Hot Takes: Undefeated and One-Loss Team Forecasts

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Matt Herring | October 14, 2024

There are 34 undefeated Pennsylvania high school football teams and 65 one-loss teams remaining entering the final two weeks of regular season play and while those teams have high hopes for league, district and state titles not all can raise those banners this year.  With nearly 100 of the 555 Commonwealth teams sitting on zero or one loss something has to give when handing out trophies over the next seven weeks.

In this edition of Hot Takes we take a look at a handful of the haves and have nots heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.

2A Cambria Heights (8-0/D6/Heritage Conference) – The Highlanders have breezed through their schedule thus far outscoring opponents 306-39 and they’re heavily favored in their final two contests en route to an undefeated regular season.  What forecasts some trouble down the road for Cambria Heights is a 530 regular season Strength of Schedule ranking out of 555 Commonwealth teams.  The untested Highlanders saw this come to fruition last season when they ventured out of D6 in the state playoffs dropping a 33-0 contest to District 4 South Williamsport.  Cambria Heights will need to lean on that experience from last year in hopes of advancing further in the playoffs.

5A Upper St. Clair (8-0/D7/Section 3) – The Panthers have earned every bit of their thus-far perfect record having picked up wins against four teams with winning records including three of those victories coming in the past three weeks against teams with a combined record of 20-4.  Upper St. Clair should cruise to a perfect record over the next two weeks before embarking on what is an ultra-competitive 5A D7 post-season tournament.

1A Jefferson-Morgan (8-0/D7/Section 2) – What has been a Cinderella season for the Rockets could come crashing back to Earth when they face their toughest test of the season vs. now 6-2 California the final week of the year.  J-M’s 8-0 record has been built on victories against zero teams with winning records and their 537 Strength of Schedule is among the lowest in the state.  While this has been a historic season for the Rockets that deserves a tip of the cap to the coaches and players the road to a perfect regular season and a playoff run will see a much tougher path lying ahead.

3A Scranton Prep (7-1/D2/Lackawanna Football Conference) – The Cavaliers have tallied four of their seven wins against teams with a winning record and they’ll take a crack at adding another when they visit Jersey Shore (6-2) this week.  Scranton Prep has fared well in late-season games over the past few seasons including a nice state playoff run a year ago that included a dramatic 23-16 victory against Neumann-Goretti.

4A Twin Valley (7-1/D3/Lancaster-Lebanon League) – What seemed to be a historic run for the Raiders hit a wall last week vs. Wyomissing in a 34-24 defeat and what lies ahead for Twin Valley is a blockbuster matchup at undefeated Lampeter-Strasburg.  The Raiders are currently seeded #4 in the D3 4A playoffs and could fall as far as 6th if they can’t get past L-S this week.  A win vs. L-S would be Twin Valley’s first this season against an opponent with a winning record.

1A Cambridge Springs (7-1/D10/Region 2) – The Blue Devils have played the least competitive schedule in the entire state based on Strength of Schedule (555 out of 555) and are primed to finish their season with a win vs. Lakeview in their finale before heading to the playoffs.  Cambridge Springs is hopeful to pick up a state playoff win to avenge their 44-0 loss to District 9 Redbank Valley last season.

6A Owen J Roberts (7-1/D1/Pioneer Athletic Conference) – While the Wildcats have piled up the wins this season those victories have come against teams with a combined record of 17-33.  Their final contest against Spring-Ford (4-4) will give OJR the opportunity to prove the skeptics wrong who have raised an eyebrow on the Wildcats near-perfect season tally thus far.

5A Springfield-Delco (7-1/D1/Central League) – The Cougars are the perfect example of a team that has benefitted from a light early season schedule that will see a significant challenge over their final two weeks.  While S-D is currently seeded #4 in D1 5A they will have a tough time holding that place with upcoming contests vs. D1 5A top-dogs Garnet Valley (7-1/#1 seed currently) and Strath Haven (8-0/#2 seed currently).  With those two tall tasks ahead over the next two weeks the Cougars will see their Strength of Schedule improve from 192 in the state to 110.

4A Pope John Paul II (7-1/D1/Pioneer Athletic Conference) – PJP2’s only blemish this year is a closely-contested game vs. Rustin and four of their wins have come against teams with a combined record of 24-6.  The Golden Panthers will face their toughest test of the year in their final week vs. Perkiomen Valley (6-2).  PJP2 could be well suited for a deep state playoff run if they can stay healthy over their final two regular season contests.

6A Central Dauphin East (7-1/D3/Mid-Penn Conference) – The Panthers final three games of the season is a brutal stretch for a team that started out 7-0 against teams with a combined record of 15-41.  Last week CD East was run off the field 55-17 by a one-loss State College squad and over the next two weeks the Panthers will visit Bishop McDevitt (7-1) before closing out their regular season vs. Harrisburg (6-2).  While currently seeded #4 in the 6A D3 playoffs the Panthers could drop as low as 8th should they falter over the final two weeks of the regular season schedule.

4A Shamokin (8-0/D4/Heartland Athletic Conference) – Shamokin has remained unblemished despite facing a difficult schedule over the first eight weeks with quality wins against Jersey Shore (6-2) and Lewisburg (7-1).  What remains for the Indians are two challenging contests to close their regular season campaign at Loyalsock (5-3) and at Mt. Carmel (6-2).  Their finale against Mt. Carmel is a rivalry game (playing for the Coal Bucket) that they’ve failed to win for the past 26 consecutive seasons.  Should Shamokin post a perfect 10-0 regular season record it will be well-earned.

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