Marian at Jim Thorpe

Friday, 7 p.m.Records: Marian (1-7 overall, 0-6 Anthracite Football League); Jim Thorpe (6-2 overall, 5-2 Anthracite Football League)Marian's offense needs to ... strive for consistency, which has been easier said than done. Injuries have taken a toll on the Colts all season and will once again be a factor on Friday night. Offensive lineman Colton Heckman is out and Marian is down to its third-string fullback (Derich Holman). The Colts will try to establish Paul Martin in the running game, but in order for that to happen, Marian must win the battle at the line of scrimmage.Marian's defense needs to ... play sound run defense and establish field position. In last week's loss to Shenandoah Valley, Marian was leading 7-6 before the Blue Devils scored 24 points in a span of 4:45. The three touchdowns came on short fields, as Shenandoah's scoring drives were from 30, 29 and 28 yards.Jim Thorpe's offense needs to ... strive for balance, while maintaining their identity as a running football team with Shane Edwards, Terry Moll, P.J. Johnson and Phil Schron. Edwards (averaging 127 rushing yards per game) was held in check last week against Schuylkill Haven (14 carries, 64 yards), so the Olympians will try to get him going again. Effectively running the ball will be the key to success, as it will also help to open up the Jim Thorpe passing game.Jim Thorpe's defense needs to ... rebound after a disastrous outing against Schuylkill Haven, in which the Olympians allowed 502 yards of total offense (including 372 yards on the ground). Jim Thorpe must tighten things up and get back to playing fundamental football. Also, the Olympians must limit the "big play." In their six wins this season, the Olympians prevented big plays, but in their two losses, Jim Thorpe has been killed by long gains and back-breaking plays.Fast facts ... In the four-team District 11 Class AA playoff race, Northern Lehigh and North Schuylkill have already clinched playoff berths, while Pen Argyl is on the brink of contention. That leaves three teams (Jim Thorpe, Pine Grove and Northwestern) fighting for the fourth and final spot. For the Olympians to get in, the most likely scenario would be to beat Marian (1-7) and Lehighton (3-5) next week and hope Northwestern and Pine Grove each lose one of its remaining two games. Pine Grove (which has a 100 point lead over Jim Thorpe in the current District standings) travels to Williams Valley (6-2) this week and hosts Line Mountain (7-1) next week. Meanwhile, Northwestern (100 points behind the Olympians in the District standings) travels to Bangor (6-2) and hosts Catasauqua (5-3) ... A Marian loss to Jim Thorpe on Friday night would mark eight straight losses in a single season. The only other time in Marian history where the Colts dropped eight straight games in a single season was in their inaugural season of 1954 when the team finished winless at 0-8.Quotable ... "This has been a frustration-filled season, but the kids and the coaching staff are still working hard and battling through adversity. Jim Thorpe is a very good football team and we realize we're a heavy underdog on paper, but the game is ultimately played on the field so we're just going to go out and give it our best shot." Marian head coach Stan Dakosty."Jim Thorpe and Marian is a big rivalry game, so our sole focus needs to be on being the best team on Friday night. The last time we played (a 42-27 loss to Schuylkill Haven), we were embarrassed on the field, so we're certainly looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and avenge ourselves." Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger.Northern Lehigh at CatasauquaFriday, 7 p.m.RECORDS ... Northern Lehigh (8-0 overall,8-0 Colonial League); Catasauqua (5-3 overall; 5-3 Colonial League)NORTHERN LEHIGH'S OFFENSE NEEDS TO ... pick up its point production in the first half. The Bulldogs only scored seven against Pen Argyl, seven against Northwestern and 14 against Bangor. Bulldogs are happy with second half effort, but this week they need a fast start.NORTHERN LEHIGH'S DEFENSE NEEDS TO ... continue to keep heading toward reaching their peak. Last week against Bangor they gave up only one big play. Other than that, they had first downs, but the Bulldogs didn't give up the big play.FAST FACT ... Bulldogs have already qualified for District 11 2A playoffs, but goal is to still get the No. 1 seed. Roughies beat the Bulldogs 21-7 last year at Northern Lehigh. Bulldogs won the last meeting at Catty, 25-10.QUOTABLE ... "We're so familiar with the last two teams (Catasauqua and Palmerton), we're not looking ahead. Catasauqua has a ton of injuries, but if there is any chance, knowing their kids, they're going to want to play Friday." Northern Lehigh head coach Joe ToutPleasant Valley at Pocono Mountain EastFriday, 7 p.mRECORDS: Pleasant Valley (7-1 overall, 4-0 MVC); Pocono Mountain East (3-5 overall, 1-4 MVC)PLEASANT VALLEY'S OFFENSE NEEDS TO ... keep being efficient. And so far this season, they have done a great job of that. Pleasant Valley is averaging over 33 points a game and has scored 40 or more points in five of its seven wins. The Bears have a number of athletic skill players. That makes it hard for the defense to match up with all of them on every single play.PLEASANT VALLEY'S DEFENSE NEEDS TO ... contain running back Eddie Helm and receiver Lamont Tillery. Helm will do most of the running for the Cardinals, but is far from the best back the Bears have seen. After holding South's Kyshoen Jarrett to just six yards in the second half last week it shouldn't be too hard. The same can be said for Tillery. While he is big and stands at 6-4, the Bears were able to contain Wyoming Valley West's Eugene Lewis - who was much more athletic than Tillery.Fast Fact ... Since being shut out in week one, the Bears have outscored their last seven opponents by a combined score of 267-106. That difference should only increase over the next two weeks. Both PM East and Stroudsburg are allowing over 30 points-per-game on defense.Quotable ... "We earned a big win last week, but that win will become meaningless if we have a let down in either of the next two weeks. Nothing has been decided yet. There is still some football to be played. I think our group of guys realize that and will continue to prepare the same way we have been for the last eight weeks." Pleasant Valley head coach Jim Terwilliger.East Stroudsburg North at LehightonFriday, 7 p.m.RECORDS: East Stroudsburg North (4-4 overall; 2-2 MVC); Lehighton (3-5 overall; 1-4 MVC)LEHIGHTON'S OFFENSE NEEDS TO ... be a little more balanced. The Indians have relied heavily on the passing game, but to keep opposing defenses honest they need to discover some kind of running attack. That said, Coach Ebbert anticipates the Timberwolves will bring their linebackers up on the outside to try and limit the success quarterback Josh Agosto has scrambling. If that happens, the passing game will continue to be an important part of the Indian offense.LEHIGHTON'S DEFENSE NEEDS TO ... stay disciplined against North's triple option and speed threats. Having not seen this type of offense and only having a week to practice against it, the key is for every one to carry out their assignment and not get caught out of position. Even if the Indians stay disciplined, Eastburg's backs (Adrian Sterling, Peter Romano, Will Quiles, Kahaleel Storey) still pose a problem due to their tremendous speed.FAST FACTS ... Anthony Farole's four touchdown catches last week tied a school record. Chris Green also had four TD receptions in 1991 ... Josh Agosto has thrown for 175 yards or more in six of his team's eight games. He has also thrown at least one TD pass in seven of the eight contests ... The Indians' win last week against PM West snapped a 10-game MVC losing streak ... North leads the all-time series, 5-3. The T'wolves gained a 32-6 victory a year ago ... Lehighton is still alive for an Eastern Conference playoff berth. The Indians would need to win their final two games and then receive some help to reach the postseason.QUOTABLE ... "They are difficult to prepare for. Like Notre Dame found out (against Navy), you face that triple option once a year and they run it all year long so they're very good at it. You have to try to adjust your defense and shut that down and it's a very difficult thing. The quarterback reads and one little mistake and they're gone." Lehighton head coach George Ebbert.Pen Argyl at PalmertonFriday, 7 p.m.RECORDS ... Pen Argyl (7-1 overall, 7-1 Colonial League); Palmerton (3-5 overall, 3-5 Colonial League)PALMERTON'S OFFENSE NEEDS TO ... score! The Green Knights are so explosive on offense that the Blue Bombers will have to answer their scores with touchdowns of their own. Head coach Paul McArdle is hoping to spread the ball around to his playmakers and he's excited about Christian Marcin looking as close to 100 percent as he's been all year.PALMERTON'S DEFENSE NEEDS TO ... focus not on stopping the running of Dylan Evans and passing of Nate Hood, but containing them and trying to keep them out of the end zone. They'll get their yards, but the Bombers need to toughen up in the red zone. Evans is a top three back in the league now; Hood is the all-time passing leader at a school that has had all-state QB's, so the Bombers obviously have their work cut out for them.FAST FACTS ... The Green Knights are averaging 37.5 points per game, topping the 50-point mark twice and the 40-point mark four times ... Bombers dropped a 34-6 decision last year at Pen Argyl, but beat them the previous two years ... Bombers' Christian Marcin averaged 11.7 yards a touch in last week's loss to Catasauqua ... add Travis Labyack to the list of Bombers who are done for the year. Labyack suffered a concussion and contusion on his chest near the end of the first half last week.QUOTABLE ... "Injuries are a part of the game and unfortunately we were hit very hard with them this year, but the reaction to them always remains the same. eleven people will be on the field at all times, so each of them has to rise to the challenge. In sports you constantly see underdog teams, facing adversity, but rising to the challenge." Palmerton head coach Paul McArdleMinersville at TamaquaFriday, 7 p.m.RECORDS ... Minersville 2-6 (1-5 Anthracite Football League), Tamaqua 2-6 (2-4 Anthracite Football League)TAMAQUA'S OFFENSE NEEDS TO ... use its quickness up front to beat Minersville off the ball and continue to open holes for running backs Grif Griffiths and Garth Lakitsky, both of whom rushed for over 100 yards in last week's rout of Panther Valley. The Blue Raiders racked up almost 400 yards on the ground vs. the Panthers.TAMAQUA'S DEFENSE NEEDS TO ... keep Battlin' Miners QB Cole Weachock under wraps. Weachock is a double threat to pass or run, and he piled up 137 yards rushing and 3 TDs in last week's 22-13 victory over Tri-Valley. The Raiders will need to contain Weachock and limit the Miners' big plays.FAST FACTS ... This is Tamaqua's home finale and is also Senior Appreciation Night. Eight Raider senior players (Garth Lakitsky, Grif Griffiths, Ryan Palsgrove, Matt Edmonds, Carl Wittig, Jon Ansbach, Travis Veronsky and Tim Williams) will be honored prior to the game, as will senior band members ... Tamaqua leads the all-time series vs. Minersville 38-31-3 and has won three straight, including 28-0 scores the last two seasons ... Raider junior RB Jarred Muffley sprained his ankle vs. Panther Valley and is questionable for Friday ... freshman QB Nate Edmonds is expected to get his second start for the Raiders.QUOTABLE ... "We have had similar seasons. Minersville has lost some close games and is a lot better than their record shows. We will have our hands full this week, so we have to continue to play mistake-free football. We are looking to finish our season on a high note." - Tamaqua head coach Sam BonnerNorth Schuylkill at Panther ValleyFriday, 7 p.m.Records: North Schuylkill (8-0 overall, 7-0 Anthracite Football League); Panther Valley (1-7 overall, 1-5 Anthracite Football League)Panther Valley's offense needs to ... play for pride. While a win might be difficult to come by, the Panthers can try to do what only one other team has done this season, which is score against a Spartans defense yielding just 2.75 points per game. North Schuylkill's defense has posted seven shutouts in eight games and has not allowed a rushing touchdown all season. Schuylkill Haven's Brian Murphy passed for three touchdowns on Sept. 24 against North Schuylkill (which were the only scores given up to date) and Panther Valley might have to take a similar approach by spreading out the Spartans defense, while hoping to get some protection from an undersized offensive line.Panther Valley's defense needs to ... not let the Spartans intimidate them. North Schuylkill is a physical hard-nosed football team that plays smashmouth football. The Panthers must try to contain a powerfull North Schuylkill run game led by brusing fullback Ed Pavalko (82 carries, 824 yard, 12 touchdowns). The Spartans also will look to tailbacks Scott Houser (619 yards, 9 touchdowns), Kody Flail (353 yards, 7 touchdowns) and Ethan Motsney (349 yards, 3 touchdowns) to gouge a Panther Valley defense yielding 251 rushing yards per game.Fast facts ... Panther Valley has had to endure a "quarterback carousel" of sorts this season, as seven different kids have thrown a pass (Nick McArdle, Mike Weaver, Lukas Damian, Joe Revell, Anthony German, Brock Mitchell and Paul Mika) ... The second quarter has not been kind to the Panthers, as they have been outscored 73-7 ... North Schuylkill's Ed Pavalko has scored 12 touchdowns and 72 points this season. Panther Valley, as a team, has scored 10 touchdown and 63 points this year.Quotable ... "Obviously, North Schuylkill presents a major obstacle, but we're going to go in loose and put our best foot forward. This week is all about preaching the fundamentals and eliminating the mistakes." Panther Valley's Frank Damian.