Week five is passed us, and that mean’s the next month will lead us to playoff football.
Of the six teams in Lebanon County, one has a winning record and two others are a game away from hitting .500 — meaning the upcoming stretch is crucial for all. After the 2024 season hit its halfway mark, let’s look at the schedule for Week 6.
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Palmyra (1-4) vs. Mifflin County (1-4)
Although Palmyra hasn’t seen a close contest in its last four games, the Cougars have shown the talent to give problems to opponents. Their upcoming game will be a return to Buck Swank Stadium where the Cougars won their only game this season. On the other sideline, the Huskies also come in on a four-game slide, but their only win happened to come on the road in a 42-6 beating versus Central Mountain.
The Huskies are led by a strong passing attack and a defense that’s seen some turnovers despite allowing 158 points since Week 1. The offense is commanded by senior quarterback Fletcher Wilson, who has thrown for over 600 yards along with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Another notable player on the Huskies is senior Cyrell Green, who leads the receivers’ group and secondary. The senior has 15 catches for 285 yards and four scores on offense thus far, along with two interceptions at cornerback.
One of the Cougars’ strong points on defense has been its secondary, so the group has a chance to impact the game directly against Wilson and his receivers. If Palmyra’s lineup of running backs all see action, the backfield could be the leading factor in a crucial game.
Annville-Cleona (2-3) at Kutztown (0-5)
The Dutchmen are coming off of a bounce-back win that saw the defense pitch a shutout. Their next game gives coach Matt Gingrich’s team an opportunity to regain a .500 winning percentage, and the opponent is still looking for its first win.
The Cougars return to their home field following a rough road stretch that saw them give up 84 points in two weeks. Their last matchup at home showed them allowing 110 passing yards on six completions along with over 100 yards rushing — to go with a 70-yard kick return by their opponent. Annville-Cleona’s defense will need to grab the momentum early against Kutztown, but their playmakers on offense should see plenty of action.
Cedar Crest (3-2) vs. Reading (1-4)
After a one-possession loss in Week 5, the Falcons return to their own Earl Boltz Stadium for a chance to take a firm lead as the third-best record in Section 1. The Red Knights are coming off of a three-game losing streak, but their most recent was a last-minute 19-16 defeat to Penn Manor. They’re led by senior running back and linebacker Gabriel Laws, who ran for 170 yards in the team’s only win so far, and he’ll be a factor to watch this weekend.
Reading’s squad has allowed over 33 points per game this year, so Cedar Crest’s offense will be important in the action. If Falcons senior quarterback Jackson Custer can get time in the pocket, the offense has plenty of players with big-play ability.
Lebanon (0-5) at Conestoga Valley (5-0)
The Cedars are coming off of a brutal loss after being held to 0 on offense in Week 5. Lebanon faces another undefeated opponent in Week 6, but this week’s matchup gets to play at their home stadium.
The Buckskins have been a well-rounded team this campaign, but their defense has led the way. After allowing 26 points through five games, the group has shown to be dominant. There’s a large bunch of senior leaders on the squad, but senior defensive end Justin Corson has been a force to be reckoned with — as he’s tallied a team-high 22 solo tackles and five sacks.
Coach Tyler Pritchett’s squad has flashed on offense in moments, and the eyes of Cedar fans should be on senior quarterback Brandyn Castro. Playmakers have stepped up around him in recent weeks so there’s promise heading into each week, and this matchup could add to that for the Cedars.
ELCO (1-4) at Daniel Boone (0-5)
The Raiders have allowed exactly 100 points over the past two weeks, but this week gives them a chance to bounce back against a winless group. The Blazers are 0-5, but have lost by less than a possession twice this campaign
Their quarterback is junior Haydn Moyer, who has connected on several big plays for the Blazers’ offense this year and also adds mobility behind the line of scrimmage. ELCO’s run game flashed in its Week 3 win, but hasn’t shown up since. If the Raiders’ backfield gets moving, they’ll need the defense to swarm Moyer for a chance to limit Daniel Boone’s spread offense.
Northern Lebanon (2-3) vs. Twin Valley (5-0)
The Vikings put the brakes on their losing streak in Week 5, and their defense was stout the entire way. After only allowing 12 points last week, Northern Lebanon’s group has a challenge coming to its own Frederick Gahres Stadium as the Raiders have averaged over 50 points per game through five contests. Twin Valley’s offense is led by four-year varsity starter Evan Myers, and it runs a motion-heavy system. If the Vikings defense can hold the Raiders it will be an impressive feat, but the offense has yet to get any consistency so that matchup could be important.
