SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — In the preseason, this was going to be the game that decided the Anthracite Football League title.
Preseason favorite North Schuylkill against defending District 11 Class A champion Schuylkill Haven.
Bobby Grigas and the Spartans’ huge, veteran offensive line going toe-to-toe with a Hurricanes squad led by quarterback Ryan Fink and tailback Will Casella.
Nine weeks into the season, however, that’s not the case.
When the Spartans and Hurricanes meet tonight at Rotary Field, North Schuylkill (8-0) will be looking to stay undefeated and wrap up its fourth Anthracite Football League championship in seven years.
Schuylkill Haven (4-4), meanwhile, will be fighting to keep its slim postseason hopes alive with an upset victory.
The last two meetings between these squads produced interesting results that served as a springboard to bigger and better things for the winner.
In 2012 at Rotary Field, a young Hurricanes squad bouncing back from a 2-8 campaign in 2011 stunned an injury-depleted Spartans squad 34-20 in Week 4. Schuylkill Haven finished 5-5, qualified for the Eastern Conference playoffs, then won the Class A title with wins over Bucktail and Northwest.
That victory over the Spartans was the signature win for a Schuylkill Haven squad that then went on to win the District 11 Class A crown and reach the second round of states the following year.
North Schuylkill, meanwhile, compiled a 9-3 mark in 2012 and won the Eastern Conference Class AA crown.
Last year, the Spartans rebounded from a Week 3 loss to Jim Thorpe to blank the Hurricanes 19-0 in Fountain Springs. North Schuylkill is 13-3 since, with all three losses coming by six points or less.
The North Schuylkill-Schuylkill Haven contest is one of three big games in the Anthracite Football League tonight, as Blue Mountain travels to Jim Thorpe and Lehighton visits Tamaqua.
Here’s a look at the rest of tonight’s games involving local teams:
Pottsville (0-8)
at Reading (4-4)
Storyline: The Crimson Tide look to gain their first victory of the season when they face the Red Knights at Shirk Stadium. Pottsville will be without tailback Darion Jacoby, who will sit out the final two games with mono. Controlling Reading QB Elijah Bayne (396 passing, 326 rushing, 8 TDs) is the key for the Tide defense. Athletic Red Knights need two wins to earn District 3 Class AAA playoff berth.
Last year: Pottsville 28-16
Blue Mountain (6-2)
at Jim Thorpe (7-1)
Storyline: A matchup of two teams fighting to make the District 11 Class AAA playoffs. Olympians are currently fourth, while the Eagles are sixth, but leading for an Eastern Conference berth. Both squads are among the area leaders defensively, especially against the run. Which team can move the ball the best should emerge victorious. Expect a low-scoring game with big plays deciding the outcome.
Last year: Blue Mtn. 49-19
Marian (5-3) at
Shenandoah Valley (0-8)
Storyline: Colts are banged up with injuries to several key players, but winless Blue Devils could provide the perfect cure. Not much has gone right this season for Shenandoah Valley, which has scored just 47 points and allowed 297.
Last year: Marian 52-20
Lehighton (6-2)
at Tamaqua (5-3)
Storyline: Indians and Blue Raiders were regular opponents from 2000-11, with Lehighton winning nine of those 12 meetings. Both teams possess potent running attacks, with Lehighton having an edge in the passing game. Whichever team can control the line of scrimmage and move the ball on the ground will emerge victorious.
Last meeting: 2011, Lehighton 14-6
Panther Valley (1-7)
at Minersville (1-7)
Storyline: An interesting matchup of two Anthracite Football League teams building for the future. A pair of freshmen quarterbacks, Tristan Blasko for Panther Valley and Kei’dre Taylor for Minersville, could get to showcase their skills in this contest.
Last year: Panther Valley 36-8
Col-Mon Vo-Tech (3-5)
at Mahanoy Area (3-5)
Storyline: The Bears are the hard-luck team of the area this season, coming so close to pulling off victories over Jim Thorpe and Marian the past two weeks only to fall short in the fourth quarter. This week, Mahanoy Area should be able to take out its frustrations on the Rams, who have won three straight after an 0-5 start. Those three wins, however, came over Holy Cross, Bucktail and Carson Long, who are a combined 1-20.
Last year: Did not play
Williams Valley (5-3)
at Line Mountain (4-4)
Storyline: The Vikings saw both tailback Matt Miller and QB Nick Rodichok go over the 1,000-yard mark in last week’s win over Susquenita, and will need that to continue that balance against the upset-minded Eagles. Williams Valley needs a victory to keep its Tri-Valley League title hopes alive and cement its spot in the District 11 Class A playoffs. RB Kenny Boyer (135-600, 11 TDs) leads Line Mountain, which can climb into the District 4 Class A playoffs with wins in its final two games.
Last year: Williams Valley 39-2
East Juniata (2-6)
at Tri-Valley (4-4)
Storyline: Bulldogs didn’t do too many things right offensively in last week’s loss to Pine Grove, compiling just 96 total yards. Getting the running game going behind QB Hunter Harner and RB Anthony Snyder will be a big key against the Tigers, who beat Halifax 20-7 last week. Tri-Valley needs a win to keep its District 11 playoff hopes alive.
Last year: Tri-Valley 28-0
Millersburg (3-5)
at Upper Dauphin (4-4)
Storyline: If the season ended today, Upper Dauphin would earn a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs. To keep that, the Trojans will need to contain Millersburg QB Christian Wingard, the TVL’s leading passer with 1,481 yards and 12 TDs. Getting more production out of the running game, which has been stifled the past two weeks, will help that cause. Leading rusher Cameron Fornwald has just 61 yards the past two weeks.
Last year: Upper Dauphin 28-6
Pine Grove (4-4)
at Eastern York (5-3)
Storyline: Cardinals snapped a two-game losing streak last Friday in key Tri-Valley League win over Tri-Valley, getting a big night from its offensive line and the running of Mark Weinus. Pine Grove will need a similar effort against Eastern York, which has won its last two games by a combined score of 97-0. A Class AAA school, Knights need a win to keep their district hopes alive. Their five wins have come over teams with a combined 6-34 record.
Last year: Did not play
Bucktail (0-7)
at Nativity (3-5)
Storyline: The Green Wave and Bucks will meet for the second time this season, with Nativity winning a wild, back-and-forth contest 46-30 on Sept. 23 in Renovo. QB Dominic Piccioni and WR Jeff Yordy are the leaders of the Nativity offense, and will need big games if the Green Wave want to emerge victorious. Randsdorf rushed for 152 yards and two TDs and took the opening kickoff back 88 yards in the first meeting for Bucktail, which has allowed an average of 50.1 points per game.
Last year: Bucktail 32-30
Earlier this season: Nativity 46-30
Pequea Valley (4-4)
at Hamburg (1-7)
Storyline: Hamburg’s season went from bad to worse last week when the Hawks lost their two top running backs, Dariel Ruiz and Ian Hamilton, to injuries in a loss to Wyomissing. Pequea Valley is having a breakout season, as the Braves are 4-4 with wins over York Tech, Kutztown, Columbia and Ephrata. QB Gabe Allgyer and RB Hunter Smith pace the Pequea Valley attack.
Last year: Hamburg 28-18
Mount Carmel (5-3)
at Central Columbia (3-5)
Storyline: Red Tornadoes bounced back from their Week 7 beating by North Schuylkill to overwhelm Warrior Run last week, getting big nights from Blake Panko (13-99) and Kyle Karycki (6-93). Mount Carmel needs a win to stay in the hunt for a quarterfinal home game in the District 4 Class AA playoffs.
Last year: Mount Carmel 36-22
Shamokin (4-4)
at Mifflinburg (3-5)
Storyline: The Indians were manhandled in last week’s loss to Montoursville, allowing 437 yards of total offense in a 55-15 loss. Shamokin will look to bounce back against a Mifflinburg club that has won two straight, beating Central Mountain 42-20 and Milton 35-8.
Last year: Mifflinburg 30-14