.5 points a game while giving up 15.5, and Tamaqua enters the game averaging 33 points a game, giving up an average of 15.5. The Blue Raiders will be looking to utilize their running game which is averaging 277 yards a game while the Eagles average 124, and the Eagles should look to use their passing game with QB Jack Dean throwing the ball to his tall athletic receivers Gavin Bartholomew, and Bryce Hensley. Dean has passed for 495 yards thus far this season with 6 touchdown passes and 2 rushing touchdowns. Tamaqua rushing attack is lead by a trio of running backs with Nate Curvey leading the way with 389 yards, and 8 total touchdowns, Logan Hess is close behind with 308 yards and 4 total touchdowns, and Lucas Schickram with 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. QB Nate Wickersham has thrown for just 166 yards, 2 touchdowns but, can also scramble when needed racking up 158 yards on 22 attempts. The key to winning this game will be the team that can limit their turnovers and penalties. The Eagles have turned the ball over 8 times and have racked up 21 penalties while the Blue Raiders have turned the ball over just 3 times. The Blue Raiders defense has also came up with 11 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions. The Eagles have just 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions. My prediction is even though the Blue Raiders have won the last 3 meetings by an average score of 41 to 14, I feel if the Eagles can limit their penalties and turnovers, the passing game will be just enough to win this one in a close battle… 27 to 21.

In the Schuylkill League Division 2, we have 2 games of interest starting with the game between Nativity BVM Green Wave(3-1) at Minersville Battlin’ Miners(1-2). The Miners have beaten the Green Wave in their last 4 meetings dating back to 2014, averaging 34.8 points for, giving up an average of just 10.8. The Miners offense is lead by Freshman QB Conner Schwalm who has passed for 414 yards in 3 games with a completion rating of 61%(30 of 49) with 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception, Conner also leads the team in rushing with 246 yards, racking up another 5 touchdowns on the ground. Conners biggest target in the passing game is Gabe Davis who has caught 15 passes for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns with a 2 point conversion as well. Now with that all said, this year may have a different outcome as the Green Wave(Class 1A) is a much improved program that has proven they can compete at a high level showing off their skills early on in the season by defeating Class 4A Pottsville Area(3-1) in the first game of the season 31 to 21. Although they did however lose a close game two weeks ago to a very good Williams Valley team 35 to 34, by just missing a late field goal wide right with :51 seconds to play, they showed they can bounce back from a heartbreaker, and won last week over Marian Catholic 36 to 0. Nativity is lead by 4 players that can show off their skills on any given day, they are QB Cody Miller, RB Jacob Hoffman, RB Dylan Schreffler, and WR Keegan Brennan. With the offensive skills Nativity has, I have to go with the Green Wave in this one… 35 to 20.

Another Schuylkill League Division 2 battle comes to mind this week when Mahanoy Area Golden Bears(2-2) travel to Tri Valley to take on the Bulldogs(1-0). The Bulldogs come off a huge victory last week in their first game of the season defeating Shenandoah Valley 57 to 0. Tri Valley is lead by their senior RB Chase Herb, who ran the ball last week just 9 times for 144 yards and scored twice, and caught one pass for 82 yards and the score for a total of 3 touchdowns. Like last season, Mahanoy Area is lead by their QB, this season is Ben Terry, although Terry has passed the ball for just 211 yards and 1 touchdown, he has ran the ball for 398 and scored 10 touchdowns rushing and returned a kickoff for 75 yards for another touchdown against North Schuylkill in week 1. Along with Terry, the Golden Bears have other weapons on the ground with Sophmore Ben Manley who has 265 yards on the ground with 3 scores and Freshman Colm Mcgroaty who has 233 yards rushing with 2 touchdown. As a team, the Golden Bears once again have a potent running game rushing for 1045 yards in 4 games. Tri Valley has won the last 2 of the 3 games played vs the Golden Bears since 2010 by an average score of 23.6 to 16.6 including last years 26 to 22 victory, so if the Bulldogs defense is as good as they looked in their first game last week, this year won’t be no different. Tri Valley wins in another hard nosed battle… 35 to 21

Final game of Interest for me is somewhat of a rival game from what I’ve been told throughout the years between the Schuylkill Haven Hurricanes(1-3) at Shenandoah Valley(0-4). The Blue Devils of Shenandoah Valley are trying to erase a very long losing streak currently at 32 games. The Blue Devils have lost 7 straight to the Canes dating back to 2012 when they won 21 to 7 and also won in 2011 27 to 6 over the Hurricanes. Since then, the Hurricanes have beaten the Blue Devils in 7 straight game by an average score of 48.8 to 2, giving up just two touchdowns total to the Blue Devils, 1 in 2017 and the other in 2013. In the last 7 games vs Shenandoah Valley, the Canes have posted 5 shutouts, including the last two years 55 to 0 and 51 to 0. The Blue Devils key players on offense are Junior WR Joey Vevasis and Junior RB Brian Dunne, Vevasis has hauled in 254 yards receiving with 1 touchdown, while Dunne has rushed for 146 yards with 1 touchdown. As a team, Shenandoah Valley’s offense has 417 yards in total, scoring just twice thus far while giving up an average of 46 points a game. The Hurricanes are lead by Sophmore RB Connor Goehring who has 444 yards rushing with 5 touchdowns and 150 yards receiving with 3 touchdowns. Another key player in the Hurricanes offense is Senior Mason Reber who has rushed for 277 yards, scoring 1 touchdown and 57 yards receiving. As a team, the Hurricanes have 1173 yards in total offense via: 249 passing and 924 rushing. Schuylkill Haven is averaging 23 points a game on offense while giving up 33 points a game on defense. My prediction in this game is pretty solid with the Canes over the Blue Devils for the 8th straight year… 47 to 12.