District 4 Class 4A Championship Game Preview

Tagged under: District 4, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs

Ed Weaver | November 9, 2023

Over the last few years there hasn’t been a better rivalry in District IV than Jersey Shore and Selinsgrove.

The rivalry started back in 1961 with the Seals taking that game 31-6. The Seals have a 39-13-1 lead in the series, however Jersey Shore has recently had the upper hand, winning the last seven match ups coming into this season. Since the class expansion beginning in the 2016-17 season, District IV’s Class 4A championship has been won by one of these teams, with the Bulldogs claiming six of the last seven titles.

Unlike the last five seasons, the road to the Class 4A title will go through Selinsgrove. Jersey Shore has been the top seed each year they have won the Class 4A crown. Selinsgrove was a #2 seed when they won back in 2016.

The two teams also met earlier this year. The contest ended in a 21-21 tie after tragedy struck late in the game. Both teams also finished the regular season with identical 9-0-1 records, with the Seals (0.746221) narrowly edging the Bulldogs (0.742480) the power rankings to draw home field advantage.

Both teams cruised through their regular season schedules, and finished in the Top 10 in the state of points allowed. Jersey Shore allowed just 9.1 points per game while the Seals allowed 10.5. The two schools were 2nd and 3rd in points allowed in District IV, with Troy (Class 2A) allowing just 6.2 points per game.

Selinsgrove Seals (10-0-1, 6-0-1 PHAC-1)

The top-seeded Seals cruised past Shikellamy 58-10 to open the Class 4A playoffs last week, behind a 167-yard, 2 touchdown performance by QB Mark Pastore and a 99-yard, 2 TD game by Tucker Teats. Teats and Pastore have led the Seals all season long. Pastore has thrown for 1,212 yards and 15 TDs this season, while Teats has rushed for 1,668 yards and scored 24 TDs en route to breaking the Seals single-season rushing TD mark and surpassing 3,000 career yards.

Gavin Bastian and Caleb Hicks been Pastore’s go-to receivers this year, combining for 636 yards and 9 TDs. On the defensive side, Ethan Miller has accumulated 93 tackles and 2 interceptions while Devon Mitchell has 7 sacks and 52 tackles.

Jersey Shore Bulldogs (10-0-1, 6-0-1 PHAC-1)

The Bulldogs defeated Milton 54-6 to make their sixth consecutive appearance in the Class 4A title game. Jerrin Loomis has done a phenomenal job this season replacing graduating QB Brady Jordan, throwing for 1,894 yards and 14 TDs while completing 65.7% of his pass attempts. Tate Sechrist and Elijah Jordan have turned into a two-headed monster for Coach Tom Gravish’s Bulldogs. Sechrist has rushed for 1,301 yards and 23 scores while Jordan has compiled 898 yards and 14 TDs. Receiver Dathan Tyson is approaching the 1,000 mark for the season, racking up 801 yards on 59 receptions for 7 touchdowns. Defensively Bo Sechrist leads the Bulldogs with 95 tackles and 2 interceptions.

Photo credit: John Peters

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