Playoff football doesn’t start for a few weeks. But with Week 8 just around the corner, there are plenty of games being played Friday night that will have serious playoff implications. However, there might not be a game in the Times News area on the Week 8 docket more important than the Schuylkill League Division 1 matchup between a pair of one-loss teams in Jim Thorpe and Pottsville.

The battle between the Olympians (3A) and Tide (4A) not only has a potential Division 1 championship at stake, but will also impact both the District 11 4A and 3A postseason ratings, as each squad sits third in their respective rankings. With everything that’s on the line in this one, the contest between Jim Thorpe and Pottsville has been chosen as the Times News Game of the Week.

This game comes down to Pottsville’s explosive offense against Jim Thorpe’s stingy “Red Swarm” defense. It’s a classic storyline, and these two squads have the star power to carry out a critically-acclaimed performance.

The Crimson Tide offense has been elite this season, putting up big numbers with a passing attack that is revered as one of the best in all of District 11. Pottsville quarterback Damon Yost has been efficient, throwing for 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions, to go along with 1,276 yards passing, and an impressive 69% completion percentage.

Yost, in part, has been so successful because of the playmakers he’s throwing to. The Tide have a trio of wide receivers who have been a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses in Kevin Schenk (390 yards, eight TDs), Mason Barnes (355 yards, six TDs) and Addison Mullins (284 yards, four TDs). The trio’s speed is a strength, but their size, with Schenk (6-4) and Barnes (6-1) is what really sets this unit apart from the rest.

“Obviously, the goal for us will be to get pressure on the quarterback, but then we have to be able to get him down when we get pressure,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger. “Yost does a great job of avoiding pressure and keeping his eyes downfield, so we need to try and contain him. And then we can’t give up the big play, we can’t let anyone behind us. It’s a challenge for sure with all of their weapons.”

The Jim Thorpe defense has been very good against the pass this season, allowing just 298 yards passing through seven games, but the Olympians have yet to compete against any passing offense that resembles the Tide. Thorpe’s strategy in this one will be what has made it one of the top programs in the Times News area during Coach Rosenberger’s tenure – running the football and playing dominant defense in the trenches.

Moving the sticks and keeping the Pottsville offense off the field is something the Tide haven’t experienced much this season, but Thorpe has the horses up front and the work horse running back to challenge the Pottsville defense.

Senior JT running back CJ Selby is right on the cusp of breaking the all-time Olympians rushing mark and has rushed for 1,059 yards at almost nine yards per carry with 12 touchdowns this season. As a team, Thorpe rushed for 161 yards against a tough Blue Mountain defense last week.

However, defense will be the key for the Olympians, and they will need to be better than they have been over the past two weeks. Thorpe is giving up just 9.3 points per game on the season, but over the last two weeks since Schuylkill League Division 1 play has begun, they’re giving up 29 points per game. The Olympians have been good against the run this season as well, giving up an average of 104.5 rushing yards per game. Although, Thorpe will be challenged by an underrated Tide rushing attack that has produced 189.3 rushing yards per game at 6.1 yards per carry.

“The more you can get first downs, run the ball effectively and control the clock the more you can keep the other team’s offense off the field,” said Rosenberger. “That will be a part of the game plan, but we’re really not going to change much from what we do offensively, we are who we are and we’re going to come out and try to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We feel there are a few things we might be able to take advantage of, so we just need to come out focused, play physical and execute.”

Every big game has an “x-factor” – something that could give a team an edge or something that could be one of the deciding factors in the game that might seem obvious. For the Olympians, that’s their improved passing game. Thorpe’s ability to come up with the big play against the tide go up exponentially if quarterback Davier Calcano can continue his steady maturation process this week.

Over the past two games, against North Schuylkill and Blue Mountain, Calcano has gone 13-for-20 for 317 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception, including a 29-yard game-winning strike Noah Snisky against the Eagles last week.

“There’s no doubt our passing game is getting better every week and I think you’re seeing that because each week our quarterback is getting better,” said Rosenberger. “Guys are starting to step up and make plays, Snisky has had some nice plays over the past few weeks, it just really gives us another piece offensively, so we’re not as run dependent as we have been in years past.”