It's the game that neither coach expected to happen, at least for another week.
Southern Columbia coach Jim Roth expected Line Mountain to beat Millersburg last week and therefore claim the No. 1 seed in the District 4 Class A tournament. Line Mountain coach Todd Rothermel felt pretty good about his team's chances of doing just that.
But Millersburg, a team that had already clinched the No. 1 seed in the District 3 Class A playoffs, spoiled the party, dropping the Eagles to No. 3 and giving Southern a home date for the first round. Had the Eagles won, Roth's team would have had to make its second trip this season to Bloomsburg, where the Tigers tasted their only defeat since the 2005 season.
Instead of hosting No. 4 seed Canton while Bloomsburg and Southern beat up on one another, the Eagles visit the Tigers' den, scene of last year's exciting 49-31 loss in the district final.
"It doesn't matter who they put in front of you, we have to be ready to play, and that's what we're telling the kids," Rothermel said. "If we want to feel sorry for ourselves, they will stomp us."
That's what Millersburg, a team that continued to drop in state rankings despite going unbeaten since week one, figures to do in its quarterfinal game. The Indians will face off for the second time this year against Twin Valley Conference opponent Upper Dauphin. The Trojans are 1-9, having beaten only lowly Pequea Valley in week one, but got in basically because no one else wanted the spot.
The Trojans are entering the playoffs having been outscored 361-52 and shut out seven times this season.
This game almost makes the District 4 Class AAA tournament look normal. You know, the one where Selinsgrove hosts 3-7 East Juniata while awaiting the winner of Jersey Shore and Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Warrior Run's trio of quarterback Bryson Brooke (5 touchdown passes) and split ends Chad Dixon (4 catches, 105 yards, 3 TDs) and Steve Martin (2-113, 2 TDs) in the Defenders' come-from-behind win over Central Columbia to earn a District 4 Class AA playoff berth.
COACH OF THE WEEK: Roy Wall, for Millersburg's Twin Valley Conference title-clinching victory at previously unbeaten Line Mountain.
Last week's and season records: 21-6; 198-57, .776.
This week's picks:
FRIDAY
District 4 Class AA
quarterfinals
Warrior Run at Towanda -- The Defenders are a dangerous No. 8 team. Towanda 21, Warrior Run 20.
Mount Carmel at Montoursville -- The Warriors should also have their hands full. Montoursville 20, Mount Carmel 19.
Mifflinburg at Athens -- The Wildcats finally get to turn their offense loose on a dry field. Mifflinburg 28, Athens 21.
Eastern Conference
Division Class A semifinals
South Williamsport at Lourdes Regional -- The Red Raiders finally win a playoff game. Lourdes 20, South Williamsport 12.
District 3 Class A
quarterfinals
Upper Dauphin at Millersburg -- Sorry, but David doesn't have a chance against Goliath in this one. Millersburg 34, Upper Dauphin 6.
Saturday
District 4 Class AAA semifinals
East Juniata at Selinsgrove -- The dream matchup is finally here. Selinsgrove 52, East Juniata 14.
District 4 Class A
semifinals
Line Mountain at Southern Columbia -- The Tigers are the favorites until someone stops them, and that hasn't happened in the last 16 district title games. Southern Columbia 35, Line Mountain 26.
Elsewhere in the EC and district playoffs: District 4 Class AAA, Jersey Shore over Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech; District 4 AA, Hughesville over Loyalsock; District 4 A, Bloomsburg over Canton; EC Class A, Mahanoy Area over Muncy; EC AA, Shenandoah Valley over Pen Argyl and Schuylkill Haven over Wyalusing; EC AAA, Twin Valley over Tunkhannock and Coughlin over Pottsville; District 2 AAA, West Scranton over Crestwood and Berwick over Dallas; District 2 AA, Dunmore over Myers, Lakeland over GAR, Riverside over Hanover Area and Wyoming Area over Carbondale; District 2 A, Northwest over Holy Cross and Lackawanna Trail over Old Forge; District 3 AA, Lancaster Catholic over Juniata; District 3 A, Halifax over Holy Name, Steel-High over Fairfield and Camp Hill over Reading Central Catholic; District 11 AAA, Northwestern Lehigh over Lehighton and Allentown Central Catholic over Blue Mountain; District 11 AA, Lansdale Catholic over Salisbury, Jim Thorpe over Northern Lehigh, Palisades over Wilson and Palmerton over Springfield Montco; and District 11 A, Marian Catholic over Jenkintown, Bristol over Calvary Christian, Pius X over Shenandoah Valley and Minersville over Williams Valley.
n Assistant sports editor Harold Raker covers high school football for The Daily Item. E-mail comments to hraker@dailyitem.com.
Sports
Harold Raker's high school football column: Indians got in way of Eagles' plans
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