It’s been a highly successful season so far for Times News teams, and all of them are hoping it continues as the regular season winds down.

So far through eight weeks, area squads have a combined record of 45-27 — a winning percentage of .625. A year ago, the teams posted a total of 48 regular-season victories, a number that could be surpassed on Friday.

Among the top games are Palmerton at Lehighton, a rivalry that pits the 7-1 Bombers against the 5-3 Indians.

Palmerton (7-1) at Lehighton (5-3)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Palmerton came through with a big second half, scoring 21 points in the third quarter, which helped it defeat rival Northern Lehigh 28-20 in the “Battle for the Blue Mountain” last week. The Blue Bombers were led by T.K. Gurky’s 136 yards passing and two touchdowns, along with Connor Lawless’ 93 receiving yards and receiving score. Lawless also came through with an interception, while Jacob Walkowiak came through with the game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter. The Palmerton defense put together a stingy effort against the Bulldogs’ rushing attack, holding NL to just 30 yards rushing at 1.2 yards per carry.

Lehighton is coming off a brutal late fourth-quarter loss to rival Jim Thorpe that saw the Olympians take the lead with 17 seconds remaining in the game. Critical penalties at inopportune times, a blocked extra point, and a few breakdowns against the JT passing attack (200 yards passing given up) were reasons for the 21-20 loss. Still, the Tribe were able to move the ball on offense, especially in the run game. Lukas Croizier, who has rushed for 893 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, ran for 180 yards and a score against the Olympians.

Storyline of the Game

The Indians will look to build on the ball-control, clock grinding style they executed so well in the second half against the Olympians last week. Before Thorpe’s game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, JT had run only three offensive plays in the entire second half. Palmerton, meanwhile, has developed a habit of starting slowly this season before rallying in the second half. Against a team like the Tribe, that kind of slow start could prove costly — the Bombers will need to come out fast.

Coach’s Corner

“We’re going to have our hands full again this week with a good Palmerton team. Coach Walkowiak and his staff always do a good job of getting the ball into their playmakers’ hands, and that’s no different with their team this season. They’re very multiple and they have some nice athletes. It’s no surprise where they’re at with their record. Last week in the second half, we saw a lot of fire and emotion from our big guys up front in the run game. Now, that’s something we need to see for all four quarters. That’s the start we want to get off to this week. We need to be more aggressive and active out of the gate.” - Lehighton head coach Tom McCarroll.

“The first thing that jumps out at you is Lehighton’s size up front. And then they have a stud running back in Croizier who has been doing it well for a long time now. Their quarterback also delivers a nice ball and manages the game well, and they have a talented group of wide receivers. And then defensively they’re tough to move up front as well. Just a very well-coached and well-rounded team. We’re looking for more consistency from our guys. We came out slow last week and then in the third quarter we scored 21 points, but in the fourth we had chances to put the game away and we went three-and-out. So, we have to be more consistent, and we have to come out stronger. Defensively, I thought we did a great job against the run last week, and we’re going to have to have another effort like that against a team that likes to establish the run early in games. Winning first down will be huge for us defensively.” - Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak.

Mahanoy Area (3-5) at Marian (4-4)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Marian committed five turnovers in its 42-20 loss to Williams Valley last week, which snapped a two-game winning streak. Tyler Price, who has rushed for 1,237 yards with 12 touchdowns, was effectively shut down by Williams Valley’s defense, limiting him to 35 yards, and the Colts had 66 total yards on the ground. Quarterback Greg Tirpak completed 11 of 31 attempts for 236 yards and two scores, but was victimized for four interceptions, one a pick-six. Rocco Griguoli, the Schuylkill League leader in receptions heading into the game, was held to just three receptions for 68 yards, one a 67-yard touchdown pass. The Colts also lost running back Jayson Ashfield to an injury in the opening quarter. On the season, Tirpak has completed 71 of 137 attempts for 1,337 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. Griguoli has 34 catches for 673 yards with seven touchdowns, while Price has 23 receptions for 424 yards with seven touchdowns. Defensively, Price leads the team in tackles with 84, while Dominick Rodino has 76 stops and three sacks. Nick Polakovic has 63 tackles with a sack, while Griguoli has three sacks and 41 tackles.

Ironically, Mahanoy also suffered with turnovers, as it lost three fumbles in its 14-6 loss to Minersville last week, its second-straight defeat and fourth in its last five games. Will Stoyer ran for 232 yards in the loss, and has 714 yards with six touchdowns in seven games for the season.

Marian won last year’s contest, 35-13, but Mahanoy beat them, 26-7 in 2024. The Colts have scored 91 points in the first half overall this season, and 112 after halftime. They have allowed 72 in the first half and 122 in the second half.

Storyline of the Game

It will likely come down to whether Price or Stoyer can have the bigger breakout game. Marian’s defense allowed 251 yards rushing last week, while Mahanoy Area’s unit gave up 168 yards rushing. Yet, Tirpak can be the difference maker, as the Colts appear to have a big advantage in the passing game. Marian is also playing its final home game of the regular season.

Coach’s Corner

“No team is going to be able to survive five turnovers in a game. We had opportunities throughout the game to take advantage of some mistakes, but we just didn’t play a clean game that was required to beat a good opponent like Williams Valley. Losing Jason Ashfield in the first quarter was a big loss and affected our running game. I did think Walker Sheer filled in admirably on defense in his absence. Dante Tate gave us another threat in the passing game and had a big second-half interception to keep us in the game. We will learn from the mistakes we made and take the lessons into next week with another rival Mahanoy Area waiting. We will need to play clean football and get back to basics to be successful. Better blocking and tackling will go a long way.”- Marian head coach Billy O’Gurek

Notre Dame (7-1) at Northern Lehigh (5-3)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Northern Lehigh held Palmerton to six points and 37 total yards in the opening half last week, but Palmerton erupted for 28 second-half points on its way to a 28-20 victory, sending the Bulldogs to their second straight defeat. Quarterback Garrett Smoyer scored two touchdowns on the ground and threw for 171 yards against Palmerton. Smoyer has run for 435 yards with six touchdowns, and has completed 85 of 161 passes for 895 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. Mason Rothrock has rushed for 293 yards with three touchdowns. Colin Karetsky has 24 catches for 327 yards with four touchdowns, while Ryan Zambo has 24 receptions for 261 yards with a score. On the other side of the ball, Bill Slattery has a team-high 75 tackles and 10 sacks. Paul Porobenski has 60 tackles and nine sacks. The Bulldogs have seven turnovers, and have forced seven turnovers.

Notre Dame had its seven-game winning streak snapped with a 48-27 loss to undefeated Southern Lehigh last week. The Crusaders have won 28 of their last 32 games.

Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Murphy is a dynamic dual threat. He has completed 111 of 159 passes for 1,923 yards with 28 touchdowns and two interceptions. Murphy has also run for 434 yards with seven touchdowns. Aaron Gordon has rushed for a team-high 474 yards and nine touchdowns. Drew Boyd has caught 26 passes for 519 yards with 10 touchdowns, while Nyechae Lawless has 22 catches for 338 yards with four scores. Defensively, John Hull has a team-high 67 tackles with an interception, while Joseph Nehme has 56 stops. Boyd also has three interceptions.

Notre Dame won last year’s clash, 40-21, and has won the last three. Northern Lehigh last won 40-33 in 2022.

Storyline of the Game

Notre Dame was surprisingly slowed last week, and couldn’t slow down Southern Lehigh’s Adam Fritts, who ran for 175 yards and scored six times. Northern Lehigh will need to play ball control all night to stay competitive. This will be the biggest challenge for the Bulldogs’ defense, who need to control Murphy.

Coach’s Corner

“Palmerton was a frustrating loss. It was the tale of two halves. We felt like we completely dominated the first half of the game. However, we only had a one-score lead at half. We had multiple opportunities and missed two potential scores. So, we need to capitalize on those opportunities.

“Notre Dame, this is a completely different animal. They are ranked high in the state in class 3A. They are a boundary-less school with 66 athletes coming from 18 different Pennsylvania public schools and three of their athletes live out of state. To say we have a challenge is an understatement. We know we will be a heavy underdog this week. So, we are stressing to our team to get better, stay united, and to let it loose on Friday and to not hold back.” - Northern Lehigh head coach Joe Tout

PM West (4-4) at Pleasant Valley (4-4)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Pleasant Valley reclaimed the Ol’ Oaken Bucket last week with a 35-11 victory over rival Pocono Mountain East. The Bears controlled the game on both sides of the ball, rushing for 312 yards and forcing four turnovers. Chris Ward led the way with 202 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries, while Sean Cobb Jr. added 85 yards and a 74-yard scoring run. Pleasant Valley owned a 340-296 edge in total offense and limited the Cardinals to just 83 rushing yards. The win was the Bears’ second straight after a four-game losing streak.

Pocono Mountain West dropped a 49-30 decision to East Stroudsburg South. The Panthers have lost three consecutive games after opening the season with a 4-1 record, but have shown the ability to score points throughout the year, reaching 30 or more points in five contests.

Storyline of the Game

Both teams enter Friday night’s matchup with identical 4-4 records, but they arrive there from opposite directions. Pleasant Valley appears to be peaking at the right time, having outscored its last two opponents 95-11 while rediscovering the dominant rushing attack that has carried it throughout the season.

The Bears are averaging 34.3 points per game and nearly 295 rushing yards per contest. Ward has rushed for 1,117 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 10.5 yards per carry, while Cobb has added 605 yards and six scores while averaging 14.4 yards per carry. Defensively, Pleasant Valley is allowing just 16.5 points per game, and has surrendered only 132 points through eight contests.

Maintaining that momentum may be the biggest challenge this week. The emotional nature of the rivalry game with Pocono Mountain East can make the following week difficult, and the Bears know they will be facing a physical Panthers squad intent on ending their three-game skid. With only two games remaining in the regular season, both teams are looking to build momentum heading toward the postseason.

Coach’s Corner

“The week after PME is always the most difficult week of the season. Win or lose in the bucket game, it is emotional and being able to put it behind us and re-focus on the next task at hand is a challenge.” — Pleasant Valley coach Blaec Saeger. Saeger also praised Pocono Mountain West as “a very well coached and physical team” and pointed to the Panthers’ standout running back/middle linebacker as one of the area’s top players. He said the key for the Bears will be matching the focus and energy they displayed in last week’s rivalry victory.

Tamaqua (4-4) at Selinsgrove (3-5)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Tamaqua found a way to win a defensive battle at North Schuylkill two weeks ago. Last Friday, the Raiders gave themselves a little more breathing room.

A productive backfield powered Tamaqua to a 38-7 victory over Panther Valley, its second straight win after a three-game slide. Terrence McDowell scored the game’s first two touchdowns, and finished with 106 yards on 19 carries as he continued to build on his return from injury.

Then Ace Schickram supplied the big plays. Schickram rushed for 200 yards on just 12 attempts, including touchdown runs of 70 and 23 yards. The tandem combined for 306 yards on the ground, giving the Raiders both steady production and the ability to turn a possession into points in a hurry.

Tamaqua also limited an opponent to seven points for the second consecutive week. After holding off North Schuylkill 12-7 on the road, the Raiders followed with their largest margin of victory this season to get back to .500.

Selinsgrove enters with a boost of its own. The Seals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-22 victory at Danville last week, improving to 3-5.

Storyline of the Game

Tamaqua has worked its way back to even. Now comes a chance to keep climbing.

The Raiders sit sixth in the District 11 Class 3A playoff picture, and their recent formula has been straightforward — establish the ground game and make opponents earn their points.

McDowell leads Tamaqua with 773 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, while Schickram’s breakout against Panther Valley pushed him to 563 yards and five rushing scores. CJ Walker adds another option with 341 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders have generated 1,802 of their 2,071 offensive yards on the ground, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

On the other side, Jonathan Neidig is a player the Raiders will need to account for, as he leads Selinsgrove with 49 receiving yards per game and has six total touchdowns this season.

Coach’s Corner

“I think our mental game has gotten better. We haven’t been making those mental mistakes, whether it’s a late hit, a personal foul or jumping offsides. You always call those things drive killers. Since Pottsville, we’ve really emphasized the stuff we can’t do and really put our foot down when it comes to that kind of stuff. I thought our kids responded well. They’ve been doing a lot better on the mental aspect of the game.” - Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner.

“They’re pretty balanced,” said Bonner on preparing for Selinsgrove’s defense. “They have a quarterback with some experience. They’re probably close to a 50-50 team as far as running and passing. Defensively, earlier in the year, they were running more of a 4-4. Now they’re more of an odd front, a three-man front. We’re practicing against both because we’re not really sure what they’re going to throw at us. Their secondary and linebackers fly to the football. We’ve got to make sure we get to that second level and stay on those guys. If we can break one or two at that second level, we can make some big plays.”

Bonner also mentioned a defensive standout for the Raiders this season: Flynn Coleman. “He’s a tall kid, he’s lean, and he’s been making a lot of plays on that side of the ball. I think he has 15 TFLs so far this year. For a defensive end, that’s pretty impressive. For a 175-pound defensive end, he’s been playing some physical football for us.”

Jim Thorpe (5-3) at Saucon Valley (4-4)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Jim Thorpe pulled out a dramatic win over rival Lehighton last week, using a late touchdown and extra point to claim a 21-20 win. Trailing by six with just under six minutes to play, the Olympians marched 71 yards. Times News Player of the Week Tyler Hoherchak tied the score with a 3-yard TD run on a fourth-and-two play. Blaze Flyzik converted the extra point with 17.9 seconds remaining to put Thorpe ahead. Hoherchak, who threw for 200 yards in the game and added 47 rushing yards and another touchdown, completed 4-of-5 passes for 47 yards during the winning drive. Bobby Levins added 144 yards of offense, 57 rushing and 87 receiving, including a 27-yard reception during the final march. Defensively, both Kaden Hess and Nicholas Faust ended with 12 tackles. Hess had three tackles for loss, while Faust had two. Dominic Kiehl added 10 tackles, including two TFLs.

Saucon Valley defeated Bangor 22-12 a week ago to reach the .500 mark. Braden Rohn scored two touchdowns for the Panthers in the win, while Taylor Rohn added the other score. Saucon ran for 150 yards, 62 by Taylor Rohn, who also had 12 tackles on defense. Eli Szlachtianshyn finished with 13 stops. Quarterback Braden Rohn threw just eight times, completing six for 57 yards.

Storyline of the Game

The Olympians will try to win their third straight game, something they haven’t done since 2021. The teams haven’t played since 2013 when the Panthers won a 35-20 decision. Thorpe has continuously gotten better throughout the season, something all coaches strive for with their team. Saucon has not defeated a team with a winning record this season, and will have its hands full against the Olympians. Jim Thorpe will have to guard against a possible letdown, coming off a thrilling win against a quality club — and its rival. Hoherchak could reach 1,000 yards passing in the contest, as he currently sits at 927. Levins is a dual threat for JT, having run for 565 yards while also collecting 287 receiving yards. Taylor Rohn leads Saucon with 394 yards rushing, while Szlachtianshyn is close behind with 342.

Coach’s Corner

“There’s no doubt it was a big win for us, but had a conversation Monday about (a letdown this coming week). We talked about it on Friday, we talked about it Monday, and with the character of our team it shouldn’t be an issue.

“Saucon Valley is athletic. As far as their quarterback (B. Rohn), he’s a dual threat kid. He runs well, he throws the ball, but they also bring a different kid in and put him at receiver, and he’s probably the best receiver they have on the team. They have some other athletes as well, they have two tailbacks they like to run the ball with. One’s more a speed guy, and one’s more a physical runner, both of which have made big plays for them throughout the course of the year. So obviously, they have athletes and where they place them is a concern, as well as their up front they have some physical kids there as well. Offensively, it’s going to be a challenge for sure.

“We want to continue to get better each and every day, so that’s obviously our No. 1 concern is daily, find something we can get better at and our kids have achieved that goal. It’s just a matter of continuing that mindset. That’s one of our goals to have a home playoff game, but our focus right now is nothing about playoffs, it’s nothing about Week 10, it’s about Week 9 and Saucon Valley.” - Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger

Pine Grove (2-6) at Panther Valley (3-5)

When: Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Instant Replay

Panther Valley has been mired in a three-game losing streak, the latest a 38-7 loss to Tamaqua. The Panthers’ defense couldn’t control Tamaqua’s running game, which accumulated 206 yards in the first half and 338 overall. Panther Valley quarterback Cy Maynard had 53 yards rushing, and their offense generated only 123 yards. For the season, Maynard has run for 397 yards with seven touchdowns, and has completed 45 of 84 attempts for 381 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Troy Nunez is the Panther’s next leading ground gainer with 347 yards with three scores. Chase McArdle leads the team in receptions with 30 for 373 yards with three scores. Defensively, Brody Vermillion leads the team in tackles with 79, and Carlos Maldanado has 56 and two sacks. Jerry Harrison has three sacks.

Pine Grove has also lost three straight, dropping a 61-14 decision to Pottsville last week. The Cardinals have been outscored 176-41 during the stretch. Logan Troup has been a one-man show on both sides of the ball, rushing for 1,490 yards with 13 touchdowns, and he has recorded a team-high 54 tackles. He ran for 103 yards against Pottsville. The Cardinals have had little production from their passing game with Cody Fedechko, who has completed 14 of 38 attempts for 275 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions. Troup has also seen time at quarterback. Kolbey Bluffington has 34 tackles with three sacks, while Daniel Schadle has 3.5 sacks.

Panther Valley won last year’s game, 21-6, and has won two straight in the series. Pine Grove’s last victory over Panther Valley was 49-6 in 2020.

Storyline of the Week

Panther Valley will look to re-establish its running and play-action game against Pine Grove, which has been vulnerable to the pass in recent weeks. The Panthers also need to contain Troup, as stopping the run has been a problem for them. Unless they commit untimely turnovers on their senior night and final home game, the Panthers need to gain control of the reeling Cardinals early.

Coach’s Corner

“We were happy with some of the things we did in the first half last week, but we gave up a couple of scores before and after the half, and never were able to stop the run consistently. This week we see another really good running back, and we have to play as a unit on defense and tackle well. Offensively, we have to control the line of scrimmage and get our running game going.” - Panther Valley head coach Mark Lavine.