NWPASports.com

(Statistical Information Courtesy of NWPASports.com archives, The Herald and Erie Times-News)

WEEK FOUR FOOTBALL PREVIEWS

Seven games comprise the Week Four high school schedule in Mercer County as the 2025 season enters its middle third. Ten of the area's 11 teams will play conference games this week. Wilmington, the odd team out in five-team Region 1, will return to District 5 for the second straight week as the Greyhounds travel to Berlin Brothersvalley.

Closer to home, this weekend's slate features the renewal of several longstanding series, all of which are in league play. Six of the seven games will be played Friday night. Greenville hosts 3-0 Cochranton in Region 2 play Saturday night.

Kennedy has an open date in 8-man action.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Hickory at Sharon, 7:00

Series History: Sharon, 43-18-1
Last Hickory Win: November 15, 2024 (37-31, District 10 Class 3A title game at Slippery Rock University)
Last Sharon Win: September 13, 2024 (20-14 at Hickory)
First Meeting: September 25, 1959 (Sharon won 45-28)

What are the characteristics of a great rivalry? While there may be some variance, most would agree that a great sports rivalry includes the following:

*A number of meaningful games
*Both parties involved winning at least on occasion
*Overall familiarity/geography
*History

So, it doesn't take long to realize that the Hickory-Sharon football rivalry is a resounding 4 for 4 on that scale. To wit:

*The teams have played in the District 10 playoffs three times in the last four seasons, including the 2023 and 2024 title games. The schools are also in the same region and have been in the same league/conference/region since 1982.
*Sharon has won the last four regular season meetings but Hickory has prevailed in each of the three postseason battles. Overall, the teams are 6-6 in the last 12 games.
*The teams have played 16 times in the last decade. Plus, the school district and cities border each other. Sharon and Hickory are in the same league/classification in almost every sport -- fall, winter, spring, boys or girls.
*See above

The newest chapter in the storied series will be penned Friday night at historic Sharon Tiger Stadium when Tigers (2-1, 1-0) host the undefeated Hornets (3-0, 1-0).

Both teams won on the road in the conference opener last week. Sharon pulled away from Slippery Rock for a 49-6 win in a game that featured 26 enforced penalties for a combined 220 yards. Meanwhile, Hickory bolted to a 28-0 lead after one quarter at Conneaut on the way to a 55-6 triumph in Linesville.

Sharon scored touchdowns on each of its final seven possessions at Slippery Rock. Junior Gha'fir Lampkins made his first start at quarterback and accounted for three total touchdowns, including two rushing. He completed 5 of 10 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Bishop Root. Senior tailback Terrian White chewed up 152 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts.

Defensively, Sharon received a pair of takeaways from two unlikely sources as defensive tackle Jazya Hueston and middle linebacker Logan Perks. The Tigers held Slippery Rock to a 2-for-13 effort on third downs.

Lampkins played the final three quarters of Sharon's Week Two game at Cathedral Prep after senior starter Ethan Engelmore left due to injury. Engelmore played quarterback in the fourth quarter and punted last week at Slippery Rock, which adds a level of intrigue for Sharon regarding who will get the starting nod behind center.

Hickory has no intrigue when it comes to its starting quarterback as sophomore Christian Dungee threw for 206 yards and five touchdowns on 7-of-11 passing at Conneaut. Dungee leads Mercer County in yards per attempt (11.9) while also completing a county-best 71.0 percent of his passes this season. Thanks in part to his Week Three performance, Dungee also leads the county with seven touchdown passes.

The Hornets feature ample offensive balance, though, as junior tailback Kelvin Morrison ranks third in the area with 450 rushing yards. He netted 115 yards and two touchdowns on nine first-half attempts at Conneaut.

Hickory went 4 for 8 on third down after going 4 for 17 over the first two weeks of the season. Sharon has converted 13 of 24 (54 percent) third down opportunities. Both defenses have fared well on third down. Hickory held Conneaut to a 1-of-10 performance last week. For the season, Hickory's three opponents are 8 of 24 (33 percent) on third downs. Sharon foes are 13 of 38 (34 percent) on third down.

Sharon has scored touchdowns on each of its 12 trips inside the red zone this year. The Hickory defense has held opponents scoreless on four of their eight trips inside the Hickory 20.

A red-zone score gave Hickory the District 10 Class 3A title last year as Zander Telesz's four-yard touchdown pass to Khalil Houston gave Hickory a 37-31 win over Sharon at Slippery Rock University. Hickory scored twice in the final 2:40 to rally from a 31-23 deficit.

Morrison ran for 133 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a 58-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter to give Hickory a 10-3 lead. For Sharon, White ran for 80 yards and a touchdown. Engelmore completed 8 of 17 passes for 95 yards. Ra'Keem Hughes had four receptions for 46 yards and a score.

Sharon won the Week Four regular season matchup at Hickory, 20-14, as current senior Kare'mez Norris caught a 67-yard touchdown pass from Engelmore, then returned the second half kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown.

Morrison paced Hickory with 114 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Jadon Phillips hauled in five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. Hickory went 0 for 3 in the red zone that night. Sharon misfired on its lone red zone trip.

Sharon has won five of the last six meetings with Hickory at Tiger Stadium. Sharon is 23-6 at home all-time against Hickory. The Tigers have won nine straight home games, which is their longest home win streak since a 24-game run from 1990 to 1994. The Tigers also won nine straight games at Tiger Stadium during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

The game will be broadcast on News/Talk 790 WPIC. Video available here. 

Grove City at Slippery Rock, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Grove City, 31-13
Last Grove City Win: September 14, 2024 (42-7)
Last Slippery Rock Win: September 17, 2021 (34-7)
First Meeting: October 1, 1927 (Grove City won 56-6 at Slippery Rock); Modern Era: November 5, 1976 (Grove City won 29-20)

Winners of two straight, Grove City (2-1, 1-0) looks to maintain a share of the Region 4 lead when the Eagles trek down State Route 173 to face longtime rival Slippery Rock (1-2, 0-1) in conference action at Troy-Alan Stadium.

Grove City won its league opener for the first time since 2021 by downing Titusville last Friday, 34-16, at Forker Field. The Eagles had not forced a turnover in the first two weeks of the season but recorded five takeaways in last week's win. Linebacker Drake Moore returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown on the fifth scrimmage play of the game while Delathian Boanes' strip and 33-yard fumble return snuffed out a Titusville scoring opportunity.

Junior linebacker Jimmy Cooper picked off two passes and sophomore safety Charlie Miller also grabbed an interception. That marked Grove City's first game with five or more takeaways since forcing five Sharon turnovers October 1, 2021.

While Grove City's defense stepped forward in the Region 4 opener, the Eagles' offense continues to rank among the area's top units. Grove City ranks second in passing offense, averaging 172.7 yards per game. The Eagles also boast the county's third-ranked rushing attack as Grove City averages 246 yards per night.

Freshman quarterback Heath Hohman leads the county with 36 completions, 60 attempts and 518 passing yards. Junior wide receiver Levi Toth has emerged in 2025 with 14 catches for 249 yards over the first three weeks of the season. He ranks second in the county in both categories.

Senior Jaxyn Wilson and freshman Gavin Purdy have both rushed for 279 yards. Wilson ran for 102 yards and a score against Titusville and Purdy contributed 63 yards and two touchdown runs.

Grove City's pass defense ranks 11th in the 11-team area, allowing 162.7 yards per game. However, Grove City allows a county-low 78.0 rushing yards per game. The Eagles have also allowed opponents to score only four touchdowns on nine red zone trips this season.

Friday's game marks Slippery Rock's final home league game as the Rockets play their final three conference tilts on the road. The Rockets fell to visiting Sharon, 49-6, in the conference opener as Sharon outscored Slippery Rock 28-0 in the second half.

Junior kicker Zach Lasko drilled field goals of 25 and 33 yards to account for the Rockets' scoring. Senior quarterback Doug Popovec ran for 67 yards and also threw for 65 yards. Senior Kole Scott, Slippery Rock's leading rusher this year with 217 yards, added 50 yards against Sharon.

Slippery Rock aims to counter Grove City's potent passing attack with the area's top-ranked pass defense. The Rockets have held opposing quarterbacks to a 75.4 passer rating (NCAA formula) this year, 40.0 percent accuracy and only 4.9 yards per attempt.

Slippery Rock also has five forced turnovers so far this season. However, the Rockets are minus-2 in turnover margin.

Wilson ran for 158 yards and five touchdowns last year in Grove City's 42-7 win over visiting Slippery Rock in a Saturday matinee at Forker Field. Cooper forced a fumble and had a sack while Boanes also notched one of Grove City's four sacks.

Popovec picked off a pass for Slippery Rock. He also caught six passes for 66 yards as a starting wide receiver. Grove City held Slippery Rock to minus-24 rushing yards.

Grove City has won five straight meetings in the series. The Eagles are 12-6 at Slippery Rock in the modern era of the rivalry, along with a 56-6 win 98 years ago at Slippery Rock. It's been seven years since the Eagles won their first two league games in a season.

The game will be broadcast on Sports Radio 96.7. Live Stats available here.

Sharpsville at Reynolds, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Sharpsville, 25-22-1
Last Reynolds Win: September 22, 2017 (23-14)
Last Sharpsville Win: September 13, 2024 (34-12)
First Meeting: October 20, 1962 (Sharpsville won 28-0 at Reynolds)

In each of the last three seasons, the Reynolds Raiders have carried an unbeaten record into their game with Sharpsville. And, in each of those three seasons, the Raiders left without that unbeaten record as Sharpsville prevailed in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Friday night, Reynolds will aim to reverse that trend as the 3-0 Raiders host Sharpsville (0-3, 0-0) in Region 1 play. It is Sharpsville's league opener while Reynolds plays its second straight home conference game.

Reynolds features the county's most prolific offense through the first three weeks of the season as the Raiders average a county-high 43.3 points and 487.3 yards per game. Reynolds also averages 10.4 yards per offensive play, which also leads the area's 11-team contingent.

Not to be outdone, the Raiders' defense allows a county-low 211.0 yards per game. The Raiders share the county lead with seven forced turnovers.

Reynolds recorded its first home shutout in three seasons last week by blanking Mercer, 32-0, in the league opener. Reynolds recovered three fumbles, forced nine Mercer punts and held the Mustangs to 86 yards. Casey Resek recorded 2.5 of the Raiders' four sacks.

Offensively, senior quarterback Xavier Zachrich ran for 257 yards while senior halfback Parker Nay added 119 yards rushing, along with 67 receiving yards on four catches.

Zachrich leads the county with 668 yards of total offense while Nay's 662 all-purpose yards are tops in the area. Nay also leads Mercer County with seven touchdowns, 44 points, 15 receptions and 347 receiving yards.

Sharpsville also features a county leader in a prominent statistical category as sophomore fullback Geno Currie leads Mercer County with 500 rushing yards this season. The bruising 215-pounder ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 28 totes last Friday night in a 46-21 loss at Brookfield.

Sophomore Lincoln Breit made his first start at quarterback after moving from split end. He completed 2 of 9 passes for 55 yards in Week Three, replacing injured starter Brady Gerlach.

With Currie as a feature back and a newly-minted starting quarterback, Sharpsville will likely continue its ball-control offense. The Blue Devils have averaged a 2-to-1 edge (32:32-15:28) in time of possession this year. The Blue Devils are 11 of 18 on fourth downs this year, helping offset a 7-for-33 (21 percent) performance so far on third down.

Sharpsville aims to avoid its first 0-4 start in 31 years. Reynolds seeks its first 4-0 start since 2020. The Raiders also won their first four games in 2019.

Sharpsville outscored Reynolds over the final three quarters, 22-0, to earn a 34-12 home win last year at McCracken Field. Currie ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Zachrich and then-junior Gabe Minjarez both ran for 102 yards to help lead Reynolds.

Sharpsville has won 13 of the last 14 meetings, including last year's triumph. The teams played every year from 1962 to 1995. The lone tie in the series came in 1970, when the teams played to a 0-0 draw at Reynolds. That marked one of five shutouts that year for Sharpsville. However, the Blue Devils went 3-4-3 as Sharpsville played three scoreless games that fall.

The Blue Devils 14-10-1 all-time at Reynolds, including that 1970 tie. Sharpsville is Reynolds' most-frequently played opponent among active series. Reynolds has faced Greenville 52 times but not since 2021. 

Farrell at Mercer, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Farrell, 14-6
Last Farrell Win: September 13, 2024 (58-0)
Last Mercer Win: October 25, 2013 (26-15 at Farrell)
First Meeting: c. October 12, 1922 (Farrell won 38-0 at Mercer)

Farrell returns to action after receiving a forfeit win last week from Youngstown Ursuline. It's the Steelers' Region 1 opener while Mercer plays its first home conference game.

Mercer looks to bounce back from a 32-0 setback last week at Reynolds in the Mustangs' league lidlifter. The Mustang defense forced three fumbles and recorded five quarterback sacks, helping Mercer stay within striking distance until the fourth quarter. Matt Chess chalked up a pair of sacks while Alex Leftheris added 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

However, Mercer's offense sputtered as Reynolds held the Mustangs to five first downs and 86 yards. Now, a week after facing the county's No. 1-ranked defense, Mercer must deal with a Farrell defense that leads the area in scoring defense and ranks second in total defense.

Two weeks ago, Farrell held Fort LeBoeuf out of the end zone in a 45-3 home victory. The Steelers have allowed only 16 points in their first two games this season.

Meanwhile, the Farrell passing attack shifted into high gear against LeBoeuf as junior quarterback Aaron Pegues completed 17 of 23 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Nemo Jones pulled in nine passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns while junior Dorean Cain had a career-high 110 receiving yards on four catches.

Running back Juelz Johnson ran for 140 yards and also returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdowns. Johnson ranks second in the area in rushing yards per game, averaging 164.5.

Farrell also received a pair of field goals from newcomer Nick Ellsworth, who booted three-pointers of 37 and 27 yards, respectively. Those marked Farrell's first field goals since September 30, 2022, when L.J. Samuels kicked a 35-yarder against Wilmington.

Pegues leads the county in passing yards per game as he averages 175.0. His 176.7 passer rating ranks second in the area. Mercer has held opposing quarterbacks to a county-low 40.0 percent accuracy this season. Mercer's seven takeaways are tied for first in Mercer County. Farrell has only one turnover this year, the second-lowest figure in the area. Both teams are plus-2 so far in turnover margin.

Pegues completed 16 of 18 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns last year in a 58-0 home win over Mercer. Jones had four catches for 171 yards. Deymar Cain caught a touchdown pass while twin brother Dorean ran for 60 yards and a score. Johnson scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.

Farrell forced 10 Mercer punts and held the Mustangs to an 0-for-12 outing on third down.

Farrell has won six straight games against Mercer. The last five have come by shutout. Farrell is 6-3 all-time at Mercer. Mercer and Farrell played together in District 7's Tri-County North "A" from 1986 to 1989. The series resumed in 2006, Farrell's first year in District 10. Mercer's first-ever win over Farrell came that year, a 31-16 triumph September 22, 2006 at Farrell.  

Lakeview at Maplewood, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Maplewood, 20-13
Last Lakeview Win: September 13, 2024 (28-13)
Last Maplewood Win: November 5, 2022 (33-24, District 10 Class 1A quarterfinal at Farrell)
First Meeting: October 21, 1978 (Maplewood won 27-7 at Lakeview)

Longtime rivals Lakeview and Maplewood clash Friday night in Region 2 action at Guys Mills. Both teams enter with 0-3 overall records after falling in the Region 2 opener last week to other longtime foes. Saegertown edged Lakeview, 26-22, while Maplewood suffered a 30-14 setback at undefeated Cochranton.

Lakeview took a 22-20 lead with 7:13 left in the game on Gavin Schell's nine-yard touchdown run and Remington Marsh's subsequent two-point conversion. However, Saegertown rallied for the win.

Schell ran for 31 yards in his season debut. Marsh added 30 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to tie the game at 14. Quarterback Owen Reynolds led Lakeview with 49 rushing yards. But the Sailors committed four turnovers.

Four turnovers also helped foil Maplewood's hopes at Cochranton. Junior quarterback Kyle Jordan ran for 70 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed 7 of 15 passes for a season-high 124 yards. Jordan, a three-year starter for the Tigers, has accounted for 2,669 total offensive yards and 31 total touchdowns in his career.

Schell ran for 76 yards and a touchdown last year in Lakeview's 28-13 victory over visiting Maplewood. Lakeview finished with 270 rushing yards.

Lakeview has won three straight regular season meetings. Lakeview is 6-8 all-time at Maplewood. The Sailors won the first-ever meeting between the teams in Guys Mills by pulling out a 15-14 win October 17, 1980. The win clinched the second winning season in program history and the first for the Sailors since 1969.

Lakeview trailed 14-0 at halftime and then muffed a punt in the third quarter that gave ‘Wood the ball at the 7. The Sailors stopped Maplewood at the 1, however, and Jay Smith’s 98-yard run to the Maplewood 1 set up his own one-yard plunge. With 11 minutes left, center Rusty Wright recovered a teammate’s fumble in the end zone to tie the game and David Custer’s extra point broke the 14-14 tie.

The Sailors' first-ever District 10 playoff win also came at Maplewood. Lakeview downed Fairview, 17-0, in a District 10 Division II semifinal game November 7, 1986. That year, Lakeview had been scheduled to play at Maplewood in French Creek Valley Conference action but a teachers' strike in the PennCREST School District forced the game to be canceled.

Wilmington at Berlin Brothersvalley, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: First Meeting

One week after traveling 150 miles to District 5 to face Northern Bedford County, the Wilmington Greyhounds will travel "only" 135 miles to face perennial District 5 powerhouse Berlin Brothersvalley (3-0). Wilmington ran for over a quarter of a mile in Week Three in Loysburg as the Greyhounds earned a 55-22 road win.

Wilmington ran for 464 yards as a team on 32 attempts, led by a career-high 156 yards from Cael Kettering. The sophomore scored on touchdown runs of 50 and 49 yards. Junior halfback Chase Mitcheltree posted 145 yards and two rushing touchdowns while sophomore quarterback Rowan Miller ran for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Miller also threw a touchdown pass to Mitcheltree that gave Wilmington a 42-16 lead early in the third quarter. Wilmington scored on eight of its nine possessions, the lone drive without points ended when time expired in the first half.

Wilmington leads Mercer County in rushing offense, averaging 360.3 yards per game. Mitcheltree ranks No. 2 on the local leaderboard with 473 rushing yards. Kettering's 16.2 yards-per-carry average leads the area. He has 194 yards while Miller has added 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

The Greyhounds have incorporated the midline and veer option into their Wing-T offense with Miller at quarterback this season. He scored on a 70-yard option keeper last week at Northern Bedford. The Hounds have attempted only eight passes this year, with one of those being a spike to stop the clock.

Wilmington is also the area's least-penalized team, having been flagged for only 12 penalties this season. The Greyhounds sport the area's No. 2 rushing defense, allowing 127.0 rushing yards per game. However, Wilmington opponents average 158.0 passing yards per game. Wilmington has faced the most passing plays of any defense as opponents are 42 of 70 passing through the first three weeks.

Berlin Brothersvalley opened Inter-County Conference South Division play last week with a 35-19 home win over Everett. Sophomore Carter Durst ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns while junior Corbin Kordell returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown.

Durst ranks second on the team with 235 rushing yards while senior Seth Kimmel leads the Mountaineers with 251 rushing yards. Both backs have scored four rushing touchdowns. Kordell leads the team with five catches.

Berlin has the open date this week in its seven-team conference. In addition to Everett, the league also features Meyersdale, North Star, Northern Bedford County, Tussey Mountain and Windber. Berlin will visit Northern Bedford next week.

The Mountaineers went 7-5 last year, falling to Bedford in the District 5 Class 2A title game, 18-0. Berlin Brothersvalley also receives players from Rockwood and Shanksville-Stonycreek through co-op agreements.

This is the second of three straight road games for Wilmington. In Week Five, the Greyhounds head to Ohio to face Grand Valley in Ashtabula County.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Cochranton at Greenville, 7:00 p.m.

Series History: Greenville, 3-0
Last Cochranton Win: None
Last Greenville Win: September 13, 2024 (62-0 at Cochranton)
First Meeting: October 26, 1929 (Greenville won 19-6 at Cochranton)

First place in Region 2 hangs in the balance Saturday night as Greenville (2-1, 1-0) welcomes surprising Cochranton (3-0, 1-0) to Stone-Snyder Stadium. Both squads have an extra day of preparation after opening Region 2 play with wins last Friday night.

Greenville bounced Cambridge Springs in a District 10 Class 1A playoff rematch, 42-13, while Cochranton captured a 30-14 victory over Maplewood.

Greenville bolted to a 28-0 halftime lead against Spa as senior running back Rudy Gentile ran for three of his four touchdowns in the first half. He finished with 152 yards while junior Kaysom Materia added 99 yards on nine attempts.

Junior quarterback Cael Thurber completed 5 of 7 attempts for 145 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to junior wide receiver Justin Schell. Thurber ranks second in the area with 432 passing yards and five touchdowns. His 65.1 completion percentage also ranks No. 2 in the area.

Gentile leads the county with six rushing touchdowns while Schell's four touchdown catches are tied for tops. Greenville ranks second out of the area's 11 teams by averaging 9.1 yards per offensive play.

Cochranton forced four turnovers and recorded five sacks in its win over Maplewood. Junior Gabe Carter posted two sacks while senior Adrian Moore added an interception. Senior Walker Carroll, a West Virginia baseball commit, returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

Carroll's freshman brother, Noah Carroll, completed 10 of 21 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. He leads Crawford County with 469 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Six of Walker Carroll's nine receptions have gone for touchdowns. Walker Carroll has a Crawford County-best 231 receiving yards this year.

Brayden Williams leads the Redbirds with 289 rushing yards. John Svirbly, a 2002 Reynolds High School graduate, is in his second season as Cochranton head coach.

Cochranton opened the season with a 20-12 win at Iroquois. The Cardinals downed Union City in Week Two, 55-13.

Greenville blanked Cochranton last season, 62-0, as the Trojans rolled up 48 points in the first half. Gentile ran for 81 yards and two scores while current sophomore Swayze Walker contributed 77 rushing yards and a touchdown. Schell caught two touchdown passes. Thurber and junior Keith Covert both intercepted passes.

The Trojans outgained Cochranton, 426-110.

This is the second of three straight home games for Greenville. The Trojans host Mercer next week in non-conference action. Four of Greenville's final five games will be on the road. Cochranton hosts Eisenhower in non-league play in Week Five.

Greenville has won 38 straight games against Crawford County opponents. The last non-win came October 9, 1992, when the Trojans played to a 7-7 tie at Meadville. The Greenville unbeaten streak against Crawford County teams is 44 games (42-0-2). Meadville defeated Greenville, 26-13, October 6, 1989.