The 2026 high school football action continued this past weekend with some great games across Pennsylvania! Here is Mr. PA Football’s recap of some of the top games.
#5 (2A) Farrell Defeats #4 (1A) Wilmington 25-14
#5 (2A) Farrell remained unbeaten Friday night, defeating #4 (1A) Wilmington 25-14 in a battle of undefeated District-10 powers at Wilmington. The Steelers improved to 4-0 with the road victory, while the Greyhounds suffered their first loss of the season and fell to 3-1.
Farrell struck first late in the opening quarter when junior RB/LB Jason Marshall II capped a 91-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run. Wilmington answered in the second quarter as senior RB/FS Chase Mitcheltree scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7.
The Steelers responded before halftime, taking the lead for good when senior QB Aaron Pegues connected with senior WR Timmy Jackson for a 4-yard touchdown pass. Farrell carried a 13-7 advantage into halftime.
Farrell’s defense came up with a critical play to open the second half when senior LB/RB Dorean Cain stripped junior RB/LB Cam Kettering of the football and recovered the fumble at the Steelers’ 26-yard line, ending a lengthy Wilmington possession. Farrell turned that turnover into points early in the fourth quarter, as Pegues found Cain for an 8-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 19-7.
Wilmington refused to go quietly. Mitcheltree scored his second touchdown of the night on a 3-yard run with 3:36 remaining, cutting the Farrell lead to 19-14 and giving the Greyhounds a chance to complete the comeback.
Farrell answered immediately, however. Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff to the Wilmington 21-yard line, and Pegues connected with sophomore WR/DB Gavin Pettiford for a 16-yard touchdown on fourth down with 2:22 remaining to put the game away. The Steelers’ defense then closed out the 25-14 victory.
Pegues completed 12 of 17 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown, while Marshall added 65 rushing yards and a score. Mitcheltree led Wilmington with 88 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
Standouts of the Game
Farrell:
- Senior QB Aaron Pegues
- Junior RB/LB Jason Marshall II
- Senior LB/RB Dorean Cain
- Junior WR Timmy Jackson
- Sophomore WR/DB Gavin Pettiford
Wilmington:
- Senior RB/FS Chase Mitcheltree
- Junior QB/LB Rowan Miller
Next Week: Farrell hosts Ursuline (OH) Thursday night, while Wilmington hosts Mercyhurst Prep Friday night.
Wilson West Lawn Shuts Out #9 (6A) Manheim Township 17-0
Wilson West Lawn handed #9 (6A) Manheim Township its first loss of the season Friday night, using a dominant defensive performance to earn a 17-0 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 victory at John Gurski Stadium. The Bulldogs improved to 3-1, while the Blue Streaks fell to 3-1.
Senior RB Justice Hardy opened the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run to give Wilson a 7-0 lead. K Preston Oxenreider added a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, sending the Bulldogs into halftime ahead 10-0.
Wilson’s defense controlled the matchup throughout, limiting Manheim Township to 145 yards of total offense and forcing two turnovers while preventing the Blue Streaks from reaching the red zone. Defensive back Zymir Small and linebacker Matthew Wyatt each recorded an interception.
The Bulldogs sealed the win in the second half when Hardy fumbled at the 1-yard line, but teammate TE Michael Glover recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to extend the lead to 17-0.
Wilson’s 17-0 victory marked its first shutout of Manheim Township since 2013, while the Blue Streaks had not been shut out since the 2018 District-3 playoffs.
Standouts of the Game
Wilson West Lawn:
- Senior RB Justice Hardy
- Sophomore K Preston Oxenreider
- Senior TE/DE Michael Glover
- Junior LB/RB Matthew Wyatt
- Senior RB/DB Zymir Small
Manheim Township:
- Manheim Township Defense
Next Week: Manheim Township hosts Cedar Crest, while Wilson West Lawn hosts Reading.
#4 (6A) St. Joseph’s Prep Holds Off Malvern Prep, 12-7
#4 (6A) St. Joseph’s Prep earned a hard-fought 12-7 victory over Malvern Prep Saturday night at Franklin Field, using a strong defensive effort and timely plays to hold off the Friars. The Hawks improved to 2-1, while Malvern Prep dropped to 1-2.
With starting quarterback Max Rogers sidelined after suffering an upper-body injury against Bergen Catholic the previous week, junior QB Nickee Holden made his first varsity start for the Hawks. Holden completed 15 of 19 passes for 168 yards and helped St. Joseph’s Prep control the game despite being held to just 13 rushing yards.
St. Joseph’s Prep took a 6-0 lead in the second quarter behind two field goals from K Colin Stoner, who connected from 38 and 44 yards. The Hawks carried that advantage into halftime.
The Prep extended its lead early in the third quarter when RB Ameen Williams broke through for a 5-yard touchdown run following a 38-yard completion from Holden to WR Jett Harrison. The extra point was missed, giving St. Joseph’s Prep a 12-0 advantage with 8:11 remaining in the third quarter.
Malvern Prep answered later in the quarter when QB Brayden Fallon broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 12-7. The Friars had opportunities to take the lead late, but the St. Joseph’s Prep defense came up with the necessary stops.
Senior FS Dariel Jaquez played a major role in preserving the victory, recording two interceptions and making a late tackle on Malvern receiver Cade Cooper after a 32-yard catch with 31 seconds remaining. The Hawks then stopped Malvern on fourth-and-two late in the fourth quarter to seal the five-point win.
Standouts of the Game
St. Joseph’s Prep:
- Junior QB Nickee Holden
- Junior WR Jett Harrison
- Junior RB Ameen Williams
- Senior K Colin Stoner
- Senior FS Dariel Jaquez
Malvern Prep:
- Junior QB Brayden Fallon
- Senior WR Cade Cooper
- Junior RB Julius Riddick
Next Week: St. Joseph’s Prep has a bye week, while Malvern Prep hosts Our Lady of Good Counsel (MD).
Quick Hitters Rundown
Big School Games:
Pennridge Edges #7 (6A) Central Bucks West 14-7
Pennridge stayed unbeaten Friday night, defeating #7 (6A) Central Bucks West 14-7 in a battle of 3-0 teams in the Suburban One League National Conference opener. The Rams’ defense kept the Bucks in check throughout the tight, low-scoring battle before junior QB Aiden Tetkowski connected with senior WR Sean Leuthe for a 36-yard touchdown with 28 seconds remaining, capping a five-play, 85-yard game-winning drive. The Rams improved to 4-0, while Central Bucks West fell to 3-1.
Central York Routs Spring Grove 51-14
Central York bounced back in a big way Friday night, defeating previously unbeaten Spring Grove 51-14 in a District-3 matchup. QB Jamin Ilgenfritz completed 18 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns, including three scoring passes to WR Demarcus Murray, who finished with 138 receiving yards. RB Legend Johnson added 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries as Central York improved to 2-2, while Spring Grove fell to 3-1.
#1 (4A) Shamokin Pulls Away From #4 (4A) Jersey Shore, 35-14
#1 (4A) Shamokin remained unbeaten Friday night, pulling away from #4 (4A) Jersey Shore 35-14 in a battle of two undefeated District-4 powers. Logan Steele turned in a dominant performance for the Indians, rushing for 200 yards and three touchdowns on just 17 carries. Steele also threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Bickert and hauled in a 31-yard scoring pass from Barrett Walsh as Shamokin improved to 4-0. Jersey Shore dropped to 3-1.
#6 (4A) Montour Stuffs West Allegheny’s Late Two-Point Try, Wins 21-20
#6 (4A) Montour held off West Allegheny 21-20 Friday night in a dramatic WPIAL nonconference matchup at Thomas J. Birko Memorial Stadium. The Spartans’ defense came up with two huge plays late, stopping a two-point conversion attempt with 3:42 remaining before Brandon Bennett intercepted a pass inside the Montour 5-yard line on the final play to seal the victory. Montour improved to 3-1, while West Allegheny fell to 2-2.
#1 (6A) Central Catholic Cruises Past Norwin, 54-17
#1 (6A) Pittsburgh Central Catholic continued its unbeaten start Friday night, cruising past Norwin 54-17 in the Class 6A conference opener. Junior QB Owen Herrick threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns on 15-of-21 passing, connecting with senior WR/DB Connor Melnik for three of those scores. Junior RB/FS Chrys Black Jr. added two touchdowns and a 90-yard punt return for another score as the Vikings rolled to 4-0, while Norwin dropped to 2-2.
Downingtown East Handles Spring-Ford, 35-7
Downingtown East made a statement Friday night, rolling past previously unbeaten Spring-Ford 35-7 at Walter E. Kottmeyer Stadium. Julez Chiron-Robinson powered the Cougars with 150 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Madden Miller delivered a standout two-way performance with four catches for 85 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions. The Cougars, coached by Michael Matta, improved to 3-0 and handed Spring-Ford its first loss of the season.
#10 (4A) General McLane Shuts Out Oil City, 23-0
#10 (4A) General McLane remained unbeaten Friday night, shutting out Oil City 23-0 in a District 10 Region 5 matchup at Edinboro. Junior QB Josh Caro turned in a strong all-around performance, completing 11 of 17 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score on eight carries. Gabe Montroy caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, while Luke Murosky added three receptions for 60 yards and a score. The Lancers improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in region play, while Oil City fell to 2-2.
Nazareth Defense Dominates in 31-0 Shutout of Freedom
Nazareth put together a dominant performance Friday night, blanking Bethlehem Freedom 31-0 in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference matchup. QB Cooper Madson threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns, while Will Bacolo piled up more than 200 total yards and accounted for two scores. The Blue Eagles defense, led by Matt Leluga, intercepted three passes as head coach Tom Falzone and Nazareth improved to 3-1. Freedom dropped to 2-2.
#2 (4A) Pope John Paul II Runs Past Bishop Shanahan, 36-21
#2 (4A) Pope John Paul II rallied from an early deficit Friday night, pulling away from previously unbeaten Bishop Shanahan 36-21 on the road. The Golden Panthers dominated on the ground, rushing for 391 yards as they remained unbeaten at 4-0. Bishop Shanahan suffered its first loss of the season and fell to 3-1.
#8 (5A) Chester Stays Perfect With 24-13 Win Over Upper Darby
#8 (5A) Chester remained unbeaten Saturday morning, holding off Upper Darby 24-13 at Chester Upland Athletic Field. The Clippers continued their strong start with a balanced offensive attack, finishing with 187 passing yards and 145 rushing yards while limiting the Royals to 13 points. Chester improved to 4-0 with its fourth straight victory, while Upper Darby fell to 2-2.
#5 (4A) South Fayette Defense Leads Lions Past Trinity, 21-0
#5 (4A) South Fayette stayed perfect Friday night, shutting out Trinity 21-0 on the road at Hiller Stadium. Senior QB Braeden Plasko accounted for both an aerial and rushing touchdown as the Lions improved to 4-0. Trinity dropped to 2-2.
#1 (5A) Pine-Richland Bounces Back With 41-6 Rout of Mt. Lebanon
#1 (5A) Pine-Richland bounced back in a big way Friday night, rolling past Mt. Lebanon 41-6 on the road. The Rams exploded for three first-quarter touchdowns and carried a 38-3 advantage into halftime before finishing off the victory to improve to 3-1. Mt. Lebanon fell to 0-3.
#5 (6A) Parkland Celebrates Moncman Milestone With 35-0 Win
#5 (6A) Parkland scored all 35 of its points in the first half Thursday night, cruising past Stroudsburg 35-0. T.J. Lawrence scored on a 72-yard run and a 55-yard screen pass, while Jackson Geroulo added a 39-yard punt-return touchdown. The victory marked career win No. 200 for head coach Tim Moncman, including his 100th at Parkland, as the Trojans improved to 3-1. Stroudsburg fell to 2-2.
Whitehall Storms Back to Edge Pleasant Valley, 36-33
Whitehall erased an 11-point halftime deficit Friday night, rallying from 21-10 down to defeat Pleasant Valley 36-33. Head coach Andy Marino and the Zephyrs completed the comeback to improve to 3-1, while Pleasant Valley dropped to 2-2.
North Hills Defense Stands Tall in 10-0 Win at Peters Township
North Hills remained unbeaten Friday night, earning a 10-0 road victory over Peters Township in a defensive battle. The Indians took a 3-0 lead on a 36-yard field goal by Andrew Greenland before Nicco Thomas broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to provide the game’s only touchdown. North Hills’ defense made the lead stand, holding Peters Township scoreless throughout the night as the Indians improved to 3-0 and Peters Township fell to 1-3.
Calvert Hall Tops La Salle College, 27-14
Calvert Hall continued its strong start Saturday afternoon, defeating La Salle College 27-14 in a nonleague matchup in Baltimore. The Cardinals won their second straight game after opening the season with a one-point loss to Gonzaga and improved to 2-1 on the season. La Salle, which entered the game after a 38-24 victory over Archbishop Wood, dropped to 1-3 with its third loss in four games. Calvert Hall will visit Haverford School next Saturday, while La Salle travels to Delaware Friday to face Salesianum.
Exeter Township Shuts Out Ephrata, 7-0
Exeter Township’s defense turned in a dominant performance Friday night, shutting out Ephrata 7-0 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 opener. The Eagles finally broke through in the fourth quarter when Donovyn Alvarez scored on a 1-yard touchdown run after Nick Pashley returned a punt 38 yards to set up the score. Exeter Township improved to 3-1, while Ephrata also fell to 3-1.
North Allegheny Rallies Past Hempfield, 14-7
North Allegheny rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns Friday night to defeat Hempfield 14-7 at Newman Stadium in the Class 6A Quad County Conference opener. Senior QB Brady Brinkley threw both touchdown passes, connecting with Mason Brown on a 14-yard score to put the Tigers ahead 7-0 before finding Ben Kern for the game-winning 13-yard touchdown with 48 seconds remaining. North Allegheny improved to 1-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while Hempfield fell to 1-3. The Tigers’ defense also forced five turnovers and recorded six sacks.
Big School/Small School Crossover
McKeesport Edges #4 (3A) Propel Braddock Hills, 21-18
McKeesport snapped a two-game skid Thursday night, edging #4 (3A) Propel Braddock Hills 21-18 in a back-and-forth nonconference thriller. Junior QB Jordan Stuvaints threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to sophomore RB Tyshawn Robinson and added a 51-yard touchdown run, while Kemon Spell rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown. McKeesport came up with the biggest play of the night on Propel’s final possession, as sophomore RB/DB Tariq Johnson recorded a strip-sack and the Tigers recovered the fumble to preserve the victory. Head coach Tom Smith and McKeesport improved to 2-2, while Propel Braddock Hills fell to 2-2.
#9 (4A) Cardinal O’Hara Mauls #10 (2A) West Catholic, 38-0
#9 (4A) Cardinal O’Hara continued its perfect start Friday night, mauling #10 (2A) West Catholic 38-0 in a Catholic League crossover matchup. Morris Donzo found the end zone three times as the Lions controlled the game on both sides of the ball. Cardinal O’Hara improved to 4-0, while West Catholic suffered its first loss and fell to 3-1.
#5 (3A) Scranton Prep Grinds Out Win Over Delaware Valley, 14-7
#5 (3A) Scranton Prep earned a hard-fought 14-7 road victory over Delaware Valley Saturday in a Lackawanna Football Conference Division-I matchup. The Cavaliers won a physical, defensive battle in which field position and turnovers proved critical. Owen Jeffers rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown, Brandon Farmer added a short scoring run, and Braedon McPartland contributed 93 rushing yards as Scranton Prep improved to 3-1. Delaware Valley fell to 1-3.
Archbishop Wood Survives Conwell-Egan in Overtime, 48-42
Archbishop Wood survived a wild overtime shootout Friday night, edging Conwell-Egan 48-42 at Wissahickon. The Vikings and Eagles traded punches throughout a high-scoring battle before Wood came through in overtime to secure the thrilling victory. Archbishop Wood improved to 3-1, while Conwell-Egan dropped to 2-2.
#6 (3A) Hopewell Runs Away From Central Valley, 34-6
#6 (3A) Hopewell bounced back in a big way Friday night, defeating rival Central Valley 34-6 at Tony Dorsett Stadium. Junior James Armstrong accounted for four touchdowns, rushing for two scores while throwing touchdown passes to Avery Bokor and Nasir Wade. The Vikings reeled off 28 unanswered points after Central Valley tied the game at 6-6, pulling away to improve to 3-1. Central Valley fell to 2-2.
Small School Class 1A-3A
Cambria Heights Shuts Out Marion Center, 6-0
Cambria Heights remained unbeaten Friday night, earning a hard-fought 6-0 road victory over Marion Center in a Heritage Conference defensive battle. Colton Strong provided the game’s only points with a 2-yard touchdown run at 9:09 of the second quarter. The Highlanders’ defense made the lead stand, with sophomore Brock Wharton coming up with an interception and Harrison Snyder recovering a fumble. The victory also marked the 100th career win for head coach Jarrod Lewis, as Cambria Heights improved to 4-0 while Marion Center fell to 3-1.
Monessen Stuns #3 (1A) Fort Cherry, 14-12
Monessen pulled off one of Week 4’s biggest upsets Friday night, defeating #3 (1A) Fort Cherry 14-12 in the Black Hills Conference opener. Kaier Payne connected with Jay’veon Jeffries on a 24-yard touchdown pass before Jeffries added a 73-yard kickoff return for another score, giving the Greyhounds a 14-6 halftime lead. Fort Cherry rallied with a fourth-quarter touchdown, but Monessen’s defense stopped the Rangers on fourth down in the final minute to preserve the victory. The Greyhounds improved to 4-0, while Fort Cherry fell to 3-1.
Tyrone Holds Off Bald Eagle Area, 15-6
Tyrone bounced back from its Week 3 overtime loss Friday night, defeating previously unbeaten Bald Eagle Area 15-6 at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field. The Golden Eagles broke through in the fourth quarter, with Mason Emigh scoring two touchdowns to help Tyrone pull away in the final period. Tyrone improved to 3-1, while Bald Eagle Area suffered its first loss and also fell to 3-1.
#9 (3A) Elizabeth Forward Outlasts Waynesburg Central, 38-33
#9 (3A) Elizabeth Forward remained unbeaten Friday night, outlasting Waynesburg Central 38-33 in a wild Interstate Conference battle between previously unbeaten teams. Waynesburg grabbed a 33-32 lead with 8:09 remaining, but Rocco Thompson answered with a 21-yard touchdown run with 3:19 left to put the Warriors back in front for good. Thompson rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns, while Elizabeth Forward’s defense made a late fourth-down stop to secure the victory. The Warriors improved to 4-0, while Waynesburg Central fell to 3-1.
