By Mark Nance / Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Christian Banks will play Central Mountain this year. The Warriors will face another tough test this week in Lewisburg.
Lewisburg PPG–30.5, PPA–11.3; YPG-304, YPA-231.1
Lewisburg Notes: Lewisburg (7-1) lost its first game a week ago, falling 17-12 to Shamokin, the state’s No. 6 4A team. The Green Dragons held Shamokin to his lowest points and total yards of the season, nearly erasing an 11-point halftime deficit.
Lewisburg is in second place in the District 4 Class AAA standings, and if it maintains that position and advances, it will host the playoffs until the semifinals. Tonight’s game is part of a tough three-game series to conclude the season, with Lewisburg facing rival Mifflinburg next week. It’s also a renewal of what has been an excellent series for many years. Montoursville has won its last two regular season games by a combined 10 points. Two years ago they won 24-21 with seven seconds left, and last season they won 21-14 in double overtime. But Lewisburg got its revenge with a 29-14 victory in the district quarterfinals. Lewisburg has held opponents to fewer than 20 points in six of its last seven games, and its starting defense has held opponents scoreless three times. Linebackers Quinn Michaels and Danan Alabakov combined for 22 tackles for a loss and four interceptions, and defensive back Sudeep Yenireddy had 12 tackles against Shamokin. Cornerback Matteo Cardello had three interceptions. Jeremiah Davis ranks second among area rushers and had 11 consecutive games with over 100 yards until last week. Sophomore wide receiver Jalen Walker had a big day in last year’s playoff game against Montoursville, catching three passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
Lewisburg player to watch – Sean Field: The senior linebacker is a fourth-year starter who bounced back from injury and played well down the stretch. Fields is averaging nearly six tackles per game, and had a season-high 12 tackles against Shamokin. Fields, who also has experience in the offensive backfield, has recorded nine or more tackles in three of his last four games.
Montourville PPG–30.0, PPA–17.3; YPG-334.1, YPA-246.8
Montourville writes: Like Lewisburg, Montourville (5-3) rallied in the second half against a tough opponent, including a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 19-16 loss to Southern Columbia. was reduced to 3 points. Montoursville holds onto its No. 4 spot in the 3A field and looks to take on surging Mifflinburg, a likely quarterfinal opponent for home in the anticipated quarterfinals. The Warriors played a stingy defense last week, allowing just 19 points from their starters. These starting pitchers have held four opponents scoreless this season. Sophomore linebacker Hayden Harvey was all over the field against Southern and made 16 tackles, including 13 solo. Fellow linebacker Christian Banks has a team-high 13 tackles for loss, and linemen Kingston Fisher and Noah Rakstro have combined for 17 tackles for loss. Linebacker Owen Kleinman led the team in tackles for the second consecutive season, averaging 8.3 tackles per game. Banks needs 80 yards to reach 1,000 yards this season, but has formed a strong partnership with Harvey, who totaled 100 yards with two touchdowns at Southern. Quarterback Jimmy Mussina is closing in on his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, but has thrown just one interception in his last seven games. Montoursville effectively spread the ball around, with seven different players catching touchdowns. In this game, the focus will be on special teams as Lewisburg and Montoursville have strong kickers in Cohen Hoover and Gavin Hawley, respectively.
Montoursville Player to Watch – Michael Reeder: The senior wide receiver is a big-play threat who has made an impact on all three fronts, scoring four touchdowns on plays of 30+ yards. That includes an 89-yard kick return against Mount Carmel. His ability to open up the field could help loosen up a rushing Lewisburg defense.
Outlook: These teams are similar in some ways, including quality line play on both sides of the ball. Lewisburg pulled away late in last year’s playoff contention, but this one is similar to the last two regular season games and feels like it will be decided in the final minutes of the game.
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