Inside The Huddle: Going Deep Inside The PFN Rankings (1A-3A)
Tagged under: News, pfn, Rankings
Matt Herring | October 19, 2023
As we enter the final two weeks of the PA High School Football regular season schedule it’s relevant to take a deep dive on our 1A-3A PA Football News Rankings and sort out which teams are battle-tested while others are just beginning to test the waters in our Top 10’s.
For last weeks Inside The Huddle 4A-6A Rankings analysis click the link below.
Inside The Huddle: Going Deep Inside the PFN Rankings (4A-6A)
There’s numerous undefeated and one loss teams across all classes and also some very good teams with more than one loss that have endured brutal regular season schedules. In this edition of Inside the Huddle we break down a few teams from 1A to 3A and examine just how battle tested they are based on their Strength of Schedule and what their road looks like over the next couple weeks as they attempt to climb our PFN Rankings and ready for the playoff season.
We will reference Strength of Schedule (SOS) which includes games teams have already played and also Strength of Schedule Future (SSF) which includes all games they will gave played at the conclusion of the regular season. The format of SOS/SSF will be displayed numerically for each team with an an analysis of their upcoming contests based on those parameters. As an example a 100/50 team has a Top 100 schedule in PA currently and over the next few weeks their schedule becomes much more challenging than their prior games bringing their final SOS to a Top 50 team. We hope you enjoy this edition of Inside the Huddle!
Class 3A
#1 Belle Vernon Area 6-1 (SOS 83/SSF 108) – The top-ranked Leopards lead a wide open 3A class with the #1 SOS/SSF in the state. The defending state champs have been tested this season already having defeated 4A #9 McKeesport (89/74) while dropping a hotly-contested decision vs. 4A Thomas Jefferson (117/98). BVA will help to sort out the 3A class when they meet likely then-undefeated WPIAL foe #5 Elizabeth Forward (340/275) to conclude the regular season.
#3 Wyomissing 7-1 (226/193) – The District 3 stalwart boasts the 2nd best SOS/SSF among our 3A Top 10 sqauds and will see one final test in the regular season when they face 4A #8 Lampeter-Strasburg (7-1) in two weeks. The Spartans have built a solid resume this season having defeated 2A #8 Trinity (306/291) in a wild 35-34 mid-season contest while also dropping their only game of the season vs. 5A #6 Cocalico (102/131).
#4 Avonworth 8-0 (231/252) – The WPIAL Lopes rank #5 in SOS/SSF among our PFN Top 10 3A teams. A solid victory against Central Valley (131/95) helped to vault Avonworth in the rankings and as they look to the playoffs fellow District 7 squads Belle Vernon Area and Elizabeth Forward stand in their way to another deep state playoff run.
#5 Elizabeth Forward 8-0 (340/275) – The undefeated Warriors rank #6 in SOS/SSF among our PFN 3A Top 10 teams and a clash with undefeated 3A #1 Belle Vernon Area (83/108) will be their most difficult test of the regular season. A win vs. 7-1 Knoch (236/267) has been their most impressive opponent thus far and EF will look to battle their way out of the WPIAL in the post-season.
#7 Danville 7-1 (244/241) – The Ironmen sport the 4th best SOS/SSF among our Top 10 3A teams. Their regular season SOS/SSF was bolstered despite their lone loss to 2A power Southern Columbia (224/226). The Ironmen will face a battle-tested 3-4 Hollidaysburg (104/124) this week before concluding their season vs. Executive Education (275/284).
Class 2A
#1 Farrell 8-0 (298/248) – Farrell finds themselves in a familiar position again this year as they ascended to the PFN #1 rank after perennial power Southern Columbia dropped a regular season contest. The Steelers regular season SOS/SSF ranks #2 among the PFN 2A Top 10 teams and a matchup vs. 5A Erie Cathedral Prep (38/48) is certain to prepare Farrell for another run in the state playoffs.
#2 Richland 8-0 (358/345) – Richland has cruised through the regular season opening their campaign with a win vs. now 7-1 Penn-Cambria (338/346) and picking up another closely-contested win vs. 6-2 Clearfield (324/282). Just 7-1 Chestnut Ridge (343/303) remains on the Rams schedule in what should be another difficult test in District 6.
#3 Westinghouse 7-0 (342/342) – The Bulldogs navigated their Pittsburgh City League schedule unblemished and last years 2A state runner-up begins their playoff season this week in District 8. Westinghouse posted quality wins vs. PFN HM Clairton (312/339) and 4A league foe University Prep this season to rank #4 among our 2A Top 10 teams in SOS/SSF.
#5 Troy 8-0 (463/362) – If the Trojans perfect regular season becomes a reality they will have earned it as Troy concludes their campaign with difficult contests vs. 3A Loyalsock (262/244) and PFN 1A #3 Canton (505/420). Thus far Troy has faced a light regular season schedule and things are about to heat up down the stretch for the Trojans who are looking to secure a #1 seed in the District 4 playoff bracket.
#6 Southern Columbia 7-1 (224/226) – The 13 time PA State Champs got rocked by PFN 2A #9 Mt. Carmel (285/292) last week and they have little time to recover as they square off with undefeated PFN 4A HM Wyoming Area (410/360) this week. The biggest knock on SCA in the past decade has been a light schedule but the Tigers have worked to dis-spell that myth as they’ve faced the #1 SOS/SSF slate among our 2A Top 10 teams including five games vs. 3A opponents and four games vs. 4A squads. Counting Southern Columbia out at this juncture of the season will only fuel their fire and we’re looking forward to seeing how they react after last week’s loss to the Red Tornadoes.
Class 1A
#1 Steelton-Highspire 8-0 (397/313) – The defending state champs sport the #1 SOS/SSF ranking among our 1A Top 10 teams and their schedule hits full stride with two quality matchups to close the regular season. The Rollers face 2A #8 Trinity (306/291) and 3A #6 West Perry (387/255) over the next two weeks as they have their sights set on another state title run. By the conclusion of the regular season Steel-High will have played every game against teams above their classification including five games vs. 2A opponents, one game vs. 3A opponents and three games vs. 4A opponents.
#2 Fort Cherry 8-0 (427/429) – The undefeated Rangers have navigated a challenging schedule this season having picked up quality wins vs. PFN 1A #4 Bishop Canevin (379/409) and 6-2 Cornell (361/399). While Fort Cherry should cruise over their final two games the playoffs loom where a rematch with Bishop Canevin or a game vs. PFN 1A #8 Southside Beaver could be in the cards.
#3 Canton 8-0 (505/420) – Canton’s eight games this season have been largely uneventful except for a seven point victory vs. 5-2 South Williamsport (429/452). The Warriors conclude their final two weeks with serious tests vs. 7-1 Milton (432/407) and 2A #5 Troy (463/362) where we should get a temperature on Canton’s chances at another deep run in the state playoffs.
#7 Redbank Valley 8-0 (485/424) – While Redbank Valley has cruised to an undefeated tally thus far their two most difficult contests of the season remain vs. 6-2 Brockway (531/514) and PFN 2A #4 8-0 Central Clarion (430/397). After a convincing win vs. 6-2 Port Allegany last week the Bulldogs appear primed to make another run at a spot in the state finals and their mettle will be tested over the next two weeks.
#8 Southside Beaver 8-0 (494/430) – Southside is another largely untested team that will face their two toughest games of the season over their final two contests. The Rams will battle last year’s state 1A runner-up PFN HM 7-1 Union Area (562/558) and pesky 4-3 Rochester (385/370) that’s played well in two defeats vs. Union Area and Clairton. The jury is still out on SS Beaver and we should get a clearer picture on the Rams over the next two weeks.
VIEW OUR CURRENT RANKINGS HERE:
2023 Pennsylvania High School Football PFN Rankings Week 8
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