Central @ Huntingdon Game Preview
Tagged under: District 6, Gameday Hub, News, pfn
Hunter Myers | September 26, 2025
Huntingdon has been the story of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference through the halfway point of the 2025 season. Entering Week 6 at 4-1, their best start since 2017 (5-0), their meteoric rise has been a surprise, while Central (1-4) is off to their worst start since 2018 (1-4). However, the Dragon’s will get a much needed boost this week, as their starting QB Jesse Muthler returns from injury. His comeback arrives just in time to face one of the top defenses in the conference in Huntingdon.
These two teams are familiar foes, playing each other yearly in the old Mountain League before Central moved to the Laurel Highlands in 2021, and Huntingdon followed suit in 2023. In the last five years, this matchup has been very one-sided with Central winning all three of the matchups, by an average of 19.7 points. The last two matchups have been decided by less than two touchdowns, with the Dragons winning a 30-20 game last season in a game where QB Eli Muthler rushed for three touchdowns. However, this is not the same Central Dragons.
Central enters Week 6 on a three game losing streak, struggling against Tyrone, Bellwood, and Bishop Guilfoyle. During this streak the offense has scored only 13 points combined. The Dragons sole win came in Week 2 on a diving touchdown to beat the buzzer by QB Jesse Muthler. These offensive woes have coincided with an injury to Muthler, forcing Schenk to take the keys to the offense. This week, their starter will be under center again, adding another wrinkle with their two QB system. In Week 1 against Philipsburg-Osceola, the Dragons scored 24, as Muthler would throw for 217 yards and Schenk would score three touchdowns, their most productive offensive performance this season. Defensively, the Dragon’s “defensive line is one of the best we’ll see” according to Huntingdon coach Tim Lucko, as they held their own last week against a BG team known for its running prowess. Central’s DL Ethan Stern has recovered a fumble in each of the last two games, but he’ll get little rest against Huntingdon’s three-headed rushing attack.
The Bearcats have flew to the top of the Laurel Highlands this season, even with a schedule that “really tested us” according to Coach Lucko. Beating any of Bald Eagle, Bellwood, or Clearfield would have been counted a success, but the Bearcats have won against all of them in the first five weeks. Not only has Huntingdon won these games, but two of them have come down to just one point. When speaking on what his team had learned from the start to the season, Coach Lucko stated: “We’ve been forced to handle adversity, adjust on the fly, and stay locked in against quality opponents” and he believes “toughened us up and showed our guys what it takes to compete at a high level.” The best aspect of the Bearcats team is by far their defense, only allowing 17.8 ppg with a tough schedule, a hug improvement from last seasons 38.8 points per game. The Bearcat defense has already forced 12 sacks and three blocked kicks, led by LB Dom Peruso. Meanwhile, offense for Huntingdon has consisted of a three-headed rushing attack, spearheaded by Landon Erdman, who is followed by Guisler and Edmiston, who have rushed for a combined nine touchdowns and 774 yards through five games. Huntingdon will be looking at revenge under the lights on Friday night.
Huntingdon has a chance to turn this game ugly if their defense can get a few stops early. Central will be looking to finally get some continuity and movement in the offense, however this will be a tough task against a stout Bearcat defense. Going into this week Coach Lucko’s message to his team is simple: “we need to take advantage of every opportunity to get better daily.” Will Huntingdon get better, or will Central flip the script when these two teams meet on Friday night.
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