A couple of thoughts . . . about Week 8
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With another showdown game five days away Twin Valley doesn’t have much time to celebrate its huge win at Wyomissing – not that the Raiders would. They’re a focused group, not about to look past the task at hand.
“We treat every game the same,” all-league lineman Greyson Miller said, almost robotically, after the Raiders’ 28-6 domination of the Spartans Saturday. “It’s always a championship game for us.”
The next championship game comes against Lampeter-Strasburg, a team that dropped eight first-half touchdowns on them last year en route to a 62-14 victory at Twin Valley Stadium. Don’t think that score won’t be mentioned a few times this week.
Twin Valley can all but clinch its first Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 title by beating the Pioneers, who have a perfect league slate to date.
In the bigger picture, the winner will have the upper hand in the District 3 Class 4A power ratings, which could mean a home game should they meet, most likely in a semifinal. Last year the teams met twice, both at Lampeter; the Pioneers won both.
Twin Valley remained unbeaten Saturday because of its physicality, because of its ability to create running space for its backs, and because it would not allow Wyomissing to do the same. It all came down to line play and the Raiders clearly had the best of that.
“(We) were getting our butts kicked,” Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum said flatly. “They physically just beat us up.”
- It’s hard to tell at this point, because the District 3 power ratings have not been completely updated – Wyomissing has not entered Saturday’s result – but its possible the Spartans could finish ahead of both Twin Valley and Lampeter-Strasburg should they close out the season with wins over Octorara and the Pioneers. That could mean a home game in the Class 4A semifinals, possibly against Twin Valley. Playing at Wolfrum Field didn’t’ help the Spartans in the 28-6 loss Saturday but they’d much rather be home as much as possible in the playoffs, whether against Twin Valley, Lampeter-Strasburg or whoever.
- Perhaps the most shocking result of the season came Friday at Landisville, where a 3-4 Hempfield team held off unbeaten, state-ranked Exeter 30-28. It was the classic “trap” game for the Eagles, one week removed from an emotional win over rival Muhlenberg, one week before the much-anticipated showdown at Conestoga Valley. It was a non-league loss, so it didn’t affect Exeter’s chance to reclaim the Section 2 title, or to win it outright. If anything, it re-affirmed Matt Bauer’s daily message to his players about focusing on the next opponent and not getting caught up looking down the road.
- There are now just two undefeated teams among the 37 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League: Twin Valley and Conestoga Valley. Not coincidentally, those teams have allowed fewer points than any others in District 3. The Buckskins are allowing 7.8 points per game, the Raiders 8.2.
- Berks Catholic will be the No. 1 seed in the District 3 Class 3A Tournament if it wins out, closing with victories over Hamburg and Annville-Cleona. The Saints are currently No. 2 in the power ratings, just behind the Dutchmen, but that will flip with a Week 10 win over them.
- Muhlenberg has eight home games scheduled this season; its goal is to play a ninth. The Muhls, off to a 7-1 start, are in position to earn a home game in the District 3 Class 5A Tournament. A win Friday against Academy Park (4-4) is imperative. The Muhls are currently No. 8 in the power rankings; the top eight finishers open at home. A year ago the Muhls lost a wild game at Academy Park, 53-38. Muhlenberg closes the regular season against Conestoga Valley.
- After being held to a season-low 28 points Saturday, Twin Valley is no longer the highest-scoring team in the state – but the Raiders are close. They’re averaging 53.3 points; Schuylkill Haven is at 53.6.
- Southern Columbia, which lost to Wyomissing 49-27 in the season-opener, hasn’t lost since. It is ranked No. 1 in the District 4 Class 2A power rankings.
- Exeter could become the first Berks team to produce 2,000-yard rushers in consecutive seasons. After rushing for 251 yards Friday against Hempfield, Eagles tailback Leo Brown is up to 1,415 yards, tops in the league. With two games remaining, plus at least one playoff game, Brown is 585 yards away from the milestone. Figure on Exeter getting at least two postseason games, maybe more. That’ll give Brown a chance at Jayden Zandier’s program record of 2,093 yards.
- Nazareth, which handed Wilson its only loss, has continued to win despite losing top quarterback prospect Peyton Falzone. The Blue Eagles lost to Parkland the week after Falzone went down but have won three straight since, including a 41-33 win over Bethlehem Catholic Friday. Nazareth is No. 2 in the District 11 Class 6A power rankings, behind unbeaten Easton.
- Lebanon will tie the Lancaster-Lebanon League record of 52 consecutive losses if it ends the season with defeats against Ephrata and Cedar Crest. The Cedars have lost 50 straight. Ephrata lost 52 in a row, from 2012-2018 — hard to believe, seeing how Kris Miller has that team competing for playoff berths now.
- So, how does Wyomissing make up that 25-point deficit should it face Twin Valley again, in the playoffs? The teams seemed miles apart in the second half Saturday, when they Raiders outscored the Spartans 21-0 and out-gained them 214-38. A year ago, Wyomissing was similarly dominated by Lampeter-Strasburg 20-7; three weeks later it came within a play of beating the Pioneers before losing 30-27 in overtime. “We’ve gotta do better at being more physical,” Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum said following Saturday’s 28-6 loss. “It’s good every once in a while to get beat up like that so you realize: ‘Maybe we’re not that good and we have to work a little harder.’ “
